Tag Archives: United States

Policing School Districts: The New Separate but Equal


In our last correspondence we received an overwhelming response to the Op-Ed articles about the struggles between traditional public and charter schools being housed in the same facilities. Your responses show that you are fully aware that the issues surrounding barriers to quality education are multifaceted at best. Our current blog discusses problems faced by parents who have attempted to place their children in better neighboring school districts. Share your feedback and respond to other responses posted.

Policing School Districts: The New Separate but Equal

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Chicago is sick of coal plants …Amanda Starbuck, Rainforest Action Network


The Fisk and Crawford coal plants, owned by Midwest Generation, are located right in the heart of Chicago. Combined these two ancient plants have been spewing pollution directly into the Windy City‘s bustling neighborhoods for over 150 years.

“Every class I teach has four to seven students who suffer from  horrifying respiratory illness,” says Chicago public school teacher  Gloria Fallon. “I can no longer sit back and watch my students and my community being sacrificed for dirty coal.”

                    The asthma hospitalization rate in Chicago is nearly double the U.S. national average. In some neighborhoods, over 25% of the children under twelve suffer from asthma.

                    Midwest Generation must be stopped.

Tell Bank of America, Citi, and Chase to pull funding from Midwest Generation, so these coal plants will finally be shut down.

                    Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) and the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (PERRO) have been working for many years to demand that Midwest Generation stop poisoning their communities with 45,000 tons of pollution every year. Join them.

                    Stand with LVEJO and PERRO for environmental justice. Wake up the financial institutions that fuel U.S. polluters today.

                    Air pollution from Fisk and Crawford causes more than 40 deaths, 66 heart attacks and 720 asthma attacks every year. Big banks enable devastating coal projects like these to continue hurting communities in Chicago and all across the United States.

Enough is enough. Americans deserve clean air and healthy communities. It’s time for U.S. financial institutions to take responsibility  for their actions, pull financing from dirty fossil fuel projects and start banking on clean, sustainable energy.

Demand that Bank of America, Citi, and Chase support clean energy projects instead of dirty, deadly ones.

 

 

 

 

For a clean energy future,

 
Amanda Starbuck
                                Energy & Finance Program Director

Twitter: @DirtyEnergy

Feds investigate Minn. school district after civil rights complaint (via Anderson Cooper 360)


Editor’s note: For more on this story, watch AC360 tonight at 10 p.m. ET on CNN. For a full investigation into the Anoka-Hennepin student suicides, watch “CNN Presents” on Sunday, July 24, at 8 p.m. ET. (CNN) — Federal authorities are investigating “incidents involving harassment and bullying” in Minnesota’s largest school district, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed in an email to CNN. The civil rights investigation is currently underway … Read More

via Anderson Cooper 360

wicked Weather Wednesday &Some News


just another rant …

I listen to mostly left of center radio by choice if my radio device(s) will let the reception through. However, lately the airwaves seem filled with a lot of progressive talk that is less than tolerable at least for me. I got it progressives and or the professional elite have control of the airwaves and have decided to put the rest of us who lean left at risk … well, maybe i don’t get it because as a shusterbot says Mr. Obama will run on the things could be a lot worse if you don’t vote for me platform. If it were up to me progressives would all take a huge chill pill and stop assuming you know what President Obama has decided to do before it actually happens. It is offensive not to mention who you are willing to give more credit to than the President .. Come on -get informed first, hear the plan and then have a tantrum, rant rave and then do all those things that are against your and the Democratic Parties best interest if you can. I support President Obama and while I do not always agree with him, I do wait for the facts and his move to change healthcare was great even with all the blue dogs siding and voting with republicans. The fact is President Obama has had Republicans blocking our move toward the 21st Century living and the Political Party of NO wants to hold the middleclass hostage. The response from my fellow leftie, well, maybe not my friends but people who call themselves progressives and or liberals told Americans to sit out the 2010 midterm elections and here we are. Oh – Oh i am quite sure they know who they are but some seem to act as if they have no responsibility at all. Unfortunately, these people are stirring up all kinds of negative nonsense, which as a voter makes absolutely no sense to me. Btw, I am so tired of the word capitulation and its use by so-called Obama supporters. I have to ask – is anyone else offended by those radio jocks who have been suggesting the left primary President Obama or that they will sit out 2012 out, they sound like childish BS and the obvious question is. In my opinion, if you are so easily swayed by folks you just might be a part of those waiting for President Obama to fail all along. I ask, do they all suffer from amnesia and what about all those people they stir up that listen and decide they are done with President Obama just because they heard some radio or TV host, talking head, pundit or whatever say this that and the other ? Will people please use your own brain and maybe ask yourself what did your member of Congress do to help the President or our left of center causes. I am only a human being but progressive talk is not always right, not always sincere and some not all get personally jazzed if they see their own voice can change what others are feeling or saying while others get paid to divided and conquer the Democratic Party. The problem is, well among several problems is that we need to circle the wagons not vote against our own best interest and make sure that President Obama gets an opportunity to change the faces of the Supreme Court as well as widen what the Democratic Party stands for.

The other thing that has been out there for a while and offensive is NPR maybe others like them have been addressing President Obama as Mr. Obama in most if not all their stories. I don’t know about you but I sincerely feel that “the media” address Obama as President Obama.  I am only one American but it sure seems as if “the media” was given orders to say Mr. Obama because most lean right of center and if not they need to be told they are being disrespectful to President Obama and of the office of President. The biggest group of our population having a problem with it was minorities but as we reach President Obama’s 3rd year in office others are noticing the somewhat subtle nuance and in some cases, the use of Mr. Obama becomes a tool for bashing him with a club filled with nastiness. I really feel your station and employees should address him as President Obama not Mr. Obama. So, I wrote to NPR and their response is below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for contacting NPR.

 We appreciate your thoughts regarding NPR protocol in referencing the President of the United States.

 For decades, it has been the broadcast practice of NPR to refer to the President by title on first reference and simply by “Mr. (last name)” or as “the President” for subsequent references within the same report. Such practice bestows optimal, non-partisan, respect upon America’s leader.

 We encourage you to view this column by the NPR Ombudsman for additional information about our policy: http://www.npr.org/ombudsman/2009/12/why_do_you_call_him_mr_obama.html

 Thank you for listening, and for your continued support of public broadcasting. For the latest news and information, visit NPR.org.

Sincerely,
Alan
NPR Services
202-513-3232
www.npr.org

Other News …

UN declares famine in Somalia: How to help

Comic-Con 2011: Emma Stone: ‘Spider-Man’ Trailer Is ‘Amazing’ (Video)

Rights Group Fears Syrians Tortured After Mass Arrests

Flotilla activist: Arrest in Israel was humiliating

Birth control should be fully covered under health plans, report says

Tiny fourth moon discovered in Pluto’s orbit

Minn. governor signs budget to end government shutdown

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CSPAN …

House Passes Bill to Cap, Cut and Balance Budget; Senate to Take It Up

‘Gang of six’ release $3.7T deal

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Cameron Addresses House of Commons

P.M. vows to ‘clear up this mess”

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Senators Get Update on Oil Spill in Yellowstone River

One Step Closer to Saving the Whales …Phil Kline, Greenpeace


VICTORY! Send a letter to President Obama to thank him for his support for transparency at the IWC.

Japan’s annual whale slaughter in the Southern Ocean took a huge blow last week.

That’s because vote buying at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) is history. Countries like Japan can no longer bribe poorer countries to support their pro-whaling stance. Whale conservation finally has a fighting chance.

The US delegation did the right thing and supported this measure. What a difference a year and a few million actions from whale lovers like you can make. This is your victory and a huge step in the right direction.

The Obama Administration deserves some credit as well. Please take a minute and thank them for their leadership.    Your letter will be sent to President Obama and his administration, thanking them for listening to the voice of the American people.

With supporters like you, we’ve brought the IWC into the 21st century. But we still have work to do. Next year, we need the IWC to allow Greenpeace and other conservation groups to have a voice. Conservation groups have always been at the forefront of whale protection, but have never been able to participate at the IWC meetings.   

Please take action now and thank the Obama administration. Thank you for all your good work in support of the whales.   

 

For the oceans,

Phil Kline
Oceans Campaigner
Greenpeace USA