Tag Archives: cable tv

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Extreme Weather: Face the facts


The facts are devastatingly clear.

Around the globe, we are on track to see the hottest year yet in 2010. From the flooding in Pakistan to droughts in Russia and landslides in China, the effects of this year’s extreme weather are catastrophic and undeniable.

The recent pattern of extreme weather events is consistent with what scientists have projected to result from climate change: temperature shifts, severe rainfall and snow in some parts of the world, and major droughts in others.

Check out Repower America’s fact sheet on extreme weather and share it with your friends.

Get the Facts: Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Despite the overwhelming facts, skeptics — like the now infamous Koch brothers1, Massey coal2 and Lord Monckton3 — will no doubt continue to spend big bucks to keep spreading misinformation about global warming.

But if we want to fight the skeptics, we’ll need a growing number of people to get informed. As the evidence mounts, leaders like Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are finally speaking out about climate change. President Medvedev spoke out at a United Nations Security Council meeting and said,

“What is happening now in our central regions is evidence of this global climate change, because we have never in our history faced such weather conditions in the past. This means that we need to change the way we work, change the methods that we used in the past.”4

In Pakistan, nearly 1,600 people have died this summer from the worst monsoon-related floods in living memory. And around the world, 2000-2009 was the warmest decade on record5, and 2010 is on track to be the warmest year the world has seen in 131 years.

Extreme weather events are putting lives in danger all around the world. Make sure you get the facts and spread the word.

Learn more about the link between extreme weather and climate change today.

Thanks for getting involved,

Dave Boundy
Campaign Manager
Repower America

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

This is not about Ground Zero …This is about America

2 Comments

Over the last week we’ve heard a lot from DFA members around the country asking for action to protect the rights of religious freedom for all Americans and I couldn’t agree more.

I don’t get upset much. I mean, I get ticked off at Republicans and Democrats (and at really bad customer service!), but that’s why I work with you at DFA. Because when we get upset, we don’t stew in it and hope it goes away. We do something about it.

The controversy around the building of a Muslim Community Center at 51 Park in New York City should upset all of us. It definitely upsets me. Shortly after the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks, much of this country came together. But there were a number of other, smaller tragedies occurring all over the country as a result of the attacks. People who “looked like terrorists” were victims of harassment, intimidation, and outright violence.

That includes me, and every member of my immediate family in different instances. My response was to protest the coming wars. My family did something different, though. They started going to Mosque. It did more than renew their faith — it provided a sense of community and safety during a very dark time for us. But for the last nine years, at least, people have been trying to block the construction of mosques all over the country.

Now, let’s be clear, the subject of the highest profile Muslim structure, 51 Park in New York City, will have a basketball court and a culinary school. Two floors will have a prayer room. The other eleven will host movie nights, performances, group dinners, etc — it’s basically a Muslim YMCA, open to everyone. These moderate Muslims are doing everything we could ask of them. They’re trying to build a bridge in the communities they live in, trying to show the world that Muslims are cool and interesting and diverse, and proving that being a Muslim does not equal being a terrorist.

But they’re being thrown under the bus by our elected leaders, egged on by some of the ugliest elements of the right-wing. Well-intentioned leaders of the Democratic Party are getting caught up in the fray as well, some of them seeking to find common ground with an implacable opposition. It’s not helping.

This isn’t just a Manhattan problem. Right now, there is opposition to mosques in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Southern California, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois, and dozens of other locations across our nation. Where would they move? If public pressure can be brought to bear to take down the most high-profile Muslim community center in liberal NYC, then these other places don’t even have a chance, Ground Zero connection or not.

Frankly, this isn’t about Ground Zero. This is about America. This is about freedom. This is about people and there seems to be no place that Muslim people can go without being harassed.

The harassment has to stop, and that starts with you and me.

I think most people agree that Muslims have the right to worship. But these efforts to harass Muslims are based in fear, prejudice, and ignorance. Removing a community center doesn’t solve these problems. But talking about religious freedom — really engaging people — can open people’s minds, and blunt the prejudice.

I pledge to do it myself.

I pledge today to stand up for religious freedom right now. We cannot wait another day to defend the rights of all Americans to worship if they want, where they want, and when they want. I will not wait for the conversation to come to me; I will start the conversation now. Please join me in making the pledge to fight for our universal American values of acceptance and respect for religious freedom.

I need you, in your community, to have those challenging conversations with people you know.

Take the pledge right now.

It’s time to be pro-active in support of the values that define what we stand for and who we are as Americans. After you take the pledge, please follow up and share the conversations you’ve had. I think we’ll all find them inspiring to share.

-Arshad

Arshad Hasan, Executive Director

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell Congress: Let students earn citizenship


TAKE ACTION

Tell Congress:

Our broken immigration system needs reform now. Pass the DREAM Act as a step towards comprehensive immigration reform.

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Today, thousands of young immigrants who were brought here at a young age are waiting for the DREAM Act to have a chance to go to college. Sign this petition to Congress to give them the opportunity they deserve:

Our broken immigration system needs reform now. Pass the DREAM Act as a step towards comprehensive immigration reform.

Click here to add your name to this petition and send it to your Representative and Senators.

The DREAM Act would allow students who are undocumented to earn their citizenship. These students have worked hard for years in the hopes of going to college, furthering their educations, and making a difference in the world. But our broken immigration system makes that impossible.

The DREAM Act is one step toward a fair and just immigration policy, and an important one. Congress should pass it immediately. Please join me in taking action today.

Thank you,
Marissa Graciosa
Reform Immigration FOR America
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Fight the Right — Send a message to the tabloids!


Barney Frank for Congress 2010

For the second time in a week, the ultra-conservative Boston Herald ran a giant, front-page headline attempting to tie me to recent ethics investigations in Washington.  (Not surprisingly, the actual story, deep inside the paper and in much smaller type, asserted no impropriety.)

I take attacks from the far-right as a badge of honor.  The meaner the attacks and the larger the headlines, the more evidence that they know — and fear — that I am effective, and that I have earned the support you have given me.

But now the attacks are accelerating and it is time to fight back.

Three weeks ago, President Obama signed into law the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the most sweeping financial reform since the Great Depression.  I am proud to have played a leading role in passing that legislation despite the opposition of some of the most powerful financial institutions in the country, a legion of well-paid lobbyists, and almost every Republican in Congress.

The Right is determined that I pay a price.

As November approaches, I predict we will see even more malicious headlines.  Then, the next wave of attack will arrive — nasty television ads fueled by big money from right-wing organizations.  And now, because of the recent Supreme Court decision defining corporate spending on elections as free speech, the threat is far greater.

Let us not underestimate the power of lies.  Inherent implausibility is not self-refuting.  We must fight back — now.

I will need substantial resources to fight effectively and we cannot afford to wait until the fall.  So I am asking you to help me raise over $100,000 by Monday, August 23rd.  Your strongest support will make that possible.

The tabloids and other right-wing institutions are counting on us to cower in fear.  Let’s stand up to the GOP attack machine — fighting every false, malicious attack by raising our voices and pooling our resources.  Their assaults will only make us stronger.

Let’s send them a message today.

Thank you for your help,

Barney Frank

P.S.  You can multiply your efforts by forwarding this email to others who share our values and determination.  The larger our numbers, the more powerful we become. Contribute

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

TGIF …&some News


Today, President Obama will be signing the $600million border bill that will increase the effort to protect the border by adding more ICE agents and equipment along the border …this action is more than any other administration has done before. I would like to hear what the Governor of Arizona has to say about this …hopefully to say thank you if nothing else.

The other great things going on this coming weekend is that The President Obama will be going to Panama City, Fl this weekend.  The fact is Florida is a State where many people immigrated to from many many places back in the day Florida passed through the hands of many people of colour, mostly Native Americans. Though at some point that ended… and most if not all immigrants were of Hispanic,Caribbean and European decent; we all know as a port for slave trade and drop-offs back in the day.  However, Today … there are now immigrants from all over the world working and living in Florida. The City our President is going is where some of my people live… YAY!!!

Here’s hoping the oil is far away if just a touch and if it is there they are able to get it cleaned and the people made whole. The BP disaster has damaged so many people on the Gulf Coast hopefully Panama City continues to shine as well as bringing revenue in, tourists, fishing, and everything related to get back on track.

In other News about Race and in my own experience in my own opinion; Words Matter – Words hurt. They incite violence, they promote fear, anger, shame and when misinterpreted by the right people they cause harm; physically and to property and in this 21st Century people like those on the airwaves should know which topics they can or should definitely stay away from. As a person of colour the comments made by a Doctor was in itself offensive but most of all …it ties into this whole uprising about anchor babies or terror babies, interracial-marriage including her use of the N-word over and over again. This kind of behavior by a professional on the airwaves is unacceptable, yet we must all become aware of the new immigration scare tactic and obviously Dr. S is apart of that effort

It is most obvious of things to rant about today is about Dr. S … we all know who she is and though it is funny she is still being talked about her comments and the way she handled herself definitely was not funny whatsoever. In fact on the face of it maybe if she was a newbie on the radio we might be able to warn her and let it slide but this lady and i use that word with control because to be honest she has lost my respect forever so lady is about all i can call her without being nasty. Dr S. is not new to the business and like someone said on radio today Dr. S knows who and what side of her bread is getting buttered and like most folks from the right …she has joined the race-baiting debate. It is my hope that folks all over the world boycott or stop listening to this lady because even with her apology the very words she said are forever imbedded in my mind and will not ever be forgotten.

Other News …

**Thad Allen stated testing will be done on the BP oil well to determine the success of the cap and or seal

**UFCW local 367 asks us to support Macy’s workers in Tacoma due to unfair hiring practices

**Dr S. racist rant is something no one should let move on without hearing

**The Blagojevich trial continues

**In Arizona yesterday, a conservative group along with several Arizona lawmakers launched a lawsuit attempting to block President Obama’s health care overhaul. The Goldwater Institute and Republican Reps. Jeff Flake, Trent Franks and John Shadegg, along with several state lawmakers, filed the suit in U.S. District Court which takes aim at the requirement to purchase health care coverage.

A week after striking down California’s ban on same-sex marriage, U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker ruled yesterday that gay marriages could resume on Aug. 18. He gave opponents about a week to seek an injunction from a higher court. “I am pleased to see Judge Walker lift his stay and provide all Californians the liberties I believe everyone deserves,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is causing consternation within the Pentagon for his budget-cutting plan to reduce the number of generals and admirals by five percent. But, while Gates is advocating certain small cuts, he is urging Congress not to engage in more significant cuts of the defense budget.

**Judge gives green light for same-sex marriage in Cali

**Wikileaks preparing to release 15thou more Afghanistan docs

**The Pentagon is cutting waste

**Waters insists she didn’t break House rules


C-SPAN …

watch State Dept. Briefing

Washington Journal Focusing on Solar Power

The Washington Journal wrapped up its week-long series on energy issues, with a conversation about solar power. Tom Rooney, the CEO of SPG Solar, the second largest solar company in the U.S., joined the discussion to talk about the benefits of solar power and the incentives the government provides to encourage homeowners and utility companies to invest in solar technology.

Earlier this week, the Washington Journal looked at various ways to construct energy saving homes and buildings, explored how public policy regarding electric vehicles affects the industry and the distribution of natural gas and the impact of public policy decisions on the utility industry, as well as wind energy.

Next week the summer series will turn its focus to a weeklong discussion on the financial regulation bill, which was signed into law in July

Rep. Waters meets with reporters; Denies Proof of Ethics Violations

Issuing her first formal public response to ethics charges against her, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is meeting with reporters to lay out her defense strategy when her ethics trial begins this fall. Earlier this month, the House Ethics Committee announced its investigation into the congresswoman’s involvement with arranging a meeting between OneUnited Bank and Treasury Department officials. Later, the bank received $12 million from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The committee cites a series of emails between Waters’ chief of staff Mikael Moore and OneUnited, where her husband has financial interests, pointing to a conflict of interest. Waters defended her request for the meeting as part of her efforts to advocate on behalf of minority-owned businesses. She is the second House Democrat to face an ethics trial this fall. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) is also facing an ethics trial.

New Economic Indicators Point to Stalled Recovery

A series of key indicators have painted a weak economic outlook, according to economists. Reacting to fears of trouble in the domestic and global markets, the Dow Jones industrial average saw its biggest one-day drop since last month, dropping 2.5 percent; while the average New York Stock Exchange slid 3.3 percent on Wednesday. Setting off this reaction of events was Tuesday’s announcement by the Federal Reserve that its previous assessment of the national recovery may be “more modest in the near term than had been anticipated.”

As part of its assessment, the central bank referred to the high unemployment levels and its impact on the economy. With jobless figures hovering at 9.5 percent, a new report shows that first-time claims for unemployment reached its highest number since February, totaling to a seasonally adjusted 484,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

In an attempt to address the problems facing jobless Americans, the Treasury Department will allocate $2 billion under the Hardest Hit Fund to help unemployed homeowners living pay their mortgages. Paid for by the Troubled Assets Relief Program, the program focuses on those in the 17 hardest hit states, including California, Arizona and the District of Columbia.