US Uncut's National Day of Protest

US Uncut organized protests in 40 US cities today against corporate tax dodgers. There's a video of a member trying to deposit a $1.5 billion check, the amount BofA should have paid in 2009 and 2010 when they not only paid zero taxes but managed to get a $1 billion refund.
http://www.thenation.com/blog/159503/when-illegal-doesnt-matter-us-uncuts-national-day-protest

Thousands march in LA to support worker's rights.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/03/26/thousands-march-l-union-rights/

The Future Mayor of New York City?

The Democrat from New York does not mince words. Check out the video.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/26/would-you-vote-rep-weiner_n_840330.html#s257567&title=You_Vote_Yes

Big Oil's Sleight of Hand

This is an excellent piece that shows that the argument that more domestic drilling will reduce the price of gas is a deception. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-meadows/big-oils-sleight-of-hand_b_839880.html

A Shabby Crusade In Wisconsin

An editorial condemning the latest tactic employed by conservatives to silence academics who are critical of the GOP agenda, or delve too deeply into their methodology of exercising power. This U of W professor pointed out the disseminating activities of the conservative-funded ALEC, an organization that writes and circulates draft legislation for Republicans in every state capital. In retaliation, the GOP has filed a FOIA request for all of Professor Cronon's emails dealing with the Wisconsin controversy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/opinion/28mon3.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

You Have The Right To Know About GMOs

The Care2 petition site posts this informative article about the movement to require labels on food that contain Genetically Modified Organisms. 
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/you-have-the-right-to-know-about-gmos.html

Disclaimer: There's a short ad that plays automatically when you go to the link and, ironically, it's for frozen pancakes that contain GMOs! This link shows that the ingredients contain corn syrup, soy, soy flour and soybean oil, all GMO products.
http://www.auntjemimafrozen.com/products/popups/PANpopups/PANLF_Pop.html

Why Is Bradley Manning Being Punished Before Trial?

This BBC report is a chilling testament to the mistreatment an American citizen is enduring on US soil. It's a shameful display of the military's contempt for Manning's personal rights and a blatant attempt to intimidate whistleblowers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/9434978.stm

The Manning case suggests the US government's continued complicity in torture.
http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/item/bradley_manning_treatment_reveals_continued_20110325/?utm_

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and its Lessons

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire 100 years ago Friday helped bring about workplace protections, and it provided impetus to the emerging US labor union movement. The subsequent struggle of unions secured many of the standards that Americans now take for granted, including the five-day work week, weekends off and the elimination of child labor. 

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/118617619.html

Triangle Shirtwaist fire: 100 years later, how are unions perceived?

We cannot forget that without the strong voice and political presence of unions the working conditions of working people will continue to deteriorate. We must fight to maintain the rights of labor in the US.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2011/0325/Triangle-Shirtwaist-fire-100-years-later-how-are-unions-perceived?utm_

Fed: Household Wealth Plummets 23% in Two Years

This survey begs the question as to why spending cuts are being forced on an economy that is already strapped for disposable income and high unemployment. We needs jobs programs, not tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. The current policies may well make this recession worse, as is happening in Britain.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/26/960050/-Fed:-Household-wealth-plummets-23-in-two-years?utm_

Indiana Democrats Flee State in Protest of GOP Agenda

In contrast to Wisconsin this action by 39 House Democrats is in opposition to the entire agenda of Republicans in the state legislature, including anti-union measures and the use of public money to finance charter schools. Indiana law requires a quorum for every vote so the GOP there cannot pass laws without the Democrats presence.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0321/Wisconsin-redux-Indiana-Democrats-flee-state-in-protest?utm_

Anti-cuts March: Tens of Thousands at London Protest

Over 250,000 are demonstrating in the UK over public sector budget cuts, in the largest protests there since the Iraq War in 2003. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12864353

Germany Nuclear Protest Draws 200,000

People are getting organized around the world and this story demonstrates that many do not believe nuclear power is worth the risks. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/26/germany-nuclear-power-protest_n_841023.html

Voices Worldwide Say No More Nuclear Power: Greenpeace provides a summary of international anti-nuclear activity.

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/news/Worldwide-wrapup/

More Detail on the Legality of the GOP in Wisconsin Defying a Court Order to Publish Anti-Union Law

There is very little coverage of this turn of events in the mainstream media, but it's a huge issue for the populace. This brief update argues that the restraining order that the GOP bypassed was written in broad terms that seem to make this legal maneuvering moot. Hopefully, this action will soon be declared illegal.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/03/a_bit_more_detail.php?utm_

A Long List Of Monsanto's Crimes from Millions Against Monsanto

From Agent Orange to PCBs, rBGH in milk, GE Crops like corn, soy, cotton, sugar beets with patented contamination-prone seeds,  GM Alfalfa, transgenic salmon, the persecution of farmers, poisoning third world, killer weeds and Roundup and water privatization, Monsanto is the scourge of humanity. It will literally take millions of people to derail their quest to genetically engineer the world's food.
http://organicconsumers.org/monsanto/crimes.cfm

Wisconsin GOP Publishes Anti-Union Law In Defiance of Court Order

These guys don't appear to have much respect for the rule of law. Hopefully, this end around tactic will backfire and create an even bigger backlash against the heavy-handed actions of Walker and his anti-labor GOP cronies in the State Assembly.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/wis-republicans-publish-anti-union-law----in-apparent-defiance-of-court-order.php

Here's another report from Daily Kos on this stunning development in the war against labor.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/25/960187/-Wisconsin-GOP-to-ignore-judicial-restraining-order-and-act-as-though-budget-repair-bill-is-law?utm_

Millions Against Monsanto Right To Know Rally - March 26, 2011

I will be going to the rally tomorrow at City Hall in NYC which begins at noon. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) issued the following statement in support of the Right To Know cause and the rally.
http://gefreebc.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/statement-of-congressman-kucinich-to-millions-against-monsanto-right-to-know-rally-03-26-2011.pdf

Rep. Kucinich has also introduced Right To Know legislation to create a framework to regulate genetically-engineered organisms, including H.R. 5577, The Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/06/24-5

These GOP Budget Cuts Might Make You Puke (or Worse)

I watched Food Inc. recently and am horrified to read of these GOP proposed budget cuts to USDA and FDA that would result in fewer inspections of our food supply. We need to restore some balance to the corporate push for profits and the well-being of American families. The US already has much higher rates of food-borne illness than France (on the order of 20 times higher), and these cuts will put more people at risk of serious illness or death.
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/gop-budget-cuts-food-safety#dsq-new-post

Food-borne illnesses in the US cost $152 billion a year according to this piece.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-03-03-food-borne-illness_N.htm

In Prison for Taking a Liar's Loan

This is an unbelievable story about the government aggressively pursuing someone who exaggerated their income on a loan application. Banks systematically knowingly processed liar's loans, 49% of Credit Suisse's loans during a two year period were of this type, but they escape prosecution for fraud. Instead they send this guy to jail?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/business/26nocera.html?pagewanted=1&hp

Study: Organic Chicken Carries Significantly Lower Salmonella Risk

Organic farm methods are much safer for the environment than standard industrial CAFO farms. You also won't find antibiotics or antimicrobial in the feed given to organically raised chickens. BTW, the conventional birds in this study not only had much more salmonella but 40% of them had antibiotic-resistant salmonella!
http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-25-study-organic-chicken-significantly-lower-salmonella-risk

Corporate Interests Try to Split American Workers for Political and Economic Gain

The attack on public sector workers continues as corporate interests, such as the Koch front group Americans for Prosperity, fund campaigns designed to undermine support of union workers. The effort is dually motivated; to weaken union support of Democrats in elections, and to open the door for more privatization of services. There's a fascinating section about the 'divide and conquer' strategies developed by Philip Morris back in 1996, when they set out to weaken collective opposition and fomenting infighting by "enhancing internal conflicts" between the American Lung, Cancer and Heart Associations.
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/03/10417/corporate-interests-try-split-american-workers

Have You No Decency, Scott Walker?

The Wisconsin GOP is conducting a witch hunt against a highly regarded university professor, William Cronon, who speculated in a blog post that the conservative group ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) might be behind the legislative assault on worker's collective bargaining rights. The GOP is using Open Records Law to request all of Cronon's email communications in an attack designed to silence his criticisms and intimidate others that may join the debate. 
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/03/10475/have-you-no-decency-scott-walker

More on this story from Daily Kos...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/25/960042/-Wisconsin-GOP:-Youre-friggin-right-we-want-that-one-friggin-college-professors-friggin-emails?utm_

...and Professor Cronon's blog, "Scholar as Citizen."
http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/24/open-records-attack-on-academic-freedom/