I AM TROY DAVIS

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 Global Day of Action for Troy Davis.

Troy Davis faces execution for the 1989 murder of Police Officer Mark MacPhail in the state of Georgia despite strong evidence to the contrary. Despite no murder weapon being reclaimed, no physical evidence linking Troy Davis to the crime, seven of the nine non-police officers recanting/contradicting their story, and the fact that other witnesses identified the shooter as Slyvester "Redd" Coles also the first person to implicate Davis his life remains in the balance.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former FBI Director William Sessions, Pope Benedict XVI, and Amnesty International just to name a few have all asked that Troy Davis' life be spared death by lethal injection and a new trial be set. To this day Davis has continued to be denied clemency by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. Throughout all of this, however, Georgia Governor Perdue still has the right to offer a commutal of Davis' death sentence.

Remember the victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans (1,836 deaths), Sean Bell (23 yrs old) father of one and soon to be newly wed husband shot down in cold blood on the eve of his wedding by the NYPD, Oscar Grant (22 yrs old) father of a 4 year old daughter shot down in San Fransico, CA, and the countless others whom we personally know, family members, friends, and those whose situations that we haven't even heard of.

What we can do to help Troy Davis. Click on the link below and do the following:

http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=12168

1. Participate in the Global Day of Action for Troy Davis
2. Help us create a massive Petition for Justice!
3. WATCH the video demanding justice for Troy Davis
4. SEND the message below to ask Georgia's Governor to support clemency for Troy Davis
5. FORWARD the video to a friend

"I was taught when there is something around you to change keep quiet you have nothing to complain about you have work to do. I'm a working person because I put in work and work with a purpose." -Mos Def

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EPA Holds Special Hearing on Greenhouse Gas emissions and Public Health

Today the Environmental Protection Agency is holding a special public hearing on the Agency's recent endangerment findings. These hearings stem from a April 2, 2007 decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007),

the Supreme Court found that greenhouse gases are air pollutants covered by the Clean Air Act. The Court held that the Administrator must determine whether or not emissions of greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare, or whether the science is too uncertain to make a reasoned decision. In making these decisions, the Administrator is required to follow the language of section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act. The Supreme Court decision resulted from a petition for rulemaking under section 202(a) filed by more than a dozen environmental, renewable energy, and other organizations.

Today's hearing is one of only two hearings in the nation on these findings. The public comments will be used by our homegirl Lisa Jackson! to decide what to do about Greenhouse gas emissions. For more information visit http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment.html

Written public comments will be taken until June 23,2009. Let's make sure the voices of the people and not big industry are the loudest!

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Reggae Artists to Lend Their Voices to Address Climate Change

Entertainers To Lend Their Voices For Climate Change Education
Category: Awareness

Article courtesy of thewickedesttime.com

A group of Jamaica's entertainers, among them Tony Rebel and Richie Ramsay, has expressed a willingness to use their voices to help educate the island's people about climate change and the threats it presents.

The commitment comes in the wake of a climate change workshop and field trip to Cascade Portland, hosted last Thursday, expressly to bring them up to speed on the dangers of a changing climate.

Those dangers, as outlined by presenter at the workshop Clifford Mahlung - a meteorologist and one of Jamaica's climate negotiations - include:

. increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as floods and storms;

. extinction of species of plants and animals;

. sea level rise; and

. changes in agriculture yield.

"I am going to try and sensitise people about what I learned," Tony Rebel said at the workshop, which attracted the participation of a group of more than 20 entertainers, climate specialists, journalists and other stakeholders.

Ramsay, a singer and songwriter, said that they would have their work cut out for them.

"People don't want to hear anything from singers/songwriters. It's all about the hype," he told the Sunday Observer.

Still, Ramsay said that he was undaunted.

"I am not shying away from it. I am here to make my voice heard if the platform is given. I do care and I would like to add my voice," said the man who also plays the guitar.

Already Ramsay has sought to do so, certainly insofar as it concerns raising people's awareness generally of the need to preserve the environment.

Mother Earth's Cry forms part of his 13-song album Riot & Revolution that was released at the beginning of 2007. In the song he asks: 'You're complaining that your water bill's too high but do you know how many rivers have run dry? Do you know how many trees have died? Do you know there's a hole in the sky?'

Wayne Wesley, of the 12 Tribes of Israel, has also noted his intent to spread the word on climate change.

"Trust me, I am very enlightened. I was aware that they were destroying our world, but this morning it became more clear," he said. "So we have to get it better now to benefit our seeds. Our young ones are the future so we have to try to get the message out there to them quickly."

Boom Dawn, also of the 12 Tribes of Israel, noted that she too would be looking to pen a few words in the interest of Mother Earth.

"Mi a guh build a tune about the environment. I have a song out called What's going on? and I am going to build an environmental tune off of it. It bad!" she told the Sunday Observer excitedly.

Panos Caribbean, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and the Met Office, last Thursday hosted the workshop and field trip to Cascade in Portland. It was the second workshop to be put on by the partners and forms a part of a broader national strategy to raise awareness on climate change. The campaign also includes, among other things, a media campaign and a school sensitisation programme.

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When Pigs Flu

First off is it Swine Flu or H1N1?...Can we make up our minds already?..
Or how about we change the name to fool the people into thinking that it's not as serious or to help out the declining pork industry to sell and not experience a recession like the rest of us.....
O.K. that'll work for now...

They said that America wouldn't have a black President until pigs fly...well guess what My President is Black and pigs flu.

Just in case you were living under a rock or in a cave for the past month the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus outbreak is an epidemic new strain of the flu virus that surfaced in April 2009. It's commonly referred to as the swine flu..(I told y'all pigs were evil).

Swine Flu the TRUE STORY (Top 10):

1. It's a epidemic new strain of the flu

2. Currently its in Phase 5 outbreak stage, meaning it's one level below an official pandemic

3. Even though its exact origin isn't known, it was first detected by officials between a link in Mexico, Texas, and California

4. Within days of this initial detection hundreds of cases were discovered in Mexico, the U.S., and other countries

5. According to the U.N.'s World Health Organization (WHO), based in Switzerland, there are 2,389 confirmed and 4,100 probable cases worldwide and between 44-100 deaths.

6. This new strain is a reassortment of four strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, according to the Center for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC), combining one endemic in humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs (swine)

7. The top three countries with the highest total overall swine cases in order from the top are Mexico, the U.S. (not far behind #1), and Canada...all Western hemisphere countries...

8. The last historical 2oth Century Flu Pandemic was the Hong Kong flu from 1968-69 which affected 50 million people and killed 34,000. (globalsecurity.org)

9. The first American case was diagnosed on April 14, 2009 in San Diego County, California from a person who fell ill on March 30. The second case was on April 17.

10. Several countries such as Serbia, Chinia, and Russia banned the import of pork products from North America, and on April 29 the Egyptian Government decided to kill all 300,000 pigs in Egypt....in 2008 the total worldwide pig population was a little over 152 million (152,000,000 +).

Just like lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and peanut butter....I'm sure there's nothing to worry about...right???...

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Eco-Jam of the Day and More on the Oprah Chicken Chaos

Fried Chicken - Nas

Thought this would be an appropriate song in honor of Queen O giving out free chicken from KFC. Even if you don't like KFC something about Oprah and free made you go print that coupon off yesterday. (Don't lie I got one too.)

Katie Leslie, reporter with the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes, "With a name like Oprah, this chicken has to be good." That must have been the sentiment of Kentucky Fried Chicken when it decided to partner up with the Media Goddess to promote their new Grilled Chicken meals. The promotional website unthinkkfc.com states that the new grilled chicken has a "five star fall off the bone taste." Health advocates are excited about the new meals because they are another less fattening fast food option.

Folk struggling from this ongoing recession praised the coupons and the complimentary meal of two pieces of chicken, two sides and a biscuit. Unfortunately, the overwhelming demand for the free deal left many unsatisfied. Fox News in New York City's website myfoxny.com,quoted one blogger as saying, "Nice gesture since I am unemployed and a free dinner would have been nice. I could not download the coupon." Myfoxny.com also reported on a possible sit-in at the KFC on 42nd street in Manhattan. Gothamist.com blogger wrote to the station,"I went over to our nearest KFC a few minutes ago...and chaos ensued. Despite the very visible grilled chicken behind the register, the manager told everyone with coupons to leave and that the promotion was over for the day. The people there are currently holding a sit-in and refusing to leave until they get their free chicken...or the cops are called. Racial epithets were being spewed, people who actually wanted to pay for chicken were facing a potential beatdown, and the manager ran from the screaming horde. Oprah, what have ye wrought?" The Grilled Chicken meal at KFC normally sells for $3.99.

This is not the first incident of chicken related chaos. Popeyes Chicken also offered 8 pieces of chicken for $4.99. On April 23, 2009 ABC 13 in Rochester NY reported of chicken shortages at various popeyes in the area. Watch this quick clip to see what I'm talking about.

(Check for racism: How come the news piece only interviewed Black customers of Popeyes? hmm...)

Kandaka Long of Denver, Colorado wonders, "between Popeye's 8 piece deal and this KFC coupon..where in the world is all this chicken coming from recently?!?!?". Long's thoughts are similar to that of many food justice and animal rights advocacy groups like PETA. The PETA supported website Kentuckyfriedcruelty.com has been campaigning and reporting on Tyson's Chicken and KFC supplier factories where genetically mutated and abused chicken are slaughtered for consumption by KFC customers. Check this video out courtesy of Kentucky Fried Cruelty featuring Pamela Anderson.



Let us know what do you think the deal is with the chicken deal? and checktheweather.net daily for information on food justice and all the ways Generation Y-Not? are redefining Green.

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Power Shift Eco-Fashion Show

In a follow-up to our recent article on Amal Bennett Judge, we wanted to give a shout out to Power Shift 2009. The Largest Youth Summit on Climate EVER. If you weren't one of the 12,000 folk in attendance from Feb.27-March 2nd, then here's a quick video brought to us by our good friends Broccolicity.com. The Voice on the Video is none other than the flyest eco-diva and First Woman of Color to run the EPA, administrator Lisa Jackson. We're just waiting to set up the interview!

BCTV: POWERSHIFT '09.....Welcome to DC from Broccolicity TV on Vimeo.

For more information on Power Shift 09 visit Powershift09.org

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Howard U Student runs for Miss DC on Eco-platform

Amal-Bennett Judge, Howard University Junior and contributor on Checktheweather.net was recently highlighted in the Huffington Post and on Mother Nature Network.com

Bennett-Judge says she plans to continue running until she wins and makes it to the world-famous Miss USA pageant -- on a green platform. It's one of several big ways the college junior is pushing green initiatives in Washington, particularly at her school, Howard University, one of the nation's top historically black colleges. Howard has also landed on college fashion top 10 lists in recent years, and Bennett-Judge hopes to use that attention to make an impact on students.

To Check out the full article click on this link http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/beauty-fashion/stories/natural-beauty

Don't forget to check the weather everyday for more stories and updates from Great and Green Leaders of Color like Amal.

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