In two and a half hours - Happy 2011 in Cincinnati, Ohio! http://amplify.com/u/k60b

Which Plastics to Never Use with Food: Recycle Code 3 or 7

If the Recycle code on the plastic is 3 or 7, then don't use it on foods. The chemical in 7, BPA, is bad news.

Amplify’d from www.care2.com

Which Plastics to Never Use with Food

Flip over your favorite plastic food storage container and check the recycling code number. If you spy a number 3 or 7, well, those containers should probably go to the craft room or garage to store buttons or screws rather than food. If there is no number listed, contact the manufacturer. (And to be fair to Tupperware, they do manufacture products that are not made of these plastic types.)

Recycling code number 7 includes several plastic types (it’s the catchall “other” category–see tips below) but it is predominantly polycarbonate. The problem with polycarbonate is that it harbors bisphenol A (BPA). Studies have shown that BPA damages the reproductive systems of lab animals by interfering with the effects of reproductive hormones and has other serious health effects. BPA’s capacity to cause these stems from its ability to mimic the human hormone estrogen–it has been linked to prostate and mammary gland cancers, early onset of puberty and reproductive-organ defects. Read more at www.care2.com

 

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Celebrate Today! Afghan Poet Advises

It is true - today is the only day you get that you can be sure of.

Amplify’d from www.awwproject.org

Every day is a good day for me. I love nature and its beauty, and I love all people. I hate war, I hate conflicts all around the world. From the bottom of my heart I want peace. I want peace with all human beings I want to respect each other and make every day a lucky day to live for today and the next generation. When that time comes life will be golden. Sharefa Read more at www.awwproject.org

 

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Snowball "celebrations" breaking out "spontaneously" in Northeast? Flash Snowball Wars? No teams, no ice balls allowed. http://amplify.com/u/jp21

Tea Party, Take Notice - Real Climate Change Means Tea to Cost More for Less Flavor!

Can't argue with real, practical science - recording yields of tea over last 200 years plus. If they are concerned and saying they have noticed change - IT IS TRUE - climate deniers! Tea Party take notice! You tea is going to cost more and not as good!

Amplify’d from www.guardian.co.uk

Climate change leaves Assam tea growers in hot water

Rising temperatures reducing yields and altering distinctive flavour of India's most popular drink

The Tea Board of India said it had recorded a steady decline in tea production in recent years. In 2007, Assam produced 512,000 tonnes of tea. By 2008 this had declined to 487,000 tonnes, with estimated production in 2009 down again to 445,000. A further decrease is expected this year. Read more at www.guardian.co.uk

 

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Texas Whirlwind: Rick Perry - the last Anglo Governor of Texas?

Spin today was based on yesterday's political view of the West and Southwest - Could be that present Arizona and Texas Anglo Conservative Republicans are doing their last dance.

Amplify’d from www.latinalista.net

Texas Latinos poised to disrupt the power of Caucasian Lone Star Republicans

LatinaLista.net -- It's been almost comical reading just how giddy Texas Republicans are at the prospect of gaining four more seats in Congress. There's only one problem -- those seats aren't their's for the taking.

"Hispanics will dominate two or three of the new Texas districts." Read more at www.latinalista.net

 

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Trust Areva for Ohio Nuclear Plant - Not!

French-based Areva wants to help build a nuclear power plant in Ohio - it can use the money from US tax payers to help repair its spill in Niger and fininsh its years behind nuke plants in Finland.

Amplify’d from www.greenpeace.org

Pictures of radioactive spill at AREVA Uranium mine in Niger

Over the weekend we alerted you to the incident in Niger where more than 200,000 litres of radioactive sludge from three cracked waste pools has leaked into the environment at the SOMAIR uranium mine, operated by French energy company AREVA.

See more at www.greenpeace.org

 

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Pesticide in your toothpaste - Triclosan - Tell EPA: Get it Out!

Trislosan, a researcher at Tufts University notes, could pave the way for a superbugs it cannot combat. And guess what: triclosan is in way too many common products.

Amplify’d from www.epa.gov

EPA Solicits Comments on Petition Regarding Antimicrobial Pesticide Triclosan

EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs routinely publishes petitions on pesticide issues for public comment. Comments on this Federal Register notice will be accepted until February 7, 2011, and may be submitted at www.regulations.gov in Docket ID # EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0548. The Federal Register notice can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-30850.pdf. Read more at www.epa.gov

 

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Entertainer Glenn Beck cares little if his Islamic lies lead to violence

Nothing Beck says is really of any importance or should it be taken serious but... there are people who actually believe he is telling the truth - so now and then it is worthwhile to point out his grosser lies.

Amplify’d from www.splcenter.org

Assessing Muslim Terrorism: Lies, Damn Lies and Glenn Beck’s Statistics

Are you prepared to believe there are 157 million Muslim terrorists in the world? You have a choice: You can take Fox News commentator and radio host Glenn Beck’s word for it — or you can insist on proof.

“Beck wondered why this wasn’t receiving any media coverage,” he said. “Well, let me suggest one reason. It is total nonsense — a figure made up by Glenn Beck with absolutely no basis in fact.” Read more at www.splcenter.org

 

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US Air Force Copies Chinese Censorship Lead!

Dumb and dumber have taken up residence at USAF HQ it seems. Deciding to censor/block access to New York Times and 25 other websites because they published information about Wikileak information.

Amplify’d from knightcenter.utexas.edu

U.S. Air Force censors websites for publishing WikiLeaks

The U.S. Air Force has blocked access to The New York Times and other media outlets that have published WikiLeaks information, reported the Associated Press. More than 25 websites have been blocked on Air Force computers. Read more at knightcenter.utexas.edu

 

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John Boehner and other Republicans want right to remain anti-gay rights

Amplify’d from www.splcenter.org

SPLC Responds to Attack by FRC, Conservative Republicans

Posted in Anti-Gay, Extremist Propaganda by Mark Potok on December 15, 2010

This morning, 22 members of Congress and a large number of other conservatives signed on to a public statement attacking the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for listing several anti-gay religious right organizations as hate groups.

The statement, whose signatories included House Speaker-Designate John Boehner and the governors of Louisiana, Minnesota and Virginia, Read more at www.splcenter.org

 

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#IBW: Oakland Lake Merrit Rally, CaliforniaCourtesy Mia Nakano Photography

The First Christmas Gift - The Inside Story

What's the inside story? You will have to read the story - eh?

Amplify’d from positivefuturesguide.com

AHASAK ILY

A Christmas Tale© 1989

I am going to be Santa's helper.

tonight's the night

I began to remember and dream about the Christmas

the worst and best Christmas I ever had

It might be a slow, low Christmas unless Jeff and I can sell some more.

I saw...the quarters falling into the grate

I lost my Christmas money

Inside of the first and every gift since is an extra secret gift

This secret is only for kids. Read more at positivefuturesguide.com

 

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Christmas - 1912 - Did Santa forget Carmen?

This is the true story of my mother's fourth Christmas - the last one she would spend with her mother. It's also a story about how gifts outlast the giver and provide memories of people you never really "knew," except through stories.

Amplify’d from positivefuturesguide.com

Carmen's Christmas Age Four

Maude Wright -- 1912

Once upon a time there lived in the little village of Saranac, New York a dear little girl named Carmen whose papa and mama were very poor but happy as Christmas time drew near.

"Daddy! Is there neny sing in my stockings?" Daddy said, "Come and see"

She was more pleased with those few things than all the other things she got

These are the facts as they happened on the Christmas of 1912. Read more at positivefuturesguide.com

 

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Tuna surprise tonight? Sorry honey, the ocean ran out!

Blue Fin, Yellow Fin, Skipjack - way overfished for sandwiches and your cat! Take a look at how tuna starts maybe that will help convince you too - it bleeds just like you, it resists dying for your lunch, or dinner.

Amplify’d from www.greenpeace.org

Tears for the Tuna

Until recently the Pacific was the home to the world's last abundant tuna fisheries, but there are now serious problems facing Pacific tuna. Bigeye and yellowfin tuna are already in serious trouble, and even skipjack, once thought of as virtually limitless, is now in decline and being caught at a rate that is not sustainable in the long term.

See more at www.greenpeace.org

 

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Rock hound collectors meet up on Amplify! Grin

Fun when your social tool enables you to meet new friends. In this case strange folks, like me who dig in the earth to find semi-precious stones, fossils, as well as gem stones. Horse Canyon Agate is beautiful and named, as are many stones, for its location and unique qualities. I collected lots of it before the area was developed for homes. Still have stones that resemble those shown here. Horse Canyon got its name from pre-historic horse-like animal identified from fossils found near the site as well. They died out and Spanish brought horses back to North America.

Amplify’d from www.rockhoundingusa.com

Self collected Agate from the world famous Horse Canyon Agate beds of Tehachapi, CA. Closed twice in the 60's.

See more at www.rockhoundingusa.com

 

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Did not realize all comments were now in "@mentions of me". Liked getting e-mails better. Will look at them now to reply. http://amplify.com/u/i6rq

WOW! (More pics and story on site) Yes Super wow. Reminds me of what Japanese government still has not apologized for for the attack, the deaths that day and the 50,000 plus American casualties during the Pacific war.

Amplify’d from beforeitsnews.com

Photos stored in camera for 68 years - Pearl Harbour Bombing

Isn't it amazing how a film could last so long in a camera without disintegrating?    Fantastic photos taken 68 years ago. Some of you will have to go to a museum to see what a Brownie camera looked like? Here is a simple picture of what we are talking about. . .

These photos are absolutely incredible... Read text below the first picture and then at the end.

See more at beforeitsnews.com

 

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Voices of Peace in Afghanistan: Dear President Obama

It will not be pretty but we should be trying to get everyone to the table, as we should in Israel/Palestine too.

Amplify’d from circlingthelionsden.blogspot.com

Circling the Lion's Den A glance at the conflict in Afghanistan

US policy questioned by academics and researchers The following letter was sent today to the President of the United States by a group of academics, journalists and NGO workers:

we ask you to sanction and support a direct dialogue and negotiation with the Afghan Taliban leadership residing in Pakistan.

discussions about Afghanistan’s political future must include all parties and not just be a quick-fix deal with members of the insurgency.

It is time to implement an alternative strategy that would allow the United States to exit Afghanistan while safeguarding its legitimate security interests. Read more at circlingthelionsden.blogspot.com

 

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Tear me apart

Tear me apart,
originally uploaded by Linnea Strid.

Stunning!

It is Friday- Really! What is your favorite Friday fun? Mine? Thanking God/Universe that I made it to Friday - smile - again. http://amplify.com/u/i3gn

Citizen Crackdown on Corporate Welfare Cash Coming?

Follow the money - who's getting bribed to leave or come to your community? Who are the biggest corporate freeloaders and where are they? Find out and see if you are getting your money's worth. Last time Cincinnati gave Cincinnati Bell a subsidy to stay in town it then was able to hire a few thousand people to work in its Philippines call center subsidiary.

Amplify’d from dirtdiggersdigest.org

Introducing Subsidy Tracker

I am happy to announce that my colleagues and I at Good Jobs First have just introduced such a resource. Subsidy Tracker is the first national search engine for determining where a company has gotten economic development subsidies around the country. Read more at dirtdiggersdigest.org

 

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How much antibiotic drugs are in your burger, meatball, whatever?

Way too much and it is making us more likely to let loose some superbugs whose job will be to super-balance the system - that means big trouble for burger eaters - aka: humans - us.

Amplify’d from www.wired.com

News break: FDA estimates US livestock get 29 million pounds of antibiotics per year

That’s a lot.

The reason why antibiotic use on farms is a concern, of course, is because such use stimulates the emergence of drug-resistant organisms that move off the farm in animals, in groundwater, in dust, on the wind and in the systems and on the clothes of those who work there, and makes new resistance factors available to be swapped among bacteria. Read more at www.wired.com

 

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Son charged with murder after crossbow killing in Toronto library

URL:  http://www.canada.com/news/charged+with+murder+after+cr...

Patricide - rare and sad.

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Captain Cat's Diaries - Afghanistan For Real

Captain Cat - a female NGO worker shares her diary on occasion - filled with her up close relationships with Afghan people. Her observations can tell you more about what is and is not happening in Afghanistan than most accounts you may find. Read and see how little we seem to understand the complexity and simplicity of Afghans and their situation today, 100 years ago and probably 50 years from now.

Amplify’d from captaincat.typepad.com

Pieces of Paktia

Some days ago my friend learnt that Paktia and Khost’s Mangal tribe has been asked (reportedly by Pakistan’s not-so-secret-anymore intelligence services) to lead an aggressive anti-Shia surge in exchange for land in the upper Kurram, as well as a monopoly on trade in Parachinar, a bustling market town and Shia stronghold.

I wonder how these women live in this forced communality.

I am silently outraged at their prison-like existence, and want to scream at their men for these lives unlived, faces unseen.

The women ask me not to leave and hug me tightly; the matriarch gives me an imploring look, and I kiss her cheeks.

when I look back

they have already vanished.   Read more at captaincat.typepad.com

 

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What is Interpol Red Notice? Re: Wikileaks Founder

It is not an arrest warrant. Read the explanation below. You may have seen a lot of buzz and spin about this - so knowing the facts is a good thing - grin.

Amplify’d from www.undispatch.com

What An “Interpol Red Notice” Actually Means

I am probably the only full time blogger to ever have worked at Interpol, so it behooves me to explain the “Interpol Red Notice,”

Red Notice is simply a request for the arrest and extradition of an individual for whom an arrest warrant has been issued in the requesting country.

INTERPOL has made public the Red Notice, or international wanted persons alert, for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the request of Swedish authorities who want to question him in connection with a number of sexual offences. Read more at www.undispatch.com

 

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Is there a pig in your tank, your pill, your photo?

Fascinating idea to document where things come from and where they go. A project of reconnecting people to the earth and nature that gives them technical products. How many kids just think hamburger is made in the back of the grocery store and not from those lovely cows?

Amplify’d from www.christienmeindertsma.com

PIG 05049 (2007), is an extensive collection of photographic images that documents an astounding array of products that different parts of an anonymous pig called 05049

With her designs Christien Meindertsma aims to regain understanding of processes that have become so distant in industrialization. Read more at www.christienmeindertsma.com

 

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King and queen of Aspudden

King and queen of Aspudden,
originally uploaded by Linnea Strid.

Follow his lead or figure out what the all knowing cat is thinking. Wonderful photorealism.

Can You Hear Me Now? Cell Phones or Peace in the Congo - Your Choice?

After hacking off limbs, rape is their weapon of choice it seems but most people are too busy playing Angry Birds on their cell phone to hear that the drive for cell phone materials is a big part of what is driving the killing games in the Congo. I really don't give a hoot that actor Affleck thinks it's a problem but if that is what it takes for Congress to act - You Go Ben!

Amplify’d from opinion.latimes.com

Ben Affleck's message to Congress about securing peace and prosperity in Congo

"This isn't just altruism," he explains. "The United States has security, economic and diplomatic interests in a peaceful and stable Congo." Here, he details four easy-to-implement recommendations. Congress: Are you listening? Read more at opinion.latimes.com

 

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Human Rights news and links via Ned's Google Reader

Just thought I'd share this way of "sharing" via Google's Reader. I have "folder" of reader links to good sites for "human rights" news. I made it public - so anyone who wants to check these links rather than search out their own, can bookmark it or subscribe to it via a reader (rss). Covers a wide variety of human rights issues.

Amplify’d from www.google.com

VIDEO Mark Maracle Mohawk Warrior Society

IRAQ: Kurdish government promises more action on honour killings

BOLIVIA: Cancun should not be Copenhagen Part II

"human rights" via Ned Read more at www.google.com

 

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Anti-war links/news via Ned's Google Reader

Just thought I'd share this way of "sharing" via Google's Reader. I have "folder" of reader links to good sites for "anti-war" news. I made it public - so anyone who wants to check these links rather than search out their own, can bookmark it or subscribe to it via a reader (rss). It covers more than Afghanistan and includes a variety of resources - blogs, news services, government sources, etc.

Amplify’d from www.google.com

"anti-war" via Ned

Canada's Afghan combat mission enters final phase

Afghan Army Soldiers Begin Computer Network Training Courses

German magazine names three handover provinces in *Afghanistan* Read more at www.google.com

 

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Ned's Green Stuff via Google Reader

Just thought I'd share this way of "sharing" via Google's Reader. I have "folder" of reader links to good sites for "green" news. I made it public - so anyone who wants to check these links rather than search out their own, can bookmark it or subscribe to it via a reader (rss).

Amplify’d from www.google.com

"GreenStuff" via Ned

See more at www.google.com

 

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Buffy Sainte-Marie America the Beautiful

What is beautiful is the land and people - that's what she celebrates in this version. Buffy is always good and this is worth a listen.

Amplify’d from buffy-sainte-marie.blogspot.com

America the Beautiful

It's about America the country, not America the nation state. It's about the real America that so many people, regardless of their political associations, really feel in their hearts-you know, this beautiful, beautiful place. So, it's yet another take on "America the Beautiful." People seem to enjoy it. Read more at buffy-sainte-marie.blogspot.com

 

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Most of 2 million who fly in US daily go through security with no problems... hmmm? http://amplify.com/u/fyav

Afghanistan's recent elections? Serious or Comedy of Errors?

Read on - comedy, or comic opera - maybe Marx Brothers' Night at the Opera comes to mind

Amplify’d from www.aan-afghanistan.org

The Afghanistan Analyst Network

The Afghanistan Analyst Network

I really do not want to make the readers desperate – but there are lots of other shortcomings and abuses of law in this process which I did not mention in this blog. Already those described here amount to a democratic disaster. The parliament emerging out of these elections will suffer from a permanent deficit of legitimacy which will accelerate the Afghan states descent into fragility.Read more at www.aan-afghanistan.org

 

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Taliban Leader Imposter Fleeces US/Afghan Officials

Oops! Down and down we go, in a spin. Forget body scans, how about major scams and not bothering to be very, very careful - AND AT LEAST CHECK THE PERSON IS WHO HE CLAIMS TO BE!

Amplify’d from www.registan.net

Desperation is never pretty

the secret talks unfolding between Taliban and Afghan leaders to end the war

Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement.

United States and Afghan officials now say the Afghan man was an impostor

we gave this man millions of dollars and sat him down in front of Hamid Karzai and General Petraeus and we have no idea who he is or what his intentions are.

The idea that the Taliban is eager to sit down for talks—and it has stated, quite explicitly it is not—is just more ISAF spin, trying to convince us we’re winning the war.Read more at www.registan.net

 

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Jesse Ventura: Conspiracy Entertainment for Fear and Profit

Read on and see. Conspiracy Theory is un-reality TV to make a profit for Jesse and to entertain - not educate - you a la the "scary" roller coaster at the amusement park and TV wrestling that gave Jesse his first boost.

Amplify’d from www.splcenter.org

Un-TruTV: Fear vs. Fact on Ventura’s ‘Conspiracy Theory’

What Ventura and TruTV call “proof” amounts to little more than recycled and utterly groundless conspiracy theories. He relies on dubious “experts” — actually, fellow conspiracy peddlers whose affiliations are never clearly identified — and utterly ignores real authorities who could easily debunk the claims. Read more at www.splcenter.org

 

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Save that Tiger! Save that Tiger!

Can you guess why urban centers, suburbs and even rural farm areas seem to be over run with what we term pests? Such as coyotes in US. Or mice and rats everywhere. We either killing or destroying breeding grounds of predators!



Would you want to live in a world with no tigers or wolves?

Amplify’d from current.com

13 nations meet to try to save wild tigers

In 2010, the Year of the Tiger, about 3,600 of the majestic predators remain in the wild Read more at current.com

 

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Not the only fish in the sea but almost...

New study provides 200 year record of decline of certain fish populations due to human activity. This proves, once more, that we are about as dumb as we are smart. Will we learn in time, or will we live to see "Soylent Green is people!" become true. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sp-VFBbjpE

Amplify’d from www.wired.com

Old, Ignored Records Yield 200 Years of Fish Population Data

naturalists’ accounts and fish market records

between 1818 and 2000, shows

provides a crucial baseline comparison for the ongoing collapse of today’s fisheries.Read more at www.wired.com

 

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Face me

Face me,
originally uploaded by Linnea Strid.

Linnea Strid is just so good - each painting connects to the sense of realism and surrealism at one in the same time. Thanks Linnea!

Wannabe Speaker of the House Commits Treason

Cantor, in effect pledged loyalty to the Prime Minister of Israel over loyalty to the United States. Now trying to back off of his pledge but treason is treason isn't it?

Amplify’d from tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com

Cantor Recants on Netanyahu Pledge

Soon-to-be House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA)

Cantor's pledge of allegiance to a foreign leaderRead more at tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com

 

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