One Lazy Liberal

Pakistan Floods

2010-08-18T20:15:00.002-04:00

Click here to find ways to help. And help they desperately need.

Oceanic issues

2010-08-06T20:31:00.000-04:00

Sign a petition to end new offshore drilling NOW.

Ban shark finning here. For further info on the issue, click here.

Wolf victory

2010-08-06T20:28:00.000-04:00

Due to your clicks here:

Late yesterday we received some great news: As a result of a lawsuit brought in federal court by Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation groups, wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies are again protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Thanks for clicking.

Victories

2010-08-04T21:52:00.000-04:00

Thanks to your clicks here and here:

Prop H8 overturned in California today. Yay!

Judge stops oil and gas development in Alaska.

Lots to do

2010-08-04T16:27:00.000-04:00

Tell HHS to undo the abortion coverage ban here.

Prevent toxic mining runoff in Bristol Bay here.

Save Polar Bears: Stop the Dirty Air Act here.

Stop inhumane wild horse roundups here.

Clean up politics and save gulf wildlife here.

Boycott Target and sign the petition here.

Click here to take action on all kinds of issues.

Such crap

2010-07-16T22:49:00.002-04:00

From Planned Parenthood:

This is not what we worked for. This is not what we fought for.

You and I, and millions of Planned Parenthood supporters, fought for a year to make sure that health care reform would provide comprehensive coverage to every woman, man, and child in America. We achieved some tremendous victories, including defeating the Stupak amendment that would have banned private insurance coverage of abortion for millions of women.

Now, a Stupak-like rule is back — and it came from the Obama administration.Tell the Obama administration to reverse this decision and allow women to secure the coverage they need.

The final health care reform bill included extensive restrictions on using federal funds to pay for abortion coverage, but the decision announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services yesterday goes beyond even these restrictions.

The Obama administration has decided that no woman in the new high-risk insurance pools will be allowed to obtain abortion coverage beyond limited cases (rape, incest, endangering the life of the woman). Not even if she pays for that coverage with her own money.

We need to make sure the Obama administration knows this is unacceptable. Click here to do your part and tell the Obama administration to reverse this decision.

The high-risk insurance pools are for some of the most medically vulnerable women in the country — those with pre-existing conditions such as breast and ovarian cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and other conditions that may make pregnancy extraordinarily dangerous. These women will be locked out from abortion coverage, even if they pay for it out of their own pockets.

Tell the Obama administration to reverse this decision immediately.

The president committed his administration to preventing any federal funds from being spent on abortion care. But the fact is, this announcement from HHS goes well beyond that. Nothing in the new health care reform law requires a ban on abortion coverage in the high-risk pools. No law passed by Congress forced this decision. The Obama administration has chosen to place a new burden on ill and medically vulnerable women seeking abortion coverage.

After all the amazing work and the unyielding dedication from Planned Parenthood supporters like you that helped get us this far, I can't just let that happen. This is not what we fought for — which means it's time to fight back against the Obama administration's abortion coverage ban now. Click here to take action.

Thank you so very much for standing with us and the women, men, and teens who rely on Planned Parenthood.

Have to share

2010-06-30T11:30:00.001-04:00

This Daily Kos diary is a thing of sad beauty. Here's the text if you are too lazy to click over:

Let me see if I have this straight: in the last few days members of the GOP have savagely screwed the unemployed, protected the bankstas, trashed Thurgood Marshall, implied rape and incest is part of God's plan, defended BP, threatened to either end social security or screw over 20 million plus people who have paid into the system for at least 20 years by making them wait until age 70 to see their benefits, andscrewed homeless veterans with children. That about it, or is there more?

Oh, there's more...check out the comments, too.

Action Update

2010-06-28T17:21:00.000-04:00

So, your clicks urging President Obama to to stand up for whales worked! From the Humane Society:

It was a close call, but you made the difference: the attempt to sink the ban on commercial whaling was blocked!

At last week’s international meeting to determine the fate of the world’s whales, some nations and groups pushed for a deal that would have granted authority for Norway, Japan, and Iceland to kill whales. But they couldn’t drum up the support -- and that was because of an outpouring of public concern: You said that all whaling must end.

You told the Obama administration that protecting whales was more important than pleasing whalers, and they listened. Thank you.

Never doubt it for a minute: Your voices were heard.

You weren’t alone: Hundreds of thousands of activists from around the world told their governments to choose policies that protect whales, not kill them.

Together we held the line, and I hope you will celebrate along with me.

Click here to thank Mr. Obama.

Lions, abortions, and a victory, oh my!

2010-06-28T14:37:00.000-04:00

A federal law bans enlisted women serving overseas and other women who rely on military hospitals for their health care from accessing abortion — even if they pay for the services with their own money...

The ban on privately funded abortion services in overseas military facilities endangers the health and safety of servicewomen and military dependents who rely on the military for their health care. Our servicewomen deserve better.

Click here to sign a petition urging the repeal of this ban.

Just a handful of carbofuran— a product that the Environmental Protection Agency says is too toxic for use in the U.S.— can kill an entire pride of lions. Sadly, this awful poison is still sold in stores (and widely used) in many African nations.

Help save something wild. Help save imperiled wild lions. Fill out the form below to sign our petition urging the heads of Botswana, Rwanda and Kenya to keep carbofuran off the shelves— and out of the hands of those who would use it to kill these big cats— and support new protections for Africa's remaining wild lions.

Click here to sign the petition.

Update on action:

Good news, New York! The NYC Senate and Assembly passed the budget bill preserving the statewide spay/neuter program for low-income New Yorkers' animals. This humane legislation that will funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars annually toward this service has been signed into law by Governor Paterson.

This was due in part to action taken at the ASPCA site and The Animal Rescue Site. Thanks for clicking!

Lots to do

2010-06-24T12:15:00.000-04:00

California is on the verge of approving a very toxic gas for use in strawberry fields. Click here to sign a petition in opposition to the use of methyl iodide. More on methyl iodide here. Please note the comment period ends on June 29.

Even though I'm a vegetarian, I believe meat-eaters have the right to safe critters. Click here to send your Senators a message asking them to "beef up" the USDA's E. coli program.

Click here to urge Congress to support investments in quality, affordable childcare.

Click here to share your story: Why are paid sick days important to me?

Oxfam is asking you to urge Congress here to help end violence against women worldwide:

· Improve our government's ability to respond to systemic violence against women.

· Provide aid to women's groups on the ground working to help survivors.

· Support innovative programs that decrease acts of violence.

· Focus resources on prevention and ensure that dollars are used in the most effective ways possible.

Plant a virtual flag here to state your support for moving the U.S. away from oil dependence. (Kinda goofy, but what the heck?)

Let's not forget Darfur. 4.9 million people are displaced and violence is raging. Click here to help make a difference.

Click here to learn how to write an effective, attention-getting letter to your Representatives.

Urge Congress to pass the Safe Chemicals Act here.

Free shipping through June 30th at the Unitarian Universalist Bookstore. Click here.

I told you there is a lot to do!

Help realize Cesar Chavez' dream of safe food and justice for all a reality here.

Urge Elton John to give the money he received from Rush Limbaugh to marriage equality funds here.

Click here to urge Congress to fully fund NPR and PBS. Donate to your local stations if you haven't already.

Click here to urge Congress to bring all commercial dog breeders under federal oversight. This would be a huge step in puppy mill reform.

Click here to tell BP to quit burning the endangered sea turtles. Seriously. Gah. ^%#*&$^!

Tell President Obama "NO" last minute deals with whaling countries here.

Update on previous action:

On June 9th, EPA officials announced the end to use of the dangerous chemical endosulfan in this country. This is one step toward a global ban (you clicked to urge India to ban endosulfan here).

All about the animals

2010-06-17T14:38:00.000-04:00

Today's actions are all about animal welfare. Please click away.

Help save Africa's lions from extinction here. Can you imagine a world without lions? Mind boggling.

Click here to rescue 9 chimps from a research lab. Did you know humans and chimps share 95% of the same DNA? It's true (we also share 25% of our DNA with bananas, but that's a different post...).

Click here to shop the Animal Rescue page of the Greater Good network. Each purchase helps feed a marine animal in need.

Love them or hate them, sometimes PETA does good work. Click here to tell the Australian government to stop lamb mutilation. (Warning: graphic photo alert)

Check out the work being done by the 2010 Goldman Environmental Prize winner here. He is amazing - after helping get protection for his beloved sea turtles, he has turned to helping ban shark finning and is taking on shrimp trawlers and tuna farming as well. He is inspiring and incredible. You can adopt a shark or sea turtle at the site and take part in helping save the creatures of the sea. I heard an interview with him on The Story yesterday and am enthralled. Having visited Costa Rica - and Tortuguero National Park - I *get* what he's talking about and am amazed at his energy, enthusiasm, pragmatism, and compassion.

I'm baacckk!

2010-06-14T13:14:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the extra long hiatus. Today's actions are all oil related. Of course. Ugh.

From the Sierra Club:

The Keystone XL pipeline requires clear-cutting ancient forests, sucking up water supplies and leaving behind toxic lakes so big they can be seen from space.

These toxic lakes are where they store the waste from the production of this dirty fuel. Unfortunately, the waste isn't "stored" but seeps out about 2.9 million gallons per day.

The comment period is open on the Keystone XL pipeline. Click here to send your comments to the powers that be in the Department of State.

From Greater Good: Click here to tell Shell "HELL NO" to drilling in the Arctic. And here to demand a ban on offshore oil drilling.

Ban BP...it's working. From Democracy in America:

When we started our Boycott BP campaign, we knew we had to get their attention in a language BP understands - profits. Now, we know it's working:

A chain of Convenience Stores in Philipsburg, Pa decided to debrand three of its BP-branded stations:

"We are debranding BP. We will no longer be associated with BP by the end of the month. We are doing this because of the backlash and bad publicity from the handling of BP's catastrophe," Sean Lay, vice president of operations, said in the report. "We don't want to be associated with them anymore. We've had enough."[Convenience Store News]

Our campaign has been covered by everyone from the New York Times to industry trade newspapers. You can be sure that BP is paying attention. Now, let's turn up the heat.

Click here to join the boycott and get bumper sticker.

From the League of Conservation Voters:

You've got to be kidding us. Sarah Palin doesn't think BP is to blame for the ongoing oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. No, she's blaming groups like LCV, whom she's calling "radical environmentalists" for fighting to protect our country's wildlife reserves and coastal economies and working to transition away from dirty fossil fuels to a clean energy future. She's serious.

Click here to make BP pay for the damages.

This is sort of oil related - from Defenders of Wildlife:

But what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico right now is an unprecedented ecological disaster. It is threatening sea turtles, sperm whales, dolphins, brown pelicans, Atlantic bluefin tuna and scores of other species… along with entire ecosystems.

Today you can help me save one of most visible victims of the Gulf offshore oil disaster: imperiled loggerhead sea turtles.

Click here to urge President Obama to improve protections and list them on the Endangered Species Act.

More on Palin and oil - from Alternet:

It's an outrageous and absurd plan, but it's not surprising when you consider the source. Sarah Palin's response to the ongoing environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is to advocate for expanded oil drilling in a pristine natural habitat, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Click here to send the message that "drill, baby, drill" is not okay. You betcha. And, also too. Wink.

Let's move beyond oil. Seriously...it's way past time. Click here for more info and to take action.

From the UN Foundation:

World Environment Day is Saturday, June 5. At a time when oil is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico and when we’ve just experienced the warmest April on record, it’s a challenge to stay hopeful.

But climate change is not only about coal mines and oil fields. The good news is that our fields, farms, and forests have untapped potential to create energyand keep greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

We’ve overloaded the sky and the oceans with carbon dioxide, but our terrestrial system – both the soil and the plants that grow there – can absorb much more. The first step is to reduce deforestation, because trees act as carbon sponges, and cutting them down is a major contributor to global warming. Here are some other solutions from the land:

We can produce clean-burning biofuels to replace oil, especially from abundant grasses and crop materials that now go to waste – even from algae!
We can capture methane – natural gas – from landfills and animal waste to use as an energy source and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
We can harness solar, wind, water, and geothermal power from South America to Siberia.
We can store carbon and keep nutrients in the soil through such practices as not tilling the soil, rotating crops, and planting cover crops in the winter.

Even better, these solutions from the land are home-grown. There’s no need for a supertanker to navigate the high seas or divert dollars away from local economies.

By saving water and increasing soil productivity, we can also produce more food and adapt to climate change as our population grows. Learn more about the UN Foundation's solutions to combat climate change.

So what are we waiting for? The answers are right under our feet.

(I realize that some of the formatting is wonky, but can't figure out how to fix it. Sorry! )

Hiatus

2009-11-30T11:47:00.002-05:00

Going on a holiday hiatus. Back sometime in the new year.

Happy Holidays, y'all!

Get busy people

2009-11-13T18:26:00.007-05:00

More ways to stop Stupak here, here, here, and here. (Still wondering why we are in reactive mode - did nobody see this coming?)

Another one from Credo - they'll send a coat hanger if you sign the petition. Coat hangers FTW!

Tell Walmart to cut the crap with demerits for sick employees. Enough already. Gah!

Tell the U.N. to appoint a special representative to hold groups accountable for gender-based violence. That is, stop the rapes NOW.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Check out why here.

Take a News Alert Survey at the ASPCA and enter to win a Flip Video camera (I have one - they are super cool).

Ban dog and cat fur imports to Canada here. Yes, you read that right. Ewwww.

Asst. Majority leader Dick Durbin has a poll on the public option floating around. Fill it out here if so inclined.

Stupak petition

2009-11-11T11:40:00.000-05:00

Click here to sign onto an open letter from 40 Democratic Congresswomen that says the Stupak amendment cannot stand and they will NOT vote for it on a conference report.

Healthcare Vote

2009-11-06T12:50:00.001-05:00

The vote in the House is coming up soon. Hopefully, you've been making calls, sending emails, etc. Either way, click here to send a petition via MomsRising urging your Reps to do the right thing.

Darfur

2009-11-05T14:33:00.001-05:00

From Save Darfur Coalition:

In a live webcast event on Tuesday, November 10th Save Darfur Coalition President Jerry Fowler and STAND Student Director Layla Amjadi will sit down with Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration and NSC Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs Samantha Power to discuss the administration's plan for Sudan and ask them your questions.

Submit your question for Scott Gration and Samantha Power today.

The White House and the State Department are partnering with the Save Darfur Coalition and STAND to launch this live webcast. Dubbed "Ask U.S.," this event is an opportunity to have an active dialogue between the advocacy community and the Obama administration on its policy for Sudan.

This is your opportunity to ask Scott Gration and Samantha Power tough questions about the implementation of the new U.S. Sudan policy.

Ask your question by 5:00 pm this Friday and reserve 3:00 pm Tuesday, November 10th to watch the live webcast and see if your question is asked.

Stuff to keep you busy

2009-11-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

Another petition to sign to get rid of Joe Lieberman here.

From TerraPass: "Another trivially easy thing you can do to end climate change" here.

Help stop child sex trafficking here.

Demand safe drinking water in schools here.

Sign a petition on polar bear habitat preservation here.

Find your Reps. phone numbers here and start calling in support of true health care reform.

Stand on the side of love and sign the petition for Full Equality here.

End the aerial wolf hunts in Alaska here.

No brainer of the week

2009-10-30T08:49:00.000-04:00

Lieberman MUST go. His removal is lloonngg overdue and now he

has indicated he plans to join with Republicans to filibuster any health care bill that contains a public option. Alone, the Republicans don't have the votes for a filibuster. So by joining with them, Lieberman would be tipping the balance of power in order to sink health care reform.

Click here to tell the Democratic Caucus it is time to take a stand:

"Any senator who filibusters the public option does not deserve a chairmanship and should be removed from his or her post."

Scholastic needs schooling: UPDATED

2009-10-26T08:35:00.002-04:00

Sweet!

Scholastic Books just responded to the petition you all signed on Change.org criticizing the company for excluding a book from their popular books fairs simply because one of the characters had two lesbian mothers. I'm happy to say that because of the collective strength of the 4,000 people who signed the petition, Scholastic has reversed their decision to exclude the book – Lauren Myracle's Luv Ya Bunches – and has released a statement affirming the dignity of gay and lesbian parents.

This is a great victory achieved in 48 hours, and it was only possible because of all of you who signed, advocated for, and spread the petition. Scholastic Books is one of the largest educational publishing outfits in the country, and this sends a clear message to children and parents everywhere that there's absolutely nothing wrong with two men or two women raising a child.

From Dana at Mombian:

Most of us with young children in public school know about Scholastic Book Fairs. Many of us remember them from our own childhoods. Now comes news that Scholastic has banned a book from the fairs because one of the characters has lesbian moms...

Scholastic has asserted that they are not censoring the book, but are carrying it in their Book Clubs. That is true, as the original School Library Journal article reported. SLJ also reported, however, “The company sent a letter to Myracle’s editor asking the author to omit certain words such as ‘geez,’ ‘crap,’ ’sucks,’ and ‘God’ (as in, ‘oh my God’) and to alter its plotline to include a heterosexual couple.”

The author did change some of the language, but noted,

A child having same-sex parents is not offensive, in my mind, and shouldn’t be ‘cleaned up.’” says Myracle, adding that the book fair subsequently decided not to take on Luv Ya Bunches because they wanted to avoid letters of complaint from parents.

So, click here to tell Scholastic Books to stop censoring gay-friendly books.

Being a woman = pre-existing condition?

2009-10-22T15:47:00.000-04:00

What a bunch of crap. Rape, pregnancy, domestic abuse, c-sections are considered pre-existing conditions so women pay more for health insurance and get less coverage. Nice.

Sign here to send Congress a message that being a woman does NOT = pre-existing condition.

""What do you think us boys fought for at Omaha Beach?"

2009-10-21T09:39:00.001-04:00

Grab a tissue.

h/t Katie

Stuff to do

2009-10-20T13:07:00.001-04:00

Tell India to stop blocking a global endosulfan (pesticide) ban here.

Petition the Ohio State School board to dump abstinence-only sex ed here.

Send your Governor a letter demanding safer schools here.

Before you vote, go here for the latest list of the Women's Campaign Forum's 2009 endorsed candidates.

Are you clicking each day?

Visit Change.org to take action on a host of progressive issues.

It's not too late: October is Adopt-a-Shelter pet month.

Save the whales here.

Donate TODAY to help save the wolves of Yellowstone (over 60 have been killed so far...)

Happy Halloween? Not so much. UPDATED

2009-10-19T17:24:00.001-04:00

UPDATE:

We want to thank you for all your help on this campaign. By uniting together we were able to get Amazon.com, Target, Toys R Us and Walgreens to pull these offensive costumes.

Si Se Puede!

Jocelyn Sherman

UFW Internet Communications Director

Honestly, someone came up with this, it was approved, marketed, and then sold by companies to people who are just lame and racist. Capitalism at its finest. Barf.

Click here to send the message that the "Illegal Alien" Halloween costume is offensive. Because it is.

Afraid

2009-09-30T13:06:00.000-04:00

I fear for President Obama's life. I really do. Not *just* because he's black, but because the extreme right wing is out for blood - literally. The recent "Should Obama be Killed?" poll on Facebook can be seen as the canary in the coal mine, IMO. From Credo:

As racist attacks increase and protestors continue to bring guns to presidential events, it is strikingly clear that President Obama is vulnerable to harm. Are the Secret Service and the FBI doing enough to protect him? Are they confronting those who threaten our president?

Ronald Kessler, a veteran investigative journalist and conservative who recently authored a book about the Secret Service, notes that funding cutbacks have already left the first African-American president in U.S. history particularly vulnerable. The book, which alleges that the cash-strapped Secret Service is endangering the president by cutting corners, has sent shockwaves through Washington.

We cannot allow funding problems to weaken the organizations charged with protecting the life of our nation's president. It is time for Americans of every stripe to insist that the Secret Service and the FBI operate at the highest levels of effectiveness.

I just signed a petition to ask Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, to ensure that efforts of the Secret Service and FBI to protect President Obama from escalating threats are expanded and fully funded. I hope you will, too. Please have a look and take action.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/protect_obama/?r_by=-2082526-29xgDAx&rc=confemail1

Support the Public Option

2009-09-26T16:00:00.000-04:00

Slinkerwink over at Daily Kos put together this great video in support of the public option. My son and I are in it, too (at the very end). Please watch and pass along.

School Fundraisers

2009-09-25T07:50:00.000-04:00

From Bleeding Heartland:

When it came time for back to school shopping, my wife and I diligently went through the list of classroom supplies requested by our daughter's teacher, and purchased a couple of large shopping bags worth of stuff.

Then, last week, my eight year old came home with a fundraising request from her school. Basically, the school was asking us to fill out cards with our friend's and relative's names and addresses on them, to be solicited for magazine subscriptions. A small portion of the proceeds would then be donated to our local school. There was a place on the card for a personalized message, and the sample message was, "Help my school!"

My wife suggested that perhaps the best way to help our daughter's school get adequate funding would be to address the cards to members of the Administration and Congress serving on various education committees with the message, "Fund Our Schools!".

The following is a list of the people we addressed cards to, along with address information, should you find yourself in a similar situation and are inclined to follow our example.

----------------------------------------------

Current Occupant

1600 Pensylvania Avenue | Washington, DC 20500

------------------------------

Secretary Arne Duncan

U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave, SW | Washington, DC 20202

------------------------------

Members of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education

------------------------------

U.S. Congressional Representative Dale Kildee (D Chair)

2107 Rayburn House Office Bldg | Washington, DC 20515-2205

-----------------------------

U.S. Congressional Represesntative Mike Castle (R Ranking Member)

1233 Longworth House Office Bldg | Washington, DC 20515-0801

-----------------------------

U.S. Congressional Representative Dave Loebsack (D Committee Member)

1513 Longworth House Office Bldg | Washington, DC 20515

-------------------------------

Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families

--------------------------------

Senator Chris Dodd (D Chair)

448 Russell Bldg | Washington, DC 20510

--------------------------------

Senator Lamar Alexander (R Ranking Member)

455 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg | Washington, DC 20510

Is that not fantastic?

Letter to Editor

2009-09-24T10:18:00.002-04:00

Hi All,

I need to write a letter to the editor about the public option and am too lazy to research it myself. Anybody have any good talking points for me? Our city paper ran an article about the Chamber of Commerce opposing the public option (well, all/any healthcare proposals really) and I'm mad. So, help?

Thanks.

This should keep you busy for a while

2009-09-23T11:16:00.003-04:00

Stand on the side of love here.

Don't let Kellogs buy scientists here.

Check to see if your stuff is made from toxic chemicals here.

Pledge to promote and support progressive ideas here.

Click here to take all sorts of action at the Union of Concerned Scientists site.

Click here to take all sorts of action at the EarthJustice action center.

Click here to go to the Hunger Site (you should be clicking daily, anwyay!).

Don't forget about Free Rice, either.

Click here to sign up for a webinar on how your business can reduce its carbon footprint.

Help Defenders of Wildlife by taking their survey here.

Help make pet care more affordable here.

Speak up for leatherback sea turtles here.

Click here to take action with the Sierra Club.

Stuff to do

2009-09-08T11:42:00.004-04:00

Sorry, I've been busy, busy, busy. Here's some stuff to do:

Petition Obama to keep his promise on the Public Option here.

Stand up for Orphan's Rights here.

Support women and girls in Afghanistan here.

Tell Kraft to keep the crap out of our Mac n' Cheese here.

Sign a petition on global warming here.

Tell you Senators that the world can't wait for clean energy here.

Educate yourself on the homeless here. Affordable housing, anyone?

Not an option

2009-08-18T17:21:00.002-04:00

The public option is not optional! Sign here to let Obama know that we will not settle for a health care plan without the public option. Seriously.

Healthcare Reform

2009-08-17T16:07:00.002-04:00

From my cyber friend, lyn:

Not everyone has the time or inclination to join in the health care debate. But if you'd like to take a second to be counted, here are some easy links. Just click and add your name. I set up a separate hotmail account for things like this to keep autospam out of my real email account, and my browser will autofill the info for me. It takes less time than reading a single MT thread.

HealthReform.gov
Democracy for America

Change.org

Credo Action
The White House

I've posted some of these on earlier threads, but as lyn said, "Vote early, vote often."

More stuff to do today.

2009-08-13T18:04:00.004-04:00

Tell Sean Hannity to STFU here.

Keep health care reform moving forward by clicking here.

Tell NY Governor Paterson to stop shackling pregnant inmates during labor here.

Help save Sumatran tigers from extinction here.

Help the Save Darfur site name their new campaign and send a message to Obama to remember the plight of those in Darfur here.

Mountaintop coal removal

2009-08-12T22:34:00.007-04:00

From the Sierra Club:

Right now coal companies can receive 'fast tracked' permits for mountaintop removal coal mining through a process called Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP 21). This process denies local communities adequate input, putting them at risk from toxic coal mining pollution.
There are two days left to stop the fast track permit process for mountaintop removal coal mining - submit a public comment today!
Let the Army Corps of Engineers know that you support ending streamlined permits, ask them to stop issuing permits while the proposal is being finalized, and tell them you want the Obama Administration to permanently end mountaintop removal mining.

You can submit a comment directly to the Army Corps of Engineers through Regulations.gov. It's easy!
Copy the sample message in the box below.
Go to this page on the government website Regulations.gov and paste the message into the comment box. Please personalize it with your own words.
Fill in your personal information and submit.
Sample Message

re: COE-2009-0032-0001 - End Nationwide Permit 21

I applaud the Army Corps of Engineers' July 16th proposal to end Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP 21), the streamlined process for approving mountaintop removal coal mining permits. Our communities deserve greater input on mountaintop removal coal mining projects, and an individual permitting process will take us in this direction.

The Army Corps of Engineers acknowledges the blowing up mountains and releasing the toxic by-products in our streams is damaging the Appalachian region, and they should not continue issuing NWP 21 permits while this decision is being finalized. Mountaintop removal coal mining is, by its nature, a danger to the health and welfare of nearby residents. I believe it is critical that the Obama Administration not just regulate this type of mining, but end it completely to protect our mountains, streams and communities for generations to come.

I did not know about the government website that allows for easy public comments. Its called Regulations.gov and the tag line is "Your Voice in Federal Decision-Making." Also,

Regulations.gov is your online source for U.S. government regulations from nearly
300 federal agencies.
We are committed to improving your access to and participation in the federal regulatory process. On this site you can:
Search for a regulation such as a proposed rule, final rule or Federal Register (FR) notice
Submit a comment on a regulation or on another comment
Submit an application, petition or adjudication document
Sign up for e-mail alerts about a specific regulation
Quickly access regulations that are popular, newly posted or closing soon-directly from the homepage
Subscribe to RSS feeds by agency of newly posted FR notices

That's pretty cool. Thanks, Sierra Club!

Good Guide

2009-08-11T20:10:00.005-04:00

Very cool site that lets you research ingredients in commonly used products and find safe, healthy, green products.

"What chemicals are in your baby shampoo?
Was sweatshop labor used to make your t-shirt?
What products are the best, and what products should you avoid?
Increasingly, you want to know about the impacts of the products you buy. On your health. On the environment. On society. But unless you’ve got a Ph.D, it is almost impossible to find out the impacts of the products you buy. Until now…
GoodGuide provides the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home."

H/T Credo Mobile

More stuff to do today.

2009-08-11T13:07:00.003-04:00

Click here to ask the UN to end violence in schools.

Click here to help stop the Alaska wolf massacre. And. Also. You betcha.

Click here to tell the Department of Labor to release its list of goods tainted by slave labor.

Click here to demand Paid Family leave.

Click here to stop opponents of health care reform from distorting the truth. And. Also. Death Panels, doncha know?

Click here for some nice talking points on healthcare reform.

Renewing my TerraPass

2009-08-04T07:47:00.004-04:00

I'm renewing my TerraPass. If you don't have one, think about getting one. It's really a bourgeoisie way to alleviate driving-induced guilt! Here's what my renewal notice said:

Dear Jill,
Just one week until your TerraPass membership anniversary. By taking just a few minutes today you can help to fund clean energy and carbon reduction projects for another full year: renew your membership today.
In just four years, the TerraPass membership has grown to over 150,000 people like yourself. Together you've supported over 1 billion pounds of carbon reductions across the United States. It's the equivalent of:
Avoiding 1 billion miles of driving
Replacing about 10 million regular light bulbs with compact fluorescents
Installing 4 million low-flow showerheads
Together we are making a real difference. Individual reductions really do add up to something meaningful. Please don't let your membership lapse.

and

A LOT TO BE PROUD OF:
Your purchase of a TerraPass reduced 11,000lbs of carbon.
Every TerraPass is verified by an independent, third-party auditor, so you can be confident that buying a TerraPass is an effective step in the fight against global warming.

Yay me! It's so easy: go to the site, figure out how much Co2 your car emits, then purchase a pass. Simple, (relatively) cheap, and a really good thing.

Kiss-In

2009-08-03T22:15:00.002-04:00

Join the Great Nationwide Kiss-in:

Saturday, August 15, 2009, at 2 p.m., EDT (or 11 a.m., PDT). In the coming weeks, we hope it evolves into a simultaneous occasion of kissing and hugging between thousands of couples, gay and straight, in cities and towns all over the country. This will be a fun and lighthearted event, but one with an extraordinarily strong message as well: we are human, capable of a beautiful normal love like everyone else in the world. We won’t keep being excluded. There is nothing wrong with us.
Please consider joining us on August 15, both to have fun and to send out that extraordinary message to folks all over the country. If you want to host/organize an event similar to what is already being planned in Boston, New York and several other cities, please e-mail us at GreatNationwideKissIn@gmail.com as soon as possible; we will send you written guidance on how to plan your event. Again, it’s going to be really simple to put together, but we need people from as many different cities as possible to help us.

Emphasis mine. Now, get to hugging and kissing, y'all!

h/t Dana

More to do

2009-08-03T09:54:00.004-04:00

So, if you aren't doing your daily clicks at the Hunger Site, you're missing these:

Click here to end violence in schools.

Click here to raise awareness about orphaned and abandoned children worldwide.

Click here to sign a letter thanking U.N. peacekeepers for "making our world a safer place."

Click here to sign a petition to help the sea otters.

Click here to send a free e-card that benefits the Animal Rescue site. It's free. Really.

Click here to help improve health care in developing countries.

Click here to sign a petition stopping "drive-thru mastectomies."

Lots to do

2009-07-31T08:28:00.008-04:00

Click here to urge your Senators to confirm Judge Sotomayor.

Click here to stop the killing of whales.

Click here to ask Hershey to end child slavery in cocoa production and go Fair Trade.

Click here to allow Ohio milk farmers to label their products "rBGH free."

Click here to sign a petition in support of the Public Option.

Click here to sign a petition opposing coal.

Click here to demand that reproductive health care not be stripped from any health care plan. Women's health is not a bargaining chip. Gah!

Click here to protect Alaska national parks from industrial mining.

Join CREDO Mobile on Facebook for constant updates and actions. They are making this blog obsolete!

Click here for Sierra Club's green tips for summer.

Click here to protect families from toxic chemicals.

Click here for 3 ways to help Save Darfur.

Click here to take action on climate change.

Are you daily clicking at the Hunger Site? It takes seconds, really.

Too good not to share

2009-07-08T18:07:00.003-04:00

I know, I know, I'm on hiatus. However, CostCo now has a recycling program that I had to share:

Costco’s Trade-In & Recycle Program now puts more money in your wallet. Responsibly trade-in electronic gadgets (such as laptops, cell phones, LCD monitors, digital cameras, MP3 players, gaming systems & more) for Costco Cash good for anything in Costco warehouses or at Costco.com.

1. Click here to visit the trade-in website.
2. Find the value of the items you would like to trade-in.
3. Ship the items to Gazelle for free.
4. Once your items are evaluated, receive a Costco Cash Card within 10 days.

Costco has teamed up with Gazelle, the industry leader in electronics trade-in, to offer this program. Gazelle will evaluate your items to confirm value and then safely and securely remove personal data prior to issuing the Costco Cash Card. Free shipping is offered on all transactions with a value of at least $1.

Costco’s Program currently enables you to both trade-in and recycle electronic gadgets in more than 15 categories, and we continue to add more each month. However, for items we do not yet accept (such as faxes, printers, and TVs), you can use the Recycler Network Directory to find a local recycler near your home. Contact information is provided for each recycler.

The Trade-In & Recycle Program is available to all Costco members.

Gazelle is the industry leader in electronics trade-in and is based in Boston, MA. Gazelle is committed to providing an easy, fast, and safe way for consumers to get rewarded for selling unwanted electronics or to recycle them responsibly. To date, thousands of consumers have used the service as a way to clean out closets, get cash and help out a good cause.

Gazelle believes that data privacy and security are extremely important. All items are wiped of personal data and reset to factory settings. For items with hard drives, Gazelle utilizes Department of Defense approved software and performs all tasks in a controlled, secure environment.

Hiatus

2009-07-07T18:44:00.002-04:00

I'm taking a few weeks off from this blog...see you in August sometime! (Unless something super, duper urgent arises, that is).

Quickie: What's on YOUR food?

2009-06-27T14:55:00.003-04:00

Click here to find out which types of pesticides are on the foods you and your family consume each day. While there, click on the Take Action button to urge President Obama to support a safe, fair, and green food system in the United States.

h/t Loveland Magazine

Pepsi and the gays

2009-06-17T10:53:00.004-04:00

PepsiCo is facing a boycott from conservative whack jobs over it's support for LGBT rights.

AFA, which was founded by Christian activist Rev. Donald Wildmon, objects to the Purchase, New York-based company donating $1 million to well-known gay rights groups, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), "to promote the homosexual lifestyle in the workplace," according to AFA's website.

So, send Pepsi some love by buying their products and sending them an email thanking them for standing up for LGBT folks and standing tall against small minded freaks.

h/t Vegas 710

Tell Obama to straighten up on gay rights

2009-06-16T15:46:00.004-04:00

From Credo:

Back in the days of the 2008 campaign, Senator Obama promised he would work to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. But now that a gay couple in California is challenging DOMA in federal court, President Obama has chosen to take action to defend a law that prevents legally married same-sex couples from receiving any federal benefits, or from having their marriages recognized in other states.

The Obama administration now tells us it has no choice but to defend DOMA - after all, it's the job of the Department of Justice to defend every law on the books. But a former Special Assistant for civil rights to President Clinton writes on AmericaBlog that this is far from true: On the contrary, the DOJ is charged with figuring out how to argue a president's policy decisions, not the other way around.

Call bullshit on Obama and Holder by clicking here.

Oh, and this is the link for Obama's plan for LGBT rights. (h/t Vegas710)

Free Bumper Sticker

2009-06-13T15:32:00.002-04:00

Click here to get a free "I support Gay Marriage" bumper sticker. Yay!

Quickie: Action on Choice

2009-06-10T13:28:00.004-04:00

Drunkenatheist compiled a list of things to do to support a woman's right to choose. Click here for the full list. Many of the ideas have links to organizations, action items, and research information. Good stuff. Some highlights:

8. Volunteer! Local clinics often have a variety of regular volunteering opportunities. They range from stuffing envelopes to administrative duties. Bonus: Volunteering for a clinic is a great way to get your foot in the door with non-profit employers!
9. Thank your local abortion providers! National Abortion Provider Appreciation Day is March 10th. Send out postcards to thank clinics, doctors and staff members for staying open despite the dangers they face every day.
21. Are you crafty? Artsy? Have a lot of junk lying around? eBay your stuff and donate a portion of the proceeds to a pro-choice group through eBay’s partnership with Missionfish.
22. Contact your local or preferred clinic/non-profit if they aren’t listed through Missionfish. They might not be aware that you can easily donate money via eBay & Missionfish’s partnership.
28. Get involved in pro-choice politicians’ campaigns. This can be as seemingly small as donating $10 to a campaign or as time-consuming as volunteering to canvas for him or her.
29. Find out how your money is being spent. Don’t support anti-choice companies unless it is unavoidable.

h/t WeNews

Circus Hell

2009-06-10T10:16:00.004-04:00

If you hate the circus as much as I do, click here to stop Ringling Bros. from expanding on Coney Island. From Change.org:

New York City officials recently announced that the notorious elephant abusers at Ringling Bros. Circus will be at Coney Island for several months this summer thanks to a land donation from Taconic Investments.

PETA has contacted the city and Taconic to let them know of Ringling's lengthy history of animal abuse, and how animals used in the circus are beaten with bullhooks, whipped, and shocked with electric prods to force them to perform physically painful acts. But the city and Taconic refuse to sever ties with the animal-abusing company.

Please take just a few seconds now to send a message to New York City officials and Taconic Investments' CEO letting them know that you'll be crossing Coney Island off your destination list as long as it's the home of animal abusers.

No matter how you feel about PETA, their investigative team is top notch and their findings are indeed disturbing. Please click now to send the message that animal abuse and elephant "entertainment" is wrong.

Quickie: Condemn the killing of Dr. Tiller

2009-06-04T16:10:00.001-04:00

Please go to Change.org's petition here.

This terrible tragedy is a chilling reminder of what can happen when the debate over women's reproductive health is conducted without responsible bounds and without recognition that people of conscience can hold different views.

Join people across the country in condemning the unspeakable murder of Dr. Tiller and express your support for doctors and other health care providers who refuse to be intimidated.

Blogging for LGBT Families

2009-06-01T06:46:00.005-04:00

How it works - From Dana at Mombian:

Blog on a topic related to LGBT families on or before June 1, 2009.
Complete the form at Mombian to submit your entry.
I'll compile the posts and highlight them at Mombian on June 1. Please visit to read the stories and insights of the LGBT community and allies.
To be eligible for the Family Week or book drawings, you must leave a valid e-mail address. Employees of FEC and paying advertisers on Mombian are ineligible.
Any blogger who wants to support LGBT families is welcome, LGBT or not, parent or not. I encourage those who don’t usually post about LGBT families or LGBT issues, as well as those for whom every day is Blogging for LGBT Families Day. Give it a spin based on your usual blog topics. There’s no set formula or format. Photos and videos are also welcome.

Please also download a banner and promote the event on your site, Facebook, Twitter, etc. The more people who participate, the more impact our voices will have.

So, please blog for LGBT families today and send your URL to Dana. In the wake of the Prop 8 ruling, LGBT families need all of our support and encouragement.

What else to do? Read books to your children about LGBT families. Or, sign a petition to repeal Prop 8. Or, find out more about Georgia's MEGA Family Project and work on starting a similar program in your area.

Tragedy - UPDATED ACTION ITEMS

2009-05-31T16:20:00.004-04:00

Update: Click here to find out more "what to do's" in the wake of Dr. Tiller's death.

Dr. George Tiller, an outspoken advocate for abortion rights, and one of only a few physicians in the U.S. to perform the rarely- used late-term abortion procedure, was shot dead in church. The shooter, who is in custody, is a coward, a hypocrite, and, in some circles considered a domestic terrorist.

What to do? Educate yourself on late-term abortion by reading a first-hand account here. Donate to Medical Students for Choice (h/t Feministing).

My favorite quote by him?

“My feeling is that prenatal testing without prenatal choice is medical fraud.”

And one from the comments on Jezebel:

"Late term abortions are sometimes medically necessary. They save lives. That doctor was a hero."

Amen.

May his killer be brought to justice and may this be a huge pox on the fanatical anti-choice extremists and their hateful words and deeds.

Blerg

2009-05-26T15:37:00.004-04:00

The CA Supreme Court upheld Prop 8. Now what?

*The Courage Campaign is asking you to be "fearless" and go on the offensive with them. Do so by clicking here.
*Join the Human Rights Campaign's "We Won't Back Down" effort by clicking here.
*Follow news coverage at Stop Prop 8 to find ways to push back by clicking here.

Another chance to speak your mind

2009-05-20T14:46:00.005-04:00

President Obama is encouraging everyone to tell their healthcare story:

Share your personal story about the importance of health care reform in your life and the lives of those you love.

We will share your stories with members of Congress to build support for health care reform. Here are a few pointers for making sure your story is heard:

Be Personal: This is your story, and should focus on your own life experience, your beliefs, and the changes you hope to see.
Be Specific: The most powerful and memorable stories include specific, real-life examples.
Be Concise: There's no specific limit on the length of your story, but you should try to communicate the essence of your story as clearly and concisely as possible.
Your personal stories can be a powerful call for change. When the lobbyists for the status quo tell Congress to hold back, your personal story will give them the courage to press forward.

Go here to share your story. No story is too great or too small and all should be heard. The stakes are high and the wingnuts are already in a full court press to derail real health care reform. Please share your story today.

Ban BPA

2009-05-19T14:21:00.004-04:00

From MomsRising:

Despite all of the media attention about the safety of kids products over the last year; the toxic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) is still found in products that kids use every day, like baby bottles, sports water bottles, the lining of formula cans, and sippy cups.

This is a real problem because more than 200 studies have linked BPA exposures at very low doses to breast and prostate cancer, obesity, diabetes, altered development of the brain and immune systems, lowered sperm counts, and early puberty. Growing children are especially at risk from BPA because they have smaller bodies. In fact, BPA is so toxic that even very small amounts have been shown to cross the placenta and impact prenatal development.

Ridiculous, isn't it?

What to do? Ask your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Ban Poisonous Additives Act by clicking here. Please do it today because there are only two weeks to generate the co-sponsors and congressional support needed to move this important legislation forward.

Click here to find BPA-free baby bottles. Click here to find out if your favorite canned goods are BPA-free.
As always, avoid #7 plastics...they are the biggest offenders.

Quickie: Marriage Equality

2009-05-19T14:07:00.003-04:00

From the Courage Campaign:

The Courage Campaign, along with other organizations committed to restoring marriage equality to California, is surveying our membership about going back to the ballot. We stand together, hopeful that the California Supreme Court will confirm that fundamental civil rights cannot be stripped away from a minority group at the ballot box. However, we must be prepared to go back to the ballot if the Supreme Court fails to overturn Proposition 8.

They are asking: "If the state Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8... should we support going back to the ballot to restore marriage equality to California in 2010 or 2012?"

Some arguments for placing a marriage equality initiative on the ballot in 2010:
We should take advantage of the powerful grassroots activism that has emerged following the passage of Prop 8 by going back sooner rather than later. That energy will dissipate if we wait until 2012.
By November 2010, we will have full marriage equality in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and very likely in New York and New Jersey. Given these developments, Californians should not wait beyond 2010 to try and restore the right to marry.

In November 2010, the top of the Democratic ticket -- the gubernatorial candidate -- will support overturning Prop 8 and restoring the right to marry. In 2012, it's questionable whether President Obama will take that position.

Some arguments for placing a marriage equality initiative on the ballot in 2012:
We have hundreds of thousands of voters to convince on the issue of marriage equality. Even if we work our hardest, it will take three-plus years to do that work.

On this issue, time is on our side. By 2012, an even greater number of voters will have come our way. So why risk it in 2010 when we probably have a better chance in 2012.

We will once again need tens of millions of dollars to run a strong campaign. Given the state of today's economy and the fact that people just gave so much to the No on 8 campaign, we should wait before going right back to the ballot.

So, go vote. You have until tomorrow, Wednesday May 20th, at 5pm.

Breastfeeding Promotion Act

2009-05-15T15:26:00.005-04:00

From a post on MotherTalkers:

Rep. Carolyn Maloney is going to reintroduce the Breastfeeding Promotion Act to Congress in June. With a change in leadership in both Houses and a White House that is attuned to work/life balance issues, this year we need to push hard for passage! The Breastfeeding Promotion Act will:

* Add breastfeeding mothers in the workplace as a protected class under the Civil Rights Act of
1964
* Provide incentives for employers to have private lactation areas for workers
* Create a performance standard for breastpump equipment
* Create tax deductions for pumping equipment

Rep. Maloney and other co-sponsors will hold a press conference on June 3rd at 11:30am on the Cannon Terrace at the Cannon Building on Capitol Hill. Once again we are gathering as large a presence as we can to attend the press conference in support of the bill.

Here is what we need from all who care about this issue:

First, we need you to contact your Rep. in the Congress (find him or her here http://www.house.gov/ ), this week, and ask them to sign on as a cosponsor of the Breastfeeding Promotion Act. The more cosponsors a bill has, the more attention and support it garners. We need all 435 Representatives to know how important this bill is to the 70% of mothers who work and may desire to breastfeed once they go back to work. So call AND email your Representative and ask to speak to a legislative aide today.

Second, we need anyone within driving distance of Washington, D.C. to make plans to join us on June 3rd at 11:30 am on the Cannon Terrace at the Cannon Office Building,Independence Avenue and 1st Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003. You can drive in if you are willing to come early enough to hunt for parking spot south of the Cannon Bldg. or take Metro to the Capitol South station on the Blue/Orange lines. This link shows a picture of the terrace where we will meet: http://www.visitingdc.com/...

We need pregnant and nursing mother, their supportive partners, grandparents and all your cute little nurslings and toddlers to join us that day for the press conference. At previous introductions of the bill we have had between 100-200 attendees at the press conference. We would like an even bigger showing this year. It is very important that you RSVP to wchappel@myexcel.com with the number of adults/babies/children attending so we can be prepared (and have enough kid friendly snacks/drinks on hand). And so that I can email final details to all the night before the event.

Third, we need everyone who attends to plan on visiting the offices of their Representative in Congress immediately after the press conference, to personally appeal to them to throw their support behind the bill. Don't let the opportunity to have face to face interaction with your legislators pass you by. Last time I went I had a very spirited conversation with a young female legislative aide who clearly didn't understand why her boss should care about this bill. The House of Representatives link above will give you the address of their Washington office. All of the legislative office buildings are clustered near Cannon Office Building. If you call ahead you can make an appointment (I would suggest you make an after lunch appt. time and go get some lunch with your kids after the press conference) to speak to someone.

Lastly, if you have a workplace lactation discrimination story you would like to share at the press conference please email wchappel@myexcel.com immediately. The speakers lineup is being put together now and some mothers may be invited to talk about their own stories.

This is the year to get this done! Please forward this message to every breastfeeding, parenting, working parent list and group to which you belong, write about it, blog about it, make it viral!

Just do it.

Stand up for Health Care

2009-05-13T09:46:00.005-04:00

The wingnuts are out in force and ready to kill any health care proposal put forth by President Obama. I am so sick and tired of them bemoaning socialized medicine (of which they know nothing about), insisting the "free market" will make the necessary corrections, and throwing up straw men (Social Security and Medicare) to divert the conversation. While I'm sure I won't feel the President's plan goes far enough, I will stand with him on the basics he is proposing:

*Reduce Costs — Rising healthcare costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals and families and they must be brought under control
*Guarantee Choice — Americans must have the freedom to keep whatever doctor and healthcare plan they have, or to select a new doctor or healthcare plan if they choose
*Ensure Affordable Care for All — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care

Click here to declare your support, too.

Legalize Marijuana?

2009-05-13T09:35:00.004-04:00

From Change.Org

In 1937 the U.S. passed the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937". 'The Act did not itself criminalize the possession or usage of hemp, marijuana or cannabis, but levied a tax equaling roughly one dollar on anyone who dealt commercially in cannabis, hemp or marijuana. It did, however, include penalty provisions and a complex Regulation 1 codifying the elaborate rules of enforcement marijuana cannabis or hemp handlers were subject to. Violation of these procedures could result in a fine of up to $2000 and five years imprisonment. The net effect was to make it too risky for anyone to deal in the substance until World War II required the United States Department of Agriculture to make its 1942 movie "Hemp for Victory".' - from the Wikipedia Article Marihuana Tax Act of 1937.

This act was later deemed unconstitional by the Supreme Court in 1969 during the case Leary v. United States because it violated the 5th Amendment since a person would have to incriminate him or herself to obtain the tax stamp required by law.

The government then passed the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970 and placed Marijuana on the List of Schedule I drugs. This means that it meets the following requirements:

(A) The drug or other substance has high potential for abuse.
(B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

If this were true then why is Marinol, a synthetic version of THC, the main active ingredient in Marijuana, only on the List of Schedule III drugs? To be on that list it meets these requirements:

(A) The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II.
(B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

This list also includes drugs like Tylenol 3 and Anabolic Steroids. So why is Marijuana illegal because of THC and Marinol is legal even though it's synthetic THC?

Change.org also notes that the government can tax the hell out of it, regulate it, use the production of it to create jobs, etc. It's an interesting debate, for sure.

If you are so inclined, sign the petition to legalize marijuana here.

Here's a cheesy clip for your viewing pleasure:

For the love of...

2009-05-06T19:27:00.001-04:00

From Planned Parenthood:

Yesterday, Judy Blume — a beloved writer and icon to generations of women — graciously wrote a letter about Mother's Day for Planned Parenthood. Now, anti-choice extremists are inundating her with hate mail and phone calls. We rarely respond to these outrageous attacks, but when it comes to Judy Blume ... well, I can't stand by and do nothing. I just can't.

Please, let her know how much we appreciate her courage!
Say thanks and send her a note of support. Click here.
Spread the word. Please send an e-mail to friends, and post this message on your social network, blog, and twitter.
Nothing — NOTHING — would make Judy happier than to know that the backlash has resulted in more support for Planned Parenthood and the women we serve.

I love Judy Blume. That is all.

Quickie: Kids and Healthcare

2009-05-06T09:24:00.001-04:00

From Speak Now for Kids:

Speak Now for Kids in Health Reform is a national campaign sponsored by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals (N.A.C.H.). N.A.C.H. is joined by national partners and supporting organizations from around the country who all care deeply about how children will be treated in health reform. Speak Now for Kids in Health Reform urges parents, family members, health care providers and other advocates to tell Congress why children matter in health reform – through stories, photos and videos.

Speak Now for Kids in Health Reform provides an open forum for the public to express their thoughts and concerns about children and health reform. The opinions expressed on this Web site are those of individuals visiting the site, and do not represent the views of the Web site sponsor, partners or supporters.

Be a champion for children. Take a moment to Speak Now to let Congress know in your own words what you think about children's health care and share this information with your friends.

If you have a story to tell, please send it in soon. Thanks.

Cinco de mayo

2009-05-05T09:17:00.008-04:00

I wrote this elsewhere last year, and since I am that lazy I'm re-posting it here:

It's Cinco de Mayo, which is not Mexican Independence Day but the date of the Mexican army's victory over the much larger French army at the battle of Puebla in 1862. (Mexico gained independence from Spain on midnight of September 15/16, 1810.)

So, why is it such a big deal here in the U.S.? Is it tantamount to St Patrick's day in showcasing ethnic pride and culture? Or, is it because it has a nice ring to it and helps sell beer and Tequila?

From a militaristic standpoint, it's an important day because it stalled the French occupation of Mexico by about a year therefore severely limiting Napolean's ability to fund and supply the confederate rebels. And, since the Union Army helped the Mexican Army out in this battle, many Mexicans returned the favor and joined the Union Army. The battle of Puebla may therefore be partially responsible for helping to end the American Civil War. (Just my $.02, of course, others will dispute that assertion.)

In any case, it is a day that highlights Mexican culture here in the U.S. It's also a good day to think about how important Mexican immigrants are now, and have been, to our nation.

At this moment in our history, more than ever, we need to celebrate and honor the accomplishments of all things Mexican! What to do? Learn the history of the day. Visit MALDEF's site to find out ways to take action on behalf of Mexican-Americans. Watch a Mexican film. Check out the UUA's "Crash Course for Immigrant Justice" actions and activities. Finally, although born in Texas, Gloria E. Anzaldúa is a must read on Bordeland issues.

Ésta es mi abuelo mexicano y mi hija:

2002

Children of Sierra Leone

2009-05-05T08:10:00.002-04:00

Can you help?

Click here to find out more about this organization:The Raining Season. Click here to sponsor a child.

Quickie: Just Say No

2009-04-30T10:22:00.002-04:00

From Change.org:

In order to make responsible and healthy decisions, young people need medically accurate, age-appropriate information about sex and sexuality.

Yet, over the past decade, the federal government has allocated more than $1.3 billion for ineffective, dangerous abstinence-only programs that provide students with incomplete, medically inaccurate information that focuses solely on abstinence and provides little or no information about contraception.

President Obama has said that he supports comprehensive sex education programs that promote abstinence and provide information on contraception.

As President Obama and Congress finalize the details of the fiscal year 2010 budget, urge them to stop funding abstinence-only programs and direct our scarce public health resources to evidence-based, comprehensive sex education programs that actually work.

Click here to tell Mr. Obama to just say no.

Quickie: National Domestic Violence Hotline

2009-04-29T14:00:00.002-04:00

From Mamasource:

Do you know about the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH)?

The NDVH is the only nonprofit domestic violence hotline in the nation with access to more than 5,000 shelters, providing crisis intervention, information and referral to victims of domestic violence, perpetrators, friends and families across. The toll-free 24 hour a day Hotline answers approximately 19,500 calls each month and is an anonymous and confidential resource for domestic violence advocates, government officials, law enforcement agencies and the general public.

Click here to find out more.

Do you pledge?

2009-04-28T15:28:00.009-04:00

I do not pledge allegiance to the flag, or any inanimate object or abstract concept for that matter. My children are learning the Pledge in school so I'm trying to talk to them about it rather than have them recite a bunch of words that really have no meaning to them...yet. One way is to talk about how and why people swear fealty to their country and their flag. We also talk about how the United States is one of only a handful of countries that recites a pledge and historically compelled school children learn it, and that it was changed, under pressure from the Knights of Columbus, to add the "under God" clause. We talk about what it means to say "under God"- whose god? why god? why then? what do the many changes to the pledge mean? why must children learn it?

I also use this, written by the amazing Bella Abzug:

I pledge allegiance to the Earth, and to the flora, fauna, and human life that it supports; one planet, indivisible, with safe air, water and soil, economic justice, equal rights and peace for all.

Or, there's this from a Genepool.com editorial:

Taken all together, the Pledge of Allegiance is a confused mish-mash of illogic, untruths, exaggerations and repetitions. And we wonder why our children lag behind so many other countries in so many educational categories. Other countries don't require their school-age kids to repeat something this confusing.

Here, then, is the Corrected Pledge of Allegiance:

I Pledge allegiance to whomever might be President of the United States at this time, and to the Republic (i.e., the United States) for which he or she was elected by what may or may not have been a majority to be in charge of, one nation under Canada, extremely divisible, with liberty within the bounds of legally acceptable behavior and justice for some.

I think I like Bella's better, but you get the point, right?

EPA and ethanol

2009-04-28T15:12:00.004-04:00

From The Union of Concerned Scientists:

The use of gasoline alternatives, such as ethanol, could play a key role in reducing pollution from fuels, but scientific findings show that biofuels can also increase pollution when done wrong. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a comprehensive plan to move toward biofuels with reduced global warming emissions while protecting air quality and public health.

The ethanol industry, however, does not want science to interfere with their expansion plans. Producers want immediate permission to increase the amount of ethanol they can blend into regular gasoline before government tests are complete to determine if this could be a public health risk.

The EPA opened a public comment period on this issue through May 16. Please tell EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to deny the producers’ premature request and focus on a comprehensive plan that protects public health while ensuring biofuels contribute to fueling our clean energy future.

Click here for more information on the subject. Click here to go the UCS action page.

Secretary of Health and Human Services UPDATED

2009-04-27T16:15:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: She's been confirmed. Yay!

--------------
Believe it or not, 100+ days into the Obama Administartion and we are without a Secretary of Health and Human Services. And, we are now faced with a possible pandemic. WTH?

From Planned Parenthood:

President Obama's nominee for secretary of health and human services, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, is under attack from anti-choice extremists. They want to block her confirmation, and they're doing everything they can to convince their allies in the Senate to play along.

Gov. Sebelius is a leading health policy expert, a popular governor, and a strong advocate for increased health care access. With countless women and their families struggling to afford quality health care during these difficult times, she is exactly the kind of leader we need to create true health care reform.

Perhaps Secretary Clinton needs to have a word with them...

Click here to take action.

Reproductive Health

2009-04-27T16:08:00.003-04:00

I had to post this. Madame Secretary provides some really helpful talking points on the issue of global reproductive justice:

Can you afford to get sick?

2009-04-27T15:56:00.003-04:00

From MomsRising:

The news over the weekend was scary -- outbreaks of a potentially pandemic flu virus, called the "swine flu" are being reported all over the world, including in the U.S. ... White House officials monitoring the situation are recommending that: "If you're sick, stay home, get treatment, go see a doctor."

This is easier said than done. In the U.S. today, nearly half of workers aren't allowed to earn paid sick days (i.e. they don't have a single paid sick day to take when illness strikes in order to keep our communities healthy and not spread illness). And more than half of the workforce does not have or cannot use paid sick days to care for sick children. The numbers are even worse in industries where people need paid sick days the most: 92% of waiters and waitresses, and 79% of child care workers aren't allowed to earn any paid sick days.

How do the experts expect people to stay home when they're sick, if they don't have any paid sick days?

Sign the petition today! The United States needs to allow all working people to earn paid sick days to ensure our economic security, and protect public health.

Click here to sign the petition.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T08:10:00.003-04:00

What to do?

Post your Earth Day Resolution.

Comment on EPA's carbon finding here.

Take action, find events, and learn about Earth Day at EarthDayNetwork here.

Find volunteer opportunities here.

Read what other folks are planning to do this Earth Day here.

Hug a Pagan. Plant a tree.

Kiva

2009-04-17T16:04:00.005-04:00

Kiva.org is a micro-lending site. What a concept! From their site:

Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.

Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.

The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals in need of funding - not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.

Wow. Here's how it works:

Choose an Entrepreneur, Lend, Get Repaid

1) Lenders like you browse profiles of entrepreneurs in need, and choose someone to lend to. When they lend, using PayPal or their credit cards, Kiva collects the funds and then passes them along to one of our microfinance partners worldwide.

2) Kiva's microfinance partners distribute the loan funds to the selected entrepreneur. Often, our partners also provide training and other assistance to maximize the entrepreneur's chances of success.

3) Over time, the entrepreneur repays their loan. Repayment and other updates are posted on Kiva and emailed to lenders who wish to receive them.

4) When lenders get their money back, they can re-lend to someone else in need, donate their funds to Kiva (to cover operational expenses), or withdraw their funds.

Can you think of a better way to use part of your tax refund? I can't.

Quickie: Free Shipping!

2009-04-16T16:34:00.002-04:00

The Unitarian Universalist Association bookstore is offering free standard shipping on all orders.

Auction for a good cause

2009-04-15T18:32:00.003-04:00

Click here to check out the Ike-A-Saurus Auction.

This is Isaac, fondly called Ike, even more fondly called Ike-a-saurus. He is an adorable, sweet, happy bundle of wonderful.

Ike’s mama is the author of Haiku Mama and the amazing blogger behind Haikuoftheday, where you can read a lot of their story in her own words.

Ike’s road has not been easy. Mama was on bedrest and in the hospital on and off, and then totally on, for months, until Ike was born 13 weeks early.

He was a tiny miracle, beating all of the odds to be healthier than anyone imagined possible. But it was still a long, hard, scary road in the NICU.

And expensive. Oh, so expensive. But the family was so joyful that he made it to the other side of the hard road behind him, that the money troubles they faced just seemed inconsequential.

Finally, Ike got to come home! Hurray! Of course, he could not leave the house, visitors had to be limited, and his health was fragile. Every day felt like an accomplishment. There were many many doctors visits and trips to the ER, adding to the insurmountable medical bills.

On top of all of that, his dad lost his job - including his insurance. And, Ike is in and out of the hospital now, on oxygen, with breathing problems. As a parent of a kid with a chronic medical illness, I feel for this family deeply and realize that we are so fortunate that my husband has a job and good benefits.

Please help them if you can. Thank you.

Click here to read more about Baby Ike and other ways you can help this family.

Take Action

2009-04-08T19:39:00.004-04:00

From Amplify:

A teenage girl at Oakton High School in Fairfax County was recently suspended for two weeks - and may face expulsion - for taking a prescription birth control pill on school property. In fact, this punishment is more severe than if she had been caught high on LSD, heroin, or another illegal drug.

You can sign a letter here telling the Fairfax, VA school board that birth control pills are not on par with loaded handguns or heroin.

While signing the letter, check out all the other action you can take at Amplify. What a kick ass site:

Amplify, a project of Advocates for Youth, is an online community dedicated to sexual health, reproductive justice, and youth-led grassroots movement building. Amplify isn’t about making the world suddenly perfect – it’s about change, about standing up for what we believe in. It’s also a place to celebrate the incredible work we’re doing across the United States and around the world. And when it comes to sexual health, reproductive justice, and making sure that the rights of young people – all young people, everywhere – are respected by those in power… Well, there’s an awful lot of work to do.

You can call it whatever you want – idealism, friendship, faith, duty – but there’s something out there that each of us is willing to stand up and fight for.

Often it comes so naturally we don’t even recognize it, or the moment feels so small we doubt that it matters. But these little acts of defiance and compassion and understanding add up to something much bigger. Together, and maybe without even realizing it, we are already changing the world.

Other times, you know exactly what activism looks like: signing a petition, meeting with a school administrator or elected official, looking someone in the eye and asking them to join a cause. We are working together to change our communities, our countries, and the world.

Amplify is a place to come together for a larger cause – the movement that we, as young people, have to lead. No one else is going to do it for us.

And that’s just fine, because we’ve already taken matters into our own hands.

I just love it...it actually makes what I do here look like very, very small beans.

h/t Feministing

Reminder

2009-03-28T14:48:00.001-04:00

Lights out from 8:30-9:30 tonight. Good thing we're all asleep by then anyway. LOL.

Take action now

2009-03-26T09:23:00.006-04:00

Here are several actions to take with just the click of your mouse:

Push for a strong climate change bill here.

Help prevent a dramatic increase in homeless families and children here.

Get federal stimulus money to people who really need it here.

Urge passage of an Energy Resource Efficiency Standard here.

Send Congress a message that healthcare reform can't wait here.

Support Paid Parental leave here.

Low Carbon

2009-03-25T07:11:00.006-04:00

From TerraPass:

The Forum for the Future is asking you to vote for the top low-carbon innovation. The winner will receive $75,000 to help bring their product to market. Choose from among five contenders:

Kyoto Box – a $7, solar-powered cardboard stove for use in rural Africa. It can halve firewood use and reduce exposure to dangerous air pollutants. (Kyoto Energy Ltd, Kenya)
Carbonscape – a giant industrial microwave which ‘fixes’ the carbon sucked out of the atmosphere by trees by turning wood into charcoal, which can be buried, used as fertilizer or as a highly-efficient fuel. (Carbonscape, New Zealand/UK)
Deflecktor – an inexpensive, lightweight aerodynamic cover for truck wheels that reduces drag. It can cut fuel consumption by 2%. (ADEF Ltd, USA)
Mootral – a feed additive derived from garlic that cuts the methane produced by cows, sheep and other ruminants by at least 5%, and up to 25% with optimum dosage. (Neem Biotech, UK)
Evaporating Tiles – an indoor cooling system that uses exhaust air to evaporate water within hollow tiles built into a false ceiling. It halves the energy use of air-conditioning systems. (Loughborough University, UK)
You can vote here.

Also, don't forget Earth Hour next Saturday, March 28th: Unplug, lights out, go dark for one hour at 8:30pm local time. This is a global effort that started in Sydney but has spread around the world.

Again, from TerraPass:

So this Earth Hour, turn off the lights and enjoy the companionship of a billion people around the world who, by participating in this simple gesture, are saying, with you, “Hey, I care about this too.” After all, it’s only by getting the great mass of humanity on board that we’re going to dock the climate change ship safely.

International Women's Day

2009-03-09T15:29:00.002-04:00

Today is International Women's Day. Click here for events, issues, and other interesting stuff to do this year. Click here to support Girl 2 Girl, which "builds leadership skills for at-risk middle-school girls. It offers structured workshops that challenge girls to think about themselves, their community, economic equity, and identity."

Quickie: Public Comment Period

2009-03-07T08:40:00.004-05:00

From Planned Parenthood:

President Obama began the process of overturning the Bush administration rule that limits the rights of patients to receive complete and accurate reproductive health information and services. This is huge — as you might know, we've been fighting the rule for months, and I'm just about ready to breathe one heck of a sigh of relief.

But it's not over yet. We still need your help!

In order to overturn the Bush administration rule, President Obama has to allow the public to comment on what he plans to do. That is where YOU come in. It is important that we show the administration that we support the president's proposal. Will you take a moment right now and add your name to the list of people who support reversing Bush's dangerous rule? Thank you, once again.

For background on this issue, click here.

Quickie: Who knew? UPDATED

2009-03-04T07:49:00.004-05:00

From TerraPass:

If you like to cook, you may already be familiar with Harold McGee, tireless kitchen tinkerer, experimenter, and debunker of myths. Recently McGee set out to find whether it’s really necessary to cook a pound of pasta in six quarts of water.

This may seem like a minor matter (and it is!), but Americans do boil a billion pounds or so of pasta every year. By McGee’s own math, cutting the heating time for those big pots of water could save the equivalent of half a million barrels of oil per year.

McGee found that not only can you boil pasta in significantly smaller amounts of water, you can actually start the noodles in the pot while the water is cold:
"It’s possible to butta la pasta in 1 1/2 or 2 quarts of boiling water without having the noodles stick. Short shapes just require occasional stirring. Long strands and ribbons need a quick wetting with cold water just before they go into the pot, then frequent stirring for a minute or two."

Honestly, who knew? I'm going to try this tonight.

UPDATE: So, I tried it last night and a pound of fettuccine cooked just fine in about 2 quarts of water. It was fine even though I forgot to wet them with cold water first. I forgot to put them in the pot while the water was cold...next time I'm trying that trick.

Planned Parenthood funding in jeopardy

2009-03-03T16:27:00.002-05:00

From PP:

Planned Parenthood needs your help — right now. Anti-choice Sen. David Vitter has introduced an amendment to the Appropriations bill currently being debated in the Senate that would strip federal Title X family planning funding from Planned Parenthood. We need your help to protect Planned Parenthood and the women, men and teens our affiliate health centers serve.

Sen. Vitter's amendment is just the latest in a long string of attacks against Planned Parenthood — and potentially the most devastating. By attempting to deny Title X family planning funding to our health centers, he and his anti-choice allies are making themselves absolutely clear: their goal is to shut down every Planned Parenthood health center in America.

We can't let them do it. Click here to tell your senators to vote "NO" on the Vitter Amendment.

This is the worst possible time for these outrageous attacks. More and more people are losing their jobs and their health insurance — and that means that safety-net providers like Planned Parenthood affiliate health centers are more important than ever. It's unconscionable to try to strip our funding at time when so many people are relying on us — but that's exactly what Sen. Vitter and his allies are trying to do.

This battle is happening right now on the floor of the Senate, and we need your help. Tell your senators that you support Planned Parenthood. Tell them to stand up against this latest attack against our health centers. Tell them to vote "NO."

Quickie: Food Safety

2009-02-26T09:07:00.003-05:00

Tell the FDA it's past time for reform. From MomsRising:

For the second time in as many years, peanut butter contaminated with deadly salmonella has been recalled. Even my pre-kindergartener can tell something is wrong--her favorite peanut butter sandwiches have been pulled from her lunch box.

This latest outbreak, tracked back to the now-bankrupt Peanut Corporation of America, has caused nearly 655 illnesses, and contributed to nine deaths.

Parents have suffered through two massive recalls of tainted peanut products in the past two years. That's two recalls too many. We shouldn't have to worry whether what's in our fridge is a healthy snack or dangerous to our children.

Act now to demand food safety reforms. All peanut companies-and all food processors in this country --must use top-notch safety practices to protect our families from food bourne health risks.

Send a letter to the FDA urging them to take action to keep our kids safe when eating sandwiches.

I think the FDA should be split into two separate agencies: one oversees drugs/devices and the other food. What do you think?

Just say no

2009-02-23T16:08:00.003-05:00

to Creationism, that is. Sign this petition to thank two Texas politicians for standing up to the creationists.

From change.org:

It takes courage for a politician in Texas to speak out against religious fundamentalism. Texas state Senator Rodney Ellis and Representative Patrick Rose deserve the thanks of all Americans - or those who value real science, anyway - for showing that courage.
Whether you're a Texan or not, if you want creationism out of high school science textbooks - and evolution in them - please take a moment to thank Sen. Ellis and Rep. Rose for fighting the Discovery Institute/creationist-dominated Texas State Board of Education (SBOE).

Please sign. It will also be cc'd to your own state and federal representatives...

h/t Debbie Effler

National Condom Week

2009-02-14T11:02:00.004-05:00

From Planned Parenthood:

While a lot of us are enjoying Valentine's Day with loved ones this weekend, there's another annual event taking place that you might have missed: this week is National Condom Week!

Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest provider of contraceptive services, so we're pretty big fans of National Condom Week. It's a time to talk about important issues like contraceptive access and education, not to mention prevention of sexually transmitted infections. But mostly, it's a time to celebrate that simple, effective, wonderful invention known as the latex condom.

So we've pulled together a few of our favorite condom-related videos and put them all in one playlist. Want to see condoms used in high fashion? Or maybe it's time for a brief refresher on properly using a condom? And then there's my favorite, the Golden Girls shopping at the pharmacy, with Bea Arthur yelling, "Condoms, Rose! Condoms!"

Click here to watch our playlist. While you're there, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel — it's the best way to stay up-to-date on the sometimes fun, sometimes serious, but always engaging videos from Planned Parenthood.

From all of us at Planned Parenthood, Happy National Condom Week!

Click here to find out more about National Condom Week. Click here to learn about the amazing OWL program that many UU Churches offer. I was a chaperone for an overnight and the kids are really funny and engaged...they learned all about lovemaking (gay and straight) last night and will find out everything they need to know about contraception, abortion, family planning, the importance of making good decisions, etc. today. Can't wait for my children to be old enough to go through the program.

Birthday wishes

2009-02-12T14:17:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to Charles Darwin, Abraham Lincoln, and Reverend Bruce Russell-Jayne!

What to do: Find a Darwin Day event to attend, go to a number of free Lincoln events this weekend in D.C., and/or come check out Rev. Bruce at Northern Hills Fellowship in Cincinnati one Sunday (he won't be preaching this Sunday but did his Evolution Sunday sermon last week.).

Happy birthday!

Green Valentine's Day Guide

2009-02-11T08:08:00.007-05:00

From TerraPass: don't give cut flowers unless they are from your own garden and/or you find locally grown flowers...which means, sorry, no roses. Why, you ask?

The United States imports between 60 and 80 percent of its cut flowers, and most of them come from greenhouses in Latin America, or even as far away as Africa or Europe. Up to 90 percent of the roses sold for Valentine's Day are from Colombia and Ecuador; in 2006, the wholesale value of imported roses was over $300 million.

The additional air freight for bringing these flowers in is certainly not insignificant. If your order (plus packaging) weighs two pounds, you are contributing more than six pounds of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. In addition, growers of flowers do not have to adhere to the food safety standards that produce suppliers do, and so flowers may be doused in chemicals to ward off pests to maintain their unblemished appearance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service checks for pests and invasive weeds on around 500 million plants (live and cut) each year, but they do not test for biocide residue. Even though you hopefully won't be eating your bouquet, the mere thought of skin contact or inhalation of chemicals may leave you in a less-than-romantic mood. This is also bad news for the people that pick the flowers and for the creeks that receive the runoff. In Colombia, flower-plantation workers are exposed to 127 types of pesticides, the Sierra Club tells us, and flower farms have polluted and depleted Bogota's streams and groundwater. (source)

What to do? Only buy flowers from Veriflora-certified florists such as Organic Bouquet or read this article to learn about the top green flower choices. You can also click here for treehugger's green gift guide.

Quickie: Valentine's Day cards

2009-02-10T15:48:00.004-05:00

Need quick, easy, and cheap Valentine's cards? Go no further than Save the Children. Click here to download and print cards and, if you can, make a donation. It will do your heart good.

Quickie: Feminist Calendar

2009-02-01T19:51:00.003-05:00

I just stumbled upon this feminist calendar over at the Feminist Majority Foundation. It lists upcoming events all over the country - there is some really cool and interesting stuff going on. Check it out and see if there's something happening in your neighborhood.

Not the change we need

2009-01-28T11:12:00.003-05:00

Family planning has been stripped from the stimulus package. From Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood:

I'm stunned. We've just confirmed news reports that provisions to expand access to affordable family planning will be stripped from the economic stimulus bill. Removing this provision is a betrayal of millions of low-income women, and it will place an even greater burden on state budgets that are already strained to the breaking point.

I was frustrated when I saw a parade of legislators and talking heads on television this weekend spreading false information about this commonsense bill. House Minority Leader John Boehner even claimed that the provision would cost millions of dollars — when the fact is it would save the federal government $700 million over 10 years.

I was even more shocked to read today that congressional leaders have taken these false arguments seriously and will remove family planning provisions from the stimulus bill. It's time for Washington to hear from the millions of Americans who support commonsense policies that invest in health care and help ease the economic downturn.

Let me be clear. The Medicaid Family Planning State Option is a simple way to make health care affordable for millions of Americans. It would do two important things:
It would allow millions of women to obtain basic health care. It would extend safety-net health care coverage for millions who are losing their jobs and health insurance in the economic downturn. Studies estimate that 2.3 million low-income women would receive coverage under this provision by 2014, and 500,000 women would be able to avoid unintended pregnancies.
In these difficult times, this provision would save states money. State budgets are being squeezed by the economic downturn, just as millions are losing their jobs and health insurance. The Medicaid Family Planning State Option not only would help states extend their coverage, it would generate savings for states and the federal government by expanding access to preventive care.

What to do? Again from PP:

Call the White House at 202-456-1111 — it's a quick and easy way to make a big impact. Click here for more details on what to say, and to report back to Planned Parenthood on your call. (A phone call is the best way to make your voice heard, but if you can't make the call, you can send an email here.)
Please, take two minutes now to help us raise a public outcry.

Quickie: SCHIP

2009-01-26T13:54:00.002-05:00

From MomsRising:

It's been a historic week, and not just because of the inauguration of our 44th president. After over a year of your unceasing demands for fair pay, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and it's headed for the President's signature.

And now for our second act, Congress is poised to substantially expand children's health coverage under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This is a huge step forward, particularly since 1 in every 8 children doesn't have healthcare coverage right now.

There is no stopping us now! Tell your Senators to vote in favor of expanding children's healthcare coverage.

[snip]

Decisive action is needed right away because the number of uninsured children is increasing as families lose employer-sponsored coverage due to record job losses. SCHIP is an effective, established program. Since 1997, the number of uninsured children has fallen by almost a third. SCHIP now covers more than 4 million children, though approximately 9 million children in America still live without the promise of healthcare and job loss is hitting more families every day. By fully funding and reauthorizing SCHIP, we can take a huge step toward healthcare coverage for all kids.

Urge your Senators to expand children's health coverage and oppose any amendments that would create barriers to children's coverage by clicking here.

Quickie: Submissions Wanted

2009-01-26T11:27:00.003-05:00

Click here to find out more.

h/t Feministing

Footprints and trees

2009-01-26T07:45:00.004-05:00

Carbonify offers a carbon dioxide emissions calculator to help you figure out your annual carbon output. Not only does it tell you how much Co2 you're putting out into the world, but how many trees you must then offset per month or year to balance your footprint. Very cool. You can purchase tree offsets from Carbonify here or from Erase Carbon Footprint.com here.

Or, learn which trees offset best and plant you own. Or, for the truly lazy, you can just read a book or two.

Carbonify also provides an offset directory to help you buy green tags so as to assuage your guilt - and all for as little as $2.95! I have a TerraPass myself.

h/t my cyber friend Hilary

Global Gag Rule & Fair Pay: It's a good day

2009-01-23T18:23:00.005-05:00

From Planned Parenthood:

I had no doubt it was going to happen, but I'm going to celebrate anyway. As one of his first official acts in office, President Obama has overturned the global gag rule. Join me in sending him our thanks today.

By overturning the global gag rule, President Obama has taken a tremendous first step toward promoting women's health around the world. Overseas health care providers will now be able to offer counseling, referrals, and services for the full range of reproductive health options to women without fear that the U.S. government will strip them of their funding.

I'm sending our new president a message of thanks on behalf of these providers, the women they serve, and those of us here in the U.S. who have been protesting the global gag rule since the day President Ronald Reagan first implemented it.

Awesome. And, it gets even better: From MomsRising:

We have great news: Last night, the U.S. Senate passed, by a strong majority, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Since this bill also recently passed the U.S. House, the bill will soon go to President Obama, who has promised to sign it into law.

Thank you -- you helped make this happen! Your nearly 100,000 messages to the U.S. House and Senate; nearly 9,000 resumes to Senator John McCain's office after he refused to support this legislation and said that women don't need fair pay, they need "more education and training"; tens of thousands of petition signatures; and work organizing more than 40 local, in-district meetings with your U.S. Senate offices last year was key to this success.

Take a moment to savor a job well done.

The Fair Pay Act will most likely be the very first bill President Obama signs into law.

Thirty six years - and at least 4 more: UPDATED

2009-01-22T14:08:00.005-05:00

Today is the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. From Planned Parenthood:

On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision, Roe v. Wade, recognizing the constitutional right to privacy and a woman’s right to choose abortion. Many of us don’t recall the deadly days before Roe when abortions were illegal and "choice" for too many women meant a dangerous back-alley procedure. In fact, in 1965, before Roe, nearly one-fifth of all maternal deaths in the United States were due to illegal, unsafe abortions.
It’s more than three decades later, yet a woman’s constitutional right to choose still isn’t safe and Roe is in serious jeopardy. In 2005, Congress confirmed the appointment of two new anti-choice Supreme Court justices — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., both of whom had been nominated by President George W. Bush. As a result, the court is closer than ever to overturning Roe.

Two years later, in a 5–4 decision, the court upheld the federal abortion ban passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in 2003. Although Roe v. Wade is still the law of the land, the ban criminalizes abortions in the second trimester of pregnancy that doctors say are often the safest and best to protect women's health. Thus, the ruling allows politicians to make medical decisions that should be made by women and their doctors. Now, anti-choice legislators are attempting to launch a wave of state abortion bans, in the hope that the new anti-choice court will overturn Roe, leaving a woman’s right to choose safe and legal abortion in the hands of 50 different state legislatures...

Here are ways to commemorate the day:

Blog for Choice - it's not too late...
Find an event in your area
Support President Obama's efforts at repealing the global gag rule
Learn the history of women's health care prior to legalized abortion
Send a letter to your members of congress urging them to support pro-choice legislation
Write a letter to the editor about why Roe is important and how thankful you are to have at least 4 more years of choice.

UPDATE:

Press release from the President:

On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose.

While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services.

On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.

Word.

No Nukes

2009-01-18T20:15:00.003-05:00

If "no nukes" is a hot issue for you, check out this post from Ojai Peace Coalition Action Blog:

Nuclear Actions: 4 Steps in 2 Minutes
The greatest threat to our planet and future generations is nuclear weapons followed by global warming. There is now an incredible international effort to begin the work to ELIMINATE all nuclear weapons! The people have spoken and 73% of American's are in favor of eliminating these weapons. This is not a liberal or conservative idea. This is survival idea. We all have many important concerns and issues. They do not matter if there is no planet. Will you take two minutes to make this happen?

1. Please endorse the Campaign for a Nuclear Weapons Free World as we let President elect Obama know our feelings. He has already expressed his support but he must hear from his constituents as he begins his presidency.

2. Sign on to the International Global Zero Campaign started last month in Paris. This group was launched by 100 international leaders and calls on all world leaders to begin in earnest the work to eliminate all nuclear weapons. Add your support to their amazing list of signatories.

3. Make Nuclear Weapons Abolition a "Top 10" Issue for The Obama Administration
The website Change.org (not to be confused with Change.gov) has generated 250,000 online votes in the first round of a contest to choose the "ten best ideas for change" in America. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation entered an idea: "US Leadership to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Globally" and has been churning out votes to get it into the top ten vote-getters. Those ten will be promoted, with fanfare, to the Obama administration and the public.

Vote for it online by clicking here!

Voting for the "Top 10" is happening online now and until 5:00 pm Eastern time, January 15th. About 90 ideas made it into the final round, so the competition is stiff!

4. Finally, pass this action on to everyone and every list you have. We can do it!

Sponsored by Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions

Two minutes? Can't get any easier (or lazy) than that!

Quickie: Change

2009-01-18T20:00:00.000-05:00

Have you visited change.org yet? What a cool site. This is not Obama's change.gov site (which is also cool), but

I encourage you to check it out.

Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act

2009-01-16T11:43:00.003-05:00

Congress is making decisions about what to include in the economic recovery package. The Unemployment Insurance Moderinization Act should be part of it. Indeed, an extension of the Act is currently being proposed by Congressional Democrats and President-Elect Obama.

From MomsRising:

The Lowdown: Including the UIMA in the economic recovery package is essential because right now only 37 percent of unemployed workers receive unemployment benefits. That leaves 63% of people out! This is because Unemployment Insurance was created in 1935, but the workforce has changed dramatically since then: There are far more low-wage, part-time, and women workers in the labor market whose incomes are essential to the family budget.

To be an effective safety net, Unemployment Insurance needs to be updated to meet 21st century economic demands on families. Without these updates, the economic recovery package will fall short of supporting working families who will be the engine of our long-term economic success. Current Unemployment Insurance programs that do not cover part-time workers and low-wage workers discriminate against mothers and threaten the economic security of families.

Click here to ask your Congressional Representatives to include the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act in the American Recovery and Reinvestment plan proposed by Congress and President-Elect Obama.

With employment losses mounting, unemployment insurance is a must-have for thousands of our fellow Americans. Please take action now.

Triclosan is trouble

2009-01-15T08:10:00.005-05:00

The chemical, triclosan, is a synthetic, broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that in recent years has
exploded onto the consumer market in a wide variety of antibacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpastes, cosmetics, fabrics,
plastics, and other products. Studies have increasingly linked triclosan to a range of health and environmental effects, from skin irritation, allergy susceptibility, bacterial and compounded antibiotic resistant, and dioxin contamination
to destruction of fragile aquatic ecosystems.

What to do? Stop using products with triclosan (like Dial Liquid Soap and Colgate Total, among many others). Find alternatives and,

Wash hands frequently and thoroughly. Regular soaps lower the surface tension of water, and thus wash away unwanted bacteria. Lather hands for at least 10 to 15 seconds and then rinse of in warm water. It is important to wash hands often, especially when handling food, before eating, after going to the bathroom, and when someone in your house is sick.
Dry hands with a clean towel to help brush off any germs that did not get washed down the drain
Wash surfaces that come in contact with food with a detergent and water
Wash children’s hands and toys regularly to prevent infection
Because triclosan has become so ubiquitous in soaps and
toiletries, make sure to read all ingredients when buying
these products. There are also some essential oils that
have antimicrobial properties, such as Australian tea tree
oil, grapefruit seed extract, and pine oil.

Preserve

2009-01-09T14:11:00.004-05:00

How cool is this?

Preserve started the Gimme 5 program to help more people recycle their #5 plastic. Products packaged in #5 plastic are sold widely, but #5 is not recycled in most communities. By recycling your #5 plastic through the Gimme 5 program, you are saving plastic from being sent to landfills, keeping the plastic local by recycling it here in the USA, and you are helping to turn it into new Preserve products.
You have two ways to Gimme 5:

Send it to us (see below).
Drop your #5s at a Preserve Gimme 5 bin (available in select Whole Foods Market stores).
Click here for a list of locations.

•Mail or drop off any CLEAN plastic item with a #5 stamp on the bottom.
•Common #5s include yogurt cups, sour cream containers, hummus tubs, and medicine bottles.
•Through our partnership with Brita, we accept Brita filters for recycling. Click here to learn how to recycle your Brita filter.

To Gimme 5 by mail:
•To help make this program a win for the environment, it is important that you send your plastics back to us via ground shipping (as opposed to air). Reuse a box if you can!
• Make sure to include your return address on the box and add your name and email address inside the box so we can thank you for your good work.
• Unfortunately, we are unable to pay for you to mail your #5s to us. However, our retail-based Gimme 5 program (starting in January) will allow you to drop off your used #5s at no cost.

Send Gimme 5 shipments to:
Preserve Gimme 5
823 NYS Rte 13
Cortland, NY 13045

If you have any questions about the Gimme 5 program or need to get a shipment approved,
call us at 888-354-7296.

I blogged about their Brita filter program, but had no idea about all the other cool recycling stuff they do. Read on:

Recycline makes Preserve®– a line of stylish, high performance, eco-friendly products for your home. As a company, we strive to combine socially and environmentally responsible business practices with groundbreaking design to create products that people feel good about having in their homes. We believe that choosing eco-friendly products doesn’t mean having to sacrifice quality, price, or performance. We believe they should make you feel good.

When you are done using products you purchase from them,

Preserve toothbrushes, razor handles and tongue cleaners can have a second life as plastic lumber for park benches, decks and more!

Very cool.

Resolutions

2009-01-07T08:24:00.004-05:00

Need help making some meaningful resolutions? Click here to "resolve to make a difference" and here for green resolutions.

One Lazy Liberal

Pakistan Floods

Oceanic issues

Wolf victory

Victories

Lots to do

Such crap

Have to share

Action Update

Lions, abortions, and a victory, oh my!

Lots to do

All about the animals

I'm baacckk!

Hiatus

Get busy people

Stupak petition

Healthcare Vote

Darfur

Stuff to keep you busy

No brainer of the week

Scholastic needs schooling: UPDATED

Being a woman = pre-existing condition?

""What do you think us boys fought for at Omaha Beach?"

Stuff to do

Happy Halloween? Not so much. UPDATED

Afraid

Support the Public Option

School Fundraisers

Letter to Editor

This should keep you busy for a while

Stuff to do

Not an option

Healthcare Reform

More stuff to do today.

Mountaintop coal removal

Regulations.gov is your online source for U.S. government regulations from nearly300 federal agencies.

Good Guide

More stuff to do today.

Renewing my TerraPass

Kiss-In

More to do

Lots to do

Too good not to share

Hiatus

Quickie: What's on YOUR food?

Pepsi and the gays

Tell Obama to straighten up on gay rights

Free Bumper Sticker

Quickie: Action on Choice

Circus Hell

Quickie: Condemn the killing of Dr. Tiller

Blogging for LGBT Families

Tragedy - UPDATED ACTION ITEMS

Blerg

Another chance to speak your mind

Ban BPA

Quickie: Marriage Equality

Breastfeeding Promotion Act

Stand up for Health Care

Legalize Marijuana?

For the love of...

Quickie: Kids and Healthcare

Cinco de mayo

Children of Sierra Leone

Quickie: Just Say No

Quickie: National Domestic Violence Hotline

Do you pledge?

EPA and ethanol

Secretary of Health and Human Services UPDATED

Reproductive Health

Can you afford to get sick?

Happy Earth Day!

Kiva

Quickie: Free Shipping!

Auction for a good cause

Take Action

Reminder

Take action now

Low Carbon

International Women's Day

Regulations.gov is your online source for U.S. government regulations from nearly
300 federal agencies.