Older blog entries for proclus (starting at number 2097)

9 May 2013 »

Protect Appalachia from Destructive Mountaintop Removal

As part of End Mountaintop Removal Week this week in Washington, D.C., Appalachian residents brought toxic water from their homes to the headquarters of the EPA and members of Congress.

Urging federal action to protect water quality from coal mining in Appalachia, citizens -- with the support of the Center and other groups like Alliance for Appalachia -- are calling on the EPA to develop a rule that would create strong water-quality standards. We're also urging Congress to put a moratorium on mountaintop-removal coal-mining permits until the impacts of pollution from the radical form of mining have been addressed.

Numerous studies have linked mountaintop removal with human illnesses and with deformities in downstream wildlife.

Take action today by contacting your representatives -- demand federal action to protect people and endangered species in Appalachia from mountaintop removal.

Take action here: http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY...

Syndicated 2013-05-09 19:27:00 (Updated 2013-05-09 19:27:42) from proclus

9 May 2013 »

Inner harbor - Baltimore, Maryland

Img_20130508_175821

There are certain things that I really like about Baltimore. One of them is Inner Harbor. Here is another shot through the pizza restaraunt window. This is my view for dinner this evening.

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

Syndicated 2013-05-08 23:59:00 (Updated 2013-05-08 23:59:56) from proclus

8 May 2013 »

Don't Koch the L.A. Times!

Tell the Tribune Company: Don't sell out journalism by selling your papers to the Koch brothers.
http://bit.ly/10EN13t

Syndicated 2013-05-08 20:26:00 (Updated 2013-05-08 20:26:46) from proclus

8 May 2013 »

Effort to Repeal the #Maryland Gun Ban is Underway - #2a #nra #rkba #tcot #tgdn #nraam #gunrights #molonlabe

logo Gun Owners of America

Effort to Repeal the Maryland Gun Ban is Underway

Good news!

You're probably aware of the Orwellian gun control package that was recently signed into law in Maryland - a law consisting of registration, confiscation and outright bans of certain firearms.

(These proposals were, ironically, signed within days of the repeal of Maryland's death penalty, thereby insuring that any future "Adam Lanzas" would be treated more leniently for shooting up a classroom of children.)

But if we can get only 18,000 signatures against the law by May 31, 2013, we will have started a process which suspends gun bans, gun registration, and gun confiscation for 17 months - and opens up the possibility that, in an "off-year," Maryland voters will repeal it.

To recap:

(1) The gun ban (Senate Bill 281) will ban large number of semi-automatic long guns, including 45 specified guns and any guns that look like them.

(2) The gun ban imposes a 10-round magazine ban, even though many firearms are made to accommodate larger magazines.

(3) The gun ban will establish a new handgun licensing requirement, which will require that you be fingerprinted like a common criminal.

(4) The gun ban will expand that list of people stripped of their Second Amendment rights - thus, leading to the confiscation of their guns.  And the new law would send you to jail if you fail to realize that a gun in your collection is missing.

But, if we can get 18,000 signatures on petitions by May 31 - and 55,000 by June 30 - this unconstitutional law will be suspended until November, 2014.  And we will have opened the door to a vote to repeal the law entirely.

The so-called "Free State" is among the least free states in the country.  But, in an off-year, buoyed by a huge conservative turn-out fueled by the messy phase-in of ObamaCare, plus a public reversion to fingerprinting private citizens, the "impossible" might just be doable in 2014.

ACTION:  Please download the petition at http://freestatepetitions.com.  Circulate it for signatures among your friends and neighbors.  And, if possible, make a contribution to help them get the 18,000 signatures they need by May 31.

And above all, make sure that you and your like-minded friends and family are registered to vote!  You can begin the process at the above URL.
Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will bounce back as undeliverable.
Please forward this e-mail to friends and family
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151		 703-321-8585
www.gunowners.org
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Syndicated 2013-05-08 19:52:00 (Updated 2013-05-08 19:52:33) from proclus

8 May 2013 »

Sign this to help save the #bees - #bee

Honey Bees are dying at an alarming rate, and this winter marked the worst losses by far. Last week, the European Union took a major step to protect our bee population – placing a two year ban on the pesticides thought to be responsible - but the U.S. is still finding excuses for inaction. Sign this petition urging the EPA to take action now:

http://act.credoaction.com/sign/eu_ban/?sp_ref=0000e0p9.4.75.e.0.2&referrer_akid=7850.2988458.wpROx2&source=e_sp

Syndicated 2013-05-08 19:43:00 (Updated 2013-05-08 19:43:41) from proclus

8 May 2013 »

Save Our Wildlife From Border Walls

Our elected representatives are finally ready to tackle the thorny issue of immigration reform. But some members of Congress are using this opportunity to push the same destructive, unhelpful border-security policies that have already caused massive damage to the lands at our borders, along with their people and wildlife.

We need your help to make sure immigration reform helps, instead of hurts, the biodiversity of our borderlands.

Current immigration reform proposals call for billions of dollars to expand the ineffective, wasteful, incredibly destructive border wall. They want the Department of Homeland Security to waive environmental review for wall-building and border-enforcement activities, and they want to push their agenda through without public input.

This could wreak real havoc, hurting wildlife, causing major flooding and erosion, and doing massive damage to national parks and refuges.

Please take action now to send a clear message to your senators: "No Walls, No Waivers."

Take action here: http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY...

Syndicated 2013-05-08 19:30:00 (Updated 2013-05-08 19:30:16) from proclus

6 May 2013 »

Stop the Sea Otter Slaughter

Alaska's famously charismatic sea otters are finally on a slow road to recovery. After they were almost wiped out by greedy hunters and trappers in the international fur trade, limits were placed on hunting -- allowing only Alaskan natives to hunt the otters, for their native handicrafts.

But the playful animals' recovery could quickly be derailed: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now trying to change the definition of handicrafts in a way that will likely lead to more sea otter killings.

Take action now to tell the Fish and Wildlife Service to stop its backdoor attempt at predator control -- it will hurt vulnerable sea otters.

Take action here: http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY...

Syndicated 2013-05-06 20:58:00 (Updated 2013-05-06 20:58:39) from proclus

6 May 2013 »

GOA reported a possible executive order to waive #HIPAA rules to seize guns. - #nra #tgdn #gunrights #2a #tcot #rights #privacy #molonlabe

Proposed HIPAA modifications are a blunt tool, which will lead
inevitably to violations of medical privacy, and wrongful gun
confiscations. Psychiatrists will be forced to carpet bomb the gun
rights all their patients in order to avoid undue liability. It is
wrong to violate gun rights and patient privacy by these
extra-judicial means. Most mental patients are not dangerous to
anyone. These proposals will aggravate mental illness stigma, and
people will avoid treatment. Rightful gun owners will be forced to
appeal their gun rights to the very people who don't think anyone
should have guns. These proposals wrongfully burden the exercise of
gun rights, which cannot be violated w/o due process and reasonable
cause. Violating privacy rights will only create more feelings of
hostility in mental health patients. Medical privacy intrusions leave
people vulnerable to many kinds of attacks. If we weaken HIPAA for
gun control, then all of our rights are in danger. Patients will be
referred for psychiatric care for invalid reasons in order to seize
their guns.

#GOA: Obama Administration Trying to Grab Guns Through Executive Order
http://bit.ly/12LtIab #nra #2a #tgdn #tcot #rkba #molonlabe

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

Syndicated 2013-05-06 20:38:00 (Updated 2013-05-06 20:38:59) from proclus

6 May 2013 »

Liberty Reservoir - #Baltimore #Maryland #biking #carfree

Here are some photos of Liberty Reservoir from the Liberty Road bridge. Woods, lake, river are all to be found here. There are some hills, and some would likely consider the bicycling to be a little advanced, so use care.

Use to Metro rail or 40 Quickbus to get you closer and maximize your time. There's a boat ramp and fishing, etc. It would be no surprise to find someone to rent you a boat. Swimming in season is sometimes found in the river areas to the south, although it is reportedly prohibited in the reservoir.

If you are looking for a little freedom outside the city, this is a great candidate. The west side of the lake is Carroll County, with Howard county in the Patapsco river valley to the south. Eldersberg has many amenities, and for the ambitious, you are almost half way to Frederick. I'm thinking of planning a trip from here to the Potomac river and its famous bike trail. ;-)