Earth Day is officially marked tomorrow, April 22, but we are constantly reminded that every day should be Earth Day when the environment and particular species are threatened.  Here is yet another  example.
 We may be "used to" hearing horror stories about poaching of animals for "medicinal" parts in far off places like Africa and India, but who would think we are now facing a similar explosion of exploitation here in the U.S.  Bears are being slaughtered for their gallbladders.
 Defenders of Wildlife is asking citizens to contact their Representatives and urge them to cosponsor to the Bear Protection Act   H.R. 5534 that would ban the trade of bear parts at the Federal level.
 Send a notice to your Congressperson

Protestors using climbing gear have scaled the Golden Gate bridge and posted two large signs on the suspension cables.  One sign says "Free Tibet"  
 Check the local NBC station website http://www.nbc11.com/...

The group identified themselves to NBC11 as Students for a Free Tibet from New York. At 11:20 a.m. the three climbers unveiled two mesh banners that read "One Dream, Free Tibet 08." The sign cast a shadow on the lanes of the bridge, causing drivers to slow down and read the text.

Chopper11 showed a woman at the base of the bridge being arrested. She was wearing a T-shirt that had the words "Team Tibet" on it.

Sorry for the brevity of this diary and lack of video, but I'm on dialup.

 As explained yesterday in Voteharder's diary, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff is

imposing a blanket waiver of environmental and land management laws along 470 miles of the U.S./Mexico border

so the U.S. can move forward with building a fence along portions of the border.
 The Defenders of Wildlife and Sierra Club have filed suit to stop the Bush administration from such sweeping disregard of environmental laws.  But in the meantime they need our help.
 

For Los Angeles area Kossacks, or anyone else interested, I just received an announcement of the following event to be held at the University of Southern California -
The Green Revolution: Sustainable Business Models?
Saturday, April 5, 2008 9:00 am - 3:30pm

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer will be the keynote speaker, speaking as chair of the U.S. Senateճ Environment and Public Works Committee on the legislation of the Global Warming Bill. With questions looming over the bill such as how to deal with climate change, carbon footprints and automobile-emission standards and more, her presentation is certain to be important for anyone trying to understand these issues from a business standpoint.

The summit also will feature four Industry Leader speakers from several major corporations and organizations that have already embraced sustainable business practices as a way to both improve the planet and improve their bottom line. Chief Green Officers from Waste Management, BP ("Beyond Petroleum"), the Port of Los Angeles and CB Richard Ellis will describe their ROIs for going green.

 Have you filed your California Form 540 FYE 2007 yet?  If not, please consider donating to the California Sea Otter Fund.  If yes, please spread the word and urge others you know to help.
 Defenders of Wildlife is asking for taxpayer help in saving this fund.  In order for it to remain as a "check-off" donation on Form 540, taxpayers need to donate a minimum of $250,000 each year.  During 2007 the fund just barely met that minimum, collecting $255k from individual taxpayers.

 Well, since many others are ignoring the guideline regarding diary content (noted in the FAQ section of dkosopedia ), I thought I'd join the wolfpack gangs and post yet another diary about this news item or maybe this one.  On second thought, there haven't been quite enough diaries posted yet noting this really important news item.  There have been the countless diaries on this issue, but since I'm a licensed CPA maybe I should share my informed opinion on that issue.  Oh wait, I already did.  But people didn't like my insight because the facts put a damper on their erroneous assumptions.

 In less than a three hour period this morning I saw at least three diaries (here, here,
here) calling for Sen. Clinton to disclose her tax returns.  While I have no problem with such a request (other than the unnecessary duplicate diaries forcing more worthy diaries off the diary list), I just thought I'd point out that some of the information "demanded" isn't the type that will be found in any tax return, regardless of how forthcoming a candidate may be.  Even when a 1040 is released, it is a summary of many different items, the detail of which may not be disclosed (nor is it required to be) within the tax return.

 Today I am sad :-(( to learn that a few days ago the Democratic party lost a longtime supporter.  Although he described himself as a Democrat with a "little d" (meaning he considered himself more on the moderate side of some issues), he was no less outraged at the Katrina disaster and other horrors of Dubyah's administration than us more hard core progressives.
 I'm not sure if I should call him a friend or a good acquaintance, but I can say that the world has lost a very good-hearted, genuine person, which there seem to be far too few of these days.
 Since I am currently without a live fur friend of my own to hug for comfort, I could really use some cheering up with any friendly pootie, puppy, pony or other pet pictures that can be shared here.  Due to the slowness of a dial-up connection, I apologize in advance if I'm not able to respond quickly.

 The GOP announced today that it has a developed a new economic policy.  Not satisfied to fight for lower taxes, it wants to eliminate them altogether, then fund government programs through telethons.  They believe such a tactic will create more goodwill overall among residents.  Why waste resources forcing everyone to pay taxes, when certain people will voluntarily give up their hard earned money to help their fellow man?  
 The GOP got the idea after watching the Garth Brooks concert telethon to raise funds for California firefighters.  Realizing that the need for a telethon to fund basic emergency services might reflect badly on Republicans who had fought against property and other taxes that normally fund such services, the GOP decided to hop on that bandwagon and go with the flow.

 Note - this diary is not about Republicans or any GOP candidates.

 The book When Elephants Weep, by Jefrey Mouissaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy, explores the question of whether animals have true emotions, as opposed to reacting only on instinct.  Do they feel joy at the birth of their babies?  Do they feel loss at the death or separation of a relative or other close animal?
 Elephants are known to be communal-type creatures that guard and help raise each other’s babies.  Herds visit the bones of elephants they knew who have long since died.

As is so often the case, elephants offer examples that are uncannily similar to human feelings.  ...mother elephants who appear in perfect health but become lethargic for many days after a calf dies and trail behind the rest of the family.

 Today it was announced that Bank of America will scarf down purchase Countrywide Financial in order to bail Countrywide out from its subprime mortgage mess.

For Countrywide, a takeover by a financially robust suitor is "a gift from heaven," said banking industry analyst Richard Bove of Punk, Ziegel & Co.

 In particular, it will be a gift from heaven for (presumably outgoing) Countrywide's CEO, Angelo Mazilo.  In true Wall Street fashion, Mazilo will have to "suffer" the consequences of having guided the bank into such a loss position by garnering a severance package of a mere $110 million.  And that doesn't include some extra perks.

The Times reports Mozilo would receive continuing health benefits for life for himself and his spouse, three years of life and financial planning benefits, and "tax-gross-up payments" to compensate him for any penalties he'd have to pay for receiving payments the IRS might consider excessive.

 It seems that "bean counters" have become the undeserved "fall guy" for all the problems of our society, regardless of who is really at fault.  The term used to be a snarky, almost affectionate, referral to accountants and financial analysts of many varieties.  But lately, it has taken on the tone similar to say, "lobbyist" or "trial lawyer"; dastardly Scrooge-like trolls who have only one thing on their mind - tracking and counting every last penny.

 Tis the season for Christmas and Holiday shows on TV, or is it?  ABC wasted no time by airing A Charlie Brown Christmas before December even started (and has since aired it again.)  Thus far, some of the other ubiquitous Christmas stories I remember from my youth have also been aired - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer among them.  But what ever happened to the big Christmas specials, the variety type shows headlined by big stars like Bob Hope (singing the proverbial "Silver Bells") and Andy Williams (with the Osmonds)?  Time was when the TV schedule for December was jam packed with all kinds of Christmas specials, to the point that it seemed Christmas just wasn't complete without watching at least a few of those standard shows.

 Robert Goulet didn't leave in summer, but he has left us in fall, today, just shy of his 74th birthday.  http://www.sfgate.com/...

 Ever since he won over hearts and minds of theater goers, and even hardened music critics, with his first Broadway role as Sir Lancelot in Camelot, his booming baritone has been a fixture in the entertainment world.  He appeared in shows from Carol Burnette to The Love Boat.  He was the singing voice of Wheezy the Penguin in Toy Story 2.  In recent years he returned to a revival of Camelot, but this time playing King Arthur.
 Robert Goulet died from lung disease, and was awaiting a lung transplant.  

 I’m a bad German, though I don’t mean that in the political sense for purposes of this diary.  No, I’m a bad German (well, almost one-half German on my dad's side of the family) because I never ate much German food, nor do I know many details about it.  You’d think that someone whose grandfather was a butcher would know at least know the difference between Bratwurst and Kielbasa.  Nor did I ever acquire a taste for sauerkraut.

 During the 18 or so months I've been participating here at dKos I've seen a number of comments and diaries in which Kossacks have relayed their story of having had to put down their beloved pet, or posing the question of whether they should put the animal down due to whatever reason.  Having been faced with that question several years ago with my two cats (first one, followed about a year later by the second), I can say it was perhaps the hardest decision I'd ever had to make in my life.
 And what about those cases where the animal does not have a potential terminal illness, such as cancer, but has been diagnosed with some chronic, but not immediately life threatening, ailment?  At what point does or should their caretaker say "I can't care for them" or "it's not worth the cost"?  
 

The The Los Angeles Times is reporting that

UC Irvine Chancellor Michael V. Drake and Erwin Chemerinsky have reached an agreement

that will allow Chemerincky to be Dean of the new law school.

 Drake and Chemerinsky said in their statement, "Our new law school will be founded on the bedrock principle of academic freedom. The chancellor reiterated his lifelong, unqualified commitment to academic freedom, which extends to every faculty member, including deans and other senior administrators."

I won't hold my breath to see if this position holds true.
 For more on the original controvery, see http://volokh.com/...

 A few years ago, a couple of days before Christmas, I dropped off some toys at a local shelter that provides assistance to the poor and nightly quarters to the homeless.  It was evening, maybe 7 pm, so many of those seeking shelter were standing outside talking and smoking, before the center "officially" opened for beds.  At that time it was pouring rain, so as I walked toward the shelter office I had one hand holding my umbrella and the other trying to hold onto bags of toys and wrapping paper, trying to keep them from getting soaked by the rain.  As I passed the people standing outside (some standing in the rain, some lined up against the side of the building to stay dry) I tried to be pleasant, but they knew I was not "one of them" needing shelter.