Register Now for Nov 15 HCAO Statewide Strategy Meeting in Salem

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Let's Get to Work Building A Movement to Win

Health Care for All Oregon member organization's and local action group's delegates, individual members and other supporters will gather Saturday, November 15, in Salem, to celebrate victories, plan strategies and strengthen our movement to create universal health care in Oregon.

We will be rolling up our sleeves to do the hard work to reach victory. Included in the day's agenda will be an update on the HCAO Strategic Plan, a report on progress on our 2015 legislation, a discussion of the post-election political environment and a lobby training focused on our upcoming Health Care for ALL Oregon Rally, February 11, 2015 at the State Capitol.

Register here to attend the HCAO Statewide Strategy Meeting

HCAO Statewide Strategy Meeting

Saturday, November 15, 2014

10:30 am to 3:30 pm (Registration at 10:00 am)

First Congregational Church of Christ, 700 Marion St NE, Salem

Lunch will be provided (donations are encouraged)

HCAO now has 98 member organizations and over 13,000 supporters in our database. Local action groups statewide are working week in and week out to educate voters. Twice a year representatives of all our groups gather to strategize, hone our skills and build our momentum and enthusiasm.

Be there prepared to get to work on building a movement to win!

Register here to attend the HCAO Statewide Strategy Meeting

Undernews: Bookshelf: The medicalization of aging and what to do about it (#PFD)

http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2014/10/bookshelf-medicalization-of-aging-and.html

Bookshelf: The medicalization of aging and what to do about it

Michael Mechanic, Mother Jones - The latest book from surgeon and best-selling author Atul Gawande may not change your whole life, but it could very well improve how it ends.

In Being Mortal, Gawande, a longtime staff writer for the New Yorker, takes on the utter failure of the medical profession when it comes to helping people die well, and the short-sightedness of the elder facilities that infantilize people rather than bother to figure out what they actually need to maintain a modicum of meaning in what's left of their lives. In the process, he gives us a lesson on the basic physiology of aging and on the social and technological changes that led to most of us dying in hospitals and institutions rather than at home with our loved ones. And he chronicles the rise of the nursing home and the creation of assisted living as its antidote—if only it were.

The picture can seem pretty bleak. Many of Gawande's subjects are dealing with the always-hopeful oncologists who, rather than accept the inevitable, coax their patients into trying futile fourth-line chemotherapies that nobody can pronounce. And then you've got hospitals axing their geriatrics departments (aging Boomers be damned) because Medicare won't cover the extra costs of making someone's last years worth living. There's also a deeply personal aspect to the book, which goes on sale today. Gawande recounts the recent travails of his family, which began when his father, also a surgeon, was diagnosed with a cancer that would slowly eat away at his physical capabilities and ultimately end his life.

But Being Mortal is hopeful, too, and that's why it could make a difference. Most of the changes we need to make aren't expensive. Indeed, some of them could save us a bundle in cash and needless suffering. It turns out, for example, that terminal patients in hospice programs often live longer and better than their counterparts in treatment. In fact, the mere act of talking with caregivers about what you value as you near the end of your life leads to a longer one.

Interview with Gawande

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

YES on 92! Help keep our ads on the air! | Oregon Right to Know

https://oregonrighttoknow.ngpvanhost.com/form/-8839432081458788608?ms=E.FR-O-AD4.ND.OR.MAIN_CONTRIBUTE-DONATE&AM=35


"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Great Stuff: Fill Your Pantry, Buy Some Extra for Marion-Polk Food Share

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Hey folks --

 

Here's a great way to stock your pantry for the winter while supporting local farms! Check out the Fill Your Pantry events in Shedd, Oregon and Corvallis.

 

The Shedd event:

http://www.greenwillowgrains.com/33-fill-your-pantry-2014

The Corvallis Event:

 

FRIENDS OF THE SALEM PUBLIC LIBRARY

FALL BOOK SALE
OCTOBER 16 - 19

Special Sale Location
1555 12TH ST SE, SALEM
FREE PARKING

Friends Night – October 16th from 4 pm-8:30 pm
(Memberships offered at the door, new members welcome!)

Friday October 17th & Saturday October 18th 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday October 19th 1 pm – 5 pm $4/Bag Day all Sunday

Paperbacks $0.75  
Hardbacks $1.25
Fall Sale only blow-out price for Children’s & Teens .50 each
Audio Visual $0.50 – $1.00

CASH, CHECKS & CARD
SPECIALTY & COLLECTIBLE books at marked prices

For More information:  503-362-1755 
SPLFriends@Peak.org  or  www.salemfriends.org

See you at the Sale!

NO on 90!: Don't Let Big Business Limit your Voice

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Dear friends,

The big corporate interests backing Measure 90 are saying all sorts of things about how Measure 90 will give Oregonians more choices, expand voter participation, and improve our democracy.
But… here's the thing.  

Measure 90 does the exact opposite.

 

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We don't need to guess at what Measure 90 "Top Two" election changes will do. We can look to our California neighbors and learn the real truth about how "Top Two" election changes limit our choice, our vote, and our voice.

1.      "Top Two" election forces a choice that's not really a choice. In "Top Two" states California and Washington, 25% of November races are now between candidates from just one major political party. Forcing a Democrat to choose between two Republican candidates is no choice at all.

2.       Voters participate less under "Top Two" systems. Under the "Top Two" system in California, researchers found that voters participate at a lower rate – because they didn't have a candidate to vote for that aligned with their values. A recent report showed that nearly 1 in 10 voters skip elections between members of the same party.

3.      Primary Voters choose for the majority of us. Primary voters – who tend to be older, whiter, more partisan, and wealthier – have control over who appears on our November ballot, limiting the choices for the rest of us.

Learn more: www.NoOnMeasure90.org

Protect Our Choice: Say NO to 90

The goal of Measure 90 is to limit Oregonians' choice, vote, and voice. It's no wonder that the broadest and most diverse coalition has come together to fight it – including teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, representatives from major and minor parties, faith leaders, and small businesses.

Join us in voting NO on 90: www.NoOnMeasure90.org/Join-Us

NO ON 90! Enron Alum Puts $1.5 Million Into M 90

I spent a beautiful Indian-summer Saturday in Eugene last week, trapped in an airless room in the law school with some really scary people, the folks pushing Measure 90, the measure to privatize and close elections to all but the top-two corporate approved primary finishers. 

I remarked to a friend that these M90 campaigners gave me the exact same creepy buzz as Scientologists, all absolute certainty about their solution but remarkable vagueness about what the heck that so-called solution has to do with any real world problems.

It is absolutely fitting that the lavishly overfunded yes campaign has filled the Voter's Pamphlet with arguments in the OPPOSED section but that are actually just more filibustering yes arguments.  For this reason alone your vote on M90 should be a resounding no.  The yes campaign conduct is despicable -- although, it does fit perfectly with their approach to elections as a whole:  "We've got all the money, who gives a flying fig about democracy and your right to be heard.  If you had anything worth saying, you'd have money."

This sleeper measure is the most undemocratic idea since the reign of terror in the South under Jim Crow.

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Former Top Enron Energy Trader Funds 69% of Measure 90 Campaign (top two primary) FOR RELEASE:  10/8/2014   Manipulating energy markets was not enough.  Now the agenda is manipulating Oregon's elections. The campaign to impose "top two primaries" on Oregon has revealed its true logo -- Enron.  Haven't Enron energy traders done Oregon enough harm?   Former top-level Enron energy trader John Arnold has now contributed $1,500,000 to a new political committee, the "Open Primaries Committee."  The Committee's only mission is to support Measure 90, the "top two" primary plan backed by corporations and the wealthy. PRESS RELEASE BY: John Arnold made his mark on society as one of the top managers of the Enron energy trading operation.  That was the bunch who caused the phony "West Coast Energy Crisis" of 2000-2002 with fraudulent trades, resulting in rolling blackouts and huge electricity rate increases.  Later studies showed that it cost the California economy alone over $42 billion.  See http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/report/r_103cwr.pdf.  For its impact on Oregon, see http://www.trojandown.org/enron.pdf John Arnold is Measure 90's biggest financial backer, by far.  Of the total raised to support Measure 90 between its two committees ($2,189,719 so far), John Arnold personally has contributed 69% of it. For information on the new committee, see https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/sooDetail.do?sooRsn=76334.  Information on the other pro-Measure 90 committee is here: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/sooDetail.do?sooRsn=76016 "Burn, baby, burn.  That's a beautiful thing."  That is what Enron traders were recorded as saying as a fire approached a major transmission line, because it caused the line to be "derated" or shut off, thus drastically increasing electricity prices.  See this New York Times article" Word for Word?Energy Hogs: Enron Traders on Grandama Millie and Making Out Like Bandits for more information.  Or remember this from the Enron energy traders: "They're f------g taking all the money back from you guys?" complains an Enron employee on the tapes. "All the money you guys stole from those poor grandmothers in California?" "Yeah, grandma Millie, man" "Yeah, now she wants her f------g money back for all the power you've charged right up, jammed right up her ass for f------g $250 a megawatt hour." See the CBS News article Enron Traders Caught on Tape. John Arnold received a $8 million bonus in 2001, one day before Enron declared bankruptcy.  In his 2005 deposition, he took the 5th Amendment and refused to answer any questions, except basically his name.  He formed a hedge fund, Centaurus Advisors LLC, and hired, among others, John Forney, who had pled guilty to manipulating electricity prices from Enron's now-defunct trading office in Portland, Oregon.  See the CBS News piece Enron Energy Trader Pleads Guilty. For more information on why Measure 90 is bad for Oregon (but somehow apparently good for former Enron energy traders) see : Save Oregon's Democracy Protect Our Vote Contacts: Dan Meek for Oregon Progressive Party press@meek.net 503-293-9021 Blair Bobier for Pacific Green Party blairbobier@hotmail.com 503-559-6176 Seth Woolley for Pacific Green Party seth@swoolley.org 503-953-3943 David Delk for Alliance for Democracy davidafd@ymail.com 503-232-5495

Oregon Progressive Party | 320 S.W. Stark | Suite 202 | Portland | Oregon 97204 | USA | info@progparty.org | www.progparty.org

Undue influence over Salem Planning Comm'n to remain covert

Hat tip to City Watch and kudos to the 17 who turned out and all those who wrote or called to oppose further stacking the Commission with special interests.

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Subject: Planning Commission votes down the proposed amendment

After some discussion the Planning Commission voted down the proposed amendment adding another real estate industry rep to the Planning Commission. Two Commissioners were unable to attend. The five who attended voted 3-2.

The consensus is to allow another look and deeper consideration of the matter.

The Commission received testimony from 18 citizens and 17 of those were against the proposed amendment. Three CityWatch members attended and offered verbal testimony (Dave Engen, Evan White and myself).

The discussion coalesced around

1) is it right and appropriate to have Planning Commissioners who are "principally engaged in buying, selling, or developing real estate"?;

2) what does "principally engaged" mean?; 

3) how does the selection process work?;

4) what are the selection criteria used to screen applications to the commission?

Additional discussion was around the meaning of, "No more than two members shall be engaged in the same kind of occupation, business, trade or profession."

Obviously there was more to the discussion and the minutes will reflect that. (I haven't been able to get PC minutes to load on my computer.)

The important result is that the Commission seemed to accept the idea that the ordinance is significantly flawed and that the selection process used to screen potential Commissioners may be failing.

It is very unlikely that these results would have occurred without thoughtful persistent citizen involvement.

THANK YOU to all who testified. We expect the matter to return to the Planning Commission in the near future.

Maybe too late, but still worth learning: Fostering Sustainable Behavior Workshops

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Portland Registration Site (early-bird rates end October 17th): https://register.cbsm.com/workshops/portland-oregon-2015

The cornerstone of sustainability is behavior change. If we are to move toward a sustainable future we must encourage the adoption of a multitude of actions (e.g., waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, pollution prevention, etc.). To date, most programs to encourage such activities have relied upon disseminating information. Research demonstrates, however, that simply providing information has little or no effect on what people or businesses do. But if not ads, brochures or booklets, then what? Over the last decade a new approach—community–based social marketing—has emerged as an effective alternative for delivering programs to foster sustainable behavior. 

I will be delivering introductory and advanced community-based social marketing training in Seattle in late October and Portland in early February (early-bird rates for Portland are in effect until October 17th).  These workshops will be of interest to those working to promote water efficiency, waste reduction, energy efficiency, conservation, modal transportation changes, watershed protection, and other sustainable behavior changes. Those who work to promote behavioral changes that promote health, such as active lifestyles, will also benefit from attending. Community-based social marketing is a unique approach to fostering both environment and health related behavioral changes and is now being utilized in thousands of programs across the globe. Descriptions of both workshops are provided below.

Seattle Registration Site: https://register.cbsm.com/workshops/seattle-washington-2014

Portland Registration Site (early-bird rates end October 17th): https://register.cbsm.com/workshops/portland-oregon-2015

Please note that I do not expect to return to the Pacific Northwest for several years.  If you have been wanting to learn how to apply community-based social marketing to your programs I encourage you to attend the upcoming sessions. 

Best, 

Doug

Doug McKenzie–Mohr, Ph.D.
Environmental Psychologist
dmm@cbsm.com

*******************************

About the Speaker

Dr Doug McKenzie-Mohr is the founder of community-based social marketing.  Recommended by Time magazine, his book "Fostering Sustainable Behavior" has become requisite reading for those who deliver environmental programs.   The approaches that Dr. McKenzie-Mohr advocates in these workshops are now being utilized globally.  For example, Queensland's "Home WaterWise Service" and "ClimateSmart Home Service," which reached over 500,000 households across the state, made extensive use of community-based social marketing. Dr. McKenzie-Mohr has delivered community-based social marketing workshops internationally for over 60,000 environmental program managers. Below is a small sample of recent anonymous evaluations:

-Fantastic, simply invaluable.

-This is hands-down the most valuable workshop/training I've ever attended.

-Speaker was wonderful.

-The best workshop/conference I have ever experienced.

-Outstanding presentation style. Expertise is obvious.

-Superb presentation skills.

-By far, the best workshop I have attended – on any topic! 

Who should Attend?

These workshops will be of interest to those working to promote waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, conservation, modal transportation changes, watershed protection, and other sustainable behavior changes. Those who work to promote behavioral changes that promote health, such as active lifestyles, will also benefit from attending. Descriptions of both workshops are provided below. 

Introduction (Seattle, October 27-28; Portland, February 10-11): The two-day introductory workshop provides a comprehensive introduction to community-based social marketing and how it is being applied throughout the world to foster sustainable behaviors. Those who attend the workshop will learn the five steps of community-based social marketing (selecting behaviors, identifying barriers, developing strategies, conducting pilots, and broad scale implementation) and be exposed to numerous case studies illustrating its use.  Each participant will receive a copy of the third edition of "Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing." The introductory workshop is a mandatory prerequisite for the advanced workshop.

Advanced (Seattle, October 29-30; Portland, February 12-13): This completely new two-day advanced workshop provides an in-depth exploration of how community-based social marketing can be used to foster sustainable behavior.  This workshop introduces new research on selecting behaviors, identifying barriers and benefits (including market segmentation, survey sampling and survey creation), applying behavior change tools (including some exciting new developments regarding the use of commitments, norms, prompts, goal setting, and social diffusion), and piloting programs. The workshop also addresses the effective use of social media and websites in the fostering of sustainable behavior. Further, participants will also be coached in making community-based social marketing presentations to their agency or community and will receive PowerPoint and Keynote presentations for this purpose. Finally, each participant will receive a copy of the new edition of  "Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing." To ensure a high level of learning and exchange of ideas, this workshop is restricted to individuals who have previously attended Dr. McKenzie-Mohr's introductory workshop. If you have not yet attended an introductory workshop, you can attend the introductory workshop that precedes the advanced workshop and then attend the advanced workshop as well. Reduced rates are available for attending both sessions. 

Group Bookings

If you are interested in registering four or more people from the same agency, please contact us. We have two group rates: the first is for groups of 4 to 9, and the second is for groups of 10 or larger.

Details: 

Seattle: The workshops are being held in Room 1E-108 at the Bellevue City Hall (450 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue, Washington). The first day of both the introductory and advanced workshops begins at 9:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm (registration begins at 8:30 am). Day two for both workshops begins at 9:00 am and finishes at 4:00 pm. Finally, workshop attendees receive a copy of the third edition of Dr. McKenzie-Mohr's book, "Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing" at the event. Lunch is included in the workshop registration fee.

Portland: The workshops are being held at the Oregon Convention Center -- a Leed platinum certified building (Room E146, 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97232). The first day of both the introductory and advanced workshops begins at 9:00 am and ends at 4:30 pm (registration begins at 8:30 am). Day two for both workshops begins at 9:00 am and finishes at 4:00 pm. Finally, workshop attendees receive a copy of the third edition of Dr. McKenzie-Mohr's book, "Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing" at the event. Lunch is included in the workshop registration fee.

Additional Information and Registration: 

Seattle Registration Site: https://register.cbsm.com/workshops/seattle-washington-2014

Portland Registration Site (early-bird rates end October 17th): https://register.cbsm.com/workshops/portland-oregon-2015

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You received this email because you are subscribed to the Fostering Sustainable Behaviour website. To unsubscribe from announcements click here. Fostering Sustainable Behaviour notifications are sent by McKenzie-Mohr & Associates Inc., 248 Eglinton Street, Fredericton, NB, Canada E3B 2W1.

YES on 92: Monsanto's Roundup Linked to Cancer - Again

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/26614-monsanto-s-roundup-linked-to-cancer

Monsanto's Roundup Linked to Cancer - Again

(Image: Jared Rodriguez / Truthout)

A brilliant and celebrated inventor, John Franz, gave us an herbicide, Roundup, which has changed the face of agriculture. This herbicide has become the foundation for an entirely novel approach to farming - biotech agriculture - that has expanded rapidly throughout the globe.

Monsanto makes seeds for soy, corn, canola, cotton, alfalfa and sugar beets that are genetically engineered to be tolerant to Roundup. The seeds are marketed in 120 countries. Throughout the world, Roundup is sprayed heavily as a weed killer without fear of damaging the cash crops, which have been engineered to survive the herbicide's effects.

"The change in how agriculture is produced has brought, frankly, a change in the profile of diseases. We've gone from a pretty healthy population to one with a high rate of cancer, birth defects and illnesses seldom seen before."

Roundup seemed, at first, to be the perfect herbicide. It blocks the ESPS synthase enzyme, which prevents the synthesis of amino acids that plants need for growth. Since animals don't have this enzyme, it was initially hypothesized that they would be safe from Roundup's effects.

Unfortunately, Roundup has now been shown to affect much more than the EPSP synthase enzyme. The herbicide has been proven to cause birth defects in vertebrates, including in humans, and it may also be the cause of a fatal kidney disease epidemic.

An increasing number of studies are now linking the herbicide to cancer. . . .

(Whole thing well worth reading.)

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."