On March 31st, the FDA will decide whether or not to continue allowing bisphenol A (BPA) to be used in food packaging.
While the toxic chemical was recently banned in California from being used in baby bottles and sippy cups, thanks to the lobbying of the American Chemistry Council and other chemical manufacturers BPA continues to be allowed in food and beverage packaging, including the lining in much canned food and soup.
The FDA has the power to finally put a stop to BPA in our food. It needs to stand up to industry pressure and protect us from this dangerous chemical.
Please join me in urging the FDA to ban BPA in food packaging.
Social Justice: Current Affairs, Business, Politics, and all the reasons in the world to Thrive on Creative Discontent!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Not so banana republic ... more like a developed nation exercising its sovereign rights to protect its nature and people
A Brazilian federal prosecutor filed criminal charges on Wednesday against Chevron and drill-rig operator Transocean for a November oil spill, raising the stakes in a legal saga that has added to Chevron's woes in Latin America and could slow Brazil's offshore oil boom.
Prosecutor Eduardo Santos de Oliveira also filed criminal charges against 17 local executives and employees at Chevron and Transocean, owner of the world's largest oil rig fleet. Among the defendants is George Buck, 46, a U.S. national in charge of Chevron's operations in Brazil, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
"The spilling of oil affected the entire maritime ecosystem, possibly pushing some species to extinction, and caused impacts on economic activity in the region," Santos de Oliveira, a prosecutor in the oil district of Campos de Goytacazes, said in the filing. "The employees of Chevron and Transocean caused a contamination time bomb of prolonged effect."
The charges stem from a 3,000-barrel leak in the Frade field, about 120 km (75 miles) off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. They include: failure to realize protocols to contain the leak; failure to take steps to kill the well and stop the drilling process; breach of licenses, legal norms and regulation, including altering documents; and failure to meet legal and contractual duties.
$4 billion — in tax subsidies, tax giveaways, to the oil companies
give a little pork barreling to solar, wind and other renewables .... you can have your fat and eat it too ... => US Congress
global annual death toll from filthy urban air at 1.3 million.
Failure to force aging buses and trucks off Hong Kong’s streets is a key cause of air pollution that results in more than 3,000 premature deaths a year, according to Civic Exchange, a think tank.
“People normally don’t realize that air pollution can cause cancer, heart and respiratory diseases,” said Carlos Dora, coordinator at the Geneva-based health agency’s Department of Public Health and Environment, who puts the global annual death toll from filthy urban air at 1.3 million. “Those are the diseases that really are the big, big plague.”
As Chief Executive Donald Tsang steps down after seven years in office, he leaves a city that boasts the world’s most valuable stock exchange, hosted three of the five biggest initial share sales in history, and is the best place on the globe for business, a new gauge by Bloomberg Rankings shows. Blotting the record is another superlative: Hong Kong, the most polluted international financial center.
New York, London, Tokyo and Singapore all have cleaner air and more ambitious improvement targets, according to WHO data and the city governments’ websites. As China opens its economy, removing the capital controls that led investors to use Hong Kong as a proxy for Chinese growth, pollution risks undermining Tsang’s economic successes.
“People normally don’t realize that air pollution can cause cancer, heart and respiratory diseases,” said Carlos Dora, coordinator at the Geneva-based health agency’s Department of Public Health and Environment, who puts the global annual death toll from filthy urban air at 1.3 million. “Those are the diseases that really are the big, big plague.”
As Chief Executive Donald Tsang steps down after seven years in office, he leaves a city that boasts the world’s most valuable stock exchange, hosted three of the five biggest initial share sales in history, and is the best place on the globe for business, a new gauge by Bloomberg Rankings shows. Blotting the record is another superlative: Hong Kong, the most polluted international financial center.
New York, London, Tokyo and Singapore all have cleaner air and more ambitious improvement targets, according to WHO data and the city governments’ websites. As China opens its economy, removing the capital controls that led investors to use Hong Kong as a proxy for Chinese growth, pollution risks undermining Tsang’s economic successes.
GE’s New U.S. Jobs
General Electric Co. (GE) Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Immelt says he’s returning refrigerator-production work to the U.S. from Mexico to boost profitability in appliances. Investors say a bigger reason may be his leadership of President Barack Obama’s jobs panel.
Immelt was in Louisville, Kentucky, yesterday to say that he’s bringing back 600 jobs under an $800 million investment in its manufacturing complex there. Welcomed by local officials, the new positions add to GE’s existing Louisville workforce of about 4,000.
Immelt was in Louisville, Kentucky, yesterday to say that he’s bringing back 600 jobs under an $800 million investment in its manufacturing complex there. Welcomed by local officials, the new positions add to GE’s existing Louisville workforce of about 4,000.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Here comes the JUDGES!!!! (Maybe)
After Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced last week that he would take bold action to end Republican filibusters of 17 federal district court nominees, activists across the country, like you, spoke out in favor of the bold move and called your senators to tell them to end Republicans' blockade of qualified judicial nominees.
Thank you -- the pressure from both the Democratic leadership and Americans willing to speak out is paying off. Late last week, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reached an agreement to allow votes on 14 pending district AND circuit court nominees by May 7, with the first seven votes before the end of this month.
The first two votes have already happened, confirming Gina Groh of West Virginia and Michael Fitzgerald of California to federal district courts. But this movement is long overdue, the pace is not quick enough and the question remains: what happens on May 8, after, presumably, these 14 nominees are confirmed?
Even with this deal, far too many seats on our federal courts will still be vacant. President Obama's nominees still face consistent, unprecedented delays. It is absolutely ridiculous that it took such pressure to allow votes on a group of eminently qualified nominees with strong bipartisan support.
We're making undeniable progress but we have still not reached an end of the Republican gridlock.
Prior to the Obama administration, only three district court nominees had been filibustered in the past 60 years. And President Obama's nominees to the federal courts have had to wait on average four times as long for a simple Senate vote as did President Bush's nominees at this point in his presidency.
If Senate Republicans want to show Americans they're serious about doing the work they were elected to do, they should allow votes on the remaining nominees pending on the Senate floor and additional nominees who will be reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee in the coming months.
Thanks again for your activism, and for your support. We'll continue to keep you updated about our effort to end the GOP's partisan obstruction and let you know how you can help.
Thank you -- the pressure from both the Democratic leadership and Americans willing to speak out is paying off. Late last week, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reached an agreement to allow votes on 14 pending district AND circuit court nominees by May 7, with the first seven votes before the end of this month.
The first two votes have already happened, confirming Gina Groh of West Virginia and Michael Fitzgerald of California to federal district courts. But this movement is long overdue, the pace is not quick enough and the question remains: what happens on May 8, after, presumably, these 14 nominees are confirmed?
Even with this deal, far too many seats on our federal courts will still be vacant. President Obama's nominees still face consistent, unprecedented delays. It is absolutely ridiculous that it took such pressure to allow votes on a group of eminently qualified nominees with strong bipartisan support.
We're making undeniable progress but we have still not reached an end of the Republican gridlock.
Prior to the Obama administration, only three district court nominees had been filibustered in the past 60 years. And President Obama's nominees to the federal courts have had to wait on average four times as long for a simple Senate vote as did President Bush's nominees at this point in his presidency.
If Senate Republicans want to show Americans they're serious about doing the work they were elected to do, they should allow votes on the remaining nominees pending on the Senate floor and additional nominees who will be reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee in the coming months.
Thanks again for your activism, and for your support. We'll continue to keep you updated about our effort to end the GOP's partisan obstruction and let you know how you can help.
Is this really in the strategic interests of the USA to be dependent on foreign refiners or just a way to bust unions?
Projected Losses include 36,618 jobs and $566 Million in Tax Revenue
Contact: Lynne Hancock, USW, o) 615-831-6782, c) 615-828-6169, lhancock@usw.org
Pittsburgh—A new economic impact study from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry estimates greater job and tax revenue loss from the shutdown of three Philadelphia-area refineries than the United Steelworkers (USW) originally estimated.
Information from the reports appeared in Kathleen E. Carey’s article in the Sunday, March 11, 2012 edition of The Delaware County Daily Times. The article was titled, “Report: Sunoco, ConocoPhillips job losses could reach 36,000 in $560M economic hit for region.”
The department’s Center for Workforce Information & Analysis determined that 36,618 jobs were in jeopardy because of the closures of the ConocoPhillips Trainer, Pa., and Sunoco Marcus Hook, Pa., refineries and the soon-to-be-closed Sunoco Philadelphia refinery.
The study estimated that 18.3 jobs will be lost for each layoff in an oil refinery. These are jobs that are tied indirectly to the refineries such as service jobs and jobs in companies that supply the refineries.
“This situation is worse than we thought,” said Local 10-1 President Jim Savage. “Other studies told us that for every direct refinery job lost another eight to 10 workers lose their indirect jobs. These job figures make it more crucial than ever that ConocoPhillips and Sunoco put more effort into finding buyers for these refineries.”
The Center for Workforce Information & Analysis also published re-employment assessment reports that said 39 percent of the ConocoPhillips workforce, 156 workers, would have a fair to difficult time getting a new job. For Sunoco Marcus Hook employees, 42 percent or 250 workers, face the same difficulty in obtaining employment.
“It’s a tough job market out there,” said Local 10-901 President Dave Miller. “Our members are struggling to find jobs and it doesn’t help that they’ll be competing against thousands of other workers who also will be thrown out of work because of the shutdowns. Many don’t want to leave this area to find work because they feel an allegiance to their local communities.”
The center also determined that local communities would lose more than $566 million in state and local taxes if the three refineries are permanently closed.
“Combine these alarming statistics with the fuel supply shortages and price hikes that are anticipated and we have a critical situation in the Northeast,” said Local 10-234 President Denis Stephano. “The time is now for the government to act. Our country can’t afford these shutdowns.”
USW represents about 1,200 of the 2,200 employees at the three refineries.
Contact: Lynne Hancock, USW, o) 615-831-6782, c) 615-828-6169, lhancock@usw.org
Pittsburgh—A new economic impact study from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry estimates greater job and tax revenue loss from the shutdown of three Philadelphia-area refineries than the United Steelworkers (USW) originally estimated.
Information from the reports appeared in Kathleen E. Carey’s article in the Sunday, March 11, 2012 edition of The Delaware County Daily Times. The article was titled, “Report: Sunoco, ConocoPhillips job losses could reach 36,000 in $560M economic hit for region.”
The department’s Center for Workforce Information & Analysis determined that 36,618 jobs were in jeopardy because of the closures of the ConocoPhillips Trainer, Pa., and Sunoco Marcus Hook, Pa., refineries and the soon-to-be-closed Sunoco Philadelphia refinery.
The study estimated that 18.3 jobs will be lost for each layoff in an oil refinery. These are jobs that are tied indirectly to the refineries such as service jobs and jobs in companies that supply the refineries.
“This situation is worse than we thought,” said Local 10-1 President Jim Savage. “Other studies told us that for every direct refinery job lost another eight to 10 workers lose their indirect jobs. These job figures make it more crucial than ever that ConocoPhillips and Sunoco put more effort into finding buyers for these refineries.”
The Center for Workforce Information & Analysis also published re-employment assessment reports that said 39 percent of the ConocoPhillips workforce, 156 workers, would have a fair to difficult time getting a new job. For Sunoco Marcus Hook employees, 42 percent or 250 workers, face the same difficulty in obtaining employment.
“It’s a tough job market out there,” said Local 10-901 President Dave Miller. “Our members are struggling to find jobs and it doesn’t help that they’ll be competing against thousands of other workers who also will be thrown out of work because of the shutdowns. Many don’t want to leave this area to find work because they feel an allegiance to their local communities.”
The center also determined that local communities would lose more than $566 million in state and local taxes if the three refineries are permanently closed.
“Combine these alarming statistics with the fuel supply shortages and price hikes that are anticipated and we have a critical situation in the Northeast,” said Local 10-234 President Denis Stephano. “The time is now for the government to act. Our country can’t afford these shutdowns.”
USW represents about 1,200 of the 2,200 employees at the three refineries.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
It’s the greatest transfer of wealth in history
In November, 14 U.S. intelligence agencies issued a report describing a far-reaching industrial espionage campaign by Chinese spy agencies.
This campaign has been in the works for years and targets a swath of industries: biotechnology, telecommunications, and nanotechnology, as well as clean energy. One U.S. metallurgical company lost technology to China’s hackers that cost $1 billion and 20 years to develop, U.S. officials said last year. An Apple Inc. (AAPL) global supply manager pled guilty in 2011 to funneling designs and pricing information to China and other countries; a Ford Motor Co. (F) engineer was sentenced to six years in prison in 2010 for trying to smuggle 4,000 documents, including design specs, to China. Earlier this month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration told Congress that China-based hackers had gained access to sensitive files stored on computers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
As the toll adds up, political leaders and intelligence officials in the U.S. and Europe are coming to a disturbing conclusion: Fighting fair, expecting intellectual property rights to be honored is a farce; the time is now to simply write source code that if cloned will create time delayed death viruses to the perpetrators. In essence a security system.
Another good reason why keeping jobs and technology at home is much like having your own military = certain things your outsource at your own peril.
This campaign has been in the works for years and targets a swath of industries: biotechnology, telecommunications, and nanotechnology, as well as clean energy. One U.S. metallurgical company lost technology to China’s hackers that cost $1 billion and 20 years to develop, U.S. officials said last year. An Apple Inc. (AAPL) global supply manager pled guilty in 2011 to funneling designs and pricing information to China and other countries; a Ford Motor Co. (F) engineer was sentenced to six years in prison in 2010 for trying to smuggle 4,000 documents, including design specs, to China. Earlier this month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration told Congress that China-based hackers had gained access to sensitive files stored on computers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
As the toll adds up, political leaders and intelligence officials in the U.S. and Europe are coming to a disturbing conclusion: Fighting fair, expecting intellectual property rights to be honored is a farce; the time is now to simply write source code that if cloned will create time delayed death viruses to the perpetrators. In essence a security system.
Another good reason why keeping jobs and technology at home is much like having your own military = certain things your outsource at your own peril.
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