It is not often, before I lay down for my Friday night sleep, that good news sprouts out of no-where. Yet - Today - Think Progress gave us some progressive news wonderful. Vermont is the very first state to do what is common sense and BAN Fracking (see full story (here)).
Unfortunately, in a GOP dominate world, great ice cream comes laced with bull [c]hit. On the same day that we receive this great news, a southern state to VT - Pennsylvania, turns the tide in a different direction. As anyone with common sense knows, chemicals introduced into the ground - is not a good thing. But the Republican business of fracking is big bucks and that means a big fruk of the common man and womens water supplies.
In Penn. and other states, people are getting sick from fracking and doctors have to treat it. In Pennsylvania - doctors can get a list of chemicals - but they are forbidden by law - from letting anyone know (including the patients) what those chemicals are. Pic at right provided by fellow kossack "the max that roared".
Vermont Governor Signs Anti - Fracking Bill
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It is absolutely fantastic, that someone has finally stepped up to the plate and is doing the right thing concerning Fracking. As denoted by Think Progress's quote of the Associated Press - Vermont Governor Pete Shumlin said on Wed. that;
-- the increased amounts of natural gas obtainable through hydraulic fracturing were not worth the risk to drinking water supplies.
In the coming generation or two, “drinking water will be more valuable than oil or natural gas,” Shumlin said.
“Human beings survived for thousands and thousands of years without oil and without natural gas,” he said. “We have never known humanity or life on this plant to survive without clean water.”
Bain's Clear Channel Blocks Climate Change Ad
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A right wing leaning entity entitled "Heartland Institute" - put forth a bogus ad campaign stating anyone who supports the notion of "climate science" is akin to the Unabomber and/ or Charles Manson as it TP linked to "The Hill" which quoted the digital sign as saying;
The digital billboard featured a photo of Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, that stated, “I still believe in global warming, do you?”
The group had said that the campaign would also feature Charles Manson, Fidel Castro and perhaps Osama bin Laden asking the same question.
Though the Heartland Institute was forced to yank the ad campaign. They said they would Not apologize for it. What is amazing is how the Right always attempts to snow us with babble bull [c]hit by colorful, deceptive language. According to The Hill (here) Heartland states that it is
The Chicago-based Heartland is a group that seeks to “discover, develop and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems” on the environment, healthcare, education and other issues.
The "
social" problem being how to shove chemicals up the arse of America and get away with it. So that the "economic" problem of making profit while harming the environment does not impede your ability to "economically" profit from the other chemicals (medicines) you will solve while keeping everyone "UN"educated about all the real issues.
Clear Channel Just Says No to Forcecast the Fact's Counter Ad
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Most people are aware that Mitt Romney's Bain owns Clear Channel and their thousands of advertising places. Clear Channel refused "Forecast the Facts's" rebuttal ad to Heartland's. Forecast the Facts is an advocacy group to address climate change issues. FTF helped campaign to get Heartland's bogus ads pulled by getting more than 10,000 GM owners to sign a petition.
When Forecast the Facts sought to purchase a digital billboard to counter Heartland's - Clear Channel's as The Hill quotes Clear Channels' Jim Cullinan as stating;
“We are simply an advertising channel,” he said in a phone interview with The Hill. “We work with all of our customers to ensure that the copy and content of our advertising is appropriate and legal.”
Evidently Clear Channel is a strong enough company to turn down monies for rebuttal's to what they considered the "legally" correct slanders by Heartland.
Brad Johnson of Forecast the Fact's responded by stating;
“Apparently Clear Channel thinks it’s fine to defame the millions of Americans who recognize the reality of climate change, but it’s not okay to hold accountable the corporations who make that kind of offensive propaganda possible,” Brad Johnson, Forecast the Facts’s campaign manager, said in a statement.
NPR Details Dilemma for Doctors Dealing With Fracking Poisons in PA
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National Public Radio has a story detailing the plight for doctors in Pennsylvania. According to NPR's story "
Pennsylvania Doctors Worry Over Fracking 'Gag Rule'" their reporter (Susan Phillips) denotes that;
A new law in Pennsylvania has doctors nervous.
The law grants physicians access to information about trade-secret chemicals used in natural gas drilling. Doctors say they need to know what's in those formulas in order to treat patients who may have been exposed to the chemicals.
But the new law also says that doctors can't tell anyone else — not even other doctors — what's in those formulas. It's being called the "doctor gag rule."
Apparently the doctors can get "some" information on the chemicals being used to frack - but Not all of them. Even on the one's they get details on, the right wing ruthless parties have figured a way to supress the facts from coming to light. Certain chemicals are labeled as "Trade Secrets" and thus proprietary patent information not available to the public or the doctors treating those who may have been harmed by fracking.
H. Frumkin, Dean of University of Washington School of Healt is Mystified
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In a statement that sums up the dilemma, far beyond the issues of doctors having to worry about - whether or not - Haliburton will sue them. The Dean of the University of Washington's School of Health - Howard Frumkin - had this succinct item of note to say;
"In more than two decades of practicing occupational medicine, I'll tell you how often I was able to make the right diagnosis and plan the right treatment when I didn't know what the patients were exposed to — zero times," he says.
UPDATE Saturday - May 19, 2012 - 7 a.m. Pacific.
Apropos of something - from fellow Kossack "
marina"
She brings us a comment with a Sad Note from Pennsylvania;
Please note this reverent memorial (1+ / 0-)
Pennsylvania farmer speaks out against fracking at memorial for wife
It is a truly powerful speech that reveals the soul of what we are about to lose here in Pennsylvania. I am glad Vermont is not making the same "mistake" that PA, Ohio, and other states are making. Although, as one energy exec stated in the link,
"The shale army has arrived. Resistance is futile."
Interesting that he uses the terms of war, isn't it?
Cleghorn, the bereaved husband, has a response:
"...We will come at you with informed anger and courage, and we will continue to love you. We are not here to demonize you as persons, but to name the demons you are unleashing before us."
Don't give up. Never give up!
Conclusion
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We are in perilous times. Even when the Republicans don't control the White House and Senate, they are still able to harm America at will for profit. Thus, we must fight them hard - when the attempt to push upon us great evils against us and our future generations - for the sake of more profit today.
There's hope. Car owners of used vehicles are now buying water splitters that use the cars ability to generate energy to split water into hydrogen & oxygen - where those gases are fed into the fuel burn system. Thus making leaps in miles per gallon - cleanly - and inexpensive. As denoted by Think Progresses article - even sales of Solar Panels are up;
Japan’s domestic shipments of solar cells and modules surged 38 percent to 392 megawatts in the first three months of this year, the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association said today.
Here are 2 videos worth seeing.
New Rules on Fracking
and
Josh Fox's original movie that brought it to national note;
A few months ago - Josh Fox was arrested for attempting to video a Fracking hearing;