Social Justice News, 2/23/07

Hey everybody,
It’s been a crazy week. Both personally and for the world in general. Chlorine bombs going off in Iraq, immigrant children locked up in prison here, the weather haywire everywhere –all of its enough to make me want to bury my head in the sand! Work has been a nightmare; someone joked yesterday that they must have hung a sign out front that read “Psychotics this way please”. It was that bad. The day before one of my relatives, who I haven’t seen or spoken to in years and who doesn’t even live in town, came into the restaurant. To see me, and of course I refused. I don’t know how this person found out where I work, but I’m not happy about it.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Locking Up Family Values: Please, please, PLEASE listen/watch Friday’s Democracy Now. Or at least the first half hour. We are one step away from fascism. When will we learn? We did this crap to the Native Americans, to Chinese Americans, to Japanese Americans, and now to everyone else who immigrates here (or even pass through). This is how things started with Hitler –and when things in the country got really bad (mostly because of his policies, but that’s another discussion), he had a ready scapegoat and “final solution” at hand. You don’t think that could happen here? Remember what happened to the first people who inhabited these shores.
http://www.democracynow.org/

China to need dykes within a decade: Sea level is now rising so fast that China will need to build dykes within the next ten years to protect low-lying cities. Global whatsit?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070216/sc_afp/chinaclimatewarmingoceans_070216081935;_ylt=Aq4OgkeH99OGGB3FxvptdxNrAlMA

GOOD NEWS
The Mashpee Wampanoag Finally Win Federal Recognition: They are now considered a sovereign Native American Nation, after decades of trying to prove their status. I would have thought being there to greet the Pilgrims and hosting the first Thanksgiving would’ve been enough, but hey, what do I know?
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/02/mashpee_wampano_1.html

Investors Steamed About Global Warming: A group of investors is taking some companies to task for not responding to climate change. About time, too!
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0214/p02s02-usec.html

CLIMATE CHANGE
Winds Shifting, Dead Zones Expanding: Long stable wind and current patterns are changing thanks to climate change. This is causing even more dead zones and wiping out whole marine ecosystems, sometimes overnight. I’m not a pessimist by nature, but sometimes I agree with one of my friends, who looks at the issue of climate change and says “we’re ****ed”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,2015826,00.html

Grim Future for West: Now isn’t the time to move to California, or any of the Sunbelt.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/02/03/MNGR9NUBLN1.DTL

POLITICS
Patents on Life: Yes, a corporation should be able to patent a gene that has existed pretty much since the beginning of time. Not. Well, not unless said corporation is really an entity named God.
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0213-25.htm

POLLUTION
Low-Level Toxicants Can Harm Brain: It turns out that even lower levels of mercury and other toxins can harms fetuses. Maybe there’s a reason the coal industry has blocked so many studies on mercury. The emissions from our power plant didn’t do you or your baby any harm. Of course not. Don’t you know that mercury is good for you?
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hslead0206,0,3014503.story?coll=ny-leadhealthnews-headlines

More Plastic Problems: More discussion on the fertility risks associated with plastics. Gee, maybe polyester and cheap cooking utensils weren’t such good ideas after all!
http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/47849/

ENVIRONMENT
Bye Bye Honeybees? Colony Collapse is devastating the bee population all across the country. And since bees are vital to the pollination of most plants (including all the major food crops) this is Bad News. GMOs strike again?
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=2867049&page=1

OTHER
Learning to Live as Voluntary Peasants (discusses The Farm): This is an interesting piece, and discusses several ecovillages with a focus on our neighbors just to the north, The Farm.
http://culturechange.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=1

“Perfect Storm” of re-enactors: This is a hoot! But it’s a good thing neither the Civil Rights folks or the Confederate ones were in the mood for a uh, confrontation.
http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Columns/The_Fabricator/2007/02/08/Re_enactor_Perfect_Storm_Strik/index.shtml

Arrows for the War: These people are flippin’ mad. I can’t help but wonder what will happen to them as the economy tanks and depression sets in, Peak Oil starts affecting this country, and climate change becomes obvious. Will they still think having 6 or more children is a good thing when they can’t even feed three?
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061127/joyce


Website of the Week: A practical approach to organic gardening.
http://www.momsorganichouse.com/a-practical-approach-to-organic-gardening/

UU Joke of the Week: Jesus said to them, "Who do you say that I am?" The Unitarian Universalist Christian replied "You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground of our being, the kerygma of which we find the ultimate meaning in our interpersonal relationships." And Jesus said "What?"

Have a good weekend everybody!
-Rebecca

Social Justice News 2-2-07

Hey everybody,
My new job is going all right. I like it much better than the last one! Classes are about to kick my butt though. Two chapters and a paper per week per class –that’s a lot of work! One of my profs assigned two 60 page chapters. Talk about overload! No worries though, I’m handling it all right. Wait until the ground thaws so I can get out into the garden and plant, and I might have some problems then!
I’ve been baking my own bread for a couple of months now, but it’s all been plain old sandwich bread –whole wheat mostly. Tonight I got a little adventurous and decided to try my hand at cinnamon raisin bread. I’m not sure how it turned out (its still cooling) but I’m anxious to try it.
Molly Ivins died this week. Godspeed Molly –we’ll miss you. Meanwhile, Shrub is getting ready to attack Iran. But if you think Shrub is bad, meet Sam Brownback. He’s a Senator for Kansas who’s running for the Republican nomination. Here’s a man who (literally) makes his staff wash his feet once a year. Seriously. Folks, I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. Which begs the question –is he running for President, or for Pharaoh?

FEATURED ARTICLES
“Iranian” Agents Abduct, Kill 4 American Soldiers: What’s this doing on a Social Justice Newsletter? You’re probably thinking to yourself. Well, we all know that Shrub is planning to attack Iran, and more and more incidents are being blamed on that country all of a sudden, coincidence like. Right? Well, check this out: these Iranians had AMERICAN weapons, wore AMERICAN uniforms, drove AMERICAN SUVs, spoke ENGLISH, and the leader of the assault team was BLOND. When was the last time you met a blond Iranian? Hmmm, Gulf of Tonkin ring a bell, anyone?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070127/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_sneak_attack

Terrorists Next Door, Typing at their computers: Yep, you heard that right. Bush and co. have expanded the use of the term terrorist again –this time to include anyone who SAYS anything that causes an ‘animal enterprise’ to lose money. The first victims? A group of activists who videotaped dogs being tortured at a lab and exposed the crimes.
http://www.counterpunch.org/laws01262007.html

GOOD NEWS
Nobel for Gore? Al Gore was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize this week. Woot!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070201/ap_on_re_eu/norway_nobel_gore_1;_ylt=Ag4NnFuh8RKsAdzjLFX0xE9rAlMA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

REAL Carbon Sequestration: Forget pumping CO2 into underground caverns. These folks are doing it another way –they’re planting trees.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070126/ap_on_sc/carbon_forestry_1;_ylt=ApSjgk4A7TPKmLtPp1.7T6VrAlMA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

CLIMATE CHANGE
Environment more Important than Economy: Or so Canadians said in a recent poll. They, at least, have finally woken up. The question is, will they act on it or not?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070129.wclimatepoll29/BNStory/ClimateChange

Where have all the birds gone? Birds are disappearing at alarming rates in Britain. Of course, this is due to climate change, but since birds don’t vote, and can’t make campaign contributions, who cares?
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2193673.ece

Empty Gestures Won’t Save the Planet: Recycle but fly to Europe on vacation? Change out the lightbulbs but leave the heat turned up? Then this article (and me) are talking to you.
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2184477.ece

Climate Refugees: All ready, tens of thousands have been displaced by climate change. Now experts are saying that will climb to 200 million this century. I would say that they’re too optimistic –with sea levels rising as they are, I expect that number to be ten times that, at least.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070201/sc_afp/unclimaterefugees_070201065856;_ylt=AgSd9qiip3qHhg3b5OGYcshrAlMA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

POLITICS


POLLUTION
Orange Snow: Siberia has finally gotten some snow. There’s only one problem: it’s ORANGE. Anyone want to try telling me this is natural, much less harmless?
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/orange-snow-falls-in-siberia/2007/02/02/1169919501503.html

Ship it to China: So this is why are landfills aren’t overflowing with garbage –we just ship it to China! Gee, what a neat idea.
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2186532.ece

ENVIRONMENT
Liquid Gold: Water is now more precious than gold in Australia, where people are (literally) facing a life or death struggle to obtain supplies, thanks to the increasing drought.
http://www.energyandcapital.com/editorials.php?id=352

OTHER
Website of the Week: Junk Science. Just for fun. This site is funded by the American Foxnews, Exxon Mobil, and Philip Morris.
http://www.junkscience.com/

UU Joke of the Week:
As we welcome our newest members and visitors, it is only fair to let them know what we Unitarian Universalists are like and what we expect.
We are friendly. If you are not friendly, out you go!
We are genuine people. Even our phonies are real phonies.
We are always sincere even if we have to fake it.
We aren't sure how ambivalant we should be.
We believe in tolerance and cannot stand intolerant people.
We are optimists. Anyone who doesn't look on the bright side depresses us.
We are more non-competitive than other groups.
We believe in equality; everyone is as good as the next person and a whole lot better.
Every Unitarian is a feminist, so he has to watch his language.
The organization is run democratically because the president insists on it.
We have our critics, but they are paranoid
We are prompt about being late to meetings.
Dogmatism is absolutely forbidden.
Freedom of belief is rigidly enforced.
And to this wonderful place we joyfully welcome you.

Have a good weekend everybody!
-Rebecca