Category Archives: big coal

Education News

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Diane Ravitch highlights a blog by David Greene. 

From the post:

When Hinshaw compared the rollout of these school policies with incidences of A.D.H.D., he found that when a state passed laws punishing or rewarding schools for their standardized-test scores, A.D.H.D. diagnoses in that state would increase not long afterward.

Nationwide, the rates of A.D.H.D. diagnosis increased by 22 percent in the first four years after No Child Left Behind was implemented.

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Bingo. Greene says it’s not a causal, but yeah, I disagree.  It’s certainly one of the causes, in addition to toxins in the environment and probably GMO’s.  

And it’s not that the kids are suddenly stricken with this subjective “disease”—rather, they are a) made to feel inferior by testing that isn’t really able to define what their brain cells are capable of (potential); and b) put under pressure by teachers and parents who must teach to the test in order for the school to keep from being downgraded to “failing” in order for them to get the money from the Federal gov’t to keep the school open….and do it all again the next six months….

That is a HUGE burden to put on a kid.  For shame.

He links to A World Without Privacy by Joe Nocera of the NY Times.   He talks of “The Circle” of a hybrid of internet companies like Google, F_cebook, and Twitter and the information they gather.    Even if you don’t subscribe to the last two, your privacy can be taken away from you by family members and friends who do use them.    That is probably how Nocera’s acquaintances/colleagues were connected to him. 

And they say you should not expect privacy in today’s world.  I say, unless you express in writing your willingness for someone else to have private information, then, yes, you have an expectation….and a right to privacy.  And giving up the right to privacy should not be coerced, as in, you have to click on this agreement to use our website.

Other sea creature news

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These have been washing ashore in California.  They quote scientist Phil Hastings as saying that these sea creatures “get confused” and end up here….but don’t explore the “why” of it–probably poisoned by mercury in the ocean or some other noxious chemical.  Maybe even corexit? Maybe their food has been poisoned?  There is a reason that they are washing ashore and that needs to be explored without consideration of polluters like BP and others.

 

 

….and a rainbow appears…

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Over the Mi’maq protest.

Singing praise for judge’s ruling. SWN loses bid to continue injunction.

Drums are not weapons

Songs are not weapons

Feathers are not weapons

Here’s a good piece from the Guardian writer Martin Lukacs.  He said there has been media coverage of the event…perhaps in Canada, but in the U.S.?  Doing a quick search, I only saw one U.S. reference by a blogger. Otherwise….*crickets*  It’s pretty telling when you see the nightly news plastered with commercials from BP and other energy companies.  All the news that money can buy, folks…

Lukacs makes a good point with how the coverage is slanted towards painting the First Nations people as violent, but not forthcoming with the great harm fracking will cause….and how many people will die from cancer and other diseases caused by the benzene and mercury and other horrible stuff in the chemicals used.  And of course, the media fails to mention the resulting earthquakes.

From Lukac’s article:

But Premier David Alward, hell-bent on opening up the province to shale gas, has spurned consultation with First Nations and the rest of the population. His latest step is demonization. “Clearly, there are those who do not have the same values we share as New Brunswickers,” he cynically announced on Friday. But the opposition to the Premier’s shale gas agenda is not just a supposedly isolated Indigenous community: it is two of every three people in Atlantic Canada. Little wonder he has repeatedly rejected a referendum on shale gas. It turns out the residents of Elsipogtog aren’t criminal deviants. They are the frontline of a fight for the democratic and environmental will of New Brunswick

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Now you’re talkin’.  The taxpaying public does not want fracking!

Stephen Harper’s history is a little warped, eh?  Um, I’m pretty sure there were people here before we ( “we” being Canada and U.S.)  before there were lines drawn by the Europeans.  And the people here were pretty much organized Nations.  They were here for 10,000 years and were much better stewards of the land and water.  You could drink from any stream.  There was no trash strewn across the land.  You could breathe.

Lukacs also brings up the repeated breaking of laws by those in power who then point fingers.  Do as I say, not as I do….

The fishing rights battles are eerily similar to the same battles in the U.S. with the Native Americans, having their boats rammed, and state officials created an atmosphere of incitement by showing films of Native Americans fishing in areas to the commercial fisherman who thought it should be theirs.  What was truly insulting to the Indigenous was the assertion by the Conservation Officers that the Native Americans would “overfish” the waters…when they had always practiced balance–they never took more than they needed.  If anything, it was the commercial fisheries that were destroying the fish populations.  The story is told in the book Now that the Buffalo is Gone by Alvin Josephy. Robert Satiacum was jailed for standing up for their rights.  Meanwhile, his wife and other women warriors defied the state officials by continuing to fish, using their wits to evade capture.  They were eventually caught, but I have to smile to myself in admiration of their wit and courage for fending them off as long as they could.

More pics here of the women warriors.

 

First Nations Protests in Canada

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The picture here of the First Nations female Warrior is quite stirring….

The eagle feather she is holding is a sacred symbol of the indigenous.   It is a powerful symbol of the connection between God and Earth.

Crooks and Liars has this up on the protest.  It appears that it didn’t turn violent until the police began assaulting the protestors.  They claim there was a shot fired from the protestors….um hmmm….they all claim it was a peaceful protest.

More here.

While I’m looking at this, I’m thinking–these folks’ salaries are paid by taxes….and the taxpayers do not want fracking, for the most part….why are they going against what the taxpayers want?

More  here.

Peacefully protesting:

The scene of confrontation:

They weren’t doing anything.  As the woman said, the female Warrior was praying–not bothering them at all.

Why they’re there:

Act of Sovereignty:

This is like Church to them– a gathering where they sing songs to God.  They see the fight for the environment as a spiritual thing–the Earth is seen as a part of God and their “Mother”—so to pollute the Earth is seen as disrespectful towards God.    Also –they see everything on Earth as connected, so one has to consider every action in how it will impact another.

Balance is always sought…if you take something, you must also give something in return.

Minamata Convention on Mercury

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This is good news–finally a recognition of the devastating effects of mercury amalgams.    Of course, the United States was right there to sign on….oh, wait….

 

From the letter posted to our group:

Dear friends,

I have returned from Minamata, Japan where I was honored to witness more than 90 nations sign the new mercury treaty, now formally known as the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

For three years, our movement worked to get amalgam included in this treaty…and we did it! Together, we have made so much progress:

Three years ago, a few scattered groups in developed countries were battling amalgam by themselves. Today, the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry has gathered environmental organizations, dental societies, and consumer associations from every region of the globe to share experiences, pull technical expertise, and join forces on projects to phase out dental amalgam.

Three years ago, it was hard to get governments to take mercury fillings seriously. Today, the treaty recognizes amalgam as such a big problem that our mercury-free dentistry workshops in Minamata were packed with government officials; indeed about two dozen countries named amalgam as a priority in speeches at the signing ceremony.

Three years ago, amalgam was not an issue at the mercury treaty negotiations, according to the staff leader coordinating the treaty sessions. Today – as we watched nations sign a treaty that requires the phase-down of amalgam, a treaty that can be amended to set amalgam’ s phase-out date – that same staff leader told me, “You made it into an issue.”

As president of the umbrella coalition World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, I was proud to lead our Minamata delegation of talented environmental and dental non-profit group leaders from nine nations and five continents. For us, the treaty signing was not merely ceremonial – we seized the opportunity to meet with environmental ministers, foreign ministers, and even a prime minister to discuss effective measures for transitioning to mercury-free dentistry.

How have we been able to make so much progress in just three years? Because of you. Your support has meant we could get our worldwide team to these treaty sessions. It has meant we could stand eyeball-to-eyeball with the pro-mercury World Dental Federation (FDI) – whom we outworked, out-strategized, and out-pointed. It has meant professionals from developing nations could be there to speak for themselves – and personally refute the claim that mercury fillings belong in low-income countries.

Thanks to hundreds of good folks like you, we met the matching gift goal set by Dr. Joseph Mercola during Mercury-Free Dentistry Week. Your donations totaled $75,000 – and Dr. Mercola will match your donations, dollar for dollar. Now we can start the next stage of our work: using the treaty to stop amalgam use!

With the treaty signed*, it is time to work on getting it implemented. The mercury treaty requires nations not only to phase down amalgam use, but also to take two or more phase-down measures listed in the treaty’s Annex A. But some treaty phase-down measures are effective; others are not. That’s why the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry advocates proven treaty phase-down measures that have worked in countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Japan:

Promoting alternatives through consumer education

Changing dental school curriculum to end instruction in amalgam placement and focus on mercury-free fillings instead

Adjusting insurance policies and government programs so they fully cover mercury-free alternatives

We look forward to working with you in this exciting new stage of the campaign for mercury-free dentistry!

Charlie
18 October 2013

Charles G. Brown
National Counsel, Consumers for Dental Choice
President, World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry
316 F St. NE, Suite 210 Washington, DC 20002 USA
Phone: 202-544-6333 Fax: 202-544-6331
http://www.ToxicTeeth. org

Our mailing address is:
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E.
Suite 210
Washington, DC 20002

More reasons to love the Clintons

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…and their stealth gang of the dark side.  Not.

“Just months after the Kazakh pact was finalized, Mr. Clinton’s charitable foundation received its own windfall: a $31.3 million donation from Mr. Giustra,” The Times further explained.

“The gift, combined with Mr. Giustra’s more recent and public pledge to give the William J. Clinton Foundation an additional $100 million, secured Mr. Giustra a place in Mr. Clinton’s inner circle…Giustra [also] co-produced a gala 60th birthday for Mr. Clinton that featured stars like Jon Bon Jovi and raised about $21 million for the Clinton Foundation.”

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Clinton on XL.

Hillary’s connection to XL.

Seeing the artist drawing of her astride the pipeline brought a flashback to Jane Fonda on the Vietnam tank.  I wish people were as outraged at Hillary “riding” the pipeline.    And one has to wonder at the Clinton ties to the Kochs after reading the article. …

I put my two cents on Clinton in another blog here. 

Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert, who otherwise is intelligent person who asks questions….has drunk the Clinton koolaid and continues to promote the creep.  Why??  Yeah, he’s over in Uganda?  Probably there to rape them for their resources….funny how nobody brings up the utter failure of his “help” in Haiti. 

The reality of austerity

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This will be coming our way if something isn’t done.