Abby Spiwak via Change.org


Taylor Radig was working as an undercover investigator at a cattle company that was abusing baby calves, and was unfairly charged with animal cruelty after exposing the mistreatment.

Sign my petition asking for the charge to be dropped.

An undercover investigator named Taylor Radig worked at Quanah Cattle Company to document the violent abuse of baby calves, some of which were too young to have been taken away from their mothers. The cows are shown in the footage being dragged around by their ears, tossed onto their heads, and kicked until they cry.

Taylor helped document and report the abuses, leading to three of the workers being charged with animal cruelty. But then the sheriff charged her with a crime for simply witnessing and documenting this animal cruelty!

I started a petition on Change.org because I know other whistleblowers have have won campaigns against reporting factory farming abuse. Now I’m hoping I can help Taylor for her bravery. Click here to sign my petition asking for the charge against Taylor Radig to be dropped immediately.

Going undercover in factory farms and slaughterhouses is becoming more and more dangerous as states around the country start passing laws that make it illegal to film or photograph inside of them. That’s why it’s so important that people like Taylor aren’t punished for doing the right thing.

Animal welfare experts describe the footage from Quanah as unacceptable treatment and severe abuse. Without this evidence, baby cows would have continued to face violent beatings and cruel treatment without any recourse.

I believe that Taylor is being charged with animal cruelty as a way of intimidating other people who want to ensure humane conditions for livestock animals, even though she helped blow the whistle on these atrocious abuses. Pressuring the district attorney to drop the charges is important for whistleblowers like Taylor and for protecting farm animals everywhere.

Sign my petition asking the Weld County District Attorney to drop the animal cruelty charge against Taylor, the whistleblower on the Quanah Cattle company.

Abby Spiwak Denver, CO

crossing over or creative satire


Tyra Banks Models In Whiteface

September 10, 2013  |  by Julie Gerstein  |

enlarge

• “America’s Next Top Model” HBIC Tyra Banks posed in whiteface for a new series of photos by photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth. The collection, titled simply 15 features Tyra as some of her fave icons, including Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Cara Delevingne, Lauren Hutton, Kate Moss, Brooke Shields, and Claudia Schiffer. To top off the collection, Tyra also poses as herself at age 15. And yeah, we’re not sure what that means, either. Worth noting: Only three of the 15 women Tyra emulates are women of color, which is kind of sad comment on the state of multicultural modeling. [Udo Photography]

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 12/11 ~~ the House


What side of History will your member of Congress be remembered for ?

refpr,

The Senate stands in adjournment until 2:00pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2013.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and the consideration of Executive Calendar #233, the nomination of Cornelia T.L. Pillard, of the District of Columbia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, post cloture. Time during the adjournment will count post-cloture. If all time is used, the post-cloture debate time will expire around 1:00am on Thursday, December 12. Senators will be notified when any votes are scheduled.

The Senate has resumed consideration of Executive Calendar #346, the nomination of Cornelia T.L. Pillard.

The post-cloture debate time on the Pillard nomination expires at approximately 12:50am tonight/early morning Thursday, December 12.

Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the Pillard nomination.

Upon disposition of the Pillard nomination, there will be a live quorum. Senators are asked to be in their seats for all the live quorums during this process. Once a quorum is established, the Senate will proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Feldblum nomination. If cloture is invoked, there would be up to 8 hours for debate equally divided prior to a vote on confirmation of the Feldblum nomination. Upon disposition of the Feldblum nomination, there would be another live quorum followed by a cloture vote on the Wolford nomination. If cloture is invoked, there would be 2 hours for debate equally divided prior to a vote on confirmation of the Wolford nomination. Upon disposition of the Wolford nomination, there would be another live quorum followed by a cloture vote on the McCafferty nomination. If cloture is invoked, then up to 2 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the McCafferty nomination. So on and so forth until we complete action on the list of nominations at the end of this email.

In addition to the expected live quorums, cloture votes, and confirmation votes, we could see other procedural votes such as votes to sustain the ruling of the chair or motions to adjourn or recess. If we yield back all time under majority control and we have no additional procedural votes, this schedule would take us into Saturday evening. Senators should be prepared for votes at all hours of the day and night for near future.

12:50am Thursday, December 12:

1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #346, the nomination of Cornelia T.L. Pillard

Live Quorum

2)      Cloture on Executive Calendar #378, Chai Rachel Feldblum, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (8 hours);

3)      Confirmation of Feldblum

Live Quorum

4)      Cloture on Executive Calendar #330, Elizabeth A. Wolford, of New York, to be US District Judge for the Western District of New York (2 hours);

5)      Confirmation of Wolford nomination

Live Quorum

6)      Cloture on Executive Calendar #347, Landya B. McCafferty, of New Hampshire, to be US District Judge for the District of New Hampshire (2 hours);

7)      Confirmation of McCafferty nomination

Live Quorum

8)      Cloture on Executive Calendar #361, Patricia M. Wald, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (8 hours);

9)      Confirmation of Wald nomination

Live Quorum

10)  Cloture on Executive Calendar #348, Brian Morris, of Montana, to be United States District Judge for the District of Montana (2 hours);

11)  Confirmation of Morris nomination

Live Quorum

12)  Cloture on Executive Calendar #349, Susan P. Watters, of Montana, to be United States District Judge for the District of Montana (2 hours);

13)  Confirmation of Watters nomination

Live Quorum

14)  Cloture on Executive Calendar #358, Deborah Lee James, of Virginia, to be Secretary of the Air Force (8 hours);

15)  Confirmation of James nomination

Live Quorum

16)  Cloture on Executive Calendar #444, Heather Anne Higginbottom, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources (8 hours);

17)  Confirmation of Higginbottom nomination

Live quorum

18)  Cloture on Executive Calendar #406, Anne W. Patterson, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Ambassador, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs) (8 hours);

19)  Confirmation of Patterson nomination

Live Quorum

20)  Cloture on Executive Calendar #450, Jeh Charles Johnson, of New Jersey, to be Secretary of Homeland Security (30 hours).

21)  Confirmation of Johnson nomination

Senator Menendez asked unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Banking Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.1610, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2013, and the Senate proceed to its consideration; that an amendment, which is at the desk, making technical changes to the bill, be agreed to; that no other amendments be in order to the bill; that there be up to two hours of debate, equally divided between proponents and opponents of the bill; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill; finally, the vote on passage be subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold.

 Senator Roberts objected.

Senator Reid asked unanimous consent that at 9am, tomorrow, Thursday, December 12, all post-cloture time on the Pillard nomination be considered expired and the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the Pillard nomination; that upon disposition of the Pillard nomination, the mandatory quorum required under rule 22 be waived with respect to the cloture motion on the Feldblum nomination and the Senate proceed to the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Feldblum nomination; that if cloture is invoked on the Feldblum nomination, all post-cloture time be yielded back and the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the Feldblum nomination; finally, that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate’s action.

Senator Grassley objected.

Senators should expect 2 roll call votes at approximately 12:50am tonight:

–          Confirmation of Pillard (DC Circuit)

  • LIVE QUORUM

–          Cloture on Feldblum (EEOC)

  • Up to 8 hours for debate

================================================

Last Floor Action:12/10
5:47:18 P.M. – The House adjourned.

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

===============================================

#GetCovered


President Obama: “What Drives Me”

Yesterday in Southeast Washington, DC, President Obama spoke about what he called the defining challenge of our time: reversing a decades-long slope toward growing inequality and a lack of upward mobility. It’s a trend that has jeopardized middle-class America’s basic bargain — the idea that if you work hard, you have a chance to get ahead.

Find out why we have to make our economy work for every working American.

Click here to see more from yesterday's event.

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You’ve probably been hearing a lot about health reform and HealthCare.gov these past few months, check out some of our favorite enrollment stories.

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