| October 2005 |
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
|
30
|
31
|
|
Monday, October 24
Digital TV is Coming
by
Arron Wings
on Mon 24 Oct 2005 11:00 AM CDT
 Digital TV is Coming
Digital TV is coming and an important question is “what is it going to
bring with it?” Will it bring an expanded requirement to serve
the public interest, or an expanded ability for greater profits?
There was action in House and Senate committees this week with no clear
winners and losers.
At issue is everything from when will compliance be mandated to how will cable companies be required to handle “must
carries,” and how to allocate uses for bandwidth that will become
available in the transition. Additional issues are a) how much publicly-supported consumer education will be available, b) how much subsidy for the purchase of DTV converter boxes for users
that still have analog sets, c) do we create a Digital Opportunity Investment Trust to promote public interest, and d) do we allow the industry to use “broadcast flags” to prevent recording and copying at home.
Many groups are lobbying hard to influence the future of media in this
country. The players are everyone from the industry (profits),
John McCain (emergency response on unused bandwith), American Library
Association (against broadcast flags), SMART Coalition (for consumer
education and converter boxes), and progressive and media reform groups
(affordable broadband).
The transition from analog to digital signals for broadcast TV is a
great opportunity to shape our future. Get informed and be ready
for grassroots action as these proposals begin to take shape over the
next few months.
Sunday, October 23
HOGS, HOGS, HOGS AGAIN
by
Molly Regan
on Sun 23 Oct 2005 11:00 AM CDT
 Hogs, Hogs, Hogs Again
A
public health emergency needs to be issued for the state of Iowa.
Industrial-strength hog lot confinements are getting a strangle hold on
our air.
If you live in one of the medium to large cities in IOWA and step
outside one snowy morning and are slapped in the face with the stench
of HYDROGEN SULFIDE or AMMONIA, it's too late for you. The time
will have passed for you to do anything. So get educated now
because the request for new and expanding hog confinements is exploding.
According to a September 19th article by Perry Beeman of the Des Moines
Register, "Construction permits for new livestock operations through
August - 137 - already were up 59 percent over last year's
record. For the third straight year, IOWA - the nation's top hog
producer - has issued a record number of permits for new livestock
operations, MOST OF THEM CONFINEMENTS FOR MORE THAN 2,500 HOGS."….
"…'People need to be greatly vigilant about what is going on in their
neighborhoods,' said Hugh Espey of IOWA Citizens for Community
Improvement, which opposes large-scale hog confinements. 'We
think IOWA has too many factory farms as it is. There are bound
to be problems.'"
"The risks are documented. Studies by the University of IOWA, the
University of North Carolina, Duke University, the state of Utah and
others have associated hog confinements with neighbors' complaints of
nausea, respiratory problems, headaches, depression and diarrhea.
The University of IOWA estimated HOG CONFINEMENTS EMIT MORE THAN 100
CHEMICALS AND COMPOUNDS, INCLUDING HYDROGEN SULFIDE AND AMMONIA.
"Manure applied as fertilizer to crop fields sometimes runs into
streams, killing fish, and into lakes, which is one reason state park
swimming areas are unsafe at times.
"Espey's group successfully pushed for tighter controls on hog
operations, but IT STILL IS PUSHING FOR A MORATORIUM ON CONSTRUCTION.
The group also wants the state to give local authorities control over
the construction. As it is, county boards of supervisors can only
ask for a state hearing and rate confinement proposals on a state
checklist intended to promote operations that pollute less and cause
fewer area disruptions…."
For the entire article go to www.desmoinesregister.com
We must all honestly take a look at what we do to contribute to the big
demand for pork. Have you asked at a restaurant if the meat they
serve is free range or confined? Do you think the average server
knows or cares? So, ask next time and ask at the grocery
store. Find restaurants that use local growers. Then also
watch the IOWA Department of Natural Resources website www.iowadnr.com
or call their office to see whether anyone has requested an animal
confinement construction permit recently in your area.
Just a reminder: CRP - CONSERVE/RECYCLE/PARTICIPATE
Join the Fight Against Fake News
by
Trish Nelson
on Sun 23 Oct 2005 04:00 AM CDT
 Join the Fight Against Fake News
Center for Media and Democracy: PR Watch
Monday on Blog for Iowa, Arron reported that the Senate
Commerce Committee was considering a bill, the Truth in Broadcasting Act (S
967) addressing the issue of disclosure on VNR’s (government-produced,
prepackaged video news releases). Here
is the watered down version of the original bill passed this week, but the
fight is not over….
The Truth in Broadcasting Act (S 967) was considered [this week] by the Senate
Commerce Committee. The original bill would have required a
"conspicuous" disclosure to accompany any government-produced or
-funded prepackaged VNR or the radio equivalent, an audio news release (ANR).
What the committee passed, however, was significantly
different. Even the name had changed, to the "Prepackaged News Story
Announcement Act."
First, the revised Act drops the continuous on-screen
notification requirement for VNRs. Second, it calls for "clear
notification within the text or audio of the prepackaged news story,"
without specifying the minimum requirements for audience disclosure. Most
troubling, it allows that disclosure to be removed altogether, following rules
that the Act requires the Federal Communications Commission to develop.
According to to TV Week… "The bill clears the way for
TV news operations to continue using snippets of government-produced VNRs for
[video footage] in their own stories, as they do currently, leaving the issue
of how to identify the material up to station news personnel." The problem
is that nondisclosure - that's covert propaganda - is currently the norm.
But the fact that the revised
Act did make it out of the Senate Commerce Committee is a step, however small,
in the right direction. The legislative process is far from over, and the Act's
language can be strengthened as easily as it was weakened - if concerned
citizens get involved.
The Act's
main sponsors, Senators Lautenberg and Kerry, "tried to make it much
stronger," but did not have the support of their colleagues. That can change
if enough U.S residents call or write their two Senators and Representative, to demand clear,
conspicuous disclosure accompanying all video or audio footage coming from the
government. In the case of VNRs, that must be a continuous, on-screen notification.
For ANRs, that must be an announcement, prior to and/or following the provided
audio.
The Center for Media and Democracy has been exposing
"fake news," such as the ready-to-air faux TV reports known as video
news releases (VNRs), since 1993. Now, we have joined forces with the media
reform group Free Press, in an ongoing investigative and activist campaign to
say "No Fake News!"
The fight is far from over - in fact, it just got more
important. Get active and stay tuned.
(source)
Click here to
join
Friday, October 14
Nuclear Funding Accountability
by
Caroline Vernon
on Fri 14 Oct 2005 04:00 PM CDT
 Nuclear Funding Accountability
Excerpts from nirs.org
At a time when Congress is threatening to cut off hundreds of thousands
of individuals from their life-lines by making drastic cuts to Medicaid
in order to reduce the deficit, here is an opportunity to eliminate
some of the pork from the DOE’s Fiscal Year 2006 budget.
The Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (ANA) has evaluated and
identified seven nuclear weapons and three nuclear energy programs in
next year’s budget that are wasteful and warrant cutbacks or
elimination of the programs entirely. Proposed cuts would result in
immediate savings of over $1.8 billion. Billions more could be cut from
the DOE’s budget over the next five years and much of the savings could
be applied toward addressing the environmental and potential health
effects which result from nuclear weapons production.
It comes as no surprise that I have heard little to nothing about these
proposed nuclear weapons programs within the mainstream media.
Evidently, our fourth estate has decided that this same issue that
permeated our airwaves throughout the 60's and 70's and which
threatened not only our national security but our global security, is
no longer newsworthy enough to share with the American people.
We
still haven’t cleaned up many of the Superfund sites which this
Congress has neglected to fully fund, and yet the DOE wants to pile a
new mess on top of an old one, but this is one mess you can’t continue
to just sweep under the rug.
Congress
could save taxpayers nearly a billion dollars by simply agreeing to
cuts already made in the House and Senate versions of the FY 2006
Energy & Water spending bill (H.R. 2419). The Chairmen of the
Conference Committee have the most power over what cuts or increases
survive in the final bill. Call your legislators and urge them to tell
the Chairmen to accept the House and Senate funding cuts to nuclear
weapons and energy programs while preserving the House increases to
environmental cleanup and nuclear warhead dismantlement.
TIMING: Valid for the month of October, 2005.
Differences between the House and Senate versions of the Energy &
Water spending bill must be worked out by a joint House-Senate
Conference Committee. With the deficit over $330 billion, it is
imperative that Congress approve the $1 billion in cuts to nuclear
weapons and energy programs that were adopted earlier this year.
Budget cuts that we support include:
* $85 million for the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative, a dangerous and expensive return to REPROCESSING nuclear waste.
* $74 million from the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository;
* $303 million for plutonium fuel fabrication (MOX), a commercial reactor fuel;
* $7.6 million for a new plutonium bomb plant to mass-produce nuclear bomb triggers;
* $4 million for research into a nuclear bunker buster that has the
potential of a million casualties but would be unable to penetrate many
of the deepest targets;
* $25 million to increase the readiness to resume underground nuclear testing;
* $146 million for constructing the National Ignition Facility for nuclear weapons research;
Budget increases we support include:
* $115 million to dismantle nuclear warheads as pledged by the President following the Moscow Treaty;
* $190 million to the environmental cleanup budget for sites to adhere
to legal obligations for cleanup of contamination from U.S. nuclear
weapons production.
Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, (202) 544-0217
You can also send a letter to your members of congress by going to the following links:
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has posted the alert on Capwiz (which has already generated over 1,000 messages) at: http://capwiz.com/wagingpeace/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=8067771
Working Assets has posted a similar alert on its Act for Change site (which has already generated over 11,650 messages) at http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?itemid=19499
A postcard version of the alert is attached, which can be copied, cut
and distributed at local events. The alert is posted online at http://www.ananuclear.org/action.html
See ANA’s radioactive pork report at http://www.ananuclear.org/topten2005.html
See sign-on letter from 44 national and local groups to Energy & Water Conferees at http://ananuclear.org/E%26Wletteroct305.html
This Alert originated with:
Jim Bridgman, Program Director
Alliance for Nuclear Accountability
322 4th Street, NE, WDC, 20002
202-544-0217 x3
FAX: 202-544-6143
jcbridgman@earthlink.net
www.ananuclear.org
Thursday, October 6
Contest: Your Economic Policy Idea Could Be Worth $100K
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 06 Oct 2005 06:41 PM CDT
 Contest: Your Economic Policy Idea Could Be Worth $100K
Lanya Shapiro
Hey folks,
I want
to let you know about a project I'm involved with - an economic policy
contest that just launched today: a national call for the best ideas "Since Sliced Bread."
SEIU (Service Employees International Union) is giving away $200,000
(!) for the best ideas to strengthen our economy and improve the
day-to-day lives of working men and women and their families.
Here's the link:
http://www.SinceSlicedBread.com
Do you
remember the last good idea to come from Washington? Neither do
I. Our political institutions haven't kept pace with the enormous
economic transformation America has seen over the past two decades, so
we're done waiting for those who claim to represent us to address the
concerns of working people. We're looking to you to come up with
policy ideas that enable workers to attain the promises of a new
economy, and SEIU has $200,000 for ideas that:
* Create an environment that respects the voice and protects the interests of workers;
* Expand entrepreneurial incentives and opportunities;
* Make it possible for workers to remain competitive in changing industries; and/or
* Increase American job growth and stability within our global economy.
To level
the playing field, we're not looking for a lot of details; in fact,
there's a 175 word limit - if you're long-winded (you know who you
are), that might be your biggest challenge! Read the background
here: http://www.sinceslicedbread.com/about/overview
Although
Since Sliced Bread is a fun contest, we're dead serious about the
policy impact. A panel of national experts will select the top 21
ideas, and then the public will vote. The grand prize is $100,000 plus
SEIU's commitment to work to make that idea a reality. Early next year,
they'll publish a book featuring all 21 finalists and their
organizational affiliations. Which one of you will be in there?
You can get a jump on the competition if you start thinking NOW and submit an idea this week:
http://www.SinceSlicedBread.com
Please
help spread the word to your friends, colleagues and anyone else who
you think might have the best idea since sliced bread.
Thank
you for helping us find the best idea to strengthen our economy and
improve the lives of working families. If you have any questions, don't
hesitate to contact the Since Sliced Bread team:
contest@sinceslicedbread.com.
Keep Hope Alive,
Lanya Shapiro
|
|
