~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

And the winner is..

10/07/2010 Nativegrl77

Get your 2011 Scientific Integrity Calendar
The 2011 Scientific Integrity Calendar makes a great gift for your scientist and non-scientist friends and family who believe that policy decisions should be guided by the best available science.

Meet your 2010 Science Idol

We recently invited you to help choose the winner in Science Idol, a cartoon contest designed to poke fun at the not-so-humorous problem of political interference in science. This year, we focused on the inappropriate influence corporations and other special interests have on how science is presented in the classroom and used to make decisions about our health and safety.

After thousands of votes were cast, Raúl de la Nuez of Miami, FL, came out on top. In addition to working as an editorial cartoonist for two newspapers in Miami—VisionIbero and Chevere News—Raul also paints and serves as art director for Venevision production. Entering Science Idol was his “small contribution to a noble cause,” he said.

See Raul’s cartoon here. It will grace the cover of this year’s Scientific Integrity Calendar.

You can also view all 12 contestants and learn more about Raul.

The Scientific Integrity Calendar
In addition to providing you with a year’s worth of laughs, the 2011 Scientific Integrity Calendar is a valuable educational tool, highlighting the need for the Obama administration and Congress to reduce inappropriate influence from corporations and other special interests over how our government uses science to make decisions.

Order your 2011 Scientific Integrity Calendar here. It makes a great gift for your scientist and non-scientist friends and family who believe that policy decisions should be guided by the best available science. The calendars are just $10 each, with proceeds supporting our important work.

I hope you enjoy the cartoons and the calendar!

Sincerely,

Michael Halpern
National Field Organizer
UCS Scientific Integrity Program

P.S. Defending science from political interference requires the persistent and energetic engagement of both scientists and citizens. As a member of the UCS action network, you’ll continue to hear from us about ways you can help support independent science. Scientists, engineers, and health professionals are invited to join our Scientist Network to keep current about science policy issues related to your field and interests.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Metropolitan Improvement District Elert for October 9th

10/07/2010 Nativegrl77

—-SEATTLE, WA —-

1. Permits have been issued for Saturday October 9^th , 2010 to the “March against war in Afghanistan.” Participants will rally at Westlake Park and at approximately 2:00 PM march on the following route:

West on Pine Street to First Avenue
South on First Avenue to Yesler Way
East on Yesler Way to Dilling Way
East on Dilling Way to 4^th Avenue
North on 4^th Avenue back to Westlake Park

The estimated number of participants could be up to 300. Be advised of traffic disruptions while marchers pass by.

Seattle police will monitor the march and rally.

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2. Permits have been issued for Sunday October 10th, 2010 to the “2010 Double Tenth Parade Celebration.” Participants will gather at Hing Hay Park and at approximately 1:00 PM the parade will begin on the following route:

East on King Street to 8^th Avenue
South on 8^th Avenue to Weller Street
West on Weller Street to 6^th Avenue
North on 6^th Avenue to King Street
East on King Street back to Hing Hay Park

Estimated number of participants could be up to 200. Be advised of traffic disruptions while marchers pass by.

Seattle police will monitor the Parade.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell the DOJ: Investigate the Chamber of Commerce’s campaign spending!

10/07/2010 Nativegrl77

Tell the DOJ: Investigate the Chamber of Commerce’s campaign spending

We can’t let the Chamber of Commerce undermine our democracy!

Clicking here will add your name to this petition to Attorney General Eric Holder:

The Department of Justice must launch an immediate investigation into the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s use of money from foreign corporations to influence our elections.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the poster child for corporate corruption of our electoral system.

This year alone the Chamber has pledged to spend $75 million on ads attacking candidates who don’t meekly bow down to the biggest and wealthiest corporate interests.

However, an explosive new report by the Center for American Progress reveals that some of that corporate cash might be coming from foreign entities, which would be a federal crime.

There is already entirely too much corporate cash spent on our elections. It’s intolerable that our democracy would be further undermined by illegal donations from foreign interests.

That is why we are joining our friends at MoveOn in asking Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department to open an investigation immediately.

Click here to automatically sign our petition and tell the DOJ to investigate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce immediately.

The Chamber of Commerce denies that it uses foreign money in any way that’s illegal, but the Center for American Progress has documented how the Chamber aggressively raises money outside the United State from foreign entities — including state-run companies in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, India and Russia — and deposits that money into the same general fund used to fund the Chamber’s political program.

Because of the Chamber’s tax status as a trade organization, it is able to shield most of its financial information from the public. So without a government investigation, all we have is the Chamber’s woefully insufficient word that it is abiding by the law.

Given the stakes of this election, we cannot settle for nothing more than “Trust us” from an organization with such a huge credibility problem. And we cannot wait as this issue winds its way through a Federal Elections Commission rendered slow and toothless by its Republican members.

That is why we are calling on the Department of Justice to immediately move to investigate this explosive charge.

Tell the DOJ: Investigate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce immediately. Click here to automatically add your name.

Thank you for working for a better world.

Matt Lockshin, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets

¹Click here to read the report from the Center for American Progress.