Blog For Arizona

Former Mayoral candidate Mary DeCamp to march to Washington, D.C. for climate action

Posted by Carolyn Classen

The Great March for Climate Action starts on March 1, 2014.

From www.climatemarch.org:

 "The goal of the Great March for Climate Action is to change the heart and mind of the American people, our elected leaders and people across the world to act now to address the climate crisis.

On March 1, 2014, hundreds of climate patriots will set out from Los Angeles, CA, walking 3,000 miles across America to Washington, DC, inspiring action to resolve the climate crisis. This will be one of the largest coast-to-coast marches in American history.

Marchers will be expected to adhere to a strict code of non-violence according to the principles employed by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. An addendum that explains this in greater detail will be provided before the march starts next year. Also, we will provide mandatory non-violence training at the start of the March.

The March seeks to build the broadest possible public consensus and is focused strictly on the climate crisis. Marchers will, of course, have their own personal stories and perspectives. However, it is important that we stick to the core message, in unison, with our words, signs and public presentations.

We plan to govern the March through a “city council” of marchers elected by marchers. At times, we will employ a “town meeting” style of governance involving the entire marcher community, with a simple majority vote to make a decision".

2014 Peace Fair & Music Festival in 32nd year

Posted by Carolyn Classen

Tucson Peace Center's Calendar has a new colorful website look (click here). Easier to read their postings and event listings. Their peace calendar is also available at most Pima County public libraries.

 

Theme for this year's peace festival is "Climate Justice", and also new is the Climate Cabaret Ramada, so check it out. Call Chair Mary DeCamp, former Democratic Ward 3 and Mayoral candidate, for more info at (520) 445-4110.

 

Peace Fair's Schedule:

11:00 - Earth Spirit

11:30 - One Heartbeat

12:00 - Kathleen Williamson

12:30 - Mitzi Cowell

12:45 - Tucson's Raging Grannies

1:00 - Wayback Machine

2:00 - Baba Marimba

2:50 – Victor Shamas & Repose

3:00 - Spirit Familia

4:00 - Change Agents

Feb 19 City Council Meetings: Bus Fare Hike, Ronstadt Transit Center Redevelopment

by Pamela Powers Hannley

At the Feb. 19 study session and evening meeting, the Tucson City Council will consider two issues that could greatly affect bus service in our town.

During the study session, they will consider a proposal to increase bus fares. At the regular evening meeting, they will hear public comments about the proposed redevelopment of the Ronstadt Transit Center. (Proposals and background here.) In between these two meetings, the Tucson Bus Riders Union will have a rally outside of the City Council Chambers, beginning at 4 p.m. (Details and related articles below.)

Lens on the Land photo exhibit "Rosemont: What's at Stake?" continues at Fluxx Gallery till Feb. 26

 

 

Santa Rita Mountains in the winter (anonymous photographer), photo courtesy of Lens on the Lands

 Posted by Carolyn Classen

Lens on the Land presents Rosemont: What's at Stake is “a collection of stunning photographs celebrating the cultural and ecological richness of the Santa Rita Mountains and surrounding watersheds that would be impacted by the proposed  Rosemont Mine.”

If you missed the opening reception on Feb. 1 or the Feb. 16 video production premier of “Rosemont Ours” by NEW ARTiculations Dance Theatre, there’s still a chance to see both the photography show & video at Fluxx Gallery.  The show runs till Feb. 26, with gallery hours:

Thursdays & Fridays, 3 to 6 p.m.

Saturdays & Sundays, 12 to 6 pm.

Fluxx Studio & Gallery is at 414 E. 9th St. (just east of 4^th Avenue, north of the 4^th Avenue underpass).

My husband and I recently attended the Feb. 16 event where about 6 people stood up on the stage and read their eco-friendly poetry about that area, followed by the “Rosemont Ours” video, produced by Ben Johnson with dancers on location interpreting native wildlife (plants & animals) in the Santa Rita Mountains.  A Behind the Scenes video of the filming was shown as well.

To view some of the photos of the Santa Rita Mts. and environs, go to www.lensontheland.com.

Sponsors for the show are: Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, Sonoran Institute, Josh Schachter Photography.

Additional support came from Clif Bar Family Foundation, Western Mining Action Network, and Summit Hut.

 Also, Josh Schachter and friends posted 7 super large B/W copies of some of the photos from this show on the Steinfeld & Co. Warehouse, 104 W. 6th Street (west of Stone Ave).  Check it out and drop by Fluxx Gallery this week or next. Photo below courtesy of Josh.

 

 

 

The Arizona Republic: Sen. Gail Griffin is targeting Mexican gray wolves

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

When Tea-Publicans aren't targeting actual Mexicans with anti-immigrant legislation, they are targeting Mexican gray wolves for extinction. The Arizona Republic in a editorial opinion writes today, Stop targeting wolves, senator:

Pause for a moment and savor this: The population of endangered Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico grew from 75 to 83 last year. That’s nearly double the 2009 count.

It’s a victory for our shared national values, which are expressed in the Endangered Species Act.

OK. Enough savoring. Now, back to a reality.

Lobos remain perilously close to extinction’s cliff, and Arizona’s Legislature is poised to give them a shove over the edge.

The Senate Government and Environment Committee approved three measures this week aimed at wolf reintroduction like a bullet to the brain.

SB 1211 would allow the Arizona Department of Agriculture or ranchers to kill wolves suspected of eating beef without fear of federal prosecution — an amnesty from federal law that Arizona lacks the authority to grant.

SB 1212 appropriates $250,000 from the general fund “for litigation expenses.” That’ll come in handy.

A resolution, SCR 1006, calls for shifting management of this endangered species from federal to state control and focusing reintroduction efforts on the mountains of Mexico. Because, of course, Arizona can dictate to the governments of two nations.

These measures are championed by Republican Sen. Gail Griffin. All passed the committee on party-line votes.

The Price of Fracking: Earthquakes, Explosions, & Water Contaninmation

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Politicians and energy industry enthusiasts have touted fracking as the path to US energy independence, while environmentalists have battled against the proliferation of fracking and the resultant damage to the Earth. Despite environmental concerns, 18 states have jumped onto the fracking bandwagon (map.)

Fracking now is being blamed for an outbreak of earthquakes in North Texas, the explosion (pun intended) of crude oil train disasters across the country, and water contamination in four states. (Fracking accident map pictured here.)

Texas Is Shaking

More than 20 earthquakes have rocked North Texas since October 2013. Seventeen of those earthquakes have hit the small town of Azle, Texas, and residents are up in arms.

Why is North Texas shaking and sinking? Fracking.

Elk River Disaster: Lax Oversight Puts Citizens in Peril (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

The lives of 300,000 central West Virginia residents were thrown into chaos a week ago when 1000s of gallons of solvent leaked from a storage tank and drained into the scenic Elk River, contaminating the water supply.

Initially, citizens were told to not only stop drinking the water but also to not even shower with it, due to the extreme levels of contamination. As residents left the capitol city of Charleston to find clean water to drink, cook, and bathe, the story of lax environmental oversight of the WV plant unfolded. According to the LA Times, the leaking storage tank owned by Freedom Industries, Inc. had not been inspected since 1999. The latest news is that Freedom Industries filed for bankruptcy on Friday, January 17. (What are the implications for Southern Arizona? Think Rosemont Mine and read on.)

I'm not saying Japan's schools are failing or its government doesn't work, but . . .

by David Safier

It's been more than two years since a tsunami caused six reactor meltdowns and massive radiation leakage at the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, and the place is still being held together with chewing gum and bailing wire. The reactors are in critical condition, one mishap or geological event away from a second disaster that could be worse than the first.

Surprisingly, no one is spending much time blaming the problems at Fukushima on the undereducated Japanese who weren't able to avert the disaster or fix the problems once they occurred, and we don't hear much about Japan's government being inept. Because, well, we're talking about Japan, not the U.S. Everyone knows Japan's schools are wonderful. In the recent international tests, they scored 4th in Reading, 4th in Science and 7th in Math, unlike the failing schools in the U.S. that came in around 20th place overall. And, well, those Asian countries know how to get things done, unlike our inept, debt-riddled, bureaucracy-laden, Kenyan/socialist-run U.S. government.

But for a moment, let's play the blame game, like it might be played by conservatives if this were a U.S. problem, complete with bold, underlined, all-caps pronouncements.

According to an AP story, Japan lacks decommissioning experts for Fukushima:

JAPAN HAS TO IMPORT EXPERTS TO DECOMMISSION FUKUSHIMA!! EXPERTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE!!

Japan is incapable of safely decommissioning the devastated Fukushima nuclear plant alone and must stitch together an international team for the massive undertaking.

Imagine if the U.S. lacked the expertise to handle its technological messes and had to bring in people from other countries. That would be one more incontrovertible proof that our schools are failing.

Arizona Democratic Party Shows Its Progressive Side at State Committee Meeting

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Progressive voices were heard loud and clear at Saturday’s Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) State Committee Meeting in Maricopa, Arizona.

Unlike some past ADP meetingswhere progressives were ignored or where progressive resolutions were tabled and not heard by the full ADP membership, the Maricopa meeting was dominated by progressives.

During the morning caucus meetings, approximately 80 members of the progressive caucus (pictured here) met in the booming high school cafeteria to hear about legalization of marijuana, the plight of Dreamers, and a host of progressive resolutions.

In the progressive caucus, members unanimously endorsed resolutions: 1) in support of a Constitutional Amendment ending Citizens United and abolishing corporate personhood; 2) in support of passage of the Inclusive Prosperity Tax (AKA Robin Hood Tax); 3) against building the Keystone XL Pipeline; and 4) in support of allowing DREAMers to have Arizona drivers’ licenses and in-state college tuition. A resolution requiring clean elections candidates to give back extra funds passed, with some dissent. In addition, with only one dissenting vote, the Progressive Caucus voted to endorse Safer Arizona, the citizens’ initiative to legalize marijuana for personal use. [Votes from the entire State Committee after the jump.]

Think of all the blood and treasure lost in the Obamacare rollout!

by David Safier

Oh wait. That was the Iraq War and the botched aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Never mind.

At Fukushima Nuclear Plant: Removing fuel rods

by David Safier

Another of my semi-regular updates about the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, since the story isn't picked up in the local news.

In March, 2011, a tsunami crippled the Fukushima nuclear power plant, and it's pretty much the same mess today it was then, except that millions of gallons of radioactive water have leaked in the meanwhile. And earthquakes keep shaking the ocean floor nearby. A 7.3 magnitude quake hit 230 miles away October 25.

So how are things progressing? Well, they're finally ready to begin moving fuel rods from where they've been submerged in one of the reactor sites to a more stable location. Lots of fuel rods. Best case scenario, they'll finish the move by the end of 2014.

Plant engineers will use a crane to lift the fuel assemblies from the pool and put them into giant casks of water. Each cask will be placed on a trailer and moved to a more secure pool at ground level.

“There are potentially very big risks involved,” Shunichi Tanaka, the head of Japan’s nuclear regulator, said last week. “Each assembly must be handled very carefully.”

This won't fix anything. If all goes well, it just means one contaminated, damaged reactor will be emptied of spent fuel rods and they'll be placed elsewhere. Two and a half years later, they're trying to take a baby step forward from the held-together-by-spit-glue-and-bailing-wire stage, which is where they still are. This is the real world of nuclear power, where everything's fine until it's not, and when something happens, first reaction is, "We had no idea that [fill in the blank] could happen," and the second reaction is, "What the hell do we do now?"

Fukushima accidents keep piling up

by David Safier

It may not be a daily occurrence, but I've been reading accounts of new accidents at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant on a weekly basis. I'm tempted to put up one of those Three Stooges images of them "fixing" the plumbing, but this is too goddamned scary for flippancy.

Last week it was an overflow of one of the holding tanks for radioactive water. The water was 6,700 times higher than the legal radioactive limit, but it was a comparatively small spill compared to the regular leakage from the defective tanks.

Today comes the news that six workers were doused in radioactive water.

The workers removed the wrong pipe from equipment at the plant, sending toxic water spilling onto them and the entire floor of the facility housing a set of three units designed for primary, partial water treatment, said Yoshimi Hitosugi, the spokesman for Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co.

We keep getting stories of mishaps large and small at Fukushima. We never hear stories about the crippled plant being stabilized. It's still as unstable as ever. Bottom line, they have no idea how to fix the thing. Really, the best plan floated recently is to freeze the ground around the plant to stop the leaking radioactive water from reaching the ocean. It's apparently a feasible plan. It would be slow and costly to complete and its effectiveness would, ironically, depend on an uninterrupted flow of electricity to keep the ground frozen. But if the best they can hope for is to build an ice wall instead of fixing the problem at the source, that reinforces how out-of-control the situation is.

A "FORGOT ONE" UPDATE: Monday, a pump moving radioactive water from the damaged reactor cores shut down. The reason? Either a faulty electrical switchboard or worker error. Neither is comforting.

Let's Negotiate!

Republicans have been demanding negotiations over the government shutdown. A few minutes ago, President Obama gave in to their demand. In a private meeting with House leaders, he said:

Let's negotiate. I understand that you want to repeal Obamacare, or at least delay it for a year. Now let me tell you what I want:

Japanese ex-Prime Minister "Scared Solar"

by David Safier

They take kids who look like they're headed for trouble and use the Scared Straight tactic to show them what their lives will be like if they continue down their current path. Call Japan's former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Scared Solar.

He used to be a big supporter of nuclear energy. Then came the Fukushima meltdown. Now he's saying Japan should close its nuclear energy plants and go with renewable energy.

As a pro-growth prime minister from 2001 to 2006, Mr. Koizumi had backed the business lobby by calling for Japan to become “a nation built on nuclear power,” calling it cheap and clean, and sided with the Tokyo Electric Power Company in deciding to end tax-supported subsidies for solar panels. But he said in Tuesday’s speech that he had reversed his stance after the nuclear accident at Tepco’s Fukushima complex two and a half years ago, which left at least 83,000 people homeless and forced a multibillion-dollar cleanup that has been riddled with mistakes and accidents.

“There is nothing more costly than nuclear power,” Mr. Koizumi, 71, was quoted as saying. “Japan should achieve zero nuclear plants and aim for a more sustainable society.”

I'm sure I'm being unfair to Koizumi to say he's scared. It's just that, once a line like "scared solar" pops into my head, well, there's no denying it. Let's say he's seen the future, and it's either safe, sustainable energy or the constant threat of another Fukushima, or worse, wreaking havoc on the only country that's ever had an atom bomb dropped on its people.

Climate Smart Southwest: Are YOU Ready for Climate Change?

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Is it hot enough for ya?

In the coming years, as temperatures rise, weather patterns evolve, and plant and animal species become extinct, that wry, old country greeting will lose it’s quaint humor. Thanks to global warming.

The Southwest is already the hottest and driest part of the US. And our region is already experiencing longer and more intense heat waves, a dramatic spike in forest fires and severe dust storms, and changes in rainfall and seasonal snowmelt. These changes threaten water resources, food security, and public health.  As extreme weather events continue to increase, we will see higher rates of heat stress, newly emerging infectious diseases, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses.

How will the Sonoran Desert change as climate change progresses? Will we have enough water? What will our air quality be like if Arizona’s dirty coal-fired power plants continue to balk at environmental regulations?  How will Arizona cope with rolling brown outs if electrical demand spikes? How will Tucson’s vulnerable populations fare with more days over 100 degrees? What can we do NOW to lessen the impact of climate change on our fragile environment?

This coming weekend, Sept. 20-21, the Arizona Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is sponsoring an important conference for us desert dwellers:Climate Smart Southwest, Ready or Hot? Check out the details after the jump.

Mr. President, we must not allow . . . a Copper Gap!

by David Safier

I have to admit, I was amused by the op ed in today's Star by Daniel McGroarty about the need for someone (cough, Arizona, cough) in the U.S. to mine more copper so we can repair our "copper gap." I was whisked back to one of my favorite characters from Dr. Strangelove -- General Buck Turgidson, played by a way-over-the-top George C. Scott -- when he realized nuclear annihilation was inevitable and was worried the Russians would hide more of its important people away in mineshafts than the Americans. "Mr. President," he bellowed, "we must not allow . . . a mineshaft gap!"

 

The column was an unveiled pitch for more copper mining in Arizona with an emphasis on getting approval for the Resolution Copper Mine through Congress.

The writer, Dan McGroarty, was a speechwriter for George H.W. Bush and a former Friedman Fellow at the Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation. He's currently head of the nonprofit American Resources Policy Network. Unfortunately, I couldn't track down the ARPN's funding sources. But the group's experts include people from the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, the Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy, U.S. Rare Earths, Inc., Institute for Defense Analyses, MetalMiner™, American Manganese, Mining & Geological Industrial Consultants, Simbol Mining Corp., and the Lithium Corporation. ARPN may be nonprofit, but it's definitely not unaffiliated.

What I loved about the op ed is the soft-core cold-war tone of its writing, a slightly more subtle version of the rhetoric being parodied in Dr. Strangelove.

And yet there remains a huge “copper gap” in the United States . . . the Department of Defense reports that a shortfall in copper supply has already led to “a significant weapon system production delay.”

And that gap leaves us exposed to the decisions of Chilean miners, Indonesian officials and dozens of other micro-forces at work in the global metals supply chain.

We must not allow . . . a Mineshaft Copper Gap!

UPDATED: Monthly Progressive Roundtables Give PDA Members a ‘Seat at the Table’ (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

UPDATE: This article was picked up by the national publication In These Times and by the Daily Kos Progressive Blog Round-up. Check out the In These Times version for more details: Knights of the Progressive Roundtable.

Deals are made, and bills are negotiated not only in the halls of Congress but in offices and meeting rooms around DC. Since December 2012, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) has been conducting monthly, Educate Congress roundtable meetings with Congressional representatives and key staff.

With a give-and-take format, these meetings allow PDA representatives and allies to discuss proposed legislation and related progressive ideas and allow Congressional representatives and staffers to offer updates, insights, and strategies.

The Progressive Roundtables provide a forum to address a broad range of issues– from Wall Street gambling and hunger in America to voting rights, immigration, fracking, universal healthcare, the living wage, austerity, tax reform, mass incarceration, and more.

“One of the things I love about PDA is you stand up for ‘the little guy,’ and that’s what government’s all about,” Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern told the roundtable audience in July 2013. “Donald Trump doesn’t need us [Congress], but somebody who is unemployed or somebody who is working and making so little that they still qualify for SNAP [food stamps], they need us!” More roundtable details and videos after the jump.)

New leak at Fukushima nuclear power plant

by David Safier

Recently the Tokyo Electric Power Co. admitted there are underground leaks of radioactive water reaching the Pacific Ocean -- 80,000 gallons every day -- after repeatedly denying the leaks. In a non-apology apology, a spokesman said,

"We have made efforts not to cause any leak to the outside, but we might have failed to do so."

Might have failed indeed.

Today, another story, another leak. This time, 300 tons of water leaked from a storage tank -- one of a thousand above ground storage tanks strewn among the litter of what was once a nuclear power plant. This is very toxic stuff. If you stand a foot away from the leaking water for an hour, you'll receive 5 times the maximum yearly radiation dose for nuclear workers.

The tanks, which are only 500 yards from the ocean, are supposed to last 5 years. This one is leaking after 2 years. No telling how well the other 999 tanks will hold up. To hold back the radioactive spillage, workers are putting up sandbags, which sounds ludicrously inadequate. To make things worse, heavy rains are expected in the region.

Since it doesn't look like they're going to be able to keep the water from leaking out any time soon, Japan's nuclear regulator has suggested -- I'm not making this up -- creating an underground wall of ice to hold back the leaks.

Japan isn't even close to figuring out how to stabilize the Fukushima plant, which is being held together by the scientific equivalent of duct tape, bailing wire and chewing gum. The only leaks they've been moderately successful in containing are leaks to the press about how dire the situation is.

Coalition files lawsuit to overturn Rosemont groundwater permit

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Press release from the Save the Scenic Santa Ritas Association:

Local Coalition Goes to Court to Protect Southern Arizona Water

Lawsuit filed to overturn Rosemont Groundwater Permit

(Tucson, Ariz.) A diverse coalition of southern Arizonans filed a lawsuit on Friday to overturn state approval of a key water permit for the proposed Rosemont Mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson.

Despite its name, the “aquifer protection permit” would allow a Canadian mining company to pollute Tucson’s groundwater supplies with mercury, arsenic, lead and other dangerous contaminants.

The suit seeks to overturn the Arizona Water Quality Appeals Board's (WQAB) decision to approve Rosemont Copper Company’s Aquifer Protection Permit. The suit asserts that the WQAB acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" when it rubber-stamped the Administrative Law Judge’s rejection of administrative appeals of the permit.

ALEC’s Legacy of Destruction: PDA Members Join Anti-ALEC Protesters in Chicago (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Inside the 40th annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Chicago, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and other right-wing big-wigs addressed ALEC members and on-the-dole politicians.

Outside, the people, who have been cut out of the legislative process by ALEC and big money donors, protested in the streets. (Photos here.)

In its 40-year history, ALEC has done more to destroy the American Dream than any other group. According to a report by the Center for Media and Democracy, 466 ALEC bills were introduced in 2013, and 84 of them became law. Every state and the District of Columbia considered ALEC bills this year. Read the highlights of this ALEC legislative report and watch a video of Chicago protesters after the jump.

Fukushima fesses up

by David Safier

Two years after a tsunami knocked out the Fukushima power plant, you would hope the damage would have been contained. But the only thing that's been contained is the flow of information about the instability of the reactor site and the continuing damage to the environment.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) has finally admitted what scientists have known and reported. Radioactive water is leaking from the plan into the sea. Oh, and

. . . the number of plant workers with thyroid radiation exposures exceeding threshold levels for increased cancer risks was 10 times what it said released earlier.

The company spokesman actually hasn't said for certain there are leaks into the  sea, even though the radiation levels in the water have risen. He issued this half apology.

"We are very sorry for causing concerns. We have made efforts not to cause any leak to the outside, but we might have failed to do so."

"Causing concerns." "Have made efforts." "We might have failed." I guess you can't say the situation is beyond your control and may get worse before it gets better, can you?

Two years after the tsunami, the reactor is being held together by chewing gum and bailing wire. It's an exposed pile of dynamite waiting for a spark to set it off. The disaster at Fukushima, as horrific as it was, is only part of the story. The story now is the inability to stabilize the plant. It looks like the problem isn't ineptitude, though that might be a contributing factor. The problem is, the damage was so severe and the site is so contaminated, it's virtually impossible to complete the necessary repairs.

Trends and factors that could affect Arizona's economy

By Karl Reiner

The global consumption of energy has grown by 30% during the past 10 years.  Almost all of the increase was in the developing nations.  Due to conservation and increases in efficiency, energy demand appears to have stabilized in the developed countries. Economic growth drove the increase in usage in the developing lands.  The developing countries now consume a larger share of the global energy supply than the developed nations.

 

Sign Grijalva's petition against the Keystone pipeline

by David Safier

This may be the first time I've actually enjoyed watching a video by a congressman. Grijalva is not a scientist -- he admits as much in the video -- but he dons a lab coat and plays one in this enjoyable and informative 3 minute explanation of some of the downsides of the Keystone pipeline. (There's more, but this is enough for starters.) I suggest you link to Grijalva's I oppose the Keystone pipeline page to watch the video and sign his petition, but I'm putting the video here because it's a Don't-miss. Then you can go to the page and sign the petition.

 

700 Tucsonans March Against Monsanto

by Pamela Powers Hannley

On Saturday, May 25, an estimated 2 million marched against multinational chemical giant Monsanto for tinkering with the genes of our worldwide food supply and for trying to outright control the food supply by controlling seed sales and prosecuting private farmers for saving seeds.

Here in Tucson an estimated 700 people marched against Monsanto. A veteran of many a Tucson protest march, I’d say 700 is a highly significant and news-worthy event. Ironically (or not), this march was ignored by the local news media. A Google search for local coverage revealed that both the Arizona Daily Star andKVOA ran canned stories about the worldwide effort with no mention or photos of the Tucson march. The only mention in the Tucson Weekly was a pre-event calendar announcement posted by the organizers. (For more Tucson pictures, go here.)

Here is a Loneprotestor video of the Tucson March Against Monsanto.

Tucson March Against Monsanto

To grasp the scope of this event, check out this video with scenes from around the world.

March Against Monsanto: Photos from Around the World

Special thanks to Jennifer Randell for use of her photos and to Alison McLeod for her video.

Will 1000 Tucsonans Really Show Up at Reid Park for the March on Monsanto today?

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Worldwide-- and here in Tucson-- hundreds of thousands of citizens have signed up to March Against Monsanto today, May 25. More than 1000 Tucsonans have RSVP'd for this event on Facebook. Will they show up? Who knows. If even 1/3 that many people come to Reid Park today, that's a big march by Tucson standards.  

Why are people pissed off at Monsanto? Read this...

On the eve of March against Monsanto Senate shoots down GMO labeling bill

Ronstadt Center Re-Development: When Is a Public Process Not Public?

by Pamela Powers Hannley

More than 90 days have passed since the Tucson City Council voted to begin a 60-90 day public comment period to gather information and ideas related to the proposed re-development of the Ronstadt Transit Center. During that time,  the Tucson Bus Riders Union held a public forum at the Rialto, compiled and organized hundreds written comments collected at the forum, met with City Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, and participated in collecting 2800 surveys from bus riders.

What has Corky Poster done? Poster is the architect and planner who was City Council hired to gather the public input. Rumor has it that Poster has held eight "stakeholder" meetings in recent weeks. With the information gathered at those meetings, he has compiled a report outlining consensus goals and objectives and said report was to be delivered to the City Manager's office last week before Poster left town on vacation. More photos and details on the secret public process and who the real stakeholders are after the jump.

Will the Tucson City Council Throw the Bus Riders Under the Bus?

by Pamela Powers Hannley

With pressure from developers and the budget, the Tucson City Council once again is considering decisions which would reduce-- or at least hinder-- bus transportation.

Today, Tuesday, May 7, at the City Council study session, Councilwoman Shirley Scott is expected to propose a $2 million cut to Sun Tran services. The Bus Riders Union has sent out an action alert for citizens who want to preserve bus transportation to come to the study session, which begins at 1:30 p.m. Here is a link to the agenda.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 8, City Councilwoman Karin Uhlich will meet with members of the Bus Riders Union regarding proposed redevelopment of the Ronstadt Transit Center (RTC) at 5:30 p.m. in the library room of the the Armory Park Center, 220 S. 5th Ave. This event is free and open to the public. Please attend if you want your voice heard. (You can also send comments to [email protected].) More details and results from the bus riders survey after the jump.

Fukushima: enough radioactive wastewater to fill 112 Olympic-sized swimming pools -- and counting

by David Safier

By now, the danger from the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant that was hit by a tsunami two years ago should be contained, or at least the cleanup should be heading in the right direction. Instead, it's a frightening, cautionary tale about how difficult it is to deal with a nuclear-related problem like this, and how politics and business interests make the situation even worse.

The latest problem. Groundwater that flows from nearby mountains to the sea flows through the contaminated area, something that didn't worry the plant's operators who are in charge of the cleanup (bad idea) or the oversight committee made up of nuclear industry insiders and government apologists (worse idea). Their solution? Store the water, decontaminate it as well as they can and dump it in the ocean. Right now, with 75 gallons of groundwater flowing in every minute,

A small army of workers has struggled to contain the continuous flow of radioactive wastewater, relying on hulking gray and silver storage tanks sprawling over 42 acres of parking lots and lawns. The tanks hold the equivalent of 112 Olympic-size pools.

They're running out of storage space, so they plan to chop down a small forest to make room for more tanks. Meanwhile, the plant is in such a precarious state, an earthquake could create another disaster.

Some hair-raising passages from the article:

World of Beer Brings More Beer to Downtown Tucson. A Perfect Storm?

by Pamela Powers Hannley

A World of Beer franchise will be opening on the ground floor of The Cadence, that giant, six-story, white student housing complex rising from the old dirt lot next to the Rialto Theater downtown.

What could be more perfect than a 3000-square-foot bar located under a maxi-dorm with 465 apartments? This sounds like a capitalist's dream and a parent's nightmare.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am not a beer drinker, so I don't see the point of opening another beer joint downtown-- especially a franchise (owned by some guy from Tempe). World of Beer will be in direct competition with local beer joints already in the immediate vicinity of The Cadence, namely The Shanty, Thunder Canyon Brewery, Gentle Ben's, Barrio Brewing, and Borderlands Brewery. More about beer after the jump.

West, Texas disaster a regulatory failure

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The West Fertilizer Co. explosion in West, Texas last week put an exclamation point on the need for government safety regulations and enforcement. The "free market" philosophy of no regulations and the mythical honor system imposed by the market place gets people killed.

This company appears to have pushed the envelope to see how much it could get away with -- and due to lax regulations and enforcement by "business friendly" Texas regulatory agencies, it got away with quite a lot.

There is plenty of blame to go around here, from the company, to state regulators, to the local planning & zoning board of West, Texas (assuming it had one).

The Dallas Morning News reports today, West Fertilizer Co.'s environmental compliance problems go back decades:

West Fertilizer Co.’s problems complying with Texas environmental rules go back decades, state records show.

In 1984, the company moved two large pressurized tanks of liquid anyhydrous ammonia, a potentially lethal poison, from a site in nearby Hill County to its current location in West without notifying state authorities.

Seven years passed before Texas regulators took notice and told the company to fix its paperwork. The tanks had sat at their new location, near homes, schools and a nursing home, with little or no state oversight for all that time.

The company’s regulatory history going back to 1976 comes to light as investigators seek the cause of last week’s fertilizer explosion that killed at least 14 people.

Arizona Legislature: "Silly season" becomes "ignorant and ugly season"

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

Normally, this would be time for the "coming week" post, but there truly isn't much on the schedule right now.  It's subject to change (and probably will change) at a moment's notice, but right now the highlight of the week looks to be the lege's annual House v. Senate softball game on Tuesday.  It is scheduled to take place at the field at SRP's PERA Club in Tempe (1 E. Continental Drive) at 5 p.m.

  However, because of the light schedule (so far), it might be wise to use this opportunity to highlight why this may be the most dangerous time in this, or any other, session of the legislature.
 

  This past Thursday, State Sen. Judy "Birther" Burges held a hearing to denounce the UN's Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in particular, and sustainability and "green" initiatives in general, as efforts to take away American sovereignty and Americans' freedom.

  Perhaps (not-so) surprisingly, things got a little colorful.

Ronstadt Transit Center: City, Developers Ponder Proverbial Political Football (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Anyone who has lived in Tucson long enough knows that the vitality of downtown has ebbed and flowed with the winds of politics and the fortunes of capitalism.

Thanks to infrastructure investments, tax breaks, land deals, and the promise of Rio Nuevo college students with Daddy's credit cards, downtown is again on the upswing-- with swanky bars, over-priced restaurants, micro-breweries, maxi-dorms, and a modern street car to deliver college students to the main gate of the university.

With the smell of money in the air, capitalists are ready to play "let's make a deal" with Tucson's Mayor and Council. One city property that developers have been trying to score for years is the Ronstadt Transit Center, on Congress. Once surrounded by seedy bars, funky diners, and shoe-string art galleries, the Ronstadt Center is now in the thick of downtown's rebirth as Mill Ave South.

Anyone who was around in 2009-2010 when developers lobbied for a land swap deal that would include ~40% of the Ronstadt Center for commercial development  should pay attention to what's happening now. Details and video after the jump.

Safety problem in all U.S. nuclear plants, says ex-regulator

by David Safier

Consider the source. Gregory B. Jaczko is the former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, not someone from an anti-nuke group. Jaczko says every nuclear power plant in the U.S. -- 104 in all -- has an unfixable safety problem, and they need to be replaced.

Dr. Jaczko cited a well-known characteristic of nuclear reactor fuel to continue to generate copious amounts of heat after a chain reaction is shut down. That “decay heat” is what led to the Fukushima meltdowns. The solution, he said, was probably smaller reactors in which the heat could not push the temperature to the fuel’s melting point.

As NRC chair, Jaczko often voted for greater safety measures for nuclear plants, contrary to the other commission members. He stepped down last summer.

The nuclear industry, eerily echoing George Wallace's famous "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" speech, said the plants were safe before Jaczko was NRC chair, were safe during the Fukushima tsunami disaster and are safe today.

Another day, another power failure at Fukushima

by David Safier

To recap: Fukushima nuclear power plant was hit by a tsunami 2 years ago, knocking out the plant and spilling all kinds of dangerous radiation into the environment. Surely the highly competent Japanese engineers have had plenty of time to stabilize the system, right?

How do you say "Three Stooges" in Japanese?

Last month, cooling systems at the power plant were knocked out for 30 hours because a rat got into a switchboard, gnawed into a cable and short-circuited the system. They know, because they found a fried rat at the scene of the crime.

Now they're trying to fix the rat problem by installing wire nets. (Let's pause for a moment here to note: a disabled state-of-the-art nuclear power plant is putting up wire nets to catch rats so they won't chew up the electrical cables and create another nuclear disaster.) But one of the nets caused another power outage Friday. They took care of it in a few hours. Nothing to see here, folks.

After two years, according to the Times, Fukushima nuclear plant is "debris-strewn" and "still relies on makeshift cooling systems, some of which were hastily put together in the accident’s frantic aftermath."

From Reuters, we learn that Tokyo Electric Power Co. just reported a leak of 120 tons of radioactive water from a storage tank. The company didn't say how long the tank has been leaking but assured us the radioactivity won't reach the sea. Which is a good thing, because they caught a fish near Fukushima in February that has the honor of being the most radioactive marine life ever tested, so there's plenty of radioactivity out there already.

UPDATED with New Events: Progressives, Mark Your Calendars for April Events!

April3 Update: New events have been added for April 6 and 9.

It’s only April 1, but already there is an impressive line-up of progressive events taking shape this month. In addition to these educational events, there are multiple fund-raisers for candidates, parties, and causes in April.  The list below is not meant to be all-inclusive. (Check out Facebook and the Pima County Democratic Party calendar or the calendar on Blog for Arizona for other events-- including multiple opportunities to donate.) The Tucson events included here are all free and are related to one or more Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) core policy issues: economic and social justice, universal healthcare, clean elections, ending corporate personhood, clean environment, or ending the wars.

April 2: Community Vision for the Ronstadt Bus Center

The Tucson Bus Riders Union and the Primavera Foundation are sponsoring a community forum to gather Tucsonans’ ideas on what should be done with the Ronstadt Transit Center on Congress Street. For several years, developers have been eyeing the Ronstadt Center for demolition and relocation out of downtown. If you believe that it is important for a sustainable city to have a bus terminal downtown—near restaurants, retail shops, major employers, and the new street car line—come to this meeting at the Rialto Theater, beginning at 5:30. For more information, call 624-0312 or email [email protected] or go to the event’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/events/496939023698809/.

April 3: Solar Energy Efficiency vs the Status Quo

The Tucson Chapter of Drinking Liberally is sponsoring a joint presentation by Bruce Plenk, City of Tucson Solar Energy Coordinator, and Russell Lowes, Sierra Club Rincon Group Energy Chair and Research Director forwww.SafeEnergyAnalyst.org. The DL social hour begins at 6 p.m., with the speakers beginning around 7 p.m. on the patio of The Shanty. For more information, check out DL’s Facebook event http://www.facebook.com/events/104680899727634/.

More events after the jump.

New power failure at Fukushima Nuclear Plant: Nothing to see here

by David Safier

On Monday, crucial cooling systems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the one hit by the 2011 tsunami creating the second largest nuclear plant disaster in history, were knocked out for 30 hours. The power company says there was no danger, because it takes 4 days for the fuel to reach dangerously high temperatures. Others aren't so sure it was nothing to worry about.

[T]he cutoff of the vital systems appeared to support fears by some experts and critics that the plant remains dangerous in part because some vital safety systems were makeshift fixes devised at the height of the nuclear crisis.

The latest information says the blackout was caused by a rat that they think chewed on the cables of a switchboard and short-circuited the system. A blackout caused by a rat is the definition of a system without the necessary safeguards.

The affected cooling system is there to keep the temperature of the spent fuel pools low. The system "still relies on makeshift cooling systems, some of which were built as stopgap measures in the frantic weeks and months after the accident." The fact that these systems are still makeshift two years later is frightening.

In other news,

A fish caught near the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant last month [in February] now officially holds the dubious honor of being the world's most radioactive marine life ever tested, according to the Tokyo Electric Power Co., which owns the plant and has been testing marine life in the area.

Shorting Phoenix

Posted by Bob Lord

So, I stumbled onto this piece over at TomDispatch, Exodus from Phoenix, and couldn't not read it, even though I have a ton of work sitting on my desk. Then, I couldn't not share. Here's the teaser:

If cities were stocks, you’d want to short Phoenix.

Of course, it’s an easy city to pick on. The nation’s 13th largest metropolitan area (nudging out Detroit) crams 4.3 million people into a low bowl in a hot desert, where horrific heat waves and windstorms visit it regularly. It snuggles next to the nation’s largest nuclear plant and, having exhausted local sources, it depends on an improbable infrastructure to suck water from the distant (and dwindling) Colorado River.

In Phoenix, you don’t ask: What could go wrong? You ask: What couldn’t?

Interestingly, the piece doesn't mention Tucson, probably because Tucson's approach to climate is so much saner than ours. Unfortunately, the writer offers no advice as to how long I should wait before selling my house, an issue I've occasionally pondered. That of course is how you short a city (if you live there).

If you're a doom and gloomer, as I sometimes am, you'll love this piece. If you're not, you should read it anyhow. 

Pan-STARRS Comet Visits Tucson

by Pamela Powers Hannley

In case you haven't heard, the comet Pan Starrs is making its maiden voyage through Earth's skies this week. Last night we braved high winds on A Mountain to wave as it flew by. 

It will be visible through Friday in Tucson just after sunset. Be patient and bring a long camera lens or binoculars. Here's some background from the Arizona Daily Star.

Check out western horizon to see Pan-STARRS comet this week

 

A "Shameless self promotion" twofer

by David Safier

I have two columns appearing in two different papers this week. The Weekly asked me to write a Guest Commentary to discuss Al Melvin's SB1239 -- his $30 million special interest giveaway to Imagine Learning. And my monthly column in the Explorer came out as well -- a takedown of the Republican attitude that some problems simply can't be addressed because they call for "Big Government," and we can't have that.

People who have read my series of posts about Melvin's SB1239 (You can start here and link back to the three earlier posts if you're interested) are familiar with the territory I cover in the Weekly column. Here's an analysis of why it's wrong for Melvin to tell schools what reading approach to use, even if Imagine Learning puts out a good product.

[I]t's absurd for Al Melvin, sitting in his lofty legislative perch, to dictate how schools teach reading to struggling students. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions in education, and certainly none that will fit the needs of every child who has difficulty reading. Some struggling readers are ELL students who don't know enough English to speak the language fluently, let alone read it well. Others are English speakers who didn't go to preschool. Others are children with brain-related learning disabilities. Will the Imagine Learning program be right for all of them? I doubt it. Rather than putting $30 million behind one reading program, it makes far more sense to allow each school to look at its student population and decide what approach or variety of approaches, to spend the money on.

The 'Kochtopus' ALEC bill against climate science

Posted  by AzBlueMeanie:

Earlier this month I posted that the Birther Queen, Sen. Judy Burges wants to be the Grand Inquisitor of the Tea-Publican Inquisition against climate science:

SB 1213 says school boards and officials cannot prohibit a teacher from helping students analyze and review the "strengths and weaknesses of existing scientific theories," which means teachers would be free to tell students not only that they believe global warming is a myth, but would open the door for teachers to argue for the scientific validity of "intelligent design" as an alternative to evolution.

* * *

"The bill has all the markings of model legislation written by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative business-backed organization, to suppress certain issues like global warming."

That media speculation is now confirmed by Think Progress. Kansas Bill Would Require Teachers To Misinform Students About Climate Change:

Last week, the Kansas House Education Committee introduced a bill that mandates teachers question the scientific basis of global warming, becoming the latest state to take up one of American Legislative Exchange Council’s “model bills” aiming to misrepresent climate change in schools. Kansas would join Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Oklahoma as the fifth state to cast climate change as a “controversial” topic. [I guess Think progress was not aware of the Arizona bill, which makes number six.]

Monday was tinfoil hat day at the Lege

Posted  by AzBlueMeanie:

Monday was tinfoil hat day at the Arizona Legislature, led by the Birther Queen, Sen. Judy Burges (R-Crazyland).

You will recall that in addition to being a principal sponsor of the Birther bill, Birther Queen Judy was also a principal sponsor of another bill last year for a far-right conspiracy theory, "Agenda 21." SB1507 would prevent the state, county, and city governments of Arizona from adopting any tenets of the UN Declaration and the Statement of Principles for Sustainable Development (the "Rio Declaration"). It would also have blocked any other international "schemes" that violate the U.S. or state constitutions as well.

Birther Queen Judy's bill passed the state senate on a party-line vote, but died in the House where the bill was held until sine die.

Well, she's baaack! Birther Queen Judy is pushing her "Agenda 21" far-right conspiracy theory in a new bill this year, SB 1403, which would prevent the state, county, and city governments of Arizona from adopting any tenets of the UN Declaration and the Statement of Principles for Sustainable Development (the "Rio Declaration").

Building a Sustainable Economy in Tucson: Public Forum Tonight

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Tonight-- February 11-- Sustainable Tucson will host a panel discussion and public forum focusing on creative ideas for building a sustainable economy in Tucson.

Tucson is one of the poorest cities in the southwest, has a fragile desert ecosystem, and relies far too heavily on defense, the University of Arizona, and tourism for its vitality. We need diversification and creativity in our economic development efforts.

Tonight's speakers represent wide-ranging ideas from public banking and time trading to TREO's efforts in building Tucson's economy. The meeting will be held in the downtown library's lower level meeting room. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; program begins at 6 p.m. Details after the jump.

This week in "Safe, affordable nuclear power"

by David Safier

Florida's Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant is being shut down permanently. It's been closed since 2009 when it was discovered its concrete containment building was cracked, then the repair attempt opened new cracks.

The site will still be around another 60 years -- 3 generations -- before it's completely decontaminated and dismantled.

Rate payers will get money back, given by one of Duke Energy's hands, then that money and more will be taken away by the other. An insurance settlement to the company will mean $835 million in customer refunds because they've had to pay for higher cost power while the plant was offline. But then Duke will try to get $1.65 billion back from the same customers to recoup its investment (because, I guess, the company shouldn't have to pay for its risky investment in nuclear power). Net loss to customers: $815 million.

There are so many cautionary tales in this short news item, I don't know where to begin, so I'll leave it to the readers to draw their own conclusions.

Sen. Judy Burges wants to be the Grand Inquisitor of the Tea-Publican Inquisition against climate science

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You remember Judy Burges (R-Skull Valley) or alternatively (R-Sun City West), don't you? Then Rep. Judy Burges was the "Birther Queen" who did not believe President Obama was born in the U.S. and that he was a "secret Muslim." The Birther Queen wanted President Obama to provide proof of his birth in the U.S., and inferred that there should be a religious test for office in violation of the U.S. Constitution, Article VI, Section 3. Legislator: No Obama on ballot if he can't prove US birth.

And who can forget her Tea Party World Nut Daily conspiracy theory against the United Nations Agenda 21 “sustainable development” plan: "an insidious attack on American sovereignty in an effort to build a one-world order." Arizona Bill Would Ban UN Agenda 21 Within State. "The blue helmets are coming!"

Now Sen. Judy Burges wants to be the Grand Inquisitor of the Tea-Publican Inquisition against climate science, and require teachers to teach children that climate scientists are blasphemers and heretics. "They are witches! Burn them at the stake!" AZ bill would let teachers dismiss global warming:

[A] state senator wants to free teachers to tell students why some believe there is no such thing as human-caused "global warming."

Galileo facing the Roman Inquistion by Cristiano Banti (1857)

PDA People's Inauguration live-- NOW

by Pamela Powers Hannley

The People's Inauguration-- sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)-- is live streaming now here.

Great stuff-- War on Poverty, immigration reform, organizing the unemployed, Robin Hood Tax, eminent domain for economic development.

Jesse Jackson, Randy Parraz, Congressman John Conyers, and labor leaders just spoke.

Randy Parraz: "Change is coming to Arizona."

Jesse Jackson: The US should be as tough on gun manufacturers as we are on tobacco companies.

Bill Fletcher of the government employees union: Unions should organize the unemployed. He also called for the government to use eminent domain to take over forclosures and failing factories (before they close) to save people and communities from crushing poverty. [Why not? We saved GM.]

Congressman Jim McGovern now: "Hunger is a political condition."

More coming. Tune in. Tweets at @pdacommunity, @ProgressiveCentral and @p2hannley. Photos on PDA's Facebook page. Do it. Be the change you want to see. You are not alone in this struggle.

PDA sponsors 'People's Inauguration' in DC on Jan 19: Watch live streaming

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is hosting Progressive Central: The People's Inauguration on January 19 in Washington DC. 

Progressive pundits and politicians from around the country-- including our own Congressman Raul Grijalva-- will be there. If you're like me and will be in Tucson tomorrow, check out the live streaming of Progressive Central on the PDA home page, beginning at 8 a.m. (Eastern Time).  Bisbee's own Loneprotestor will be in DC-- so look for video from her on this blog. I attended Progressive Central in Charlotte while attending the Democratic National Convention, and it was inspiring. More details from after the jump.

Rosemont Mine, Jaguars and "Cyanide Beach"

by David Safier

The Canadian corporation behind Rosemont Mine, Augusta Resource, got a new infusion of money recently to keep pushing for the stalled project. The corporation hopes to wait out the opposition,but locals fighting the mine don't seem to be tiring. And a new member of the opposition just showed up: a jaguar.

A camera with a motion detector took this amazing photo and others like it in the Santa Rita Mountains in October. Jim Nintzel asks on The Range, Does Jaguar Photo Doom Rosemont Mine? That sleek cat is certainly going to complicate the mine's already shaky claims it won't harm the environment or the animal habitat.

Adding to the evidence against the mine is the illuminating 24 minute film, "Cyanide Beach" created by investigative reporter John Dougherty. It was just put on youtube last week after being shown at The Loft and events around Southern Arizona. The Augusta Resource folks claim to have no track record that indicates they might despoil the environment, but Dougherty documents the devastation caused by a mine in Sicily that was created by many of the same people involved in Augusta Resource. You can watch the video below the fold.

The New New Deal ... a book by Michael Grunwald

book review posted by John Denker

The New New Deal is a recent book by Michael Grunwald. It is very interesting, important, informative, readable, thorough, and persuasive. It revolves around the so-called Stimulus Act of 2009. There are three parts to the story: (1) The economic collapse and the election in the autumn of 2008; (2) the drafting and passage of the Stimulus Act in the winter of 2008–2009; and (3) the implementation and the consequences from 2009 to 2012.

I wish everybody would read this book, in order to know what was done and how well it worked. This is important, because many of the same policy issues are still with us, in connection with today’s fiscal negotiations and in the longer term, forever. We need public support for making the right decisions.

Steve Benen called this “the best book on the Obama presidency to date.” It injects some desperately needed reality into the discussion.

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Republican’s Support for Real Estate ‘Sprawl Subsidy’ May Have Decided Corporation Commission Race

By Will B. Greene 

  Full Disclosure: The author was Paul Newman’s 2012 Campaign Manager for Arizona Corporation Commissioner.

Special interests won the day in the race for the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) in 2012, while the Arizona public got legally swindled. 

 On Tuesday it was revealed the Arizona and National Association of Realtors spent $186,000 supporting Republican ACC candidates, Bob Stump, Susan Bitter-Smith and Bob Burns, who beat Democrats Paul Newman, Sandra Kennedy, and Marcia Busching on November 6th.  The realtors, and Chicago based utility-giant Exelon (who contributed $10,000 for good measure) made their purchase under the political committee moniker “Taxpayers’ Voice Fund”, with the money funding two mailers targeting swing voters just days before election day.

Reminder: 'Chasing Ice' documentary premiers at The Loft Cinema on Friday

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The award winning documentary film "Chasing Ice" is coming to The Loft Theater in Tucson on Friday, December 14. Chasing Ice | The Loft Cinema:

 Co-presented by the University of Arizona's Institute of the Environment

Featuring a special introduction by the Institute of the Environment on opening night, Friday, December 14th at 7:30 p.m.

Acclaimed National Geographic photographer James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change. But through his Extreme Ice Survey (EIS), he discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. In Chasing Ice, Balog deploys revolutionary time-lapse cameras to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers. His hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Traveling with a team of young adventurers across the brutal Arctic, Balog risks his career and his well-being in pursuit of the biggest story facing humanity. As the debate polarizes America, and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, Chasing Ice depicts a heroic photojournalist on a mission to deliver fragile hope to our carbon-powered planet. (Dir. by Jeff Orlowski, 2012, US, 75 min., Rated PG-13, Submarine Films) HD Digital

Visit the official movie website

Movie trailer below the fold.