Tag Archives: United States

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

CBS News needs to fix faulty reporting


Media Matters for America
On last week’s 60 Minutes, CBS News presented an account from a British security contractor who claimed to be an eyewitness to the attack against U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya. But the contractor’s own incident report revealed that he was nowhere near the facilities and was instead at a beachside villa. [1]Journalistic malpractice? Tell CBS News to fix this faulty reporting.

The 60 Minutes report largely hinged on revelations from “Morgan Jones,” who CBS News claimed “witnessed the attack.” In an interview with correspondent Lara Logan that sounded like the script for an action movie, “Jones” described scaling the wall at the burning compound, fighting off terrorists inside, and gaining access to the hospital to view the remains of Ambassador Chris Stevens.

The CBS News report quickly fueled the ongoing right-wing politicization of the terror attack and provided renewed vigor to accusations of a “Benghazi cover-up.” [2]

The problem? “Jones,” whose real name is Dylan Davies, previously wrote that he “could not get anywhere near” the diplomatic compound that night. In the incident report submitted to his employer, Davies stated that, due to roadblocks, he spent most of the night of the attack at his Benghazi beachside villa, only learning of the Ambassador’s death from a Libyan colleague’s cellphone picture. Davies later claimed that he lied in the employer report, not the story he gave to the media. Either way, the discrepancy is troubling. [3]

Veteran journalists agree that the new details raise questions about whether 60 Minutes properly reviewed Davies’ story before it aired. “Other sources, even if those were off the record sources, they could have done something to address this discrepancy,” said Kelly McBride, ethics instructor at The Poynter Institute and co- author of the new book the New Ethics of Journalism. Dave Cuillier, Society of Professional Journalists president, agreed: “Accuracy’s number one and we’ve got to get it right and if we don’t, which is going to happen inevitably, then we need to correct it. That applies in every situation, whether it’s an obit in the Green Valley News or 60 Minutes.” [4]

What’s more, CBS Corporation owns Simon & Schuster, which published Davies’ “eyewitness” memoir about the attack. The ties between 60 Minutes and the publisher of Davies’ book were not disclosed when 60 Minutes was promoting Davies’ story. Given the financial relationships involved, it’s especially concerning that CBS News did not properly address the discrepancy between Davies’ stories. [5]

Whether due to negligence or a deliberate lack of disclosure, CBS News failed to properly verify its source in pursuit of a scoop.

Will you join the call for CBS News to explain the discrepancies or retract its report?

In 2004, when questions were raised about 60 Minutes reporting on documents involving President George W. Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS News appointed an independent panel “to help determine what errors occurred in the preparation of the report and what actions need to be taken.” [6] Following the investigation, CBS News fired four producers connected to the story and chose not to renew correspondent Dan Rather’s contract.

To maintain its reputation as a respected news organization, CBS News needs to respond to this instance of questionable journalism with the same professionalism it has displayed in the past. Can you help us remind CBS News that journalism and the facts matter?

Sign the letter to CBS News: http://action.mediamatters.org/cbs_benghazi

We’ll send the letter next week, so sign on by Monday to ask CBS News to take responsibility for the problems in its report.  Your participation makes a difference.

Cynthia Padera Campaigns Manager Media Matters for America

—–

[1] 60 Minutes Benghazi Report Takes A Huge Credibility Hit http://mm4a.org/1aZgivt  [2] Conservative Media Praise CBS’ 60 Minutes Report On Benghazi http://mm4a.org/16h0mpS [3] CBS “Eyewitness” Admits He Lied About Benghazi Attack While Bashing Critics http://mm4a.org/1aUykCt [4] Veteran Journalists Criticize 60 Minutes For “Serious Problem” With Benghazi “Witness” http://mm4a.org/1h6tur2 [5] 60 Minutes’ Benghazi Eyewitness Asked Fox News For Money http://mm4a.org/17sky9b [6] David Brock Calls On CBS To Retract Faulty Benghazi Story http://mm4a.org/1iAIgBK
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The True Cost of Chevron


Amazon Watch
Português | Español | Deutsch | More
Servio CuripomaLast week we introduced you to a brave advocate for his community and the Amazon – Servio Curipoma. For Servio and the other 30,000 inhabitants of Chevron’s toxic wasteland, the struggle for basic necessities like clean water is a daily one.You may remember when in 2011 Servio first left his rainforest home to come to the US to share his story with members of Congress and influencers in Washington; the media and human rights groups in New York; and directly with Chevron shareholders, board members, and CEO John Watson right at Chevron’s headquarters in San Ramon, CA. Servio appealed to every person he met – including the cold Chevron CEO himself – to put aside the decades-long legal battle and help those who had suffered for too long. He asked that Chevron finally do the right thing and clean up what it had admitted to – leaving billions of gallons of toxic foundation waters polluting his Amazonian backyard.The truth about the daily reality faced by so many in Ecuador resonated with the American people, with socially-responsible investors and with the media. Support continued to grow and the pressure on Chevron increased. But with no sign of a clean-up coming, Servio returned last May with the help of Amazon Watch to confront Chevron at its Annual General Meeting. This time he brought a different message delivered on a massive pink slip – FIRE CEO John Watson! Watson, who was a key player in the Texaco merger, has led Chevron down a dark and dirty path of corporate crimes and environmental destruction around the globe. Servio and his supporters made it clear in front of Watson’s peers that Chevron’s attacks against victims in Ecuador, sympathetic shareholders, human rights and environmental groups and concerned citizens must end.

And what has Chevron done? Turned the finger on Servio and affected communities in Ecuador in a malicious and cowardly move to call them criminals after all that they have suffered. A week after Servio’s second visit, a perturbed Watson found himself being deposed as a witness due to legal attacks on Servio and his community.

Chevron has made it clear that it will continue to fight dirty. For Servio, for the 30,000 victims of Chevron’s atrocities, for corporate accountability around the globe – we cannot let up. Your support ensures that Amazon Watch can continue to help Servio and other Amazon heroes to confront CEOs like Watson in person and to hold corporations accountable.

For the Amazon,

Paul Paz y Miño
Paul Paz y Miño
Online & Operations Director
Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 11/7 ~~ the House


matthew 25

The Senate stands adjourned until 10:00am on Thursday, November 7, 2013. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.815, the Employee Non-Discrimination Act.

During Wednesday’s session of the Senate cloture was filed on S.815.  As a result, the first degree amendment filing deadline is 10:30am and the 2nd degree amendment filing deadline is 11:30am.

At 11:45am, there will be 2 roll call votes in relation to the following:

–          Toomey amendment #2013 (broadens the number of groups covered under the religious exemption) (60-vote threshold) and

(the committee-reported substitute amendment will be agreed to by unanimous consent)

–          Motion to invoke cloture on S.815, ENDA, as amended If cloture is invoked, there will be a 3rd roll call vote at 1:45pm on passage of S.815, ENDA, as amended.

11:52am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the Toomey amendment #2013 (broadens the number of groups covered under the religious exemption);

Not Agreed To: 43-55

Next votes:

Immediately following Toomey vote:

–          Cloture on S.815, ENDA, as amended.

1:45pm:

–          Passage of S.815, ENDA, as amended

12:21pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on S.815, ENDA, as amended

Invoked: 64-34

2014 Senate Calendar – 113th Congress, Second Session

 Convene – January 6, 2014

 January 20 – 24 State Work Period (Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday January 20)

 February 17 – 21 State Work Period (Presidents’ Day February 17)

 March 17-21 State Work Period

 April 14 – 25 State Work Period (Passover begins April 15; Good Friday April 18; Easter April 20)

 May 26 – May 30 State Work Period (Memorial Day May 26)

 June 30 – July 4 State Work Period (Independence Day July 4)

 August 4 – September 5 State Work Period (Labor Day September1)

 Target adjournment – TBD

At 1:50pm, the Senate began a roll call vote on passage of S.815, the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, as amended.

Passed: 64-32

Prior to adjourning today, Senator Reid filed cloture on Executive Calendar #346, the nomination of Cornelia T.L. Pillard, of the District of Columbia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; and on the motion to proceed to Calendar #236, H.R.3204, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to human drug compounding and drug supply chain security.

By consent, the cloture vote on the Pillard nomination will occur at 5:30pm on Tuesday, November 12. If cloture is not invoked, the Senate would proceed immediately to the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to H.R.3204, Drug Quality and Security Act. If cloture is invoked on the nomination, the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to H.R.3204 would occur upon disposition of the nomination.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1)      Toomey amendment #2013 (broadens the number of groups covered under the religious exemption); Not Agreed To: 43-55

2)      Motion to invoke cloture on S.815, the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, as amended; Invoked: 64-34

3)      Passage of S.815, ENDA, as amended; Passed: 64-32

Additional LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Discharged Foreign Relations and adopted S.Res.280, recognizing the 40th anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from the Vietnam War and expressing renewed support for United States veterans of that conflict.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.1661, to require the Secretary of State to offer rewards of up to $5,000,000 for information regarding the attacks on the United States diplomatic mission at Benghazi, Libya that began September 11, 2012.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

——————————————————————-

Last Floor Action:
5:11:55 P.M. – The House adjourned
pursuant to a previous special order.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00
a.m. on November 12, 2013, unless the House receives a message from the Senate
transmitting its adoption of H. Con. Res. 62, in which case the House shall
stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

mimimum wages V cost of living


WAseattleferriesdowntownbackground

I’m Matt Perry, a MoveOn member in Seattle, Washington, and I started a petition to Seattle City Council, which says:

Those who work full-time in our great city should be able to afford a basic life in the city of Seattle. If you work here, you should be able to live here. Sign Matt’s petition

As a resident of Seattle, I do business with and speak to folks making minimum wage in this city every day. These are the workers who prepare food, serve in retail sales, clean offices and homes, take care of the elderly and disabled, and perform many additional jobs that make our city work. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics’ national numbers, 25% of these folks are parents, three-quarters are over 20 years old, and over half are the primary wage earners in their households.

As a matter of basic fairness, these responsible workers should be paid at a minimal level that allows them to live in the city of Seattle.

Currently there is no such guarantee. Even though Washington State’s minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum, the state minimum is still below the very basic minimal costs of living in Seattle, for even a single person. For those with a child to take care of, the situation is worse: a single parent with one child would need to work over 80 state-minimum-wage hours every week to support the basic needs of their family.

Let’s establish a city-wide minimum wage that begins to correct this injustice. If you work here, you should be able to live here!

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–Matt Perry

This petition was created on MoveOn’s online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Matt Perry didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Shutdown is over: now what?


SeattleWAthumbpixs

Unemployment benefits related to federal shutdown

Updated October 17, 2013

Now that the federal shutdown is ending, how do I close my unemployment claim?

The easiest thing is to stop filing your weekly claims.

Should I file a weekly claim next week for the time I was unemployed this week?

That’s up to you. Federal employees and federally funded state employees will receive back-pay for the time they were furloughed, and any unemployment benefits they received must be repaid.

However, it may take some time before the next payroll is processed. If you were furloughed long enough this week to qualify for unemployment benefits, you may want to file a weekly claim for this week (beginning 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 20). You would need to report the number of hours you worked this week and the amount of money you earned, and then repay the unemployment benefits later.

(Employment Security employees, watch your office email for more details about back-pay, timesheets and payroll.)

What’s the process for repaying unemployment benefits?

After the shutdown is over, Employment Security will attempt to arrange with federal agencies to withhold the appropriate amount of funds from the future paycheck/s of furloughed employees and to reimburse us on their behalf. If we cannot make those arrangements, we will send each worker a notice with the amount they must repay.

(Employment Security employees will receive instructions by email.)

What if I didn’t get a benefit check yet?

There could be a few reasons why you didn’t get a check. You can contact the claims center for more information:

  • Through our website.
  • By phone, 800-318-6022.

Here are a couple things to keep in mind:

  • If you’re eligible for benefits, we will pay you retroactively, even after you’ve returned to work.
  • If you know you’re going to receive backpay and don’t want the hassle of repaying unemployment benefits, contact the claim center right away to put a hold on your claim.

Taken directly from the ESD website