On a recent snowy morning, on my way in to work, I heard a refreshing interview with a politician, who said, “When people ask me if I believe in global warming, I say I believe in physics.”

This is the sort of practical, science-based reasoning that is so hard to find these days among the rhetoric of media personalities and polarizing politics found in our national and state capitols.

“I think that the science is inconclusive on this. I personally believe that the solar flares are more responsible for climatic cycles than anything that human beings do.”

—Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R WI), new vice chair of the House Science Committee

You can help UCS expose and challenge attacks like this on science—become a member today.

That’s why the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is leading the charge to expose corporations, politicians, and media pundits who knowingly mislead the public about science.

But we need your help to do it. Become a member of UCS today and join us as we challenge attacks on science.

Believe me when I tell you that this is an all-out war on science. It’s well coordinated. It’s well funded. And it’s backed by opponents looking out for their own interests in an effort to obstruct progress on important environmental and human health protections. Consider these facts:

•A Fox News managing editor directed his staff to highlight criticisms of climate science whenever they mention the fact that Earth is warming.

•The new vice-chairman of the House Science Committee has threatened to launch hearings to question basic scientific findings by climate scientists.

•Oil giant ExxonMobil has spent millions to run a sophisticated disinformation campaign designed to deceive the public about the certainty of climate change science.

•Recently elected governors, representatives, and senators have pledged to roll back many of the scientifically sound, global warming emissions reduction measures we’ve won in the last few years.

You can help counter attacks like these by becoming a member of UCS today.

We may not have the deep pockets of the oil and coal industries and electric utilities who oppose progress on global warming and clean energy—but we do have scientific facts and dedicated supporters like you. With your help, UCS will organize scientists from around the country to beat back fraudulent claims and we’ll continue to educate decision makers and the public about the real facts on global warming.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our work. At this critical time, I hope you’ll take the next step and become a member of UCS today.

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch

President

P.S. When you join UCS, you join more than 77,000 UCS members who also believe in physics. People from all walks of life who understand that climate change isn’t a belief—it’s a scientific fact. People like you who want to work together to protect human health and our environment. Please join us today.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Official Google blog …

02/14/2011 Nativegrl77

12 Major Business Benefits Of The Social Media Revolution

I have been aware of the benefits of social media for a while now and have used this blog as a pulpit and soapbox to shout from this digital hilltop. I have personally experienced the power of this new media to accelerate brand awareness and to spread my stories.

You can exhort and preach to the CEO’s and executives about social media’s power and some will “get it“, but until you start to experience it for yourself the flame will not blaze brightly.

I look at my blog’ s Google analytics from time to time and the Global reach that you can achieve with social media never ceases to amaze me (the current analytics statistics show me that JeffBullas.com is read in 190 countries by 172,443 unique visitors). I don’t know of any other media that could achieve that in less than 2 years without spending a cent in traditional advertising or marketing dollars.

The Harvard Business Review Analytics Services recently conducted a survey of 2,100 organisations and discovered that 79% are currently using social media channels. They also asked them what they saw as the benefits of social media and here are the results and feedback from from the real world.

The 12 Major Benefits Of Social Media

1. Increased awareness of the organisation

2. Increased traffic to website

3. Greater favorable perceptions of the brand

4. Able to monitor conversations about the organisation

5. Able to develop targeted marketing activities

6. Better understanding of customers perceptions of their brand

7. Improved insights about their target markets

8. Identification of positive and negative comments

9. Increase in new business

10. Identification of new product or service opportunities

11. Ability to measure the frequency of the discussion about the brand

12. Early warning of potential product or service issues

What often does scare the CEO is that as well as the benefits that social media does bring, there is a downside encapsulated in this comment by Paul Gillin the author of “The New Influencers”

“Conventional marketing wisdom long held that a dissatisfied customer tells ten people. But…in the new age of social media, he or she has the tools to tell ten million.”

The challenge is to not let the fear of this unknown overwhelm the benefits that the social media revolution can provide to an organisation.

What benefits have you experienced with social media either for yourself or your company?

Senator Patty Murray responds to pending legislation in the Senate:the Gray Wolf

02/14/2011 Nativegrl77

Thank you for writing to me regarding the priority you place on the protection of the gray wolf. It was good to hear from you.

I have consistently supported robust laws to protect endangered species, including efforts to protect Pacific salmon and Puget Sound orcas. Rest assured, I oppose rolling back important environmental protections like the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and support funding to protect endangered species and enhance habitat in Washington State. Thank you for alerting me to legislation regarding endangered species currently pending before the Senate.

Throughout my tenure in the Senate, I have been a strong supporter of protection for endangered species and their critical habitats. Please know that I will work with my colleagues in the Senate and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to see that endangered species programs obtain proper funding, and as the Senate addresses issues related to conservation and protection of wildlife during the 112th Congress, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

If you would like to know more about my work in the Senate, please feel free to sign up for my weekly updates at http://murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=GetEmailUpdates. Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.

EMAIL.BEGINHIDE.MERGE

Sincerely,

Patty Murray

United States Senator

PM\as

Sincerely,

Patty Murray

United States Senator

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Threats to Social Security Are Not Over

02/14/2011 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

The threats to undermine Social Security continue. This week the Wall Street Journal reported that four Senators, Crapo, Coburn, Conrad, and Durbin(!), are meeting regularly on a plan to reintroduce the ideas from the Deficit Commission that include raising the retirement age and cutting Social Security benefits. Meanwhile, in the House, Rep. Cantor says that Social Security is still on the table to be cut. We can’t let this happen.

We want to make sure that Congress understands what they are doing when they plan to cut the rug out from under working people who need Social Security to support themselves, their families, and their communities. That’s why we are collecting stories from folks like you to share with Congress and to put in TV ads for everyone to see.

Yes! I have a Social Security story I want to share! http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/466?akid=436.1480546.lkcsxe&t=3

I don’t have a Social Security story, but I’ll contribute $5 to put these stories on the air. http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/467?akid=436.1480546.lkcsxe&t=2

Social Security is a promise we made with each other to support one another in retirement or in cases of disability. This promise is how we keep our communities stable and secure when we need it most.

We will share these stories with Progressive Members of Congress to talk about on the House and Senate floor, we will send your stories to all Members of Congress, and we will use some stories for a TV ad to make sure that everyone knows the faces of people who depend on Social Security.

Yes! I want to make sure members of Congress hear my story! http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/466?akid=436.1480546.lkcsxe&t=1

I don’t have a Social Security story, but I’ll contribute so that others’ stories can be shared. http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/467?akid=436.1480546.lkcsxe&t=4

Thank you for all that you do.

-Levana

Levana Layendecker, Communications Director

Democracy for America

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress: In Session on 2/14 -The Senate & The Republican led House

02/12/2011 Nativegrl77

the Senate Covenes at 2:00pmET February 14, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.223, the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization bill.

At 4:30pm, the Senate will turn to Executive session to consider the following nominations:

– Calendar #1, James E. Graves, of Mississippi, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit; and

– Calendar #5, Edward J. Davila, of California, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California.

There will be 1 hour for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order listed.

At 5:30pm, there will be a voice vote on the Graves nomination and a roll call vote on the Davila nomination.

The following amendments are pending to S.223:

– Wicker amendment #14, as modified (Excludes TSA from collective bargaining)

– Blunt amendment #5 (private screening company)

– Paul #21 (reduce authorization for FAA to FY2008 levels)

– Wyden #27 (increase test sites for unmanned aerial vehicles)

– Inhofe amendment #6 (liability protection to volunteer pilots)

– Inhofe amendment #7 (flight time limitations/rest requirements)

– Ensign amendment #32 (military remotely piloted aerial systems)

– McCain amendment #4 (Essential Air Service)

– Leahy amendment #50 (liability protection for volunteer pilots)

– Reid amendment #54 (noise buffering)

– Reid #55 (Convey federal land to Mesquite, NV)

– Udall (NM) #49 (Dona Ana County airport)

– Udall (NM) #51 (Advanced Imaging Technology)

– Nelson (NE) #58 (criminal penalties for distribution of airport screening x-rays)

– Paul amendment #18 (Memorandum of understanding re: OSHA)

– Baucus amendment #75, as modified (Finance title)

There will be no further roll call votes tonight.

Votes:

15: Confirmation of Edward J. Davila, of California, to be a U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California; Confirmed: 93-0

Unanimous Consent:

S.Res.49, celebrating Black History Month

**************************************************

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF FEBRUARY 14, 2011

112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

7:25 P.M. –

SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

7:11 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

7:09 P.M. –

On approving the Journal Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 352 – 59, 3 Present (Roll no. 37).

H.R. 514:

to extend expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 relating to access to business records, individual terrorists as agents of foreign powers, and roving wiretaps until December 8, 2011

7:03 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 275 – 144 (Roll no. 36).

6:54 P.M. –

On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 186 – 234 (Roll no. 35).

6:33 P.M. –

The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

6:24 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the motion to recommit with instructions. Pending the reservation of a point of order, subsequently the reservation was withdrawn.

6:22 P.M. –

Mr. Thompson (CA) moved to recommit with instructions to Judiciary.

Mr. Thompson (CA) moved to recommit the bill, H.R. 514, to the Committee on the Judiciary with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendment: ¢ At the end of section 1, add the follwing new subsection: ¢ (c) COMPLIANCE WITH CONSTITUTION. — ***

6:21 P.M. –

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

5:13 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 514.

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 514 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived.

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 79.

5:11 P.M. –

The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting his Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2012 – referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 112-3).

5:10 P.M. –

The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a sealed envelope from the White House on February 14, 2011 at 2:35 p.m. which is said to contain a message from the President whereby he submits his Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2012.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of February 14.

2:06 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

2:03 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Schock to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

2:02 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Schock demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Schock demanded the Yeas and Nays and the Chair announced that further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal would be postponed until later in the legislative day.

2:00 P.M. –

Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Daniel Coughlin.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of February 14.

12:08 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.

12:02 P.M. –

MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.

12:01 P.M. –

The Speaker designated the Honorable Rob Bishop to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

12:00 P.M. –

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.