Friday, May 24, 2013

Why We Should Let Off The Gas Pedal Just A Little

File under "random shit I think about"...

If everyone would slow down a bit...be a little lighter in your loafers...

Let's say you I only save $20 a month on your gas bill. Not a big fucking deal.

But multiply that by ONE HUNDRED MILLION VEHICLES...

And we have collectively just diverted TWO BILLION DOLLARS A MONTH back into the US/Global economy...

Out of the already well-lined pockets of BigOil/Stockholders/OPEC...

And into other areas of the economy...

Or save your $20 bucks a month a buy a case of MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir at Christmas-time.

Just sayin'

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AlexTangoFuego

Thursday, May 23, 2013

FILM The Garden & Take Action Against Monsanto and FOR The Family Farm



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AlexTangoFuego


Begin forwarded message:


Subject: FILM the Garden thurs 8  plus an easy action YOU can do...

Come see "the Garden" at Third Coast Activist center Thursday the 23rd
potluck 7 pm, can you bring local organic food? sure we can...
then... read on, it's inspiring what is happening~
 can you take 2 mins to limit Monsanto & build organics?
if you can take a couple of minutes, it could help alot!
click the link, it's all there easy as pie to follow~
calls count for waaaaay more than emails, that's why we call!

Stop the Corporate Takeover of America: Tell Congress to Repeal the Monsanto Protection Act and support GMO labeling and environmental protections in the 2013 Farm Bill!

Dear Pat,

Yesterday was an incredible day for the movement to label GMOs and take our democracy back from corrupt chemical and biotech seed companies like Monsanto.

Late last night, the Connecticut Senate passed a bill to label GMOs by a margin of 35 to 1!

Yesterday morning, less than 2 months after the Monsanto Protection Act was signed into law, Senator John Merkley (D-OR) introduced an amendment, S. 954, to repeal the Monsanto Protection Act – the most outrageous special interest loophole in recent memory.

And yesterday afternoon, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced a Right-to-Know GMO labeling amendment to put pressure on the Senate to get in the game for a federal bill that requires labeling for all Americans!

Today we need your help to keep this momentum going to stop Monsanto and win GMO labeling and build a better food supply. Right now, Monsanto and the biotech industry is running scared. The tide has turned on the conversation to label genetically engineered foods and we need your help to drive it home!

This week the Senate is taking amendments to the 2013 Farm Bill and we need you to take action to protect our future!

Tell Congress it's time to end the corporate takeover of our food supply, repeal the Monsanto Protection Act and support organics and family farmers! It's time to put the health of our people, our environment and our nation over Monsanto's profits!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/868?t=7&akid=869.581491.9iT1X2

These are the list of amendments that Food Democracy Now! and our allies support to build a better future!

Take action by calling your senators today!

List of Amendments to S. 954, the 2013 Farm Bill to Build an Organic, Sustainable Food Supply

1. Repeal Monsanto Protection Act: Merkley Amendment #978 In an unprecedented move, Senator Merkley, introduced an amendment to repeal the Monsanto Protection Act, Section 735 of H.R. 933, which was passed into law last March. The Monsanto Protection Act has been called "the most outrageous special interest provisions in years."

2. Support GMO labeling: Boxer Amendment #1025 to Label Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know: Boxer has introduced an important amendment to the farm bill that would show support for labeling foods with genetically engineered ingredients

3. Ban Genetically Engineered Salmon: Begich Amendment #934 to ban the sale of genetically engineered salmon until Federal wildlife agencies are properly consulted.

4. Protect Honey Bees and Pollinators: Boxer Amendment #1027 to protect honey bees and native pollinators, that have declined over 45% last winter as a result of pesticides and industrial agriculture.

5. Wyden Common Sense Hemp Amendment #952: Senator Wyden introduced Farm Bill Amendment 952 to define industrial hemp and allow the states to regulate it. S.952 is in support of the "Industrial Hemp Farming Act" (S. 359), that Wyden filed earlier this year to support family farmers who want to grow hemp on their farms to grow this sustainable crop for food, clothing and bio-fuels. The amendment has broad bipartisan co-sponsorship from Senators Paul, McConnell and Merkley.

6. Limit Payments to Large Corporate Farms: Shaheen-Toomey Payment Limit Amendment #926: Limits crop insurance premium support to $50,000 per farmer annually; requires a farmer to be actively engaged in the farm business in order to be eligible for premium support; generates more than $4 billion in savings over ten years; and impacts fewer than 4 percent of farmers.

7. Support Caps on Insurance Payments: Coburn-Durbin AGI Amendment #953: Supports caps on isurance payments to reduce premium support by 15% for farmers with an Adjusted Gross Income of more than $750,000; generates more than $1 billion in savings over ten years; impacts less than 1 percent of farmers.

8. Open Transparency for Public Subsidies: Begich-Flake Transparency Amendment #936: Permits RMA to disclose the names of insurance subsidy recipients, making crop insurance disclosure requirements consistent with requirements for other subsidies, disaster payments, and conservation payments at no cost to the taxpayer.

Join Food Democracy Now! to help take back our food supply and support organic farmers! It's time to stand up for what you believe in! Every voice counts!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/868?t=10&akid=869.581491.9iT1X2

It's incredible how far we've come in such a short period of time and with your help we can win these important amendments to help family farmers grow an organic, sustainable and non-GMO food supply!

Remember, democracy is like a muscle - either you use it or you lose it!

Thanks for participating in food democracy,

Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! team



Thursday, May 16, 2013

Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds: A Publication of the National Intelligence Council

Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds: A Publication of the National Intelligence Council

The National Intelligence Council's (NIC) Global Trends Report engages expertise from outside government on factors of such as globalization, demography and the environment, producing a forward-looking document to aid policymakers in their long term planning on key issues of worldwide importance.

Global Trends 2030 is intended to stimulate thinking about the rapid and vast geopolitical changes characterizing the world today and possible global trajectories over the next 15 years.

Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds by Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Monday, May 6, 2013

Orphans Over Orchids - This Mother's Day

Bouquets are beautiful, but will you consider a new way to celebrate Mother's Day on May 12th?  

 

Before your day and week gets crazy… click through to joy with us!  Now you can applaud good moms and instantly give a wonderful,real childhood to 100 kids who don't have one-- yet.  With your help, they will!

 

Please join me,  Caroline Boudreaux,IndieGoGo.com and UNICEF Ambassador Tea Leoni in our exciting "Orphans Over Orchids" $100,000 Global Challenge, and enjoy this authentic and meaningful way to celebrate Mother's Day. With a few clicks now, you can make an immediate, permanent and trackable difference in the health, happiness (and future) for an entireorphanage of 100 boys and girls halfway around the world.  (www.miraclefoundation.org)

 

We're really gaining momentum for Orphans Over Orchids but we need YOU.  Crowdfunding campaigns through secure sites like IndieGoGo or Kickstarter magicallycatch fire quickly when people go online and check it out, and your contribution can be anonymous.  You can help quickly fund pet projects for as little as $25without ever being asked for more!

 

Here are 5 ½ easy ways to make a difference in the Orphans Over Orchids global challenge NOW:

 

•             Go to www.Miraclefoundation.org and see video of CarolineBoudreaux, the outstanding social entrepreneur who founded The Miracle Foundation and is revolutionizing the way orphanages are run worldwide.  Click on the Give a Mother's Day Gift tab toIndieGoGo.com and decide from there.  CLICK THRUS COUNT!

•             Post "Orphans Over Orchids" links and recommend on Facebook

•             Tweet about Orphans Over Orchids!

•             PLEASE forward this email to your entire list

•             Donate.  Click on Give a Gift  (Mothers and grandmothers, ask for this or donate too!)  You will get a downloadable Mother's Day e-card, or you can email it to any mom you want!

 

Right here from Austin, The Miracle Foundation is successfully combatting corruption and transforming virtual warehouses of kids into real homes, with fantastic results that are closely monitored.  By joining the Orphans Over Orchids challenge, you can ensure delivery of100 childhoods with loving trained housemothers, clean water, good food, cozy beds AND an excellent education with life skills training.  (www.miraclefoundation.org )   

 

IS there a better possible present for Mother's Day?.

 

And if the Miracle Foundation gets more than $100,000?  We'll uplift another orphanage!  You can track our way to success, then read all of the publicity about Orphans Over Orchids it next week. 

 

On behalf of Caroline, Tea and the beautiful kids—THANK YOU!



Sent from my iPhone
AlexTangoFuego
Just a bit west of the Pecos River

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Robert Jensen :: Arguing for Our Lives

 Missed it, but buy the book.. 


Monday, April 29, 7 pm

Robert Jensen on "Arguing for Our Lives"

UT professor Robert Jensen will discuss and read from his new book, Arguing for Our Lives: A User's Guide to Constructive Dialog, published by City Lights. http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100303190

With the quality of political engagement at an all-time low—and threats to social justice and ecological sustainability at an all-time high—it has never been more important for citizens to be able to argue constructively. In this lively primer on critical thinking that draws on more than two decades of classroom experience and community organizing, Jensen offers practical advice on challenging the conventional wisdom and confronting the crises of our time.

Jensen is a professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas and a founding board member of the Third Coast Activist Resource Center. He is also the author of All My Bones Shake: Seeking a Progressive Path to the Prophetic Voice and co-producer of the documentary film "Abe Osheroff: One Foot in the Grave, the Other Still Dancing."

Location: BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, 78703 http://www.bookpeople.com/


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[AlexTangoFuego]

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Over The Rhine

Y'all know about them, right?

Google and listen...

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AlexTangoFuego