USPS Losing Offices, Losing Jobs!

08/21/2011. (Updates will appear at the bottom of this post)

United States Postal Service Losing Offices, Losing Jobs. 

Many USPS offices have been shutting down due to financial issues costing many employees to lose their job. One issue the USPS faces is their Civil Service Retirement System. Each year the USPS is required to fund their CSRS.The CSRS is a fund which holds future retiree money. For every future employee the USPS puts money for that employee into the CSRS. The USPS is basically assuming every future employee they have will retire with them. The USPS is the only business that is required to do this. Every year the USPS has paid 5.5 billion into the CSRS. According to Office of Inspector General (OIG), the USPS overpaid 75Billion into the CSRS. As of right now the government is not required to pay back any of the over payment, even though currently offices and jobs have been lost due to the USPS's financial issues.Unlike Fedex the USPS does not receive tax subsidies.

To get a better grasp on USPS financial issue visit USPS Office of Inspector General

Help Save Jobs and USPS!

If the USPS was allowed to halt paying 5.5billion a year this would allow some offices and some jobs to be saved. Please contact your local Representatives and ask them to allow USPS to put a moratorium on paying into the CSRS. 

Also visit Save The Post Office. This site has a petition to sign and also posts updated info on closed offices and news on the post office issue.

Currently the USPS has a contract which prevents some employees from being laid off if they have been employed with USPS for a certain amount of years. According to some workers this contract is at risk from being broke.

In my opinion the post office is as stretched thin as it can get. I can't see how they can lay off any more people. Most post offices I have been into only have one or two employees working the desk. Unless a moratorium is put on the CSRS then the USPS is going to be almost nonexistent. 

*Update 09/30/2011*

*End Update*

*Update 09/19/2011*

APWU will be airing this commercial on a lot of sports channels.

*update 9/12/2011*

It seems the mainstream media is finally bringing awareness to the USPS issue!

No more mail? What would Ben Franklin think?It's a worst-case scenario being painted as Postal Service heads deeper into red-msn

*End Update*

First Amendment Broken via BLM

The BLM denies press access to round ups at a reasonable distance. BLM(bureau of land management)continues to block observations of round ups. This video below goes into more detail about BLM breaking the first amendment.

BLM Blocks Press Access to Wild Horse Round Up from Moving Cloud on Vimeo.

What Are You Eating?

Agriculture is one of the U.S's biggest industry. The FDA and USDA are in charge of making sure the food which is distributed is safe to eat. However there have been through the years increase cases of mad cow disease, E.coli and many companies have been found to be improperly housing cattle, pigs, turkeys and chickens. It should be of no surprise that some companies hide the truth of what they put into the feed, or inject into the animals. It should also be of no surprise that sometimes the FDA and USDA turn a "blind eye" to some practices.

For Example:
Genetically Altered Alfalfa. For those who don't know Alfalfa is a plant that is fed to many animals, but mainly livestock. Alfalfa is a legume hay, which promotes growth and development in animals. When I first learned GE Alfalfa was in the works I automatically knew it was a bad idea. Alfalfa works great on its own, to enhance it would probably cause problems. I wasn't too far off in my thinking. Cattle who have been given GE Alfalfa experienced still births.
Despite that fact and the disapproval from many organic farmers; GE alfalfa was given the ok to go through via the USDA. With GE alfalfa approved companies now have incentive ( its cheap) to use GE Alfalfa. What also is concerning is not enough is really known about the effects of GE Alfalfa. If widely used, over time the effects will become apparent and may have an impact on those who consume meat of the animal which was fed GE Alfalfa. The USDA and FDA should of had more research done before passing this product through. The reality is the USDA and FDA are not focused on safety, they, like the rest of our government, are focused on Money.What I find very interesting is Tom Vilsack's  statement about the GE Alfalfa and why it should pass:  “We want to expand and preserve choice for farmers,” he told reporters. “We think the decision reached today is a reflection of our commitment to choice and trust.”
Common sense says trust the organic farmers not the billion dollar company which wants to just make more money. This passing of GE alfalfa will hurt organic farmers and those who consume organic foods.
Here are a few articles which go into more detail about GE Alfalfa: 
GE Alfalfa  

Genetic Engineering: Scientists warn of link between dangerous new pathogen and Monsanto’s Roundup 

USDA deregulates GE alfalfa; opens door to new era of widespread genetic pollution of crops 

USDA Announces Decision to Fully Deregulate Roundup Ready Alfalfa

What an animal is fed and how the animal is treated has a great impact on the development of the animal and on the consumer. When buying meat or dairy products be sure to research the farm or company your buying from. Not only should that company be housing their animals correctly, you as a consumer should be told what feed is given to the animal. Another example of wanting to know what is in the feed would be the recent Arsenic issue. Arsenic has been added to chicken feed for some time. However recent study has shown arsenic in feed does effect the animals meat. Those who consume arsenic can get cancer and other illnesses. According to the FDA not all chickens are given feed with arsenic in it. Meaning some farmers chose to properly feed their animals. The company responsible for the added arsenic in the feed is Pfizer. Added hormones are also another issue when it comes to animal feed. 

Here's more on this issue:

FDA says chicken can contain small amounts of arsenic

FDA finally admits chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic (but keep eating it, yo!)

Growth Hormones Fed to Beef Cattle Damage Human Health

EU Scientists Confirm Health Risks of Growth Hormones in Meat

Below I am going to post some videos about the issues I mentioned. I am sharing this to make others aware of what you buy. I am not trying to stop anyone from eating meat, or change their lifestyle. My Goal is to bring awareness to others about the issues we face in the Ag business and to promote humane and natural farming.

You and Your Milk

 

 Here are some interesting articles:

Beef...from Farm to Table 

U.S. Congress Turns Up The Heat On Genetically Engineered Salmon

 Lawsuit To Halt GE Crops On Southeastern Refuges: Genetically Engineered Crops on 25 Refuges in 8 States Are Illegal

FDA temporarily suspends use of some arsenic in animal feeds

Pennsylvania to change Presidential Voting?

 Governor Tom Corbett isn't done destroying the state of Pennsylvania just yet.

Gov Corbett has allowed Fracking companies to drill on PA land with out facing taxes, he even suggested they drill on college campuses; and has tried to implement legislation so these companies can drill in state parks. If that doesn't bother you then check out Gov Corbett's Budget Deal. Over 900million was cut from education, many teachers/education staff have been laid off due to this. It has gotten so bad, one school had sheep come in to cut grass rather then hiring maintenance to cut it.
 Not only does Gov Corbett support the Voter ID bill, he now wants to change the way Pennsylvania Votes. The new change would mean less electoral votes for PA. This also means the popular vote won't be the winning vote, this new change will be taking away the "winner takes all."  For example in Pa Obama had 21 electoral votes. If this new change was in affect then, Obama would only receive 11 out of the 21.

I personally feel all votes should be counted for and if the majority votes for one person that person should win.

*Update 9/16/2011*

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

*end update*

Sources:
Pennsylvania's state GOP lawmakers seek change in Electoral College voting
Pennsylvania GOP proposes change to electoral vote distribution
Gov. Corbett’s Plan to Disenfranchise PA Voters Gains Attention
GOP Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett Proposes Rigging The Electoral College For Republicans
Gov. Corbett’s Education Cuts Force Pennsylvania School District To Use Sheep To Cut Grass
Tom Corbett Tells Colleges To Drill For Oil
Corbett “Proposes” Fracking On State University Campuses

Homeless U.S.A

 With the unemployment rate rising I am sure we will hear more stories about increased numbers of homeless. Due to the rise in living cost there are also people who have jobs who are homeless. I decided to share some videos I found interesting about the homeless. If you know of any documentaries which you would like to see on this blog about homeless please message me the link. Videos below:

 

*Update 9/15/2011*





The jobless in New Jersey find refuge in Tent City-This article is by Cnn and goes into more detail about the NJ Tent city.

My comment I made when I first posted about Homeless USA still holds strong and is being proven everyday. I also believe unless we gain leaders and more people who care about other people and not war, greed, selfishness; we will always face a deficit, there will always be homeless, jobless and children living in poverty. So much money is spent on entertainment, bailing out banks, wars etc. In order for real change America and its people need to change the way they think. Life isn't about who has the biggest house, the fastest car. Life is about enjoying what you have, and what is around you. As a nation we were meant to be something greater; a lead for other nations to follow. Everyday with the rise of homeless, and jobless, we continue to be the nation that falls behind. America is no longer the great nation it used to be. America can be a great nation, but in order for that to happen people must start caring about others, not just about themselves.
*End Update*


*Update 9/13/2011*
Record 46.2 million Americans live in poverty, Census Bureau says-LATimesBlog


This should be of no surprise, in August we had a job growth of 0. Minimum wage is 7.25 an hour. If you are fortunate to work 40hrs at that pay you get a balance of 295, this doesn't include all the taxes you have to pay or any other expense. A supposed good paying job pays from 10-15 dollars an hour. Even if you made 15 an hr and worked 40 hrs that would be 600 dollars, not including all the taxes to be taken out or other expenses. Truth is minimum wage should start at 15 dollars an hour. To own a car, have health insurance, an apartment, feed yourself etc you have to make about 25- 30K a year.  Anyone making under 25K has to make considerable sacrifices, anyone making less then 20K a year is in poverty. Most jobs that are currently hiring which doesn't ask for a special license/training is minimum wage. College expenses have been out of reach for many and even minimum wage isn't enough to keep a student in college on their own.

*Update 9/01/2011*

"Low-wage workers have been particularly hard hit by wage trends. More than four decades ago in 1967, a year-round worker earning the minimum wage was paid enough to raise a family of three above the poverty line (Solar, 1995). From 1981-1990, however, the minimum wage was frozen at $3.35 an hour, while the cost of living increased 48% over the same period. Congress raised the minimum wage to $5.15 per hour in 1996, and it has not been raised until 2007. In 2007, President Bush signed into law a plan that would increase the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, over two years.  This increase has not kept up with the ground lost to inflation in the last 20 years; thus, the real value of the minimum wage today is 26% less than in 1979 (The Economic Policy Institute, 2005), worth only $4.42 in real dollars (AFL-CIO, 2005). In today’s current market, a full-time minimum wage worker working 40 hours a week and 52 weeks per year would earn $13,624. This puts him nearly 25% below the $18,310 (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2009) poverty level for a family of three. This worker falls below the poverty line even after factoring in the earned income tax credit, which was created to bring low-wage workers up to the poverty line (The Economic Policy Institute, 2007). The Economic Policy Institute estimates that by 2009, the minimum wage increase will raise full-time minimum wage workers above the poverty line for a family of two for the first time in more than ten years (The Economic Policy Institute, 2007). Even after the next wage increase to $7.25, a family of three will remain about $3,000 below the poverty line, and a family of four will be more than $6,000 below it [U.S. Health and Human Services]. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of minimum-wage workers are not teenagers: approximately 79% of minimum age workers are 20 or older (The Economic Policy Institute, 2008)."-National Coalition For the Homeless

I have noticed that most jobs not just retail, but even accounting jobs, computer jobs etc, are cutting hours and not hiring full time workers. Most jobs are seeking part time employees. If the only jobs available are part time and the pay wage stays what it is now, then with out a doubt by 2012 the homeless population will skyrocket. This also means the amount of children living in poverty will also increase.


How you can help!

Feeding America is one organization which not only brings awareness to those who are starving in the U.S but it is a great org to volunteer or donate to.

The Salvation Army is a great organization to donate clothes, food, necessities to. Some locations have a store you can buy from, the money from that store goes to people who are in need.

HSD- Homeless Shelter Directory helps you locate a soup kitchen and shelter near you. You can also donate and volunteer at shelters.

Super Congress Should Be Super illegal!

Super Congress Should Be Super illegal!

In my opinion the so called "super committee/congress" should be illegal. Besides this gang of 12 "super committee" being unconstitutional; the real purpose of the super congress is so the 12 people apart /of the committee are the scape goats. I guarantee after the 12 "super committee" members make their decision on the final debt plan and something goes wrong due to that plan all representatives will be pointing their fingers at this super congress. They will most likely say "Well the super committee said we should do it that way, it was their job to tell us how to handle the debt crises."

I also believe both Democrats and Republicans want the same plan. Neither of them really wants to raise taxes and all of them want to make spending cuts. If anyone should be in charge of picking members of the Supper congress, it should be the American People. We should be the ones voting on who is apart of the committee since it is the committee who will be deciding on how to handle our debt crisis.

Below I will be updating and I will be adding videos and articles on this so called "super congress."

*Update 9/12/2011*
Senator Jon Kyl is threatening to leave the "super committee" over cuts. Here's an article about it by Business Insider: It's Falling Apart :Senator Already Threatening To Quit The Super Committee

*End Update*

 *Update 9/01/2011*

Super Committee Gets Ready for Its First Hearing.-Atlantic

 GOP tax expert to help run debt-reduction ‘super committee’. -The Washington Post

*End Update*

*Update8/19/2011 *
Fred Upton who is apart of the "Super Committee" Gets called out during a town hall meeting! Video below:

*End Update*



*Update 8/12/2011*

*end update*

 Reid names Sens. Murray, Baucus and Kerry to new debt committee-Click Here For Full Story.
  
"In a move that could deadlock the 12-member panel over taxes, but perhaps set the stage for changes later, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell named Tea Party ally Patrick Toomey to the panel with Jon Kyl and Rob Portman. "-Click Here For Full Story.

Is A Four Year Limit Too Short For Welfare in Michigan?

Governor Snyder of Michigan signed into law a four year welfare limit for his state. According to the Current Population Survey since July 2011 the unemployment rate for Mich. is 10.1%.  Many people rely on Welfare. Arguably there are people who do take advantage of the system. However looking at the current unemployment rate and status of the state this four year limit will only hurt Michigan.

By October 2011 in Michigan, 41,000 will be dropped off of welfare; 29,700 of them will be children. Those who will be dropped off of welfare will probably add to the lines at the soup kitchens or homeless shelters. Welfare is just like unemployment it is designed to help people who are currently struggling and looking for jobs,who need help due to disabilities,or for those who have children and are struggling. Welfare is designed to prevent poverty, to prevent added people on the streets. Welfare is not a lot of money and there are people who are currently on welfare who are homeless.

According to this bill disabled and those who care for children will be exempt from the four year limit. Which sounds great, but what about struggling teens or adults? In four years these people will be dropped off and I am sure we will see an increase in homelessness and crimes.

This is not a smart move. I would agree to this new law if job growth in America was high. The promise of jobs are very low right now. This bill would save the state of Michigan 64million, but I wonder how many lives of adults and children will be crushed due to this move.


Sources:
Department Of Numbers
Current Population Survey
APNews

9/11 First Responders Denied Care?

September 11

I am posting this today because I want every American to do what is right. No civilian, police officer, fire fighter, military personnel should be denied government health treatment for any illness!! I'm not requiring anyone to read this full article, but if you do anything please scroll down to the bottom and demand all First Responders get full Cancer or any other health illness covered by government. There have been first responders who have been denied treatment due to no proof they got the illness because of September 11th.

9/11 First Responders Denied Memorial?

This year it was announced by New York's Mayor Bloomberg the 9/11 first responders will not be attending the World Trade Center Memorial. The reason was blamed on the lack of room. This is a farce. If family members knew in advanced about this issue, I am sure some of them would step aside and give their seat to the many men and women who went to rescue the victims of 9/11. I truly believe the first responders were denied access to the memorial for many reasons. The main reason is the first responders health care bill. The Mayor and other politicians don't want the first responders showing up and telling the truth about how our government refuses to treat first responders; being officers, firefighters, priests and citizens of their health issues. First responders should always be allowed to attend any 9/11 ceremony.

To contact Mayor Bloomberg and express your disapproval of his decision Click Here!

CNN has an awesome article that also suggests the first responders  health care bill is the reason for the denied invitations- First responders decry exclusion from 9/11 ceremony.

9/11 First Responders Denied Care?

Ten years after 9/11/01, the first responders health care bill passed. Story here. Many first responders were suffering from a lot of health issues, like cancer. One of the reasons this bill passed was partly because Jon Stewart aired this video: Jon Stewart Interviews 9/11 Responders. Jon Stewart was able to bring awareness to the public about the men and women who have been ignored by our government. In the John Stewart interview with first responders, many first responders claim their insurance doesn't cover their treatments. Some have even been denied coverage for their illnesses.   

The First Responders Health Bill does not cover those with cancer.This means you will not get cancer treatment via the government if you were a first responder on 9/11. According to Dr. John Howard, who heads the U.S. Government's World Trade Center Heath Program, said Tuesday in a review, "Insufficient evidence exists at this time to propose a rule to add cancer, or a certain type of cancer, to the list of WTC-related health conditions." More on that story here.

Cnn Just released a report about the first responders and how they have created a cancer club, video below:

Should it matter if the 9/11 Victims or first responders got cancer from 9/11 in order to be treated?

Common sense says of course not! These individuals should be treated regardless if they developed the symptoms from 9/11 or not. The fact they were even there is enough to grant them full treatment. Not one American should be pissed off because their tax dollars is actually going to care for someone who put their life on the line, or who went through such a traumatic event. I find it appalling it took the U.S government nine years to create and pass such a bill. This year we sent 750Mil to fight/help Libya without a flinch. Our gov couldn't send aid to help the people of 9/11 with out going through a fiasco?  I don't want my tax dollars used ( which it is) to kill people. I would rather it go to saving American lives. Our government and some doctors apparently have lost compassion for human life.

Want 9/11 victims treated regardless of what symptoms they have?

Contact your Representatives and let them know you want your Tax Dollars to Help the Victims/First Responders of 9/11 no matter what the cost. We spend so much tax money on war and on killing people, when we should be spending that money on helping our own citizens.

To call the White House: 202-456-1111
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Contact President Obama via e-mail- http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
Contact You Local Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Contact You Local Congressmen- https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml


Here is TYT's take on this issue:

To Film A Government Official Is Legal!

It is not illegal to take photos or film in public. The only time it is illegal to take photos or film is when you are on private property or in a private building. This year has been a big year for arrests and fines for filming an officer. Thanks to a man named Simon it has been made clear that the first Amendment will be upheld in Court. Simon was arrested for filming police officers and went to court over this arrest. He won his case.  Here is an exert-
"The filming of government officials engaged in their duties in a public place, including police officers performing their responsibilities, fits comfortably within these principles [of protected First Amendment activity]. Gathering information about government officials in a form that can readily be disseminated to others serves a cardinal First Amendment interest in protecting and promoting the free discussion of governmental affairs."Attorneys for the city argued that police should have been immune from a civil rights lawsuits in this case because, they asserted, the law is unclear as to whether there is a "constitutionally protected right to videotape police carrying out their duties in public"."Making the law crystal clear, the Court responded: "Basic First Amendment principles, along with case law from this and other circuits, answer that question unambiguously in the affirmative."The Court further stated that such protections should have been clear to the police all along, noting that the right to videotape police carrying out their duties in a public forum is "fundamental and virtually self-evident", particularly on the Boston Common--the "apotheosis of a public forum."The Court also made it clear that the right to videotape public officials isn't limited to the press. Rather, the Court noted, "the public's right of access to information is coextensive with that of the press."-Victory for liberty and the right to videotape public officials

If you find yourself in a situation where police demand that you be arrested or fined for filming them, act calmly. Co-operate with police, remind them you have the first amendment right to do so. After everything is said and done take the officers to court. Make sure you get a copy of the fine and paperwork if you have been arrested.

When police arrest or fine citizens for filming they are breaking the law and your rights! Do not be afraid to use your rights, you will be protected via the court system and of course the First Amendment.

Keystone XL Pipeline*Update!*

The Keystone XL Pipeline.

*Update 90/07/2011*

CREDO's CEO, staff and activists arrested at White House protesting Keystone XL pipeline.-Click Here For Story

*End Update*


*Update 9/03/2011*

Hundreds arrested protesting oil pipeline-Click Here For Full Story!

 

522 people have been arrested thus far: 

NASA Scientist, Religious Leaders Arrested in Tar Sands Protest-More news about the arrest of James Hansen 

*End Update*

*Update 8/30/2011*
 The head of NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies and Climate Scientist James Hanson was arrested during the Keystone XL pipeline protest on Monday. There have been over 140 people arrested thus far during the Keystone's Protest.  Here's my opinion, I thought protesting was legal in America, in fact according to our constitution we have a right to gather in numbers. Please scroll to the bottom of this page and take action against the KeystoneXL Pipeline.

Hansen—who has been arrested a couple of times before for protesting the harvesting of fossil fuels—regularly criticizes the Keystone XL pipeline as the "fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the planet." The Obama administration is expected to issue a decision on the international project by the end of the year.-Click Here For Full Story!


Actress Daryl Hannah has been arrested in front of the White House along with other environmental protesters who oppose a planned oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast.-Click Here For Full Story!


I want to add there are arguments which state that if this Pipeline is put into place, gas prices will be lowered. I can promise you we will only continue to see rises in gas prices even if we have more access to oil/gas. The amount of oil/gas a company has does very little to change price. Gas prices are done by speculation, and these companies use any excuse to raise prices. As I have said before, this is a sign we as a species needs start weening ourselves off of oil.  Also people are forgetting about the Ruby Pipeline. This pipeline has been in the works for a while and we have yet to hear any real good news on the project. In fact the Ruby project has caused environmental damage and has caused job losses. 


*End Update*


*Update 8/06/2011*
New Petition: Tell Pres. Obama: Stop Keystone XL Pipeline.
*End Update*

*Update 7/30/2011*
The House Of Representatives are really trying to get the Keystone XL project going as fast as possible, regardless of environmental damages it may cause.
"Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would create thousands of jobs and help cut nearly $4-a-gallon prices at the gas pump. If the United States does not act soon, the oil is likely to go to China or other countries, Upton said.
"Are we going to stand by and watch China receive imports from our ally while we are forced to rely on imports from unstable countries? I sure hope not," Upton said.
Environmental groups say the pipeline would bring "dirty oil" that requires huge amounts of energy to extract and could cause an ecological disaster in case of a spill."Full Story Here!

The China quote scares me. Honestly it does. Are we really inserting so many pipelines due to China? We already have The Ruby Pipeline being built, which has had an effect on wildlife especially wild horses. I honestly would take this opportunity to start looking for alternative energy. We need to wean ourselves off of oil. I'm not saying 100% away from oil, but we should try our best to go 50% off oil. Then the oil we already have will go so much further. Oil is a non-renewable resource, once it's gone that's it, it's gone. Also taking oil from the land does effect the planet. We are going to see a lot more environmental issues if we "drill baby drill." Also why in 2011 are we still having issues over oil. Oil is a resource that, as I understand, everyone in the world relies on right now. We really are not advanced enough to work together as nations and figure out a better solution on handling oil?

I also every time I think of oil and the industry I always think of Dune. " He who controls the spice, controls the universe."  Oil I guess is the spice and I believe this is how our government views it.

*End Update*

7/08/2011
 What is the Keystone XL Pipeline?

According to Transcanada-"The U.S. $13 billion Keystone pipeline system will play an important role in linking a secure and growing supply of Canadian crude oil with the largest refining markets in the United States, significantly improving North American security supply.
In June 2010 TransCanada commenced commercial operation of the first phase of the Keystone Pipeline System. Keystone's first phase was highlighted by the conversion of natural gas pipeline to crude oil pipeline and construction of an innovative bullet line that brings the crude oil non-stop from Canada to market hubs in the U.S. Midwest.
Keystone Cushing (Phase II), an extension of the Keystone Pipeline from Steele City, Nebraska to Cushing, Oklahoma went into service in February 2011. The 36-inch pipeline connects to storage and distribution facilities at Cushing, a major crude oil marketing/refining and pipeline hub.
The proposed Keystone Gulf Coast Expansion Project is an approximate 2,673-kilometre (1,661-mile), 36-inch crude oil pipeline that would begin at Hardisty, Alberta and extend southeast through Saskatchewan, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. It would incorporate a portion of the Keystone Pipeline (Phase II) through Nebraska and Kansas to serve markets at Cushing, Oklahoma before continuing through Oklahoma to a delivery point near existing terminals in Nederland, Texas to serve the Port Arthur, Texas marketplace."

Will this pipeline effect wildlife?


According to the National Wildlife Federation-  "Keystone XL will cross through America’s agricultural heartland, the Missouri and Niobrara Rivers, the Ogallala aquifer, sage grouse habitat, walleye fisheries and more.  If built, our public water supplies, crop lands, wildlife habitats and recreational opportunities will all be at risk of dangerous tar sands oil leaks."


 The Gazet just released this article today about the Keystone Pipeline- Montana still keen on Keystone pipeline despite recent spill- Click Here For Article

Another interesting article posted by The Energy Collective group goes into a bit more detail on how the Keystone Pipeline effects America- The Viability of Keystone XL: Of Politics, Profits and Pipelines- Click Here For Full Article!




 On Feb 15th US rep. Steve Cohn talks about the Dangers of this Pipeline.

 How can I as an individual take action against the pipeline?


To send a letter pre-written to President Obama from the Wild Life Federation Fund Click Here!

To send a pre-written letter to Pres. Obama from Friends of Earth U.S  Click Here!

Comet Elenin

There has been increasing talk and fear mongering from many about Comet Elenin.  According to NASA the comet will have 0 effect on this planet. Below I am going to share an article done by NASA which will give a better understanding of this Comet.

NASA Answers Your Questions About Comet Elenin

08.03.11

 

Trajectory of comet Elenin. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Often, comets are portrayed as harbingers of gloom and doom in movies and on television, but most pose no threat to Earth. Comet Elenin, the latest comet to visit our inner solar system, is no exception. Elenin will pass about 22 million miles (35 million kilometers) from Earth during its closest approach on Oct. 16, 2011.

Also known by its astronomical name C/2010 X1, the comet was first detected on Dec. 10, 2010 by Leonid Elenin, an observer in Lyubertsy, Russia, who made the discovery "remotely" using an observatory in New Mexico. At that time, Elenin was about 401 million miles (647 million kilometers) from Earth. Since its discovery, Comet Elenin has – as all comets do – closed the distance to Earth's vicinity as it makes its way closer to perihelion, its closest point to the sun.

NASA scientists have taken time over the last several months to answer your questions. Compiled below are the some of the most popular questions with answers from Don Yeomans of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and David Morrison of the NASA Astrobiology Institute at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.

Most Popular Questions About Comet Elenin

When will Comet Elenin come closest to the Earth and appear the brightest?
Comet Elenin should be at its brightest shortly before the time of its closest approach to Earth on Oct. 16, 2011. At its closest point, it will be 22 million miles (35 million kilometers) from us.

Will Comet Elenin come close to the Earth or between the Earth and the moon?
Comet Elenin will not come closer to Earth than 22 million miles (35 million kilometers). That's more than 90 times the distance to the moon.

Can this comet influence us from where it is, or where it will be in the future? Can this celestial object cause shifting of the tides or even tectonic plates here on Earth?
There have been incorrect speculations on the Internet that alignments of comet Elenin with other celestial bodies could cause consequences for Earth and external forces could cause comet Elenin to come closer. "Any approximate alignments of comet Elenin with other celestial bodies are meaningless, and the comet will not encounter any dark bodies that could perturb its orbit, nor will it influence us in any way here on Earth," said Don Yeomans, a scientist at NASA JPL.

"Comet Elenin will not only be far away, it is also on the small side for comets," said Yeomans. "And comets are not the most densely-packed objects out there. They usually have the density of something akin to loosely packed icy dirt.

"So you've got a modest-sized icy dirtball that is getting no closer than 35 million kilometers (about 22 million miles)" said Yeomans. "It will have an immeasurably minuscule influence on our planet. By comparison, my subcompact automobile exerts a greater influence on the ocean's tides than comet Elenin ever will."

I've heard about three days of darkness because of Comet Elenin. Will Elenin block out the sun for three days?
“As seen from the Earth, comet Elenin will not cross the sun’s face,” says Yeomans.

But even if it could cross the sun, which it can’t, astrobiologist David Morrison notes that comet Elenin is about 2-3 miles (3-5 km) wide, while the sun is roughly 865,000 miles (1,392,082 km) across.

How could such a small object block the sun which is such a large object?
Let's think about an eclipse of the sun, which happens when the moon appears between the Earth and the sun. The moon is about 2,500 miles (4,000 km) in diameter, and has the same apparent size as the sun when it is about 250,000 miles (400,000 km) away -- roughly 100 times its own diameter. For a comet with a diameter of about 2-3 miles (3-5 km) to cover the sun it would have to be within 250 miles (400 km), roughly the orbital altitude of the International Space Station. However, as stated above, this comet will come no closer to Earth than 22 million miles.

I've heard there is a "brown dwarf" theory about Comet Elenin. Would its mass be enough to pull Comet Honda's trajectory a significant amount? Could this be used to determine the mass of Elenin?
Morrison says that there is no 'brown dwarf theory' of this comet. "A comet is nothing like a brown dwarf. You are correct that the way astronomers measure the mass of one object is by its gravitational effect on another, but comets are far too small to have a measurable influence on anything."

If we had a black or brown dwarf in our outer solar system, I guess no one could see it, right?
"No, that’s not correct," says Morrison. "If we had a brown dwarf star in the outer solar system, we could see it, detect its infrared energy and measure its perturbing effect on other objects. There is no brown dwarf in the solar system, otherwise we would have detected it. And there is no such thing as a black dwarf."

Will Comet Elenin be visible to the naked eye when it's closer to us? I missed Hale-Bopp's passing, so I want to know if we'll actually be able to see something in the sky when Elenin passes.
We don't know yet if Comet Elenin will be visible to the naked eye. Morrison says, "At the rate it is going, seeing the comet at its best in early October will require binoculars and a very dark sky. Unfortunately, Elenin is no substitute for seeing comet Hale-Bopp, which was the brightest comet of the past several decades."

"This comet may not put on a great show. Just as certainly, it will not cause any disruptions here on Earth. But, there is a cause to marvel," said Yeomans. "This intrepid little traveler will offer astronomers a chance to study a relatively young comet that came here from well beyond our solar system's planetary region. After a short while, it will be headed back out again, and we will not see or hear from Elenin for thousands of years. That's pretty cool."

This comet has been called 'wimpy' by NASA scientists. Why?
"We're talking about how a comet looks as it safely flies past us," said Yeomans of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office. "Some cometary visitors arriving from beyond the planetary region – like Hale-Bopp in 1997 -- have really lit up the night sky where you can see them easily with the naked eye as they safely transit the inner-solar system. But Elenin is trending toward the other end of the spectrum. You'll probably need a good pair of binoculars, clear skies and a dark, secluded location to see it even on its brightest night."

Why aren't you talking more about Comet Elenin? If these things are small and nothing to worry about, why has there been no public info on Comet Elenin?
Comet Elenin hasn't received much press precisely because it is small and faint. Several new comets are discovered each year, and you don't normally hear about them either. The truth is that Elenin has received much more attention than it deserves due to a variety of Internet postings that are untrue. The information NASA has on Elenin is readily available on the Internet. (See http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/comet20110504.html) If this comet were any danger to anyone, you would certainly know about it. For more information, visit NASA’s AsteroidWatch site at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/.

I've heard NASA has observed Elenin many times more than other comets. Is this true, and is NASA playing this comet down?
NASA regularly detects, tracks and characterizes asteroids and comets passing relatively close to Earth using both ground- and space-based telescopes. The Near-Earth Object Observations Program, commonly called "Spaceguard," discovers these objects, characterizes a subset of them and predicts their paths to determine if any could be potentially hazardous to our planet. For more information, visit the NASA-JPL Near Earth Objects site at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/ and the Near Earth Objects site at http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/.

However, neither NASA nor JPL is in the business of actively observing Elenin or any other comet. Most of the posted observations are made by amateur astronomers around the world. Since Elenin has had so much publicity, it naturally has attracted more observers.

I was looking at the orbital diagram of Comet Elenin on the JPL website, and I was wondering why the orbit shows some angles when zooming? If you pick any other comet, you can see that there are no angles or bends.
Many people are trying to plot the orbit of the comet with the routine on the JPL website, without realizing that this is just a simple visualization tool. While the tool has been recently improved to show smoother trajectories near the sun, it is not a scientific program to generate an accurate orbit. Yeomans explains that the orbit plotter on the Near-Earth Object website is not meant to accurately depict the true motion of objects over long time intervals, nor is it accurate during close planetary encounters. For more accurate long-term plotting, Yeomans suggests using the JPL Horizons system instead: http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi?find_body=1&body_group=sb&sstr=C/2010%20X1.

 

Bottle Houses!

Bottle Houses!

There are a lot of glass bottle and plastic bottle houses around the world. Although I am only going to share a few, please don't stop looking for these types of houses for more of them are sprouting up across america and various places around the world!

Tito Ingenieri spent 19 years of his life building an amazing bottle house. The house consists of six million glass bottles. You can visit Tito's web site here!The video below is of Tito and his eco-friendly house.

If you think Tito's house is awe inspiring why not also check out Tressa "Grandma" Prisbrey bottle village! To learn more about Tressa go here! Below is a video about the village and Grandma Prisbrey:

In the Sisaket province, Thai Buddhist made a glass bottle temple! They used over a million bottles! The video below shows amazing photos of this Temple:

Prince Island in Canada also has their own bottle village and gardens! Click Here to visit PEI's bottle house web page and plan a trip! This video shows what the village looks like:

If you donate your plastic bottle to Syracuse Habitat For Humanity  which is located in NY. "Your returned bottle deposits can build houses -- if you donate them to Syracuse Habitat for Humanity" 

There are many organization and recycle centers in your area. Visit Earth911.com to find a recycling center near you! You can ask your recycling center if any organizations benefit from your donations.