~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

We’re Above Ground

06/27/2014 Nativegrl77

As you may know the National Museum of African American History and Culture was established through Congressional legislation and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2003. In April 2009, a design competition jury selected the Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup as the Museum’s architectural and engineering team. From our humble beginnings in 2003, the Museum broke ground on a five-acre site adjacent to the Washington Monument and in view of the White House, on February 22, 2012. These amazing moments will go down in history and it is thanks to donations and support from Charter Members and friends like you!

Since 2012 we have made large strides in the construction of our Museum.In Spring 2014 we poured concrete over the roof of the History Gallery, one of our underground exhibitions. This monumental moment enabled us to rise above ground in late April 2014. Since breaking ground, the Museum is meeting construction deadlines and is scheduled to open in 2016. We wanted to take the opportunity today to let all of you know that that we are finally Above Ground! Thank you for all your support!

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Don’t exploit the Enviornment

06/27/2014 Nativegrl77

Investment firm RCF is backing coal exports in the Pacific Northwest to turn a fast buck.

Tell RCF —don’t exploit my environment!

“Vulture” capitalists are circling the Pacific Northwest. And they’re looking to profit — at our expense.

Investment firm Resource Capital Funds (RCF) has swooped in to finance two coal export proposals on the Columbia River. These coal export projects — proposed by struggling coal company Ambre Energy — would fuel climate change, threaten our health, and damage the environment.

But we can stop this. If we can convince RCF to pull its investment, the proposed terminals could soon be out of funds.

RCF is just looking for a quick buck. That’s why we must show RCF that backing coal exports means a long fight with us, not easy money!

Send RCF a message to pull its investment in coal exports now, because you are committed to protecting the Pacific Northwest from coal — for the long haul.

In the past year, we have made extraordinary progress towards stopping coal exports. Of the six original proposals, only three remain! Gov. Kitzhaber of Oregon has come out against coal exports. And Ambre Energy, the company behind two of the remaining proposed coal export terminals, would likely be bankrupt without RCF.

Together we have written letters, called, rallied, and it’s made a difference. Now, to stop two more terminals, we must stand stronger than ever against coal exports.

We need to show RCF that its plan to come in, turn a quick profit, and head out again won’t work — because we will stand in its way at every turn.

Send a message to RCF staff now telling them just how much you love the Pacific Northwest, and that there’s no way you will back down.

Everywhere, there are signs that the coal industry is seriously ailing. Coal plants around the country are shutting down and prices are falling. Speculators like RCF are just trying to squeeze every bit of profit they can from this dying industry. But we won’t let them.

Stand for the Pacific Northwest now. The bigger we are, the faster we can shoo the vulture capitalists out of our states, and stop coal exports once and for all.

Let’s stop coal exports!

Brian Manning
Greenpeace Field Organizer, Oregon

Black History

the Senate CONGRESS 6/27 the House

06/27/2014 Nativegrl77

The Senate will convene at 2:00pm on Monday, July 7, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 5:30pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #738, the nomination of Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit. All post-cloture time will be considered expired and the Senate will vote on confirmation of the Krause nomination.

Upon disposition of the Krause nomination, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2363, a bill to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting, and for other purposes and vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2363.

Therefore, there will be 2 roll call votes at 5:30pm on Monday, July 7^th:

– Confirmation of Executive Calendar #738, the nomination of Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit and

– Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2363, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2014.

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

Last Floor Action:6/27
1:54:25 P.M. – The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order.

The next meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on June 30, 2014.

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ABB joins President Obama in DC to Celebrate and Support Working Families.

06/26/2014 Nativegrl77

President Obama at the White House Summit on Working Families

A Better Balance was in Washington, DC, attending the White House Summit on Working Families. Imagine how excited we were to hear President Obama call on Congress to pass the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

“Right now a pregnant woman could be fired for taking too many bathroom breaks, probably by a boss who has never been pregnant.” President Obama said. “Congress should pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act without delay.”

A Better Balance is leading the charge for fair and family-friendly laws, including those that help pregnant workers stay on the job and earn income when they need it most.

Just last week, Channel 11 News highlighted our work and interviewed Dina Bakst about the NYC Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). We’re thrilled to see this kind of coverage in the media, as it helps to raise public awareness around this important issue. We realize that ignorance is a powerful barrier to justice, so we are also working hard to educate both workers and employers about their rights and responsibilities under the PWFA.

We need your help! Please make a $10 contribution to help us spread the word so no worker in this city or nation is forced to choose between her job and a healthy pregnancy.

Fairness for pregnant workers is on a roll! We need your support to keep the momentum going.

Thank you, as always, for your support.

The ABB team,

Dina, Sherry, Phoebe, Jared, Elizabeth, Liz, Risha, Morenike and Rachel

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The Adventures of Donny Rico

06/26/2014 Nativegrl77

“Legal Tender”
Donny Rico explains how Chevron’s
legal thuggery really works

At long last we bring you Episode #3 in The Adventures of Donny Rico, a clever deep dive into the methods used by Chevron in its desperate and unethical campaign to turn the tables on the very victims it poisoned in Ecuador’s rainforest.

Take it from Donny: it’s no secret that Chevron has spent millions upon millions of dollars in an abusive “scorched earth” legal strategy to attack not only the villagers and their representatives who have held the company accountable in Ecuador, but virtually anyone who supports them. This is part of a decades-long legal strategy to delay paying for a clean-up, to deny the facts and simply to try to crush the opposition which has been gaining the upper hand yet again.

Watch the video and read the rest on Eye on the Amazon »