Tag Archives: Arizona

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

#BPS #KEEPITINTHEGROUND

07/14/2015 Nativegrl77

Fossil fuel production on public lands is incompatible with stopping runaway climate change. I urge you to issue an executive order that instructs federal agencies to stop granting new and expanded leases to extract coal, oil and gas from public lands and coastal waters.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

a message from Gov.Inslee

07/13/2015 Nativegrl77

jayinslee.com

I said we would get big things done this legislative session, and we did!

After six months — over two months longer than originally planned — we addressed some of the biggest issues facing our state and won:

$1.3 billion in additional funding for our K-12 system
A historic investment in early-childhood education and funding for all-day kindergarten
$16 billion in crucial infrastructure funding through a transportation package
Investments in our state parks
The first cost of living adjustment for teachers since 2008

The Governor’s office was essential to producing this equitable budget and now more than ever, with a divided legislature, the Republicans understand the importance of who is Governor of our state.

Now our campaign has to make up for lost time. We just got out of a seven-month fundraising freeze. We have six months to go before the legislature resumes again. And we have one declared opponent with others looking to get into the race.

We need to make up for lost time. That’s why I’m kicking off our first week-long fundraising drive TODAY with a goal of $50,000 by ‌July 17. Will you contribute today?

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Davan – L.A. Times

07/13/2015 Nativegrl77

Today’s Headlines

I’m Davan Maharaj, editor of the Los Angeles Times. A drug kingpin’s prison break is a huge embarrassment for Mexico; and a look at where it’s riskiest to step off a curb in L.A. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.

To Live and Walk in L.A.
Walking is often risky business in car-crazy Los Angeles. Now, a Times analysis puts some startling data behind the conventional wisdom. From 2002 through 2012, more than 58,000 accidents involving pedestrians happened on L.A. County streets. Downtown, Hollywood and Koreatown are especially perilous. Here’s the story, with a detailed map and tips on how to avoid being hit.

‘Seeing’ with Clicks
It’s not like seeing, but for blind people it could be the next best thing — a few clicks away. Not computer clicks. Tongue clicks are at the heart of an unorthodox program run by Daniel Kish in Long Beach. He teaches blind people to send them out as sonar, like dolphins or bats, to get a read on their surroundings. Some of the results have been remarkable. It’s today’s Great Read.

— A bill making progress in the Legislature would allow work permits for farmworkers here illegally.

— More jail trouble: New reports of abuse of inmates and staff suspensions or reassignments underscore a tough problem for new L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell.

— Malibu takes steps to bring traffic mayhem under control on the Pacific Coast Highway.

— Facing another court showdown over solitary confinement, state prisons begin to ease up on the practice.

— The close divide between Supreme Court justices on same-sex marriage portends more tough legal disputes.

— Stay home when you’re sick? A study finds that many doctors don’t.

— A suicide bombing kills dozens of civilians near a U.S. base in Afghanistan.

— In a Paraguay slum, Pope Francis speaks of equality and solidarity for the poor.

— Families are dropping euphemisms in obituaries to help expose heroin’s deadly toll (N.Y. Times).

— Crosscut: “The racist roots of a Northwest secession movement.”

— For Disneyland’s 60th, Smithsonian looks at hidden stories behind some of the park’s wonders.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Days to save whales

07/12/2015 Nativegrl77

Icelandic whalers are about to start harpooning over 150 endangered fin whales. But if we can get a tiny Caribbean nation to remove their flag from a ship that’s carrying millions of dollars worth of fin whale meat to Japan, we can hit them where it hurts. Stopping this sale could turn the tide. The ship could leave in six days. Add your voice and share this urgently:

Sign the petition

Dear friends,The Icelandic whaling fleet is about to leave port to hunt and kill 150 endangered fin whales. We’ve come close to shutting down this barbaric operation before and now we have a chance to end it for good.

As the whalers sharpen their harpoons for this year’s hunt, their boss is trying to ship last year’s whale meat to Japan right now. Over 1,700 tonnes are about to be sent through the icy passage between Russia and the North Pole. But if the tiny Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis simply removes their flag from the vessel it can’t leave port! Tourism is the main pillar of their country’s economy and we can put their reputation on the line by throwing them into our giant global spotlight.

We have just six days before the boat could set sail.

Our community already helped push European countries to shun this shameful trade. Let’s now get St. Kitts to stop helping the whalers! Sign now and share with everyone urgently — Avaaz will deliver our voices straight to the new Prime Minister, and if he doesn’t respond quickly, Avaaz’ll target his biggest tourist market – the US – and show how St. Kitts is supporting the slaughter of these majestic beings:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/days_to_save_whales_loc/?biEWLbb&v=61050

Iceland’s entire fin whaling industry is run by one man, Kristjan Loftsson, but his business is barely breaking even, so if we stop the whale meat from reaching Japan we can sink his profits! Other nations have removed their flag from vessels in response to public pressure over other environmental concerns so we know this can work for the whales. All we need to do is create a scandal and get a delay to make the crossing to Japan impossible.

Japanese whalers plan to resume “scientific” whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary despite widespread opposition, and St. Kitts and Nevis votes in support of Japan’s “research” at the International Whaling Commission. If we take them out of the equation now we can strike a deadly blow to both Icelandic and Japanese whaling at the same time!

Pressure has been mounting globally and nationally to stop the Icelandic whalers. This could be a turning point for the whales. Together we have the power to turn the International Whaling Commission into the International Whale Conservation Commission. And we can get started by stopping this year’s harpooning and this whale meat shipment! Sign the urgent petition now:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/days_to_save_whales_loc/?biEWLbb&v=61050

We know our voices work! Following our 1 million strong petition in 2013, the Dutch government blocked Iceland’s whale meat shipments docking in the Netherlands. And together with Greenpeace, our community managed to get fin whale meat sent back to Iceland from Germany. Since then major shipping companies announced they would never ship whale meat again. We’re making it harder and harder for this industry to make a profit. Let’s shut it down for good!With hope,

Lisa, Danny, Alice, Ricken, Mel, Nick, Rewan and the whole Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION

Iceland sends shipment of 1,700 tonnes of whale meat to Japan (The Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/05/iceland-sends-shipment-of-1700-tonnes-of-whale-meat-to-japan.

Desperate whalers go north (Greenpeace)
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/whale-meat-iceland/blog/53241/

The Winter Bay (Vessel Fider – shows where the ship carrying the whale meat is and which country is registering it)
https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/WINTER-BAY-IMO-8601680-MMSI-341433000

Japan to resume whaling hunt despite IWC warning (AFP)
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/japan-resume-whaling-hunt-despite-iwc-warning-105354478.html#ohHmAJ1

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

President Obama Meets With Senior Officials at the Pentagon Regarding ISIL:

07/08/2015 Nativegrl77

President Barack Obama meets with senior Defense Department, national security advisors and military leadership regarding the campaign against ISIL, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., July 6, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama Provides an Update on Our Strategy to Degrade and Destroy ISIL

This week, the President signed a bipartisan trade deal, welcomed the President of Brazil to the White House–and showed her one of our national treasures–hosted 50 girls in green on the South Lawn for a campout to celebrate the great outdoors, answered questions about healthcare in Tennessee and online, and traveled to Wisconsin to announce new overtime protections for hard-working Americans. That’s June 26th to July 2nd or, “Amazing Grace.”

Three highlights from the President’s speech on the economy in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

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