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Support Science

09/27/2010 Nativegrl77

We believe that curiosity can save the world—but we can’t do it without your help. Support our work to spread the truth—and spread the curiosity—by becoming a member of UCS today.

Climatologist Cameron Wake knows it. So does ecologist David Inouye. In fact, 98 percent of all scientists agree that global warming is a human-caused problem with potentially devastating consequences.

So how is it that so many people are still in the dark? Well, in short, they’ve been misinformed, and sometimes deliberately, by people who would rather protect their own short-term interests than our grandchildren and our environment.

That’s why it’s more important now than ever before that the voices of scientists are heard. Can you make a donation now to help us spread the truth about global warming?

Curiosity is what first inspired scientists like David and Cameron to explore the world around them, and it’s that curiosity that is the key to solving some of our most pressing environmental, health, and security problems.

Yet, by sowing doubt about the reliability of science, global warming deniers seek to kill the very curiosity that could save us and our environment. And we can’t let that happen. Support the Union of Concerned Scientists in our efforts to bring sound science to the public and spread the curiosity and the truth about global warming. Become a member of UCS by making a donation today.

Whether studying bees and wildflowers in the Rocky Mountains or glacial cores in the Himalayans, it’s clear that the world is warming like never before. But by working together to champion truth, curiosity, and science, we can protect our world and all of its precious curiosities.

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch
President

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A message from Vice President Biden

09/27/2010 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

I’ll tell you one thing that worries me about this election: There’s a small group of billionaires and corporate special interests that are trying to buy their way back into power. They’re spending their fortunes to defeat our folks and elect some of the most right-wing Republicans this country has ever seen.

We’ve launched the By the People Fund to fight back, with the goal of reaching 3 million grassroots donations to power the most ambitious on-the-ground effort ever waged in an election like this.

Here’s the deal: We’re only 22,981 donations away from shattering that goal right now. We could reach it this month, with one big push this week.

It’s going to take 198 grassroots donations in Seattle to get there.

Will you chip in $5 to the By the People Fund today — and help us take back our elections?

I spent 36 years in the Senate, serving alongside Republicans of all stripes. But some of the Republicans running now are not from your grandfather’s Republican Party. They’re from the Republican Tea Party:

— Sharron Angle, who wants to be the next senator from Nevada, has called for phasing out Social Security and Medicare — and even wants to end maternity coverage.

— Pat Toomey is running for Senate in Pennsylvania. He wants to de-regulate Big Oil and open up the Great Lakes for drilling.

— Christine O’Donnell, who is vying for the same Senate seat I was honored to hold in Delaware, is campaigning on repealing health reform.

The fact is this: The corporate special interests trying to elect these Republicans don’t care if they’re supporting extremists.

They just want us out of the way. With your help, we’ve enacted historic reforms despite their best efforts to derail us. Now, they’re focused on one thing — creating a Congress in which they can call the shots once again.

That’s why they’re pulling out all the stops — and spending millions — to win in November.

But we will not stand by and let them take the country backward.

We’re counting on you to chip in today to fight back. Your donation will help us fund the organizing going on right now in key races across the country.

Please donate $5 and help us reach our By the People Fund goal:

https://donate.barackobama.com/3Million

Thank you,

Joe Biden

P.S. — Tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, President Obama will be rallying with supporters in Madison, Wisconsin. It should be an exciting event — and you can watch it live at www.BarackObama.com.

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General Mills Joins Race to Protect Rainforests!

09/27/2010 Nativegrl77

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Stop Liberty,BP’s Next Big Drilling Disaster

09/27/2010 Nativegrl77

Urge Interior Secretary Salazar to stop BP‘s next drilling disaster before it even happens!

Right now the only thing standing between BP and its next big drilling disaster is the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. BP built a gravel drilling island three miles off Alaska’s north coast and classified the Liberty drilling project as “onshore,” thereby dodging the recent moratorium on offshore drilling in the arctic waters off Alaska. BP calls Liberty one of its “biggest challenges to date,” and if it moves forward, the company will push the limits of drilling in Alaska’s Arctic, just as it pushed the limits of deepwater drilling in the Gulf with the Deepwater Horizon.

What BP is proposing is crazy. The company’s current plan calls for a well to be drilled that extends two miles below the seabed and then six to eight miles sideways to get at the oil they believe lies below federal waters in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea. It’s a disaster waiting to happen in a place where it’s simply impossible to respond to and clean up a large oil spill.

Allowing the company responsible for the worst oil spill in US history to attempt such a risky drilling project in the ice-infested waters of Alaska is the true definition of insanity repeating the same mistakes yet expecting different results. Take action now and ask Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to stop BP from moving forward with Liberty.

It took BP more than three months to end the gusher in the Gulf, and the region will be feeling the effects of the nearly 5 million barrels of oil that were spilled for decades to come. Alaska’s arctic marine environment is even more fragile than the Gulf of Mexico, and moreover, BP lacks adequate response assets in this remote part of the state where darkness, intense cold and storms, and solid or broken sea ice are the norm for much of the year. It’s no wonder the US Coast Guard called an oil spill in Arctic waters a “nightmare scenario.”

BP’s own analysis says there’s an eight percent chance of a large oil spill at Liberty. Would you get onto a plane if the pilot told you there was an eight percent chance of it crashing? Didn’t think so.

BP has already built Liberty Island and has received all of its permits except for one the federal government’s final sign off on BP’s “application for a permit to drill.” Secretary Salazar can deny this final permit, urge him to stop BP’s next big drilling disaster now.

Sincerely,

Melanie Duchin
Arctic Program Director

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what’s going on in Congress …update 9/27

09/27/2010 Nativegrl77

The Senate Convenes: 2pmET on this September 27, 2010

Morning business until 3pm with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to Calendar #578, S.3816, a bill to create American jobs and to prevent the offshoring of such jobs.

Senators should expect a live quorum at approximately 7pm on Monday.

Votes:
241: The motion to instruct the Sergeant At Arms to request the presence of absent senators; Agreed to: 48-25

Unanimous Consent:
Passed H.R.553, the Reducing Over-Classification Act, with Lieberman amendment.

Passed H.R.946, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 w/ an Akaka amendment

Passed H.R.3553, the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act of 2010.

Passed H.R.2092, the Kingman and Heritage Islands Act of 2009 w/ committee-reported amendments.

Passed S.1510, US Secret Service Uniformed Division Modernization Act w/ substitute amendment

Concurred in the House Message to accompany S.2868, the Federal Supply Schedules Usage Act of 2010.

Passed H.R.3808, the Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010.

Passed H.R.2701, Intelligence Authorization w/ Feinstein-Bond substitute amendment.

Passed S.1338, a bill to require the accreditation of English language training programs and for other purposes.

Passed S.3802, Mount Stevens and Ted Stevens Icefield Designation Act w/ a Murkowski substitute amendment.