G_j
G_j's JournalDonate to Occupy Sandy & Occupy Sandy NJ
Occupy Sandy is a coordinated relief effort to help distribute resources & volunteers to help neighborhoods and people affected by Hurricane Sandy. We are a coalition of people & organizations who are dedicated to implementing aid and establishing hubs for neighborhood resource distribution. Members of this coalition are from Occupy Wall Street, 350.org, recovers.org and interoccupy. We have only just begun collecting donations for the New Jersey Relief effort!
http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/donate/
Occupy Sandy: A Movement Moves to Relief
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/nyregion/where-fema-fell-short-occupy-sandy-was-there.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0By ALAN FEUER
Published: November 9, 2012
ON Wednesday night, as a fierce northeaster bore down on the weather-beaten Rockaways, the relief groups with a noticeable presence on the battered Queens peninsula were these: the National Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Police and Sanitation Departments — and Occupy Sandy, a do-it-yourself outfit recently established by Occupy Wall Street.
“The long-term needs are where the real problems are,” a veteran of Occupy Wall Street
This stretch of the coast remained apocalyptic, with buildings burned like Dresden and ragged figures shuffling past the trash heaps. There was still no power, and parking lots were awash with ruined cars. On Wednesday morning, as the winds picked up and FEMA closed its office “due to weather,” an enclave of Occupiers was huddled in a storefront amid the devastation, handing out supplies and trying to make sure that those bombarded by last month’s storm stayed safe and warm and dry this time.
“Candles?” asked a dull-eyed woman arriving at the door.
“I’m sorry, but we’re out,” said Sofia Gallisa, a field coordinator who had been there for a week. Ms. Gallisa escorted the woman in, and someone gave her batteries for her flashlight. As she walked away, word arrived that a firehouse nearby was closing for the night; the firefighters there were hurrying their rigs to higher ground.
“It’s crazy,” Ms. Gallisa later said of the official response. “For a long time, we were the only people out here doing relief work.”
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What no one is telling you about Washington's marijuana legalization
http://www.examiner.com/article/what-no-one-is-telling-you-about-washington-s-marijuana-legalization?fb_action_ids=4788241062368&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%224788241062368%22%3A435742946487488%7D&action_type_map=%7B%224788241062368%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map<snip>
First, don't light up just yet. The Initiative does not take effect until Dec, 6. Even then marijuana can not be legally purchased until the state chooses who can legally produce and sell it, a process that could take up to a year, and your neighborhood pot dealer will unlikely be chosen. Users will only be permitted to possess up to one ounce of dried marijuana and possessing just 50% more than the “legal” amount will land you with a felony charge that holds a jail sentence of up to 5 years in prison. Don't expect to be smoking anywhere other than a private residence either because smoking in public is still illegal. In fact a Manette resident has already been arrested after police were called to a local park where the man said that after Tuesday's election, pot is legal. "We saw it on the news," he told the officer.
Even more so, growing, processing, and selling will be controlled by the Washington State Liquor Control Board with a 75 percent tax not including the 10 percent sales tax. The Liquor Control Board will also be in charge of regulating how much THC can be present in the marijuana sold and where and how many distributors will be allowed to open. Ordinary citizens will not be permitted to grow marijuana themselves either. Even more surprising, simply passing a joint from one person to another will still be a class C felony. Growing hemp still remains relatively unchanged as well.
One of the worst parts is the DUID (driving under the influence of drugs) provision and the zero tolerance clause for those under the age of 21 despite that people under 21 can legally possess medical marijuana. Medical marijuana patients and recreational users can now be charged with DUID for being above the designated 5 ng (nano-gram) / ml (milliliter) THC blood content limit (or a ZERO tolerance 0 ng/ml limit for those under 21) which means users will be instantly guilty of a DUID and will have their constitutional right to a fair trial revoked if they refuse a police blood draw. Under previous laws the system required law enforcement to prove impairment in court for a guilty verdict to occur.
This blood limit is not supported by any legitimate science either. The U.S. Department of Transportation concluded that “it is not possible to conclude anything about a drivers impairment on the basis of his/her plasma concentrations.” Other government studies from the National Library of Medicine have gone to show this 5 ng amount can be present in your blood days after using marijuana making arrest for being completely sober while driving a large possibility.
More worrisome is that when Nevada passed a similar DUID law, DUID arrests jumped 76 percent statewide. Several Seattle lawyers have issued their concern over the likely increase in arrests.
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That Moment When A Major Civil Rights Victory Is Caught On Tape
http://www.upworthy.com/that-moment-when-a-civil-rights-victory-is-caught-on-tape?c=ufb1That Moment When A Major Civil Rights Victory Is Caught On Tape
At 1:45 a.m. local time, the vote on the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota was still too close to call. Then, just as Campaign Manager Richard Carlbom prepared to send the staff and volunteers home to get some sleep, they were informed they had successfully defeated an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment for the first time in U.S. history. Luckily for us, a camera was rolling to capture this beautiful moment for the whole world to see. Skip to 2:32 for the best part.
"We believe if (Obama) is not pushed, he is going to be a transactional president..."
watch/listen:
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/11/9/tavis_smiley_cornel_west_on_the
As the most expensive presidential election in U.S. history comes to an end, broadcaster Tavis Smiley and professor, activist Dr. Cornel West join us to discuss President Obama’s re-election and their hopes for a national political agenda in and outside of the White House during Obama’s second term. At a time when one in six Americans is poor, the price tag for combined spending by federal candidates — along with their parties and outside groups like super PACs — totaled more than $6 billion. Together, West and Smiley have written the new book, "The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto."
Both Tavis and Smiley single out prominent progressives whom they accuse of overlooking Obama’s actual record. "We believe if (Obama) is not pushed, he is going to be a transactional president and not a transformational president," Smiley says. "We believe the time is now for action and no longer accommodation… To be the most progressive means you’ve taken some serious risk. And I just don’t see the example of that." West says that some prominent supporters of Obama "want to turn their back to poor and working people. It’s a sad thing to see them as apologists for the Obama administration in that way." (Transcript to come. Check back soon.)
Guests:
Tavis Smiley, TV, radio broadcaster, philanthropist and New York Times bestselling author. He hosts the TV show "Tavis Smiley" on PBS and two radio shows: "The Tavis Smiley Show" and "Smiley & West" Which he hosts with Cornel West. Together they have written the new book, "The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto."
Dr. Cornel West, Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. He is a New York Times bestselling author of numerous books and co-host of the radio show Smiley & West with Tavis Smiley. Together they have written the new book, "The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto."
Overwhelming Obama Victory Not Just a Mandate for the President, but for Progressives
watch: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/11/8/john_nichols_overwhelming_obama_victory_not
John Nichols: Overwhelming Obama Victory Not Just a Mandate for the President, but for Progressives
With President Obama scoring a decisive re-election and progressive-backed ballot measures and candidates faring generally well nationwide, journalist John Nichols argues that the 2012 election provided not just a mandate for the Obama administration and the Democrats, but for progressive policies. A political writer for The Nation magazine, Nichols’ latest article is "For Obama, a Bigger Win Than for Kennedy, Nixon, Carter or Bush." (Transcript to come. Check back soon.)
Video of 2012 Voting Machine Altering Vote
Romney ‘rented’ Mormon church’s exemption to defer taxes for 15 years
http://current.com/community/93945453_romney-rented-mormon-church-s-exemption-to-defer-taxes-for-15-years.htmRepublican presidential nominee Mitt Romney used a loophole to “rent” the Mormon church’s tax exemption status and defer paying taxes for 15 years, according to a new report.
Tax returns obtained by Bloomberg News through a Freedom of Information Act request indicated that Romney set up a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) in June 1996 just before Congress cracked down on the loophole in 1997.
“In this instance, Romney used the tax-exempt status of a charity — the Mormon Church, according to a 2007 filing — to defer taxes for more than 15 years,” Bloomberg’s Jesse Drucker explained. “At the same time he is benefitting, the trust will probably leave the church with less than what current law requires.”
Estates lawyer Jonathan Blattmachr told Bloomberg that Romney’s trust benefits from the Mormon church’s exempt status because charities don’t pay capital gains taxes when they make a profit from the sale of assets.
“The main benefit from a charitable remainder trust is the renting from your favorite charity of its exemption from taxation,” Blattmachr said, adding that the charitable contribution “is just a throwaway” and the church would receive little if any financial benefit from the trust.
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Global Warming and Sandy: Heating of the Oceans Fuels Record Storm, Leaving Millions Without Power
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/31/global_warming_and_sandy_heating_ofEight million people remain without power across 15 states following Hurricane Sandy, one of most devastating storms ever to hit the eastern United States. The storm’s death toll has reached 55 in the United States and is expected to rise. The storm also killed at least 69 people in the Caribbean, 51 in Haiti alone. In New York state, 90 percent of Long Island remains in the dark, as does Lower Manhattan and other parts of the city. As we continue to explore the links between Sandy and climate change, we’re joined by Brenda Ekwurzel, assistant director of climate research and analysis at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Due to technical difficulties, we regret that this interview was cut short. ~includes rush transcript~
Guest:
Brenda Ekwurzel, assistant director of climate research and analysis at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
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