Tag Archives: National Football League

Save the Brazilian Amazon’s last tributary from destruction


Photo credit: Aaron Vincent Elkaim

Believe it or not there is only one major tributary in the Brazilian Amazon that still runs free – the pristine Tapajós River. Today, the Tapajós and its vast forests are at risk of imminent destruction from the Brazilian government’s plans to build 29 large dams and approximately 80 smaller dams across its tributaries. Local communities such as the Mundurukú people, whose ancestral lands would be flooded, are fiercely resisting this devastation. Please donate today and support our work to keep the Tapajós running free.

“The fact is that there is only one earth and that nature provides everything. This is the indigenous reality and that is why our peoples are uniting in order to put an end to the damage caused by the Federal Government.”
– Mundurukú Chief Saw

Working with the Mundurukú, we have already made a difference: last year, our collective efforts forced Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy to postpone the dam’s license. Yet, we‘re aware that this victory, while important, is temporary.

Only the Mundurukú’s resolve and support from people around the world will defend the Tapajós basin, helping to preserve rivers, rainforests, and our climate. That’s why Amazon Watch stands with the Mundurukú while advocating for clean energy alternatives. We are advancing solutions that respect the rights of indigenous cultures, promote truly renewable energy sources, and allow the Amazon to thrive as it works to regulate our global climate.

The Mundurukú are our frontline allies in the struggle to save our planet from the devastation of climate change. How the world responds to their call reflects the choices we make about our own future. Today we invite you to make a choice in favor of people and planet.

For the Amazon,

Smells Like Death and Bad Decisions …repost


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Bring up Rio de Janeiro and you’ll conjure delectable images in my mind. Images like … Beaches. Mouthfuls of picanha bursting with juicy flavor. Grown and sexy natives are pressing their bodies against each other to samba music in dusky bars. Brazilian women flaunting their beautiful Brazilian bundas in skin-baring bikinis as they walk along the beach, hips swaying in the sunlight – not to mention their bronze skin and sun-kissed waist-length tresses. (Excuse me while I whip out my credit card to order 22 inches of Brazilian Remy hair. Now I want to look Brazilian for a few weeks.)

 

These appetizing images aren’t all that come to mind. I haven’t forgotten about soccer. Brazil and soccer are synonymous with one another and Brazil is hosting its first World Cup in 64 years.

Rio is also home to the 2016 Olympic Games – the first country in South America to claim the privilege. But these facts are troubling, particularly because despite these honors, Rio is socially, environmentally and financially stewing in a sewage and pollution crisis that’s as disgusting as it is disturbing. This is affecting peoples’ lives and threatening the country’s tourism industry. If these issues aren’t checked by August 5, 2016, then the 2016 Olympics are in jeopardy.

Rio’s Crappy Situation

“When Brazil was selected as the host of the World Cup five years ago, we celebrated. We celebrated because we didn’t know that it was going to cost so much,” said Mateos da Costa, a 53-year-old taxi driver told CNN. “Our leaders should have known that Brazil was not in a condition to organize the event.”

To say Brazil was not in a condition is an understatement. Brazil’s competence for hosting global events has been under scrutiny several times, but after beating out Tokyo, Madrid and Chicago to host the games, the country promised to get their act together and clean up their public sewage issues in time for the games. Now, these same unsavory sewage conditions are the reason Brazil will not make good on its commitment to clean up in time for neither the World Cup nor the 2016 Olympic Games.

UNFULFILLED PROMISES

 

Rio residents, or Cariocas, are frustrated with Rio’s behavior. Initially, the World Cup and the Olympics came attached to promises of economic prosperity for not only the government but also the people. Taxpayers have paid over $3.6 billion to develop stadiums across Brazil – and that amount is just a portion of the World Cup’s $11.5 billion price tag.

Despite all the money poured into these sports initiatives, Brazil’s has a laundry list of mostly built stadiums that aren’t ready for World Cup use. And according to discussions, there are so many factors to blame, including corruption, shortsighted planning and “overwhelming bureaucracy,” says to Wall Street Journal writers John Lyons and Loretta Chao. They insist there’s widespread belief prioritization of tourism and entertainment over education and health care keep the country poor.

“It’s an affront, in a country with so many deficiencies in basic needs, to organize a Cup in this way,” Alcyr Leme told the Wall Street Journal. Although Leme has “fond memories of going to see Brazilian legend Pelé play in the 1960s,” he plans to watch this Cup from home. “Buying game tickets would only condone the waste,” he said.

Continued…

TAKE ACTION: Ask the Pope to protect the Ecuadorian Amazon


Pope Francis:
Call on Ecuador to Protect the Amazon
and its Peoples!

“For human beings…to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins.”
Pope Francis,
Laudato Si, On the Care of Our Common HomeTAKE ACTION

On July 5th, Pope Francis, who has called deforestation a “sin,” will visit Ecuador, the country with the highest deforestation rate in South America. A major driver of Ecuador’s deforestation is state oil company Petroamazonas, which is leading a massive expansion of the Amazonian oil frontier.

Most disturbingly, Petroamazonas is attempting to drill in Block 31 and ITT – the most fragile part of Yasuni National Park and home to Ecuador’s last indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation. The Ecuadorian constitution qualifies any operations there as “ethnocide” because such activity would threaten the very existence of those isolated communities. This behavior echoes Pope Francis’ warning in his encyclical that “environmental exploitation and degradation” can lead to “the disappearance of a culture,” which “can be just as serious, or even more serious than the disappearance of a species of plant or animal.”As His Holiness prepares to meet with Ecuador’s devout Catholic president Rafael Correa, let’s ask him to urge President Correa and Petroamazonas not to drill Yasuní National Park. We also ask him to meet with theKichwa ofSarayaku, the Amazonian community who wrote to him in May which has successfully protected its territory fromthe incursion of oil companies for decades.For the Amazon,

Karen Deal, WA Democrats: Voting Rights Act


WethepeopleHistory has taught us: Our government is stronger if every voice is heard.

Sadly, today in Washington, that’s just not happening. Injustice in our election system means many communities, especially communities of color, aren’t being fairly represented by government.

Democrats have introduced the Voting Rights Act, which empowers local governments to fix these problems. You and I know voters deserve a government that truly represents them, and so do our state’s newspapers — Editorial boards across the state have voiced support for the Voting Rights Act. 1

But State Senate Republicans are taking a page out of the playbook of national Republicans. They’ve blocked this bill.

Not only that — Senator Slade Gorton is back. He’s re-entered the public sphere, using his authority and influence to lobby State Senate Republicans to ignore the public outcry and vote “no” on this bill.

Every voter should feel like their vote makes a difference, creating a government that is accountable to all people. We need to fix our broken election system — We need to pass the Voting Rights Act.

Send a message to Slade Gorton and State Senate Republicans: Demand that they pass the Voting Right Act today.

Karen

1 http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/legislature-should-enact-voting-rights-act/http://www.theolympian.com/2015/03/11/3618019_voting-rights-act-deserves-a-vote.html?rh=1http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/apr/04/editorial-washington-voting-rights-act-offers/ 

~ FDA/USDA ~~ Alerts & Safety ~ July 2015


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07/31/2015 02:18 PM EDT

John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. (JBSS) announced today that it is voluntarily recalling Fisher brand chopped walnuts packaged in 10 ounce plastic bags because some of these products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

07/31/2015 02:18 PM EDT

John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. (JBSS) announced today that it is voluntarily recalling Fisher brand chopped walnuts packaged in 10 ounce plastic bags because some of these products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

07/24/2015 09:54 PM EDT

Moses Lake Professional Pharmacy is voluntarily recalling human and veterinary sterile compounded drugs which are unexpired to the consumer level due to lack of sterility assurance. The company has not received any reports of product contamination or adverse events to date, and is issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution following a recent inspection which identified an issue with sterility assurance.

07/24/2015 10:23 PM EDT

Nature’s Variety has announced a voluntary recall of their Instinct® Raw Chicken Formula for dogs with a “Best By” date of 04/27/16 because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

 

Brown Packing Recalls Veal Products Due To Possible E. Coli Contamination
Brown Packing Company, a South Holland, Ill. establishment, is recalling an undetermined amount of beef (veal) trimmings that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).

07/21/2015 05:29 PM EDT
July 20, 2015 -Osamu Corporation of Gardena, CA is recalling all of its frozen tuna (loin, saku, chunk, slice, and ground market forms) sourced from one processing plant in Indonesia because the Minnesota Department of Health Investigators found samples of this product from one retail location in Minnesota to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.  Persons developing these symptoms should seek medical attention.
07/21/2015 05:29 PM EDT
Osamu Corporation of Gardena, CA is recalling Frozen Yellow Fin Tuna Chunk Meat (Lot #68568) sold to AFC Corporation of Rancho Dominquez, CA sourced from one processing plant in Indonesia because the Minnesota Department of Health Investigators found samples of this product from one retail location in Minnesota to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

 

07/21/2015 01:27 PM EDT
The Natural Dog Company, Inc. of Windsor, CO, is recalling its 12oz bags of 12″ Tremenda Sticks pet chews because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

 

Recall Notification Report (Salad Products)
Huxtable’s Kitchen, Inc., a Fife, Wash. establishment, is recalling approximately 778 pounds of salad products due to misbranding.

07/16/2015 01:15 AM EDT Aspen Foods, A Division of Koch Poultry Company, a Chicago, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,978,680 pounds of frozen, raw, stuffed and breaded chicken product that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis.
07/15/2015 07:15 PM EDT  Murry’s, Inc., a Lebanon, Pa. establishment, is recalling approximately 20,232 pounds of gluten-free breaded chicken nugget product that tested positive for Staphylococcal enterotoxin.

Homemade recalls Pickles and Sauces because of possible health risk 07/14/2015 09:31 PM EDT Homemade of Leavenworth, Washington is recalling pickle and sauce products because they may have been improperly produced. Washington State Department of Agriculture routine sampling discovered that a bottle of Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles had a pH level high enough to allow the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Required records were not available to support that safe processing guidelines were followed on all sauce and pickle products produced at Homemade.

07/10/2015 03:50 PM EDT  Maya Overseas Foods Inc. of Maspeth, NY, is recalling approximately 8000 lbs. of Cashew Split because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
07/07/2015 09:48 AM EDT Stella & Chewy’s is voluntarily recalling some of its products due to concerns of a possible presence of Listeria Monocytogenes. The recall was prompted by a positive test confirming Listeria monocytogenes in Chewy’s Chicken Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties for Dogs, 15 ounce, Lot #111-15, during routine surveillance testing by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Barber Foods Recalls Stuffed Chicken Products Due To Possible Salmonella Enteritidis Contamination Barber Foods, a Portland, Maine establishment, is recalling approximately 1,707,494 pounds of frozen, raw stuffed chicken products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis.
Note: This news release is being reissued to expand the July 2, 2015 recall to include additional products. Details were also updated to reflect a change in poundage, epidemiological information and distribution area.

07/10/2015 11:15 PM EDT Gourmet Culinary Solutions, a Statham, Ga., establishment, is recalling approximately 495 pounds of turkey sausage products that are part of a frozen entree that also contains French toast sticks and peaches. The entrees may be contaminated with foreign materials.
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07/07/2015 11:15 PM EDT  Bassett & Walker International, Inc., a Toronto, Canada, establishment, is recalling approximately 1,540 pounds of beef lip products produced in Australia that were not presented at the U.S. point of entry for inspection.
07/02/2015 05:07 PM EDT  Whole Foods Market is recalling Cherry, Blackberry and Peach pies produced and sold in four retail stores in the Southwest Region, which includes TX, OK, LA, and due to undeclared egg. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to egg run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products
07/02/2015 05:35 PM EDT Boulder Dog Food Company, L.L.C. is voluntarily recalling the Turkey Sprinkles (3 oz.) with a “Best By” date of “05/18/16, 05/28/2016 and 05/30/2016”, a Lot Number of “743”, and a UPC Code of 899883001224 because the product has the potential of being contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the product, and there is risk to humans who handle the product, especially if the handler does not thoroughly wash his or her hands after having contact with the Product or any surfaces exposed to the product.
07/03/2015 07:15 PM EDT Lombardi Brothers Meats, a Denver, Colo. establishment, is recalling approximately 26,975 pounds of tenderized steak and ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7,

Fsis Issues Public Health Alert For Frozen Raw Stuffed Chicken Products Due To Possible Salmonella ContaminationThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns about illnesses caused by Salmonella that may be associated with raw, frozen, breaded and pre-browned, stuffed chicken products.

07/01/2015 05:27 PM EDT  Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets Inc., a Lakewood, Colo., based natural grocery chain, is recalling one lot of Natural Grocers brand Caribbean Nut & Fruit Mix as the product contains macadamia nuts that have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
07/01/2015 09:30 AM EDT FDA is taking action against 16 prescription drugs labeled to relieve ear pain and swelling because they are unapproved and haven’t been evaluated by FDA for safety, effectiveness and quality. Parents and other consumers still will have many other options for treating ear pain.  Read the Consumer Update to learn more.
06/29/2015 06:33 PM EDTv Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of a limited quantity of Atkins Chocolate Candies – 5 ct. cartons – UPC code 637480075558 – because it may contain sachets of Atkins Peanut Candies. A small quantity of Atkins Peanut Candy individual sachets has been inadvertently placed into outer cartons for Atkins Chocolate Candies – 5 ct. sachets.
06/29/2015 03:12 PM EDT
Rocky Mountain Foods, Inc. is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Island Fruit and Nut Trail Mix packaged under the Free Range Snack Co. Brand and certain lots of bulk Macadamia Nuts due to possible Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.