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| Never mind the fact that nuclear waste poses a serious health threat to everyone and everything on our planet. If the U.S. does not accept the 20,000 tons of N-waste to Tennessee wtih 1600 of it coming to Utah, the entire economy will be undermined. So says Energy Solutions and its advocates in the U.S. House, according to an article in today's Salt Lake Tribune, reporting the overwhelming vote by the House to keep the waste out of the U.S. "We are not surprised by today's vote," EnergySolutions President Val Christensen said in a statement. "We are disappointed that the House of Representatives voted to place American jobs at risk."
I think what they meant to say was that it will hurt their corporate profits. The next move will be from the Senate..... if they ever move to get a co-sponsor and take action. Neither Utah Senators have made any such moves. Makes sense since, according to the article, Senator Bennett has ties to Energy Solutions Pollutions. Vanessa Pierce, executive director of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, says the Senate was likely just waiting for the House to give its nod before moving on its waste importation bill. Pierce and others now want Utah Sens. Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch, both Repubicans, to lend their support to the measure. Neither Utahn is a cosponsor of the bill. And Bennett, up for reelection in 2010, already has accepted about $50,000 in campaign donations from EnergySolutions.
Opponents of the bill say that it is anti-American jobs and trade. Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns of Florida argued against the bill during a brief House debate Wednesday. He called it an "anti-jobs, anti-trade" bill that would undermine economic recovery. "In effect, this bill is going to hurt businesses in their area of trying to create jobs and promote economic growth," Stearns said. But Congressman Matheson, D-Utah, says otherwise: Matheson disputed that premise, noting that it would actually preserve disposal space for domestic businesses. "I don't know of any other country that takes imported waste," Matheson said. "For trade to exist, you have goods and services going in both directions. Not just in one. I don't understand how this in any way can be described as a restraint of trade." The fight isn't over. It will be interesting to see how the Senate addresses this bill, if it does. If the corporations profiting from the potential influx of foreign waste get their way, what's to stop them from pushing for higher levels of waste being imported? Where will the line be drawn? What has to happen for all of our politicians to wake up? In the meantime, engage in the comments on the Tribune site, lobby your legislators, write letters, take a stand and have your voice heard. Don't let the corporate monsters scare you into thinking, with their greedy spin, that accepting the foreign waste will further hurt America's economy. What it will do is further hurt Americans with more health risks. Who will pay for the care, then of those that get ill from more potential exposure? | |
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| (cross-posted to Utah Legislature Watch)This past Saturday mobile home owners held a rally at the Salt Lake City Library to raise their voices in support of the more than 75,000 mobile home owners in Utah. According to a piece on KCPW’s website, hundreds were expected, but snowy weather impacted the numbers which reduced to about 40, according to a Salt Lake Tribune article on the event. Typically, mobile home owners reside in mobile home parks where the land upon which their homes sit are owned by an entity. Data compiled by[ Steve Anderson, president of Utah Manufactured Homeowners Action Group] Anderson showed that since 2004, lot rents have risen between 15 and 87 percent, while the consumer price index rose 11.2 percent each year.
Further, landlords in the past have held the right to notify home owners with only 90 days notice of a change in hands and notice to vacate. This resulted in home owners, especially those on fixed and low incomes, to have many who had lived much of their adult lives in the same home, to scramble to find housing since moving a home is quite an expensive venture. “We’re treated as if we’re a closed market,” Anderson said. “We’re not a closed market. We’re a captured market.”
That captive situation exists, Anderson added, because it costs up to $20,000 to relocate a manufactured home from one park to another. And many mobile-home dwellers are retirees, widows, senior citizens and veterans living on tight budgets.
After years of no action for the protection of rights of mobile home owners against landlord greed, the Utah Legislature finally last yera passed a law required land owners to provide 9 months notice of transfer of ownership and notice to vacate the premises. The group of homeowners will continue to put pressure on legislators this year to improve the rights of persons living in mobile homes. This will include making it attainable for home owers to form cooperatives with the intent of buying out the land owners. | |
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| (Cross-posted to Utah Legislature Watch)Last week Salt Lake City passed an ordinance that protects persons seeking employment and housing from discrimination because of sexual orientation. Done deal? Not a chance. According to a Deseret News Article last week state legislators are gearing up for what promises to be once again a hot topic for the 2010 legislative session. Government and civic leaders said Wednesday the fight will be much tougher in the conservative Legislature, though the odds of passing an anti-discrimination law may get a boost from the Mormon church’s endorsement Tuesday of the Salt Lake City Council’s ordinances. Lawmakers could do three things when they come into January’s general session: They could adopt a statewide law similar to the city’s; they could actually repeal the city ordinance and ban all other local governments from doing likewise; or they could do nothing, which would let the city ordinance stand.
Rep. Chris Johnson, D-Salt Lake will be introducing a bill much like the Salt Lake City’s passed ordinance to afford all persons equal protection with regards to housing and employment. There are, of course, conservative legislators, ironically property owners, outspoken on the issue:
( Read more... ) There are thousands (maybe even tens of thousands) of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender citizens in Utah. They contribute to our communities and our economy like all other citizens do. In fact, there are many successful business owners who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender. All citizens in Utah, regardless of any type of orientation, deserve equal protection under the law. | |
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| The Salt Lake City Council has become the first Utah City to pass ordinances that will prevent unfair housing practices based on sexual orientation. In a rare move, the LDS church attended last night's council meeting to support the ordinances. THE LGBT community has been working hard to foster a relationship with church officals. Progress has been made and this is a step in the right direction. Read the Deseret News article here. Read the text of the LDS church's statement here. | |
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| The Deseret News reported today that two Utah Senators are pushing for a restoration of the 6+% (from the current 1.75%) sales tax on unprepared food. Senate budget chairman Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, and Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, in separate statements said it was a mistake when Utah legislators bowed to the “influence” of former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and cut the food tax. This tax restoration would place undue burden on poor people. Why should there be a tax on something everyone must have? One legislator doesn’t think that such a tax would impact poor people: For more than a year, Rep. Kay McIff, R-Richfield, has been trying to get lawmakers to put the tax back on food and, through other means, give tax cuts to low-income Utahns. McIff says the food tax cut really didn’t help low-income Utahns that much, but instead went to large Utah families or more well-to-do Utahns who buy a lot of food — people who likely really don’t need that kind of a tax cut. From what source does McIff get his data? What does he mean “didn’t help low-income Utahns that much“? Where is the evidence to back such a statement? I’m willing to bet that poor people spend most of their income on food while rich people spend a fraction of their income on food. Taxing food is preposterous. Don’t hurt families this way. | |
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| More to come, but here's a taste:
2009 Event Photos
THE AMAZING PEACE TREE
UTAH PEACE JAM
ART WORK CREATED BY SCHOOL CHILDREN AND DISPLAYED BY ROOTS AND SHOOTS
Also view 2009 photos and videos at: Dignity MyPeace.TV Facebook
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UTAH ASIAN FESTIVAL DISCRIMINATES AGAINST FALUN DAFA DUE TO CHINESE INFLUENCE When Patrice Loung a practitioner of an ancient self-cultivation practice out of China, called Falun Dafa, submitted an application to this years Utah Asian Festival, she foresaw no difficulties. She and other Falun Gong practitioners had been there two years ago, to demonstrate the five, meditative exercises and to introduce the practice which is based upon the belief in the principles of "Truth, Compassion and Tolerance", and to teach people how to make oragami lotus flowers. She was surprised when not long after her application was accepted, she was sent a letter saying that Falun Gong was no longer welcome in the Festival due to some unspecified "incident". When Patrice contacted Imanuel Aswandi, in charge a booths, she was told that the Festival staff had been contacted by some "Chinese people" (she wasn't told who they were) and that they had expressed that they were offended by the presence of Falun Gong at the Festival and that the Falun Gong banners were political. In fact the only two banners shown said "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance" in Chinese characters and "Falun Dafa is Good" also in Chinese characters. Explaining this to the Festival Staff seemed to do no good. This incidence leads Falun Gong practitioners to believe that the Asian Festival, which is funded in part by the Salt Lake County ZAP program, is being influenced by either the Chinese Communist government, or by Chinese people who have been influenced by the CCP's propaganda assault on Falun Gong. ( Read more... ) | |
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| Tim DeChristopher, the U of U student who successfully shut down the auction of public land for oil drilling in Utah via a creative direct action maneuver, will be arraigned next week in Federal Court. Here are details about an event to support DeChristopher:
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tim DeChristopher Arraignment Rally! 10:45am - 12noon, Library Plaza, 200 East 400 South, SLC We’re looking for 1,000 pals to join us in Salt Lake City at the Federal Courthouse to show Brett Tolman, Jim Matheson, Ken Salazar and President Obama that we are serious about a Peaceful Uprising. We will not remain silent as they attempt to persecute Tim for standing up for the Truth. We stand in solidarity. Renowned Climatologist James Hansen to speak at rally in support of Tim DeChristopher SALT LAKE CITY — James Hansen, one of the world’s leading scientists studying climate change, will speak at a rally in support of Tim DeChristopher on Tuesday, April 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Salt Lake City library plaza. The event is built around DeChristopher’s arraignment at 11:45 a.m. at the Frank E. Moss Courthouse in Salt Lake City. The University of Utah student is facing two felony charges for his nonviolent disruption of an illegitimate oil and gas lease auction of public land in Utah last December. Even though a federal court and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar rescinded the auction because of its illegitimacy, Brett Tolman, the United States attorney for Utah, has decided to charge DeChristopher with two felonies, which could mean up to 10 years in prison.Renowned Climatologist James Hansen to speak at rally in support of Tim DeChristopher The following is a schedule of the events with Hansen and DeChristopher: Monday, 6 p.m.: Hansen talks with Radioactive, KRCL’s public affairs program.
Monday, 7:30 p.m.: Hansen will speak at U of U’s Social and Behavioral Science auditorium
Tuesday, 11 a.m.: Rally begins with speakers and music at the SLC Library Plaza.
Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.: March to Frank E. Moss Courthouse for DeChristopher’s arraignment.
Tuesday, about noon: Hansen will speak at rally for DeChristopher at the SLC Library Plaza.
Tuesday, 6 p.m. Hansen will speak at Utah Valley University in the library auditorium. www.peacefuluprising.org | |
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| Several days ago I signed up for paperless account statements from the Utah Retirement Systems. Two days later I received SIX letters in the mail from URS - one for each action that I took on the site to sign up for paperless notifications (my username, my password, verification of signing up for paperless, etc.).
Now in the past I received one quarterly statement through throughout the year. Now that I have received SIX letters from URS, it will take 1 1/2 years to see any savings from signing up for paperless notifications. | |
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| Eric Ethington wrote an account of his experience on his blog about the Sutherland Institutes's "free" event to the public to kick-off its copy cat project (to the Common Ground Initiative) "The Sacred Ground Initiative" on Thursday night. The event was advertised as "This free and open to the public" according to a Sutherland Institute press release and post on its website , but it really wasn't. the organizers were selective in who they let in, despite advance registrations by attendees. Here is an excerpt from Eric's blog:
....the “gays” were the first ones to arrive at Thanksgiving Point, standing in line in the cold waiting to get in. Once the doors opened, we were shepherded into a long thin tent leading up to the main doors, inside of which was a table to sign in, and about 8 security guards. It was a notable difference from Equality Utah’s “Common Ground Initiative” kickoff event, which was an open-to-the-public, media and all-welcome event. To actually get in, you had to have previously registered with the Sutherland Institute, including providing your home address and email, although they didn’t tell you until afterwards that you were signing up to receive regular mail from them. Deciding that opposite opinions were not welcome, the Sutherland Institute sent out an email to many of the prominent gay activist leaders in the community (Jacob Whipple and Michael Mueller) in the hours prior to the event letting them know they and their groups were no longer welcome to attend. This went so far as the young man who checked me in apologized for the extra security, saying, “there are supposed to be a lot of bad people trying to get in tonight, so we’re being very careful.” To enforce this decree, they pulled the list of attending people from Facebook, and listed them as banned from the event. Many people, not aware of this change, were actually forcibly removed from the event. Rebecca Huggins, a local single mom who registered well in advance, attempted to sign in with the registration people. Watching closely, she saw them scan down to her name, note a check mark next to it, then was asked to speak to the security guard. “He said I needed to leave immediately,” Rebecca said, “then he grabbed me by the elbow and attempted to escort me out.” Rebecca, who was there not to protest, but to listen and see what the Sutherland Institute had to say, was shocked and in tears after her ill-treatment.
Eric goes on in further detail to describe the event. Much focus was placed on "America" and "God's Law". Paul Mero, of the Sutherland Institute, even makes a comment to Eric's post. Read it all here. My comment was this:
I think Dominique is spot on. This whole event and its organization (raving about "God's law") sounds and looks like this is the Christain version of the Taliban, to wit:
“We do not make laws, we merely distort and twist God’s laws,” so we must do all we can to correct that.
These people do not want civil law, they want "God's Law". (likened to the "Sharia").
Also, Mero is incorrect in the principles regarding the founding of this country. The preamble to the constitution states that
"we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator "(not "God" as Mero alludes - to an atheist, this might mean their parents) "with certain unalienable rights".
Finally, what about the LDS article #11 in the articles of faith regarding the right of pursuing their worship the way they want (religious freedom) and also acknowledges the right of others to pursue their own religious freedom?
I too respect the rights of EVERYONE to believe in what they want - and WITHOUT persecution. This whole event and the driving forces behind it smack of hypocrisy to the max.
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| (Cross posted from Utah Legislature Watch)
This legislative session, there is a series of 5 bills, as has been written about on this blog, called “Common Ground Initiative”, which advocate for the provisions of Expanding Health Care, Fair Housing & Employment, Wrongful Deaths, The Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act and Clarifying Amendment 3 (repealing the portion of Amendment 3 which states “no other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as marriage or be given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect - would not change Utah’s definition of marriage). Equality Utah is the organizing group behind this initiative. Michael Mueller of Utahns for Marriage Equality : There is phone banking, citizen lobbyist activities, and many other crucial activities they need are help with - now and throughout the year. As I have mentioned before, even though our group’s goal is full marriage equality for all Utahns, there is a long history in this country of marriages that are neither real marriages nor are they equal. In this case, these basic LGBT rights must be obtained whether or not marriage equality is obtained.
To counter-act the Common Ground Initiative, the Eagle Forum and the Sutherland Instituteare launching their very own copy cat initiative, the Sacred Ground Initiative. In a press release issued by these groups it was stated: Following an unsuccessful campaign to dismantle traditional marriage in California, gay rights advocates are now turning their focus to Utah. Known for strong family values, Utahns are now being exposed to deceptive marketing campaigns based on a non-threatening appeal to “common ground.”
On Thursday, February 5th, these groups will present their Sacred Ground Initiative at an event titled “Stand Up To Protect Marriage” at Thanksgiving Point, State of the Union II: The Challenge to Family and Freedom. This free and open to the public event will be held at the Show Barn at Thanksgiving Point from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Speakers will include Paul T. Mero, LaVar Christensen, primary author of Utah’s Constitutional Amendment in support of traditional marriage, and Lauralyn B. Swim, Sutherland benefactor and former member of the Young Women General Board of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “Sutherland continues to defend the sacred ground of traditional marriage, and family as the fundamental unit of society,” said Institute President, Paul T. Mero. ”This session will talk directly to Utahns about how the gay marriage controversy has come to our state and what responsible citizens can do to stand up for and be advocates to protect marriage and optimal family structures.”
Anyone can attend this event by obtaining seat reservations. It has been advertised that participants must rsvp online, call (801) 355-1272, e-mail si@sutherlandinstitute.org, or visit www.sutherlandinstitute.org to reserve seats for the event. I’m not sure what information they will take from you but I’m guessing they will be screening interested parties. I am urging everyone who can to pursue attending this event. Additionally, there will be a Protest and Infiltration of Sacred Ground Initiative Launch, the details which can be found here. | |
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| This in from HEAL Utah today: Take a minute to call Senator Bob Bennett (202) 224-5444. Late Tuesday night, Utah's own Sen. Bennett snuck in a provision to President Obama's economic stimulus package that would allow as much as $50 BILLION of your tax dollars to be used as loan guarantees for construction of new nuclear reactors. These loan guarantees could help fund projects like Aaron Tilton's proposed Green River nuclear power plant. That means your tax dollars would finance the production and storage of high-level waste in Utah, and the enormous abuse of our water, just so states like California can turn on their lights (read more about why a Utah nuclear power plant will not likely power Utah here). It's not too late to stop this taxpayer handout. Please call Senator Bennett today (202-224-5444) and tell him how disappointed you are by his efforts to prop up the nuclear industry at the expense of ordinary Utahns. In an ultimate show of hypocrisy, Sen. Bennett says he plans to vote against the final economic stimulus package anyway. Tell Sen. Bennett you hope these nuclear loan guarantees are stripped from the ultimate package and that he can save face by working to undo his cover of night actions. You can also email Sen. Bennett here: http://bennett.senate.gov/contact/emailmain.html, though a quick call is what's most needed. In these dire economic times, taxpayers should NOT be put on the hook for billions of dollars of risky nuclear reactor projects. Yet, that is exactly what Sen. Bennett's nuclear loan guarantee plan would, well, guarantee. The Congressional Budget Office estimates half of new reactor projects will default on their loans. The banks won't gamble their money on such a risky venture, but apparently Senator Bennett is willing to gamble ours. What we do need is an economic stimulus package that will jumpstart the economy and provide jobs over the next two years. That is President Obama's intention. Unlike the decade or so it takes for a nuclear reactor to get off the ground, investing in solar, geothermal, wind, and efficiency will produce jobs and clean energy in the next 1-2 years. Sen. Bennett has said he wants any stimulus package to protect taxpayers, yet his nuclear pork puts taxpayers at risk and helps no one but his industry buddies. Please call Sen. Bennett today (202) 224-5444. Here's a sample message you can leave: "Hi my name is ____ and I live in ____. I am calling to tell Sen. Bennett how disappointed I am that he has worked to put up $50 billion of taxpayer money for the nuclear industry in the economic stimulus package. The banks won't gamble their money on nuclear projects, so why is Sen. Bennett willing to gamble so much of ours? I hope that these nuclear loan guarantees are stripped from the stimulus plan and that Sen. Bennett works to help taxpayers, not just his nuclear buddies. Thank you." After you make your call, don't forget to sign up for our citizen lobby training next week: http://healutah.org/lobbyrsvp. To read more, visit: http://healutah.org/news/energypolicy/013009Thanks for all you do. ----------------- HEAL Utah 68 S. Main St., Suite 400 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 To opt out of ever receiving emails from us, click here Please visit us online at www.healutah.org | |
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| The whole world by now knows of Tim DeChristopher's brave act of civil disobedience who won bids totaling about $1.5 million on more than 10 lease parcels in December in an attempt to disrupt a U.S. Bureau of Land Management lease auction of 149,000 acres of public land in scenic southern and southeastern Utah. The entire story can be viewed at The Center for Water Advocacy, located in Moab, UT and also managed by Green Party of Utah's Co-Coordinator Harold Shepherd, The Center for Water Advocacy is collecting funds to pay for Tim's legal defense. Tim is facing Federal Criminal Charges - which could result in Federal Prison time. Please visit the above linked website and donate to Tim's legal defense fund. For the sake of Utah's Canyonlands. For the sake of future generations. For the sake of all life on our planet. | |
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