Social Justice News, 1-5-07

Hey everybody,
This may be a short newsletter as I’ve come down with whatever the latest bug is that’s going round and I only want to head back to bed. I think I got it, along with two of my co-workers, from my manager, who insisted on coming to work last week while sick and contagious. I complained about this, because it ain’t right anywhere and most especially in food service, and was told to mind my own business, use hand sanitizer. Speaking of work and being sick, they have a new policy that goes into effect today; it’s called Don’t Get Sick. Or if you don’t get sick, don’t miss work or we’ll require a doctor’s note if you want to keep your job, even if it’s just a common cold. Since we peons don’t get Health Insurance, it would cost us $150 just to walk into a clinic, plus procedures. Even with insurance it would be twenty bucks or better –and that’s a lot to pay for a cold. So, they want you to work, sick or not, or lose your job. Which might not sound that outrageous, until you realize that the folks in the deli and the bakery are also not allowed to take any time off to recover –and one of them has been working all week with strep throat. Gee, I wonder how many folks are going to come down sick? I might get fired when I show up tomorrow without a doctor’s slip. It’s actually cheaper for me to lose this job and find another one than go to the doctor! Oh yeah, and they’ve got me scheduled to work the next ten days in a row, without a day off. Mostly nine hour shifts to boot –and school starts next week. Needless to say, I’m looking for another job.

GOOD NEWS
Polar Bears May Go on Endangered List: This is good news anyway you read it. But here’s something you might not know –whenever something is done in this country that affects or may affect an endangered species, it becomes subject to the ESA and must comply with it to avoid harm to the threatened species. Well, what threatens polar bears? Global warming. And what causes that? Pretty much everything. So, every new power plant, every new car sold, every new strip mall and subdivision, will suddenly become subject to the ESA. Corporate lawyers are (understandably) sweating bullets. Me, I’m sitting back and waiting for the lawsuits to start rolling in. And chuckling. The head of one environmental group alone (can’t remember which one right now, sorry) says they are going to file actions to challenge 19 new coal-fired power plants in the Midwest where they’re based –for a start. Nixon may have been a crook, but signing the ESA into law was one of the greatest things any President ever did for our country.
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?3549

2006 Activist Successes: The past year wasn’t all bad news, as this article from Alternet shows.
http://www.alternet.org/story/46015/

Garden Girl Promo: An promotional video for an independent DIY show on permaculture, sustainable living, etc.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-882082844236943883&pr=goog-sl

10 Top Bizarro Environmental Moments of 2006: This is under good news because some of it is, and because all of it is funny, and we could all use a laugh right now!
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/12/29/183222/30

CLIMATE CHANGE
Hottest Year Ever: Predictions say that this year will be the hottest year ever recorded. But global warming isn’t real. Of course not. That would, like, require people to do, like, something.
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2116873.ece

China’s Warning Paper: Excerpts from China’s first climate assessment report that are, in a word, scary. Who thought a communist country would admit the truth before our putative democracy?
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1227-02.htm

POLITICS
Want Bush to read your mail? Well, he can now according to the bill he just signed. Gee, whatever happened to the Constitution? I think you’ll find it in the storage cabinet of the White House, in the spot labeled ‘toilet paper. Assuming it hasn’t all ready been used, that is.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003508676_mail04.html

Europe’s Plan for Energy Dilemma: Europe has come up with a plan for tackling the energy dilemma. But will it work –and will people go for it? The politicos fear a revolt at the ballot box from the very idea of giving up life-long ‘entitlements’. (I say, let ‘em revolt, and then when Russia cuts off their oil and gas supply –either because of politics or dwindling supplies –and they’re sitting in the dark, say ‘I told you so’. Allright, I’m not that vindictive, but the idea does have a sort of appeal, at least to my cold addled brain.)
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/05/business/EU-FEA-FIN-Europe-Fuel-for-the-Future.php

Higher Taxes Aren’t Worst Disservice to the Poor: This article speaks for itself, and I really like this comment, about hurricanes in New Orleans: "Use your brains. If you are ignored when the sun is shining and the weather is fair, if no one cares about you when you get flooded after a little bit of rain, what do you think is going to happen to you in a big storm? You'll be left to drown."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/05/MTGUENCE8P1.DTL

POLLUTION


ENVIRONMENT
Southeast faces disaster: One final warning from the outgoing head of the National Hurricane Center. Think anyone will listen to him? Not a chance.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-hurricane3jan03,0,3484162.story?track=mostviewed-homepage

Highest Grain Prices Ever: Lester Brown has released a new article detailing how ethanol will (and is) affecting food prices worldwide.
http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2007/Update63.htm
and speaking of ethanol:

The Ethics of Biofuels: An excellent new paper from Sharon Astyk lays out 12 principles for the ethical use of biofuels, including some controversial ones, such as: don’t let people starve so your fat a** can drive a gas guzzling SUV.
http://www.energybulletin.net/24169.html

OTHER
A Year of Buying Nothing New: 3,000 people signed on for the Compact, which celebrated its 1 year anniversary January 1st. BTW, I am one of those 3,000 people, and I’m happy to take about it with anyone who wishes!
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/27/COMPACT.TMP

WWJD? asks a Jew: A surprising essay from someone of the humble carpenters own religious faith.
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1226-21.htm

Holy Warriors of America: Turns out I wasn’t far off when I once thought to myself how most of our cops, at least here in ‘Bama, looked like textbook members of the Aryan Nation and the KKK.
http://www.alternet.org/story/46211/

Website of the Week: A blog from a Minnesota woman engaged in a journey towards sustainability. http://simplereduce.blogspot.com/

UU Joke of the Week: (this one made me laugh out loud)
How many members of a UUA committee does it take to change a light bulb?
Ten, of whom at least
five must be women
two black
three ministers
one Canadian
one youth
two elderly
two gay or lesbian
one Christian
one disabled
one a UUA Board member
and no more than three from any one UUA District!

I'm off to go back to sleep for a while, and then to make some rice-lentil stew to eat for dinner with some homemade bread I baked on Wednesday. Yes, I have been called a hippie. Have a good weekend everybody!
-Rebecca