A Suburban Treehugger

If You Live in Washington State . . . .

2007-01-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

Let our legislators know that you support the Domestic Partnership bill that is being discussed today in the Senate. According to Equal Rights Washington, "Passage of the Domestic Parnership Bill will bring vital protections to thousands of LGBT couples, and seniors at times of greatest vulnerablity. Some of these protections include automatic hospital visitation and inheritance rights; and the right to make burial decisions." Go here to send a letter to your legislators to let them know of your support for this important piece of legislation. This bill would provide the following protections for same sex partners (as well as some heterosexual unmarried partners):

Couples wishing to obtain domestic partnerships must meet all of the following criteria:

Share a common residence,
Be at least 18 years of age,
Not be married to another person or in a domestic partnership with anyone else,
Be capable of consenting to the relationship,
Not be blood relations, and
Be either members of the same sex or if, in a heterosexual partnership, have one individual be at least 62 years of age.

Domestic partnerships are registered with the Secretary of State.

Domestic partnerships created at the local level are not automatically added to the state registry. Domestic partnerships created at the state level may be transferred to the local level with the couples’ consent, so long as all the local criteria for domestic partners are met.

Domestic partnerships, civil unions, or reciprocal beneficiary relationships registered in other states are recognized in Washington so long as all the Washington criteria for domestic partnership are met.

Domestic partners of state employees are qualified to receive benefits covered by the Public Employment Benefits Board.

Rights of spouses extended to domestic partners include:

Health Care

Visitation of a patient in a health-care facility.
Ability to give informed consent for health care for a patient who is not competent.
Disclosure by a health-care facility of health-care information about a patient without the patient’s authorization.

Death

Funeral arrangements.
Ability to consent to autopsies.
Authorization of organ and tissue donation.
Inheritance rights when there is no will.
Administration of an estate if the decedent died intestate or if the representative named in the will is unable to serve.

Provisions dealing with non-probate assets and power of attorney

Getting Back Into the Swing . . . .

2006-06-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

I think my life is finally back into enough order to get into writing here again. Sorry for the long hiatus. I thought I'd only be gone a week or so, but life always seems to throw surprises at you when you least expect it. :-)

I am working on another project and could use some input from my readers. I have put up a poll that I'd love for as many of you as possible to take. It is in regards to your reading preferences when viewing erotica online. Please be aware that the questions are adult in nature. Please only take the poll if you are a legal adult in your area.

Kate's Adult Reading Poll

Environmental musings to follow soon!

On Hiatus

2006-05-11T23:37:00.000-07:00

I'm going through some personal stuff that is difficult and emotionally draining, so I'll be away for a bit longer. I'll try to get back into the groove here next week. Have a good weekend, my fellow treehuggers!

A Virtual Cornucopia of Information Today

2006-05-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

I've been reading about some interesting and urgent stuff over the past few days. Here are a few of the items I want to pass along.

1. Act now to prevent the stripping of your insurance benefits. A bill is up before the Senate, S. 1955 (a.k.a. The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act or the "Lose Your Benefits Bill") which would put hundreds of procedures and medicines, including contraception, on the chopping block if it passes. People will lose protections that only states guarantee as federal law will, in this instance, supercede state laws which require certain medications and procedures to be covered by insurance companies. If you are concerned, go here to contact your senators and tell them to vote against this bill.

2. Co-Op America was able to deliver over 10,000 letters to the board of directors of Peabody and Dominion, the two utility companies that had been working to build more dirty coal plants. If you all remember, I wrote a post about this a while ago asking people to write them letters and let them know that people wanted them to pursue clean, renewable energy rather than coal. They can no longer say they haven't heard that investors, customers and other concerned citizens want them to stay away from coal.

3. The documentary about Al Gore's campaign to enlighten people about global warming and inspire them to take action, An Inconvenient Truth, opens in theaters on May 24th. It was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival and you can read a short synopsis of the film on the Sundance website. I just checked Netflix and you can currently save it to your queue, or you can go to the movie website (linked above on the movie title), click on "See the Truth" and at the bottom of the page you can click another link to see where and when it's playing near you. It doesn't open here in Seattle until June 2nd. I'm definitely planning to go see this one.

4. Speaking of movies, if you want to get your kids excited about saving the environment, take them to see Hoot. This movie is based on the book by Carl Hiassen about some middle school-aged kids who take on land developers, corrupt politicians and a few other adults to save some endangered owls. It's rated PG for "mild bullying and brief language." It opens May 5th nationwide and you can find out where it is playing if you go to MovieTickets.com. At the official Hoot website (linked to above), you can download a virtual owl to your desktop and for every download New Line Cinema is making a donation to the National Wildlife Federation. You can also enter a drawing for a trip to Florida. :-)

5. May 14th is World Fair Trade Day! You can celebrate by taking some simple steps to ensure that you are increasing the number of fair trade items you buy and by encouraging others to do the same. There are some ideas for celebrating here and here. I'll do my part by turning you all on to a friend and fellow homeschooler, Dana Hoffman, who runs a local coffee company called Guadalupe's Coffee Roaster. She sells all organic and fair trade coffee at a reasonable price and she ships, too. Hers is the only coffee that my family and most of my friends buy. It is *fabulous* and I feel good about buying it. She roasts coffee two days a week and sells out at a local farmer's market most weeks, so the beans you get are never old. I am in no way affiliated with her business, just a satisfied customer.

Edit: Niobium reminded me of a really important cause that I've been meaning to blog about. Go to the bottom of the page and click on the new orange banner for Health Care Now! At that website, you'll learn all about the movement for universal healthcare in the United States and what you can do to help. On the week of June 7th there will be all sorts of demonstrations and other activities to create awareness about HR 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act. For a brief summary of the bill, go here. It sounds good to me!

Biodiesel Fueling Sites

2006-04-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been thinking about what we might want to do when one of our cars gives up the ghost. It will probably be my husband's car since his is the older of the two. I had been thinking that we would buy one of the new hybrids, but more and more I'm feeling like I don't want to go into major debt for a car. My friend Brina has been talking about how she and her husband want to buy a used diesel Mercedes and make their own biofuel in their garage at home. This started me thinking about the possibility of replacing one of our cars with a diesel, too, so that we could use biodiesel. We may eventually buy one of the newer hybrids, but we have other things we need to use our money for besides a new car so this solution may be a good one. Someone recently sent me a link for the Biodiesel.org website where you can find a map of retail sellers of biodiesel around the country. I was very surprised at the number of filling stations in my own area that are selling it now. Many carry B20, but that's better than regular diesel. Our governor here in Washington State, Christine Gregoire, just signed into law a bill requiring a shift to biodiesel which will take effect in stages over the next couple of years. You can read about it here. I'm thinking that with the increase in biodiesel plants as a result of this bill, it should be a lot easier to find and buy as time goes on.

Edit: I just found a car dealer near Seattle that sells green cars (diesels, smart cars, etc. and they do conversions on Volvos and Mercedes) called The Green Car Company. They do out of state sales, too!

Fake Clinic Conned a 17-year-old Girl

2006-04-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

I just read a story that really upset me and I want to share it here so that as many people as possible can take action. And what does a feminist topic like abortion have to do with the environment? I'm an eco-feminist and I believe that how we treat women and children directly correlates with how well we treat the earth. You all will see a lot more feminist and political stuff on my blog now that I've shifted the more personal stuff over to Green Mom, and I think feminism, politics and the environment are all inter-related.

A mother in Indiana went with her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend to what they thought was a Planned Parenthood clinic in Indiana. Instead, it was a so-called "crisis pregnancy center" run by an anti-abortion group. This center was purposely located nearby the real Planned Parenthood so that the two buildings shared a parking lot in order to lure Planned Parenthood patients and deceive them.

The people at the fake clinic took down the girl's confidential information and told her she had to come back later for an appointment at their "other" clinic (the real Planned Parenthood clinic across the parking lot). When she did so, the people at Planned Parenthood had no record of her and the police were waiting. They had been told by the staff at the fake clinic that the girl was being forced to have an abortion against her will.

But, that wasn't the end of it. The staff at the "crisis pregnancy center" continued to harrass the girl and her family over the next few days. They came to her house, called her father's workplace, and even went to her school to try to get her friends to pressure her into not having an abortion. They completely invaded this girl's privacy and she is a minor! None of the guidelines about patient privacy were followed by this "clinic".

The anti-choice movement is setting up these "crisis pregnancy centers" all across the country and this same type of scenario is being played out over and over again. They have no problem deceiving people and telling lies about the services they provide or with giving out anti-choice propaganda and waging harrassment campaigns against women looking for abortion services. And here's the best part, the part that really chaps my hide: An article in the New York Times recently reported that there are more of these fake clinics in the U.S. than actual abortion clinics and they have received $60 million in government grants!! We are funding these liars with our tax dollars!!!!

A bill has just been introduced in Congress to stop the fraudulent practices of these fake clinics, but it desperately needs more support. Tell your representative to take a stand: anti-choice extremists must not get away with this any longer!

Go to: http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/fakeclinics

Washington State Readers--Protect Your Right to Have Prescriptions Filled

2006-04-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

The Washington State Board of Pharmacy will be making important decisions this week on whether or not pharmacists in the state of Washington have the right to refuse to fill prescriptions based on their personal beliefs. It is vitally important that we all contact the Board of Pharmacy as well as Governor Christine Gregoire immediately.

If we do not speak up, those who support the right of pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions will be the only ones heard!!

If you think this decision doesn't affect you, think again!! If the Board decides that it is okay for pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions based on their personal beliefs, pharmacists could deny medications to men and women based on perceived sexual orientation, HIV status, marital status or for any other reason. A pharmacist could decide not to fill a prescription for birth control because a person is not married, for instance (or even if they *think* the person is not married). The decision on what prescription drugs a person needs should be between the patient and his/her doctor. Period.

There are upcoming pharmacy board meetings at these locations and times:

Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Location: Labor & Industries, Auditorium

7273 Linderson Way SW, Tumwater WA 98501

Date: Thursday, April 20, 2006

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Location: Red Lion Hotel, Yakima Center

607 E. Yakima Avenue, Yakima WA 98901

If you can attend, please do and be sure to speak up and say why you think it is wrong for pharmacists to refuse to fill any prescription. The last few meetings have been filled by very vocal proponents of the pharmacists' right to over-ride what you and your doctor have decided is best for you.

If you can not attend, please write a letter to both the board of pharmacy and the governor. Here is their contact information:

Washington State Board of Pharmacy, PO Box 47863, Olympia WA 98504-7863 or via email to WSBOP@doh.wa.gov, or fax to 360-586-4359.

Governor Christine Gregoire, Office of the Governor, P.O Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504. To e-mail the Governor go to http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/govemail.htm. You can fax the Governor at Fax (360) 753-4110.

Here is a sample letter (insert your own comments and/or information):

Dear Washington State Pharmacy Board Members,

I am writing to ask you to protect my right to have my prescriptions filled without delay or discrimination.

I believe that denying any form of health care to individuals because of a personal belief is wrong and should not be tolerated. If I walked into my local pharmacy and the pharmacist refused to fill my prescription because of personal reasons, I would be outraged and would lose faith in my ability to get the health care I need, when I need it.

It is hard enough for many people to get the health care they need. A policy allowing pharmacists to refuse to dispense medication because of personal beliefs would make it even tougher. People who need medicine from pharmacists may already be feeling vulnerable, scared and have a sense of needing urgent help. Referring men and women to other pharmacies is not a satisfactory substitute to having a prescription filled immediately. These policies can result in the individual being unable to fill his/her prescription in a timely manner. It is also important to remember that in many parts of our state the nearest pharmacy may be miles away.

A pharmacist has no right to interfere with the relationship I have with my doctor. If my doctor has given me a prescription, it is not the right of the pharmacist to second guess unless it there is a valid medical reason to do so.

INSERT YOUR PERSONAL STORY OF BEING REFUSED A PRESCRIPTION HERE IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING IT WITH THE BOARD.

I believe that pharmacists’ moral or religious beliefs may be accommodated provided that the accommodation does not cause the patient delay or untold barriers to securing services. This means that a patient should not be referred to another pharmacy to receive his/her medication. A pharmacist’s personal beliefs should not trump the health care needs of patients.

Thank you for considering my concerns. I hope that you will do everything in your power to protect the rights I have come to expect as a citizen of Washington.

Take Action Against Coal Companies!

2006-04-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

I got an email from Ann Church of Co-Op America asking me to pass on the word about the action that her organization is currently taking and asking others to take. Here is an excerpt from the website:

Major power companies and the current White House administration are telling Americans that coal is the future of affordable energy. But increased greenhouse gas emissions, dangerous coal mining, mercury pollution, increased asthma and human health problems, and dramatic groundwater waste are costs that no one can afford.

They are asking people to Say No to Coal and Climate Change. Go to the website and take action by sending out a letter to the CEOs and board members of two of the biggest offending coal companies, Peabody Energy and Dominion Resources. Both companies plan to open more coal-fired power plants in the next few years that will greatly increase their damage to the environment. Let's put some pressure on these decision-makers to listen to what their shareholders have been trying to tell them: invest the money in green power options instead. I just sent my letter--it takes very little time to make a difference.

Oh, and this is so cool--I just discovered that Co-Op America has a sister website called Responsible Shopper. You can search their website for information about specific companies as well as a variety of products to discover just what sort of an impact you might be having on people and the environment when you shop at those companies or buy those products. It's an eye-opener!

I'm a Socialist!

2006-04-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

The results of this quiz didn't surprise me too much. ;-)

You are a
Social Liberal
(85% permissive)

and an...
Economic Liberal
(1% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Socialist

Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid
Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Switching Things Around

2006-04-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

I've decided that it's not working out for me to blog about absolutely all of my interests here on this one website. This blog was meant to be primarily political and environmental, but somehow metamorphosed into also being about my daily life and my family's homeschooling journey. I couldn't keep the other homeschooling blog up in the past because it was *only* about homeschooling, but I think if I have another blog that is sort of about everything except the environment and politics then I will definitely keep it up. So, I've decided to take my own advice below and I opened up a new journal at Homeschool Journal Dot Net:

Green Mom

Please check it out and bookmark my new site. There is a subscription option over there, too. I'm sure that some subject matter will overlap on both blogs, but I'm going to try to keep my personal life (except if it pertains to politics or environmentalism) off of this blog.

An Alternative to Homeschoolblogger.com

2006-04-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, Virginia, there is an alternative! A husband and wife team, Andrea and Ron, started a FREE homeschool journal site called Homeschool Journal Dot Net. Andrea posts over on the UU Homeschool list, of which I am also a member, and seems like a nice person. If you read the "About Us" section and the "FAQs" section, you'll learn that they are a pair of crunchy homeschool parents who just wanted to offer homeschool journals to other homeschooling parents. There are no catches, it's really FREE, and there aren't any requirements about being a certain kind of homeschooler, a certain religion or anything else. They are also not affiliated with any businesses. There are no ads on the main site, but members are free to put ads in the sidebars of their own blogs. This service uses a version of Wordpress and offers the user the ability to utilize categories. I've been over at their website surfing through some of the journals there and have discovered that there really is a very eclectic mix of people blogging at Homeschool Journal Dot Net. So, I encourage anyone who has a journal over at Homeschoolblogger.com to check out this other service as well as anyone thinking of starting a homeschooling journal. It looks like a great option!

They Love Me . . . They Really Love Me!

2006-04-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

The good folks over at Treehugger are showing me some love:

TH Blog Love – Our Favourite Greens Of The Week

Well, Treehugger happens to be one of *my* favorite blogs, too! There is a ton of information over there on green and sustainable products so that consumers can make wise choices as well as lots of information for those trying to live the green lifestyle. Go check them out!

Earth Day Links For Kids

2006-04-06T00:35:00.000-07:00

I've been putting together a current list of links to sites of interest to kids for Earth Day. Some also include lesson plans for homeschooling parents. Enjoy!
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Explore-a-Pond
Ecological Footprint Quiz
Kids Recycle
Wildlife Action Kit
Environmental Explorer
eNature.com
All About Rainforests
Rainforest Exploration Webquest
Under the Umbrella of the Rainforest—another webquest
Earth Day for Kids
Earth Day Network
KidsDomain Earth Day Resources
EPA Earth Day Resources
Earth Day Grocery Bags Project
About.com Earth Day Printables
Earth Day Crafts
Earth Day Energy Fast
Eco-Kids

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Please take note of the new button in my sidebar under Important Stuff regarding boycotting Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger. They are both associated with The Old Schoolhouse Magazine (fundie Christian homeschooling magazine) which supports the Pearls who wrote a book in which there is an explanation about how to beat your children with a plumbing pipe. As a survivor of childhood abuse, I can't in good conscience support any organization that supports abusing children. I have removed all links to blogs hosted at the two aforementioned blog hosts. Believe me, it has nothing to do with those of you whose blogs were hosted there and I hope you'll reconsider using them as hosts. There are so many free hosting options on the internet. If you want more detailed information, just click the button and you'll go to a page explaining the Pearl controversy.

The Green Blogosphere

2006-03-30T18:42:00.000-08:00

I got an email from Mark Brandon of the Sustainable Log inviting me to have my blog included in the headlines displayed on the new "Headlines from the Green Blogosphere" tool (that green box in the right-hand column under Important Stuff). I've been noticing it on various blogs that I read and have been clicking on the headlines. I've discovered some interesting blogs and helpful information as a result. Give it a try--click on the headlines and see where it takes you. :-)

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There was a link to an interesting article in the last issue of the Organic Consumer Association's Organic Bytes newsletter. The article, How Much Fossil Fuel Did You Eat Today: My Saudi Arabian Breakfast by Chad Heeter, illustrates a very important point. The distance your food travels until it gets to your house is equal to a particular amount of oil. This is the gospel of the local food movement in which people are encouraging everyone to buy locally grown and/or produced foods. Buying locally-produced food and non-food items is good for the environment as well as supporting local businesses and your local economy. One quote in the article stood out for me, though. "But should we give up on organic? If you're buying organic raspberries from Chile each week, then yes. The fuel cost is too great, as is the production of the greenhouse gases along with it. Buying locally-grown foods should be the first priority when it comes to saving fossil fuel." This particular conundrum is one I've thought about a lot. If it comes down to local or organic, which do you choose? This author talks about the fossil fuels used to ship organic food that is not available locally, but if you have a choice between a locally-grown non-organic tomato and an organic tomato grown far away which is the better choice? There is more than just fossil fuel useage to consider. What about all of those cancer-causing pesticides and chemicals present on conventionally-grown foods? What about what those pesticides and chemicals do to the earth and the water supply? If the item is not organic and labelled as such then you also have no guarantee that it's not genetically-modified since the labelling of such items is not required in the United States. So you see, the choice is not so simple. There are evils on both sides. So what does an environmentally-conscious individual do? Obviously, the best option is to buy locally-grown organic foods. If certain foods are not available from local organic growers at your grocery store, hit your local farmer's market and let your grocery store manager know that you're buying certain items elsewhere because they're not available at the store. Get your friends and family to do the same. If there is demand for locally-grown organic food, you can bet that local stores will start trying to carry those items. And if it's not possible to get certain foods locally, consider reducing how often you buy them or cutting them out of your diet altogether.

Sustainable Actions

2006-03-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

I've come across various actions on the internet that a person can take to live a bit more sustainably. I thought I'd share a few of them here.

First, go over to the Earth Day Footprint website where you can take a quiz to see just what your personal footprint is on the planet. Once you've taken the quiz, you'll be supplied with ideas for how to make changes to decrease your footprint on Earth.

Next, check to see if your local power company offers green power options. Sometimes it is possible to change to a different power company in your area so that the energy you use for your home is all/more green. Check the U.S. Department of Energy's website for it's Green Power Network which lists power companies that have green energy offerings. My local power company (and the only one available in my area) offers the option of buying blocks of wind power. I am currently buying 3 blocks per month which averages out to about 50% of our energy useage. I'm hoping to either decrease my energy useage or increase the number of blocks we buy over the next year.

And last, but not least, work on decreasing your junk mail. I don't know about everyone else, but the vast majority of my recycling is mixed paper consisting mainly of junk mail. We get an incredible amount in the mailbox on a daily basis. It's annoying, it wastes paper and energy, and there's a way to put a stop to it. First, go to The Center for Democracy and Technology's website and go through their opt-out process. You can opt-out online from various websites and you can also print out letters to send out to the major marketing firms. This will get your name removed from quite a few of the companies out there. I have also written my own letter which I put in a return envelope that those various companies send out with their marketing materials (many of which are postage-paid) and send back to the company telling them to remove me from their mailing lists.

Seattle leads cities in cutting greenhouse gases

2006-03-25T10:54:00.000-08:00

That story was in my news headlines today from a local Seattle news station. Apparently Al Gore came to Seattle to congratulate the mayor for spearheading a campaign which has, so far, garnered the support of 218 other cities across the country in following the mandates of the Kyoto Treaty even though our government refuses to sign it. The cities are lead by both Democrats and Republicans, thus proving that some conservatives actually do not believe the hogwash being brandied by the current administration about pollution not causing global warming. Now, if Seattle and Washington in general actually want to become more sustainable, they need to ease up on the restrictions imposed in building codes so that alternative structures and systems can be used. Right now, one can not build a cob home to live in nor can one put in a composting toilet. Both of these restrictions are ridiculous. Other states/municipalities in the Northwest have no problem with these types of alternatives, including Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, BC.

Returning to the land of the living . . . .

2006-03-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

I think I'm finally beginning to feel somewhat human again (as I sit here blowing my nose). This is the worst cold/flu I've had in a long time. I've literally been in bed sick for 3 days. I'll spare you all the gory details, but suffice it to say it hasn't been fun in the least.
********
Environmental Action is doing an online rally to save our forest lands across the country from Bush's plan to decimate them. Stop by their website and post a photo and then let your friends know about what is going on. President Bush recently announced plans to sell 300,000 acres of National Forests to make up for budget shortfalls, so we really need to take action now.
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Environmental Defense and the Ad Council have launched the nation's first global warming PSA campaign today. This ad campaign is in response to the release of a nationwide survey which reveals that most Americans are aware of the problem of global warming and are willing to change their personal habits in order to make a difference. On the campaign website, Fight Global Warming, individuals can calculate their individual global warming pollution and find out the steps they can take to reduce their own impact on the earth. According to Jessica Bosanko of Environmental Defense:
The survey, conducted by pollster Whit Ayres of Ayres, McHenry and Associates, found that 71 percent of Americans recognize global warming is happening and more than half attribute the problem to human activity. But while an overwhelming majority (70 percent) of people polled agree that it’s possible to reduce the effects of global warming, only three-fifths (59 percent) thought it was possible they could do something about it as individuals.

The News Can Be Depressing

2006-03-09T10:20:00.000-08:00

I just can't stay away from the news completely, no matter how hard I try. My need for information outweighs my need to be blissfully ignorant I guess. So, a couple of things that have me kind of down over the past few days involve that bill I kept pressing people to contact their representatives about and the travesty in South Dakota. First, I regretfully inform all of my readers that HR 4167 passed the House of Representatives. 95% of Republicans voted yes and 64% of Democrats voted no. Currently there is no companion bill that has been introduced into the Senate during this current session, so for now we're still safe. Should debate on this topic begin in the Senate, I'll be sure to post information here so we can all start to bombard our senators with letters, emails and phone calls.

Secondly, and this one makes me really, really sad, South Dakota has effectively outlawed abortion. At first, this may just make a person sad for the women in South Dakota, especially those without enough money to get to another state for a legal abortion. But in reality this affects *all women* in the U.S. As Slate magazine said, " For the first time in nearly 14 years, legal abortion in the United States is in serious jeopardy." Planned Parenthood will file suit against this new law in South Dakota which may mean that the case will eventually end up before the Supreme Court as a challenge of Roe v. Wade. I think that most of us thought that there was no way our nation would step backwards in time to the days of back alley abortions and women losing control of their reproductive rights. However, when the current administration retained power for another four years I personally began to think *anything* was possible. Abortion is illegal in South Dakota, so with a conservative majority in the Supreme Court anything is possible. Women and men must unite against this attack on our rights. If you're concerned, and you should be, get involved with Planned Parenthood's organization Save Roe.
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Okay, enough soap box for today. I'm thinking of shutting down my homeschooling blog and bringing the topic back here. I just can't seem to find enough time to keep up both blogs well, so methinks consolidation may be best. Anyway, you'll see some changes here in the near future as I add back links and such for the homeschooling sites I like to read.
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Kai's birthday is next week and he is turning 10. I just can't believe how the time has flown by. We're having a pizza party for him at a local restaurant this Sunday afternoon. He is *very* excited. :-) He has also begun losing teeth again. I don't know why, but I forgot that kids start losing teeth again at this age. He has lost his lower right canine so far and the premolar next to it is loose now, too. It was sort of funny when he lost the tooth because he came out of the bathroom with it (he had been brushing his teeth) and handed it to me. He said, "Okay tooth fairy, hand over the money." Hehehe . . . .
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On the topic of self-sufficiency, I see knitting as a way to become more self-sufficient. I can actually knit useful things that I no longer have to buy. Instead of using sponges for dishwashing, I've begun using dishcloths that I have knit myself. Instead of buying gifts for people, I can make them things. I am currently knitting another dishcloth, but when that is done I am going to begin knitting a baby poncho for my friend M. She is adopting a little baby girl from Haiti, so this will be one of the gifts for her new addition. I got this fabulous yarn in bright colors; it's going to look great on her little one. I'm also planning a quilt, but I need to find out how she's planning to decorate the baby's room before I can get started on that.

House Floor Vote Postponed!!

2006-03-02T17:23:00.000-08:00

The voices of opponents to HR 4167 are being listened to!! House floor debate still happened today concerning the Food Bill, but the vote has been postponed until next week. According to Colin Delany of the National Environmental Trust, the delay is probably "due to the number of ammendments that have been offered as a result of stepped-up public and press attention." In addition, 37 state attorneys general are opposed to the bill and have sent a letter to members of Congress urging them to oppose the bill because it undercuts states' rights and consumer safety. You can go here to read more about these developments and the letter written by the attorneys general. Now that Congress is paying attention, this is no time to relax. If you haven't yet contacted your elected representatives, do so immediately by going to the action alert page at the NET website.

More on the Food Uniformity Act

2006-03-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

Ever since I posted the below information on the act, I've been getting emails from media people at environmental organizations providing me with information to post here. I love to disseminate information, so I'm going to update you all with some more tidbits here. First, go to the National Environmental Trust's website for an article posted yesterday. One of my favorite quotes from the article:

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that HR 4167 will cost taxpayers more than $100 million, but notes that bill is so vaguely written that its costs and effects are difficult to predict:

"The scope of the state and local regulations that would be affected by the legislation is ambiguous. For example, it is unclear whether certain provisions of the legislation would preempt only state and local requirements dealing with food labeling or whether the preemption would apply more broadly to other food safety requirements. Moreover, it is unclear whether a state or local requirement would be preempted in the absence of a specific federal requirement."

The NET website lists links to articles and fact sheets with more information about the bill and the changes it would cause. Even if the environment isn't your thing, pay attention to how much money it would cost Americans. There is a link near the bottom of the page to take action and send a message to your elected representatives.

Jon Coifman, of the National Resources Defense Council (of which I am also a member!), emailed me some links that could be of interest, also. He pointed out that there have been no hearings and hardly any public debate. If that makes you angry, be sure to let someone who represents you in Congress know by utilizing the NRDC action page. Reuters published an article on this topic today that is worth a read titled Consumer Groups Blast US House Bill on Food Safety. An important point brought up by the writer of the article is that "The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, whose members regulate parts of the food chain, said the bill could interfere with inspection of food plants and food safety investigations." Check out this amusing ad put out by the NRDC. The Associated Press also put an article out today on the bill called Industry Lobbies Congress Over Food Labels. I was appalled to read in this article that "at least 226 lawmakers from both parties are supporting the bill." How scary is that??? It's really important for all of us to act TODAY! Please use the link in the post below or one of the links in this article to send a message to your representatives urging them NOT to support the passage of this bill. It could affect your future health and pocketbook.

National Uniformity for Food Act

2006-02-27T15:07:00.000-08:00

I'm a member of the Organic Consumers Association and I just received an alert about a really bad bill that is set for a vote by the House on March 2 (this Thursday). To learn more about the bill, go to Democracy In Action.

Here is a sample letter you can email to your state representative(s) either on your own or by going to the OCA website at the link above:

Dear Congress Representative,

As a health conscious consumer, and as one of your constituents, I urge you to vote "No" on H.R. Bill 4167, the "National Uniformity for Food Act," coming to a vote in the House of Representatives this Thursday, March 2.

Despite industry claims, this is a profoundly undemocratic and anti-consumer bill that will take away the right of local governments and states to require food safety labels on food and grocery items.

H.R. Bill 4167 will eliminate current food safety food labels such as those required in California and other states on foods or beverages that are likely to cause cancer, birth defects, allergic reactions, or mercury poisoning. This bill would also prevent citizens in local municipalities and states from passing laws requiring that genetically engineered foods and ingredients be labeled.

As a consumer I strongly resent this denial of my basic right to know what's in my food, and this denial of my local and state government's power to protect the health of myself and my family.

Please vote "No," on H.R. Bill 4167.

Sincerely,

Cooking and Baking to Celebrate Autumn

2005-09-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

Last night's dinner:

Crab & Artichoke Quiche

6.5 oz. crabmeat (can use imitation crab meat)
1 c. shredded cheese (mixing different kinds is good)
5 large eggs
1-1/4 c. milk or half-and-half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. artichoke hearts
1/4 c. chopped onion
One 9" unbaked pie shell

First, prepare the pie shell according to your own recipe. Next, sprinkle cheese into pie shell. Beat eggs, mix with milk and seasoning, and pour over cheese. Sprinkle onions, crabmeat and artichoke hearts over pie. Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 5.

Today, Kai decided to bake 2 loaves of banana bread for his cooking lesson. We used this recipe:

Banana Bread

1-1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1-1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (3-4 medium)
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped nuts, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into loaf pans. Bake about 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loeaves from pans; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days. Makes 2 loaves (24 slices each).

Autumn is Here

2005-09-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Mabon!

Make an Immediate Difference in Louisiana

2005-09-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

An open letter from Michael Moore arrived in my email box today. I thought I'd share this one as well. This is urgent--the refugees in Louisiana are not getting enough of the supplies they need through our federal government or relief agencies as of yet. As you'll hear Michael say, it's up to us, the American people, to help out our fellow citizens right now because they aren't getting the help they need from our government.
Blessings to you all,
Kate
******************************************************
Friends,

There is much to be said and done about the manmade annihilation of New Orleans, caused NOT by a hurricane but by the very specific decisions made by the Bush administration in the past four and a half years. Do not listen to anyone who says we can discuss all this later. No, we can't. Our country is in an immediate state of vulnerability. More hurricanes, wars, and other disasters are on the way, and a lazy bunch of self-satisfied lunatics are still running the show.

So, in the next few days, I will write to you about what must be done about Bush and Co.

But today I want you to join with me in bypassing the colossally inept and incompetent Bush administration and get help DIRECTLY to the people of the New Orleans area--right now.

A lot of you have written me to ask what you can do. Many don't know who to trust. Many want to do more than write a check. You are right to think that writing checks to relief agencies will not get water and aid to people in the next 48 hours. Checks will be needed later and can be written later.

I have a way, though, for each and every one of us to do something today that can affect people's lives TODAY.

For the past few days I've been working with a group that, I guarantee you, will get direct aid to the people who need it most.

Cindy Sheehan, the brave woman who dared to challenge Mr. Bush at his summer home, has now sent her Camp Casey from in front of Bush's ranch to the outskirts of New Orleans. The Veterans for Peace have taken all the equipment and staff of volunteers and set up camp in Covington, Louisiana, on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. They are accepting materials and personally distributing them to those in need.

This is where we come in. We need to ship supplies to them immediately. Today they need the following:

Paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, Pedialyte, baby items in general, powder, lotion, handy wipes, sterile gloves, electrolytes, LARGE cans of veggies, school supplies, and anything else to life people's spirits.

You can ship these items by following the instructions on VFPRoadTrips.org. Or you can deliver them there in person. The roads to Covington are open. Here's how to get there. You can drop them off or you can stay and participate (if you stay, you'll be camping so bring your own tent and gear and mosquito spray).

If you can't ship these items or go there in person, then go to VFPRoadTrips.org and make an immediate donation through PayPal. Camp Casey-Covington will have immediate access to this cash and can buy the items themselves from stores that are open in Louisiana (all donations to Veterans for Peace are tax deductible).

Each day I will post up-to-the minute information as to what is needed and the progress Camp Casey is making. Please visit MichaelMoore.com often and do what you can to help.

Many other groups are also doing good work. MoveOn.org has set up a systerm for people to offer rooms in their homes to the survivors.

There is no time to waste. People are suffering and dying. Each of us can do something. There is no other alternative.

Thank you in advance for your help. Tomorrow, we will take care of the other work we need to do about the ideologically hamstrung incompetents in charge.

Yours,
Michael Moore
Mike@MichaelMoore.com
MichaelMoore.com

Casualties of War: Camp Casey and New Orleans

2005-09-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

I received the following in my email box today from Starhawk. I am reproducing it here with permission. She says all I wanted to say about the war and the hurricane, but much more eloquently than I ever could.
*****************************

Casualties of War: Camp Casey and New Orleans
by Starhawk

When Katrina hit, I was at Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas, where I had gone to support Cindy Sheehan, the Gold Star mother who encamped outside of Bush's ranch to demand a meeting so she could ask him one simple question, "What noble cause did my son die for?" Cindy is a formidable woman, a fearless woman because she has already lost what she most loved.

Loss and grief are powerful forces. Camp Casey was full of those who had suffered the real losses of the Bush administration's war on Iraq, the families of soldiers, returning veterans, Gold Star Mothers who had lost a child in Iraq. Along the roadside stood a vast field of crosses to represent the dead. Across the road, a small encampment of pro-war counter-demonstrators would gather each day. They didn't stay overnight. On our side, we camped in a ditch, in the hundred and five degree heat, itching from sweat and chigger bites. The counter-protestors shouted slogans and drove up and down the road in cars decorated with signs proclaiming their love for Bush, honking. David, my partner, a veteran of the civil rights movement and a draft resistor in Vietnam, thought they needed some lessons in taunting. He's been taunted by better in his time--the outfront racists, the fanatic anti-communists. The worst our counter demonstrators mustered was a sign saying, "The Sixties are over--why don't you go home!" Someone on our side countered with a sign reading, "The Fifties are over--why don't YOU go home?"

Bush and his allies are experts at manufacturing emotion, whipping up fear, exploiting the dead. But here the air was permeated by real and personal loss. "You have to understand," the woman said to me. "My mother does not go out. She doesn't leave the house." Her mother, standing next to her, nodded in agreement. We were outside the big tent where the rally was being held, at Camp Casey Two, up the road from our campsite. "But I told her, you have to come. You have to see this."

The woman was blond, late thirties, conservatively dressed, in a big sunhat. She spoke with a Texas accent, and she and her mother looked like archetypal Republicans. "Nothing looks prettier than a young man in a uniform," she said, smiling sadly, "but when you look at what's underneath, it's not so pretty." Her brother had come back from the first Gulf War, mentally and emotionally shattered, and had never recovered. And that's what drew her mother out, to gather with others who had also lost real children, real lives.

I told her about Billy, the son of my best friend from junior high school. Mary and I played with paper dolls and screamed for the Beatles and went wild together in the Sixties. She was the first of my friends to get pregnant, when we were nineteen, and I helped her through the stress of telling her ultraconservative family, her hasty marriage and messy divorce. Then we lost touch for many years. I remember Billy as a sweet two-year-old with angelic curls. He grew up to be the second soldier across the line in the first Gulf War. I reconnected with Mary shortly after he took a gun to the beach and shot himself, one of the thousands of uncounted casualties, suicides, chronically ill, leftovers from that adventure.

The homeless shelters and the cold streets are still filled with men of my own generation, the living ghosts of Vietnam. Meanwhile veterans' services are being cut back, hospitals closed. My aunt and uncle from the communist side of the family worked all their lives for the VA, proudly, because as my aunt said it was the closest thing to socialism in this country. They enjoyed providing free treatment for people. Perhaps that is why the same warmongers, so eager to create new casualties, refuse to adequately fund their ongoing cause.

The people at Camp Casey talked about 'being on someone else's mission,' about 'chains of command' and 'getting orders from above,' which they agreeably followed. "This place is run like the military," one of my friends remarked. "We are the military," was the answer. They were indeed the military, the people in this country most directly affected by the reality of war, Gold Star Mothers who had lost a child in Iraq, returning veterans, Veterans for Peace, military families. They wore cowboy hats and spoke in real Texas accents: Bush's natural base, in rebellion not at the concept of authority but at his misuse and abuse of the authority entrusted to him.

Most people there were from Texas, many of them surprised and delighted to meet other Texans who opposed the war. A whole contingent was from Louisiana, and New Orleans.

And so on Sunday night when the news reports were tracking Katrina's progress and predicting the disaster of New Orleans, the mood at the camp was grim. I was over at Camp Casey Two, where a big tent was set up for meetings and rallies. I was trying to be helpful by making a list of allt he stuff needed for the caravans which would be setting out when the camp closed on a speaking tour, mobilizing people for the September 24 march on Washington. On the screen a video was playing detailing the effects of depleted uranium, showing pictures of the deformed babies born in Iraq, cyclops babies with only one eye in the center of the forehead, babies with heads like tumors, babies that are nothing but undifferentiated lumps of flesh. And at my feet, a man from New Orleans was crying and raging. The bridges were closed, and no one could get out any longer. The news was predicting thousands might die.

The petrochemical industry and the developers have long ruled in the Gulf, with free reign to destroy the wetlands that are nature's buffer against storms. A huge proportion of the Louisiana National Guard, which is supposed to take charge during natural disasters, was in Iraq. The rest were apparently in Florida, moving military equipment out of the path of the storm. The funds for flood control and reinforcing the levees had been systematically cut by the Bush administration in order to fund our attacks on Baghdad and Fallujah. Hurricanes are fueled by the warmth of the ocean, and the Gulf is abnormally hot due to global warming, which Bush and his allies will not admit is happening. Global warming may not have caused Hurricane Katrina, but it undoubtedly amplified its power and fury.

New Orleans, like Casey Sheehan, is a casualty of war.

And I imagine Cindy joined in her vigil by a mother from New Orleans, perhaps one whose baby died in her arms of dehydration at the Superdome, to ask, "Why did my child die?"

And Bush, if he were honest would have to say to her, "Your child died of incompetence and callousness justified by a set of false assumptions."

That the current economy and technology, fueled by cheap oil and gas, can and should continue in its current form.

That the profits of those who benefit from the current system are of paramount importance, and should be protected at all costs.

That war is good for business.

That environmental impacts don't need to be counted as part of the cost of doing business and so don't count.

That technology has transcended nature.

That global warming has no real consequences.

That government owes nothing in the way of care and support to its citizens.

That the lives of the poor aren't worth much, anyway, especially if they happen to be black.

That the way to respond to the uncomfortable questions is to sneer at and smear the questioner.

That a good media spin can redefine and outweigh reality.

But reality has a way of being, well, real, and catching up with you. Real loss, real grief are the real results of the Bush administration's policies. His neocon friends maintain their power by manufacturing fear, exploiting the dead. But now the real dead are coming back to haunt them.

And so I imagine Cindy and the mother from New Orleans joined by a legion of mothers from Iraq. I envision the roads of Crawford lined with the corpses of Baghdad and Fallujah, with the one-eyed monstrous stillbirths, the children blown to pieces, caked with flesh, soaked with blood. I hear a chorus of voices asking, "Why? What noble cause? What great gift are you bringing us? What is this democracy that abandons the poor to drown?"

I see them laying the bodies at the gates of power. I see us joining them, to turn them to a wind of justice, a wind of change. Hurricane season has just begun.

* * *

Some places to send aid:

Familes and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated Children are doing intense work among the shelters and prisons with displaced youth, mostly African American. Believe me, the Red Cross and the Christian charities won't be pouring out relief to this group! They can also use some volunteers (especially African American) and many gifts in kind.

Send a check to the: "FFLIC Hurricane Relief Fund"
920 Platt Street
Sulphur, Louisiana 70663
awakenprogress@yahoo.com
kd.higgs@yahoo.com

The Veterans for Peace bus that was at Camp Casey in Crawford, TX has now gone down to Covington, Louisiana to do relief work. They also need donations of money and computer equipment. Make a donation to Veterans for Peace Chapter 116 at:
http://www.vfproadtrips.org
Tax deductible cash donations can be sent to:
Veterans for Peace Chapter 116
28500 Sherwood Rd.
Willits, CA 95490
pjtate@sonic.net
Cell PH 707-536-3001

Food Not Bombs will be providing food for refugees. They can use volunteers to serve and prepare food, and, of course, donations:
http://www.foodnotbombs.net
You can make a financial donation online or mail checks to:
Food Not Bombs
PO Box 744
Tuscon, AZ 85702
Please call (1-800-884-1136) or email (katrina@foodnotbombs.net) if you can join them on the bus or help with gas money.

Starhawk
http://www.starhawk.org