It’s Monday evening. Put on your glasses and sit down for a read!
Finally!
Obama lifts stem cell funding ban
Obama said that he would remove political ideology from scientific debate in the US [AFP]
[Barack Obama, the US president, has reversed a ban on using federal taxpayer money for research using embryonic stem cells. Obama told a news conference at the White House on Monday that his administration would make up for the ground lost under George Bush, his predecessor….]
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/03/200939155654129106.html
This seems a bittersweet victory to me. The NY National Guard will now not remove pregnant women from missions unless they are unable to perform. However, the Guard will also not provide alternative service during the pregnancy. What happens to men when the break a leg? Are they removed from active duty, or are they able to perform typing or administrative duty? Anyone know?
New York Ends Mandatory Pregnancy Testing For National Guard Soldiers (3/6/2009)
(Updated 3/9/2009)
Discriminatory Policy Changed After ACLU And NYCLU Contacted State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
[NEW YORK – Under a new policy announced today, women in the New York National Guard serving on a state active duty task force will no longer be required to take mandatory pregnancy tests or face dismissal from the force if they become pregnant. Instead, they will be treated the same as men who become injured or disabled during a state active duty mission. The change occurred in response to objections raised by the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU’s New York State affiliate….]
http://www.aclu.org/womensrights/employ/38946prs20090306.html
Whither thou goest?
WRITERS ON THE RANGE
We Need a Renewables Roadmap
ESSAY – March 05, 2009
By John Horning And Jeremy Nichols
[If anybody had any doubt that clean energy has arrived, President Obama’s speech to Congress Feb. 24 should dispel those concerns. Obama told Congress and the nation that clean energy, along with education and health care, are central to our economic revival. Obama recognized that if the United States can “harness the power of clean, renewable energy (we) will lead the 21st century.”…]
http://www.hcn.org/wotr/we-need-a-roadmap-to-renewable-energy
This is potentially good news, but as the report suggests victory will depend in part on the immediate definition(s) imposed for “Interim Conditions” of potential dam removal. The timing of potential dam removals is suspect to me since, by 2012; the political environment could look very different.
A loss for Klamath dam and water deals
Felice Pace | Mar 03, 2009 12:10 PM
[In a defeat for those organizations and interests which support proposed Klamath River Water and Dam Deals, the California Water Resources Board has rejected a request from energy giant PacifiCorp to once again delay consideration of the impacts PacifiCorp’s five Klamath River dams have on water quality….]
http://www.hcn.org/blogs/goat/promoters-of-klamath-water-and-dam-deals-loose-a
On the heels of Eric Holder’s recent pronouncement, others are attempting to move us forward. As you are probably aware, several states have legalized medical marijuana. In addition, Illinois, New Jersey, and Minnesota are making attempts. Can full legalization be in the wind?
Iowa Senate to consider medical marijuana law
By JASON HANCOCK 3/9/09 10:05 AM
Senators will debate the virtues of medical marijuana during a subcommittee hearing Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Senate File 293, sponsored by Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, would create the Medical Marijuana Act, which would allow the possession and use of marijuana for therapeutic purposes, create compassion centers and provide for criminal and civil penalties for misuse…]
http://iowaindependent.com/12442/iowa-senate-to-consider-medical-marijuana-law
Even Italy is now saying they will boycott the conference. What happens when a world conference is bypassed? Who will be there to object, mediate or entertain the dialogue that our President has promoted?
Obama Pulls U.S. Out of UN Conference on Racism, But Congressional Black Caucus Should Attend Anyway
Submitted by Cynthia McKinney on Wed, 03/04/2009 – 11:31 Dept. of Broken Promises
[When Eric Holder, the new U.S. Attorney General called the nation to account for its historic reluctance to honestly talk about race and racism, its manifestations and consequences, he could have been talking about his boss the president….]
Grab and Keel 
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