Category Archives: ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

In just a few weeks, medical residents at the University of Washington will begin their fall rotations, studying new topics and performing new procedures. Unfortunately, they’ll be using cruel and outdated training methods to do so.

Students at UW still learn how to insert breathing tubes in human infants using live ferrets instead of simulators.

Here’s what happens: Students push breathing tubes down the throats of live ferrets to practice intubation. Each ferret is subjected to the process repeatedly, experiencing pain, bruising, bleeding, and even death.

More than 90 percent of U.S. pediatrics programs have moved from abusing animals to relying on simulators — an option that has been proven to be more effective for teaching.

Join the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in urging University of Washington President Michael Young and the UW School of Medicine to stop using ferrets in its pediatrics program. >> http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-university-of-washingtons-cruel-ferret-lab-3?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=NNSacSzXig_zLjAKpCEDe

The use of ferrets in pediatric training is cruel and unnecessary. These ferrets suffer needlessly in the short-term — and medical students receive inferior training that affects their abilities as physicians in the long-term.

According to experts at PCRM, “Simulators approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics actually provide a better training experience – they’re humane, they can be used over and over again to aid learning, and they’re specifically designed to mimic the anatomy of newborns and infants.”

August is the perfect time to push for policy change before the new school year starts.

Several weeks ago, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed an animal cruelty complaint against the university with the county prosecutor, increasing pressure on UW officials.

Plus, University of Washington President Michael Young has only been at the university for a month. He is still likely to be receptive to reviewing and updating policies.

If Young commits to switching the pediatrics program to using simulators before the next classes of students and residents begin training, 2011-2012 could be a cruelty-free school year for UW’s pediatric residency program.

Sign here to ask UW to end the practice of animal cruelty in its pediatrics program and begin offering more modern methods of training to its medical students and residents:

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-university-of-washingtons-cruel-ferret-lab-3

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Patrick and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

we only need 12 more people from Washington

08/18/2011 Nativegrl77

Hundreds of straight allies have already stepped up to help us fight the radical right and to protest the anti-LGBT witch hunt they want to start. We’ve extended our deadline to join HRC until midnight tonight because we’re so close to our goal of signing up 2,000 new members – and I know you can help us fight back, Carmen.
We just crunched the numbers, and we only need 12 more people from Washington to join HRC right now to hit our goal. I hope you’ll pitch in.
Stand with us now. Until midnight tonight ONLY, you can join HRC for $20 – a 43% discount – and still receive a cold cup tumbler as our thank-you. We’re offering this discount because we want to be able to count you as a valued member at this critical time.
Still on the fence? Well, the radical right isn’t sitting back on its heels. In just the last few weeks, several of the GOP presidential candidates have signed onto a pledge to support a constitutional ban on marriage equality – and to launch a commission that will investigate pro-equality advocates like you and me for “harassment” of anti-LGBT antagonists.
We can call out disgusting lies like these and fight back, but only thanks to our members. If love is going to conquer hate and tolerance is going to overwhelm prejudice, it’s going to take the true commitment of straight allies at moments just like these.
Take a look at Joe’s note below and then make your membership gift now.
– Ann Crowley, Membership Director, HRC

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Unemployed need not apply …Jess Kutch, Change.org

08/18/2011 Nativegrl77

On Monster.com, employers are allowed to prevent anyone who is currently unemployed from applying for a job.

It’s cruel to the millions of Americans out of work — but you can put an end to it this week.

Kelly Wiedemer, who lost her job in 2008, has launched a campaign demanding that Monster.com ban these discriminatory ads. Please click here to sign Kelly’s petition. http://www.change.org/petitions/monstercom-ban-job-listings-that-discriminate-against-the-unemployed?

A nationwide backlash against the company, which treasures its reputation as a website that helps people find jobs, will force Monster.com to act.

Please sign the petition today asking Monster.com to stop discriminating against the unemployed.

http://www.change.org/petitions/monstercom-ban-job-listings-that-discriminate-against-the-unemployed?

Thanks for being a changemaker,

– Jess and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Verizon strike … Jess Kutch, Change.org

08/16/2011 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

Verizon made billions in profits in just the last four years — but right now, the telecom giant is demanding $1 billion from its own workers in pay and benefit cuts.

Worse, rather than negotiate fairly with their employees, Verizon representatives cut off all negotiations and are refusing to talk.

So more than 45,000 Verizon workers went on strike demanding that Verizon stop its attack on the middle class. If Verizon sees the public and its customers behind the striking workers, the company can be forced back into good faith negotiations.

Sign the Change.org petition by the Communications Workers of America asking Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam to restart negotiations and stop Verizon’s attack on the middle class.>> http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-verizon-stop-attacking-the-middle-class?

If $1 billion in cuts is hard to grasp, consider this: Verizon is demanding each of its employees forfeit $20,000 in wages and benefits every year.

Verizon’s executives aren’t forced into outrageous cuts with their workers. In the last four years, Verizon’s top five executives were paid more than a quarter-billion dollars.

While Verizon makes record profits, its workers shouldn’t be made to suffer. Let Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam know you stand with workers against the company’s refusal to bargain. Click here to add your name to the workers’ petition on Change.org:

www.change.org

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Jess and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

URGENT: Anti-LGBT McCarthyism? … Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign

08/16/2011 Nativegrl77

We’ve come to expect GOP candidates to call for a hateful constitutional amendment banning marriage equality. But we never expected them to support forming a commission to investigate pro-equality advocates like you and me.

I’m not making this up. Several of the GOP presidential candidates have now signed a pledge to appoint “a commission to investigate harassment” of anti-LGBT activists. It’s part of a years-long effort by right-wing groups to protect their mega donors from being held accountable for their hateful views – and it’s picking up speed. Fast.

This witch hunt commission would usher in a despicable era of anti-equality McCarthyism – and it’s a sign of just how radical the right has become. We’re fighting their hate with a grassroots campaign targeting anti-LGBT rhetoric, a media operation to debunk their lies, and a red-state bus tour to promote equality across the nation. But we need 874 more new members to reach our goal of 2,000 by Wednesday if we’re going to pull it off.

www.hrc.org

Every day, our groundbreaking work in schools and churches advances tolerance and acceptance. Our “Call it Out” campaign is targeting anti-LGBT hatred in local communities across the nation, and all eyes are on Maryland as the next target for marriage equality. We’re battling anti-gay attacks from right-wing zealots and politicians alike, and walking the corridors of Capitol Hill to push for a repeal of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act.

But at a moment like this, we need to go big. That’s where our bus tour comes in – and where you can make all the difference.

We started this multi-city tour in the backyard of the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City and we’re continuing onward to other red states throughout the Midwest and South where it’s often tough for LGBT Americans to live openly. We’re going state by state to deliver our message loud and clear: There is no community where intolerance is welcome. There is no slur we won’t call out.

And – most importantly – there is no chance we’ll let a hateful fringe tear down all that we’ve accomplished together in the last years, especially in New York where marriage equality is already under attack.

we can’t afford to cede an inch. But only the support of thousands of straight allies – at a pivotal moment like this – will give us the strength to drive this movement forward.

www.hrc.org

As we’ve learned time and again – from hate crimes legislation to DADT repeal to New York marriage equality – if we keep standing together, we’ll get to our destination sooner than we think.

Let’s go big,
Joe Solmonese
President