Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Now South Korea wants to kill whales


 

The South Korean government is considering a proposal on December 3 to start its own ‘scientific’ whaling programTake ActionTell the Prime Minister of South Korea that there is no place for the needless slaughter of whales.

take action today

South Korea’s name might be added to the short list of countries who needlessly slaughter whales.

On December 3, the South Korean government will consider a proposal to establish a ‘scientific’ whaling program. If they do, the first harpoons could be fired in less than six months. It’s up to us to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Tell the Prime Minister of South Korea that there is no place for the needless slaughter of whales in the 21st century and to block his country’s plans to establish a ‘scientific’ whaling program.

South Korea first announced plans to start a ‘scientific’ whaling program of its own in July at the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The plan was strongly opposed by the anti-whaling nations, but it was supported by pro-whaling countries like Iceland, Norway and Japan.

A media storm followed the announcement with thousands of critical articles appearing all over the world. Soon there were reports that South Korea had changed its mind. The reports were wrong.

Backed by what remains of its old whaling industry and countries like Japan, South Korea’s fisheries ministry is pushing hard to resume whaling. But this is the Prime Minister’s call and government sources have indicated that “other issues” will be considered before making the decision. That means global political pressure.

We only have three weeks to generate enough global public outcry to stop South Korea’s plans to resume commercial whaling. Help us send 45,000 messages to the Prime Minister by December 3 and take action today.

Greenpeace and other organizations have been working hard to transform the IWC and end whaling once and for all. We’ve made a lot of progress — winning reforms that make it harder for countries like Japan to buy votes and pushing to create a whale sanctuary in the Southern Atlantic.

However, if South Korea starts a ‘scientific’ whaling program, the IWC has no power to stop it. The time to stop this plan is now. We have people working in South Korea, but they need your support. Let’s not allow South Korea to take us backwards.

Tell the Prime Minister of South Korea to say ‘no’ to whaling.

For the whales,

Phil Kline
Greenpeace Senior Oceans Campaigner

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

No Faking it

2 Comments

By ThinkProgress War Room

Obama Rejects Fake Tax “Compromise”

As the fiscal showdown begins in earnest, Republicans have been trying to at least sound like they’re open to a real compromise on taxing the wealthy. But a closer look at what they’re actually proposing shows that it is no compromise at all. In fact, it’s almost identical to the tax plan none other than Mitt Romney just ran on — and lost.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) said the president should find common ground by adopting policies “just like Romney suggested.” This ridiculous argument has been echoed by numerous other Republicans, including Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

What Republicans are proposing is to lower tax rates for the wealthy, close some unspecified loopholes, and then through magic expect to get more revenue. Republicans relied on this same sort of magic math to suggest that the Bush tax cuts would result in massive job growth and enough revenue to completely pay off the national debt by 2010. Instead we got massive deficits and the worst job growth in decades.

During a White House press conference today, the president rejected this kind of magical thinking on taxes. Obama derided “dynamic scoring” — the revenue increases that conservatives claim will occur after tax cuts — saying he would oppose any efforts to only “sorta-kinda raise revenue”:

What I will not do is to have a process that is vague, that says we’re going to sorta-kinda raise revenue through dynamic scoring or closing loopholes that have not been identified. And the reason I won’t do that is I don’t want to find ourselves in a position six months from now or a year from now, where low-and-behold, the only way to close the deficit is to sock it to middle-class families.

Watch it:

BOTTOM LINE: We have to address our fiscal problems using math, not magic. President Obama received a mandate from voters to ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. Instead of trying recycle and repackage their failed plans, it’s time for Republicans to stop holding middle class tax cuts hostage and start making a deal.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Romney tells donors that Obama only won because of “big gifts” to blacks and Latinos.

UN declares access to contraception a “universal human right.”

Is it game over for Grover Norquist?

Weeks after giving $100,000 to American Crossroads, coal company lays off workers.

Failure to extend unemployment insurance could cost 400,000 jobs.

Nancy Pelosi might be Speaker Pelosi again if not for the GOP’s extreme gerrymandering.

Romney co-chair says he would’ve “absolutely” won Wisconsin if the state’s voter ID law hadn’t been struck down.

How the tragic death of an Irish woman who was denied an abortion could become the norm in the U.S.

Most Americans support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

For science (and NOT the election)


Union of Concerned Scientists

Congress: Keep Independent Federal Agencies Independent

After the election, the Senate will likely take up misguided legislation that would give the White House more control over certain federal agencies that protect our health and safety—such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The bill would make it more difficult for these agencies to use the latest science to protect the public from emerging threats—and make it easier for the White House to interfere in the work of these critical independent agencies. As a result, special interests with deep pockets would have even more influence in Washington.

Don’t let the lame duck Congress pass this terrible legislation.

Urge your senators today to strongly oppose the so-called Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act.

Take Action Today!

Sincerely,
MichaelHalpern_jpg
Michael Halpern
National Field Organizer
Center for Science and Democracy
Union of Concerned Scientists

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

People Power vs Big Oil


Pascal V – Avaaz.org
In days, Nigeria’s Parliament could approve a $5 billion fine against giant oil polluter Shell and set in motion a law that would hold oil companies to account for the first time ever. The President endorses the penalty, but Big Oil are lobbying MPs like crazy to vote against reform. Our voices can drown them out to win justice for Nigeria’s people. Join the urgent call now!

Sign the petition

In days, Nigeria’s Parliament could approve a $5 billion fine against giant oil polluter Shell for a spill that devastated the lives of millions of people, and pass a law to hold all oil companies to account for polluting and plundering. This is a watershed moment, but unless we all speak out, oil giants will crush it.

Finally, Big Oil is having to pay for the wasteland and violence that they’ve created. President Jonathan supports the Shell fine, and progressive Senators are pushing for strong regulations, but oil companies are slick, and without huge international support MPs could buckle under the pressure.

Politicians are deciding their positions right now — sign the urgent petition for the Nigerian Parliament to fine Shell and support the bill, and then forward this to everyone — when we hit a million signers we’ll bring our unprecedented global call to the steps of Nigeria’s Parliament:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_shell_pay_b/?biEWLbb&v=19059

Experts say that every year Big Oil spills as much crude into the Niger Delta as an Exxon Valdez, but as it is Africa, it gets little media play. After a leak occurred at Shell’s Bonga oil facility last December, millions of gallons poured into the ocean and washed up on the densely populated coast — resulting in one of the largest African oil spills ever. The fine and bill on the table are a once in a lifetime chance to stand up to Big Oil.

Oil companies have made $600 billion in the last 50 years in Nigeria, but locals don’t see the benefits. Their land, drinking water and fishing grounds are ruined. And Shell has spent hundreds of millions of dollars a year on security forces, repressing protest against its harmful practices.

The oil industry is crucial to the economy, but companies have never been held to account for the devastation of drilling. Now, the Nigerian President and a few brave MPs are speaking out and they could finally slam the oil giants with tough fines and give fair pay outs to the victims. If we show MPs that the world supports these crucial steps, we can literally change the lives of millions. Click below to sign the urgent petition:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_shell_pay_b/?biEWLbb&v=19059

Avaazers have stood up to Big Oil all over the world, from Chevron in Ecuador, to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, to ending fossil fuel subsidies at the Rio Summit. Now let’s do it for Nigeria too. Make sure the politicians send a message to Big Oil: your days of impunity are over.

With hope and determination,

Pascal, Patricia, Alex, Ricken, David, Rewan, and the Avaaz team

Shell Faces $5 Billion Nigeria Fine (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303933704577532723563488122.html

Shell urged to pay Nigeria $5bn over Bonga oil spill (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18875731

Shell’s grip on Nigerian state revealed (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/08/wikileaks-cables-shell-nigeria-spying

U.N. slams Shell as Nigeria needs biggest ever oil clean-up (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/04/us-nigeria-ogoniland-idUSTRE7734MQ20110804

Nigeria: Oil spill investigations ‘a fiasco’ in the Niger Delta (Amnesty International)
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/nigeria-oil-spill-investigations-fiasco-niger-delta-2012-08-02