Delusion is not Exceptionalism or Optimism

Important movie at Salem Cinema now, "Merchants of Doubt," all about how other industries, most importantly the fossil fuels industries, took the tobacco playbook and have run with it ... Obviously with great success, managing to convince huge majorities of Americans that they themselves won't suffer from climate disruption.  

I guess if you're as old as the Koch Brothers and as rich, that might be a defensible position, if you are also as sociopathic as the Koch Brothers and aren't harmed by knowing that we are condemning the present poor in all countries and all future generations to a catastrophically diminished and much more dangerous world.

I remember taking business school classes for my masters program in the 90s and that's when I realized the horror that the rich really do think their money will protect them and that they can busily build a protective wall of money while the rest of the world and America go to hell and that they won't be suffering the consequences – just like the Bourbon rulers in Versailles, and likely to lead to the same sorts of outcomes.

There wasn't even one county in which a majority of respondents believe global warming will harm them personally. In sharp contrast, majorities in 3,122 of 3,143 counties (more than 99 percent) do agree that future generations are at risk, with those responding in the affirmative hailing from places like Sheridan County, Wyoming—in the heart of coal country.

New climate change poll shows Americans believe in global warming.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/04/06/new_climate_change_poll_shows_americans_believe_in_global_warming.html
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"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

New Oregon-Focused Issues/Legal Online Weekly Subscription Public Interest Newspaper

I don't want to spam you all too much, but I am hoping that you will consider becoming charter (or even better, lifetime) subscribers to a new venture into public interest publishing by the chief cook and bottle washer at LOVESalem:

Attorney John Gear has broadened his "values-based Oregon law practice" to add a new venture that seeks to expand access to justice for more Oregonians struggling against economic inequality and hardships than ever before. 

On February 14, 2015, Oregon's birthday, John Gear Law Office LLC launched a subsidiary "Public Benefit" ("B") company called "Oregon Public Empowerment Network LLC" (OregonPEN.org). The company's first major project is an online weekly newspaper, Oregon Public Empowerment News (OregonPEN), an all-digital weekly subscription newspaper that will operate for the public interest. Once revenues exceed expenses, net revenues will be directed to public service organizations, starting with Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO).

Subscriptions are available now at OregonPEN.org, and there is a low-income subscription option for just $10 annually. 

The mission of OregonPEN will be to provide local Oregon news and legal news that is "All Signal, No Noise." 

Although publication of legal notices in OregonPEN alone will not satisfy the requirements in ORS 193 for legal notices until Spring 2016, OregonPEN will spend the year until that time building staff, expertise, and contacts for covering local and legal news that actually matters for the long run: no horoscopes, no celebrity sex lives, no fluff -- just deep content and perspective that will help readers be engaged and empowered effectively, not just this week but this year, and next year, and beyond.

Prior issues are available for download at the archive: OregonPEN.org.  This week's issue includes an editorial proposal for reforming the legal regime for regulating substances like tobacco and marijuana and activities like gambling.

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

First They Came for the Sardines… [feedly]

First They Came for the Sardines…
http://read.feedly.com/html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyimpact.net%2F2015%2F03%2F24%2Ffirst-they-came-for-the-sardines%2F&theme=white&size=medium
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A must read: Report debunks ‘earlier is better’ academic instruction for young children

We're definitely letting schooling interfere with their educations ... 

Report debunks 'earlier is better' academic instruction for young children - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/04/12/report-debunks-earlier-is-better-academic-instruction-for-young-children/?tid=hybrid_linearcol_3_na
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"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

The sugar lobby’s sour tactics

Like the other great industry built on slavery (tobacco), sugar has no intention of letting the fact that its product harms users get in the way of its profits.

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The sugar lobby's sour tactics - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-sugar-lobbys-sour-tactics/2015/04/10/9fb5b78a-dfa7-11e4-a1b8-2ed88bc190d2_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage
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"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

After the Rally Against Fast-Track Corporate Takeover, 7 p.m. Salem Progressive Film Series!

http://salemprogressivefilms.net/film/the-human-experiment/

https://player.vimeo.com/video/121820044

The Human Experiment lifts the veil on the shocking reality that thousands of untested chemicals are in our everyday products, our homes and inside of us. Simultaneously, the prevalence of many diseases continues to rise. From Oscar® winner Sean Penn and Emmy® winning journalists Dana Nachman and Don Hardy, The Human Experiment tells the personal stories of people who believe their lives have been affected by chemicals and takes viewers to the front lines as activists go head-to-head with the powerful and well-funded chemical industry. These activists bring to light a corrupt system that’s been hidden from consumers... until now.

Tomorrow, at 5 p.m. Rally against the Fast Track to Hell, with Foreign Corporations Trumping US Laws

Thanks to Wikileaks, we got a peek into the secret 'investment chapter' of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It's just as bad as we expected.

One particular clause regarding disputes between corporations and governments would establish courts that would allow corporations to sue for loss of "expected profits” if a government passed any laws to regulate dangerous products or business practices. This would effectively allow corporations to circumvent environmental standards, labor laws, and product safety protections established by governments to protect its citizens. We can already see the harm this could cause in places like Australia and Togo, where Phillip Morris sued the governments for millions as a result of stricter laws on tobacco packaging.

It's easy to see other areas where corporations would love to sue governments. McDonald's filed suit in Washington State in reaction to Seattle's groundbreaking $15 minimum wage law. Imagine how many companies could try to spin things like sick leave or maternity leave as policies that cut into their profits.

The TPP is a dangerous deal that will erode our democracy. We have to ensure that Oregon legislators stand with working families, when it comes time to vote.

Join us for a rally to ensure that Rep. Kurt Schrader is on the right side of this deal.

Thursday, April 9th, 2015 at 5PM
Rep. Kurt Schrader’s Salem office
544 Ferry Street, S.E., Ste. 2, Salem, OR 97301

In a recent poll by Public Policy Polling, a whopping 73% of Oregonians were opposed to fast tracking TPP. We’re going to make sure that all of Oregon’s Congressional delegates know that Oregonians won’t stand for secret trade deals that hurt our economy, our environment, and our families.

Meet us April 9th to get the word out about the fast track.

Oregon Innocence Project: This is Innocence event on May 14th

Please join me in supporting an important cause:  the Oregon Innocence Project's  This is Innocence event.  It's on Thursday, May 14th at 6:00 pm, at the Mercy Corps Action Center.  Tickets are $125 and include heavy hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer.  The ticket sales go towards supporting the critical work of exonerating the innocent in Oregon's prisons and training the next generation of public interest lawyers.  Tickets can be purchased here:   http://bit.ly/1DJOYFS

 

OIP is hosting guest speaker Jennifer Thompson, a rape victim who wrongly identified her attacker and sent the wrong person to prison.  DNA later freed that man, Ronald Cotton, and the two wrote a book together about the unreliability of eyewitness identification and the beauty in forgiveness called  Picking Cotton .

 

Also speaking will be Rep. Jennifer Williamson from House Dist. 36 and Steve Wax, OIP's Legal Director.  More about the event can be found at their website:   http://www.oregoninnocence.org/thisisinnocence/

 

I hope you can join me in supporting this worthwhile cause and come out for a great evening.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Oregon Innocence Project's Associate Director, Amie Wexler, at  wexler@ojrc.org

Appalling - Rep. Kurt Schrader sells out Oregon, Signs on with Monsanto

Last week, Rep. Pompeo (R-Kansas) introduced a bill that would prohibit state efforts to require labeling of genetically engineered foods (GMOs), and unfortunately your member of Congress,
Rep. Schrader, is co-sponsoring the bill.

This is Monsanto's dream bill — it would prohibit states from requiring labels for GMO foods, and even states that have already passed GMO labeling laws would be prevented from implementing their laws. Your Representative needs to hear from you that their support of this bill is not acceptable.

Rep. Schrader is siding with corporate interests instead of the more than 90% of Americans who support the labeling of GMOs. This is an impressive consensus, one that we don't see on many issues in the U.S., and it should be a clear sign to your legislator that they are on the wrong side of this issue!

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), an industry group that represents corporations like Monsanto, Nestlé and Dow, has put a lot of pressure on representatives to support this bill. This is just one of the many ways that these corporations are trying to keep GMO labeling from becoming the law. In states that had labeling laws on the ballot, the industry has spent over $80 million to oppose labeling efforts.

It's not too late for your representative to withdraw their support. There's a chance that they weren't aware of the full impact this bill could have, and if they hear from enough of their constituents, they could do the right thing to give us the right to know what's in our food.
Make sure Rep. Schrader hears from you: don't listen to Big Food, listen to your constituents and withdraw from Monsanto's dream bill.

Thanks for taking action,

Sarah Alexander
Deputy Organizing Director
Food & Water Watch
act(at)fwwatch(dot)org

New favorite! Patty's Off-Center Cafe -- 5 Stars easy

Where the old one was, in the strip on the NE corner of 17th and Center. Amazing food, friendly folks, clean and bright, nothing pre-cooked.