Ryan's Rant

Tea Party Congressman Claims That Christians Are A Minority Under Assault, Says Only Goal Is To Bring President Obama Down | Addicting Info

2012-01-17T17:54:00.000-08:00

Tea Party Congressman Claims That Christians Are A Minority Under Assault, Says Only Goal Is To Bring President Obama Down | Addicting Info: Do you remember when Christians were persecuted in America for their faith? Neither do I. That’s because it’s never happened. But according to Tea Party Congressman Tim Scott of South Carolina, Christians are a relentlessly and mercilessly persecuted minority today, even though Christians dominate the American landscape.

The next generation of GMOs could be especially dangerous | Grist

2012-01-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

The next generation of GMOs could be especially dangerous | Grist: Did a recent scientific study just change the way we should think about the safety of genetically modified foods? According to Ari Levaux at the Atlantic, the answer is a resounding yes.

The study in question, performed by researchers at China's Nanjing University and published in the journal Cell Research, found that a form of genetic material -- called microRNA -- from conventional rice survived the human digestive process and proceeded to affect cholesterol function in humans.

Greasy to gourmet: Seattle chefs help schools trade corn dogs for couscous | Grist

2012-01-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

Greasy to gourmet: Seattle chefs help schools trade corn dogs for couscous | Grist: School lunch in Seattle has come a long way since I was a public school student. In the '90s, lunch was only a dollar, and the cafeteria served up square, rubbery pizza, scoops of mushy spaghetti, and Belgian waffles (everyone's favorite!). Fast-forward more than a decade: Elementary school lunch now costs $2.75, and for several years the Seattle School District has inched toward healthier offerings.

Eaters, beware: Walmart is taking over our food system | Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable | Grist

2012-01-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

Eaters, beware: Walmart is taking over our food system | Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable | Grist: Aubretia Edick has worked at a Walmart store in upstate New York for 11 years, but she won't buy fresh food there. Bagged salads, she claims, are often past their sell-by dates and, in the summer, fruit is sometimes kept on shelves until it rots. "They say, 'We'll take care of it,' but they don't. As a cashier, you hear a lot of people complain," she said.

Right-Wing, Fox & Friends Warn Girl Scouts Promote ‘Liberal Agenda’ | TPMMuckraker

2011-12-30T08:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, are they serious?

Right-Wing, Fox & Friends Warn Girl Scouts Promote ‘Liberal Agenda’ | TPMMuckraker: Right-wing bloggers and Fox News have managed to squeeze in one more liberal conspiracy theory before the end of 2011.

The controversy is over a section in the Girl Scouts’ media guide that advises readers to use sites like snopes.com and MediaMatters to fact-check what they read on the Internet. Because, as Steve Doocy put it on Fox & Friends on Thursday, because MediaMatters is “clearly a lefty blog,” telling members to turn to them means the Girl Scouts must secretly be in the tank for the left.

Top 10 states ravaged by extreme weather in 2011 | Grist

2011-12-30T08:21:00.000-08:00

Top 10 states ravaged by extreme weather in 2011 | Grist: By many measures, 2011 was the most extreme weather year for the United States since reliable record-keeping began in the 19th century -- and the costs have been enormous. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2011 set a record for the most billion-dollar disasters in a single year. There were 12, breaking the old record of nine set in 2009. The aggregate damage from these 12 events totals at least $52 billion, NOAA found.

The frog and the polar bear: The real reasons Americans aren’t buying climate change

2011-12-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

The frog and the polar bear: The real reasons Americans aren’t buying climate change

Some Millionaires Made A Video And This Is What They Said

2011-12-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

Some Millionaires Made A Video And This Is What They Said

Green giants: Seattle gets even greener, starting with its biggest buildings | Grist

2011-12-07T10:03:00.001-08:00

Green giants: Seattle gets even greener, starting with its biggest buildings | Grist: Seattle, a.k.a. the Emerald City, looms Oz-like in the imaginations of eco-minded architects and designers. Its reputation for being uber green drew architect Brian Geller to the city from New York a few years ago. Now, he looks at the skyline rising above Elliott Bay and sees how much greener the place could be.

Can you say ‘sprawl’? Walmart’s biggest climate impact goes ignored | Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable | Grist

2011-12-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

Can you say ‘sprawl’? Walmart’s biggest climate impact goes ignored | Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable | Grist: Earlier this year, the New Jersey Sierra Club and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance tried but failed to block a permit for a new Walmart supercenter in the small coastal town of Toms River. The development, now moving forward, will destroy habitat for the threatened northern pine snake. What's especially frustrating about the project, local environmentalists say, is that Walmart already has a store in Toms River. It's just a mile down the road and will be shuttered when the new supercenter opens.

Chicken chases its kale: Chik-fil-A attacks artist over leafy-green slogan | Grist

2011-12-02T07:28:00.000-08:00

Chicken chases its kale: Chik-fil-A attacks artist over leafy-green slogan | Grist

For all of you poor souls who can't tell kale and chicken apart (lord knows it can be difficult), your troubles may soon be over. Chik-fil-A, the country's second-largest chain chicken restaurant (after KFC), is pressuring Vermont-based small-business owner Bo Muller-Moore to drop the phrase "Eat More Kale," which he's been screen-printing by hand on T-shirts and selling online and at local farmers markets since 2000. Chik-fil-A claims the words -- a statement in support of local agriculture and sustainable food -- are too similar to its trademarked "Eat Mor Chikin" ad slogan, and could cause confusion for its customers and "dilute" its English-challenged brand.

Walmart’s promised green product rankings fall off the radar | Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable | Grist

2011-11-26T12:13:00.000-08:00

Walmart’s promised green product rankings fall off the radar | Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable | Grist

‘Use-by’ dates: A myth that needs busting | Grist

2011-11-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

‘Use-by’ dates: A myth that needs busting | Grist

Here's a superbly kept secret: You know all those dates you see on food products that say "sell by," "use by," and "best before"? Those dates do not indicate the safety of your food, and generally speaking, they're not regulated.

Karl Rove Flips Out At Protesters: ‘Who Gave You The Right To Occupy America?’

2011-11-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

Karl Rove Flips Out At Protesters: ‘Who Gave You The Right To Occupy America?’: pLast night, former Bush official Karl Rove appeared at Johns Hopkins University to speak as a part of the annual Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium. Rove soon discovered that he wasn’t going to deliver his right-wing rhetoric unopposed, as a cry of “Mic Check!” rang out among the audience. “Karl Rove is the architect of Occupy....

The Keystone XL Pipeline Influence Scandal | Friends of the Earth

2011-11-10T08:02:00.000-08:00

The Keystone XL Pipeline Influence Scandal | Friends of the Earth

Evidence is mounting that the State Department’s review of a proposed tar sands oil pipeline has been corrupted by bias, lobbyist influence and conflicts of interest. The growing scandal is making front-page headlines and putting new pressure on President Obama to stop the pipeline.

Slow Money: Investment strategies appropriate to the realities of the 21st century - Slow Money

2011-10-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Slow Money: Investment strategies appropriate to the realities of the 21st century - Slow Money: Thousands of Americans have begun affirming a new direction for the economy. It’s called Slow Money.

Inspired by the vision of Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing As If Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered, published in 2009, the Slow Money Alliance is bringing people together around a new conversation about money that is too fast, about finance that is disconnected from people and place, about how we can begin fixing our economy from the ground up... starting with food.

American Portion Sizes Growing - Delish.com

2011-09-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

American Portion Sizes Growing - Delish.com: With bucket-sized soft drinks, bagels the size of baseballs, and burgers that you can barely get your mouth around, it's no wonder that, according to the CDC, one-third of adult Americans are currently obese. In the last 20 years portions have been ballooning — and we've been getting bigger right along with them. From 1980 to 2008, obesity rates doubled for adults and tripled for children.

Feds block AT&T's buy of T-Mobile - seattlepi.com

2011-08-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is such good news....

Feds block AT&T's buy of T-Mobile - seattlepi.com: WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department filed suit Wednesday to block AT&T's $39 billion deal to buy Bellevue-based T-Mobile USA on grounds that it would raise prices for consumers.

Connelly: Rick Steves says 'false austerity' is costing America - seattlepi.com

2011-08-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Connelly: Rick Steves says 'false austerity' is costing America - seattlepi.com: EDMONDS - In a scene immortalized by the movie Wall Street, Michael Douglas as inside trader Gordon Gekko snarls to an audience: "Ladies and gentlemen, greed - for want of a better word - is good."

Rick Steves believes greed is bad for his hometown, for America, and for Americans inhabiting all income levels.

Juliet Grey: Busting Marie Antoinette Myths: 7 Things She Never Did

2011-08-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

Juliet Grey: Busting Marie Antoinette Myths: 7 Things She Never Did: Marie Antoinette, the glamorous last queen of France, was notorious for many things--most of which she never did or said. Because history is written by the winners and she was the French Revolution's greatest victim, much of the information handed down about her lies somewhere between gross exaggeration and outright lies. Many people think she just went from heedless to headless, a bubble-headed spendthrift who was responsible for the revolution. So here are seven busted myths about the woman who became Marie Antoinette and the truth behind the propaganda. Want more on Marie Antoinette? Check out my book "Becoming Marie Antoinette."

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich - NYTimes.com

2011-08-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

Stop Coddling the Super-Rich - NYTimes.com: "OUR leaders have asked for “shared sacrifice.” But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, were left untouched."

Fuse Washington: The Tea Party broke it. Now they need to own it.

2011-08-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Fuse Washington: The Tea Party broke it. Now they need to own it.: "Watchdogs warned for months that playing political games with our country’s obligations could damage our reputation. And last Friday, ratings agency cited 'political brinkmanship' in explaining the downgrade.1"

The United States’ credit reputation is a critical foundation of the global economy. By undermining our nation's trustworthiness, Tea Party Republicans generated unstable slides in stock markets across the world. They also drove up interest rates - the price of borrowing money - and thus the cost of everything from home mortgages, car loans, and student loans to local government construction projects.² The Seattle Times reported that a downgrade would also threaten the credit reputation of "King County, the cities of Seattle and Bellevue, the University of Washington, and five local school districts".³

This never should have happened. Congress has voted to continue fulfilling our country’s obligations dozens of times before, regardless of which party is in charge.⁴ But Tea Party conservatives in Congress believe that protecting tax breaks for millionaires and big oil is more important than protecting the full faith and credit of our country.

The single best way to balance our nation’s books is to put American families back to work. Investments in our communities helped create the American Dream and laid the foundation for the strongest economy in the world. During these challenging times, we need to go back to what works: forward-looking investments in roads, bridges, rail, and green technology jobs to get our country back on track.

¹ http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2011/08/05/sp-downgrades-u-s-debt-rating-press-release/
² http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/beyond-a-default-catastrophic-
³ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015760503_moodys29m.html calculations/2011/07/15/gIQAZtwxGI_story.html
⁴ http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jul/26/barack-obama/obama-says-reagan-raised-debt-ceiling-18-times-geo

How Healthy is Your Ice Cream?

2011-07-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

How Healthy is Your Ice Cream?

World’s first hybrid-electric plane is aeronautical equivalent of flying pig | Grist

2011-07-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

World’s first hybrid-electric plane is aeronautical equivalent of flying pig | Grist: "Siemens just unveiled the world's first hybrid-electric aircraft, the DA36 E-Star. It uses an unique power train to do the seemingly impossible: take off and land on nothing but batteries.

It's received wisdom among pointy-headed energy thinkers that the one thing batteries can never, ever power are airplanes. Pound for pound, even the best batteries store only a tenth of the energy of gasoline, not to mention jet fuel, which is even more potent stuff.

But electric engines are smaller and lighter than their gasoline counterparts, which helps make up for the extra weight of the batteries the plane must carry. The DA36 E-Star's 70 kilowatt Siemens engine powers its propeller, and can draw electricity from a small Wankel combustion engine or from batteries."

World’s greenest gym forces patrons to generate their own electricity | Grist

2011-07-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

World’s greenest gym forces patrons to generate their own electricity | Grist: "A gym in Portland, Oregon (where else?) claims to produce 36 percent of its electricity from a combination of solar panels and special exercise bicycles that transform patrons’ exertions into electricity"

Connelly: Republicans 'just say no' – to America - seattlepi.com

2011-07-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

Connelly: Republicans 'just say no' – to America - seattlepi.com

Since the dawn of the 21st century, except for the occasional Rep. Dave Reichert missive on Independence Day (which he heartily supports), no positive message from any Republican Party organization has made its way into my email box.

11 U.S. cities honored as ‘walk-friendly’: Seattle ranks first | Grist

2011-05-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

11 U.S. cities honored as ‘walk-friendly’: Seattle ranks first | Grist: "After evaluating applicant communities in several categories related to walking -- including safety, mobility, access, and comfort -- the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) last week announced the selection of 11 Walk Friendly Communities across the U.S. They are ranked in categories of achievement, as follows:"

Green America: Tell Southern Company and Dominion - No More Nukes!

2011-03-31T08:11:00.000-07:00

Green America: Tell Southern Company and Dominion - No More Nukes!: "Despite the ongoing disaster in Japan, two of the largest utilities in the United States are planning to move ahead with new nuclear reactors, adding to those they already have in service. While nuclear may be a low carbon energy source, it most definitely is not clean, yet Southern Company and Dominion are still moving ahead with plans for new nuclear plants:"

Kochs’ BFF is GOP’s styrofoam dealer | Grist

2011-03-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Kochs’ BFF is GOP’s styrofoam dealer | Grist: "So, remember how Republicans triumphantly reinstated styrofoam cups in congressional cafeterias, presumably as part of their plan to save jobs and mom and apple pie and small businesses and stuff? Well, they got the 'business' part right: The cups they'll be using are made by a company belonging to a former Koch Industries executive. Those little scamps do just crop up everywhere, don't they."

Seattle City Council Resolution Index

2011-03-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

Seattle City Council Resolution Index: "Information retrieved on March 8, 2011 8:06 AM

Resolution Number: 31271

A RESOLUTION honoring and supporting public employees and declaring March 8, 2011 as 'Public Employee Appreciation Day' in Seattle.

Date introduced/referred: March 7, 2011
Date passed: March 7, 2011
Date adopted: March 7, 2011
Status: Adopted
Vote: 8-0 (Excused: Burgess)

Committee: Full Council for Introduction and Adoption
Sponsor: CONLIN, GODDEN, HARRELL

(No indexing available for this document)"

Planned Parenthood Truth Tour

2011-03-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Planned Parenthood Truth Tour: "The anti-women's health extremists behind the push to bar Planned Parenthood health centers from federal funding are showing up in communities across the country March 7-10. The Planned Parenthood Truth Team — staff, patients, and supporters — are there to counter their lies with the truth and to demonstrate just how much support we have in communities and online."

How bicycling will save the economy (if we let it) | Grist

2011-03-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

How bicycling will save the economy (if we let it) | Grist: "Imagine getting a $3,000 to $12,000 tax rebate this year. Now imagine it coming again and again. Every year it grows by around a thousand dollars.

Imagine how this would change your daily life."

Myth vs. Reality - Electric Vehicles - Sierra Club

2011-03-02T10:58:00.000-08:00

Myth vs. Reality - Electric Vehicles - Sierra Club: "Myth 1: Switching to an electric vehicle will just mean that the same amount of pollution comes from the electricity generation rather than from the tailpipe — I'll just be switching from oil to coal."

Despite its Horizon brand, dairy giant Dean Foods really doesn’t get organic | Grist

2011-03-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Despite its Horizon brand, dairy giant Dean Foods really doesn’t get organic | Grist: "Dean Foods is by far the largest U.S. dairy processor. According to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dean processes 40 percent of fluid milk consumed in the U.S., which it distrubutes in a dizzying array of brands. Its dominance extends to organic milk, too -- Dean's Horizon brand is the largest supplier of organic milk."

Support EPA's Efforts to Curb Carbon Pollution!

2011-02-26T10:32:00.000-08:00

Support EPA's Efforts to Curb Carbon Pollution!

It is completely ridiculous: right now, power plants and oil refineries are allowed to spew unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into our air. They heat our world and devastate our communities with abandon and expect taxpayers to shoulder the damages.

The good news is that the EPA is about to change that. It's moving ahead with carbon pollutions protections - also known as New Source Performance Standards, or NSPS - to limit the amount of carbon big polluters can emit. Supporting the EPA's standards is the most important thing you can do this year to slow climate change.

China to blow the doors off Obama’s namby-pamby electric car program | Grist

2011-02-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

China to blow the doors off Obama’s namby-pamby electric car program | Grist: "China just announced plans to build 1 million electric cars per year. Let's put that in perspective: In Obama's State of the Union Address, he said the U.S. should shoot for 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015, total."

The energy [r]evolution has begun | Grist

2011-02-23T17:38:00.000-08:00

The energy [r]evolution has begun | Grist: "Access to energy is vital for our economies, but energy is one of the main sources of the greenhouse gas emissions putting our climate at risk. It follows that we need to transition to a low-carbon, renewable energy mix. That aspiration is frequently debated -- at times encouraged, often mocked -- but it bears emphasizing: the energy revolution is already underway."

Planned Parenthood: House bars Planned Parenthood from federal funding

2011-02-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

Planned Parenthood: House bars Planned Parenthood from federal funding: "The U.S. House of Representatives has just voted to bar Planned Parenthood health centers from all federal funding for birth control, cancer screenings, HIV testing, and other lifesaving care.

It is the most dangerous legislative assault in our history, and it cannot go unanswered. We — Planned Parenthood and the three million women, men, and teens who are at risk of losing access to basic care — need you to stand united with us now.

Sign our open letter to every single representative in the House who voted for this cruel, unconscionable, unthinkable law, and to every senator who still has a chance to stop it."

Murray Introduces Gay Marriage Bill on—Swoon at the Mooo-oon, You Guys—Valentine's Day!! | Slog

2011-02-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

Murray Introduces Gay Marriage Bill on—Swoon at the Mooo-oon, You Guys—Valentine's Day!! | Slog: "State Senator Ed Murray (D-43) drove our state's three domestic partnership laws, passed annually from 2007 to 2009, that provided all the state benefits of marriage to gay couples without applying the label 'marriage.' Today, he introduced legislation to establish complete lexical parity among committed couples. Here's the money shot:"

Love the Earth - spring puts TerraPass in the mood for a special bonus

2011-02-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

Love the Earth - spring puts TerraPass in the mood for a special bonus: "Love the Earth
Feb. 14 – Apr. 22

In 2010 the U.S. Senate killed the climate bill. But the Earth isn't getting any cooler. So it's time for all of us to step up our individual efforts to fight climate change.

Between Valentine's Day and Earth Day, pledge your love for the planet by helping us reduce 40,000,000 pounds of CO2. That's like taking 20,000 cars off the road!*"

New York Rep. Chris Lee Resigns Over Craigslist Dating Ad and Sexy Photo

2011-02-09T22:02:00.000-08:00

New York Rep. Chris Lee Resigns Over Craigslist Dating Ad and Sexy Photo: "What started last month with an anonymous woman's Craigslist dating search for men who don't 'look like toads' ended Wednesday with the resignation of two-term Rep. Christopher Lee, R-N.Y., a married father who passed himself off as a divorced lobbyist when he sent her a topless muscle photo of himself."

Don't let them smear Planned Parenthood

2011-02-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

Don't let them smear Planned Parenthood: "The right-wing smear machine that took down Shirley Sherrod, Van Jones and ACORN is at it again. This time they’re going after Planned Parenthood.

The nation's largest provider of health care to low-income women is facing one of the most deceitful and potentially corrosive attacks in its history. If we don't stand up and fiercely defend Planned Parenthood, the radical right could finally achieve its wish of defunding family planning services and reproductive health care for women.

Tell Congress and President Obama: Don't let the rightwing do to Planned Parenthood what they did to Shirley Sherrod."

Buying for Workplace Equality 2011 - Human Rights Campaign | @HRC

2011-02-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

Buying for Workplace Equality 2011 - Human Rights Campaign | @HRC: "More than ever, consumers are sending a message to businesses that they are watching. They are watching to see if the businesses they patronize understand and honor issues important to them, giving buying power to issues ranging from LGBT inclusiveness to environmental protection. Corporate social responsibility has become an imperative for a successful business. With Buying for Workplace Equality, we hope to harness that power by providing you with the most accurate review of a business's workplace policies toward LGBT employees."

Tell Seattle's KTTH: Don't broadcast Glenn Beck

2011-02-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

Tell Seattle's KTTH: Don't broadcast Glenn Beck: "If you want to hear Glenn Beck's violent, paranoid rants, tune in every weekday from 6 am to 9 am on Seattle's KTTH AM 770 - or the 8 other radio stations in Washington that broadcast Beck.

Maybe that's one of the places that Charlie Wilson, who was arrested last year for making death threats to Sen. Patty Murray, heard Beck. Wilson's family credits Beck's rhetoric as being the driving force behind Wilson's actions.1"

Upton Updates

2011-02-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

Upton Updates

Last month, Rep. Fred Upton became chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In that role, he will have significant influence on our nation’s environmental and energy policies.

Just this week Rep. Upton—along with Sen. James Inhofe—introduced a bill that would prohibit the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. This would cripple the EPA’s ability to enforce common sense safeguards that protect public health and hold polluters accountable.

We’ve taken a long, hard look at Rep. Upton’s record, which is becoming increasingly anti-environment and pro-polluter.

Responsible Shopper: Guide to Promoting a Responsible Economy with Company Profiles, Green Living Tips, and Campaigns

2011-02-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Responsible Shopper: Guide to Promoting a Responsible Economy with Company Profiles, Green Living Tips, and Campaigns: "Green America's Responsible Shopper...

provides you with the real story about abuses by well-known companies, gives you actions to promote corporate responsibility, and helps you green your life and world.

NEW! Ever wonder what happens to your beverage container on an airplane? Read our in-depth report on airline recycling programs �"

Don’t fear riding a bicycle, fear sitting in that chair | Grist

2011-02-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Don’t fear riding a bicycle, fear sitting in that chair | Grist: "Afraid to ride a bicycle?

You're not alone.

We know that bicycling is good for public health: More bicycling and less driving leads to improved air quality, noise reduction, fewer car crashes, and reduced carbon emissions.

But what about personal health -- that is, YOUR personal health and safety?"

Taco Bell ‘beef’: mostly not beef [UPDATED] | Grist

2011-01-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

Taco Bell ‘beef’: mostly not beef [UPDATED] | Grist: "It's one thing for fast food companies to dangle cartoon characters in front of kids to pitch junk food. That practice arguably amounts to deceptive advertising, but don't expect a legal crackdown on it anytime soon. But what about falsely claiming your product is something that it isn't? According to a class-action lawsuit filed yesterday by an Alabama law firm, Taco Bell is doing just that with its 'seasoned beef' products. Evidently, what Taco Bell identifies as 'seasoned beef' has so many binders and extenders that it fails the minimum USDA labeling requirements for beef products (via ABC News). The suit claims that the law firms' tests showed that Taco Bell's 'meat mixture' contains less that 35 percent beef. The suit isn't seeking monetary damages, just that Taco Bell stop calling its concoction 'beef.'"

Six reasons free parking is the dumbest thing you didn’t know you were subsidizing | Grist

2011-01-25T08:52:00.000-08:00

Six reasons free parking is the dumbest thing you didn’t know you were subsidizing | Grist: "The U.S. has as many as eight parking spaces per car. That's more than a billion parking spaces, or one for every person in China, should they need them once they're done buying all our post-crash assets for jiǎos on the yuan. This isn't just overkill -- it's stupid, destructive, expensive overkill.

1. Parking spaces are bad for the environment at least three different ways, says PRI.

'A recent study found that parking spaces may be just as environmentally harmful as the cars that fill them. [...]"

Where the GOP presidential contenders stand on climate | Grist

2011-01-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

Where the GOP presidential contenders stand on climate | Grist: "We've checked out the leading (or at least famous) hopefuls for the Republican presidential nomination and found that all of them vociferously oppose cap-and-trade systems -- including a few who had to flip-flop to get there. (They're not fans of cap without trade either, nor other policies designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions.) On climate science, there's more variety, ranging from loud denial to quiet acquiescence. Get the dirt on the 10 possible candidates here"

House Republicans seek cuts to Energy Star, weatherization, advanced energy research, puppies | Grist

2011-01-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

House Republicans seek cuts to Energy Star, weatherization, advanced energy research, puppies | Grist: "Congressional Republicans have been talking 'spending cuts' for ... well, forever ... but for the most part they've been cagey about what specific programs they would cut. 'Government spending' in the abstract is unpopular these days, but the programs government funds are generally popular. That's why 'government waste' and 'earmarks' are such popular topics among conservative pols -- it helps maintain the illusion that it's possible to substantially cut spending without touching anything popular."

UN: 2010 tied for warmest year on record

2011-01-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

UN: 2010 tied for warmest year on record: "GENEVA -- The warmest year on record is a three-way tie: 2010, 2005 and 1998.

So says the U.N. weather agency, providing further evidence Thursday that the planet is slowly but surely heating up.

Average temperatures globally last year were 0.95 degrees Fahrenheit (0.53 Celsius) higher than the 1961-90 mean that is used for comparison purposes, according to World Meteorological Organization."

Care for some human cheese? | Grist

2011-01-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

Care for some human cheese? | Grist: "Would you try a slice of human cheese?

I've asked this question at a dinner of artists and sustainable food advocates, at dinner with my family, and in conversation with friends. There are the brave few who say they'd be interested in tasting some, but most people react in utter disgust."

Do roads pay for themselves? Well, no | Grist

2011-01-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

Do roads pay for themselves? Well, no | Grist: "Highway users, self-sufficiently paying their own way as they motor down the nation's roads. Transit users, always asking for a government handout so that they can ride their subways and buses.

It's an old stereotype that's been used to starve transit and fatten roads for generations. And it just isn't true.

Now it's time for a thorough debunking. Tanya Snyder reports on Streetsblog Capitol Hill:"

2010: The year childfree went mainstream (thanks, Oprah!) | Grist

2011-01-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

2010: The year childfree went mainstream (thanks, Oprah!) | Grist: "Childlessness is nothing new -- for as long as we've had parents, we've had people who are not parents. Across centuries and cultures, at least 10 percent of women never have children, writes Elizabeth Gilbert."

Stand Up to Boehner

2011-01-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

Stand Up to Boehner: "John Boehner told an anti-choice group that when 'life takes a backseat to other priorities – personal comfort, economics – freedom is diminished.'1

Now that John Boehner is the most powerful anti-choice politician in America, he's making good on his threat to attack a woman's right to choose. He's leading the effort to repeal the new health-care law and, eventually, eliminate abortion coverage for women.

As Boehner takes his oath of office to become speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, stand with pro-choice Americans by taking our oath. We'll add your name to the map to show pro-choice support across the country."

Issa Exposed : Home Page

2011-01-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

Issa Exposed : Home Page: "One of the hallmarks of the tea party gains in the GOP has been virulent opposition to earmarks. Their newfound influence within the Republican Party has led to a strong push to eliminate the practice of earmarks altogether, and Darrell Issa hasn't missed a beat jumping on board that train."

Vote on the Scariest Food of 2010 | Grist

2010-12-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

Vote on the Scariest Food of 2010 | Grist: "From slimeburgers to oily oysters and salmonella-tainted eggs, 2010 kept dishing up yucky food news like a lunch lady gone postal. In case you’ve forgotten -- put down that Four Loko, now! -- we’ve rounded up the year’s 10 biggest scandals and travesties, including the very latest expos from the Humane Society’s undercover investigators."

A Market Pulses At Paris' Gastronomic Heart : NPR

2010-12-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

A Market Pulses At Paris' Gastronomic Heart : NPR: "It's hard to know where to start when describing the Rungis International Food Market. It's bigger than the principality of Monaco. It has its own beltway and rail stop. It's equipped with banks, hotels, a truck repair shop and car rental agencies. Rungis market is its own city — a city that lives at night."

The FDA finally reveals how many antibiotics factory farms use—and it’s a shitload | Grist

2010-12-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

The FDA finally reveals how many antibiotics factory farms use—and it’s a shitload | Grist
Animals in factory farms get daily doses of antibiotics, both to keep them alive in their stressful, unsanitary conditions and to make them grow faster. What's the annual volume of antibiotic use on factory farms? The question is a critical one, because the practice has given rise to a novel strain of antibiotic-resistant staph (MRSA), known as ST398, that's widely present in our vast hog and chicken factories.

Support the Northern Spotted Owl and Oregon's Old Growth Forests

2010-12-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Support the Northern Spotted Owl and Oregon's Old Growth Forests

Tell the EPA to Veto One of Appalachia's Largest Mountaintop Removal Mines!

2010-12-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

Tell the EPA to Veto One of Appalachia's Largest Mountaintop Removal Mines!

Americans need to stop multitasking while eating alone, argues French sociologist Claude Fischler | Grist

2010-11-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

Americans need to stop multitasking while eating alone, argues French sociologist Claude Fischler | Grist: "Put down that sandwich. Or if you're not eating right now, tell the truth: How many crumbs are lodged in your keyboard from previous meals wolfed in front of your monitor?

It's OK. You're not alone in eating alone -- at least in America. It's what most of us do: in front of our computers and televisions, or in our cars. But as the preminent French food sociologist Claude Fischler explained in the fifth lecture of the University of Washington's food and environment series recently, we represent one extreme end of the social-eating spectrum, and the French another -- and in getting there, we've also strayed quite far from the ways that humans have consumed food for thousands of years."

Moving to the suburbs for your kids? Think again | Grist

2010-11-19T11:44:00.000-08:00

Moving to the suburbs for your kids? Think again | Grist: "Most environmentally aware parents would say that we'd like to keep the planet in good shape for our kids. We'd like them to have clean air to breathe, healthy sources of food and water, and the good fortune to coexist with a variety of species of plants and animals. We'd also probably prefer that they not be drowned by rising sea levels before they reach retirement."

OH-NO-COSTCO / Take the Pledge:

2010-11-16T07:52:00.000-08:00

OH-NO-COSTCO / Take the Pledge:: "We’ve been pressuring Costco for months—urging them to say no to wholesale ocean destruction. And, it appears that our pressure may be working. Several of the red list fish have disappeared from the store shelves. Is this a move in the right direction? A clever decoy? Or, merely a seasonal adjustment?

We don’t know—because once again, Costco is hiding the truth and not being transparent. Why are they so afraid of making a public commitment to protecting the oceans?

One thing we know is that the pressure is working—so we need your help once again. Please take action and tell Costco CEO, Jim Sinegal to stand up for the oceans and support positive environmental change."

How the places we live make us sick, and how they could heal us instead | Grist

2010-11-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

How the places we live make us sick, and how they could heal us instead | Grist: "The news came out a couple of weeks ago, and then it got swept away in the ongoing torrent of information: The Centers for Disease Control projects that by 2050, one in three American will have diabetes.

One. In. Three.

If we needed any more of a wakeup call about the catastrophic state of American public health, this should provide it.

Why is this happening? According to the report, 'These projected increases are largely attributable to the aging of the US population, increasing numbers of members of higher-risk minority groups in the population, and people with diabetes living longer.'"

Nutritionist Marion Nestle fingers the missing calories in America’s big binge | Grist

2010-11-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

Nutritionist Marion Nestle fingers the missing calories in America’s big binge | Grist: "'At first I didn't think agriculture had anything to do with food,' admitted renowned nutritionist Marion Nestle. 'Now I don't think you can learn anything about how our food system works without understanding agriculture.'

Her confession speaks volumes about America's evolving (and obsessive) ideas surrounding food, nutrition, and public health. Nestle, author of the seminal book Food Politics, is a food systems researcher at New York University who has been writing and teaching about these issues for the past 35 years, long before they entered the mainstream vogue."

Sign our Petition | freespeechforpeople.org

2010-11-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Sign our Petition | freespeechforpeople.org

Passing a constitutional amendment is a long-term project that requires hard work and grassroots organizing before it will succeed. You can help the campaign reach its goal by helping educate others and spread the word. Here are some easy ways to get started:

Extraordinary Pantene Commercial

2010-11-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

This is truly amazing!

All You Can Eat | Kailash: chef celebs bring vegetarian fine-dining to Seattle | Seattle Times Newspaper

2010-11-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

All You Can Eat | Kailash: chef celebs bring vegetarian fine-dining to Seattle | Seattle Times Newspaper: "Kailash: chef celebs bring vegetarian fine-dining to Seattle
Posted by Nancy Leson
Seattle has vegetarian restaurants. And we've got fine-dining restaurants. But what we don't have is a temple of high cuisine built to offer the best of both worlds. That's about to change -- according to the team behind Kailash, a brave new vision expected to open in Seattle's Rainier Square by early spring."

Where the Jobs Are | OnEarth Magazine

2010-11-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Where the Jobs Are | OnEarth Magazine: "In the fall of 2000, a small but visionary group of environmental entrepreneurs bet big on our clean energy future. We believed we could create jobs and spur growth by investing in secure and renewable sources of power, new ways to recycle, and the next generation of energy and resource efficient cars, homes, and workplaces."

Shame on USDA for Supporting Big Industry Attack on Watchdog Group | OnEarth Magazine

2010-11-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

Shame on USDA for Supporting Big Industry Attack on Watchdog Group | OnEarth Magazine I carry in my wallet a little shopping guide, put together by the Environmental Working Group. It tells me which fruits and vegetables have low pesticide residues, so I can feel they're safe to eat even when they're not organic. The guide also lists the produce that tests show to have the highest pesticide residues. For these, EWG suggests buying organic only.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood talks about livable communities | Grist

2010-11-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

Good for him! A bright spot in government!

-----------

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood talks about livable communities | Grist: "LaHood has proven to be much more than a roads-and-bridges secretary. He's been an outspoken and articulate proponent of high-speed rail. He's mounted an aggressive campaign against distracted driving. He's jumped up on a table to address the National Bike Summit, saying that, 'I really came here just to say thank you to all of you for hanging in there with us. You all have made a big difference.'"

Welcome to the Green Restaurant Association

2010-11-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Green Restaurant Association: "GREENING RESTAURANTS SINCE 1990

The GRA is a national non-profit organization that provides a convenient and cost-effective way for restaurants, manufacturers, distributors, and consumers to become more environmentally responsible."

Coca-Cola's Dirty Secrets Revealed | Sustainable Food | Change.org

2010-11-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

Coca-Cola's Dirty Secrets Revealed | Sustainable Food | Change.org: "Coca-Cola is about to reach the final frontier — the last place on earth that has not (yet) succumbed to the company's syrupy-sweet charm (or rather, its vast marketing resources). That place, according to a new article by Duane Stanford in Business Week, is Africa."

VOTE, BABY, VOTE! by Stranger Election Control Board - News - The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper

2010-11-01T11:55:00.001-07:00

VOTE, BABY, VOTE! by Stranger Election Control Board - News - The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper: "Glenn Beck says you're not going to vote this year. Bill O'Reilly says you don't have the guts. Sarah Palin says you're going to toss that ballot straight into your socialist recycling bin. And Christine O'Donnell says masturbation is a sin and she's not a witch and she's you and you're not going to vote."

Progressive Voters Guide :: Real Progress Means Voting Every Race and Issue

2010-11-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Progressive Voters Guide :: Real Progress Means Voting Every Race and Issue: "The fate of our state is in your hands. This fall's election has huge implications for our families, our communities, and our state. Our goal is to make smart, informed voting based on progressive values easier for you. So we worked with Washington's leading progressive organizations to produce a Progressive Voters Guide based on their endorsements - your ticket to highly informed recommendations about the races on your ballot."

Misleading Claims On 'Green' Labeling - WSJ.com

2010-10-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

Misleading Claims On 'Green' Labeling - WSJ.com: "Confused by all the 'green' claims of products on store shelves out there? There's good reason to be.

According to a study due out Tuesday, more than 95% of consumer products examined committed at least one offense of 'greenwashing,' a term used to describe unproven environmental claims, according TerraChoice, a North American environmental-marketing company that issued the report."

Pooping out plastic not a painful process | Grist

2010-10-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Pooping out plastic not a painful process | Grist: "Crap -- it's so versatile! It can heat your house, fertilize your garden, and power the grid. And now creative types have squeezed another use out of this universal human product -- turning it into a plastic that could take a load off our dependence on oil."

Parisian flat containing €2.1 million painting lay untouched for 70 years - Telegraph

2010-10-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

Parisian flat containing €2.1 million painting lay untouched for 70 years - Telegraph: "Behind the door, under a thick layer of dusk lay a treasure trove of turn-of-the-century objects including a painting by the 19th century Italian artist Giovanni Boldini."

Don’t Let Extremists Defund NPR

2010-10-27T04:54:00.000-07:00

Don’t Let Extremists Defund NPR: "Sarah Palin, Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck and other Fox News personalities are calling on Congress to cut all funds for NPR after the broadcaster fired analyst Juan Williams for making disparaging comments about Muslims. This week, Sen. Jim DeMint (R – S.C.) plans to introduce legislation to eliminate all funds to NPR and PBS – two of the last, best sources of journalism we have in America. Click here to learn more."

Eight False Things The Public “Knows” Prior To Election Day | OurFuture.org

2010-10-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

Eight False Things The Public “Knows” Prior To Election Day | OurFuture.org: "There are a number things the public 'knows' as we head into the election that are just false. If people elect leaders based on false information, the things those leaders do in office will not be what the public expects or needs."

Left Take

2010-09-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

The best part is that the URL in the add goes to an anti, Lisa Murkowski web site.

Or click here to go directly:

Left Take: "This a hoot (hat tip to our buddies at Daily Kos).

The thing is, Murkowski is running a write-in campaign. One where proper spelling of a name is key. And well... yeah... check out this screen shot from her first TV ad."

New Evidence Suggests God Also Had Incredibly Busty Daughter | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

2010-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

New Evidence Suggests God Also Had Incredibly Busty Daughter | The Onion - America's Finest News Source: "ARABAH VALLEY, ISRAEL—In a discovery that biblical scholars say could alter our most fundamental understanding of Christianity, recently unearthed manuscripts suggest that in addition to His Son, Jesus Christ, God also had a daughter with absolutely humongous breasts."

Europe According to Stereotype | andrewcusack.com

2010-09-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

This is hilarious!

Europe According to Stereotype | andrewcusack.com: "Europe According to Stereotype
A London-based graphic designer has created a series of maps depicting Europe according to the national stereotypes in the minds of various peoples. Yanko Tsvetkov, a Bulgarian living in Great Britain, created the first one in 2009 in the midst of the energy dispute between Russia and the Ukraine. Russia was labelled “Paranoid Oil Empire”, the Ukraine “Gas Stealers”, and the E.U. as “Union of Subsidized Farmers”. Switzerland was simply “Bank”."

FLATEARTH.TV

2010-09-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

FLATEARTH.TV

BBC News - F1 designer Gordon Murray unveils lightweight city car

2010-09-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

BBC News - F1 designer Gordon Murray unveils lightweight city car: "Imagine a car so narrow that two can drive next to each other in one lane; a car so small and short that three can park in one parking space.

Now imagine that the car is built in a shed from glass fibre, recycled plastic bottles and steel tubes, using just a fifth of the material required to build a conventional car."

Notorious agribiz giant Monsanto hired notorious ‘security’ firm Blackwater | Grist

2010-09-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Notorious agribiz giant Monsanto hired notorious ‘security’ firm Blackwater | Grist: "Oscar Wilde once described the traditional English gentleman's pastime of fox hunting as 'the unspeakable in pursuit of the inedible.'

I thought of that great line when I caught news that Monsanto, probably the globe's most reviled agribusiness firm, had contracted the services of Blackwater, the globe's most notorious 'private security' (i.e., paramilitary) firm."

‘High-fructose corn syrup’? Never heard of it | Grist

2010-09-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

‘High-fructose corn syrup’? Never heard of it | Grist: "If you can't beat 'em ... confuse them. That seems to be the new motto of our good friends at the Corn Refiners Association, the lobbying group and manufacturing association that represents makers of high-fructose corn syrup. The AP is reporting that the group has petitioned the FDA for permission to identify high-fructose corn syrup on food packaging as -- wait for it -- 'corn sugar.'"

Death by McDonald’s [VIDEO] | Grist

2010-09-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Death by McDonald’s [VIDEO] | Grist: "A group of U.S. doctors has a morbid new ad aimed at taking a bite out of Americans' fatal attraction to fast food."

Take Action: Tell President Obama to increase fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks

2010-09-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

Take Action: Tell President Obama to increase fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks

Do you have the balls to really change the food system? | Grist

2010-09-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Do you have the balls to really change the food system? | Grist: "You watched Food, Inc. with your mouth aghast. You own a few cookbooks.

You go out to that hot new restaurant with the tattooed chef who's putting on a whole-animal, nose-to-tail pricy special dinner. You bliss out on highfalutin' pork rinds, braised pigs feet, rustic pat, and porchetta.

Later that weekend, you nibble on small bites as you stroll down the city street, blocked off for a weekend 'foodie' festival."

Then you go back to your Monday-Friday workaday routine, ordering pizza and buying some frozen chicken breasts at Costco ("Hey, at least they're 'organic'!") to get you through your hectic week. (You make time for at least two hours a day of reality TV.) You manage to get to a farmers market about once a month, but the rest of the time your eggs and meat come from Costco, Trader Joe's, and maybe Whole Paycheck now and again.

Green America: Economic Action for a Just Planet

2010-09-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

Green America: Economic Action for a Just Planet: "Economic Action
for a Just Planet"

Roadside Assistance, Insurance & Travel | About Better World Club

2010-09-09T15:02:00.000-07:00

Roadside Assistance, Insurance & Travel | About Better World Club: "Better World Club, Inc. is dedicated to balancing economic goals with social and environmental responsibility. Better World Club supports a cleaner environment and alternative modes of transportation. We will provide our customers with high quality, good value, and environmentally sensitive products and services:

- Emergency Roadside Assistance
- Travel Products and Services
- Insurance Products and Services

Importantly, we act as an advocate on behalf of the consumer and demonstrate our social and environmental commitment by donating an amount equal to 1% of our annual revenues toward environmental clean-up and advocacy and by providing unique, eco-friendly travel alternatives."

FDA Announces Hearings on the Approval of Genetically Engineered Salmon | Friends of the Earth

2010-09-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

FDA Announces Hearings on the Approval of Genetically Engineered Salmon | Friends of the Earth: "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will hold public hearings on the approval of a genetically engineered (GE) salmon created by the biotechnology company AquaBounty Technologies. If approved, these fish would be the first genetically engineered animals to be approved for human consumption."

Transportation For America � About the Campaign

2010-09-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Transportation For America � About the Campaign: "We need to get America moving again.

Download this short introduction to Transportation For America (pdf)
America’s transportation system — the network of highways, railroads, public transportation, walkways and bikeways — serves as the backbone of our economy, connects our communities and provides access to the American Dream of opportunity for all. But today it is both incomplete and threatened.
Our national transportation policy has barely changed since the 1950s, when gas was 20 cents a gallon and President Eisenhower launched the interstate highway system. Today, we live in a very different world. The interstates have been built. Americans are paying record prices at the pump and feeling stuck with costly commutes and congestion. Bridges are crumbling. As our population becomes ever more urban, more are breathing dirty air. Our climate is threatened. Too many older, younger and rural Americans are stranded. Volatile areas of the world literally have us over a barrel — millions of barrels a day, in fact."

Global work party | Greenpeace USA

2010-09-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

Global work party | Greenpeace USA: "We're teaming up with 350.org, 10:10, and a global coalition of folks doing something about climate change to create a global day of action: the 10/10/10 Work Party. Help us make October 10th the biggest single day of action against global warming that the world has ever seen."

Courage Campaign | Thank Peter, Paul & Mary for telling NOM to stop playing "This Land Is Your Land"

2010-08-31T16:30:00.000-07:00

Courage Campaign | Thank Peter, Paul & Mary for telling NOM to stop playing "This Land Is Your Land": "During their recent “Summer for Marriage” tour the National Organization for Marriage played a Peter, Paul & Mary recording of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” during their rallies, without the permission of the artists.
Kathleen Perrin, a participant on the Courage Campaign's Prop8TrialTracker.com, contacted Peter Yarrow and told him. Yarrow called the use of the song by NOM “heartbreaking” and said that he would be contacting NOM asking them to stop. Please read the letter to Brian Brown from Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, surviving members of the group who performed as Peter, Paul & Mary (Mary Travers passed away in 2009)."

Save The Colorado - Film

2010-08-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

Save The Colorado - Film

When streets tell the truth about people riding in cars (and on bikes) | Grist

2010-08-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

When streets tell the truth about people riding in cars (and on bikes) | Grist: "It's pretty lame that cars 'own' most roads in America, which is why we're such fans of spontaneous street art that aims to take back the streets for bikes and pedestrians. Maybe you shouldn't take things to the extreme of, say, painting your own bike lane (we know you're just dropping a big hint to city council)."