Monthly Archives: May 2010

elections

Award Winning Film GASLAND Showing

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“GasLand” Movie, June 5

GASLAND is an American documentary film written and directed by Josh Fox. The film focuses on communities in the United States impacted by natural gas drilling and, specifically, a drilling method known as hydraulic fracturing.  ‘Fracking’ is being done in the Pittsburgh area and surrounding counties in the Marcellus shale formation and can cause serious health and environmental problems. 

“GASLAND”

A documentary about the thrills and perils
of Marcellus shale drilling
Saturday, June 5
Show time is 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:00 pm.
Byham Theater
6th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Free to the public

Organized and funded in large part by Clean Water Action, the event is also sponsored by Center for Coalfield Justice, Duquesne University’s Center for Environmental Research and Education and School of Leadership & Professional Advancement, GASP, Penn Environment, University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Healthy Environments and Communities, Sierra Club. and Three Rivers Waterkeeper.

Following the showing will be a Q & A session with Gasland Filmaker Josh Fox and Myron Arnowitt (Clean Water Action), David Levdansky (State Representative), Ned Mulcahy, (Three Rivers Waterkeeper), John Stolz (Center for Environmental Research & Education, Duquesne U.) and Dan Volz (Center for Healthy Environments and Communities, U. Pittsburgh)

When filmmaker Josh Fox discovers that Natural Gas drilling is coming to his area—the Catskillls/Poconos region of Upstate New York and Pennsylvania, he sets off on a 24 state journey to uncover the deep consequences of the United States’ natural gas drilling boom. What he uncovers is truly shocking—water that can be lit on fire right out of the sink, chronically ill residents of drilling areas from disparate locations in the US all with the same mysterious symptoms, huge pools of toxic waste that kill cattle and vegetation well blowouts and huge gas explosions consistently covered up by state and federal regulatory agencies. These are just a few of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND

elections

Did an American Mine Sink South Korean Ship?

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BEIJING – South Korean Prime Minister Lee Myung-bak has claimed “overwhelming evidence” that a North Korean torpedo sank the corvette Cheonan on March 26, killing 46 sailors. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed that there’s “overwhelming evidence” in favor of the theory that North Korea sank the South Korean Navy warship Cheonan.

But the articles of proof presented so far by military investigators to an official inquiry board have been scanty and inconsistent.
There’s yet another possibility, that a U.S. rising mine sank the Cheonan in a friendly-fire accident.

In the recent U.S.-China strategic talks in Shanghai and Beijing, the Chinese side dismissed the official scenario presented by the Americans and their South Korean allies as not credible. This conclusion was based on an independent technical assessment by the Chinese military, according to a Beijing-based military affairs consultant to the People Liberation Army.

Hardly any of the relevant facts that counter the official verdict have made headline news in either South Korea or its senior ally, the United States.

elections

Blue Dog Democrats and Republicans Are Out to Kill Social Security and Medicare

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Wall Street Propaganda: Blame Social Security

Posted By Mike Hall On May 26, 2010 @ 5:04 pm In Economy, Legislation & Politics | 8 Comments

The President’s Fiscal Commission is holding its second pubic meeting today and when commission members say “everything is in the table,” the biggest things they are talking about are Social Security and Medicare.

The commission was created by an [1] Executive Order from President Obama in February after a move to create a commission with much broader powers [2] failed in the Senate. The current commission’s charge is to propose ways to address the nation’s growing debt. The 18-member commission will meet throughout the year and then present its recommendations to Obama after the fall elections. (For more information, visit [3] Social Security Works.)

Conservative groups and Wall Street insiders, says [4] Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research ([5] CEPR),

are spending more than $1 billion dollars to convince the public that slashing these programs [Social Security and Medicare] is the only way to protect our children and grandchildren from poverty.

Continue reading Blue Dog Democrats and Republicans Are Out to Kill Social Security and Medicare →

elections

Regional Industry Is Getting Benefits From Obama Manufacturing Stimulus Programs

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Watch President Barack Obama's entire speech at V&M Star in<br /> Youngstown on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

Obama touts Stimulus Payoff

at Ohio Seamless Tube Plant

By DAVID SKOLNICK

skolnick@vindy.com

Youngstown Vindicator

President Barack Obama didn’t come to V&M Star with money for economic development in the Mahoning Valley or an offer to provide assistance to help the area’s struggling economy.

But Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams said Obama is helping the Valley.

Just by coming to the area Tuesday to highlight V&M’s $650 million expansion draws national attention to what’s happening here and what the area has to offer to businesses, Williams said.

“There’s this notion that a city like Youngstown is to be written off; our better days are behind us,” he said. “I refuse to believe that.”

Obama, a Democrat, talked about areas like the Valley with long-standing financial struggles collaborating as a region, and receiving state and financial help to progress.

“He talks of communities like Youngstown moving from surviving to thriving,” said Williams, a Democrat. “For years, we’ve been barely surviving. At some point in the future we’ll be out of survival mode. I do believe this community can indeed thrive.”

Continue reading Regional Industry Is Getting Benefits From Obama Manufacturing Stimulus Programs →

elections

Joe Hoeffel: Public Money for Public Schools – no private school vouchers

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[Hoeffel Banner]

Dear Progressive Democrat,

There are just 7 days to go until the Pennsylvania Democratic Primary.

With a third of primary voters undecided, we can still achieve an upset victory. But I need your help to get my progressive message out in the closing days.

Unlike my opponents, I have offered bold, detailed, plans to meet Pennsylvania’s challenges:

  • a moratorium on new drilling permits in the Marcellus shale until we know our drinking water is safe;

  • a graduated income tax so we can fund our schools based on ability to pay, rather than the regressive property tax;

  • protection of a woman’s right to choose;

  • support for strong public schools, and a commitment that public dollars be used for public schools and not private school vouchers.

Democratic primary voters will support my candidacy for governor if they are reminded of the differences between my opponents and me.

I ask that you make a final contribution of $100, $50, $35 or another amount to my campaign so I can get this critical information to undecided voters before next Tuesday.

Voters have a real choice in this election. You have the power to give them the information to make their decision. With your continued support, we will be successful on May 18th and go on to victory in November.

Thank you,

[Joe's Signature]

[Donate Now] [Volunteer Now]

P.S. If you have not already seen my TV Ad, you can view it at http://joehoeffel2010.com/splash/flip-flops

If you prefer to donate by check, please send to:
     Joe Hoeffel 2010
     1420 Walnut Street
     Suite 1300
     Philadelphia, PA 19102
elections

Pickets Demand Clinic at Closed UPMC Braddock Hospital

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elections

PDA Endorsed Democrat for Governor Joe Hoeffel will stop in Beaver County on Friday May 14th

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Progressive Democratic candidate for Governor Joe Hoeffel will meet and greet Beaver County voters on Friday May 14th in a swing through western Pennsylvania before the May 18th primary election.

Meet and greet Joe Hoeffel at the following locations on Friday May 14th:

8:00-8:40 Challenges Senior Center, 2706 Mercer Rd., New Castle

9:10-9:30 Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe, Route 68, Vanport

9:45-10:05 George’s Family Restaurant, 2477 Brodhead Rd., Hopewell Township

10:20-11:20 Ambridge Nationality Days, 8th & Merchant Streets, Ambridge

 

Economy, elections

61 US Senators Vote to Preserve Dominance of MegaBanks that wrecked the economy

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Financial Oligarchy Prevails As 27 Senate Dems Join GOP To Defend ‘Too Big to Fail’ Banks

 
By John Nichols
May 7, 2010
Published by The Nation.

Roll Call Vote

Whatever the final form of federal financial services reform legislation, one thing is now certain: The biggest of the big banks will still be calling the shots.

That was confirmed Thursday evening, when the Senate by a 61-33 vote rejected a move to eliminate the danger posed to both the federal treasury and the U.S. economy by “too-big-to-fail” banks.

Democratic Senators Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Ted Kaufman of Delaware had proposed an amendment to limit the size of the nation’s largest banks as a means of reining in the financial sector.

They lost. And so too did the prospect that the federal government might establish meaningful control of the banking sector.

What does the defeat mean? The “financial oligarchy,” as economist Simon Johnson described the big banks, will remain in place. And, to further quote Johnson, the federal government will remain “helpless, or unwilling, to act against them.”

Continue reading 61 US Senators Vote to Preserve Dominance of MegaBanks that wrecked the economy →