> From: Rick Mitchell <ric...@dslextreme.com> > Date: July 17, 2011 10:36:42 PM PDT > To: jpip@googlegroups.com, hrfa@googlegroups.com, hrsa@googlegroups.com, pioi@googlegroups.com > Subject: [PIOI] Use of this group has been discontinued - join FWfromRi...@yahoogroups.com to continue receiving messages > Reply-To: r...@ricksandy.net
> Subject: Use of this group has been discontinued - join FWfromRi...@yahoogroups.com to continue receiving messages
> I am discontinuing the separate HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI groups which have been posted at Googlegroups, and I will now be posting everything at the FWfromRickM Yahoogroups site now. Yahoogroups allows for the inclusion of graphics, and I prefer to have graphics available for you in all emails I send out. I'll be selecting articles to forward based on both their importance and also whether I think you would enjoy and appreciate the content.
> I am combining my other groups (HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI – currently posted at Googlegroups) with the Yahoo site, because I like the Yahoo configuration better and wish to have graphic senabled. The address of the site is:
> If you'll go to that site and click on "Join This Group!" it will take your info and you'll start receiving emails or daily digests (sometimes I send a lot of emails and the digest simply combines them into one daily package).
> Thank you! I will try to limit the number of emails sent to respect your interests, time, and energy!
> If you received this message by email, it is because you are subscribed to the Google Groups and have elected to receive emails.
> When you join the new group, indicate if you want to get an individual email for each message posted. Alternatives are: a summary of new activity each day, OR a daily Digest Email (Approximately 1 email per day), with up to 25 full new messages bundled into each email sent, OR No Email (read at website only).
Subject: Use of this group has been discontinued - join FWfrimEi...@yahoogroups.com to continue receiving messages
I am discontinuing the separate HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI groups which have been posted at Googlegroups, and I will now be posting everything at the FWfromRickM Yahoogroups site now. Yahoogroups allows for the inclusion of graphics, and I prefer to have graphics available for you in all emails I send out. I'll be selecting articles to forward based on both their importance and also whether I think you would enjoy and appreciate the content.
I am combining my other groups (HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI – currently posted at Googlegroups) with the Yahoo site, because I like the Yahoo configuration better and wish to have graphic senabled. The address of the site is:
If you'll go to that site and click on "Join This Group!" it will take your info and you'll start receiving emails or daily digests (sometimes I send a lot of emails and the digest simply combines them into one daily package).
Thank you! I will try to limit the number of emails sent to respect your interests, time, and energy!
HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI sites at Googlegroups are closing and will be combined with FWfromRickM@ yahoogroups.com site. Please join to continue receiving.
Subject: HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI sites at Googlegroups are closing and will be combined with FWfromRickM@ yahoogroups.com site. Please join to continue receiving.
I am discontinuing the separate HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI groups which have been posted at Googlegroups, and I will now be posting everything at the FWfromRickM Yahoogroups site now. Yahoogroups allows for the inclusion of graphics, and I prefer to have graphics available for you in all emails I send out. I'll be selecting articles to forward based on both their importance and also whether I think you would enjoy and appreciate the content.
I am combining my other groups (HRFA, HRSA, JPIP, and PIOI – currently posted at Googlegroups) with the Yahoo site, because I like the Yahoo configuration better and wish to have graphic senabled. The address of the site is:
If you'll go to that site and click on "Join This Group!" it will take your info and you'll start receiving emails or daily digests (sometimes I send a lot of emails and the digest simply combines them into one daily package).
Thank you! I will try to limit the number of emails sent to respect your interests, time, and energy!
> From: "Dominick" <domin...@sonic.net> > Date: July 15, 2011 8:43:04 PM PDT > To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> > Subject: JUST IN CASE ANYONE HAS BEEN MISINFORMED
> ......JUST IN CASE ANYONE HAS BEEN MISINFORMED ...... > Obama has:
> - Created more private sector jobs in 2010 than during entire Bush years.
> - Signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, giving the FDA the authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of tobacco for the first time.
> - Signed New START Treaty - nuclear arms reduction pact with Russia.
> - Increased average fuel economy standards from 27.5mpg to 35.5mpg, starting in 2016.
> - Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers.
> - Launched recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, providing transparency and allowing the public to report fraud, waste, or abuse.
> - Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America's Veterans.
> - Signed the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, which provides health care to 11 million kids -- 4 million of whom were previously uninsured.
> - Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis.
> - Increased minority access to capital.
> - Established Credit Card Bill of Rights, preventing credit card companies from imposing arbitrary rate increases on customers.
> - Health Care Reform Bill, preventing insurance companies from denying insurance because of a pre-existing condition.
> - Health Care Reform Bill, allowing children to remain covered by their parents' insurance until the age of 26.
> - Tax cuts for up to 3.5 million small businesses to help pay for employee health care coverage.
> - Expansion of Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level.
> - Significantly increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act.
> - Eliminated subsidies to private lender middlemen of student loans and protect student borrowers.
> - Increased funding for national parks and forests by 10%
> - Significantly expanded Pell grants, which help low-income students pay for college.
> - Expanded hate crime law in the US to include sexual orientation through the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
> - Signed financial reform law prohibiting banks from engaging in proprietary trading (trading the bank's own money to turn a profit, often in conflict with their customers' interests).
> - Cut prescription drug cost for medicare recipients by 50%
> - Provided $12.2 Billion in new funding for Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. > and these are just a few. > The rest are here in their entirety. Lest we forget just how much this administration had on its plate to keep this country from going right down the tubes to the delight of the right wing Republican/Tea Party ~ > An independent, ongoing web site of The Obama’s administration’s accomplishments to date: http://owiki.shoq.us/ which included more accomplished than by any other President in this country in less than three years.
> From: "Organic Consumers Association" <ronniecumm...@organicconsumers.org> > Date: July 14, 2011 7:19:07 AM PDT > To: "Rick Mitchell" <ri...@usa.net> > Subject: Organic Bytes: An Urgent Appeal > Reply-To: "Organic Consumers Association" <ronniecumm...@organicconsumers.org>
> UNSUBSCRIBE | SUBSCRIBE & READ PAST ISSUES | OCA HOMEPAGE | DONATE
> An Urgent Appeal > #285, July 14, 2011
> Dear Friend of the Organic Consumers Association,
> I'm writing you today to ask for help. This is only the second time in 13 years that OCA has had to put out an emergency fundraising appeal. OCA needs to step up our efforts to label genetically engineered foods and fight Monsanto, to preserve strict organic standards and expand the organic market, and to reverse global warming before it's too late, but we don't have the financial means to do so. Strategic staff and campaign efforts are in jeopardy. Last summer, we had to temporarily lay off staff and slash our already modest salaries. Right now, we are facing a similar financial crunch. We need to raise $75,000 from our subscribers over the next two weeks.
> The good news is that OCA and our allies are on the verge of launching the largest grassroots effort in our history. For those of us who were born into the Monsanto crime scene, who have never known a world uncontaminated with its chemicals, for those who have constantly been threatened with unlabeled Frankenfoods, we have reached a turning point. Our health, our lives, and our future depend upon putting an end to Monsanto's poisons, its seeds of destruction, its killing fields, its climate-destabilizing crops, and its factory farms.
> Monsanto has used its vast resources to buy off state legislators, Congress, and the White House with campaign contributions. Monsanto's lobbying dollars have been used to send its lawyers and scientists through the revolving door into jobs as government regulators. Monsanto's financial power has infiltrated state and federal governments, along with trade associations, universities, research institutions, philanthropic organizations, and media outlets.
> But there are two things Monsanto's money can't buy: Our trust, and our votes.
> OCA's Millions Against Monsanto campaign is launching a nationwide multi-year effort to let voters decide whether we need labels on foods produced with genetically modified organisms. We want to get GMO labels on the ballot in all of the 24 states that allow the ballot initiative process.
> The very encouraging news is that our organic food and farming revolution is growing steadily. OCA and our allies have managed to beat back most of corporate agribusiness' attempts to degrade organic standards, including a recent misguided attempt by large organic companies to accept "coexistence" with Monsanto. We have also recently put an end to factory farm dairy feedlots calling their products organic and are well on our way to eliminating organic labeling fraud in the body care sector.
> Consciousness is rising, but our public health, food, and climate crisis is metastasizing into a full-blown disaster. Monsanto and Food Inc. are increasing their stranglehold over the future of food and farming, apparently hell-bent on dragging us, along with the planet's life support systems, over the cliff with them.
> Please help us raise $75,000 as soon as possible. Last week, in response to our emergency appeal for funds, Organic Bytes readers sent us over $20,000 in donations. This week a generous subscriber from Pennsylvania has offered to match the first five thousand dollars of donations from our network members.
> So please: click here to make an online donation.
> Thank you for your support. Together we're going to build a sustainable, organic future for our children, our grandchildren, and ourselves.
> Regards and Solidarity,
> Ronnie Cummins, > Co-Founder and National Director, Organic Consumers Association
> Organic Consumers Association's summer fundraising drive has raised $20,000 to date. Help us reach our goal, and let our voices be heard!
> My liberal friends are hysterical about President Barak Obama’s failures to end the wars, cut salaries for executives, tax the rich, fix the debt and improve gay rights. What is it? Impatience, lack of faith, disappointments, frustration, or are they not willing to notice the enormous complexities facing each daily decision the president must make? Any president going into office faces a huge bureaucracy of military, government employees, the opposition party and huge pressures from foreign governments and lobbyists, all entrenched and protective of their turf. There is no such thing as a clean slate. Obama warned his cheering supporters that things were not going to be easy nor that change would happen quickly. He stepped into a huge mess.
> The president is under constant scrutiny and criticism from the press, the opposition party and disgruntled elements in his own party. He is also attacked by the simpleminded who fail to see the complexities and resistance to change in government and politics.
> The president is bringing down the wars and getting the troops home. He is grappling with the enormous debt and moving toward more and more recognition of homosexual rights. He has produced a medical plan for all Americans.
> I am disappointed that things have not moved faster to end the wars and provide LGBT rights. However, I fully support Barak Obama in his efforts to provide medical care for all. He handles the viciousness of the Republican Party and the Teabaggers who do not see that government is to help people enjoy “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” I will continue to support him and his efforts and marvel at his graciousness and humor in the light of the stonewalling of his policies by conservative forces in both parties.
> For solid liberals to moan and groan about Obama’s failures can only weaken the president’s efforts. To call him a one-term president undermines his authority and his reach for more time to carry out his policies. Certainly no Democrat or Republican waiting to be the next president will bring progress for caring for the poor, the sick, mortgage homeless, unemployment or providing health care. We have a good president working for the benefit of most of the people. He compromises, works diligently and moves the government forward for the good of all the people and not just for business and the rich.
> I hope other liberals will get off the President’s back and on his bandwagon to keep our government “for the people.” > Robert Warren Cromey > twocrom...@earthlink.net > 415-824-6321 > http://cromey.blogspot.com
> My autobiography Memoir RWC is available from Lulu.com
> From: "Dominick" <domin...@sonic.net> > Date: July 14, 2011 12:55:32 PM PDT > To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> > Subject: California Governor Jerry Brown signs gay history education bill | abc7news.com
> From: "Rick Jacobs, Courage Campaign" <i...@couragecampaign.org> > Date: July 14, 2011 1:13:35 PM PDT > To: "Rev. Rick Mitchell" <Rick.Mitch...@gmail.com> > Subject: 21 for 52 to keep insurance companies from screwing you > Reply-To: i...@couragecampaign.org
> Dear Rev. Rick, > Health insurance giants like Anthem and Kaiser want to spend you into poverty. They raise your insurance premiums anytime they want and then use that money to legally bribe politicians so that they'll have no regulation or accountability.
> That's why we need our people power to get 21 senators to vote for AB 52 -- the bill that regulates insurance giants -- and onto Governor Brown's desk.
> Contribute $21 now so that our people-powered campaign can continue with Facebook ads, direct action and keep the pressure on our elected officials.
> You have stopped Kaiser, Anthem and BlueCross twice and you can do it again. You got the Assembly to pass this bill. Your pressure got the Senate Health Committee to pass this bill.
> Now we have to double down to get this through the entire Senate. That means our senators have to hear from everyday Californians outraged by health insurance greed -- not fat-cat insurance lobbyists.
> Chip in $21 or whatever you can today to take this across the finish line.
> Courage Campaign is you. We hold the big guys accountable because we are the little guys -- but thankfully, there are a lot of us. Chip in so we're all heard.
> Thanks for all your work,
> Rick Jacobs > Chair and Founder, Courage Campaign
> To help keep Courage working on issues that matter to you, please chip in what you can today.
> The Courage Campaign is a multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country.
> From: "Anthony D. Romero, ACLU" <Executive_Direc...@aclu.org> > Date: July 14, 2011 12:05:40 PM PDT > To: ricksa...@ricksandy.net > Subject: Five states. Five lawsuits. > Reply-To: "Anthony D. Romero, ACLU" <Executive_Direc...@aclu.org>
> Dear Rick and Sandy,
> Before Arizona's notorious anti-immigrant SB1070 bill was even law, ACLU client Jim Shee — an American citizen — was stopped twice by police and asked to produce his "papers."
> There's only one reason Jim Shee was pulled over on his 70th birthday. He was a brown man in Arizona.
> Jim Shee — an American citizen of Chinese and Spanish descent — was driving to his 70th birthday party when he was questioned by police demanding to see his "papers." It happened again a few days later.
> This is precisely the kind of unwarranted, biased suspicion and racial profiling that Arizona's SB1070 law — and each of the copycat measures now sweeping the country — invites.
> But there are other things the laws invite — ACLU lawsuits. In fact, the ACLU has swiftly responded to every single bill that has passed with a lawsuit. We have already brought Arizona, Utah, Indiana, Georgia and Alabama to court and will do the same with South Carolina later this summer. This kind of racial profiling has no place in America.
> The ACLU is taking care of business in the states, but we need the Obama administration to do its part to stop the anti-immigrant activists from putting these laws on the books. Tell Attorney General Holder: There is no place in our country for "show me your papers" laws.
> These state laws reflect a growing civil rights crisis that must be addressed nationally. They institutionalize racial profiling and discrimination in states and localities throughout the nation and are in direct violation of the Constitution.
> We've won preliminary injunctions in Arizona, Utah, Indiana and Georgia to stop these laws from taking effect. And on Friday, we went to court in Alabama. Like laws passed in other states, Alabama's new statute doesn't just give police the authority to carry out discriminatory and unconstitutional practices. It actually requires that everyone in Alabama carry the right sort of ID card or else be presumed an undocumented immigrant.
> We don't intend to sit still for this kind of hateful legislation. And we are counting on you to not sit still, either. Tell Attorney General Holder: Stop these racial profiling laws.
> Don't let this massive erosion of people's fundamental rights go unanswered. Act today by signing our ACLU "No place for racial profiling" petition.
> From: "Roland Palencia, Equality California" <em...@eqca.org> > Date: July 14, 2011 1:54:04 PM PDT > To: "Rick Mitchell" <Ric...@Earthlink.Net> > Subject: BREAKING NEWS: Governor Brown Includes LGBT History in the Classroom > Reply-To: <em...@eqca.org>
> July 14, 2011
> Dear Rick,
> We did it! Governor Jerry Brown has just signed the FAIR Education Act (SB 48, Leno) into law. Together we have made certain that students across California will learn about the many contributions of the LGBT civil rights movement. This bill will also create a more welcoming environment for LGBT youth, as their rich history and legacy will be recognized.
> Time after time, negative stereotypes of LBGT people have been used by our opponents as a weapon to roll back our rights. Today, the inclusion of LGBT people in the school curriculum will help to tell the truth about our place in history and about our contributions.
> The FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act was attacked by every group that opposes our equality, including some national organizations like the American Family Association. But together we stood our ground and saw this bill signed into law. It’s not easy to stand against anti-equality forces, but thanks to the over 18,000 of you who have been contacting your legislators and the Governor for months, we succeeded. Our community owes its deepest thanks to Senator Leno, the bill’s author, and to Governor Brown and all of the legislators who supported the Act. We also owe our thanks to the bill’s other co-sponsor, the Gay-Straight Alliance Network, and to the many diverse organizations in the LGBT and ally communities who stepped forward to support this bill.
> Give today to help us fight back against those who stand in the way of equality and help us to continue to expand LGBT rights across California.
> It’s a long road to full equality. Our victory this morning is a huge step forward. We need your support to continue our journey for full equality.
> In solidarity,
> Roland Palencia > Executive Director > Equality California
> Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter > Equality California is dedicated to achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.
> Our work depends on individual financial contributions. Donate now using our secure website or download a donation form to send via fax or mail.
> Donations to EQCA support our political work and are therefore not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
> Standard & Poors says it could downgrade the U.S. credit rating in the next three months over the debt-ceiling impasse.
> The credit rating agency said in a statement Thursday it was placing the United States' sovereign rating on "CreditWatch with negative implications."
> "There is at least a one-in-two likelihood that we could lower the long-term rating on the U.S. within the next 90 days," the agency said.
> >+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= > See how a knowledgeable > Farmers Insurance agent can save you money. Click > here now. > http://www.farmers.com > >+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
> You have opted-in to receive this e-mail from CNN.com. To unsubscribe from Breaking News e-mail alerts, go to: http://cgi.cnn.com/m/clik?l=textbreakingnews > One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303 > (c) & (r) 2011 Cable News Network
> From: "Dominick" <domin...@sonic.net> > Date: July 13, 2011 9:14:54 AM PDT > To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> > Subject: President Obama, Act NOW on AIDS!
> Dear Family and Friends,
> I thought you might be interested in this AIDS Healthcare Foundation e-activism campaign. If you go to the URL below you can check out what is at stake and send your own message directly to President Obama to urge him to act NOW on AIDS.
This is a powerfully worded statement to Republican officials who continue their obstruction of fair and equitable tax policy -- insisting on favoritism for the wealthiest among the US population.
> From: "Dominick" <domin...@sonic.net> > Date: July 12, 2011 2:42:23 PM PDT > To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> > Subject: Posted this to Boehner and Cantor, now heading for McConnell
> Daniel Hough, from FB, wrote a great letter to Boehner, Cantor and also sending it to McConnell. I thought I'd share with my email list. Enjoy!! > Dominick > *********************** > A post to GOP congressmen and Senators...Posted this to Boehner and Cantor, now heading for McConnell
> by Daniel Hough on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 11:28am > "Your abject refusal to consider any form of revenue increases through closing tax loopholes and the elimination of tax breaks for the wealthy (of which I am one) confirms my worst fears about you and your colleagues; you do not care about the welfare of our country and of Americans, and you and your party now represent the greatest threat to our Democracy in a generation. Rest assured that I and millions of other like minded Americans will do all within our power to insure you are defeated and that the GOP is relegated to a permanent minority. Please do not call yourself an American or a Patriot because you are neither. What you are sir, is a traitor and someone who would rather see the destruction of our Democracy in the pursuit of the narrow interests of the wealthiest among us."
> From: "Dominick" <domin...@sonic.net> > Date: July 12, 2011 3:25:11 PM PDT > To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> > Subject: Thank you for fighting the Kochs.
> Dear Family and Friends, > The far-right billionaire Koch Brothers are at it again - and this time, they've taken aim at the entire east coast.
> The Kochs and their Tea Party-funding oil front group, Americans For Prosperity, are suing New York State for taking part in RGGI, a regional cap-and-trade effort that has forced polluters to pay, and raised $723 million in revenue for the state of New York. They're trying to argue it's illegal to make huge corporations ay for their pollution output, but it's more than fine for American non-corporate citizens to pay the bill.
> If this crumbles in New York, it's going to crumble across all the RGGI states across the east cost - and it'll be even tougher to challenge the Kochs in the future. We have got to stop this.
