“The corn should be this high now,” Grace Orwa says, holding her hand far above her head. “But the rains came late.”

In Grace’s village in western Kenya, rain was scarce this year and the corn crop — which villagers depend on for food and income — will be meager, if it comes in at all.

The good news is that Grace and her neighbors formed a CARE community savings and loan group, which provides a vital financial safety net during tough times. Even if the crop fails, the villagers have the means to make it through to the next harvest. Thanks to her group, Grace has enough money to keep her children in school.

Your tax-deductible gift today can help poor people access tools and resources to become as resilient and self-sufficient as Grace is today. Here are some ways your gift can help change lives:
$75 can provide three village savings and loan groups with a lock box, ledger and other start-up supplies to help them manage loans and help start small businesses
$115 can provide a community mobilizer with a bicycle to reach village savings and loan groups in remote villages
$150 can provide a farmers’ association with soil testing equipment to help improve harvests
With the price of food skyrocketing, many families are struggling to afford food — and experts predict prices will continue to rise in the future. Veronica Okongo was worried that the increasing cost of food would jeopardize her ability to pay her children’s school tuition. So she moved her life savings from a bank to a CARE-created community savings and loan group where she earns more interest.

Unlike banks, CARE’s community savings and loan groups are owned by their members, and interest earned from repaid loans is shared among group members. The more money Veronica saves, the more interest she earns! Today, Veronica is confident that her children will be able to stay in school and she will be able to afford the food they need to stay healthy and focused on their studies.

Your tax-deductible donation to CARE today will help women like Veronica and Grace build a brighter future for themselves, their families and entire communities.

Thank you for all you do to help empower women and girls to escape hunger and poverty — for good.

Sincerely,

Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Save the saddest dolphins …Ricken Patel – Avaaz.org

06/09/2011 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

The pod was swimming peacefully in Samoa when nets closed in from behind — trapping 25 wild dolphins for a luxury resort’s latest exhibit. They are now locked in tiny pens, starved of food — but we can free them.

For wild dolphins captivity is torture, their powerful sonar bounces off the walls back at them — as if they are trapped in an endless house of mirrors. Most die young from stress induced illness, but some even commit suicide. If the wealthy Resorts World Sentosa succeeds in keeping them captive then half the dolphins will die in the first 2 years — and it will legitimise the widely banned practice of capturing dolphins in the wild. We can’t let that happen — let’s use our voices to set them free.

Resorts World was forced to abandon plans for a whale shark exhibit two years ago because of the huge outcry that threatened their reputation. Let’s build a massive call now to free these intelligent, beautiful creatures — and make this a turning point in the fight to end the global wild-dolphin trade. When we reach 500,000 our petition will be delivered to Resorts World and the media. Sign now and forward this to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/saddest_dolphins/?vl

The appallingly cruel wild-dolphin industry has been banned in nations from the UK to Costa Rica. The terrifying capture process involves driving the dolphins to shallow water, where up to half drown or die of their injuries before they are even caught. If we force Resorts World to free these wild dolphins now it will send a powerful message to all other resorts, and help break the back of the capture industry. We can also give these dolphins a second chance in life — renowned dolphin expert Ric O’Barry has offered to rehabilitate them back into the wild.

Resorts World argues that their “interactive spa program” will help heal sick and disabled children – but there is no scientific evidence to support this technique, which sees desperate parents pay thousands in pursuit of an imaginary cure. They also claim their programs aid conservation – but dolphin capture drives are also hunting expeditions. The “display-worthy” dolphins are spared, while the others are butchered. By ordering wild-caught dolphins, Resorts World is driving up demand for these barbaric hunts.

The trade of wild-captured dolphins must end. The world is moving slowly but surely in this direction, and our intervention could set a valuable precedent. Resorts World has buckled under pressure before, and it can’t afford another hit to its image. Let’s join our voices urgently to free the world’s saddest dolphins, and win a crucial battle in the fight to save all wild dolphins from short, miserable lives in captivity. Sign now and send this to family and friends:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/saddest_dolphins/?vl

Wild dolphins are incredibly playful, social and caring, as well as extremely intelligent — they are utterly captivating creatures. In the world we all wish for, dolphins are not hunted, trapped and broken — they are treated with the respect that all life deserves. Today, as we work for their freedom, we are taking a small but important step towards making that world a reality.

With hope,

Ricken, Ben, Morgan, Alice, Shibayan and the whole Avaaz team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Space Needle: Raise the Pride flag! … Change.org

06/09/2011 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

In 2010, the organization that runs the Space Needle made history during Gay Pride month when they raised the Pride flag for the first time.

But late last week, a Space Needle executive announced they will not raise the flag again this year.

And now Seattle residents are spreading this surprising news to their friends, family, and neighbors.

Josh Castle, a lifelong Seattle resident, was inspired to start a petition on Change.org when he found out. In just a few days, nearly 5,000 Seattle residents have signed it. Click here to add your name to Josh’s petition — and tell Space Needle CEO Ron Sevart to raise the Pride flag this year — just like last year.

The Space Needle is a private corporation which has a strong and positive friendship with the LGBT community, so their decision not to raise the flag again is odd, to say the least. For example, last year, Space Needle CEO Ron Sevart told Seattle Gay News:

“It’s a big deal for some of our team members. Such a big deal that when we told some of them, it was very emotional. We’re as diverse inside the Space Needle as what is outside the Space Needle. The Pride event takes place on the Seattle Center campus. I think that being able to look up at the Space Needle and see that flag up there — I think it’s going to be a very proud moment for a lot of people.”

Stuart Wilber has been in a relationship with his partner Jon for 34 years. As Stuart told Joe Mirabella, Change.org’s Organizing Manager on LGBT Rights:

“I signed and have been promoting the petition because seeing the flag flying over the Space Needle last year was an affirmation of the inclusiveness I have felt since we moved to Seattle 17 years ago. It was a symbol of respect on top of the most iconic symbol of Seattle. If you see a photo of the Eiffel Tower you think Paris; the Space Needle, Seattle; I finally felt I was home.”

Stuart is right. Please sign Josh Castle’s petition encouraging Space Needle executives to fly the Pride flag this year:

http://www.change.org/petitions/space-needle-please-raise-the-pride-flag-for-seattle-pride-weekend

Thanks for taking action.

– Eden and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

what is Congress doing: the Republican led House – the Senate

06/09/2011 Nativegrl77

The Senate Convenes at 9:30amET June 9, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.782, the Economic Development Act.There are several amendments pending to S.782. Senators will be notified when votes are scheduled.

The time until 2:15pm today will be equally divided and controlled between Senators Boxer and Snowe, or their designees, for debate on the Snowe amendment #390 (regulatory reform).

Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 2:15pm today), the Senate will conduct a roll call vote in relation to the Snowe amendment #390. The vote will be subject to a 60-vote threshold. No amendments, points of order, or motions are in order to the Snowe amendment prior to the vote, other than budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive and the amendment will not be divisible.

There will be no further roll call votes today.

Senator Coburn filed cloture on amendment #436 (436, as modified (to repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit).

The following amendments are currently pending to S.782, the Economic Development Act:
-DeMint amendment #394 (to repeal Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act)
-Paul amendment #414 (to increase debt limit by $2.406 trillion)
-Cardin amendment #407 (prohibition on interest charges for on-time principal payments)
-Merkley amendment #428 (mortgage servicing)
-Kohl amendment #389 (NOPEC)
-Hutchison amendment #423 (delay implementation of health care reform until pending lawsuits are resolved)
-Portman amendment ##417 (inclusion of application to independent regulatory agencies)
-Portman amendment #418 (Unfunded Mandates Reform Act)
-McCain amendment #411 (prohibit Federal funds to construct ethanol blender pumps/storage facilities)
-McCain amendment #412(repeal of Davis-Bacon wage requirements)
-Merkley amendment #440 (Energy Efficient Loan Program)
-Coburn amendment #436, as modified (to repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit) *cloture filed on this amendment
-Brown (MA) amendment #405 (repeal imposition of withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities)
-Inhofe amendment #430 (reduce the amounts appropriated for EDA)
-Inhofe amendment #438 (regulatory assessment)
-Merkley amendment #427 (technical correction to the HUBZone designation process)
-McCain 2nd degree amendment #441 (to prohibit federal funds to construct ethanol blender pumps or ethanol storage facilities) to Coburn amendment #436, as modified (to repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit).

The Senate is now in a period of morning business.

Votes:
87: Snowe amendment #390: (regulatory reform)(60-vote threshold);
Not Agreed To: 53-46

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The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on June 9, 2011.

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JUNE 9, 2011

112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

10:32 A.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on June 13, 2011.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

10:30 A.M. –

Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Doctor Alan Kieran.

The Speaker designated the Honorable Thomas J. Rooney to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.