Obama gets Called Out

An Open Letter To President Obama On Afghanistan / Michael Moore Via The Huffington Post

"What would Martin Luther King, Jr. do? What would your grandmother do? Not send more poor people to kill other poor people who pose no threat to them, that's what they'd do. Not spend billions and trillions to wage war while American children are sleeping on the streets and standing in bread lines.

All of us that voted and prayed for you and cried the night of your victory have endured an Orwellian hell of eight years of crimes committed in our name: torture, rendition, suspension of the bill of rights, invading nations who had not attacked us, blowing up neighborhoods that Saddam "might" be in (but never was), slaughtering wedding parties in Afghanistan. We watched as hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were slaughtered and tens of thousands of our brave young men and women were killed, maimed, or endured mental anguish -- the full terror of which we scarcely know.

When we elected you we didn't expect miracles. We didn't even expect much change. But we expected some. We thought you would stop the madness. Stop the killing. Stop the insane idea that men with guns can reorganize a nation that doesn't even function as a nation and never, ever has.

Stop, stop, stop! For the sake of the lives of young Americans and Afghan civilians, stop. For the sake of your presidency, hope, and the future of our nation, stop. For God's sake, stop."

To READ full Article by Michael Moore ::CLICK HERE::

Tisk Tisk Barrack Obama!! Not only is Obama sending more troups to Afganistan, he has also appointed another Monsato rep and pesticide lobbyist, Islam Siddiqui (Vice-President for Science and Regulatory Affairs with CropLife America), to represent U.S. agricultural trade interest. What happened to America's Hope for Change? Us Americans who where hoping for a change for the better are paying close attention, and are dismayed by Obama's actions. Our President's Yes We Can campaign, has become, "But no, we won't".

To Read Full Article and to Take ACTION against Monsato's Siddiqui ::CLICK HERE::

Climate Crisis : Will COP 15 'Be The Change'?

"Things that normally happen in geologic time are happening during the span of a human lifetime," says Fagre. "It's like watching the Statue of Liberty melt."

Scientists who assess the planet's health see indisputable evidence that Earth has been getting warmer, in some cases rapidly. Most believe that human activity, in particular the burning of fossil fuels and the resulting buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, have influenced this warming trend. In the past decade scientists have documented record-high average annual surface temperatures and have been observing other signs of change all over the planet: in the distribution of ice, and in the salinity, levels, and temperatures of the oceans." ~Excerpt from the pages of National Geographic Magazine: Written by Daniel Glick

"Marking a watershed moment in history, the 15th Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, popularly known as COP15, will convene on 7 December 2009, in Copenhagen, to respond to one of the greatest challenges facing humanity: climate change.

COP 15 offers an unprecedented opportunity to tackle the climate crisis while also catalyzing the lower-carbon, green growth that is the foundation of long-term economic prosperity.

Reaching a deal by the time the COP15 meeting ends on December 18 will depend not only on the political negotiations but also on the public pressure from around the globe. Public support must be galvanized. To do this, the United Nations has launched 'Seal the Deal'." ::Read More About 'Seal the Deal' By CLICKING HERE::

"The ultimate objective of the Convention is the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system."

Please sign the Petition for a Fair Climate Agreement at Copenhagen Conference ::!CLICK HERE!::

To Join The Call for Climate Action ::CLICK HERE::

::CLICK HERE:: TO LEARN ABOUT THE BEST WAYS YOU CAN HELP OUT'! (besides Calling your senators & signing the Petition:)

To Read a crucial article, "Climate change threatens life in Shishmaref, Alaska", ::CLICK HERE::

THANK YOU! :)

Lift the Total Ban on Abortion in Nicaragua

"Nicaragua’s total ban on abortions is endangering the lives of girls and women, denying them life-saving treatment, preventing health professionals from practicing effective medicine and contributing to an increase in maternal deaths across the country.

Amnesty International is urging the Nicaraguan authorities to: Immediately repeal the law that bans all forms of abortion.
Guarantee safe and accessible abortion services for rape victims and women whose lives or health would be at risk from the continuation of pregnancy.

Protect the freedom of speech of those who speak out against the law and offer comprehensive support to the women and girls affected by the law." -Amnesty International

Unfortunately many countries in this world do not recognize the rights of Women. We are extremely fortunate that the Supreme court case 'Roe vs. Wade' gave American women the choice to abort or not, but sadly, this is not the case in many other countries. A 9 year old girl should not face criminal charges for aborting after being a victim of rape. Where is the justice?

Please visit this link (::Amnesty International::) and please TAKE ACTION by registering and signing the letter to the President of the National Assembly in Nicaragua to lift the total ban on abortion!

To read more about The Nicaraguan Abortion Ban ::CLICK HERE::

Thank You.

"Awakening the Dreamer"

The Pachamama Alliance's "mission is bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on Planet Earth."

For more information about the Pachamama Alliance please watch the Video and Visit the website link below. Thank you :)



For more information ::CLICK HERE =>PachaMama.org::

brought to you by: The Pachamama Alliance

~Blessings and Light *

NASA Bombed the Moon

On October 9, 2009 NASA bombed the Moon. The bomb left a five mile long crater on it! It perplexes me that anyone would want to bomb the Moon. Without our lovely Moon we would all be dead, so bombing it, obviously, does not seem to be an intelligent idea. Alright.., so the Moon gets hit by meteors occasionally, but why did NASA feel compelled to blast a rocket the size of a Hummer into it?

According to NASA, their LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) bomb mission "will map possible landing sites and search for water sources that could be used by a future lunar colony.” A future lunar colony? It is already bizarre enough that the uber rich astronaut wannabes have booked $100 million dollar trips to Moon through Virgin Atlantic. Perhaps the bombing yesterday has something to do with this multi million dollar trip to the moon. And why is there going to be a "future lunar colony"? Is our beautiful Earth not enough that people are going to want to live on the rocky barren Moon? So many questions, not enough answers! I feel as if we are being given the run around! Same old story. Tell the people just enough to stir their hunger, but don't give them the mouth full of information. Excite them with vague details, tell them "there is an extraterrestrial base on the dark side of the Moon", and distract them so they don't see underneath the veil of lies and feed them hogwash!

To Read an article by Andrei Codrescu that I am in accord with concerning the LCROSS mission ::CLICK HERE::

To Read the "ET/UFO" on the Moon article ::CLICK HERE::

To Read an literal article on the LCROSS mission ::CLICK HERE::

Are you eating 'Sustainable Seafood'?

Do you know where the fish you are eating is coming from? Is it sustainable? Is it farmed? Is it on the endangered species list? Is it high in Mercury? These are questions that can easily be answered.

I discovered a wonderful source of information on sustainable fishing by watching the documentary film, "The End of the Line". It was quite a shock to say the least. Below is an excerpt that will give you an idea to what this film is about... Read on.

"The end of seafood by 2048

Scientists predict that if we continue fishing as we are now, we will see the end of most seafood by 2048.
The End of the Line chronicles how demand for cod off the coast of Newfoundland in the early 1990s led to the decimation of the most abundant cod population in the world, how hi-tech fishing vessels leave no escape routes for fish populations and how farmed fish as a solution is a myth.

The film lays the responsibility squarely on consumers who innocently buy endangered fish, politicians who ignore the advice and pleas of scientists, fishermen who break quotas and fish illegally, and the global fishing industry that is slow to react to an impending disaster.

The End of the Line points to solutions that are simple and doable, but political will and activism are crucial to solve this international problem."

::Click Here:: to link up to 'The End of the Line' website. And please, watch the videos.

::CLICK HERE:: for tips on how to find sustainable seafood sources.

For a list of fish that WoMen should AVOID ::CLICK HERE::

The Cruelest Show on Earth - Ringling Bros.

"Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is known for its long history of abusing animals. In 1929, John Ringling ordered the execution of a majestic bull elephant named Black Diamond after the elephant killed a woman who had been in the crowd as he was paraded through a Texas city. Twenty men took aim and pumped some 170 bullets into Black Diamond's body, then chopped off his bullet-ridden head and mounted it for display in Houston, Texas. Ringling's cruel treatment of animals continues today.

Elephants in Ringling's possession are chained inside filthy, poorly ventilated boxcars for an average of more than 26 straight hours—and often 60 to 70 hours at a time—when the circus travels. Even former Ringling employees have reported that elephants are routinely abused and violently beaten with bullhooks (an elephant-training tool that resembles a fireplace poker), in order to force them to perform tricks. CLICK => to Read more about the Ringling whistleblower who told PETA about the shocking death of a lion and the abuse of elephants in Ringling's care."

To read the full article ::CLICK HERE::

PLEASE ::CLICK HERE:: & SIGN THE PETITION TO HELP STOP BIG TOP CRUELTY.

THANK YOU!

Help End Aerial Wolf Killing

"So far, more than 1,000 wolves have been chased down by gunmen in low-flying aircraft and killed with high-powered rifles. This year alone, more than 250 wolves have been killed -- making the 2008/2009 aerial wolf killing season one of the deadliest in years.

Congressman George Miller will soon re-introduce the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, federal legislation to end the controversial practice of using aircraft and gunmen to chase and kill wolves in Alaska. Will you urge your representative to help get the PAW Act passed into law?"

To sign the Petition that will reintroduce that Paw Act (preventing aerial wolf killing) PLEASE ::CLICK HERE::

brought to you by www.SaveWolves.org

Thank You.

Help Stop Bull Fighting!! ..please

"before the "fight" the bulls have heavy weights tied to their necks for weeks to weaken them. The workers rub petroleum into their eyes to obscure their vision and beat the bull's kidneys repeatedly. They give them trandquilizers, laxatives, and drugs that induce paralysis or a hypnotized state. They feed them a large amount of salt so they will drink a lot and become bloated and slow. Many have their horns cut down. For hours the bull is held in a tiny cage with no food or water and before the "fight" he is harpooned to cause bleeding and released into the arena.

Act 1- the fighters stab the bull's neck muscles with a spiked lance and impale their spears into their shoulders.

Act 2- They strike the bull with barbed harpoons.

Act 3-The fighter attemps to stab the bull in the heart but often misses, usually stabbing them in the lungs which sometimes the bull vomits blood out of his nose and mouth. After stabbing the bull a number of times, they try to slice up the orans so that the bull with collapse. They will cut the spinal cord then the ears and tail. Then they will drag the bull around as the audience cheers. The horses also suffer as their vocal cords are cut out so they cant scream and approximately 200 are killed each year.

Baby bullfights are real too as they are stabbed to death and the ears and tail are cut off as well. (all in front of a audience)"

Sponsored by: Teddi Raabe

!!Fight Against Animal Cruelty in Europe!!

PLEASE ::CLICK HERE:: to find ways to help stop Bullfighting!

THANK YOU for caring.

"Monkeys in Army Lab Need Your Help!"

"The U.S. Army is currently injecting toxic drugs into live monkeys, causing the animals to suffer violent seizures and difficulty breathing and fall into what the Army calls a "crisis" mode.

Contrary to the Army's claims, PETA has uncovered government records that state that monkeys used by the Army in chemical and biological casualty care training exercises have suffered and died. Veterinary records indicate that some monkeys used in these procedures have died after their internal organs burst and others from "terminal cardiovascular collapse" or other trauma and sickness related to their exposure to the poison. These documents also show that several monkeys suffered serious wounds from fighting with one another. The Army also repeatedly tests each monkey for tuberculosis by injecting the bacteria directly into the animals' eyelids."

Information from PETA. for more info ::CLICK HERE::

Protect Alaskan Wolves

From Care2.com:

"This past summer, Alaska wildlife agency personnel reportedly staked out a known wolf denning site – a practice that is illegal under Alaska law – and, using helicopters, gunned down 14 adult wolves from the air.

When they landed, they found 14 helpless pups in the nearby dens – infant wolves just weeks old – and methodically shot each one in the head. 28 wolves gunned down in all."

::CLICK HERE:: to sign the petition that will help prohibit the illegal killing of wolves. Thank you :)

Seismic Shifts

The Earth shakes and rolls constantly. That is reality! Especially in California.. today. Check here. But..., how ready are you going to be when the BIG ONE rolls in? No one is ever ready to be shaken to the floor!, but knowing how to roll with Earth's punches is a good plan.
::Click HERE:: to get an idea of how to be prepared.

A New Era

"I have a dream! I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.” -Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

On this day Barack Obama officially became the first African American President of the United States. Martin Luther King's dream was realized in a way that was thought not possible in our lifetime. This day has made history, his-story. On November 4th 2008 the dream of all (well, most) Americans was realized. Change became possible. The hope in Pandora’s box was reborn. The era of old is over. “The time has come.” The now and the new is here! “Hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.” The Bush Administration’s dictatorship has come to an end. Finally!
Many people question what kind of change will come while Obama is our president. There is no question mark in my head. I believe that with time Americans will see and feel the effects of the change. Nothing is instant. Everything takes time. Good things come to those with patience. This is the big one! The seismic shift in American history has taken place. The echos of Hope were heard. I believe that Obama can make a change for the better. With time.

Timeline:

Day #1 of Barack Obama’s position as the 1st African American President of the United States.

19 years since the first African American was elected to be governer of a state. (Lawrence Douglas Wilder, state of Virginia).

41 years since the first African American was elected to be the mayor of a major American city (Carl Stokes, Cleveland).

43 years since the Civil Rights Act was passed. It outlawed racial segregation in schools, public places, and places
of employment.

44 years since the Voting Act Rights of 1965 was passed. This enabled all races to vote. in connection with the 15th Amendment, the voting act solidified the right to vote for all men and women alike.

55 years since the Civil Rights Movement began.

99 years since the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded. The NAACP played a very important part in the civil rights movement.

138 years since the ratification of the 15th Amendment of the Constitution. It enabled all races to vote.

143 years since the The Thirteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution officially abolished and prohibited slavery.

147 years since the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. The Emancipation Proclamation granted freedom to slaves in the Confederate States of America.

-Raquel-Marie

sand sculpture image by Biswaranjan Rout

Human Rights Investigation of Gaza

A friend of mine, Garth Wynne-Jones, shared the link below with me. Please go to it and sign the Petition that will fight for the right to allow the Media to report what is really happening in Gaza. It is genocide!!! >:(... ..

Sign the PETITION by CLICKING HERE!

::CLICK HERE:: for a link of a list of different organizations that you can DONATE to that are providing aid to the Palestinians.

This is a re-post:
"I am calling for a full investigation by Human Rights monitors and full cover of Media in Gaza once the Israeli Offensive against Gaza Halts. Media reports of all findings to be Publicized and shared with the world to inform of the atrocities against the Palestinian People.
Human Rights investigation is to give a true account of Palestinian Casualties. A true account of all living conditions in Gaza. A true account of all weapons used by Israel against the Palestinians.
International Monitors are to be put in place to assure the investigation process and procedures are in compliance with Geneva Convention.
We can no longer remain silent against the Israeli War Crimes!!!!"

Sign the PETITION by CLICKING HERE!

Thank you!

Join the Animal Rescue Team

"If you love animals, join the Animal Rescue Team. Only $14 a month can help win the fight against the gruesome sport of bear baiting and help other animals facing cruelty."

::Click Here:: to put your money where your heart is. Thank you :)

Save the Seals

This is a re-post from the Humane Society of the United States.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD

The annual Canadian Harp Seal hunt is underway beginning in April. It's by far the largest mammal hunt in the world and the only commercial hunt in which the target is the infant of it's species. For 6 to 8 weeks each spring, the ice floes of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the eastern coast of Newfoundland and Labrador turn bloody, as some 300,000 harp seal pups, virtually all between the ages of 2 and 12 weeks old, are beaten to death - their skulls crushed with a heavy club called a hakapik - or shot. They are then skinned on the ice or in nearby hunting vessels after being dragged to the ships with boat hooks. The skinined carcasses are usually left on the ice or tossed in the ocean.

Thousands of other wounded pups (estimates range from 15,000 to 150,000 per year) manage to escape the hunters but die later of their injuries or drown after falling off the ice (pups younger than 5 weeks cannot swim). The seals are hunted chiefly for their pelts, which are exported to NORWAY, FINLAND, HONG KONG, TURKEY, RUSSIA and other countries, where they are used to make expensive designer-label coats and accessories. (Gucci, Prada, Versace)

To Sign the Pledge to Boycott Canadian Seafood & to Watch Some footage Click HERE.

As we race into the New Year, it is crucial that we maintain this momentum and reach out to grocers and urge them to join the rapidly growing list of grocery stores and restaurants joining the ProtectSeals campaign.

What's the connection between your grocery store and the seal hunt? Sealers are actually commercial fishermen who earn only a small fraction of their livelihood from killing baby seals for their fur. The vast majority of the sealers' incomes -- 95% actually -- comes from commercial fishing. About two thirds of Canada's seafood is exported to the United States each year, achieving more than $2.5 billion for the Canadian economy annually. This dwarfs the few million dollars contributed to the Canadian economy by the commercial seal hunt.

By choosing to avoid Canadian seafood, you can give the fishermen who kill seals a clear economic incentive to stop the slaughter. So far, our boycott has resulted in millions of lost revenue for Canadian sealers. But we aren't there yet: As of today Canada still refuses to bow to international pressure, and is readying its sealing vessels for the 2009 slaughter.

That's why we urgently need your help to ask your local grocery store to not buy or sell Canadian seafood until the senseless slaughter of seals comes to an end.

Click here to print out & fill a comment card for your local grocery stores :)

More than 5,000 grocery stores and restaurants are participating in the ProtectSeals boycott of Canadian seafood. Each one has shifted some or all of its seafood purchasing away from Canada until the commercial seal hunt is ended for good. Across the country, dozens of grocery chains are in discussions with our ProtectSeals team about the tremendous good they can do by joining the campaign -- and they have indicated that they'd like to hear from their customers.

Some of the grocery chains that are participating in the ProtecSeals boycott of Canadian seafood include Whole Foods Markets, Trader Joe's, Harris Teeter, WinCo Foods, BI-LO Supermarkets, Lowe's Food Stores, and Bon Appétit Management Company.

Thanks to dedicated advocates like you, we are getting closer to the day when baby seals can live in peace without being hunted down and brutally clubbed or shot.

Fight the Power!!

January 7th & 8th; In the Bay Area, tensions are high in regards to the murder of the young African American man, Oscar Grant, by a rapid transit police officer on New Year's day.

In response to the wrongful shooting of Oscar Grant, riots broke out on the streets of Oakland yesterday and protests were at full force in Oakland and San Francisco today. Grant was un-armed and was not resisting arrest when he was shot in the back and killed. WTF!! At one point the trigger happy officer Johannes Mehserle, who recently resigned, said that his intention was to taser Grant. Wrong! It was all caught on cell phone video cams & bart surveillance cameras. Thank technology!! A young innocent man is now dead! Grant's family is going to fight this murder until Mehserle is behind bars! They have filed a $25 million wrongful death claim and are demanding that prosecutors charge Mehserle with man slaughter. Justice prevail!

Hundreds of protestors on the streets in Oakland and SF are creating a buzz and making a ruckus. ElectriCity and tension are thick! Feels like Los Angeles during the riots of 1992, but this officer is going to have his ass handed to him without all the court drama. Witnesses and evidence are solid. YES!!

To read more on this story check the link:

www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/us/09oakland.html?_r=1

Help Defend New Orleans

New Orleans is by far one of my favorite cities in the U.S. It is the birth place of Jazz, and not to mention, a melting pot of an exotic cultural stew; African, Caribbean, French, Spanish and good ol' Americana. Louisiana gumbo 4 shore! I have been traveling to New Orleans since before the devastation of Katrina and when the levees broke, so did the heart of millions, amongst the many lives and homes taken by earth's dead man's hand. & I'm not going to attempt to get into the devastation that was created by the lack of instant aid that was received by FEMA... grrrr! But HOPE always remains, and as the NOLA saying goes, "Les Bons Temps Roulé" (the good times will roll). And of course with help and contribution HOPE can make a difference, even three years after the fact. 'Philanthropy Now!'

I feel passionately about this beautiful and haunting city. When I discovered 'Defend New Orleans', a small group of friends who began DNO in 2003, whom make & sell shirts, bags, etc, that aids communities in need, I knew this was one way that I could contribute to the unfortunate people who lost everything and who are still working to build their lives and their hope. It's not helping to build a house in the Ninth Ward, but it's something. Every little bit counts and when added up, those little bits create a home. Please check out their website, & hey, buy a t-shirt!
CLICK HERE FOR DNO MERCHANDISE


To help more... CHECK THESE LINKS:
*Common Ground Relief

*Music Rising




Money from the sale of Defend New Orleans merchandise has aided Renew Our Music, New Orleans Musician Fund, Bridge House, Emergency Communities, among others. DNO also throws local fundraising events, so if you happen to visit NOLA, check out their events; DNO EVENTS