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Eve in Congo

03/07/2013 Nativegrl77

Dear All… A Letter From Eve in Congo

Eve Ensler has been in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the last month. Here she shares with you all her experiences with the women at City of Joy, life on the V-World farm, and how she ROSE with women and girls of Congo on 14 February.

Dear All,

First let me begin with the deepest thank you to all of you who believed in City of Joy and have stood by us with your confidence and support. I have spent the month here and all I can say, is you would be proud. Let me start by describing the current state of Bukavu. It is nothing short of catastrophic. In one of the richest resourced countries in the world, the poverty is inconceivable. In a place where it rains almost every day, there is no water.

It is a country with the most fertile green fields, people are starving. There is no electricity. Most of the month the children have been sent home from school as the teachers are on strike. (they have not been paid). Even the policemen are begging for food. The road is better but most of the time we have not driven on it as there are so many reasons for detours. This is the environment our director Christine and her astounding staff face and transcend every day. Then of course there is the issue of security. The month I have been here there have been no incidents, but it feels arbitrary as there is no real political basis for security and one feels anything can happen at any time.

I will not even begin to tackle here the many proposals that seem to be circulating for peace in Congo. They either feel rhetorical or implausible. I think it is safe to say that if Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi were to get out of Congo, if there were real leadership and a functioning government in Kinshasa, there would be change. But that is not the nature of what I am writing about. We made a decision four years ago to put our energy into the grassroots women of Congo, to support their visions, their plans, their desires, their futures. To believe in their strength. To find the support for them to heal from gender violence of all forms, to be trained and educated in skills and their rights, to become leaders in their communities so that they could build a grassroots movement that eventually would be strong enough to transform this country and turn pain to power.

Special thank you to Paula Allen for the photographs featured here.

Continue reading >

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U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

03/07/2013 Nativegrl77

Tri-Union Seafood Issues Voluntary Recall on Select 5-Ounce Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water

03/06/2013 08:12 PM EST

Tri-Union Seafoods LLC is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of Chicken of the Sea brand 5-ounce cans of chunk white albacore tuna in water. The seams on the lids of the cans do not meet the standard for seam quality.

Bumble Bee Foods Issues Voluntary Recall On Specific Codes Of 5-Ounce Chunk White Albacore And Chunk Light Tuna Products Due To Loose Seals

03/06/2013 01:23 PM EST

Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, has issued a voluntary recall on specific codes of 5-ounce Chunk White Albacore and Chunk Light Tuna products. The recall has been issued because the products do not meet the companies standards for seal tightness.

Kroger Recalls Select Wheat Bread Products in Idaho, Oregon and Washington States

03/05/2013 12:36 PM EST

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) Bakery in Clackamas, Oregon is recalling select Wheat Bread products sold at the company’s Fred Meyer Stores in Idaho, Oregon and Washington and QFC stores in Oregon and Washington because these products may contain pieces of plastic. Customers should return the product to stores for a full refund or replacement.

Cargill’s animal nutrition business conducts voluntary recall of select mineral product used in ruminant feed

03/05/2013 07:13 PM EST

Cargill’s animal nutrition business today announced a voluntary recall of certain brands of its ruminant mineral products because they were deficient in vitamins A, D and E. The affected products were manufactured at Cargill’s facilities in McPherson, Kansas, and Montgomery City, Missouri, between Dec. 7, 2012, and Feb. 27, 2013.

China plans FDA-like food, drug watchdog: report (marketwatch.com)
Activists fight FDA approval of AquaBounty’s genetically engineered salmon (mcclatchydc.com)
FDA panel sees risk in long-used osteoporosis drug (kfwbam.com)
FDA panel sees risk in long-used osteoporosis drug (wfaa.com)

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Felix Baumgartner : Adventurer of the Year

03/07/2013 Nativegrl77

Felix Baumgartner Named People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year

The votes are in, and we’re pleased to announce that Felix Baumgartner is the 2013 People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year. The Austrian BASE jumper made history on October 14, 2012, by completing a seven-year quest to become the first person to break the speed of sound in free fall.

Photos: Baumgartner’s Daring Jumps Around the World »

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What Senate Delays Mean for Our Judicial System

03/07/2013 Nativegrl77

Today Senate Republicans again blocked an up-or-down vote to confirm Caitlin Halligan, first nominated by President Obama in 2010 to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. As President Obama said today:

A majority of the Senate agrees that Ms. Halligan is exactly the kind of person who should serve on this court, and I urge Senate Republicans to allow the Senate to express its will and to confirm Ms. Halligan without further delay.

Ms. Halligan, who has bipartisan support from lawyers and law enforcement, has suffered endless delays in the Senate — and she’s not the only one.

Find out how the Senate’s delays are affecting our judicial system:

CONGRESS: Republicans ::: back on 3/11 :::Democrats

03/07/2013 Nativegrl77

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Last Floor Action below … 3/7/2012

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of Executive Session and consideration of Executive Calendar #43, John Owen Brennan, of Virginia, to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:00pm for caucus meetings.
Prior to adjournment, in the early morning of Thursday, March 7^th, cloture was filed on the Brennan nomination. Under the rule, that vote would be one hour after the Senate convenes on Saturday.

The Senate has reached an agreement that results in up to 2 roll call votes beginning at approximately 3:15pm today.

If all time is used at approximately 3:15pm, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #43, the nomination of John Owen Brennan, of Virginia, to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.If cloture is invoked, the Senate would proceed immediately to a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination.

3:03pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #43, the nomination of John Owen Brennan, of Virginia, to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; Invoked: 81-16

3:30pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #43,

the nomination of John Owen Brennan, of Virginia, to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; Confirmed: 63-34

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1) Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Executive Calendar #43, John Owen Brennan, of Virginia, to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; Invoked: 81-16

2) Confirmation of the Brennan nomination; Confirmed: 63-34

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.71, designating the week of March 4 through March 8, 2013, as “Military and Veterans Caregiver Week”.

Adopted S.Res.72, to observe the contributions of the American Chiropractic Association and to recognize the 50^th anniversary of the founding of the organization.

Adopted S.Res.73, designating March 11, 2013, as “World Plumbing Day”.

Placed H.R.933, the Department of Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 on the Legislative Calendar.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.505, to prohibit the use of drones to kill citizens of the United States within the United States. (Cruz)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

The Senate reached an agreement to place on the Calendar of Business H.R.933, a bill making appropriations for the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other departments and agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for other purposes. We expect to consider the bill next week.

At 5:00pm on Monday, March 11, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations:

– Executive Calendar #9 Richard Gary Taranto, of Maryland, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit; and

– Executive Calendar #17 Andrew Patrick Gordon, of Nevada, to be United States District Judge for the District of Nevada.

There will be up to 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees on the nominations. Upon the use or yielding back of time (approximately 5:30pm), there will be up to 2 roll call votes on confirmation of the Taranto and Gordon nominations. We expect the Gordon nomination to be confirmed by voice vote.

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Last Floor Action:
12:04:56 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 11, 2013.

Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

12:00:57 P.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
12:01:14 P.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Blake Farenthold to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
12:01:39 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Gene Hemrick, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
12:02:39 P.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
12:02:54 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
12:04:04 P.M.		Congress, the Clerk transmitted to the House a notification that Porter J. Goss, David Skaggs, Yvonne Burke, Jay Eagen, Karan English, Bill Frenzel, Allison Hayward, Mike Barnes, Omar Ashmawy, Kelly Brewington, William Cable, Mary K. Flanagan, Scott Gast, Kedric L. Payne, Paul Solis, and Nate Wright have each signed an agreement not to be a candidate for the office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress for purposes of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 until at least 3 years after he or she is no longer a member of the board or staff of the Office of Congressional Ethics.
12:04:56 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 11, 2013.