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Saturday 21 April 2012

Congressional Candidate Norman Solomon on What Makes a Healthy Progressive Ecosystem
Keane Bhatt, Truthout: "Norman Solomon, a longtime activist and media scholar, first came under FBI scrutiny at the age of 14 for picketing a segregated apartment complex near his home in Maryland. In the following years, Solomon campaigned against nuclear weapons and warfare, spending a total of 40 days in jail for nonviolent civil disobedience. Currently, he has been engaged in a competitive campaign to represent Northern California's District 2 in the US House of Representatives."
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Former ALEC Supporters Now Find Connection Toxic
Rebekah Wilce, PR Watch: "With thousands of consumers expressing their concerns about the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to corporations across America, even former supporters of ALEC are feeling the heat, and some are rushing to distance themselves from the organization. YUM! Brands (owners of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut) became the 12th corporate member of ALEC to announce it is leaving the organization yesterday … These companies have taken steps to make sure the public knows they are not currently supporting ALEC."
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BP Blamed for Ongoing Health Problems
Dahr Jamail, Al Jazeera English: "The 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf last year was the largest accidental marine oil spill in history, affecting people living near the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Seemingly compounding the problem, BP has admitted to using at least 1.9 million gallons of toxic dispersants, which are banned by many countries, including the UK. According to many scientists, these dispersants create an even more toxic substance when mixed with crude oil."
Read the Article and Watch the Video

Tennessee House Passes Bill to Allow Criminal Prosecution for Harming Embryos
Amanda Peterson Beadle, ThinkProgress: "Tennessee has long had a law that allowed prosecutors to charge someone for harming a 'viable fetus' - defined as about the 32nd week after conception - when someone kills or assaults a pregnant woman. Last year, lawmakers expanded that definition to apply to any fetus. Now, they're looking to criminalize harm to embryos, the cells that are formed before a fetus develops eight weeks after conception. The Tennessee Senate is expected to vote on this measure today."
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The Autism Epidemic and Disappearing Bees: A Common Denominator?
Dr Brian Moench, Truthout: "On a recent front page of The Salt Lake Tribune, a frightening, oversized headline read, 'Highest rate in the nation, 1 in 32 Utah boys has autism.' Less well publicized, another national story ran the same day: 'New pesticides linked to bee population collapse.' If you eat food and hope to do so a few years from now, this should be equally frightening. A common denominator may underlie both stories."
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The Link to Humanity - Gift Economies
Beverly Bell, Other Worlds: "All of Coumba Toure's work is aimed at keeping African values alive. As part of this, she is deeply involved in a women-led movement to keep the gift economy thriving. West African gifting is based on the interrelated values that all humanity is linked and that one's well-being is only as strong as that of one's neighbor. Profit and exchange are trumped by a commitment to care for community."
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ALEC Gets Support from Koch-Funded Americans for Prosperity
Brendan Fischer, PR Watch: "As the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) comes under increasing scrutiny and both corporate and legislative members sever ties with the organization, the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity (AFP) has jumped in to help…. AFP is a member of ALEC, and both ALEC and AFP have received funding from the Koch family foundations. And, of course as is widely known, David Koch is the chairman of AFP, which he helped create."
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New Bakken Shale Pipeline to Cushing, Oklahoma in the Works
Steve Horn, DeSmog Blog: "The controversy over TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline has raged on for years now, with no end in sight. Now, another key pipeline proposal is in the works, one that would move unconventional oil and gas obtained via the problematic hydraulic fracturing ('fracking') process in North Dakota's Bakken Shale basin southward to Cushing, where it would then be moved to Port Arthur and also placed on the global export market."
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Can There Be "Good" Corporations?
Marjorie Kelly, Yes! Magazine: "Our economic system is profoundly broken. Our approach to fixing the economy is broken as well…. There is another approach. The alternatives emerging in our time represent an unsung ownership revolution. This revolution is about broadening economic power from the few to the many and redefining the purpose of economic activity. The aim isn't to endlessly grow gross domestic product or to create wealth for a financial elite, but to generate the conditions for the flourishing of life."
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Romney Strategy: Use Women to Woo a Certain Kind of Man
Connie Schultz, Creators Syndicate: "What is increasingly apparent is Mitt Romney's strategy to rally his base of narrow-minded men who couldn't care less about women or, worse, blame us for all that is wrong with their lives. Rosen unwittingly gave him a perfect opportunity. Who wants to divide women against women? A campaign that doesn't care about women, that's who."
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The BuzzFlash commentary for Truthout will return soon.

The Racial Reality That Makes Online "Security" Bills So Scary
Read the Article at ColorLines

MF Global: The Untold Story of the Biggest Wall Street Collapse Since Lehman
Read the Article at AlterNet

Prosecutors Hit With Series of Surprises at George Zimmerman Hearing
Read the Article at Talking Points Memo

North Carolina Execution Blocked on Racial Grounds
Read the Article at the San Francisco Chronicle

It Takes Dark Money to Make Dark Money
Read the Article at Mother Jones

States in Northeast Cap and Trade Program Reduce CO2 20% Faster and Grow GDP at Twice the Rate of Other States
Read the Article at ThinkProgress

Scams and Frauds (Plus George W. Bush and Michelle Rhee) at Upcoming Subprime College Conference in Vegas
Read the Article at Republic Report

Click here for more BuzzFlash headlines

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