Opit's LinkFest!: 15 Mar - Popular News Picks

SourceWatch
Visit our new clearinghouse on corporate "rights."
This special initiative of the Center for Media and Democracy, which publishes SourceWatch, has links to the real story about the Supreme Court's revolutionary and unconstitutional decision asserting that federal laws cannot limit corporate "speech" and undermining the integrity of our democracy.

This special feature helps document who is behind the argument that we the people should not be able to regulate corporations, such as Citizens United, which was founded by Floyd Brown of the infamous Willie Horton smear campaign against then-presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. It features information on growing national efforts to change the law, including moving to amend the Constitution

Put Americans Before Corporations
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/632/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1883

End Cruel Farm Animal Confinement Nationwide
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/end-cruel-farm-animal-confinement-nationwide
We are writing to encourage you to please introduce legislation this session to ban battery cages for egg-laying hens, gestation crates for pregnant pigs, and veal crates for young calves.

A Catalog of the Destroyed Torture Evidence
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/03/14/a-catalog-of-the-destroyed-torture-evidence
Since there are so many incidences of destroyed or disappearing torture evidence, I thought it time to start cataloging them, to keep them all straight.

    * Before May 2003: 15 of 92 torture tapes erased or damaged
    * Early 2003: Dunlavey’s paper trail “lost”
    * Before August 2004: John Yoo and Patrick Philbin’s torture memo emails deleted
    * June 2005: most copies of Philip Zelikow’s dissent to the May 2005 CAT memo destroyed
    * November 8-9, 2005: 92 torture tapes destroyed
    * July 2007 (probably): 10 documents from OLC SCIF disappear
    * December 19, 2007: Fire breaks out in Cheney’s office
( The 'missing' emails come to mind )

Afghan Prince says U.S. and Coalition Forces making big mistake
http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/03/15/afghan-prince-says-u-s-and-coalition-forces-making-big-mistake
We have to change our philosophy. We have to make the question I’ve asked of my friends at NATO — the Americans, the Canadians, and the Europeans — “What is your plan for Afghanistan?” I still have not — I don’t have — I haven’t had somebody sit down and tell me that this is the plan for Afghanistan, and this is what we want to do.

Israel Crackdown Puts Liberal Jews on the Spot
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/israel_crackdown_puts_liberal_jews_on_the_spot_20100315
The Israeli government, its brutal war crimes in Gaza exposed in detail in the U.N. report by Justice Richard Goldstone, has implemented a series of draconian measures to silence and discredit dissidents, leading intellectuals and human rights organizations inside and outside Israel that are accused—often falsely—of assisting Goldstone’s U.N. investigators. The government of Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to shut down Israel’s premier human rights organizations, including B’Tselem, the New Israel Fund (NIF) and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. It is busy expelling or excluding peace activists and foreign nationals from the Palestinian territories. The campaign, if left unchecked, will be as catastrophic for Palestinians as it will be for Israel.

HOW THE ZIONISTS TWIST THE TRUTH TO GET THEIR WAY
http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2010/03/15/how-the-zionists-twist-the-truth-to-get-their-way/#comment-26805
( Desert Peace is an Israeli blog )

The Woman Who Just Might Save the Planet and Our Pocketbooks
http://www.alternet.org/environment/145889/the_woman_who_just_might_save_the_planet_and_our_pocketbooks
people use multiple methods to work together.

Recipe for Kindness
http://www.audubonmagazine.org/web/naturalhigh
. Psychologist Richard Ryan and his colleagues at the University of Rochester have found that paying attention to the natural world makes people nicer.The surveys revealed that the more attention participants paid to natural elements, the more socially connected they felt. Conversely, the more they zeroed in on manmade elements, the more selfish their goals became.

The Hottest Hoax in the World
http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/international/the-hottest-hoax-in-the-world
It was presented as fact. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, led by India’s very own RK Pachauri, even announced a consensus on it. The world was heating up and humans were to blame. A pack of lies, it turns out.

Why has global warming paused? Water vapor may be in the answer.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0129/Why-has-global-warming-paused-Water-vapor-may-be-in-the-answer
A decline in stratospheric water vapor between 2000 and 2009 followed an apparent increase between 1980 and 2000, a team of scientists has found. That finding may have implications for global warming.

One Man’s Opinion
http://www.greentimes.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1179&Itemid=101&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+com/mnKd+(Green+Times+RSS)

Check out some of these websites for the latest exciting developments in sustainability and maybe get some ideas on how you can improve your own ecological footprint and lift your spirit.

http://www.ecogeek.org/

http://www.treehugger.com/

http://green.autoblog.com/

http://www.greenroofs.com/

http://www.bloomenergy.com/

http://www.solarroadways.com/

http://www.thegatesnotes.com/

http://www.stirlingenergy.com/index.htm

Friends of the Earth finally cotton on to climate change data row
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/geoffrey-lean/7431092/Friends-of-the-Earth-finally-cotton-on-to-climate-change-data-row.html

Concentrated Solar Goes Small-Scale
http://news.discovery.com/tech/concentrated-solar-goes-small-scale.html

Bananas could be key to stopping spread of Aids
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1258144/Bananas-key-stopping-spread-Aids.html

Why You Don’t Need Antibacterial Soap
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/2006-10-01/Why-You-Dont-Need-Antibacterial-Soap.aspx?utm_content=03.15.10+HE&utm_campaign=HE&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email
One of the most popular antimicrobials, the pesticide triclocarban (TCC), defies water treatment methods after we wash our hands of it. Once it’s flushed down drains, about 75 percent of TCC makes it through treatments meant to break it down, and it ends up in our surface water and in municipal sludge. This sludge is regularly applied to U.S. crop fields as a fertilizer, meaning the chemical could potentially accumulate in our food, too.

Blasphemous Quotations
http://garycruse.blogspot.com/
On Jan. 1, a new law in Ireland made blasphemy an offense punishable by a fine of up to $35,000. That ludicrous political maneuver was promptly answered by Irish advocacy group Atheist Ireland, which published a list of 25 blasphemous quotes from Frank Zappa, George Carlin and other godless jerks.
We decided to toss in 10 more quotations and lyrics from South Park, Arthur C. Clarke and others — including that dick Gandhi — to stand up for free speech (on the Emerald Isle and elsewhere). But we need your help to rub the blasphemy in even deeper.
Scan our list of barbs that might make Bible-thumpers break the First Commandment, then drop your own in the comments section below. Jehovah, Jehovah!

PRESS TV

'Israel, US relations at lowest level in 35 years'

Iran warns aggressors of destruction, collapse

Socialists defeat Sarkozy's UMP in regional polls‎

Justice is lost for Blacks, Asians in UK

UK warns China against protectionism

Top UK diplomat visits China, Iran on agenda

Netanyahu acts contrite over diplomatic faux pas

Anti-US rally held in Afghanistan

Critic fined over Sherbini remarks to appear in court

Ahmadinejad opens Iran's 1st 2-level highway

Audubon Magazine


	Springtime in Nebraska Bonus images from March-April’s green travel story, “March Magic,” shot by Audubon photo editor Kim Hubbard.
	Q&A: Unstuff It An interview with Annie Leonard, the creator of the short animated film, The Story of Stuff.
	Review: The Story of Stuff (the book) A review of Annie Leonard’s new book, The Story of Stuff: How Our Obsession With Stuff Is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health—A Vision for Change.
	Too Close for Comfort A family’s canoe trip through Hudson Bay trespasses on polar bear territory.
	Video: Whittled Wonders Bird carving collector Joseph Ellis reveals the origin of his passion. Plus, bonus photos of avian carvings and their creators.
	Conserve ’em, Cowboys A new photography book spotlights Florida ranches, with a look at how they’re incorporating wildlife conservation into their operations.
	Book Excerpt: Not Tonight, Honey An intimate look at several species’ romancing tactics, from Sexy Orchids Make Lousy Lovers and Other Unusual Relationships.
	Film Review: Center Stage Dive into the colorful world of hummingbirds in a film from PBS’s Nature series.
	Recipe for Kindness A recent study provides evidence for what many of us might have assumed: A dose of nature can make us more caring.
	Video: Gecko Acrobatics Watch a leopard gecko’s tail flip—sans body.
	Green Living: Naturally Clean Simple recipes for homemade cleaners.
	Two Roads Diverge in Guyana Guyana could go the way of Brazil, relying on environmentally destructive practices for economic gain, or become the next ecotourism hot spot. Which path will it take?
	Photo Gallery: Plain View A photographer captures scenes of one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems, the Great Plains.
	Movie Review: Fuel A penetrating look at the U.S.’s addiction to oil, and an idea that could rev us up without leaving us dry.
	Book Excerpt: The Last of Its Kind What do musk oxen tell us about a changing environment, and ourselves?
	Waste Not In honor of America Recycles Day on November 15, we’ve pulled together helpful hints to make sure the right items hit the bin, and real life examples of people who are taking “reduce, reuse, recycle” to the next level.
	True Nature: Deep Dish Voyage to the bottom of the ocean, where dead whales are a benthic buffet for an array of marine organisms.
	The Greatest Lake Ever wanted to visit Siberia? These vibrant photos of Lake Baikal will have you packing your bags.
	How Green Is Your Garment? Follow these steps to a more eco-sensitive wardrobe.
	Art and Nature: Birds of Paradise An artist channels five extinct birds species in an ambitious sculpture project.
	Movie Review: Food, Inc. A hefty serving of raw statistics about our nation’s food industry.
	Video: Bird in Flight Footage of the dazzling feathered protagonists featured in photographer Andrew Zuckerman’s latest book.
	Movie Review: Fortunate Wilderness A new documentary profiles a historic half-century of predator-prey research done on Isle Royale’s wolves and moose.
	Book Excerpt: Solitary Refinement Taste some text from Robert Sullivan’s new book, The Thoreau You Don’t Know.
	Poem: Robert of Lincoln Poet William Cullen Bryant’s ode to bobolinks.
	Q&A: The Ken Burns Effect Legendary filmmaker Ken Burns discusses his new documentary on the legacy of our national parks.
	Green Design: Natural Forms of Flattery Form and function come together in nature-inspired, manmade designs.
	Q&A: Painting the Town Green Greensburg mayor Bob Dixson relives the fateful day a tornado destroyed his Kansas town, motivating residents to rebuild sustainably.
	Video: Treasure Islands A New York City Audubon program aims to protect refuges in the city’s harbor for a trove of water birds.
	Q&A: Following Muir Tracing the footsteps of naturalist John Muir, a student treks across California in search of new conservation strategies.
	Video: Sustainable Sports Sports figures and events are encouraging greener habits for players and fans alike.
	Audubon Center: Night School Students are starstruck at an astronomy class held at Dallas’s Trinity River Audubon Center.
	Audio: Make Way for Whoopers Donning disguises and armed with treats, conservationists train whooping cranes to migrate on their own.
	Quiz: Guess That Track How well do you know your animal tracks? Audubon’s new board chair, Holt Trasher, helps you test your skills.
	Photo Gallery & Video: Bonaire’s Wildlife Bonanza Bonus photographs and video from Audubon photo editor Kim Hubbard’s and journalist Ted O’Callahan’s trip to Bonaire.
	Energy: Bonaire’s Breezy Future The island of Bonaire strives to be the first in the Caribbean to rely solely on renewable energy. Will it succeed?
	Family: An Audubon Wedding Story A nature-loving couple’s avian-themed wedding takes off.
	Book Excerpt: Unquenchable A water market could rescue the country from an impending hydro-crisis.
	Video: Audubon VideoGuide to Butterflies Come fly with monarch butterflies on their epic migration.
	Previous Web Exclusives from: September - December 2006 January - June 2007 July - December 2007 January - June 2008 July - December 2008 January - June 2009