~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services


From the ASPR Blog:  Do you know who in your community is most at-risk in a disaster?

When disasters strike, some people have a harder time making it through the disaster or bouncing back.  Does your community-based organization  know who is most at-risk in your community and do you have a plan to help when disaster strikes? Here are six critical challenges that many at-risk populations face in a disaster.  Learn More >>

 Elderly black woman

Winter Weather Preparedness Basics

Cold weather, ice and snow are coming to many parts of the country this weekend – including some areas that tend to be warm and sunny.  If it has been a while since you’ve had to worry about cold weather preparedness, take a few minutes to brush up on the basics, get a few supplies, and touch base with friends or neighbors who might need some help.  Learn More >>

 warm socks

Avoid, Spot and Treat:  Frostbite and Hypothermia

In cold weather, the body starts to loose heat faster than it can be produced, which can lead to frostbite and hypothermia. Remembering some basics can help keep you healthy when temperatures drop.  If you are an older adult, work outside, or have a small child, take extra precautions.  Don’t drink alcohol or use illicit drugs.  Learn how to help someone with hypothermia or frostbite.  Learn More >>

 Thumbnail of hypothermia and frostbite infographic. Full graphic available at https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/documents/hypothermia-frostbite_508.pdf

Planning to travel in 2017? Pack to protect yourself from Zika!

The beginning of the year is a great time to plan for travel.  Wherever your travels take you, plan to take care of your health and protect yourself from Zika. Finding out whether or not Zika is an issue at your destination is easy.  If it is, pack a few items to protect yourself and your family and take a few additional precautions to stay safe and healthy.  Learn More >>

 Plane

PHEMCE Strategy and Implementation Plan

The U.S. faces  a range of serious threats to its national health security from the deliberate use or accidental release of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents, as well as from naturally occurring and emerging infectious diseases. The Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Strategy and Implementation Plan provides the blueprint for the PHEMCE to enhance national health security through  the development, procurement and planning for effective use of critical medical countermeasures.  Learn More >>

 Pills
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Let Her Learn – Fatima Goss Graves
 

Do you remember playing with your hair in class?

Lamya Cammon was only seven years old when her teacher cut off her braid for doing just that.

Unfortunately, her situation is not unique. Black girls of all ages are being unfairly disciplined in school. They are punished for wearing African head wraps or braids at a soccer game or even for reporting instances of sexual assault. We see more and more of these examples each day, and they all tell us the same thing: we are failing to support and protect Black girls in school.

Today we are releasing Let Her Learn, a video designed to shine a light on the stereotypes and biases affecting Black girls in school. Let Her Learn is a rallying cry, a chance for you to join us in the movement to end school pushout. But for this effort to be successful, we need your help.

Stand up for Black girls by watching and sharing this video on Facebook.

Here’s the bottom line: Children shouldn’t be punished for the color of their skin; for embracing their hair and cultural heritage; for the clothes they wear; for refusing to “act like a girl”; or for reporting harassment or assault in their schools. Now more than ever our girls deserve support and resources, not punishment.

Please take action with us today by sharing this video.

Together we can end school pushout once and for all.

Sincerely,
Fatima Goss Graves
Senior Vice President for Program
National Women’s Law Center
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Help Governor Cuomo protect our children – Sex offenders – Change.org


Petitioning Andrew Cuomo, New York State Senate, New York State House, John Flanagan

43,000 New York kids will be sexually abused in 2017. Help Governor Cuomo protect them.

More than 43,000 children will be harmed by sexual abuse this year in New York State; and that will happen next year too unless we help Governor Cuomo get the Child Victims Act passed. Please add your name now.

Here’s the story of just one sex abuser, how the law protected him and put hundreds of other children at risk.

Louise VanWie, one of New York’s most dangerous sex offenders, is about to be released back into the community whose innocent children he preyed on. In 1997 when VanWie was charged with sexually abusing four children, police said he admitted to abusing hundreds of others. Authorities were inundated with phone calls from other victims. But, New York’s strict, five-year statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases stopped the police from charging VanWie with additional crimes. If they had charged him with hundreds of additional crimes his release would not be an issue today.

VanWie is only an exception because he was prosecuted. Nine out of ten sex offenders remain free on our streets, and even when they are reported there is nothing, absolutely nothing that the police can do about it.

Here are the facts:

  1. Currently 1 in 5 (22%) children are sexually abused (Source CDC) [1]
  2. It takes survivors an average of 21 years before they can disclose their abuse [2]
  3. Only 1 in 10 (10%) of people who sexually abuse children will see a day behind bars [3]
  4. Because they are protected by NY State laws called statutes of limitations.

What makes this worse, despite the VanWie case and countless other examples, state lawmakers have refused to change the statute of limitations, one of the shortest in the nation. New York bars child victims from proceeding with criminal charges or civil litigation once they turn 23.

Help Governor Cuomo protect our children. Add your name to this petition now.

Click this link for more information including how to protect your children from monsters like VanWie.

Citations:

  1. Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) StudyVincent J Felitti MD, FACPA, , Robert F Anda MD, MSB, Dale Nordenberg MDC, David F Williamson MS, PhDB, Alison M Spitz MS, MPHB, Valerie Edwards BAB, Mary P Koss PhDD, James S Marks MD, MPHB
  2. Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse Among Male Survivors” by Scott D. Easton, December of 2013 Clinical Social Work Journal
  3. Robert Baker of the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board, Massachusetts Office of Public Safety. 2008.
Black History, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell the Senate to say no to a klan run government


Next week, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin meeting for the confirmation hearing of known racist Jeff Sessions. We cannot let Trump’s New Klan with their seemingly acceptable white supremacy slink its way into popular consciousness and wipe out every gain Black people have won. That’s why this week we will deliver over 74,000 petitions to Senator Chuck Schumer- minority leader of the Senate and member of the judiciary committee.

Thanks for standing with us against hate.

– Brandi and the rest of the Color Of Change team

 

~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

featured company …Puget Sound Solar


Solar Electric Systems
Photovoltaic (PV) systems provide several benefits conventional grid-powered electricity does not.
  • Free fuel (photons from the sun)
  • Stable energy costs for decades to come
  • 98% reduction in greenhouse emissions
  • Locally produced fuel for electric vehicles
  • Solar panels leave no waste
  • Energy indepedence!
What are PV systems and how do they work?
A solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system generates DC electricity from photovoltaic modules, sends it to an inverter that converts it to AC, and into your house electric panel. Your electric meter spins backward when your home isn’t using the energy generated, giving you retail credit for power produced. Through net-metering the utility company measures the remainder of energy that you consume minus the amount that your PV modules produce. You are charged only for this amount on your electricity bill. If your system produces more electricity than you use you will receive credit that can be carried over month-to-month (but not year-to-year, with April 30th the cutoff date).Solar Energy Contractors Seattle, Wa
In Washington State a separate production meter is also installed that measures the total amount of electricity produced by the PV system. Each year you will be paid a reward for all the solar energy that you have produced, with the amount based on the type of system installed. These generous production incentives, established in part by the lobbying efforts of Puget Sound Solar, have made solar PV systems more cost effective by reducing the payback period.
How much can PV produce?
For each 1000 watts, or kilowatt, of PV you can get up to 1,200 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity produced per year in Seattle. To see what this means, check your electric bill to see how many kWh of electricity you use. The average home in Seattle uses 8,600 kWh per year.
What is the installed cost of PV systems?
We offer different ‘flavors’ of PV systems based on the products used: The lowest initial cost, the highest production per square foot, and the fastest return of investment. The cost can vary depending on your goals, and the difficulty of installation. Expect costs to range as follows:
  • 8.5 kW  $22,000 – $36,000
  • 5.5 kW  $17,000 – $25,000
  • 3.5 kW  $11,000 – $17,000
What about batteries?

grid battery pv

For locations that experience power outages, there are solar electric systems that also provide back-up power, instantly and silently. These use dual-purpose inverters and batteries will produce electricity for as long a period as the battery capacity and solar input will support. These systems are programmable, so that they can also be used for daily ‘self-consumption’ of power to reduce demand dependence on the grid. Plan on spending about $8,000 – $30,000 for the additional design, equipment, and installation labor. Off-grid locations use battery-supported PV systems that also integrate a generator for dark winter months or perhaps a wind generator as well
pugetsoundsolar.com

Image result for pugetsoundsolar

 

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