Republicans Seek Big Cuts in Environmental Rules

Republicans are using the chaos of a split government to try to ram through at least 39 bills aimed at weakened environmental protections. It's a travesty that threatens the health of citizens and our stewardship of the country, and denies the overwhelming science that shows that bills such as the Clean Air Act are beneficial for the economy and public health, and pay for themselves with reduced sickness and increased productivity. These actions take the concept of privatizing profits and externalizing costs to a new level.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/science/earth/28enviro.html?_r=1&hp

Consolidation of Seed Companies Leading to Worldwide Domination of Food Supply

If this trend doesn't trouble you, it should.
http://www.naturalnews.com/033148_seed_companies_Monsanto.html

How Obama Squandered the High Hopes of Those Who Elected Him

This AlterNet piece recounts the myriad ways in which President Obama has disappointed those who put him in office. Hopes of a transformational presidency have all but faded.
http://www.alternet.org/news/151757/how_obama_squandered_the_high_hopes_of_those_who_elected_him/?utm

Obama's Original Sin - Frank Rich
http://nymag.com/news/frank-rich/obama-economy/presidents-failure/

#f@ckyouwashington hashtag takes Twitter by storm

An outpouring of resentment and anger at government policies erupted on Twitter recently as thousands of people expressed disgust with a wide array of issues including the bailouts, wars, healthcare reform, and genetically modified food. This is an exciting trend and, if it continues, could bring a lot of pressure to bear on politicians, particularly if the mainstream media picks it up. It also appears that Twitter is censoring the archives of tweets with the hashtag #f@ckyouwashington, which is a very disturbing form of censorship indeed.
http://www.naturalnews.com/033134_social_revolution_Washington.html

Raw Story's breaking piece on the Twitter political trend.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/07/24/fckyouwashington-hashtag-takes-twitter-by-storm/

Nuclear power is in last place in the race against climate change

Greenpeace demonstrates the impracticality of nuclear energy due to cost overruns and the years it takes to construct these power plants, and argues that nuclear power should be abandoned due to its inefficiencies as well as the dangers posed by nuclear plants and spent fuel rods.
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/nuclear-power-is-in-last-place-in-the-race-ag/blog/35841/

Would the FDA let raw milk politics influence its food safety alerts?

I was very pleased to see this story in Grist about a curious action against a raw milk club by the  FDA, because it is part of a nationwide assault by the agency against all forms of unadulterated food, vitamins and supplements. I have posted a number of stories in which the FDA took aggressive and forceful action against natural foods companies, and recently heard a story that the agency forced a child, against the emphatic wishes of his mother, to undergo chemotherapy treatments for cancer. The attacks on natural foods by the FDA are mirrored by the agency's persecution of alternative medical treatments and is motivated by a culture that plainly seeks to promote and protect industrial pharma and agriculture interests.  
http://www.grist.org/food-safety/2011-07-20-would-the-fda-let-raw-milk-politics-influence-its-food-safety

Former Executives Describe Organized Espionage Inside Fox News

Allegations by a former Fox executive who helped launch the conservative propaganda media outlet suggests that the network run by Roger Ailes, a political operative from the Reagan era, hacked into competitors communications and routinely read emails from employees. The network denies these charges but the FBI is investigating whether News Corp employees hacked into 9/11 victim families private phones and, as apples don't fall far from the tree, I wouldn't be surprised if Fox has engaged in similarly unethical and despicable activities.  
http://www.prwatch.org/spin/2011/07/10910/former-executives-describe-organized-espionage-inside-fox-news

Pressure on Murdochs Mounts in Hacking Scandal
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/world/europe/23murdoch.html?_r=1

Fox, GOP team up to lie about Net Neutrality

Beware of misinformation in the media on the critical issue of net neutrality legislation that is soon to be entering an open comment period before implementation. The key to the law are provisions to bar telecoms from controlling access to lawful content, to maintain an open Internet, and does NOT represent broader federal or FCC regulations for users as commentators on Fox and other outlets would have you believe.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/07/991900/-Fox,-GOP-team-up-to-lie-about-Net-Neutrality?utm

Bureaucrats in Oak Park, Michigan Threaten Woman With Jail Time For Growing Vegetables in Her Own Front Yard

There's a disturbing amount of persecution going on around the country of people who grow their own food and this case in Michigan has created quite a media-fueled firestorm. Since this story was published, and thousands of citizens flooded Oak Park with support for the farming lady, a judge dismissed the charges though the city retains the right to bring them again. 
http://www.NaturalNews.com/032960_Julie_Bass_home_gardening.html

Story Update:
Oak Park Drops Charges After Unfavorable Press, Pursuing Other Misdemeanors in Court
http://www.naturalnews.com/033010_Oak_Park_Julie_Bass.html

With Arctic Ice at Record Low, NSIDC Director Serreze says “we are on track to see an ice-free summer by 2030. It is an overall downward spiral.”

The alarming decline of Arctic Ice is accelerating according to recent sties based on satellite imaging and other analysis. The implications of the continued melting of the polar ice caps is enormous for civilizations across the globe and we'd better take collective actions throughout the world if we are to have a chance to slow these trends and stem global warming.
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/07/16/266463/arctic-ice-at-record-low-nsidc-director-serreze-ice-free-summer-by-2030-downward-spiral/

Inside ALEC, The Koch-Funded Group Behind Right-Wing State Laws

More on ALEC, the right-wing sponsored American Legislative Exchange Council, and a host of specific legislation that's been developed and disseminated by this organization among conservative lawmakers. The Right is certainly well-organized and aggressive in pursuing its radical agenda. The goal is to reduce the power of public sector unions by curtailing their collective bargaining rights and ability to function as a political opposition to capital, and open the doors for privatization of services in big cities around the country. The rest of us better get with the game or we'll be very sorry indeed.
http://www.alternet.org/news/151627/inside_alec,_the_koch-funded_group_behind_right-wing_state_laws/?utm

Investigate Murdoch's News Corp.? Nah.

Some members of Congress and other organizations are calling for a DOJ or Congressional investigation of News Corps conduct in its news gathering activities springing out of the revelation in Britain that Ruppert Murdoch's behemoth media company hacked into private communications in the search for scandalous news. The owner of Fox News and the WSJ could potentially be investigated for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in this case and also may be guilty of similar practices with regard to 9/11 victim's families. I'd love to see this media mogul under the glare of a full-blown investigation but there don't seem to be much will to investigate at this point.
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/07/will-congress-investigate-news-corp

From Hired Guns to Hired Hands: A Center for Responsive Politics 'Revolving Door' Investigation

Remember presidential candidate Barack Obama railing against the influence of lobbyists in Washington during his campaign? Well, after failing to keep former lobbyists out of his own administration and getting slammed in the 2010 midterm elections, legions of former lobbyists are now crawling throughout federal agencies and Congress with unprecedented access and influence on governance. The Center for Responsive Politics has conducted an investigation into this problem, one of the key issues preventing our elected officials from truly representing the public interest, and their extensive report can be read here.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/07/from-hired-guns-to-hired-hands.html

New York Governor Cuomo Should Count Each Reason for Banning Fracking

Fracking is a major issue throughout much of the country and it's at the top of the list of current issues in the state of New York. Governor Cuomo recently indicated that he is inclined to allow dangerous and virtually unregulated hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in 85% of the state, only banning it from the NYC and Syracuse watersheds. Food & Water Watch and many other organizations, farmers and businessmen are pushing for a statewide ban on the destructive banning practice. This link provides a short video urging Cuomo to ban fracking and a petition to get personally involved in this battle.
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/new-york-governor-cuomo-should-count-each-reason-for-banning-fracking/

Bradley Manning Torture Probe Monitoring By U.S. Violates U.N. Rules: Official

The United States disregard for international conventions related to treatment and UN access to prisoners is deplorable. in their efforts to discourage future whistleblowers in the military and elsewhere in government, the Obama Administration has consistently trampled Bradley Manning civil rights and dignity. I'd like to think that American democracy could withstand the scrutiny of its actions without resorting to uncivilized efforts to intimidate and silence critics.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/12/bradley-manning-torture-probe-monitoring-violates-un-rules-_n_895485.html

GMO Rice is On It’s Way to a Store Near You

An amusing video about the promotion of GMO Rice in the UK, produced by Greenpeace. Check it out; it's a light treatment of a heavy issue and touches on many of the concerns we should all have about GMO foods.
http://farmwars.info/?p=6403&utm

Codex Commission – Voluntary GMO Labeling Okay with WTO?

Some reasonably good news, for a change, on the GMO labeling front. The US dropped its 20-year opposition to a World Trade Organization Codex Alimentarius agreement stating that countries who decide to label GMOs in food will not be subject to WTO unfair trade litigation. However, the proof will be in the pudding and the biotechs and their allies will likely try to influence the language of the agreement to make implementation of labeling difficult so as to protect their GMO-based profits.
http://farmwars.info/?p=6408&utm

GOP Lawmaker Refuses To Believe The Fact That Rep. Eric Cantor Is Shorting U.S. Treasury Bonds

I previously posted the story from Salon about Eric Cantor's short position on US debt. I haven't seen much other coverage on this issue but believe it should be a big national story about the ethical issues of lawmakers and that Cantor should divest himself of this investment. Cantor, it turns out, is also a big defender of banks and has fought against regulating mortgage related issues including opposition to preventing banks from robo-signing in foreclosure activities. Meanwhile, this ThinkProgress report details a GOP lawmaker's response of disbelief when confronted with Cantor's investment. Why isn't the national media on this story that is so pertinent to the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations?
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/07/08/263264/olson-cantor-shorting-treasury/

Scary maps of the new climate normal

More evidence of a warming planet and some information related to these patterns in the US and their effects on plant and pest life.
http://www.grist.org/climate-change/2011-07-08-scary-maps-of-the-new-climate-normal

Chinese oil spill half the size of London went unreported for a month

This outrageous story demonstrates once again that industry (whether Capitalist or Communist) will keep the public in the dark about environmental and health catastrophes without vigilant oversight from the media and regulators. The unmitigated gall of the Chinese in this case is a fresh example of industrial priorities; maintain profits over public health concerns whenever possible. It's only the scale of this spill and the resulting oil slick that brought this event out in the open.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/jul/07/china-oil-spill-cover-up-bohai-sea?CMP=twt_fd

Don’t Gimme That Filet-O-Fish!

This Food & Water Watch piece questions the integrity of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) labels on fish products that are supposed to indicate sustainable fishery practices. They point out that the organization profits from the products that receive its labels and in the case of McDonald's Filet O' Fish, recently blessed with the sustainable label, fails to adhere to rigorous definitions of sustainable seafood.
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/don’t-gimme-that-filet-o-fish/

Women’s Groups Call on Judge to Step Down Pending Investigation into Choking Incident

I'd love to see this intolerant, misogynist, controversial and conservative member of the Wisconsin State Supreme Court step down while his actions are being investigated. Don't count on him doing so on his own though - there's too much at stake in Wisconsin politics, and he's too much of a political animal, for Prosser to go down quietly. Beware of the spin on this case as Prosser and his friends in the media are already mounting a "blame the victim" campaign.
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/07/10874/women’s-groups-call-judge-step-down-pending-investigation-choking-incident

Cuomo's no liberal lion

Despite legalizing gay marriage in New York and his opposition to the Indian Point nuclear power plant, Governor Cuomo has coddled Wall Street, the oil and gas industry and other corporate interests at the expense of ordinary citizens, according to David Sirota.
http://www.salon.com/news/david_sirota/2011/07/05/cuomo_not_liberal_lion/index.html

In One of His First Public Appearances Since Arrest, Julian Assange Explains How WikiLeaks Has Turned World Politics Upside Down

Amy Goodman recently moderated a discussion between the persecuted Julian Assange of WikiLeaks and the Slovenian philosopher, Slavoj Zizek,  covering a wide range of issues related to transparency issues, whistleblowers and Assange's house arrest and other legal issues. The founder of WikiLeaks has not been charged with a crime in any country but nonetheless has had to fight extradition for questioning in a peculiar Swedish case. This is a fascinating discussion of perhaps the most critical issue facing humanity today; the battle between the proponents of secrecy, most often used to suppress politically sensitive details of governance, with those who fight to protect the right to publish information about the state's actions with or without its approval. As you will see in this piece, information matters. 
http://www.alternet.org/news/151531/in_one_of_his_first_public_appearances_since_arrest,_julian_assange_explains_how_wikileaks_has_turned_world_politics_upside_down/?utm

Full Video of Assange/Zizek Interview from Democracy Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2011/7/5/watch_full_video_of_wikileaks_julian_assange_philosopher_slavoj_iek_with_amy_goodman

WikiLeaks News and Views from Greg Mitchell at The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/blog/161816/wikileaks-news-views-blog-wednesday-july-6

Fourth of July Lies

A WORTHWHILE OPINION TO READ ON THIS THE 4TH OF JULY. THE BIRTHDAY OF MY COUNTRY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. YES WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MUCH TO CELEBRATE, BUT WE HAVE ALSO SEWN A DARK SIDE INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT THAT NEEDS SOME REFLECTION ON THIS HOLIDAY. THIS ARTICLE BY JUNE TERPSTRA CLEARLY BRINGS UP SOME HARSH CHALLENGES WE ARE UP AGAINST.

June Terpstra, Ph.D. is an activist, educator and university lecturer in Justice studies, Criminal Justice and sociology. She has founded numerous programs for homeless, abused, youth and oppressed people in the U.S.A. She is presently teaching courses on law and terrorism, social justice, resistance, criminology, and juvenile Justice. She is a former Community Research Fellow and doctoral graduate of Loyola University Chicago.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28482.htm

France Bans Fracking Nationwide

Food & Water Watch reports on the vote by the French Senate to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing in that nation, and to revoke all existing permits. Meanwhile, the state of New Jersey has voted to ban fracking but it remains to be seen whether Governor Christie will sign it into law, a big question indeed. In North Carolina Gov. Perdue vetoed a bill that would have opened that state to fracking. In Texas, Gov. Perry signed a bill that requires oil and gas companies there to reveal ALL of the chemicals used in fracking within the state. Hallelujah! In New York, however, after a DEC report on fracking the state is banning it from the NYC and Syracuse watersheds but allowing it under more rigorous regulation in 85% of the marcellus shale region. Not good enough so we'll have to keep pushing for a statewide ban.
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/freedom-fracking-in-the-u-s-a/

France Vote Outlaws ‘Fracking’ Shale for Natural Gas, Oil Extraction
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-01/france-vote-outlaws-fracking-shale-for-natural-gas-oil-extraction.html

NYS - New Recommendations Issued in Hydraulic Fracturing Review
http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/75403.html

New York Proposes Permanent Ban on Fracking Near Watershed and State Land
http://www.propublica.org/article/fracking-still-on-hold-in-new-york-pending-environmental-review

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Opens Fracking Floodgates
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/06/10869/new-york-governor-andrew-cuomo-opens-fracking-floodgates

When Scientists Take to the Streets It’s Time to Listen Up

Climate Scientists in Australia are taking to the streets to combat the persistent non-science claims of climate deniers. Many Australian scientists have received death threats for work that documents the evidence that global warming is severely disrupting weather patterns throughout the world.
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/07/02/257869/when-scientists-take-to-the-streets-it’s-time-to-listen-up/

NPR Violates FCC Rules, Promotes Interests of its Sponsorship Donor Monsanto

I have noticed in several NPR pieces that I've read that the public radio organization seems to be a proponent of industrial agriculture and GMOs, and that they frequently air industry claims that industrial ag is the only way to 'feed the world.' Now it appears that this bias may have been institutionalized due to Monsanto's programming support for the show, Marketplace. 
http://www.naturalnews.com/032868_NPR_Monsanto.html

Harvard Punishes 3 Psychiatrists Over Undisclosed Industry Pay

Three psychiatrists from Harvard have been accused of accepted $4.2 million from drug companies from 2000 to 2007, and failing to report these payments as required by the university medical school, Mass General Hospital and the NIH. Harvard has taken disciplinary action that includes barring any such payments for a year, stricter reporting guidelines and conflict-of-interest training (ha!) for the doctors. The most disturbing aspect of this case is that Dr. Biederman is a leading child psychiatrist whose teachings have led to an explosion in prescriptions to young children for treatment of ADHD, that has benefitted the very companies who paid him for services that he did not report.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/07/02/137572941/harvard-punishes-3-psychiatrists-over-undisclosed-industry-pay?ft=1&f=1001

Nebraska Nuclear Plant Threatened by Flooding is Safe, According to Union of Concerned Scientists

There has only been modest coverage recently of ongoing flooding in the midwest, but this it is shaping up to be the worst flooding that has ever occurred in the US. Two nuclear power plants in Missouri are threatened by flood waters and Fort Calhoun, in particular, is at risk as it is completely surrounded by the flood waters. The NRC, state officials and now the Union of Concerned Scientists all claim that the situation is under control and that there is no threat of a meltdown at this point. Fortunately, the flood is not expected to reach the height where it could shut down cooling generators in the plant, another six feet or so, but the current crisis is another sobering example of how vulnerable we all are to catastrophic nuclear events that could result in massive and damaging radiation contamination.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/06/28/2981543/nebraska-nuclear-plant-threatened.html

Nuclear Plants Vital Equipment Dry, Officials Say
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/us/28nuke.html

Mindful of the misinformation released by TEPCO and government officials in Japan, NaturalNews.com points out that we run the same risks in the US as several nuclear plants are in peril due to flooding. While the berm that broke and allowed the flood waters to surround the actual plant was a redundant voluntary system, it is still cause for concern. It's also interesting to note that none of the other stories I read about this event mentioned the 10-mile evacuation zone that's been put in place.

Fukushima in the US? Flood Berms Break around Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant, Ten Mile Evacuation Zone Declared
http://www.naturalnews.com/032870_Fort_Calhoun_nuclear_power_plant.html

50 U.S. Health Care Statistics That Will Absolutely Astonish You

You'll be feeling a little woozy after swallowing these bright and colorful granules of revealing data on the massive doses of pharmaceuticals that Americans consume, on top of the mountainous piles of evidence that remind us that the US healthcare system is grossly inefficient and lavishly expensive. 
http://coto2.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/50-u-s-health-care-statistics-that-will-absolutely-astonish-you/

This story shoots holes through the promise of Obama's health care reform legislation, pointing out myriad ways in which the bill serves corporate interests at the expense of citizen's financial and health interests.   
Fact Sheet: The Truth About The Health Care Bill
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/03/19/fact-sheet-the-truth-about-the-health-care-bill/

Nuclear industry suffers major defeat in Iowa

Despite major lobbying of politicians and efforts to sway public opinion in favor of new nuclear power plant construction guarantees by MidAmerican Energy, the Iowa Senate failed to pass the bill. This follows other developments which indicate that Americans are not comfortable with the Obama Administration's push for more nuclear energy construction at the public's expense, including the demise of the South Texas Project and a cost-recovery bill in Missouri as well as the NRC's decision to delay licensing for the new Westinghouse AP1000 reactor design pegged for use in South Carolina.

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/9549778-nuclear-industry-suffers-major-defeat-in-iowa

Less than 2 percent of 'Sarbox' corporate whistleblowers win inside federal bureaucracy

Federal laws designed to protect corporate whistleblowers who come forward to report criminal fraud and other wrong-doing have so far largely been ineffective due to weak enforcement efforts in various government agencies. This situation demonstrates, once again, that it is not enough to pass legal reforms to protect the public interest; there must also be equally rigorous enforcement power written into the legislation.
http://www.iwatchnews.org/2011/07/01/5091/less-2-percent-sarbox-corporate-whistleblowers-win-inside-federal-bureaucracy