Now is the time to do something about gun violence. Read about President Obama’s plan.

What you need to know about the Sequester.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Nearly 400,000 Square-feet! ::: Lonnie G. Bunch at The NMAAHC

04/01/2013 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

NMAAHC Construction site on Feb 13, 2013

Construction photo taken on February 13, 2013. Photo Credit: Michael R. Barnes, Smithsonian,NMAAHC

It takes a big space to tell a big story. That’s why the National Museum of African American History and Culture will be nearly 400,000 square feet!

As you read these words, the massive excavation effort continues daily at our prime location on the National Mall at 14^th Street and Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. When the foundation is ready, when the walls have risen, when the 3-tiered corona is in place — we take our place as the newest museum in the world-renowned Smithsonian family. I promise you that the history inside our doors will be as grand, exciting, and powerful as the building itself.

As we move the Museum ever closer to its 2015 Grand Opening, I want to be sure you know how much we appreciate your financial support.

Our task of raising $250,000 million from private resources and individuals is certainly ambitious. However, I am pleased to report that so far more than 47,800 members and donor share your desire to discover, explore and present the African American experience for visitors from around the world to see and understand. And we are adding more Charter Members every day!

Now I am hoping you will continue to help us build this great museum by making a contribution today. We really do need your ongoing support to reach our goal.

Together we are building a museum where exhibitions and public programs will inspire and educate future generations. Imagine seeing firsthand a PT-13 Stearman Bi-plane actually used to train Tuskegee pilots … viewing the shawl given to Harriet Tubman by Queen Victoria … or enjoying a music or dance presentation celebrating African American musical and cultural heritage.

But before that day arrives in 2015, you and I must ensure that we are doing all we can to bring this new museum to our nation — and the world!

So, please, help us meet our goal of $250 million and make your contribution to the Museum now. We truly appreciate it. Thank you.

	All the best,

	Lonnie G. Bunch Director

P.S. Nearly 400,000-square-feet of power, pain, beauty, triumph and more — that is what Americans and visitors from around the world will find when they walk through doors of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Thank you so much for helping us build this fabulous museum!

~ FDA/USDA ~~ Alerts & Safety, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

04/01/2013 Nativegrl77

Natura Pet Expands Voluntary Recall of Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk

03/30/2013 12:29 AM EDT Natura Pet Products is voluntarily expanding its recall of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been confirmed to date

Hospira Issues a Voluntary Nationwide Recall of One Lot of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection Due to Brass Particulates

03/29/2013 08:46 PM EDT Hospira, Inc. (NYSE: HSP), announced today it is initiating a voluntary nationwide user-level recall of one lot of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, 1000 mL, Flexible Container, NDC 0409-7983-09. This action is due to one confirmed customer report where brass particulate was identified in the primary container in the form of several small grey/brown particles.

Rich Products Corporation Announces a Voluntary Recall of Farm Rich® Mini Quesadillas, Farm Rich® Mini Pizza Slices, Farm Rich® Philly Cheese Steaks, Farm Rich® Mozzarella Bites, and Market Day® Mozzarella Bites Due to Possible Contamination with E. Coli O121

03/29/2013 01:59 PM EDT

Rich Products Corporation of Buffalo, New York, is announcing a voluntary recall of Farm Rich® Mini Quesadillas (PC 35635), Farm Rich® Mini Pizza Slices (PC 35643 and PC 37690), Farm Rich® Philly Cheese Steaks (PC 35634), Farm Rich® Mozzarella Bites (PC 37443 and PC 37691) and Market Day® Mozzarella Bites (PC 80435), produced from November 12, 2012 to November 19, 2012 due to possible contamination with Escherichia coli O121 bacteria (“E. Coli O121”).

Lifestyle Evolution Inc. (LEI), Issues Allergy Alert — -Undeclared Milk in Lifestyle Evolution Inc.’s, NuGO FREE, NuGO Dark and NuGO Slim Non Dairy bars

03/29/2013 02:49 PM EDT

Lifestyle Evolution Inc announces the voluntary recall of NuGO FREE, NuGO Dark and NuGO Slim Non Dairy bars Made BEFORE October 2012 because of the potential for undeclared milk.

Lisy Corporation Issues Voluntary Recall on Undeclared Soy in 5 Seasoning Blends

03/29/2013 02:15 PM EDT

Lisy Corporation of Miami, FL is voluntarily recalling select seasoning blends because they contain the ingredient soy that is not declared on the label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Background Checks 101

03/31/2013 Nativegrl77

Check out this infographic for everything you need to know about how universal background checks can help us prevent gun violence.

by Think Progress

Arkadi Gerney is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. Kendall Bills is a Special Assistant for the External Affairs team at the Center.

Endnotes

[1] “PBS NewsHour: Shields and Gerson on Cabinet Noms, Gun Laws, Boehner’s Leadership,” December 21, 2012, available at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec12/shieldsgerson_12-21.html.

[2] Compiled using: 1968–1980 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates from Figure 1, “Observed and predicted firearm- and motor-vehicle—related injury deaths, by year — United States, 1968–2005,” available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00023655.htm#00000191.gif (last accessed February 2013); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “WISQARS Injury Mortality Reports, 1981-1998,” available at http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate9.html (last accessed February 2013); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “WISQARS Fatal Injury Reports, National and Regional, 1999 – 2010,” available at http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_us.html (last accessed February 2013); Donna L. Hoyert and Xu Jiaquan, “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2011,” National Vital Statistics Reports 61 (6) (2012): 40–42, available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_06.pdf.

[3] Compiled using: Anne Leland and Mari-Jana “M-J” Oboroceanu, “American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics” (Washington: Congressional Research Service, 2010), available at http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf; “iCasualties: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Casualties,” available at http://www.icasualties.org (last accessed February 2013).

[4] Michael Bowling and others, Background Checks for Firearms Transfers, 2009–Statistical Tables (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010), available at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/html/bcft/2009/bcft09st.pdf. Supplemental data from: Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Operations 2010 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2010), available at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/reports/2010-operations-report/2010-operations-report-pdf; Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Operations 2011 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2011), available at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/reports/2011-operations-report/operations-report-2011.

[5] Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Operations 2011.

[6] “Federal Denials: Reasons Why the NICS Section Denies,” available at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/reports/20130205_denials.pdf.

[7] Philip J. Cook and Jens Ludwig, “Guns in America: Results of a Comprehensive National Survey on Firearms Ownership and Use” (Washington: Police Foundation, 1996), available at http://www.policefoundation.org/sites/pftest1.drupalgardens.com/files/Cook%20et%20al.%20%281996%29%20-%20Guns%20in%20America.pdf.

[8] Caroline Wolf Harlow, Firearm Use by Offenders (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 2001), available at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/ascii/fuo.txt.

[9] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “WISQARS Fatal Injury Reports, National and Regional, 1999 – 2010,” available at http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_us.html (last accessed February 2013).

[10] Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “Report of Active Firearms Licenses – License Type by State Statistics,” January 10, 2013, available at http://www.atf.gov/about/foia/download/ffl-type-by-state-2013/0113-ffl-type-by-state.pdf.

[11] U.S. Postal Service, “Postal Facts 2012” (2012), available at http://about.usps.com/future-postal-service/postalfacts-2012.pdf.

[12] McDonald’s, “Financial Highlights,” available at http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/investors/financial_highlights.html (last accessed February 2013).

[13] “Loxcel Starbucks Store Map FAQ,” available at http://www.loxcel.com/sbux-faq.html (last accessed February 2013).

To speak with our experts on this topic, please contact:

Print: Katie Peters (economy, education, health care, gun-violence prevention) 202.741.6285 or kpeters1@americanprogress.org

Print: Anne Shoup (foreign policy and national security, energy, LGBT issues) 202.481.7146 or ashoup@americanprogress.org

Print: Crystal Patterson (ethnic media, immigration) 202.478.6350 or cpatterson@americanprogress.org

Print: Madeline Meth (women’s issues, poverty, Legal Progress) 202.741.6277 or mmeth@americanprogress.org

TV: Lindsay Hamilton 202.483.2675 or lhamilton@americanprogress.org

Radio: Madeline Meth 202.741.6277 or mmeth@americanprogress.org

Web: Andrea Peterson 202.481.8119 or apeterson@americanprogress.org