Tag Archives: democrats

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Days to save whales


 Avaazpix

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

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

Secretary Julián Castro, Department of Housing and Urban Development


The White House, Washington

When my tenure as Secretary is over, I won’t judge my time by how many initiatives my Department has launched, or how many press releases we’ve put out. I’ll judge my tenure by the results — by how we were able to make opportunity real for families across America.

I’m proud to be serving under a President who shares the same commitment to policies that put everyday Americans first. President Obama has guided our nation out of a historic crisis and into an economy that’s picking up momentum. In just six years — thanks in large part to his actions — millions of Americans have been able to stay in their homes, and home sales are up by nearly 50 percent.

We’re not stopping there. Today, the President announced that he’s directing the Federal Housing Administration to reduce mortgage insurance premiums, which will help 250,000 American families buy a home over the next three years.

Thanks to President Obama’s actions today, homeownership will be more accessible, and more sustainable for more Americans. Share the news, and take a look at a few charts that show exactly how far our housing system has come:

Share the news, and take a look at a few charts that show exactly how far our housing system has come

In 2008, home values were on the decline, but they’ve been rising for three years now.

New foreclosures are at their lowest levels since 2006.

The number of U.S. homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages — meaning they owe more than their home is worth — is down by nearly 10 million.

There’s no denying the progress we’ve made over the past few years, and we will continue working until every responsible, hardworking American is able to own a home.

Find out more about how far we’ve come, and what the President’s newest announcement means for you — whether you own a home, or hope to own one in the future. And make sure to share the news.

Thanks,

Julián

Secretary Julián Castro
Department of Housing and Urban Development
@SecretaryCastro

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

President Obama designates 3 New Nationals Monuments


Yesterday, the President designated three new national monuments: Berryessa Snow Mountain in California, Waco Mammoth in Texas, and Basin and Range in Nevada. Together, these striking places demonstrate the wide range of historic, cultural, and natural values that make America’s public lands so treasured.

Learn more about the monument designation here.

President Barack Obama signs National Monument designations in the Oval Office, July 10, 2015. The three new monuments include Berryessa Snow Mountain in California, Waco Mammoth in Texas, and the Basin and Range in Nevada. Standing behing the President, from left, are: Victor Knox, National Park Service, April Slayton, National Park Service, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, Chief Tom Tidwell, Randy Moore, Forest Service, and Director Neil Kornze. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

With these new designations, President Obama has now used the Antiquities Act to establish or expand 19 national monuments. Yesterday’s addition of three national monuments will protect more than 1 million acres of public land, adding to the more than 260 million acres of public lands and waters President Obama has protected for future generations — more than any other President.

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~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The 2015 Kids’ “State Dinner”


Yesterday, the First Lady hosted the 2015 winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge — a nationwide recipe challenge for kids that promotes cooking and healthy eating — for the annual Kids’ “State Dinner.”

See more from the Kids' State Dinner.

The 55 aspiring young chefs, along with their parents or guardians, joined the First Lady for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes; a special performance by the cast of Disney’s hit musical “Aladdin”; and a visit to the White House Kitchen Garden.

READ MORE

To see more from the past week, watch the latest edition of West Wing Week here.

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

FDA Strengthens Warning of Heart Attack and Stroke Risk for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs


NSAIDs drug label

07/09/2015 02:30 PM EDT
Do you use NSAID medicines for pain and fever? FDA hasadditional advice for you.FDA is strengthening the existing prescription and Drug Facts labels warning that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – a group of drugs used for the temporary relief of pain and fever – can increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke, either of which can lead to death.