I'm the only person reading this.

Fwd: Not your normal email

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:02:35 PST

Corporations should not be trusted to do the right thing, because that is not their purpose, and because they consistently do the wrong thing.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 17:05
Subject: Not your normal email

This email is not a normal email. This email is not going to ask you to do anything. It's long. It talks about big-picture strategy, not just today's latest corporate tactic.

The conventional wisdom in online activism is that we shouldn't send emails like this.

But the fight to improve the treatment of workers in Apple's supply chain is going to be a long, hard one – and it's going to be fought on the shifting sands of PR spin, against one of the most sophisticated corporate media apparatuses in history.

So we think it's important for the entire SumOfUs community (all 240,000 of us!) to take a step back from the day-to-day and examine how the fight has unfolded, both behind the scenes and in the PR war being waged in public since we first started campaigning a month ago to get Apple to address the rampant violations of workers' rights throughout its supply chain.

How this all started

Like many of you, at the beginning of this year we had only a vague idea that there might be something rotten in Apple's supply chain. We had heard about the suicides at Apple factories, but not much else.

After reading the New York Times' exposé and listening to the This American Life episode in January, we started to learn more about how miserable life can be in the massive dystopian industrial complexes where Apple's products are made.

As Apple consumers ourselves (most of our staff owns at least one Apple product), we wanted to act.

We contacted partners in China who investigate Apple's factories, interviewing workers and former workers. We heard from relatives of Apple workers, thanking us for getting the word out. Like the letter we sent out last week from the pair of former workers, we were able to put faces to the statistics, and that motivated us to keep organizing to win improvements in workers' lives.

Apple responds

Since the New York Times and This American Life reports and the launch of our campaign, Apple has gone on a charm offensive, hiring the so-called "Fair Labor Association" to inspect its factories and giving Nightline an exclusive, supervised tour of Foxconn, Apple's largest supplier. Meanwhile, Foxconn announced a pay raise and hired Burston-Marsteller -- the PR firm that lobbied for Big Tobacco and helped corporations re-brand after the the likes of the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster, the Tylenol poisonings, and the massive Bhopal chemical spill.

While disingenuous, these actions show that the company is listening, that it takes us seriously and wants to maintain its image. But Apple's moves so far are classic "early stage" corporate responses to a campaign, where a company wants to do the minimum effort to make people forget about the problem, without spending any real money on problems that by definition require considerable money to solve.

For example, Foxconn has raised wages as a PR move before – only to immediately offset worker gains by raising the cost of its dormitories and cafeterias. The truth is, Foxconn can't afford to truly raise real wages for its workers because Apple refuses to let its suppliers earn a substantial profit – Apple had an astounding 44% profit margin last quarter, while Foxconn earned a meager 1.5% profit.

As for the supposedly "independent" Fair Labor Association, who Apple has hired to "investigate": It is both funded and controlled by the very corporations it's supposed to be monitoring and has a long track record as a PR spin machine rather than an effective watchdog for workers' rights. In his first few days in China, before even the pretense of interviews with workers, the head of the FLA gave glowing reviews to the press simply on the basis of guided tours conducted by Foxconn executives. He even asserted that the suicide cluster that prompted Foxconn to put up its infamous suicide nets must have been due to "boredom," as if workers were leaping from buildings for a cheap thrill.

Journalists fall for these traps all the time. So the next time you hear a positive story about Apple's alleged steps forward in the press, remember that they may well have been suckered by Apple's massive PR machine. If Apple makes any serious moves in response to our pressure to improve workers' lives, we'll be sure to confirm it with people on the ground and let you know!

Keeping up the fight

Thus far, we have been remarkably successful at getting the truth of what's going on in Apple's factories out to the media. Thanks to each and every one of you who signed, called, wrote and delivered petitions yourselves, this issue is front and center with Apple, and it's not going away. Thanks to the credibility of a petition signed by over 120,000 people, our campaign has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, the BBC, Le Monde and Taren was interviewed on Olbermann. We even latched onto a silly facebook meme to help get the word out about our campaign!

Three weeks ago, we delivered our petition (along with another 250,000 signatures from Change.org) to six Apple stores on four conditents. Then just last week, we held a rally outside Apple's Annual General Meeting of shareholders to keep this issue in the news, and attempted to deliver your petitions directly to Tim Cook. Around the same time, hundreds of you stopped by your local Apple store to take the issue directly to Apple employees where it matters most -- its retail stores. Many of you were told by managers at those retail stores that they'd been told by Apple's HQ not to accept our petitions.

This is how victories are won -- Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, is crossing his fingers and hoping that this goes away quietly, that people forget about Foxconn, and that the workers once again become faceless statistics. What they don't yet understand is that we aren't going to forget.

Our basic demands

In the fight for better working conditions in the tech industry's supply chain, Apple is the 800-pound gorilla. They are the largest public company in the world, with a centralized supply chain and a commitment to a perfect final product. They have $100 billion sitting in the bank, meaning they can afford to ensure the people who make their products are treated humanely. Yes, other companies are also guilty of poor working conditions, but none has the ability to change the working conditions for millions of workers like Apple does. If Apple demands change, that change will ripple throughout the industry.

That's why we're demanding Apple make a few concrete changes, like ensuring factory inspections are conducted regularly -- and unannounced in advance to management -- by genuinely independent workers' rights groups. We want to see an end to illegal amounts of forced overtime, and a commitment to paying workers a living wage (before overtime is factored in). We believe employees should benefit when Apple profits from their work. And we want Apple to put in place real sanctions with teeth for suppliers who violate its code of conduct.

For consumers, the additional costs will be negligible. Apple currently spends $10 on manufacturing costs -- including labor costs -- for each iPad, and $8 for each iPhone. Meanwhile, it makes hundreds of dollars of profit off each device, which has helped it achieve a market capitalization bigger than the GDP of all but 19 countries. The main difference for consumers will be a longer delay in product roll-out, as the most grueling conditions currently occur when Foxconn workers are cranking the latest iPad or iPhone. The questions is not whether you would be willing to pay more for your iPhone, but whether you could wait a few months longer to ensure that the people who make it are treated like human beings.

The way forward

Apple provides excellent customer service and cares deeply about its brand – but is also one of the most secretive corporations in the world and has built an organizational culture capable of blocking out the most intense outside criticism.

Our job, as consumers, is to continue to keep the pressure on until Apple decides that the risks inherent in the status quo – the risks to its brand, its staff morale, and its loyal customer base – are higher than the costs of taking real action to improve workers' lives. That's what's worked in past campaigns like this, and it's what will ultimately lead to victory in this campaign.

It will be a long fight, but it's well worth fighting. If we can change the way the largest corporation on the planet treats its workers in the era of globalized supply chains, it will set a precedent that will reverberate globally for decades. Together, we're already forcing Apple to pay attention – and we're going to keep on fighting.

Thanks for reading, and for fighting with us,
Taren, Kaytee, Claiborne, and Emma – the tiny SumOfUs team, working with you to take on the biggest companies in the world.

P.S. Haven't read enough yet? Here are some more articles and resources to check out.

In These Times - Apple turns to the Larry King of Sweatshop Scandals
SACOM (Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior) video - The truth of the Apple iPad behind Foxconn's lies
Mike Daisey's Blog (Mike is the guy behind the This American Life story that brought all of this to light initially)

SumOfUs is a world-wide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy. You can follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

End Unfair Oil Subsidies

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:08:22 PST

Oil companies benefit from massive tax breaks that cost the U.S. billions in lost revenue.

An overwhelming majority of Americans want the oil industry, which posts staggeringly high profits, to pay its fair share.

But every attempt to close tax loopholes for Big Oil is met with ramped-up, industry-led lobbying efforts in Congress and million-dollar PR campaigns to scare the public into thinking a repeal of oil subsidies means higher gas prices.

Support President Barack Obama's plan to raise $38.7 billion in additional taxes from the oil and gas industry over the next 10 years.

Join me in supporting this plan:
http://www.citizen.org/end-unfair-tax-breaks-big-oil

Fwd: Radical assault

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:31:44 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, Feb 23, 2012 at 10:29
Subject: Radical assault

Women voters outnumber men by millions. We need to let them know about the GOP's war on women, so we can finally put a stop to the attacks. Can you help raise $175,000 to fight back?

Chip in $5

Dear MoveOn member,

Women voters outnumber men by millions.¹ Maybe Republicans should have thought of that before launching "the most comprehensive and radical assault on women's health in our lifetime," according to House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi.²

Republicans are challenging President Obama's plan to provide free contraception coverage to women through their health insurance.³ And on Friday, House Republicans passed another bill stripping all federal funding from Planned Parenthood, which would block access to vital breast and cervical cancer screenings.⁴ Their actions will cost the lives of countless women if we don't stop them.

We've proved we can do just that, by working with progressive allies to prevent devastating funding cuts to Planned Parenthood in the past.⁵ But with Republicans clearly turning women's health into a social wedge issue this election, we need to tell the millions of women voters just what's at stake—their health, their lives, and their choice—with a multi-part campaign in partnership with our friends at Ultraviolet.

Our creative team is ready to shoot a hard-hitting TV ad to kick off the campaign, but we need to have the funding ready to go. Can you help raise $175,000 to stop the GOP's war on women's health?

Yes, I'll chip in $5.

Republican attacks on women's health are almost too many to mention, but here are some of the lowlights:

'Let Women Die' Bill. House Republicans passed a bill that would allow hospitals that receive federal funds to deny patients access to abortion procedures, even if such a procedure is necessary to save a woman's life.⁶
Contraception. Just last week, Republican Congressman Darrell Issa chaired a hearing on President Obama's plan to provide contraception coverage to women, but blocked all testimony from women's health advocates.⁷
Redefining Rape. In a bill to prevent taxpayer funding for abortions, House Republicans tried to redefine rape as "forcible rape" only, which would exclude statutory rape and women who are drugged or verbally threatened.⁸
Forced Ultrasound. Republicans in the Virginia legislature have just passed a bill requiring women to have an invasive vaginal probe ultrasound before they're permitted to have an abortion.⁹

These attacks won't stop until those who lead them are made to pay a political price. If we tell women about the GOP's war on women's health, we can make Republicans pay that price. Can you contribute $5 to fight back against the GOP's war on women's health?

http://pol.moveon.org/donate/waronwomen.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=3

Thanks for all you do.

–Elena, Amy, Laura, Carrie, and the rest of the team

P.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has announced that the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee will convene to hear from one woman whose testimony was blocked by Congressman Issa, but Republican Dan Lundgren is refusing to allow her testimony to be recorded for public view.¹⁰ Click here to donate $5 and help make women's voices heard on women's health.

Sources:

1. "Gender Differences in Voter Turnout," Center for American Women and Politics, November 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271386&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=5

2. "Pelosi: GOP Offers The 'Most Comprehensive And Radical Assault On Women's Health In Our Lifetime,'" Think Progress, February 10, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271387&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=6

3. "Republicans to Continue Effort to Block Obama Contraceptive Rule," Bloomberg Businessweek, February 14, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271412&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=7

4. "Planned Parenthood Funding Blocked In House Vote," Huffington Post, February 18, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271388&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=8

"The GOP's 10 Most Extreme Attacks On A Woman's Right To Choose An Abortion" Think Progress, December 27, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271220&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=9

5. "Komen decision illustrates political battle over Planned Parenthood," NBC Politics, February 3, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271389&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=10

6. "House GOP Proposes So-Called 'Let Women Die' Bill That Lets Hospitals Deny Life-Saving Care," Think Progress, October 12, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271390&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=11

"The GOP's 10 Most Extreme Attacks On A Woman's Right To Choose An Abortion" Think Progress, December 27, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271220&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=12

7. "Rep. Darrell Issa Bars Minority Witness, a Woman, on Contraception," ABC News, February 16, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271406&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=13

8. "Legislative proposal puts abortion rights supporters on alert," The Washington Post, February 1, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271391&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=14

9. "Anti-abortion bills spark heated debate in Virgina," CBS News, February 15, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271410&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=15

10. "House Democrats To Hear Birth Control Testimony From Woman Rejected By GOP," The Huffington Post, February 21, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=271407&id=36071-19148747-IMcf0gx&t=16

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

Fwd: Lobbyists are picking our pockets!

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:46:34 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 11:00
Subject: Lobbyists are picking our pockets!

As the deadline nears for health insurance companies to return nearly $1.4 billion to consumers for wasting our money, the lobbyists have moved in to stop it.

Two bills have surfaced in Congress to undermine our rebates, putting most of the money we deserve right back into insurance company pockets!

We're not going to let the lobbyists have their way. And we need you, and anyone you know who's concerned about skyrocketing health insurance costs, to join us.

Tell Congress: Hold the health insurance companies accountable. It's our money!

One of the most pro-consumer rules in the national health reform law is aimed squarely at how insurance companies spend our money. If an insurance company spends more than 20 percent of our premium dollars on their CEO salaries, paperwork, marketing and sales costs, we get a rebate, or lower rates.

The deadline for the first round of rebate checks is August 1. And it's estimated insurers owe 9 million Americans nearly $1.4 billion! That's a REAL incentive for companies to tighten their belts and get costs under control – just like the rest of us are having to do.

We're launching a nationwide campaign to support this common-sense rule in health reform and prevent it from being gutted by lobbyists and others. If you've ever been frustrated by a health insurance company that seems accountable to no one, now is the time to speak out.

Send your message now! It's time consumer voices drown out the lobbyists!

This is shaping up as an epic battle, because we know the insurance companies don't want to give our money back. Please take action, and stay engaged with us as we continue to fight for value in health insurance.

Sincerely,
DeAnn Friedholm, PrescriptionforChange.org
Consumers Union, Policy and Action from Consumer Reports
1101 17th Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

Fwd: Money and Democracy Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:34:32 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 18:48
Subject: Money and Democracy Update

an e-newsletter about the movement to curb corporate influence in politics and restore our democracy

Issue #96 • February 10, 2012

"Money and Democracy Update" is Public Citizen's weekly e-newsletter about the intersection of money and politics. It is part of our ongoing campaign to track the results of — and ultimately overturn — the U.S. Supreme Court's reckless decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which allows for-profit corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to support or attack political candidates. We'll update you regularly with select news stories and blog posts, legislative developments and ways to get involved.

Stunning Statistics of the Week:

Ten thousand dollars: The amount people had to raise to participate in a "policy roundtable" at a Washington, D.C., fundraiser for GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney this week
Twenty-five hundred dollars: The amount people at the event were charged for having their photo taken with Romney
One thousand dollars: Price of admission to the reception

Strange but true: Jack Abramoff makes a splash at Public Citizen
Yes, yes, we know, it was very strange. Notorious ex-superlobbyist Jack Abramoff at Public Citizen?! It happened this week, and oh boy, did Abramoff's appearance make a splash. Read some of the coverage and watch the video.

25,000 people say: Obama, fix the FEC
A petition on the White House website calling for President Barack Obama to nominate new commissioners to the deadlocked Federal Election Commission (FEC) has garnered 25,000 signatures – enough to prompt the administration to respond.

Obama reverses stance on Super PACs
Putting pragmatism over principle, President Barack Obama has reversed his stance against using Super PACs to benefit his race and is now encouraging donors to give to a Super PAC that is backing his re-election campaign. Reaction has been swift and negative. "The president's engagement in the Super PAC arms race virtually ensures we will witness the nastiest campaign in memory," Public Citizen President Robert Weissman said.

But Obama is for a constitutional amendment
President Barack Obama supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court case that said corporations can spend as much as they want to influence elections. This is according to a blog post by Jim Messina, Obama's campaign manager.

House GOP leadership weakens STOCK Act
What a sorry – but telling – display. The Republican leadership's weakening of legislation banning congressional insider trading reflects its commitment to the financial industry interests that do not want anyone to know about the trading activities they engage in – activities that are based on insider knowledge gleaned in the halls of Congress. The House bill, which doesn't prohibit trading by these political intelligence consultants, must be reconciled with a stronger Senate version, which does.

Take two: DISCLOSE Act is reintroduced
A new DISCLOSE Act has been introduced in Congress. Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), this version would require more timely disclosure of donors by Super PACs, extend disclosure requirements to other groups that make political expenditures and currently evade disclosure altogether, and require ads to include the identity of major donors. You may recall that the original DISCLOSE Act was killed by the GOP in 2010.

Dollars and Cents (even more news bites):

... Nothing like winning to boost fundraising. GOP presidential contender Rick Santorum raised one million dollars in the 24 hours after he won contests in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri ...

... Montana's Supreme Court says the state's ban on corporate spending in elections will stay in force while the challengers' effort to seek review by the U.S. Supreme Court remains in the works ...

... Harold Simmons, the Texas billionaire who helped pay for the infamous Swift Boat attack ads, has poured more than eight million dollars in the past six months into groups supporting GOP presidential contenders Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry, as well as American Crossroads, a Karl Rove co-founded PAC ...

... Voters in the District of Columbia are one step closer to seeing a measure on the November ballot that would ban corporate donations to city candidates ...

... As if things weren't weird enough, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has released a tongue-in-cheek video that promotes the DISCLOSE Act by taking digs at comedian Stephen Colbert for his Super PAC activity. One of her lines: "I hear he doesn't even like kittens" ...

Visit DemocracyIsForPeople.org to learn more!

24 hours to stop Keystone XL

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:23:17 PST

We have 24 hours to stop the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

The Senate could vote as early as Tuesday on a deal that would greenlight construction of the pipeline. After President Obama rejected Keystone XL last month, many Senators are rushing to resurrect it in order to protect their friends, Big Oil. As you read this, the oil industry is tightening the screws on the remaining Senators they need to get this thing passed.

Please join me in signing the petition urging Senators to block any efforts to revive the dangerous Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

Sign here:http://action.citizen.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9509

Stop unwanted Internet tracking of children!

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:46:16 PST

Today Americans across the nation are writing and calling their members of Congress with a simple request: Stop Internet companies from secretly tracking children online!

If you can lend your voice to this important national effort, take a moment to send an email now by going to Consumers Union's website.

It's been 13 years since Congress passed an Internet privacy bill for kids, and the law hasn't kept pace with technology. Today kids' encounter secret tracking cookies planted in their computers, smartphones that watch their locations, and targeted ads and marketing while they're online.

This bipartisan bill would update the law to give parents the tools they need to opt their kids out of this tracking and marketing. Please join me by adding your voice of support today.

http://bit.ly/A7l1Ch

Weave (Web-based Analysis and Visualization Environment)

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:12:48 PST

This looks really neat!!!!!!! Must find a use for it.

Quotes:

Weave (Web-based Analysis and Visualization Environment)

This message was sent to you by Ali Nabavi via Diigo

Fwd: News from The Hill: Senate approves bill banning insider trading by lawmakers

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:50:23 PST

See the part about the unethical practices they continue to permit.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Hill <news@thehill.com>
Date: Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 18:49
Subject: News from The Hill: Senate approves bill banning insider trading by lawmakers

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

News from The Hill:

Senate approves bill banning insider trading by lawmakers, 96-3
By Alexander Bolton and Josiah Ryan

The Senate voted 96 to 3 Thursday to prohibit members of Congress from using non-public information for personal financial gain but beat back a slew of amendments to further limit congressional perks.

The Senate action puts pressure on House Republicans to pass similar legislation to quell allegations of congressional self-dealing at a time when Congress's approval rating is at an all-time low.

Read the story here.

For all the latest news:
Visit TheHill.com
Follow @TheHill on Twitter
Like The Hill on Facebook
Connect with The Hill on Google+

Fwd: On the Saga of the Sopa Battle: We need your help

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:52:30 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 17:06
Subject: On the Saga of the Sopa Battle: We need your help

The Motion Picture Association of America, through its President, former Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), astonished us all last week. Twice.

The first time was in an interview with Fox News about the successful effort of millions to stop Congress from passing the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA). As Dodd said:

Those who count on quote 'Hollywood' for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who's going to stand up for them when their job is at stake. Don't ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don't pay any attention to me when my job is at stake.

Then, when the Internet erupted in outrage at this obvious quid-pro-quo threat, the MPAA astonished us again. What's the big deal, the lobbyist organization asked. "Dodd was merely making the obvious point that people support politicians whose views coincide with their own." By which they mean "people $upport politician$ who$e view$ coincide with their own."

Now of course, any one close to DC recognizes that games like this go on all the time. As former super lobbyist (and now, ex con) Jack Abramoff explains in his fantastic book, Capitol Punishment, the games these lobbyists play

are really nothing but bribes. Sure, it's legal ... Sure, everyone in Washington does it. Sure, it's the way the system works. It's one of Washington's dirty little secrets — but it's bribery just the same.

Yet usually, the lobbyists at least have the decency to hide this form of legalized bribery. Usually, they are not so crass. (Or inept, for what politician can now flip his vote back to the MPAA's side?)

Lots of people are now jumping on Dodd, and demanding a response. A petition at the White House's "We, The People" site, for example, calls on the the government to investigate the MPAA for "bribery." And Free Press is sponsoring a petition calling on the top recipients of MPAA money to return the cash. "Congress," the petition says, "must make it clear to the world that it won't be bullied into supporting censorship."

But Rootstrikers recognize that the bullying of Congress won't stop just because one lobbyist gets punished. So long as the tiniest slice of America funds the bulk of congressional campaigns — .26% give more than $200 to a congressional campaign, .05% max out to any candidate, and .01% (that's 1 out of 10,000) give more than $10,000 in an election cycle — Congress will be bullied. And that doesn't even begin to address the new bullies on the block — aka, the SuperPACs.

We need something more than tiny solutions to massive problems. The bullying won't end until elections are publicly funded. And more of us — including the activist organizations that we all support — must begin to say this, loudly and clearly.

So here's what we need you to do: If, as Thoreau wrote, "there are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root," then help us find our 307,000 American "rootstrikers." We need you to share this email with your friends, and recruit them to join us here. You know we're a low burden org. We try to keep costs low, and ask for money really infrequently. But we need the 300 thousand! Help us get to that goal?

And thank you for everything you're doing (or all that you will do!)

Jobs, Jobs and Cars - NYTimes.com

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:55:29 PST

Quotes:

Jobs, Jobs and Cars - NYTimes.com
A big report in The Times last Sunday laid out the facts. Although Apple is now America's biggest U.S. corporation as measured by market value, it employs only 43,000 people in the United States, a tenth as many as General Motors employed when it was the largest American firm.

And Chinese manufacturing isn't the only conspicuous example of these advantages in the modern world. Germany remains a highly successful exporter even with workers who cost, on average, $44 an hour — much more than the average cost of American workers. And this success has a lot to do with the support its small and medium-sized companies — the famed Mittelstand — provide to each other via shared suppliers and the maintenance of a skilled work force.

He got his facts wrong, but he did, unintentionally, manage to highlight an important philosophical difference between the parties. One side believes that economies succeed solely thanks to heroic entrepreneurs; the other has nothing against entrepreneurs, but believes that entrepreneurs need a supportive environment, and that sometimes government has to help create or sustain that supportive environment.

And the view that it takes more than business heroes is the one that fits the facts.

This message was sent to you by Ali Nabavi via Diigo

Fwd: FW: E-Newsletter 01-24-2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:50:08 PST

From Eleanor Holmes Norton:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Jan 25, 2012 at 07:44
Subject: Fwd: FW: E-Newsletter 01-24-2012

Opposing a New Anti-Home-Rule, Anti-Choice, Anti-Federalist Bill. Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, has introduced a bill that would ban all abortions in the District after 20 weeks, with very limited exceptions. Only one week into the second session of the 112th Congress, House Republicans have broadened congressional attacks on the District to include all women who live here with the "District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act." The bill would prohibit such abortions in only one local jurisdiction, the District of Columbia. We do not intend to succumb to the insatiable Republican obsession with interfering with the rights of women in our city. There can be no justification for denying the federal taxpaying residents of the nation's capital the same constitutional rights as other American citizens.

Fwd: An ethical iPhone 5?

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:35:33 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 07:53
Subject: An ethical iPhone 5?
To: SHLONCK

Working conditions in Apple factories in China and other developing countries are abysmal.

Sign the petition to Apple - "The quality of working conditions matters as much as the quality of your products. Make the iPhone 5 and your other products ethically."

Dear SHLONCK,

Every day, tens of millions of people will swipe the screens of their iPhones to unlock them.

On the other side of the world, a young girl is also swiping those screens. In fact, every day, during her 12+ hour shifts, six days a week, she repetitively swipes tens of thousands of them. She spends those hours inhaling n-hexane, a potent neurotoxin used to clean iPhone glass, because it dries a few seconds faster than a safe alternative. After just a few years on the line, she will be fired because the neurological damage from the n-hexane and the repetitive stress injuries to her wrists and hands make her unable to continue performing up to standard.

I love Apple products as much as anyone else. I'm typing this on a Macbook, and I want to buy an iPhone 5 when it comes out. But like many consumers, I don't want my money to support thousands of workers' rights violations like this one that investigative journalists are reporting extend throughout Apple's supply chain.

Click here to sign the petition to Apple's CEO Tim Cook, telling him to make an ethical iPhone 5 and improve working conditions for workers in all Apple factories.

Right now we have a huge opportunity as ethical consumers: The launch of the iPhone 5 later this year will be new Apple CEO Tim Cook's first big product rollout, and he can't afford for anything to go wrong -- including negative publicity around how Apple's suppliers treat their workers. That's why we're launching a campaign this week to get Apple to overhaul the way its suppliers treat their workers in time for the launch of the iPhone 5.

Can Apple do this? Absolutely. Apple is the richest company in the world, posting a profit margin for the last quarter of 42.4% yesterday. They're sitting on $100 billion in the bank. According to an anonymous Apple executive quoted in the New York Times, all Apple has to do is demand it, and it'll happen - "Suppliers would change everything tomorrow if Apple told them they didn't have another choice."

Click here to sign the petition to Apple's CEO, telling him to make the iPhone 5 the first ethically produced iPhone, and improve working conditions for workers in all Apple factories.

- Taren, Kaytee, Claiborne and the rest of the team

For further reading:

New York Times, In China, Human Costs Are Built Into an iPad, 25 January 2012
Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour, Foxconn and Apple Fail to Fulfill Promises: Predicaments of Workers After the Suicides, 6 May 2011
This American Life, Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory, 6 January 2012

time logger

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:22:14 PST

2012-01-26 16:24:26,jill,
2012-01-26 16:24:00,jill,
2012-01-26 16:23:44,jill,
2012-01-26 16:23:02,jill,
2012-01-26 16:22:12,jill,
2012-01-26 16:21:29,jill,
2012-01-26 16:20:44,jill,
2012-01-26 16:20:10,jill,
2012-01-26 16:19:34,jill,
2012-01-26 16:19:18,jill,

Fwd: [MPD-2d] Safety Alert - Serious Injuries Triple for Headphone-Wearing Pedestrians Across US

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:18:58 PST

Here's multitasking for you. (See the last paragraph.)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Jan 19, 2012 4:55 AM
Subject: [MPD-2d] Safety Alert - Serious Injuries Triple for Headphone-Wearing Pedestrians Across US
To: "MPD-2d@yahoogroups.com" <MPD-2d@yahoogroups.com>

FOX News … USA

BALTIMORE – Serious injuries involving pedestrians wearing headphones have more than tripled since 2004, a U.S. study showed.

Researchers from the University of Maryland found that people often were hit by vehicles because their music blocked out horns or sirens alerting them to danger.

In 70 percent of cases, the headphone-wearing pedestrians died as a result of the injuries they sustained from being hit by traffic.

The researchers studied the data of 116 accidents involving pedestrians wearing headphones between 2004 and 2011. The number of incidents rose from 16 in 2004 to 47 in 2011.

"Everybody is aware of the risk of cell phones and texting in automobiles, but I see more and more teens distracted with the latest devices and headphones in their ears," lead author Dr. Richard Lichenstein said. "Unfortunately, as we make more and more enticing devices, the risk of injury from distraction and blocking out other sounds increases."

The study, published in the journal Injury Prevention, found that young men were most at risk, with 68 percent of the 116 victims being male and 67 percent under the age of 30.

Lichenstein and his team said that the distraction of the music causes "inattentional blindness," when multiple stimuli fed to the brain divide its mental resource allocation.

Fwd: Why is the Internet on strike today?

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:53:24 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mozilla Firefox <mozilla@awesomeness.mozilla.org>
Date: Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 08:21
Subject: Why is the Internet on strike today?

	Trouble viewing? Read this in your browser. From Mozilla, a non-profit organization and developer of Firefox

Today, Mozilla is joining the virtual strike against Internet censorship – along with others like Wikipedia and Google – to raise awareness of US Congress legislation that could fundamentally alter the Internet we know and love.

This harmful legislation, called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate, will be voted on as early as January 24th in the Senate.

If you live in the US, there's still time to help stop these bills from becoming law. Please visit mozilla.org/sopa for information on the bill, and on ways you can reach out to your senators.

What makes this legislation so bad? Here's how it would change the Web:

Communication platforms – from YouTube to Facebook to Amazon – could be shut down if a single rights holder alleges a violation.
It would make the Web less stable and less secure.
Social networking sites, like Twitter or Facebook, could be forced to track and control user behavior, stunting innovation and undermining free expression.
Your Internet provider could be required to inspect all of your traffic and browsing.

Visit mozilla.org/sopa right now for information – and make your voice heard before it's too late.

Please join today's strike, and help protect the Internet.

Sincerely,

Jane & Winston
Editors

Help spread the word

Thanks for Reading!

Fwd: Common Cause December 2011 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:09:39 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Common Cause Newsletter" <newsletter@commoncause.org>
Date: Dec 16, 2011 11:02 AM
Subject: Common Cause December 2011 Newsletter
To: "Ali Nabavi" <commoncause@hourback.info>

DECEMBER 2011

ACCOMPLISHING GREAT THINGS TOGETHER

A Washington Post story earlier this year, partially headlined "Uncommonly Foreceful," said this about Common Cause:

"Common Cause has long been something of a nerd among the jocks. While other activists staged loud demonstrations and nervy stunts, the 40-year-old good-government group was more likely to hold a forum on filibuster reform or the vagaries of redistricting. But suddenly Common Cause is manning the barricades, leading a rowdy campaign by liberal groups decrying the outsized role of big money in US politics."

Here's a look at some of our hard-won successes this year.

Common Cause Uncloaked the Kochs, raising the veil of secrecy around Charles and David Koch, billionaire brothers who, while amassing one of America's largest fortunes, built and fund a vast political network that actively undermines the public interest in a cleaner environment, health care reform, energy independence and climate change. Common Cause helped convene national media and 1,500 peaceful activists outside of a Koch secretive political strategy session near Palm Springs, Calif., and continues to highlight the brothers as poster children for the dangers of self-interested corporate money in our democracy.

Common Cause uncovered a Supreme Conflict in the incomplete federal financial disclosure forms of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who failed to report the source of his wife's income for 13 years, from 1997-2009. Thomas blamed misunderstood filing instructions for the lapse, even though he had accurately filed reports for up to seven years before that. During Thomas' lapse in reporting, his wife, Virginia, collected a healthy income from organizations with business before the Supreme Court. Common Cause then launched a campaign to bring the Supreme Court under the same ethics rules followed by all other federal judges. We continue to dedicate significant legal and policy resources to keep the issue in the spotlight.

Common Cause successfully defended and strengthened public financing programs. In North Carolina, Common Cause saved a judicial public financing program from elimination. In Los Angeles, Common Cause worked to win a referendum with 70 percent of the vote that strengthened the city's public finance system. In New Mexico, Common Cause defended state and local public financing systems from attack, developing targeted fixes in response to a recent court decision. Common Cause Connecticut fought back against efforts to defund and consolidate the state's landmark public financing program.

In California, Common Cause succeeded in championing legislation that will allow state voters to register online to vote in the 2012 presidential election.

Common Cause Maryland played a lead role in helping to pass legislation requiring corporations and unions that spend $10,000 or more to elect or defeat a candidate or ballot initiative to report that spending. The same bill also contained a first-in-the-nation provision requiring corporations and unions to let their shareholder or members know about their spending. Both provisions are models for other states seeking to mitigate the influence of corporate money in elections in the wake of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision. (At left, Common Cause Maryland Executive Director Susan Wichmann--top row, middle--stands with Gov. Martin O'Malley and lawmakers at the bill signing ceremony.)

A grassroots campaign against corporate money in politics that started in Minnesota went all the way to Pennsylvania when Common Cause protested corporations like Target Corp. spending their profits to influence elections. A barrage of questions at Target's annual shareholders' meeting about why profits were spent on politics prompted an exasperated Target CEO to ask: "Are there any questions related to something else?"

In Rhode Island, Common Cause led a successful fight for greater legislative transparency, leading to legislative votes being put online for the first time in history.

In Colorado and California, Common Cause joined coalition partners to pass measures calling for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution stating that corporations are not people. In Boulder, Colorado, a ballot measure passed with 74 percent of the vote. In Los Angeles, the city council passed a similar resolution.

Common Cause fought back efforts to restrict voting access in 2012. In North Carolina, Common Cause beats back attempts to eliminate same-day voter registration, Sunday voting, and reduce the length of early voting. We also convinced the governor to veto a voter ID bill passed earlier in the year by the legislature. In the wake of an intensive misinformation campaign in New Mexico, Common Cause organized a high-profile media campaign to challenge unsubstantiated claims by the secretary of state that undocumented immigrants were voting in state elections.

A proposed bill in Hawaii would have allowed legislators to accept gifts up to $200 each, under circumstances where it might be reasonably inferred that the gift is intended to influence. Common Cause successfully blocked this bill, which also included other major loopholes in ethics laws that would have allowed legislators and state employees to accept lavish gifts from special interests.

Seeking to increase participation and engage new audiences, Common Cause expanded outreach efforts to target younger generations whose voices are integral to national debates. As a sponsor of Power Shift, the nation's largest grassroots training weekend, Common Cause engaged nearly 10,000 activists on issues like the connections between environmental policy and the corrupting influence of money in politics. Common Cause brought its message through educational workshops, group and individual engagement, and in a direct action at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of BP, where details about climate change and corporate political spending created a powerful platform for protest. Common Cause is committed to reaching out to younger people across the country, and through the support of individual donors, we hired our first national youth outreach coordinator.

THANK YOU

We couldn't have done it without you -- members and activists who inspire us every day with your passion for holding power accountable. We're grateful for your support. Please help us achieve even more in 2012 by making a special year-end contribution today.

Common Cause is a national nonpartisan organization with chapters in 35 states. Our mailing address is 1133 19th Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20036. Our phone number is (202) 833-1200.

Remove yourself from this mailing.

Democracy Is For People

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:11:36 PST

Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its perverse ruling in Citizens United v. FEC. Because of that decision, political spending by corporations like BP, Goldman Sachs, Monsanto and Halliburton is legally the same thing as speech by living, breathing people like you and me.

Corporations are not people. Democracy is for people.

Add your name to the petition for a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling to prevent a corporate takeover of our democracy.

Go to www.DemocracyIsForPeople.org.

Public Citizen Is Doing Good Work on Our Behalf

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:36:35 PST

Public Citizen is keeping an eye on Washington -- and beyond -- for us.
Sign up to receive their activist newsletter, Citizen Direct, and their regular action updates:
http://action.citizen.org/signUp.jsp. You'll find out how we can take back our democracy.

Fwd: Local Business Alert: District officials woo Microsoft for St. Elizabeths east campus

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:34:10 PST

Sounds hilarious.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "The Washington Post" <newsletters@email.washingtonpost.com>
Date: Dec 13, 2011 1:54 PM
Subject: Local Business Alert: District officials woo Microsoft for St. Elizabeths east campus
To: <washingtonpost@hourback.info>

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 1:53:33 PM

LOCAL BUSINESS ALERT

District officials woo Microsoft for St. Elizabeths east campus

District Mayor Vincent Gray's top economic development priority is to redevelop the east campus of St Elizabeths hospital and he is trying to convince tech giant Microsoft to join the effort.

Gray's economic development team wants Microsoft to commit to opening an "innovation hub" in Southeast D.C. on the 170-acre city-owned property across the street from where the U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to consolidate its headquarters in the Congress Heights neighborhood.

Read more at:
http://wapo.st/szkMhA

Or visit PostBusiness.com or Capital Business.



SEND TO A FRIEND	UNSUBSCRIBE	E-MAIL CENTER	GET HELP

Washington Post Digital E-mail Customer Care 1150 15th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20071		©2011 The Washington Post Privacy Policy

Google being evil?

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:45:36 PST

Hi,

Right now we have a huge opportunity to deal a serious blow to one of
Washington's most powerful lobbies, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. At
Google headquarters, employees are intensely debating whether Google
should quit the Chamber in the next few weeks. Google quitting would be a
huge blow to the Chamber's credibility.

I signed a petition to Google employees to ask them to stand up for us and
our democracy by quitting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Will you join me?

http://civic.moveon.org/googlechamber1/?r_by=33547-19148747-xF_2Wxx&rc=googlechamber1_letter.email.g0

Thanks!

Fwd: Prevent a Traffic Nightmare - Save Transit Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:37:07 PST

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2011 at 09:00
Subject: Prevent a Traffic Nightmare - Save Transit Benefits

View this Message Online

Dear Ali ,

One year ago we asked you to take action to prevent federal transit benefits from being cut in half -- and we won! Now these benefits -- which defray the daily commute expenses of tens of thousands of area commuters -- are on the chopping block yet again.

Instead of a $230 per month pre-tax benefit for your transit costs, you will be eligible for just $120 per month. Those who drive and park would continue to receive a full $230 -- and might even receive $240. Talk about a recipe for even more traffic! If we are to have these pre-tax benefits at all, then there should at least be a fair and level playing field.

Please email your congressional representatives today, and let them know how important federal transit benefits are to you and our entire region.

If the benefit is allowed to expire, you could be paying a whole lot more out-of-pocket for transit starting in January. Even if you don't use transit, your commute would be affected by thousands who could decide to return to driving each day. Slashing transit benefits would cost us more in the long run as a region and as a country.

Using transit saves you money on commuting costs compared to car ownership at a time when transportation is the second largest expense for many households.
The transit benefit is a cost-effective way to increase transit use and decrease traffic. Since we don't have billions of dollars for new transportation projects, we can at least ensure that we set the right incentives to reduce traffic and congestion.
Our region's ability to compete depends on transit. Adding more traffic to our roads would mean lost worker productivity and would harm our economy.

Again, please take a moment to email your representatives to help save these important commuter benefits.

As always, thanks for your dedication and passion for smart investments that enhance the livability of our region. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

Sincerely,

Laura DeSantis
action@smartergrowth.net
Coalition For Smarter Growth

Received this from a friend? Sign up to receive alerts and news from CSG.

Fwd: News Alert: Justice Dept. moves to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:31:40 PDT

Holy F'n'S!!!!!! The system sort of barely works sometimes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Washington Post <newsletters@email.washingtonpost.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 31, 2011 at 11:22
Subject: News Alert: Justice Dept. moves to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger

----------------------------------------
News Alert: Justice Dept. moves to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger
August 31, 2011 11:21:27 AM
----------------------------------------

The U.S. Department of Justice sued to block AT&T's proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA, saying the deal would "substantially lessen competition" in the wireless market. The complaint was filed today in federal court in Washington.

http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/RRHKUP/OJT7FD/QFRUR5/DGVEIT/212MK/9A/h

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

Fwd: Cheney Makes Me Sick

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:13:05 PDT

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Progressive Magazine <noreply@progressive.org>
Date: Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 14:40
Subject: Cheney Makes Me Sick

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online.

Fix the idiotic tax system in the United States

noreply@blogger.com (Ali Nabavi) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:19:00 PDT

Hi,

Warren Buffett has as simple message for Congress: Stop coddling
the super-rich. I'm standing with Warren for higher taxes on the rich.

If we get 200,000 people to stand with Warren, MoveOn will deliver
Buffett's op-ed, along with all the signatures, to Congress. Will join me
and Warren?

http://civic.moveon.org/standwithwarren/?r_by=29985-4264168-fe2pnQx&rc=standwithwarren_letter.email.g0

Thanks!