If the human species has one unique characteristic, it may well be the propensity to kill things it doesn't like or that simply displease. Other species destroy to sustain themselves; humans just do it because they can.

Now there's big money in it.

One of the biggest money makers is Monsanto, the organization that brought us Agent Orange, dioxin, RoundUp and, most recently, acquired the company, Delta&Pine Land, that developed, together with the Department of Agriculture, the terminator gene.

Like the other monopolistic clients (Walmart and Tyson Foods) of the Stephens Group of Little Rock, Arkansas, Monsanto is not flamboyant and not keen on random publicity. Which is probably why they declined to be interviewed for the French documentary on their achievements.

Video below the fold.

Gracie Dodd was worried that Santa would not find her in Iowa. Being only six, she probably didn't remember what else happens in her family on Christmas.

Wonder if Chris bothered to mention that when the baby Jesus was born, His mother and father were far from home, traveling to take part in a political process--the Roman census.

Is the American Dream -- that bedrock belief that if we work hard, we can get ahead and make a better life for ourselves and our children -- alive and well?

It depends on which Americans you have in mind.

A series of studies by The Economic Mobility Project (www.economicmobility.org), a bi-partisan initiative, reveals that while some groups continue to move up the ladder of success, others are facing a tough time. And for two significant groups – children born to low income parents and middle-income African-Americans – the picture appears even bleaker.

What is the Economic Mobility Project?

Funded and directed by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Economic Mobility Project is a consortium of prominent scholars from four public policy institutions that cut across the political spectrum – the American Enterprise Institute, The Brookings Institution, The Heritage Foundation, and The Urban Institute.

The Project’s primary goal is to expand the current national economic debate about economic inequality to also include a fundamentally uniting discussion of opportunity and mobility. As such, and particularly in the lead-up to a presidential election, it is critical that candidates and policy makers are informed by the hard facts about mobility in America today.

The ServeNext Presidential Straw Poll is now ready for your vote! Designed celebrate the season of service, create some friendly competition between campaigns, and address the unprecedented critical food shortage faced by residents in need this winter, the contest will benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank and its local agencies across the state.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) are asking their supporters to take action - and they don't (just) mean phonebanking or canvassing. They're asking for folks to give back directly to their communities.

Through Thanksgiving, the Clinton campaign will collect food for those in need this holiday season.

During Thanksgiving week and through the end of November, the campaign will deliver food and other items collected to shelters and pantries throughout the state. “Serving the ‘least of these’ in our communities is the ultimate contribution to the common good. We are all blessed when we join together to offer a helping hand,” said Senator Clinton. “I am heartened that my campaign is joining with the people of New Hampshire in lifting up our fellow Americans in need as we enter the holiday season.”

At series of events today at colleges and universities throughout the Northeast including the University of New Hampshire in Durham, U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (NY-D) highlighted how eager young Americans are to give back to their country through National Service programs since 9/11.

During her remarks at each event, Clinton honored the activism and public service of students and recent graduates. In particular, she noted that between 2000 and 2006, applications to Teach for America nearly tripled and that between 2004 and 2006, applications to the AmeriCorps VISTA program jumped 50%.

Jim Wallis tells NH audiences: Creating change requires more than your vote

Progressive Evangelical leader calls on NH voters to create a political movement to address poverty, AIDS, global warming

DURHAM – (Oct. 16, 2007) The Rev. Jim Wallis last night challenged people of all faiths, as well as those who consider themselves “spiritual, but not religious,” to create a movement to address the major global issues of our time, including poverty, AIDS, genocide and global warming.

Wallis told a crowd of about 200 people in Dartmouth College's Rollins Chapel Monday night that “people of faith should be the ultimate swing voters,” who use their moral compasses to evaluate candidates. But he also cautioned that regardless of where the next U.S. President stands on these issues, he or she will not be able to solve them without “a social movement pushing them from the outside to make it happen.”

“Power concedes nothing without a demand,” he said, quoting abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Peter Sullivan announced today that he will be a candidate for the Manchester Board of Alderman in this fall's municipal elections. Sullivan will seek the seat from Ward 3, which includes downtown and the millyard.

"Manchester city politics is ready for change. It's time for new voices, new ideas, and a committment to open and accountable government. That's why I've decided to run for alderman", said Sullivan.

"By tapping the talents and ideas of all of Manchester's residents, we can bring new voices to civic life. The era of political cliques and secret back room meetings must come to an end.

"By working together, we can craft a budget that ends the abuse of Manchester's taxpayers while meeting the needs of our residents.

"We can make our neighborhoods safe by putting more cops on the street, by cracking down on unresponsive slum lords, and by taking a tough, no-nonsense stand against the small number of irresponsible businesses whose actions threaten our community.

SOURCE: WMUR-TV
Heating assistance program says it's running out of funds

February 9, 2007

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. --After weeks of frigid weather, agencies that help residents who have difficulty paying their heating bills are running out of money.

Rockingham Community Action is one of six agencies statewide that give out government-funded assistance, including helping those who can't afford their heating bills.

Sharon Brody, RCA fuel assistance director, said right now, the agency is helping 3,000 Rockingham County households stay warm.

"We're not here to cover all of the bill," she said. "We're here to give them some assistance to get them through the worst of the winter."

RCA estimated that the average homeowner will spend $1,500 in fuel costs each winter. The organization is able to help with $600 each winter for those who need it. But Brody said that most of the people helped this year have already gone through that amount.

PrioritiesNH is making it easy for New Hampshire citizens to reach out and touch the NH Presidential Primary candidates.

The Concord-based non-profit campaign for sensible budget priorities has posted a publicly-accessible candidate calendar on its Web site, at http://www.PrioritiesNH.org/birddog_calendar.php. The calendar is updated several times daily and can be sorted by the candidate name, the city or town he or she is visiting, the date, and the name of the event.

PrioritiesNH put its schedule online because, “We believe in the NH Primary and we want to encourage as many New Hampshire citizens as possible to be involved,” said PrioritiesNH Director Steve Varnum. “We also know that people in New Hampshire want a larger proportion of their taxes to go toward education, health care, renewable energy and job training, and less to Pentagon waste, and we’re helping them communicate that to the candidates.”

PrioritiesNH is working to change America's budget priorities to reflect a national commitment to education, healthcare, energy independence, job training and deficit reduction -- at no additional taxpayer expense -- by shifting funding from obsolete Cold War and nuclear weapons. A panel of military experts says the Pentagon wastes $60 billion each year on obsolete Cold War weapons and excessive nuclear weapons. A piece of legislation in Congress, the Common Sense Budget Act, would redistribute that $60 billion to domestic and international human needs.

Hello,
I am currntly working on a series of articles for www.newhampshireprimary.blogspot.com, as well as a possible short book on the upcoming 2008 New Hampshire Presidential Primary. Anyone interested may contribute comments or thoughts by emailing me at dwa@unh.edu or comment here. The piece/pieces will focus on the views of New Hampshire voters and their preferences in terms of the candidates. Namely, I'd like to know what issues New Hampshire voters care about the most, and the candidates they feel best represent their interests. One may also want to comment on past elections, campaign experiences, etc...
Thanks!
David Anderson
Graduate Student/Writer/Activist
University of New Hampshire

SolvingPoverty.com launches Louisiana rebuilding initiative. The organization describes its proposal for a Gulf Coast Civic Works project here. A synopsis is found below.

January 14—20, 2007 Be a Part of History!

In 1964, 800 college students from around the country came to Mississippi to register African American voters who were being denied this constitutional right. In that spirit of democracy, we call upon students to travel to the Gulf Coast to participate this January in “Louisiana Winter.” The goals of Louisiana Winter are: to turn the nation’s attention to the Gulf Coast; to have students witness first-hand the social suffering that is occurring; and to promote the immediate passage of federal legislation to implement the Gulf Coast Civic Works Project.

For Immediate Release: Gov. Lynch Issues Executive Order to Monitor, Improve On Changes to TANF Law

Says More Work is Needed to Ensure Success, Self-Sufficiency for People

CONCORD - Saying more changes are needed to ensure the success and self-sufficiency of TANF recipients, Gov. John Lynch today issued an Executive Order requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to increase child care, transportation, education and other support services, as well as creating a system for monitoring the implementation of changes to the TANF program, and the impact of those changes on clients, the state and efforts to meet federal requirements.

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