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

Feds Raid Amish Farm for Crime of Selling Raw Milk

When over 100,000 die of drug interactions each year in the US, and no one is getting sick from consuming raw milk, it is intolerable that the FDA is using public funds to persecute raw milk farmers with secret undercover investigations and armed raids. I think these actions also speak volumes about the industrial corporate influence on FDA policy.
http://www.naturalnews.com/032859_raw_milk_Amish.html

Story of the raid and yearlong investigation from the Washington Times.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/28/feds-sting-amish-farmer-selling-raw-milk-locally/

RawMilkFacts.com
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/index.html

RealMilk.com
http://www.realmilk.com/

MIT’s Fracking Report Backs its Donors: Gas Companies

You know things are really getting bad when supposedly independent academic institutions release research of great importance to public health that is demonstrably influenced by the agenda of big corporate donors. Check out ProPublica's story on the recent MIT fracking report that claimed hydraulic fracturing for natural gas does not threaten to contaminate water supplies.
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/mits-fracking-report-backs-its-donors-gas-companies/

Bank Errors Continue to Cause Wrongful Foreclosures

With regulations due to go in effect later this summer that will prohibit banks from selling a home in foreclosure before a final decision on a mortgage modification, banks are rushing to foreclose on as many homes as possible. Thousands of people engaged in loan modification efforts have seen their homes sold before the process was completed and for far less than they were worth. It's a senseless situation that's causing terrible disruptions throughout the country. Regulators acknowledge that these banks are breaking rules in this practice but so far have done little to stop it. ProPublica has been investigating these ongoing  foreclosure scams aggressively ever since the bubble burst in 2008.
http://www.propublica.org/article/bank-errors-continue-to-cause-wrongful-foreclosures

Los Alamos Lab Under Siege From Wildfire

This is a story that I only heard about today from a co-worker, but apparently there is an unbelievable amount of deadly nuclear and other types of waste stored at the WWII era Los Alamos site. The lack of controls and prudent safety measures taken by our government with regard to storing spent nuclear fuel rods and other potentially devastating and catastrophic contaminants is astounding. When are we, as a nation, going to come to terms with the risks posed by massive radiation and chemical vulnerabilities? We cannot afford to play the riverboat gambler on public health issues that could poison millions and cripple the country. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/28/los-alamos-lab-wildfire_n_886610.html

As Obama Quietly Pushes for a Nuclear Weapons Renaissance, Wildfire Threatens Los Alamos Nuclear Lab
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/28/as_obama_quietly_pushes_for_a

FDA Unfairly Maligns Tobacco Plant With Graphic New Cigarette Warning Labels

Read the title of this piece by Mike Adams of NaturalNews.com carefully before you dismiss it. I didn't even read the piece for several days, because I didn't understand where he was coming from. The pint is that tobacco by itself, without hundreds of chemical additives, is far less dangerous than conventional cigarettes. There are 599 chemical additives that produce over 4,000 chemicals that are inhaled when the user lights up. Smoking the tobacco plant is not a safe practice, due to the naturally produced chemicals released when burning substances, but it does not deliver the toxic cocktail you get with processed cigarettes. The FDA refuses to acknowledge this distinction and as such is being intellectually bankrupt in its duties to ensure the safety of food and drugs in our society. The FDA refuses to put warning labels pointing out the dangers of chemical additives in processed food, such as sodium nitrate, aspartame, MSG, partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils, and artificial food colors, all known to cause diseases that are a common cause of human suffering and burdensome expense in America. This is a contradiction that citizens should no longer tolerate and it's got to change.
http://www.NaturalNews.com/032795_tobacco_warning_labels.html

A nuclear-free future for America

Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, writing for the Guardian, reviews the mounting problems, conflicts and safety issues facing the nuclear energy industry in this country. She also points out that the public in Georgia has already paid $1 billion in increased rates for the Vogtle plant there, despite $8.3 billion in federal guarantees awarded by the Obama Administration to the project. We learn some details about Obama's connections to the industry and more on the lax regulatory culture promoted by the NRC. Goodman argues that we should scrap nuclear energy altogether and begin a public works program to retrofit buildings to be more energy efficient as we continue develop alternative energy capabilities, and I agree. Let's create some jobs that benefit society as a whole and can't be outsourced!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jun/22/nuclearpower-nuclear-waste

U.S. Regulators Opening Up on Flawed Nuclear Power Plant Policing

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-center-for-public-integrity/us-regulators-opening-up_b_881154.html

Bribery, but Nobody Was Charged

When a manager in a Mexican livestock operation owned by Tyson Foods uncovered payments to the wives of staff veterinarians tasked with ensuring the safety of food processing there, executives decided to pay the vets directly through honorariums so that they would continue to overlook regulatory abuses at the plant. These payments represented bribery and the practice put public health at risk, but when the company finally came clean they only paid a fine and no prosecutions resulted. A new writer for the NYT, James B. Stewart, author of Den Of Thieves, does an excellent job of running down clues and clarifying issues of effective enforcement of corruption laws, pointing out the value of prosecution of executives as a deterrent, in his very first article for the paper.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/25/business/25stewart.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Fracking In California Prompts State Legislators To Introduce Regulation Bill

It turns out that there has been a frack well operating in a wine region of California, unbeknownst to the public and many government officials, and the discovery has lead state legislators to introduce more stringent laws to govern or restrict the activity. Man, these greedy bastards are not only reckless but brazen as hell too. The law, if passed in the State Assembly, would be one of the toughest in the country and require operators to disclose the chemicals they use as well as the vast amounts of water require in the process.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/06/fracking-california-regulation-bill_n_872170.html

Gov. Perdue vetoes voter ID bill

This is welcome news as the Governor of North Carolina pushes back against a restrictive Voter ID bill that would disenfranchise many eligible voters in her state. Unfortunately, it also appears that Perdue would be willing to sign a less restrictive Voter ID bill. There's a flurry of such activity around the country in response to the US Supreme Court upholding Indiana's voter ID bill in 2008. The post also details many of the intricate legislation tactics that are being employed in the effort to reduce democratic-leaning voters.
“The right to choose our leaders is among the most precious freedoms we have – both as Americans and North Carolinians. North Carolinians who are eligible to vote have a constitutionally guaranteed right to cast their ballots, and no one should put up obstacles to citizens exercising that right.

“We must always be vigilant in protecting the integrity of our elections. But requiring every voter to present a government-issued photo ID is not the way to do it.  This bill, as written, will unnecessarily and unfairly disenfranchise many eligible and legitimate voters.  The legislature should pass a less extreme bill that allows for other forms of identification, such as those permitted under federal law.

“There was a time in North Carolina history when the right to vote was enjoyed only by some citizens rather than by all. That time is past, and we should not revisit it.

“Therefore, I veto this bill.”

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/27/988275/-Gov-Perdue-vetoes-voter-ID-bill?utm

Eric Cantor's glaring conflict of interest

This is rather unbelievable: Eric Cantor, the #2 Republican in the House, has an investment that profits when US debt becomes undesirable, say in the case of Congress voting NOT to increase the debt ceiling. Of course, conflicts of interests are rampant in our government and academic institutions but that doesn't make it right. Check it out.
http://www.salon.com/news/eric_cantor/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/06/27/eric_cantor_conflict_of_interest

What will replace oil?

This is a thoughtful and I think quite fair discussion of the prospects for energy production thirty years from now, when oil and gas will most certainly be largely phased out due to global warming concerns as well as supply issues. The author claims that without technological advancements related to storage and a new integrated energy grid that solar and wind are likely to produce only about 4% of world energy (from 1%) by 2041. Let's get going on that new energy grid!
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/06/27/energy_future/index.html

Idaho Will Defy No Child Left Behind, Schools' Chief Luna Tells Duncan

The state of Idaho has fired a shot across the bow of the Obama Administration's NCLB education policy by declaring that it will ignore the federal law without applying for an exemption as required. Many educators believe the misplaced emphasis on standardized testing in this Bush era law is counterproductive, and by flouting it Idaho hopes to add momentum to a national movement to have it repealed.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2011/06/idaho_will_defy_nclb_state_chi.html

Death threats for Australian climate scientists

This post is a couple of weeks old but it nonetheless demonstrates the perils of speaking out against mainstream industrial interests in our global world today. If you have the courage to articulate unpopular opinions, you will likely become the object of scorn, threats and other efforts aimed at discrediting your voice or that of the institution or organization that you represent. This is true even if you are an academic and have scientific studies backing up your arguments. Such is the state of the world and so now are we at the point where people with courage and conviction, who are aware of the risks and willing to sacrifice based on principle, must rise to the occasion for the sake of the planet and future generations.
http://www.grist.org/climate-change/2011-06-12-death-threats-for-australian-climate-scientists

U.S. SPENT $8,100 PER PERSON ON HEALTH CARE IN 2009

Chronic illnesses and a propensity of doctors to order expensive tests for patients has lead to an explosion of expenses for healthcare in the US. Meanwhile, there is little emphasis spent on preventing disease in this country, and our health insurance model leads to a lot of unnecessary healthcare expenditures that produce a lot of profits for industry but very little for the population. These issues present a big problem for the country and are dragging the economy down as healthcare now represents 17.6 percent of GDP. Single payer healthcare, anyone?
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/06/27/255433/u-s-spent-8100-per-person-on-health-care-in-2009/

Dane County Sheriff's Office Investigating Alleged Prosser 'Chokehold' Incident

Good grief. The controversial conservative justice in the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, and ally to Gov. Scott Walker, is now accused of physically assaulting one of the liberal members of that court. This is after another verified incident in which he called the chief of the court a 'total bitch,' and other recent claims by members of the Court that the conservative majority fudged the legal facts in their decision to uphold an injunction by another court on the anti-labor bill that Republicans passed without public comment a few months ago. There seems to be a great deal of turmoil on the bench in Wisconsin's Supreme Court and now there are two investigations into the latest demonstration of uncivil conduct there.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/dane_county_sheriffs_office_investigating_alleged_prosser_chokehold_incident.php?utm

Bernie Sanders to Obama and the Democrats: Stand Up to the Economic and Political "Schoolyard Bullies"

Bernie Sanders made an important speech today on the Senate floor urging President Obama, Democrats and working people to stand up to the Republican who seek to defund Medicaid and Medicare and they continue to serve wealthy corporations and billionaires rather than the interests of the American people. As a veteran community organizer the Senator stressed that it is time for people to make their voices heard on critical issues that will dramatically affect the future well-being of Americans, and give the President the courage to stand up and fight.
http://www.thenation.com/blog/161683/bernie-sanders-obama-and-democrats-stand-economic-and-political-schoolyard-bullies

The full text of Sanders' speech can be read here:
Bernie Sanders Tells Obama, "We Will Not Balance The Budget On The Backs Of Working Families"
http://www.thenation.com/article/161684/bernie-sanders-tells-obama-we-will-not-balance-budget-backs-working-families

If you wish to support Senator Sanders' push in defense of working families and include wealthy individuals and corporations in the 'shared sacrifice' that is being called for, please read and sign his petition.
Shared Sacrifice Petition Sponsored by Bernie Sanders
http://sanders.senate.gov/petition/?uid=c1fd7f9b-abd8-4e7a-a370-1867881259d8

E. Coli and the Misuse of Antibiotics

Finally there's another piece in the media about the antibiotic resistance characteristics of the E. coli outbreak that recently struck in Germany. The author also states that the source of that pathogen is still unknown, and refrains from blaming it on bean sprouts as so much of the media has mindlessly parroted the official line. Bravo.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-gunther/e-coli-and-the-misuse-of-_b_876039.html

A Decade of Dangerous Food Imports from China

This report from Food & Water Watch details a long list of unsanitary and unhealthy practices from China's agricultural industry, a major exporter to the US. Let's all start paying some serious attention to the myriad food issues that abound in our increasingly global world.
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/reports/a-decade-of-dangerous-food-imports-from-china/

New York State must treat hazardous fracking waste as such

This release by the Citizen's Campaign for the Environment details the loopholes that allow natural gas companies to dump untreated fracking wastewater in public waterways. Key to the logic of states who wish to ban current fracking practices is that the chemicals that are shipped to drilling sights are required to have warnings about their toxicity displayed on shipping containers yet when these same chemicals are pumped into the ground the responsibility to inform the public about the dangers disappears down that deep hole in the ground. CCE also points out that due to the nature of the drilling these fluids accumulate radioactive characteristics from the earth and massive levels of naturally occurring salts, in addition to the chemicals used in the process.
http://www.citizenscampaign.org/news/story.asp?id=363

Natural gas fracking is being falsely hailed as a clean alternative to America's energy needs and the wave of the future by industry and numerous politicians, including the Obama Administration, who are beholden to Big Oil interests. The Times' Ian Urbina, who broke the influential investigative piece on fracking dangers to drinking water supplies during the winter, lays out details of the support and opposition to this widespread and unregulated practice. This report, however, focuses on revelations revealed from internal documents within the governments Energy Information Administration that the industry may be over-hyped, beset by conflicts of interest and set up for financial bust, regardless of the environmental issues.

Behind Veneer, Doubts on Future of Natural Gas
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/us/27gas.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1309172461-f81WCt6lelrSWlQJXcO1LA

Unusual Traits Blended in Germany E. Coli Strain

This article is useful but only as far as it goes. There are monumental open questions about the E. Coli that has killed over 40 people in Europe and destroyed livers of hundreds who will need monthly dialysis for the rest of their lives. If the pathogen is resistant to eight classes of antibiotics, as reported, then how did it get that way? Nobody seems to be asking this critical question. 
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/health/research/23ecoli.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Roundup Birth Defects: Regulators Knew World's Best-Selling Herbicide Causes Problems, New Report Finds

The US government has known since 1980 that glyphosate, the active ingredient used in the GMO pesticide Roundup, causes birth defects, but chose not to inform the public. There are a host of other problems as well with Roundup, including the promotion of soil pathogens that cause spontaneous abortion in livestock and super weeds that require more and more pesticides to be used. This herbicide is a public health disaster and needs to be taken off the market, but regulators in Europe recently postponed a review until 2015 and the USDA seems quite unconcerned by all the damning data available on this popular and profitable weedkiller herbicide.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/07/roundup-birth-defects-herbicide-regulators_n_872862.html

An updated account from the same author with more detail and information.

Roundup: Birth Defects Caused By World's Top-Selling Weedkiller, Scientists Say

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/24/roundup-scientists-birth-defects_n_883578.html

More Problems With Glyphosate: Rice Growers Sound Alarm

http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/glyphosate-and-natural-rice/

Monsanto Pesticide (Roundup) Found to Infect Plants With AIDS-like Disease
http://www.NaturalNews.com/032441_pesticide_AIDS.html

Existing Technology can Slash Mercury, Toxic Power Plant Emissions that Harm Children

This well-researched paper points to delays in issuing EPA guidelines under the 1990 Clean Air Act for pollution control devices to reduce mercury, lead and arsenic emissions from coal-burning power plants in the US. In 17 states that already have these regulations in place, superseding the federal limits, the scrubbing equipment was cost-effective to install and resulted in dramatically reduced emissions. Nonetheless, several of the country's largest coal plant operators are fighting to delay the new limits which would bring economic benefits, in terms of reduced sickness and disease, between $48 billion and $130 billion in 2016 alone. Coal plants emit 40% of the mercury in this country and the toxin causes severe developmental disabilities, deafness and blindness with prenatal and infant exposure.
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/21/249960/slashing-mercury-toxic-power-plant-emissions-that-harm-children-can-be-done-with-existing-technology/