Social Justice News, 12-1-06
Note: Hopefully this will finally post!
Hey everybody,
There is a LOT of news this week. I knew what kind of week it was going to be when I had enough to write two or three newsletters on Monday evening. I decided to include most of it, so some of them don’t have the full write-up I usually do. I just didn’t have time to do that for all these stories. On a personal note, I got a job!!!!
GOOD NEWS
Full Faith and Credit: There was finally a ruling this week in the nasty custody dispute between a former lesbian couple. They had a civil union in Vermont, and when they split, the one went to Virginia where gay marriage is outlawed after the court in Vermont ordered child visitation for her partner. A lengthy battle has ensued, which ended today. With these words: “The only question before us is whether, considering the (Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act), Virginia can deny full faith and credit to the orders of the Vermont court.” “It cannot.” The court not only ended the custody dispute, but unwittingly (or not) laid a precedent under which gay marriage bans themselves will eventually be challenged. After all, if the Full Faith and Credit Clause requires you to recognize what amounts to part of a divorce decree, how can they deny the relationship that caused it in the first place?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15937110/
Ethical Spending: “Green” spending has now surpassed alcohol and cigarettes for the first time, at least in the U.K.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6187338.stm
David vs. Goliath: Small farmers are finally taking on the big boys –and some of them are winning.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061125/BUSINESS/611250328/1003
CLIMATE CHANGE
Equal Justice Under The Law: It is inscribed above the grand marble steps, inside the building itself in numerous places, and on almost every souvenir sold in the gift shop. The question is, equal justice for whom? Corporations? The rich or super-rich? Politicians? Special Interest groups? All U.S. Citizens? All human beings? What about polar bears, penguins, and the majority of the world’s birds, all of whom are in danger of extinction due to global warming? Global Warming went to the U.S. Supreme Court this week. This may well be the most important case the Court has ever heard –more important even than Roe or Brown. Why? Because the U.S. is the most powerful country in the world and the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. At stake in the global warming debate is the future of the entire world –and this case may well tip the balance one way or the other.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/29/MNGE7MM1SN41.DTL
Butterflies, Ski-lift operators, and Polar Bears: What do they all have in common? They’re all on the move, trying to outrun climate change. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/25/AR2006112500877.html
Speeding Up: The increase in greenhouse gas emissions has accelerated to 2.5% annual growth, up from 1%. At this rate, we’re on target to make the high end of the IPCC emissions projections –which basically means the world is toast.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6189600.stm
Would you like some carbon dioxide with that? This 3 part series describes how our everyday activities contribute to global warming –and what we can do about it.
http://www.oregonlive.com/special/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1164336921318820.xml&coll=7
http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/116433871936410.xml&coll=7
http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/116433873536410.xml&coll=7
10 Questions for Al Gore: A nice interview Time has done with Al Gore.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1562957,00.html
Exxon Mobil Bans ‘Truth’ from Schools: This group of science teachers refused an offer of 50,000 free copies of An Inconvenient Truth because some members of their board who were major contributors didn’t like it. The most prominent one? Exxon Mobil. Gee, only corporate sponsored “science” is allowed in school these days. Who knew?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112400789_pf.html
POLITICS
Your brother robbed a bank; you’re DNA, please: Sound outrageous? Its not; the UK is now going to start collecting the DNA from relatives of those who commit crimes. The police will then target those families and others with “similar genes” when future crimes are committed. Gee, didn’t this happen in a bad sci-fi movie a few years ago? http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article2016134.ece
No Sex Till 30!!!: The Bush Administration is extending its (complete failure) abstinence programs from teens to all adults under 30. Um yeah, that’ll work. So much for the privacy of your own bedroom. What happens next –sanctions against unwed, adult mothers? Hey, I wouldn’t put it past them to try!
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-30-abstinence-message_x.htm?csp=34
Former General Says Rummy Okay Torture: Not only did he approve it, he wrote and signed a memo detailing what he considered acceptable. Sleep deprivation, etc. Something tells me this General will be called to testify at Rumsfeld’s war crimes tribunal in Germany. Mr. Rumsfeld himself may never be able to leave the country again without being arrested for war crimes!
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-11-25T164527Z_01_L25726413_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-RUMSFELD.xml&src=rss
POLLUTION
Stupid New Pesticide Rules: Sorry, but that’s the way I see it. Farmers will now be allowed to spray their pesticides directly over open water, including lakes and streams. Now, that’s a real bright idea. Don’t kill the bugs, make the pesticide makers lots of dough, and poison the waters. Down the line, the increased cancer rates will make Big Pharma and lots of oncologists happy. Good for everybody –as long as you’re a corporation. Is Bush TYRING to ruin the world? Oops, stupid question, never mind….
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1128-05.htm
Rubber Duckys and Cancer: Remember those cute rubber duckys you played with as a child? The ones still given to infants to play with? How about teethers, rattles, and baby dolls? Well it turns out that many of these toys contain bisphenol A –a chemical linked with serious health problems, including cancer. The EPA says there is no danger, but Europe has banned them, and now San Francisco is following suit. The toymakers are of course, suing to overturn the ban.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/19/TOXICTOYS.TMP
Forever Polluted: The mess created by this nuclear plant will never be entirely cleaned up.
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1042207.0.dounreay_will_pollute_for_decades.php
ENVIRONMENT
An “Unexplained” Epidemic: Asthma rates have gone up 60% in the last few decades, along with severe reactions to things like peanuts. The article says no one understands this epidemic –hmm, have they looked out the window lately? To paraphrase Robin Williams, when you have squirrels outside clutching their throats and going “Help me, I can’t breathe!” something is seriously wrong. My beloved cat I lost last winter had asthma –as does one of the two I’ve adopted this year. Hmm, let me see if can add two and two here…
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/health/28seco.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
OTHER
Stealing Water: In yet another place on this troubled globe, water has become so precious, so hard to get, that people have turned to stealing it. Mostly not to make a buck either –but to use it for their selves. Where is this place? Its not some developing country you’ve never heard of and can’t find on a map. It is, believe it or not, Australia.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/black-market-in-water-stolen-from-farm-tanks/2006/11/25/1164341447007.html
Evil and Powerful: A collection of all the awful things people are saying about women (mostly in the U.S.). Both funny and scary.
http://www.alternet.org/story/44979/
Dirty Tricks: Junk food companies are still pulling their old tricks in an effort to target kids. Surprised? Nah, me either.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1124-04.htm
Food or Ethanol? Demand for ethanol is driving up food prices.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=ayonmpI2Y1dA&refer=news
Phelps not like any Primitive Baptist I know: An Alabama Primitive Baptist discussed Fred Phelps recent visit to Bama.
http://www.demopolistimes.com/articles/2006/11/25/opinion/opinion9985.txt
Website of the Week: The Earth Policy Institue. http://www.earth-policy.org/
UU Joke of the Week: Do UU's ever pray?
Only when they think a Democrat is going to lose an election.
Have a good weekend everybody!
Hey everybody,
There is a LOT of news this week. I knew what kind of week it was going to be when I had enough to write two or three newsletters on Monday evening. I decided to include most of it, so some of them don’t have the full write-up I usually do. I just didn’t have time to do that for all these stories. On a personal note, I got a job!!!!
GOOD NEWS
Full Faith and Credit: There was finally a ruling this week in the nasty custody dispute between a former lesbian couple. They had a civil union in Vermont, and when they split, the one went to Virginia where gay marriage is outlawed after the court in Vermont ordered child visitation for her partner. A lengthy battle has ensued, which ended today. With these words: “The only question before us is whether, considering the (Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act), Virginia can deny full faith and credit to the orders of the Vermont court.” “It cannot.” The court not only ended the custody dispute, but unwittingly (or not) laid a precedent under which gay marriage bans themselves will eventually be challenged. After all, if the Full Faith and Credit Clause requires you to recognize what amounts to part of a divorce decree, how can they deny the relationship that caused it in the first place?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15937110/
Ethical Spending: “Green” spending has now surpassed alcohol and cigarettes for the first time, at least in the U.K.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6187338.stm
David vs. Goliath: Small farmers are finally taking on the big boys –and some of them are winning.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061125/BUSINESS/611250328/1003
CLIMATE CHANGE
Equal Justice Under The Law: It is inscribed above the grand marble steps, inside the building itself in numerous places, and on almost every souvenir sold in the gift shop. The question is, equal justice for whom? Corporations? The rich or super-rich? Politicians? Special Interest groups? All U.S. Citizens? All human beings? What about polar bears, penguins, and the majority of the world’s birds, all of whom are in danger of extinction due to global warming? Global Warming went to the U.S. Supreme Court this week. This may well be the most important case the Court has ever heard –more important even than Roe or Brown. Why? Because the U.S. is the most powerful country in the world and the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. At stake in the global warming debate is the future of the entire world –and this case may well tip the balance one way or the other.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/29/MNGE7MM1SN41.DTL
Butterflies, Ski-lift operators, and Polar Bears: What do they all have in common? They’re all on the move, trying to outrun climate change. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/25/AR2006112500877.html
Speeding Up: The increase in greenhouse gas emissions has accelerated to 2.5% annual growth, up from 1%. At this rate, we’re on target to make the high end of the IPCC emissions projections –which basically means the world is toast.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6189600.stm
Would you like some carbon dioxide with that? This 3 part series describes how our everyday activities contribute to global warming –and what we can do about it.
http://www.oregonlive.com/special/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1164336921318820.xml&coll=7
http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/116433871936410.xml&coll=7
http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/116433873536410.xml&coll=7
10 Questions for Al Gore: A nice interview Time has done with Al Gore.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1562957,00.html
Exxon Mobil Bans ‘Truth’ from Schools: This group of science teachers refused an offer of 50,000 free copies of An Inconvenient Truth because some members of their board who were major contributors didn’t like it. The most prominent one? Exxon Mobil. Gee, only corporate sponsored “science” is allowed in school these days. Who knew?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112400789_pf.html
POLITICS
Your brother robbed a bank; you’re DNA, please: Sound outrageous? Its not; the UK is now going to start collecting the DNA from relatives of those who commit crimes. The police will then target those families and others with “similar genes” when future crimes are committed. Gee, didn’t this happen in a bad sci-fi movie a few years ago? http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article2016134.ece
No Sex Till 30!!!: The Bush Administration is extending its (complete failure) abstinence programs from teens to all adults under 30. Um yeah, that’ll work. So much for the privacy of your own bedroom. What happens next –sanctions against unwed, adult mothers? Hey, I wouldn’t put it past them to try!
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-30-abstinence-message_x.htm?csp=34
Former General Says Rummy Okay Torture: Not only did he approve it, he wrote and signed a memo detailing what he considered acceptable. Sleep deprivation, etc. Something tells me this General will be called to testify at Rumsfeld’s war crimes tribunal in Germany. Mr. Rumsfeld himself may never be able to leave the country again without being arrested for war crimes!
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-11-25T164527Z_01_L25726413_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-RUMSFELD.xml&src=rss
POLLUTION
Stupid New Pesticide Rules: Sorry, but that’s the way I see it. Farmers will now be allowed to spray their pesticides directly over open water, including lakes and streams. Now, that’s a real bright idea. Don’t kill the bugs, make the pesticide makers lots of dough, and poison the waters. Down the line, the increased cancer rates will make Big Pharma and lots of oncologists happy. Good for everybody –as long as you’re a corporation. Is Bush TYRING to ruin the world? Oops, stupid question, never mind….
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1128-05.htm
Rubber Duckys and Cancer: Remember those cute rubber duckys you played with as a child? The ones still given to infants to play with? How about teethers, rattles, and baby dolls? Well it turns out that many of these toys contain bisphenol A –a chemical linked with serious health problems, including cancer. The EPA says there is no danger, but Europe has banned them, and now San Francisco is following suit. The toymakers are of course, suing to overturn the ban.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/19/TOXICTOYS.TMP
Forever Polluted: The mess created by this nuclear plant will never be entirely cleaned up.
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1042207.0.dounreay_will_pollute_for_decades.php
ENVIRONMENT
An “Unexplained” Epidemic: Asthma rates have gone up 60% in the last few decades, along with severe reactions to things like peanuts. The article says no one understands this epidemic –hmm, have they looked out the window lately? To paraphrase Robin Williams, when you have squirrels outside clutching their throats and going “Help me, I can’t breathe!” something is seriously wrong. My beloved cat I lost last winter had asthma –as does one of the two I’ve adopted this year. Hmm, let me see if can add two and two here…
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/health/28seco.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
OTHER
Stealing Water: In yet another place on this troubled globe, water has become so precious, so hard to get, that people have turned to stealing it. Mostly not to make a buck either –but to use it for their selves. Where is this place? Its not some developing country you’ve never heard of and can’t find on a map. It is, believe it or not, Australia.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/black-market-in-water-stolen-from-farm-tanks/2006/11/25/1164341447007.html
Evil and Powerful: A collection of all the awful things people are saying about women (mostly in the U.S.). Both funny and scary.
http://www.alternet.org/story/44979/
Dirty Tricks: Junk food companies are still pulling their old tricks in an effort to target kids. Surprised? Nah, me either.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1124-04.htm
Food or Ethanol? Demand for ethanol is driving up food prices.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=ayonmpI2Y1dA&refer=news
Phelps not like any Primitive Baptist I know: An Alabama Primitive Baptist discussed Fred Phelps recent visit to Bama.
http://www.demopolistimes.com/articles/2006/11/25/opinion/opinion9985.txt
Website of the Week: The Earth Policy Institue. http://www.earth-policy.org/
UU Joke of the Week: Do UU's ever pray?
Only when they think a Democrat is going to lose an election.
Have a good weekend everybody!
posted by RAS at 12/03/2006 03:54:00 PM
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