SJVGreens: 2005 archive

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2005

GreenTV schedule 2005

Profiting from death?

Have you heard about "dead peasant" insurance policies. About one quarter of Fortune 500 corporations take out life insurance on their employees without telling them. The companies benefit by tax write offs while employees live and policy payouts when employees die. The families of the deceased get nothing. More...

Precarious Lives -- article by Paul Rogat Loeb

"Advice to Retirees: Embrace the future," syndicated columnist Tad Bartimus recently wrote in my local Seattle paper. Sounds good, but for Bartimus the future was a layoff, in a corporate cutback, from a 25-year career at the Associated Press news service. Faced with the Hobson’s choice of agreeing to it or losing all health care access and pension benefits, she suddenly had to find ways to reinvent herself and survive, with less than half of her previously promised pension. More...

Community Right-to-Know About Toxics Under Attack

For almost 20 years the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) has provided communities with vital information to monitor and reduce industry and other facilities’ release of toxic chemicals into the environment. Such information has been essential in protecting our and other species’ health, safety, and ecosystems. The EPA is now proposing to dramatically reduce such information. More...

Ed Cohen Ends Campaign for Congress

On December 8, Ed Cohen announced he is ending his campaign to challenge Chris Chocola's seat in Congress. Since Cohen was running as a Democrat, Joe Donnelly is now the sole candidate in the primary election. The Cohen for Congress executive committee is looking for someone to replace Ed since our district needs a progressive candidate. Joe Donnelly is not a progressive. However, Donnelly is known and favored by the Democrat Party at the local and state levels. Read Ed's letter to his supporters.

Nonviolence Training at Camp Casey, Elkhart

Friday, December 9, 8:30 - 9:30 AM, Nonviolence training at Camp Casey, corner of Wolf and Benham, Elkhart. 10:00 - 11:00 AM, slowdown in the recruiters' offices, 500 N. Nappanee St, Elkhart. Participants plan to crowd the recruiters' offices with people offering to serve their country by working for life rather than death. If you have questions you can leave a message for Camp Casey at 574-293-0886, the office of Creekside Church of the Brethren. Visit the Camp Casey blog site.

More Camp Casey News

There is a Camp Casey going on right now in Elkhart...it sounds as exciting as the Ft. Wayne one. The Elkhart camp will run for two weeks. South Bend peace activists will do their camp Jan. 7-22, and tie in with Martin L. King memorial events and more. The organizers are working to obtain a site and get it prepared. And, they are looking for someone to do a blog for the camp site/weeks. Contact Ellyn Stecker (see either article) if you know someone who has a high traffic/high profile space in South Bend. Here are the highlights of the Camp Casey which was held in Ft. Wayne in October. More...

Camp Casey Coming to South Bend

Several groups in South Bend plan to host a "Camp Casey" - similar to the Camp that grew up around Cindy Sheehan when she went to Texas to protest the war on behalf of her son Casey, who was killed in Iraq. The camp is likely to be held in January. A Camp Casey planning meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 28th, at 3 PM, (location TBA.) More...

The Latest from the "Buy Nothing Team"

"Something exciting is happening that we wanted to share with you. Many jammers are planning to meet up at a screening of 'WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price' between now and next Friday. It's a great way to get to know each other, and with 7000 screenings around the world -- many of them free -- there's bound to be one in your neck of the woods. Go to the Walmart Takedown action center at AdBusters and find the closest screening. After you've watched the film, brainstorm with other jammers and come up with a plan for November 25, Buy Nothing Day."

Avoiding the Next Train Wreck

The "train wreck" now facing the electronics industry -- owing to many companies’ failure to keep up with increasing global requirements for environmental performance -- was completely avoidable. It raises concerns about the level of fiduciary duty exercised by business leaders who should have done a better job of seeing it coming, and of preventing it.

Many CEOs remain naďve about evolving environmental concerns in the global market coming from both governments and from leading companies. They have acted as though these market demands would go away, or get delayed, or that they would somehow be exempted. They have assumed that compliance would add costs, rather than provide an opportunity to deliver better a price/performance ratio to customers and to defend or even gain market share. More...

"Paint the Town" Bike Lane Awareness Ride

The "Paint the Town" Bike Ride will take place on Sunday, October 2, at 12:00 PM. The location for the start has changed, the ride will begin at the parking lot at Madison Center. There will be an 8.5 mile Commuter Ride and a 5 mile Family Ride around the City of South Bend to raise awareness of the need to stripe bike lanes around the city. Mark the date and time on your calendar!

Please feel free to forward this announcement to friends now. Paint the Town will compose a flyer and email and distribute that flyer soon.

Corporate Control of Congress -- It's Worse Than You Thought

If this doesn't get your blood boiling, nothing will. BlackBoxVoting.org summarizes a Rolling Stone expose: FOUR AMENDMENTS & a FUNERAL - A month inside the house of horrors that is Congress. Look for the link to the investigative journalism piece by Rolling Stone at the end of the BlackBoxVoting analysis, bullet point summaries and suggested reforms. More...

Diebold Voting Machines in the News Again

Brad Blog exclusive - "A DIEBOLD INSIDER SPEAKS! DIEB-THROAT : 'Diebold System One of Greatest Threats Democracy Has Ever Known' Identifies U.S. Homeland Security 'Cyber Alert' Prior to '04 Election Warning Votes Can be 'Modified Remotely'"

"In exclusive stunning admissions to The BRAD BLOG some 11 months after the 2004 Presidential Election, a 'Diebold Insider' is now finally speaking out for the first time about the alarming security flaws within Diebold, Inc's electronic voting systems, software and machinery. The source is acknowledging that the company's 'upper management' -- as well as 'top government officials' -- were keenly aware of the 'undocumented backdoor' in Diebold's main 'GEM Central Tabulator' software well prior to the 2004 election. A branch of the Federal Government even posted a security warning on the Internet." More...

Can This Man Save the World?

Joe Williams Sr. believes he has the machine that will help save the world. It will make the sky blue, allow everyone to breathe easier, and, in a time of skyrocketing fuel prices, save us all money. More...

Global Warming: Past The Point of No Return?

The science editor of the online version of the British newspaper, The Independent, reports earth may have crossed the tipping point in global warming.

"A record loss of sea ice in the Arctic this summer has convinced scientists that the northern hemisphere may have crossed a critical threshold beyond which the climate may never recover. Scientists fear that the Arctic has now entered an irreversible phase of warming which will accelerate the loss of the polar sea ice that has helped to keep the climate stable for thousands of years." More...

Makes you think twice about the Tondu power plant and the additional carbon dioxide it would emit. Think globally, act locally.

Council Puts Tondu Vote on Hold

The St. Joseph County Council voted 6-3 to put postpone the vote on the proposed Tondu power plant until September 22. That's the good news.

The bad news is: there will be no more public input, and one week is not much time for the Council to gather additional information.

Gov. Mitch Daniels sent two administration spokespersons to support the Tondu proposal. One of them, Thomas Easterly, is the new commissioner for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Easterly said IDEM approves of the Tondu proposal.

Of special note here is IDEM's new mission: creating jobs in Indiana. The new IDEM commissioner met with environmental leaders in South Bend shortly after accepting his position. Mr. Easterly plainly stated that creating jobs in Indiana is the new IDEM mission. Gov. Daniels is concerned that businesses give up on locating in Indiana because the permitting process is too slow and cumbersome. Gov. Daniels and the IDEM commissioner want to streamline the permitting process.

The South Bend Tribune ran three front page articles on the Tondu plant.

Informational Forum on Tondu Plant on Sepember 11

Please attend the informational forum, just prior to the St. Joseph County Council vote on the Tondu proposal. The forum is sponsored by The St. Joe Valley Project and Michiana Quality of Life

Invited panelists:

Don't forget to register your opposition to the Tondu proposal. Contact all the St. Joseph County Commissioners, County Council members and your representatives in particular. Click on the following link for contact information, including district maps. More...

Audubon Board Votes to Oppose Tondu Plant

From Laura Fuderer: "The Audubon Board has decided to oppose the coal gasification power plant that Mr. Joe Tondu proposes to build in New Carlisle. While it’s cleaner than using pulverized coal, this process would still emit nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and particulates, all measurable in TONS per year! Indiana is the fourth worst state in the country for air pollution, due partly to vehicles and partly to coal-fired power plants. Public health in our region simply cannot afford another coal-fired power plant. Remember: both St. Jo. and Elkhart Counties are DOWNWIND of New Carlisle."

6 Reasons to Reject Tondu Proposal

Ample evidence exists that our future energy needs can be met much more sustainably by investment in, and adoption of, energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. If the Tondu proposal receives the support of the St. Joseph County Council on September 13th, investment in all those technologies as well as our health and ecosystem are undermined. Joseph Miller outlines six reasons to reject the Tondu proposal. More...

Would Tondu Power Plant Trade Health for Jobs?

Kristin Schrader-Frechette, O'Neill Family Endowed Professor at Notre Dame University, looks into the question of jobs versus health. Her research uncovers evidence that the proposed Tondu power plant is no bargain for our community. More...

St. Joseph County Citizens Question Tondu Coal Gasification Plant

Resistence to the proposed Tondu coal gassification plant is rising steeply due to unanswered questions about the plant and revelations about Tondu Corporation's behavior in other communities.

Tondu is seeking a permit from the County Council to build a 550 megawatt merchant electric plant in New Carlisle, IN. The plant would use coal and numerous other forms of carbon based fuel. A grassroots group has formed to investigate Tondu's claims and to oppose the plant. Join the resistence now -- the permit process will conclude on September 13 when the Council votes on the proposal. Read the information we provide here, contact your County Council rep and say NO! to Tondu. More...

Patently Absurd

Patent reform legislation in Congress amounts to little more than a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for Microsoft.

Late last month, shortly before the U.S. Congress shut down for its summer recess, the Senate Judiciary Committee's Intellectual Property subcommittee held an unusual hearing -- unusual because the only committee member attending the hearing was the chairman, Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah. Why would such a prestigious committee hold a hearing in Washington attended by only one member? To slam through some controversial legislation, of course. Senator Hatch was trying to pass a new law "reforming" the U.S. patent system and apparently felt it would all go much more smoothly without the presence of the other committee members. And it might have gone smoothly, except someone in the press noticed the unusual hearing and decided to attend, essentially scotching the intended markup of the bill a week later and passage just as an unwary Congress was heading home. More...

NAACP Questions Roberts Nomination

Recently obtained documents regarding Supreme Court nominee John Roberts indicate a longstanding hostility towards core NAACP civil rights priorities. The NAACP wants a complete and thorough explanation of Roberts' positions, or the organization will oppose Roberts' nomination. More...

Experimental Hybrid Cars Get Up to 250 Mpg

"Politicians and automakers say a car that can both reduce greenhouse gases and free America from its reliance on foreign oil is years or even decades away. Ron Gremban says such a car is parked in his garage."

"It looks like a typical Toyota Prius hybrid, but in the trunk sits an 80-miles-per-gallon secret — a stack of 18 brick-sized batteries that boosts the car's high mileage with an extra electrical charge so it can burn even less fuel." More...

Software Patents Threaten Open Source Movement and Small Businesses

Bruce Perens, advocate for Free and Open Source software, warns developers and small to medium size businesses that large businesses can and do use questionable software patents to defend against legitimate competition. Domestic and international standards are at risk as software patents stifle innovation and interoperability. The Free and Open Source software movement itself is in peril. More...

Bicycle Lanes Committee Forming

Would you like to bike or walk safely from your home to any park in South Bend or St. Joseph County?

Judith Robert is organizing a committee to petition South Bend city government to link South Bend streets to planned recreational pathways. The approved recreational bikeways/walkways are designed to connect public parks and playgrounds in South Bend and St. Joseph County.

Robert has identified five city streets which can link city neighborhoods to the pathways and to the parks. The streets need official bike lanes to make the linkages safely. Petitions are circulating now. If you are interested in joining the committee, circulating petitions or just want more information, contact Judith Robert at her office, 287-2060.

Download or open a printable (.pdf) version of the petition. The file is 68kb. Left- or right-click on the download link and choose the option best suited to your browser.

NAACP Bus to Atlanta

The Indiana NAACP Convention is chartering a bus to convey people in South Bend to the the "Keep the Vote Alive March and Rally" to be held on August 6, 2005, in Atlanta, Georgia. We are gathering to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act and to call attention to the threats facing minorities and the poor as key provisions of the Act come up for renewal in 2007. More...

2005 Petition Forms Good for 2006 Election

Rita Glen, St. Joseph County Clerk, and Brad King of the Indiana State Election Commission say that 2005 petition forms to place a candidate on the Indiana ballot (CAN-19) in 2006 are good until January 1, 2006. The Election Division is designing new forms for the Indiana 2006 general elections, and the old forms will be accepted. However, the new forms should be used after January 1, 2006.

The Indiana Green Party is gathering signatures to place a candidate for Secretary of State on the ballot in 2006. Bill Stant is allowing the IGP to use his name as the stand-in candidate. Bill is running for Secretary of State and hopes the IGP will endorse him at their 2006 Congress.

NAACP Strongly Opposes Janice Rogers Brown Nomination

On February 14, 2005, President Bush re-nominated Janice Rogers Brown, who currently serves on the California Supreme Court, to serve a lifetime appointment on the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit after she was rejected in the 108th Congress. On April 21, 2005, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 10-8 to send Justice Brown to the full Senate floor for confirmation. Unfortunately, and despite the NAACP's continuing opposition, her confirmation was included as part of the "deal" between 14 members of the two parties to preserve the filibuster and avoid the "nuclear option."

The NAACP strongly opposes this nomination, as Judge Brown has, throughout her career, been extremely hostile towards laws that protect the civil rights and civil liberties of African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities. Furthermore, she has consistently shown a real inability to separate her personal beliefs from her judicial activism. More...

Town Hall on Social Security

From David Cooling of Americans for Social Security:

"I want to give everyone a heads up on what Indiana United to Protect Social Security has planned. On Tuesday, June 7, 2005 @ 6:30pm, we're hosting a town hall asking Congressman Chris Chocola to take a stand on Social Security privatization. We've invited him to attend, but so far his office has declined...

"Please forward this message to people in your organization(s) to get the word out about the town hall. If your organization would like to sponsor the event along with Indiana United, please reply back to this email. I'll be excited to add your organization to the press release.

"Please give me a call at 815-979-3153 or email me if you have any questions."

The Empty Seat Town Hall Meeting will be held at the St. Joseph County Public Library, Main Branch, 304 S. Main St., South Bend, IN, 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Richard Stallman Endorses GPUS

Cameron Spitzer noticed a link to GPUS on RMS' personal home page. It's the fifth of twenty six "long term actions" endorsed by Stallman, and the Green Party is in good company.

Says Cameron, "Dr. Stallman is considered the founder of the movement for free and open source software. Among other things, he contributed many of the tools used to build Linux, and wrote what is arguably the most important and innovative file in the Linux kernel."

The SJVGreens web site uses software from the Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project.

Optical Scan Machines Hacked In Florida

Tallahassee, FL: "Are we having fun yet?"

This is the message that appeared in the window of a county optical scan machine, startling Leon County Information Systems Officer Thomas James. Visibly shaken, he immediately turned the machine off.

Diebold's opti-scan (paper ballot) voting system uses a curious memory card design, offering penetration by a lone programmer such that standard canvassing procedures cannot detect election manipulation.

The Diebold optical scan system was used in about 800 jurisdictions in 2004. Among them were several hotbeds of controversy: Volusia County (FL); King County (WA); and the New Hampshire primary election, where machine results differed markedly from hand-counted localities. More...

Secretary of State Candidate Speaks at IUSB April 28

Valerie Berezner, President of the IUSB Political Science Club, has announced that Bill Stant, candidate for Secretary of State, will speak to the Club and the general public at 4:00 PM on Thursday, April 28. The event is co-sponsored the the American Democracy Project. Stant is a Green and hopes to receive the official backing of the Indiana Green Party at its convention this summer. Greens are gathering signatures on petitions so that Stant, or another candidate, will have ballot access for the Secretary of State race in 2006.

Indiana Lawmakers Address Environment

Read Martin d'Agostino's legislative coverage for the South Bend Tribune. Check BillWatch to find out the status of any bill before the General Assembly. IKE, as usual, is on top of environmental issues which affect childrens' health.

California Ex-State Senator Regrets Workers' Comp Reform

Former state Sen. John Burton said Monday he feels betrayed by new rules that will cut disability payments to injured workers and regrets helping Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger steer a workers' compensation reform bill through the Democrat-controlled Legislature in April. More...

Strike Shuts UCSC

Hundreds of workers and students picketed UC Santa Cruz as part of the one-day strike called Thursday by the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (related to article above). More...

IGP March Newsletter

The IGP Coordinating Committee met in Terre Haute, IN, on March 19. The minutes of the meeting are included in the IGP Newsletter along with other news. More...

Latest Version of IKE Newsletter Released

Improving Kids' Environment - Children's Environmental Health Issues in Indiana, March 2004 Edition, has been released. IKE does a great job covering environmental impacts on childrens' health. You'll be glad you read their newsletter.

Climate Change Already Affecting Agriculture in Midwest Great Lakes Region

(ENS) - Agriculture in Illinois and the entire Great Lakes region will be harmed by a warming climate, warns a new report from the University of Illinois and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

"Farmers in the region are already suffering from wetter spring and fall weather, and the intensity of rainstorms has also increased," says Michelle Wander, University of Illinois Associate Professor of soil fertility and co-author of "Impacts on Agriculture: Our Region's Vital Economic Sector." Changing precipitation patterns, more extreme rainfall events, rising ozone concentrations, and an increase in pests and pathogens will disrupt current farming practices throughout the region, the scientists say in the document issued March 8 "For farmers, these changes mean crop losses and higher costs," Wander said.

Senate Narrowly Approves Drilling in ANWR

The campaign to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge suffered a major setback in the U.S. Senate Wednesday. The Senate is about to pass a budget resolution that calls for oil development in the refuge. An amendment that would have stripped the Arctic drilling provision from the budget bill was defeated by only two votes, 49-51. But the fight is far from over. More...

ANWR Drilling Vote March 15

Well, crunch-time is here and the vote on the Arctic REfuge is Tuesday, March 15! Please, please call Senator Lugar and urge him to vote AGAINST drilling in ANWR! With enough pressure maybe we can swing his vote. More...

Goshen College Green Development Mini-Workshops

Goshen College is offering a miniworkshop series related to "Green" development. The first of a series of 4 workshops is on Saturday, March 19 from 9:00-11:00 at MerryLea Environmental Learning Center with the topic being "An Introduction to the U.S. Green building Council and the LEED Green Building Rating System." There is a $5.00 charge for each session. To regisler contact Jenniferhs@goshen.edu

Mayor Luecke Decides Not to Sell Erskine Golf Course

In a press release today, Mayor Luecke announced Erskine Golf Course is not for sale. Overwhelming citizen resistence to developing the public golf course reversed the Mayor's plan to sell off portions of the green space for commercial and residential development. More...

Senate Deadlocks on "Clear Skies" Bill

We won! Earlier today, the Senate Environment Committee deadlocked 9-9 over President Bush's so-called Clear Skies bill, which means it will die in committee. One Republican and one Independent joined seven Democrats in voting against the bill. More...

Who Are "The Crips"? The Left and Disability

I JOINED "THE Crips" thirteen years ago, upon being forced to quit work due to toxic exposure at my workplace. "The Crips" are not a group you really fight to get into, but they can have excruciating initiation rites, worse than to get into "Skull and Bones." And you don't have to come from a rich family; in fact, membership almost always insures that you become poor, and very quickly! More...

"Don't Restructure Us Out"

The push to “streamline” and consolidate the structures of the AFL-CIO threatens to diminish the influence of Blacks in the labor movement. “They want bigger unions,” said Bill Lucy, head of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), referring to leaders of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Teamsters, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and others. “They want power players, big unions in charge. The end result is diminution of community power.” More...

Indiana House Bill 1188 - Threat to Democracy

HOUSE BILL No. 1188 has been recognized by Greens in public office in Indiana as an anti-democratic bill which seeks to severely limit public input. Call your State Legislators now! More...

Union Art Available on Web

A large part of Labor's story is about telling labor's story. When unions are effective in getting their message out they gain support and win battles. When unions let the other side tell our story they're in for big trouble. More...

The 17 Cent Solution

Paul Goettlich, former SJVGreen, wrote an op-ed piece for the SF Chronicle supporting legislation to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags.

"San Francisco's environmental commission is contemplating 'an ordinance requiring a 17-cent fee on each bag provided at supermarket checkout counters to reduce the proliferation of unnecessary bags and provide funds to mitigate the negative impacts caused by them.' In order to remain calm about the proposed ordinance, one must understand the facts."

View article on SFGate website; view local copy of the article.

The Drain Game

Just a reminder to those folks interested in the complex issue of drainage -- conservation vs. keeping the water flowing. The Drain Game workshop is scheduled for February 7, 2005, to deal with some of these issues. The workshop will be held in Kendallville. An agenda and registration form is available on the St. Joseph River Basin Commission website -- www.sjrbc.com. The pre-registration cost is $20 which includes breaks, lunch and handouts. Pre-registration is due January 21. Please share this information with others that might have water quality interests. More...

Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.

In honor of the upcoming Martin Luther King holiday on January 17, CodePink has produced an inspiring internet flash movie that reveals just how out-of-sync the White House is with Dr. King’s message of peace and love. The movie requires a Flash plug-in for your browser. View the movie.

South Bend Tribune Challenges City Officials to Do Their Duty

How will the city pay for sewer separation? The South Bend Tribune wonders why city officials have not done their duty and produced a reasonable estimate of Phase 1 costs. Phase 1 will separate storm and sanitary sewers in neighborhoods which need it most. Will property tax payers, rate payers or both pay for the needed repairs. More...

After the Storm Television Program Now Available for Cable TV and Educational Use

EPA now owns full rights to After the Storm - a ˝ hour television special about watersheds co-produced by the Agency and The Weather Channel (TWC). EPA encourages watershed groups and others to work with their local cable and other TV stations to air the program, which can be shown in whole or in part. The program can be used by communities to educate citizens as part of their stormwater management program. The program will air multiple times on the Weather Channel this January. More...

We The People Fundraiser

We The People for 21st Century Democracy are holding a fundraiser on January 29, 2005, at the Moose Lodge, 4025 L.W.W. in South Bend. The lodge is near the airport. The doors open at 2:00 p.m. and close at 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $5.00. All proceeds go to We The People. Contact David Frank, 574-272-7508.

Where Does All That Water Go?

On February 7, 2004, the question will be answered. "The Drain Game; A Workshop on Drainage Education and Innovation" will take place at the Kendallville Banquet and Conference Center in Kendallville, Indiana. The day-long workshop will focus on what makes water drain off the earth surface, who is responsible for controlling the drainage, how land use planning can reduce drainage, and innovative approaches to dealing with drainage and drainage conveyances. More...

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