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Oct 10, 2012 by     CNN

     Rep. Chaffetz defends his criticism of the handling of Libyan consulate security despite voting to cut embassy funding.
For more CNN videos, check out our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/cnn
Or visit our site at http://www.cnn.com/video/

AlterNet ~ Keystone , Jon and 40yrs in Solitary

Trans Canada Keystone Oil Pipeline (Photo credit: shannonpatrick17)

EPA Slams State’s Draft Impact Statement For Keystone XL

By Ryan Koronowski, Climate Progress

Here are the reasons EPA said that the State Department’s assessment needs more work. READ MORE»

40 Years in Solitary? New Documentary Interrogates America’s Nightmare System of Punishment

By Angad Bhalla, Creative Time Reports

Over 80,000 people are being held in solitary confinement in the United States. READ MORE»

Jon Stewart’s Hilarious Take-Down of CNN’s Boston Coverage

AlterNet

The most trusted name in news? READ MORE»

Wrong about Boston

 

There’s a new petition taking off on Change.org, and we think you might be interested in signing it:

New York Post: Run a front page apology for your false reporting on the Boston Marathon Bombing By Joel B. brooklyn, New York Sign Joel’s Petition When multiple errors, exaggerations and blatant lies are disguised as news, it is the responsibility of the transgressor to formally apologize for their mistakes. The New York Post sensationalized the Boston Marathon Bombing, claimed the death toll was 12, told us they had a Saudi man in custody and eventually ran a front page photo of two innocent boys they claimed the FBI wanted for questioning.  Neither of them were identified by the FBI as suspects.  One of those kids, a 17 year old high school student whose face was recognizable in the photo is devastated and afraid ( I have blurred his face from the graphic in this petition). This sort of irresponsible and damaging reporting is unacceptable and should not be tolerated in a modern and civilized society. The New York Post must apologize and stop “standing by” their false reporting. Because in the end, sensationalized news and headlines may sell papers but publishing pure lies only sells your soul and integrity. Sign Joel’s Petition

Birth control makes you “sterile or dead”?

 

Katelyn Campbell deserves our respect and encouragement for speaking out against failed “abstinence-only” programs. Tell her county’s Board of Education to censure her principal for threatening her. High school principal George Aulenbacher should be ashamed of himself. First, Aulenbacher and his school district decided to subject his students to a misleading “abstinence-only” program. And then he threatened student Katelyn Campbell when she spoke out against it. To make matters even worse, right now the Kanawha County Board of Education is siding with Principal Aulenbacher.1 This is no way to treat a brave young woman who’s speaking out for what’s right. Help us put pressure on the Board of Education to censure Aulenbacher, and tell them that students need comprehensive sex education. Your message today will go directly to the Kanawha County Board of Education and superintendent of schools, where it can make a big impact. Aulenbacher’s school recently brought in an “abstinence educator” who says taking birth control can lead to becoming “sterile or dead.”2 Katelyn fought back against these outrageous lies. She talked with the local newspaper, and even went on CNN. How did Aulenbacher respond? He tried to shut her down. Katelyn says Aulenbacher called her into his office to berate her, even threatening to call her future college to tell them she has “bad character” and is a “backstabber.”3 At a Board of Education committee meeting last night, it’s been reported that members of the board stuck up for Aulenbacher and the misleading “abstinence-only” program. It’s ridiculous that a principal would threaten a student like this, and absurd that the Board of Education would stand for it. Tell the Board of Education to censure Aulenbacher and provide students with comprehensive sex education. Katelyn knows, like we do, that teens need accurate information about abstinence and birth control so that they can make responsible decisions that are right for them. One in four teen girls has an STD, and one third of young women will become pregnant before they’re 20 years old. These young women need information that will keep them healthy. I applaud Katelyn for speaking out for what she knows is right. She deserves our respect and encouragement, not threats and intimidation. Thanks for standing up for Katelyn and helping make choice real for young people like her. Ilyse G. Hogue President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

CNN’s Exclusive Reporting

The Most Busted Name in News

CNN‘s exclusive report on an arrest in the Boston Marathon bombing was exclusive because it was completely f**king wrong.

Gun Violence …

   You helped spark a national conversation on gun violence that’s dominating headlines everywhere from CNN¹ to the New York Times² to the Washington Post.³
Hundreds of TV broadcasts, radio shows, newspapers and blogs are reporting on our new ad in which Aurora survivor Stephen Barton calls on both presidential candidates to put their words of condolence into action. Here’s just a sample:

“[I]n the midst of the clutter, one amazing ad cut through. It is called ”Demand a Plan” and is a simple plea by Stephen Barton, who was shot in the face and neck during the Aurora attack, to confront the plague of gun violence.”
–Eliot Spitzer, Slate.com⁴

            This coast-to-coast coverage wouldn’t be possible without people like you helping to get the word out.
Will you make a special donation to help keep up our momentum and get our ad in front of even more Americans?
We’ve already broken through wall-to-wall presidential campaign coverage. Now let’s take full advantage of this incredible moment to make sure even more Americans hear our message and join our call to Demand A Plan.
Thanks for all your help getting us here,

Mayors Against Illegal Guns
[1] Debate ad demands gun plan from candidates, CNN, October 1, 2012             [2] Aurora Victim Pushes Gun Issue With New Ad, The New York Times, September 30, 2012             [3] Colorado shooting victim wants candidates to address gun violence during presidential debates, The Washington Post, October 1, 2012             [4] The Amazing Campaign Ad That Should Cut Through the Clutter, Slate, October 2, 2012

His little girl only lived 9 short years

My little girl only lived 9 short years. She filled them with an infectious happiness and curiosity for life — dancing, singing in her church choir and even becoming the only girl on her Little League baseball team, “The Pirates.” I loved coaching her in baseball and miss it every day.

Her life was cut short, alongside five others, by the shooting in Tucson, Arizona. Losing Christina-Taylor devastated our family. No parent should have to go through the horror we experienced.

That’s why I agreed to share our story as part of CNN’s “What Keeps You Up at Night” series on major election issues – if it can help prevent another mass shooting like the one that robbed my family of our daughter, I’ll tell it every chance I get.

Watch the CNN segment here, and if you haven’t already, please join me and more than 200,000 others in demanding a plan to end gun violence from President Obama and Governor Romney.

I’m a gun owner myself, and I know we’re not doing enough as a country to keep guns out of the wrong hands. So I’m glad CNN is giving this urgent issue the national attention it deserves. I hope you’ll join me in making sure the two candidates for president do the same.

For Christina-Taylor,

John Green
Father of a Tucson victim

Debate Countdown: What Will YOU Be Watching For?

 

It’s coming!  The all-important first Obama-Romney debate is just days away. We’ll have previews and features but we need to know what YOU will be watching for.

The topics for this first encounter will be:

Economy – 45 minutes
Health Care – 15 minutes
Role of Government - 15 minutes
Governing - 15 minutes

Please help us by adding your questions/ideas in the COMMENTS.  And share this so others can join the conversation!

We’ll also offer links to Causes stories relevant to issues raised in the debate as they emerge. For starters here are links to some of our topic pages: Voting Rights, Health Care,  Government, Economy, Jobs,  War on Women, Women, Civil Rights , Climate Change ,LGBT Rights, Education, Energy , Economy , Science , Animal Rights

Here’s the whole schedule – but please, scroll down and send us your ideas!

October 3, 2012 in Denver, CO Topic: Domestic policy. Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time - Moderator: Jim Lehrer (Host of NewsHour on PBS), who will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the topic.

October 11, 2012 in Danville, KY Vice Presidential - Topic: Foreign and domestic polic. Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time   Moderator: Martha Raddatz (ABC News Chief Foreign Correspondent)m who will ask an opening question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the question.

October 16, 2012 in Hempstead, NY Topic: Town meeting format including foreign and domestic policy  Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time –  Moderator: Candy Crowley (CNN Chief Political Correspondent) This debate is a town meeting; citizens (undecided voters chosen by Gallup)  will ask questions of the candidates on foreign and domestic issues. Candidates each will have two minutes to respond, and an additional minute for the moderator to facilitate a discussion.

October 22, 2012 in Boca Raton, FL Topic: Foreign policy  Moderator: Bob Schieffer (Host of Face the Nation on CBS)   The format for the debate will be identical to the first presidential debate and will focus on foreign policy.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/debate-countdown-what-will-you-be-watching-for.html#ixzz27vDeUbVU

 

This Week’s Top 3 On ThinkProgr​ess: The DNC Edition

Now that both parties have wrapped up their conventions, the presidential election is just two months away. ThinkProgress will make sure you don’t miss a thing. Here are three important posts from this week:

1. ‘It’s Arithmetic’: The Best Of Bill Clinton’s DNC Speech, In One Infographic

2. CHARTS: Yes, We’re Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago

3. Tens Of Thousands Of Feminists Call On CNN To Fire Sexist Contributor

Best,

Igor Volsky Deputy Editor, ThinkProgress

Media Matters for America – This Week

This week is about examining some basic media flaws. From whatThe Wall Street Journal refuses to disclose,Newsweek‘s aversion to factchecking, CNN pushing right-wing extremism, and more.John Whitehouse Twitter: @existentialfish Top Editors Call For The Wall Street Journal To Tell The Truth About Rove The Wall Street Journal publishes a weekly column by Karl Rove. In the midst of a campaign to build a “permanent” conservative majority, Rove co-founded a super PAC that Vanity Fair says will spend over a billion dollars this election cycle. But to Rupert Murdoch’s Journal, Karl Rove is just a guy who used to work for George W. Bush. Despite it being standard practice,the Journal refuses to disclose Rove’s super PAC role. When asked by Investigative reporter Joe Strupp, newspaper editors across the country denounced the Journal‘s practice of non-disclosure: http://mm4a.org/PCsB7H Newsweek Exemplifies Media Vulnerability Respected economists like Brad DeLong and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman noted gross factual inaccuracies in Niall Ferguson’s Newsweek cover story.Newsweek took no responsibility for any inaccuracies though,casually admitting that they don’t even fact checkthe articles they publish. Against a backdrop of shrinking newsrooms and layoffs, I explained how the conservative echo chamber exploits such vulnerabilities:   http://mm4a.org/RAlguR Media Ignore Record Ice Melt Scientists last week announced that this year’s Greenland ice melt has shattered all previous records. The lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center told Media Matters‘ Jill Fitzsimmons “I absolutely think the media should cover this more, along with the record-breaking pace of Arctic sea ice loss for the summer.” And yet this story received no mention at all by any broadcast network, cable news network, or major newspaper. Find out what the media isn’t telling you about the increasing pace of climate change: http://mm4a.org/Pudk8Z Elephants In The Room Fox distorted President Obama’s remarks tying business success to “this unbelievable American system” that happens to include government spending on infrastructure. Independent fact checkers thoroughly debunked the Fox-fueled ‘you didn’t build that’ smear. Jon Stewart mocked Fox for the self-evident distortion. The Republican National Committee on the other hand adopted the distortion as a theme for this year’s convention. And wouldn’t you know – Fox praised the RNC for doing so. But as Eric Hananoki noted, the Convention is being held in an arena built by Florida taxpayers:  http://mm4a.org/NFDfOM

FEATURED VIDEO  A panel discussion on a Fox business show was entirely about how the poor are a burden on the wealthy, with a panelist wondering: “Why can’t we make someone embarassed” for being on welfare? http://mm4a.org/S5EO7N CNN’S RIGHT-WING BLOGGER PROBLEM Follwing Missouri Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin’s claim that is is “really rare” for victims of “legitimate rape” to become pregnant, CNN’s Erick Erickson and Dana Loesch excused the comments. Eric Boehlert analyzed CNN’s decision to mainstream the views of right-wing extremists: http://mm4a.org/P9yj0i MINITER’S LABYRINTH As part of the right wing’s quixotic quest to attack President Obama over the Osama bin Laden raid, the right-wing echo chamber is promoting Richard Miniter’s book on the raid. Simon Maloy examined how Miniter gets basic factual details wrong, like dates: http://mm4a.org/OuRzGX IMAGE OF THE WEEK Rush Limbaugh on Rep. Todd Akin