~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Bankrate.com

12/17/2010 Nativegrl77

Here are stories published today

Home equity loan rates for Dec. 16, 2010 | 2010-12-17

Here are the average home equity rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

National mortgage rates for Dec. 16, 2010 | 2010-12-17

See rates from our survey of CDs, mortgages, home equity products, auto loans and credit cards.

Credit card interest rates for Dec. 16, 2010 | 2010-12-17

Here are the average credit card rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

CD rates for Dec. 16, 2010 | 2010-12-17

Here are the average CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

Auto loan rates for Dec. 16, 2010 | 2010-12-17

Here are the average auto loan rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts.

5 ways to cut credit cards from your life | 2010-12-17

It’s not easy to cut the umbilical cord to credit card debt. These tips will help you break away.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Curing lesbianism with rape?

12/17/2010 Nativegrl77

Join the global outcry against “corrective rape” in South Africa

Earlier this year Millicent Gaika, a 30-year-old South African woman, was tied up, beaten, strangled, tortured and raped for five hours by a man as he screamed that he would “cure” Millicent of her lesbianism.

Ndumie Funda, a local community activist whose lesbian partner was murdered in the course of a similar “corrective rape,” reached out to Millicent through a small local charity she set up to rescue and support survivors of “corrective rape.” But last month they both had to go into hiding after the South African government released the perpetrator they had helped to jail on 60 rand (less than $10) bail.

Ndumie, Millicent and others decided to fight back against the rapists and the lack of accountability for their crimes. From a Cape Town safehouse for survivors of ‘corrective rape,’ the women created a petition on Change.org targeting South African Justice Minister Jeffrey Radebe.

Please, they wrote, declare ‘corrective rape’ a hate crime, which would both empower and require South African police to take a harder line on the vicious crime.

Click here to add your name to the petition.

More than 500 “corrective rapes” are reported in South Africa each year, and more than 30 South African lesbians have been murdered because of their sexuality over the past decade. Worse, for every 100 men charged with rape in South Africa, 96 of them walk free.

We can help here. Last year, South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority went on record refusing to formally declare ‘corrective rape’ a hate crime, saying “It is not something that the South African government has prioritized as a specific project.”

But with enough international pressure on the South African government, such heinous crimes might finally be taken seriously. More than 2,000 Change.org members have added their name to the petition created by Ndumie and Millicent. Click here to add yours:

http://www.change.org/petitions/view/south_africa_declare_corrective_rape_a_hate-crime?alert_id=SlPqUMmEGV_YugBiDLRru&me=aa

Thank you for taking action,

– The Change.org Team

P.S. Every time a new person signs the petition, the Justice Minister’s office automatically gets an email. So once you join, will you forward this to friends and family, and post on Facebook, so that they hear a global outcry?

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Baby Whale Bacon

12/17/2010 Nativegrl77

Please make your most generous gift right now to support this work.

“Baby whales are more tender, so the crew keeps that meat for themselves. They are perfect for unesu (whale bacon).”

This shocking witness testimony came from an ex-whaler at the trial of two Greenpeace Japan activists who were recently prosecuted in Tokyo for exposing corruption within Japan’s supposedly “scientific” whaling program.

Despite the overwhelming evidence brought forward at the trial, the Japanese whaling fleet is now steaming toward the Southern Ocean with plans to kill more baby whales for whale bacon.

Please rush Greenpeace your most generous support as we continue our work to shut down the Japanese whaling industry—once and for all!

The key to ending Japan’s taxpayer-funded whale hunt lies with the Japanese people, 95% of whom never or rarely eat whale meat and 69% of whom do NOT support whaling in the Southern Ocean.

That’s why Greenpeace is rallying public support within Japan to stop the slaughter, in addition to pressuring President Obama to fulfill his campaign promise of “strengthening the international moratorium on commercial whaling.”

Although Greenpeace fought tirelessly to pass the international whaling moratorium in 1986, the Japanese government continues to take advantage of a loophole in ban, which allows for “lethal scientific research.”

However, what the Greenpeace Japan activists exposed during their Tokyo trial is the fact that Japan’s “science” is nothing more than a whale meat embezzlement scandal in disguise.

Now, as we’ve seen reported in news outlets around the world, Japan is buying votes at the International Whaling Commission to have the whaling moratorium overturned so that they no longer have to hide behind the veil of “science.”

Please rush Greenpeace your most generous donation NOW.

We need your help to rally support within Japan and pressure President Obama to use his international influence to strengthen the whaling moratorium. Together, we can ensure that baby whale bacon is no longer on the menu.

For the whales,

John Hocevar
Ocean Campaigns Director

PS: Greenpeace cannot save the lives of these whales—or continue our campaigns to defend the oceans, stop global warming, and protect the forests—without your support. Please send your emergency contribution today!!

~ my 2cents ...

TGIF … &some News

12/17/2010 Nativegrl77

Today the President will sign the Tax deal bill around 3:50pm ET so left coasters need to be alert. Congress has FY 2011, START, DADT on the calendar and hopefully the Dream Act will also get passed well before they all decide to cut out of DEC for Xmas.

Last night the tax deal passed in the House and the Senate. However, it was obvious that the tax deal was a tough vote for our dems in the House. The final vote was 277 for 148 against. I will admit that it was not the best; even the President said the bill had offensive pieces in the bill but the deal given the midterm vote was the best anyone could have gotten. I believe Congress in both Chambers would still be “negotiating” on the provisions, the amount and so many other things, which would have pushed it into January, so though it may not have been perfect i am happy for what our President pushed through in such a short time.

The big Omnibus bill was treated like a bipartisan effort, clearly as was said on the floor of Congress members on both sides of the aisle worked on it, yet after Sen. McCain got on the floor of Congress thanked the Tea Party for the intervention, laughed, and stated who won that on national tv. It is obvious our dems in Congress have yet to figure out the Republican Tea Party has no intention of being bipartisan even their own RNC chair Mr. Steele said that bipartisanship is overrated. The idea that the RTP truly are willing to be bipartisan let alone honest with good faith intentions has prove to be a joke. This latest move of got’cha was not only embarrassing it was sad to see Leader Reid face all dejected. It was good to see so many Senators come to the floor to make sure the public knew that this Omnibus bill was in fact indeed a bill that was bipartisan though the RTP clearly was portraying it yet another scam or something they felt pushed into by the Dems having had little to do with it. The notion that so much pork listed in the Omnibus bill is the fault of the Dems in the Senate definitely was quite absurd and embarrassing. It is however, proof that the RTP cannot be trusted as one of them stated there was a letter brought to them, they all decided to sign it, and the bill died. It was odd to see the fringe and or Tea Party aspect of the Republicans have so much power even off the floor of Congress though Sen. McCain made sure the public heard who intervened in this previously agreed to bill. I used to say i hope this or that move opens the eyes of Republican constituents but a lot were hoping the bill would be defeated and News stations are reporting that Tea Party members definitely making their voices heard thus defeating the Omnibus bill -last minute. I guess some folks are afraid of them because they certainly betrayed their agreement to Leader Reid and Senate Democrats.

Yesterday I was going to order Omaha Steaks but after hearing the correction by the CEO, I will never order from Omaha Steaks until they agree to stop using Fox as their advertising source. In fact, i ask for a boycott based on the correction and response by the CEO. I encourage everyone to take the time to leave a message on their website too… steakbytes.com

I just wanted to say how disappointed i was to hear the outcome. I was the one who called in to say that i just could not order @OmahaSteaks given the fact that your company had bought ad spots on his show with all the racial vitriol he throws out at the public. As far as free speech when it tells minorities they are not acceptable, dangerous and the enemy that reaches far beyond racial slurs discrimination and certainly freedom of speech. I take it that what you are saying is that Glenn Beck has the right to be a racist on National Television. I specifically said that Glenn Beck’s racial rants were my problem to one of your representatives from your company. I received a call back from an Omaha Steaks Representative stating they would be taking down the advertisement or that it would end around 12/20 and in doing so made me want to order but then i pulled back and said maybe i will wait until the ads disappear. I now feel after reading the correction from CEO Bruce Simon it is obvious his staff only gave partially accurate information. I say she intentionally kept information back. I appreciate the prompt correction but have now decided to take my business elsewhere to a company who believes in equality not the vitriol that comes from not just Glenn Beck but from the Fox News station.

Other News …

CSPAN …

Thursday Leader Sen.Harry Reid remarks on earmark spending

After attending a meeting of the Senate Democratic Caucus, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made remarks about earmark spending and responded to reporters’ questions.

Speaker Pelosi remarks on DADT Wednesday

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) spoke to reporters about the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on gays in the military. She was joined by co-sponsors of the bill, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD).

Senate Democrats Press Conference on START treaty

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) talked about the nuclear arms treaty with Russia. Senate Democrats want to pass the START treaty as it’s known before the end of the year. Sixty-seven votes are required for ratification. Senator Kerry was joined by Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

Senate Republicans Press Conference on START treaty

Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) along with several of his Republican colleagues spoke to reporters about the nuclear arms treaty with Russia known as START. Senate Democrats want to pass the START treaty as it’s known before the end of the year. Sixty-seven votes are required for