VFX Artists Protest Oscars

The Gift of Love | Other - YouCaring.com

Retired union organizer and labor activist, Kitty Prouse was involved in a horrific vehicle accident on Tuesday 09/17/2013 in Charlottesville, VA, while on vacation with her husband Dennis. They are recovering from multiple injuries. Please donate to this fund to help Kitty. Thank You!

The Gift of Love | Other - YouCaring.com

LADWP to Completely Transition Out of Coal

LADWP Takes Historic Action Toward Clean Energy Future for Los Angeles LADWP Announces Negotiations to Sell and Divest from Navajo Generating Station and Board Approves Contract to Enable LADWP to Completely Transition Out of Coal from Intermountain Power Plant by 2025

LOS ANGELES— The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power took historic steps today towards eliminating coal from LA’s power supply when it announced that representatives of LADWP and Salt River Project have reached sufficient progress on the principle terms to sell its stake in Navajo Generating Station for the two utilities to move forward to negotiate a definitive agreement that would end LA’s use of coal-fired power from the plant by the end of 2015.  If a final agreement can be reached and approved by each party’s governing bodies, this will end LA’s role in NGS more than four years earlier than mandated by California state law.  On this same day, the LADWP’s Board of Water and Power Commissioners approved a contract that will enable LADWP to completely transition out of coal power from the Intermountain Power Plant in Delta, Utah by 2025 at the latest, with efforts to begin that transition no later than 2020.  The Navajo announcement and action on Intermountain Power Plant continues LADWP’s transformation of the city’s power supply to create a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. “The era of coal is over. Today we affirm our commitment to make Los Angeles a cleaner, greener, more sustainable city,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “By divesting from coal and investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency, we reduce our carbon footprint and set a precedent for the national power market.” Thomas R. Sayles, President of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners, said, “Today we continued the Board’s efforts to meet environmental mandates efficiently and in a cost effective manner while maintaining a reliable power supply for our customers.” LADWP currently owns a 21% interest in the 2250 megawatt (MW) Navajo Generating Station, receiving 477 MW of coal-fired power from the plant.  Today, the Board directed staff to develop the final transaction agreement, which is expected to be approved by both parties later this summer, with consideration by the Los Angeles City Council thereafter. “We are very pleased that we have made progress  with Salt River Project to enable moving forward with the negotiation of the final agreements that would enable LADWP to fully divest of coal power from Navajo by the end of 2015,” said Ronald O. Nichols, LADWP General Manager.  “This will close a chapter on our reliance on coal-fired power in Los Angeles.  Our efforts to create a clear path to ending our use of coal-fired power from the Intermountain Power Project is also a major achievement for a complex arrangement involving 30 Utah public power utilities and 6 California municipal utilities who receive power from that project.  This allows us to focus on the new low-carbon future of Los Angeles.”   Eliminating coal power from Intermountain Power Plant (IPP) was more complex than negotiating the terms of sale of Navajo because LADWP does not own any part of IPP.  LADWP is one of six Southern California municipal utilities that purchase coal power from the 1,800-megawatt (MW) Intermountain Power Project located in Delta Utah under a long-term power purchase agreement that expires in 2027.  IPP is owned by 23 municipal utilities in Utah and supplies power to 30 utilities in Utah and six utilities in Southern California, including LADWP.  Under California law, SB 1368, electric utilities will not be allowed to import power into the state that exceeds a fossil fuel emissions cap after their current contracts expire. The emissions cap is set at the level of an efficient, combined cycle natural gas power plant. The Board’s action today approves LADWP’s portion of the amendment to the long-term power sales agreement to stop taking coal power from IPP earlier than 2027 and build a smaller natural gas plant that complies with California emission standards.  LADWP and other Southern California municipal utilities will continue to receive renewable energy from Southern Utah from the Milford Wind project; with power delivered over the same transmission line that presently also delivers power from the Intermountain Power Project.  The contract provides for beginning LADWP’s transition out of coal power from IPP with the commencement of engineering, design and construction of the smaller natural gas-fired generating plant by 2020 and completely eliminating coal power from IPP no later than 2025.  The smaller plant, estimated at between 600 – 1200 megawatts, will allow LADWP and the other local municipal customers to develop more renewables and bring it to Southern California along existing transmission lines. “Working with IPP and its other customers, we have developed a win-win-win solution that is good for Southern California and good for Utah,” said Aram Benyamin, LADWP Senior Assistant General Manager – Power.  “Siting and building a new power plant and the transmission lines to deliver replacement power to Los Angeles would have cost at least twice that of rebuilding at IPP.  By using an existing power plant site and existing DC Southern Transmission System  for delivery of power from the future project and transforming it we will save money, time, reduce emissions by over 2/3 that of the existing plant, be able to build more renewables and bring that power home to Los Angeles.  That’s a homerun.” The amendment is subject to approval by the Los Angeles City Council, will be considered by the other municipal purchasers and is currently being ratified by the 23 Utah owners. Today’s actions by the Board are the latest steps taken to transform LA’s energy supply and create a clean energy future.  Other major accomplishments include reaching 20% renewables in 2010, establishing and implementing a 150 MW Solar Feed-In Tariff program, approving the largest utility-scale solar developments of any municipal utility in the country, completing the utility-built Adelanto and Pine Tree Solar Plants and more than doubling the LADWP’s investment in energy efficiency, among others. The transformation of LADWP’s historic energy supply is well-underway. “Eliminating coal is one leg of our transformation, but we can’t stand on that leg alone – we have to replace that power supply,” said Ronald O. Nichols, LADWP General Manager. “That is why for several years now and for several more to come, LADWP has been taking steps to replace coal power with a combination of greatly increased commitment to energy efficiency, expanded renewable energy, and balancing that with a necessary amount of low-carbon natural gas power. “All of these elements will come together to ensure a reliable, cost effective power supply transformation.” # # #

For more information contact: Joseph Ramallo LADWP Communications (213) 367-1361

Union OK'd for CSD Workers - Mountain News : News

Union OK'd for CSD Workers - Mountain News : News: By Mike Harris

Union Organizers Defeat Prop 32

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 07, 2012
CONTACT: Steve Smith (510) 326-4644

Voters Reject Deceptive Prop 32, Send Clear Message to Wealthy Corporate Interests

Union volunteers drive huge turnout to defeat Prop 32

Statement by California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski

“In voting down the deceptive Prop 32, Californians rejected a blatant power play by corporate special interests to silence the voice of working people. Despite weeks of misleading advertisements backing Prop 32 paid for by billionaires and out-of-state Super PACs, the margin of defeat was decisive. Prop 32 backers spent more than $50 million in an effort to fool voters. Ultimately, California families saw through this sham of a measure, agreeing with the League of Women Voters, reform groups and leading newspapers that panned Prop 32 as a fraud that would weaken our democracy.

“Prop 32 also had the effect of driving millions of firefighters, electricians, nurses, teachers, plumbers and other working people to the polls today. This measure was nothing less than an attack on working people; an attack we took personally.

“Today’s victory was the culmination of the largest voter contact program in the California labor movement’s history. Over the course of the campaign, 40,000 union volunteers reached millions of voters on the phone, at the door, through the mail and online about the harmful consequences of Prop 32. The result of this massive program was more engagement than ever from working people this election. That engagement not only drove the defeat of Prop 32, it also had a positive impact on other ballot measures and helped elect working family candidates at all levels.

“For the third time in the last 14 years, California voters rejected an attempt to shut working people out of the political process. The message voters sent the wealthy interests behind Prop 32 could not have been clearer. Californians categorically reject power plays designed by a few in the 1% to rig the system to their favor. Sooner or later, these CEOs and billionaires trying to push their agenda on our state will realize that no amount of money spent on deceptive ads will fool voters into passing measures like Prop 32.”

###

Why Barack Obama Won in 2012

163 Reasons Barack Obama Won the 2012 Presidential Election

1. Death of Osama Bin Laden

2.  Bill Clinton’s DNC Speech

3.  Senior Citizen Voters

4.  Women Voters

5.  High Level of Integrity

6.  Hispanic Voters

7.  African American Voters

8.   AARP Members

9.  ObamaCare Victory

10.  Auto Industry Bailout

11.  DNC Audience Diversity

12.  Responsible Pet Owners

13.  White House Beer Recipe

14.  Voter Identification Law Backlash

15.  Opposition to Tea Party Movement

16.  Personable and Presidential

17.  Occupy Wall Street

18.  Champion of Democracy

19.  Clint Eastwood’s Monologue

20.  Belief Financial System is Rigged

21.  Support for Renewable Energy

22.  Todd Akin’s Speech

23.  Romney’s Cayman Islands Account

24.  Mitch McConnell’s 2012 Goal

25.  Phrase “Tax Cuts for the Rich”

26.  Ryan’s Medicare Cuts

27.  Rafalca the Olympic Horse

28.  Romney’s 47% Comment

29.  Middle Class Voters

30.  Evangelicals

31.  American Voters on Welfare

32.  Americans Who Oppose Afghan War

33.  Mitt Romney’s Tax Rate

34.  Corporate Greed

35.  Do-Nothing Congress

36.  Romney’s Saber Rattling

37.  Conservative Commentator Ann Coulter

38.  Gay Marriage Supporters

39.  Foreign Policy Experience

40.  Support for Family Planning

41.  Daughter’s Malia and Sasha

42.  Fear of Right Wing Extremism

43.  YouTube Videos

44.  Etch-a-Sketch Comment

45.  Oppositions Use of Term “Socialist”

46.  Climate Change Science

47.  Arab Spring

48.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

49.  Immigration Reform Supporters

50.  Bain Capital, LLC

51.  Senator John McCain

52.  Seamus the Dog

53.  Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act

54.  Muammar Gaddafi Death

55.  The 99%

56.  Positive Upbeat Outlook

57.  Opposition to Koch Brother’s Meddling

58.  Romney Calling Self “Severe  Capitalist”

59.  Romney’s Oil Company Ties

60.  Romney’s Support of Nuclear Energy

61.  American Dream of Home Ownership

62.  Sheldon Adelson

63.  End of Iraq War

64.  Sarah Palin

65.  Fox News Coverage

66.  Iran Sanctions

67.  Romney Offshoring Jobs

68.  Chris Matthews

69.  Herman Cain’s Alleged Affair

70.  George W. Bush Legacy

71.  Working Families

72.  Obama Effect (Opposition Stockpiling Weapons)

73.  Increased Fuel Efficiency Standards

74.  Birther Conspiracy Backlash

75.  Basketball Ability

76.  Housing Market Stabilization

77.  Governor Scott Walker

78.  Veiled Racism

79.  Gov. Chris Christie

80.  Ted Nugent (Motor City Madman)

81.  Oprah Winfrey

82.  Seal Team 6

83.  Citizens United Decision Backlash

84.  Sen Larry Craig’s Wide Stance

85.  NRA After Colorado Shooting

86.  Facebook Sharing

87.  The 1%

88.  Ron Paul Snub

89.  Business Banking Regulations

90.  George Clooney

91.  Small Donors

92.  Transparency

93.    Likeable Characteristics

94.  Authentic Smile

95.  24 Hr News Cycle

96.  “Thurston Howell Romney” Moniker

97.  GOP Israel Skinny Dip

98.  Romney Hong Kong Fundraiser

99.  Romney’s Olympic Security Critique

100. Carl Rove

101.  Super PAC’s

102. Michele Bachmann

103.  Term “Death Panel”

104.  Newt Gingrich

105.  Every Man

106.  Military Cuts

107.  House Speaker John Boehner

108.  Opposition to Coal Industry

109.  Union Members

110.  Rush Limbaugh

111. Opposes Corporate Greed

112.  EPA Regulations

113.  Teachers Voter

114.  Doctored Pledge of Allegiance Photo

115.  Romney’s Quote “I love to fire People”

116.  Stimulus Plan

117.  Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner

118.  Cash for Clunkers

119. Republican War on Women

120. Parents Who Support Big Bird

121.  Opposition calling US President a “Marxist”

122.  Overuse of Media Bias Claim

123.  Bill O’Reilly

124. Saturday Night Live

125.  Fair and Balanced Exaggeration

126. Stock Market Recovery

127. Al Franken

128.  Robert Reich

129. CA Voter Suppression Act

130. Term “Appeasement”

131. The Grover Norquist Pledge

132. Nathan Sproul

133. WI Collective Bargaining Law

134. Cato Institute

135. Time Magazine Cover

136. Empathy

137. Hugh Hewitt’s Book

138.  Atheist Ayn Rand

139.  School Vouchers

140.  Romney’s Car Elevator

141.  Opposition to Offshore Drilling

142.  Ann’s Couple of Cadillac’s

143.  Support of US Government Workers

144.  Anyone Can Beat Obama Mantra

145.  Likeability Strengths

146.  Patriotic Language (About US Govt)

147.  Low Interest Rates

148.  Michele vs. Ann

149.  American Optimism

150.  GOP Buyer’s Remorse

151.  Strategic Allied Consulting, Inc.

152.  Term “Affirmative Action President”

153.  Support of Contraception

154.  Ann’s $990 Designer Silk Shirt

155.  PBS Viewers

156.  Sec of State Hillary Clinton

157.  Michael Savage’s Anti-American Vitriol

158.  Bo the Dog

159.  Housing Market Stabilization

160.   2nd Debate

161.   3rd Debate

162.   Gen. Colin Powell Endorsement

163.   Hurricane Sandy Response

Updated: 169 Reasons Mitt Romney Lost the 2012 Presidential Election

169 Reasons Mitt Romney Lost the 2012 Presidential Election:

1.            Occupy Wall Street
2.            War on Women
3.            Hispanic Voters
4.            African American Voters
5.            AARP Fight
6.            ObamaCare Victory
7.            Death of Osama Bin Laden
8.            Bill Clinton’s DNC Speech
9.            Auto Industry Bailout
10.          The Tea Party Movement
11.          Clint Eastwood’s Monologue
12.          Horatio Alger Myth
13.          Frightened Senior Citizens
14.          Todd Akin’s Rape Comments
15.          Cayman Islands Account
16.          Mitch McConnell’s 2012 Goal
17.          Tax Cuts for the Rich
18.          Medicare Cuts
19.          Rafalca the Olympic Horse
20.          The 47% Comment
21.          The Middle Class
22.          Evangelicals
23.          Term “Welfare Queen”
24.          Not Mentioning Afghanistan
25.          Michael Savage’s Vitriol
26.          Tax Returns
27.          Corporate Greed
28.          Do-Nothing Congress
29.          Ann Coulter
30.          Gay Marriage
31.          Foreign Policy
32.          Abortion
33.          Malia and Sasha
34.          Right Wing Extremism
35.          YouTube
36.          Etch-a-Sketch Debacle
37.          Calling a US President a “Socialist”
38.          Climate Change Denial
39.          Arab Spring
40.          Sec of State Hillary Clinton
41.          Immigration Issue
42.          Bain Capital
43.          John McCain
44.          Seamus the Dog
45.          Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
46.          Muammar Gaddafi Death
47.          The 99%
48.          Too Negative
49.          Koch Brothers
50.          Term “Crony Capitalist”
51.          Phony Voter ID Laws
52.          Oil Company Ties
53.          Opposition to Green Energy
54.          Support of Nuclear Energy
55.          American Dream of Home Ownership
56.          Sheldon Adelson
57.          End of Iraq War
58.          Sarah Palin
59.          Fox News
60.          Iran Sanctions
61.          Offshoring Jobs
62.          Chris Matthews
63.          Herman Cain’s 999 Plan
64.          Outsourcing
65.          George W. Bush
66.          Union Members
67.          Obama Effect (Stockpiling Weapons)
68.          Fuel Efficiency Standards
69.          Birther Conspiracy
70.          Basketball Ability
71.          Housing Market Stabilization
72.          Gov. Scott Walker
73.          Veiled Racism
74.          Gulf Oil Spill
75.          Motor City Madman Ted Nugent
76.          Oprah Winfrey
77.          Seal Team 6
78.          Citizens United Decision
79.          Sen Larry Craig’s Wide Stance
80.          NRA Tweet after Massacre
81.          Facebook Sharing
82.          The 1%
83.          Ron Paul Snub
84.          Business Banking Regulations
85.          Mars Curiosity Rover
86.          George Clooney
87.          Small Donors
88.          Stiff Persona
89.          Libyan Attack Comments
90.          Donald Trump Endorsement
91.          “He’s Not One of Us” Argument
92.          24 Hr News Cycle
93.          “Thurston Howell Romney” Moniker
94.          GOP Israel Skinny Dip
95.          Hong Kong Fundraiser
96.          Romney’s Olympic Security Critique
97.          Carl Rove
98.          Super PAC’s
99.          Michele Bachmann
100.        Term “Death Panel”
101.        Offshore Accounts
102.        Newt Gingrich
103.        Angry Looking
104.        Netanyahu
105.        Reverse Military Cuts
106.        House Speaker John Boehner
107.        Support of Coal Industry
108.        Union Members
109.        Rush Limbaugh
110.        Corporate Greed
111.        EPA Regulations
112.        Teachers
113.        Doctored Pledge of Allegiance Photo
114.        “I Love to Fire People!”
115.        Stimulus Plan
116.        Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner
117.        Cash for Clunkers
118.        War on Women
119.        “We Built It” Slogan
120.        Campaign Infighting
121.        No Specifics
122.        Term “Marxist”
123.        Media Bias Claim
124.        Bill O’Reilly
125.        Saturday Night Live
126.        Fair and Balanced
127.        Stock Market Recovery
128.        Al Franken
129.        Robert Reich
130.        Voter Suppression Act
131.        Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
131.        Term “Appeasement”
132.        Day One Promises
133.        The Norquist Pledge
134.        Nathan Sproul
135.        WI Collective Bargaining Law
136.        Cato Institute
137.        Anti-Mormon Bias
138.        Free Enterprise System
139.        Hugh Hewitt’s Book
140.        Bush’s Record
141.        Atheist Ayn Rand
142.        School Vouchers
143.        Romney’s Car Elevator
144.        Offshore Drilling
145.        Ann’s Couple of Cadillac’s
146.        Insult Government Workers
147.        Anyone Can Beat Obama Mantra
148.        Comparing Obama to Jimmy Carter
149.        Likeability Factor
150.        Unpatriotic Language (Size of US Govt)
151.        Self-Described “Severe Conservative”
152.        Michele vs. Ann
153.        Cheerleading Fall of US Economy
154.        Buyer’s Remorse
155.        Strategic Allied Consulting, Inc.
156.        Term “Affirmative Action President”
157.        Drudge Siren
158.        Out of Touch
159.        Contraception
160.        Ann’s $990 Designer Silk Shirt
161.        PBS Viewers
162.        Jack Welsh Conspiracy
163.        “Binders Full of Women”
164.        Boss vs. President
165.        2nd Debate
166.        3rd Debate
167.        Saber Rattling
168.        Too Serious/Inability to Joke
169.        Thomas Peterffy