~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

It’s Redge Ranyard’s story …

12/02/2013 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

VoteVets.org

Last week, John Boehner said that Republicans were locked in an “epic battle” to keep the government shutdown going.

As a World War II veteran, I fought in six epic battles. I helped fight the Nazis in the North African seas, and took part in operations that liberated Italy and the South of France, from Germany.

The Tea Party Shutdown is not an epic battle — it is bad governance.

Americans and veterans like me depend on our entire government being open.

I filmed a television ad with VoteVets, and it’s on the air starting today. I hope you’ll watch it and contribute to help keep it up.

http://action.votevets.org/shutdown-ad

After receiving General Wesley Clark‘s email last week, I responded with my personal story about how the shutdown impacts my life, while expressing my disgust with the Republican Party’s politicization of the World War II Memorial shortly after the shutdown began.

I served this nation with honor. Today, I can’t say the same thing about most Republicans in Congress.

Thank you for standing up for me,

Redge Ranyard
World War II Veteran
VoteVets.org

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Give back with the first-ever donatable Hangout-a-thon on Google+

12/02/2013 Nativegrl77

Posted: 02 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST

As the holidays approach and our calendars become full, it can be hard to find time to give back to the causes you care about most. Tomorrow, on Giving Tuesday—an annual one-day event that encourages people to make donations to their favorite charities—we’re making it easier for you to connect with a worthy cause through the first-ever “Hangout-a-thon” on Google+.
Starting at 9 a.m. EST tomorrow on the Giving Tuesday Google+ page, you can join nonprofit organizations working to improve clean water access, eliminate bullying, and provide disaster relief in the Philippines. Learn more about their work, ask questions and connect directly to the people they’re helping. Celebrities such as Jennifer Garner, Chris Daughtry and Sophia Bush will stop by to join in on the fun, and you can also donate to the charity of your choice while watching the Hangout.

Here’s a preview of what you can do:

Connect with people engaging in relief efforts on the ground in the Philippines through Save the Children and UNICEF
Join conversations with the founders of Warby Parker and TOMS about gifts that give back, moderated by our partner Mashable
Get inspired during a morning yoga tutorial with the Africa Yoga Project in Kenya
Hear how the Malala Fund is working to promote education as a peace-building tool in developing nations
Participate in a quick coding lesson from Code.org, Girls Who Code and Code2040 and learn what you can do to support digital literacy

We hope you’ll participate by watching the Hangout-a-thon, donating to a cause you care about and posting about the event with #givingtuesday on Google+. And to keep the giving going throughout the holiday season, download One Today, our Android app that lets you donate to a different nonprofit every day.
Posted by Ramya Raghavan, Head of Politics and Causes for Google+

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

the Indian Parliament chose to delay the ban on child labour.

12/02/2013 Nativegrl77

Your support was instrumental in building pressure for the Indian government to pass the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill in August. But despite 1,010,918 signatures (including yours), the Indian Parliament chose to delay the ban on child labour.

The Parliament resumes on 5 December, and we need greater public support this time to ensure that our voice is not ignored. Can you help by forwarding the message below to your friends and family asking them to call on the Indian government and ensure that it passes the bill immediately?

Thank you in advance for your help.

————————————————————————————————–

“On the day that Durga Mala was rescued, she lay crying on the stone floor, where she was attempting to cool her back. She was 11 years old and her skin was covered with blisters, from her shoulder blades to her buttocks. A few days earlier, her owners had poured hot oil over her because they thought she was working too slowly.”¹

The Indian Parliament must believe we’re not concerned about Durga or millions of children like her in India. Why? Because time and again, the Parliament has delayed a vote on the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill, which would ban employment of children up to 14 years of age. But we are watching.

The Indian Parliament resumes on 5 December. Every day the bill is delayed, several children remain at risk of being bought and sold to work in unimaginable conditions of sex slavery, bonded labour and domestic servitude. Unless we speak up.

We need to build massive public pressure for the Indian government to pass this historic legislation that will help end child slavery in India.

Call on the Indian Parliament to immediately pass the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill and help end child slavery in India.

In just days, the Indian Parliament will resume. This is our last chance to put the bill to vote before general elections next year.

The Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill will:
1. Prohibit employment of children up to 14 years of age; 2. Outline harsher sentences for violators of child labour laws; and 3. Provide for monitoring of suspected instances of child slavery.

While stories like Durga’s are making headlines, there are many more that remain hidden, trapped in the nightmare of modern slavery — with no choice, no pay and with no realistic chance of escaping. At an age when children should be in school, they are being subjected to situations that make them vulnerable to serious physical and psychological harm.

But all this could end. The ban on child labour will help end enslavement of children in India. But the delay to vote on this bill is delaying freedom for children from modern slavery. Even scarring them for life.

Tell the Indian government to help end child slavery and pass the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill now.

Thank you in advance for your support. Once you have taken action, please forward this message on to everyone you know and help bring us one step closer to eliminating modern slavery.

In solidarity,

Debra, Mich, Jess, Kamini, Mika, Sarah, Kate, Olly, Joanna, Jayde and the Walk Free Team

P.S. On Twitter? Follow us

¹ http://abcnews.go.com/International/daughters-sale-indias-child-slavery-scourge/story?id=20540368&singlePage=true

Walk Free is a movement of people everywhere, fighting to end one of the world’s greatest evils: Modern slavery.

Follow on Twitter | Friend on Facebook | Subscribe on Youtube | View this email in your browser

This email was sent to . You can unsubscribe from WalkFree.org at any time.

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VICTORY: UC Regents settles suit against UCLA Surgeon, Dr. Christian Head

12/02/2013 Nativegrl77

Friend,

Thanks to you, UCLA couldn’t shake the public’s outrage that nearly 120,000 Change.org signatures awakened. The late Willis Edwards started this petition to stop the discrimination and retaliation against an African American surgeon. Despite succumbing to cancer before the resolution of this case, you made his effort a success.

Dr. Christian Head, a respected UCLA surgeon who was the target of blatant racial discrimination and unrelenting retaliation, was finally awarded a settlement sum of $4.5 million from the University of California’s Board of Regents.

In fact, your signature and support for Dr. Head was so effective that the petition pressed UCLA to undertake a campus-wide survey to evaluate the university’s racial climate among its faculty.

The 5-member panel that oversaw the survey was led by former California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno. The results were scathing. Thanks to the Los Angeles Times, the public has learned the findings of the report reveal a shameful pattern.

The report found that UCLA’s review process “failed to adequately record, investigate, or provide for disciplinary sanctions for incidents which, if substantiated, would constitute violations of university nondiscrimination policy.” In other words, UCLA ignored complaints about discrimination and retaliation.

While Dr. Christian Head’s settlement is a huge victory, the university faces continued problems. Currently, Dr. Joel Sercarz, the only physician to have publicly substantiated Dr. Head’s allegations, is currently involved in a lawsuit against UCLA for the retaliation he faced when he came to Dr. Head’s defense. And other suits regarding unprofessional workplace conduct are also pending.

You can help reform UCLA’s racial climate. It’s time to ask the California Attorney General, Kamala Harris to step in to conduct and independent investigation on claims of discrimination and retaliation that UCLA bypassed.

Follow this link to sign the petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/ca-attorney-general-kamala-harris-investigate-ucla-for-ignoring-discrimination-and-retaliation-complaints-by-faculty-members

UCLA has forfeited its credibility to handle such sensitive and critical matters.

Thank you so much for supporting Dr. Head in this landmark case taking on institutionalized racism. Now, let’s keep up the tremendous effort to change the toxic climate at UCLA.

Ron Hasson, NAACP Board Member

Black History

the Senate CONGRESS 12/2 the House

12/02/2013 Nativegrl77

The featured picture is PBO with his mom’s

The Senate will convene at 2:00pm on Monday, December 9, 2013.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 4:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1197, the National Defense Authorization to allow the Chairman and Ranking Member to provide a status update on the bill.

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #327, the nomination of Patricia Ann Millett, of Virginia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, post-cloture. There will be up to 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled in the usual form. At 5:30pm, all post-cloture time will be expired and there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the Millett nomination.

************************

Last Floor Action: 11/29
10:05:59 A.M. – The Speaker announced
that the House do now adjourn pursuant to S. Con. Res. 28.

The next meeting is
scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on December 2, 2013.

2:00:24 P.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
2:00:29 P.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Steve Womack to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
2:00:40 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
2:02:05 P.M.		POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF JOURNAL – The Speaker announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Ms. Foxx demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Speaker announced that the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Foxx objected to the voice vote based upon the absence of a quorum and the Speaker postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal until a time to be announced.
2:02:29 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Poe of TX to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
2:02:43 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.
2:12:18 P.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on November 22, 2013, at 10:52 a.m. transmitting the appointments of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.
2:12:44 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 5:00 P.M. today.
5:02:50 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of December 2.
5:02:57 P.M.		The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
5:03:14 P.M.	H.R. 3547	Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 3547 — “To extend the application of certain space launch liability provisions through 2014.”
5:03:30 P.M.	H.R. 3547	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:03:32 P.M.	H.R. 3547	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3547.
5:24:30 P.M.	H.R. 3547	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
5:25:05 P.M.	H.R. 3588	Mr. Johnson (OH) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 3588 — “To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to exempt fire hydrants from the prohibition on the use of lead pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder, and flux.”
5:25:15 P.M.	H.R. 3588	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:25:20 P.M.	H.R. 3588	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3588.
5:38:02 P.M.	H.R. 3588	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
5:38:32 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 P.M. today.

6:30:05 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of December 2.
6:30:12 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
6:31:10 P.M.	H.R. 3547	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 3547 — “To extend the application of certain space launch liability provisions through 2014.”
6:31:47 P.M.	H.R. 3547	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Roll Call 612 – 2/3 Yea and Nay vote pending.

7:04:08 P.M.	H.R. 3547	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 376 – 5 (Roll no. 612).
7:04:39 P.M.	H.R. 3588	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 3588 — “To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to exempt fire hydrants from the prohibition on the use of lead pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder, and flux.”
7:12:20 P.M.	H.R. 3588	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 384 – 0 (Roll no. 613).
7:20:58 P.M.		On approving the Journal Agreed to by recorded vote: 237 – 126, 1 Present (Roll no. 614).
7:21:43 P.M.		House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards – Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 501(b) and the order of the House of January 3, 2013, the Speaker appointed the following members of the House to the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards: Mrs. Miller of MI, Chairman, Mr. Price of GA and Mr. Latta.
7:22:29 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
7:44:20 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

10:01:32 P.M.		Mr. Rohrabacher moved that the House do now adjourn.
10:01:46 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
10:01:47 P.M.		The House adjourned.The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on December 3, 2013.