Defenders of Wildlife: Don’t Let Great Cats & Rare Canines Vanish Forever
Tell Congress to do its part — and join in the effort to protect these creatures world-wide.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Stop the Spying!
Tell the government to stop surveillance of Americans’ communications without a warrant.

People for the American Way (PFAW): Tell Congress: End Warrantless Spying on Americans!
Tell your members of Congress how you feel about the Bush administration’s warrantless spying on Americans.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): ‘Bambi Butchers’ Horror
On August 26, 2007, a PETA investigator filmed the slaughter of deer at Musicon, Inc., a deer farm and venison sales company in Goshen, New York.

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): Urge Congress to Hold Strong on a Clean Energy Bill!
Please tell your senators and representative that America’s new Energy Bill must include a 35 mile per gallon fuel economy standard AND a 15 percent renewable electricity standard.

World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA): Tell Norway to stop whaling
Despite the global ban on commercial whaling, Norway has killed almost 7,000 whales in the last 20 years.

Carnivals

Carnival of Hurricane Relief #104 (September 6, 2007 @ Red County, California

Newsletters

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): News Alert, September 7, 2007
Chat with an ASPCA Animal Cop/Help Farm Animals

Best Friends Animal Society: eNews, September 7, 2007
On the ground in Peru

Defenders of Wildlife: eNews, September 7, 2007
Wildlife eNews: Rare(r) Red Knot

Petitions

Make Animals A Priority in 2008

Kitten Forced to Smoke Crack by Warped Rocker Pete Doherty!

Help the Guinea Pigs at ‘Jimmy’s Farm’

End Baby Turtle Release Shows in Mexico!

Walmart Stop Selling the Lavaquarium

Tell Pierce County [Washington] to enforce environmental laws

Call on ALL car rental companies to offer hybrid vehicles

Your Daily Click-Through Reminders

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist green nature action alerts activism link dump link roundup link farm link sanctuary click through sites click to donate care2 the animal rescue site the rainforest site Electronic Frontier Foundation eff spying wiretapping civil liberties People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals peta deer deer slaughter deer farms venison video Musicon, Inc. Goshen New York NY People for the American Way PFAW World Society for the Protection of Animals WSPA Norway whales whaling Union of Concerned Scientists UCS congress energy energy bill Defenders of Wildlife news in the news newsletter wildlife conservation cats canines Best Friends Animal Society Best Friends Peru earthquake natural disaster animal rescue cat feline dog canine pet companion animal livestock American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals aspca petitions the petition site Pete Doherty Kate Moss animal abuse cruelty to animals animal cruelty Essex Pig Company Ltd Jimmy’s Farm Guinea Pig Village Guinea Pigs BBC Animal Welfare Act 2006 uk elections 2008 elections politics Wal-Mart Lavaquarium fish Betta fish Canada Pierce County Washington wetlands cars hybrids Sea Turtle Festivals turtles hatchling releases carnivals

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): TELL CONGRESS: DON’T FAIL FREEDOM
Stand with the ACLU and demand that Congress live up to its promise to protect and defend the Constitution, starting with immediate fixes to the outrageous FISA legislation that made warrantless NSA spying on Americans legal.

DawnWatch: NPR commentary on dog fighting and canned hunting 8/8/07
“National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Wednesday, August 8, 2007, aired a piece by commentator Frank Deford on dog fighting and on various forms of hunting”

DawnWatch: Wall St Journal front page on pig castration 7/6/07
“These Little Pigs Get Special Care From Norwegians But Meat People Squeal, And a Lot of Other Folks Are Holding Their Noses”

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Pull Congress Back Into the Wiretapping Fight to Restore Your Rights
Tell your representatives to repeal this legislation and restore your rights now.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Urge Congress to clean up our beaches
Your senators and representatives have the opportunity to help clean up contaminated beaches and to make sure sources of beach pollution are identified and addressed.

Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP): Tell California Coastal Commission to Vote No to Longline Fishing in California
Protected and Endangered Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals at Risk

The Sierra Club: Ozone Standards Should Protect Our Health
Please let EPA Administrator Johnson know you want an ozone standard that truly protects public health, not one cooked up by industry.

Newsletters

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM): PCRM Online, August 2007
Diet Matters in Breast Cancer Prevention and Survival; Seven Local Residents, PCRM File Lawsuit Against City of Chandler; New Study Finds Race Plays Role in Cancer Survival; New York Bar Association Challenges Use of Animal Labs in Med Schools; Two New Public Service Announcements Highlight Vegetarian Diets

The Sierra Club: Sierra Club Currents: Volume VI, #75: August 7, 2007
Sierra Club Currents — Breathe Easier

The Sierra Club: Sierra Club Insider: August 7, 2007
Can Compact Fluorescents Hurt You?

United Poultry Concerns (UPC): Summer/Fall 2007 Poultry Press
Chosen one of the BEST Nonprofit Publications by UTNE magazine

Vegan Outreach: E-Newsletter, Aug. 8, 2007
Game On for New Semester!

VegCooking.com: Recipe of the Week: Strawberry Mousse Cupcakes
A fluffy mousse tops these strawberry jam-filled cupcakes.

Petitions

Justice for Kilo: Suspend Falcons’ Jonathan Babineaux

Plastic Bag Ban

Your Daily Click-Through Reminders

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist green nature action alerts activism link dump link roundup link farm link sanctuary click through sites click to donate care2 the animal rescue site the rainforest site Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine PCRM newsletter news in the news Chandler Arizona animal research animal testing animal experimentation vivisection breast cancer diet vegetarian dawnwatch pigs pig castration meat humane meat pig farming hunting dogfighting animal fighting michael vick blood sports dog canine pet companion animal npr national public radio Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC pollution Beach Protection Act sierra club club currents ozone epa club insider Sea Turtle Restoration Project STRP wildlife conservation fishing longline fishing california VegCooking.com recipes American Civil Liberties Union ACLU FISA wiretapping petitions vegan outreach Electronic Frontier Foundation EFF the petition site Jonathan Babineaux Falcons Atlanta Atalnta Falcons animal abuse cruelty to animals animal cruelty domestic violence interpersonal violence Roger Goodell NFL plastic bags litter

See also: Protecting the Public’s Right to Know, Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), from the ACLU:

Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has placed a not-so-secret hold on bipartisan legislation that would strengthen the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the public’s right to know. The OPEN Government Act (S. 849) would, among other things, provide FOIA requesters a tracking number enabling them to follow the status of their request and impose reasonable consequences on federal agencies that missed deadlines for complying with FOIA.

The bill, sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee. And the House of Representatives recently passed similar legislation by an overwhelming bipartisan vote. Senator Kyl’s hold is now the only thing stopping this bill’s passage.

Please contact your Senators and urge them to pressure Senator Kyl and the Senate Republican leadership to take his hold off this popular bipartisan bill.

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The following is an excerpt from the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s latest newsletter:

An Independence Day Resolution: Reform FOIA!

On July 4, 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the FOIA into law. FOIA gave weight to a principle that is fundamental to any democracy: the right of the people to know what the government is doing. Forty-one years later, FOIA remains an essential tool used by the public, public advocacy groups (including EFF), and news organizations to uncover information that would otherwise remain hidden from public view.

But a recent report from the George Washington University’s National Security Archive and the Knight Foundation shows that FOIA is far from a perfect tool of transparency in government. The study found that requests for information often languish in bureaucratic limbo for years — the oldest dates back to 1987! The National Security Archive actually had to use FOIA to find out how many FOIA requests were still pending.

Luckily, a new bill to reform FOIA is working its way through Congress, supported by a broad coalition of organizations that spans the political spectrum. The OPEN Government Act (S. 849) brings much needed reform to FOIA and puts in place incentives for federal agencies to process FOIA requests in a timely fashion. The bill would create a tracking system for FOIA requests so that they don’t get lost in the bowels of federal agencies, as well as allowing requesters who prevail in FOIA litigation to recover reasonable attorney fees.

Meanwhile, EFF’s FOIA lawsuits are making steady strides. Along with uncovering information about National Security Letters, we’ve filed suit seeking orders, rules and guidelines issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court about the Administration’s warrantless surveillance program. There will be a hearing in the case on July 26 in Washington, DC.

Take action to support the OPEN Government Act: action.eff.org/site/Advocacy?id=285

For this post and related links: www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005346.php

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Tagged: action alerts eff Electronic Frontier Foundation foia freedom of information act OPEN Government Act activism investigation transparency in government government transparency corruption politics government aclu american civil liberties union Senator Jon Kyl Jon Kyl

Improve the Freedom of Information Act!

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) helps protect the public’s right to know, and new legislation would provide some much-needed updates to this crucial law. One open government bill has already passed the House — make sure a similar one passes in the Senate by writing to your representatives now.

H.R. 1309 and S. 849 [PDF] give federal agencies, like the FBI and the FCC, greater incentive to follow the law and make it easier for all FOIA requesters to access government documents. Among other reforms, the bills will help government watchdogs keep track of FOIA requests they’ve sent and ensure that more journalist requesters get preferred treatment under the law. The bills will also penalize agencies that don’t respond to requests within the time limits set by the FOIA.

Because veg*ns and eco-activists ♥ information, too.

Click here to learn more and take action.

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Tagged: activism EFF Electronic Frontier Foundation FOIA Freedom of Information Act action alerts government transparency