Divest Harvard Plans Weeklong Sit-In

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By Mariel A. Klein , CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard affiliates are planning a weeklong sit-in protest around Massachusetts Hall this April to demand that the Harvard Corporation—the University’s highest governing body—divest Harvard’s endowment from fossil fuels.

In an open letter posted online early Friday morning, more than two dozen alumni called for fellow University graduates to gather in Harvard Yard for the protest that organizers are calling “Harvard Heat Week.” The event website, created by the activist group Divest Harvard, calls for 50 to 100 people to participate in each day of the sit-in, which is scheduled to begin on April 13 and culminate with a “major event” on April 18.

Just last week, more than 30 students from Divest Harvard occupied Mass. Hall, some for 24 hours, calling on University President Drew G. Faust to divest. Harvard’s endowment is valued at $35.9 billion.

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São Paulo Water Crisis Linked to Growth, Pollution and Deforestation

São Paulo Water Crisis Linked to Growth, Pollution and Deforestation

By SIMON ROMERO  FEB. 16, 2015

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Endowed with the Amazon and other mighty rivers, an array of huge dams and one-eighth of the world’s fresh water, Brazil is sometimes called the “Saudi Arabia of water,” so rich in the coveted resource that some liken it to living above a sea of oil.

But in Brazil’s largest and wealthiest city, a more dystopian situation is unfolding: The taps are starting to run dry.

As southeast Brazil grapples with its worst drought in nearly a century, a problem worsened by polluted rivers, deforestation and population growth, the largest reservoir system serving São Paulo is near depletion. Many residents are already enduring sporadic water cutoffs, some going days without it. Officials say that drastic rationing may be needed, with water service provided only two days a week.

Behind closed doors, the views are grimmer. In a meeting recorded secretly and leaked to the local news media, Paulo Massato, a senior official at São Paulo’s water utility, said that residents might have to be warned to flee because “there’s not enough water, there won’t be water to bathe, to clean” homes.

“We’re witnessing an unprecedented water crisis in one of the world’s great industrial cities,” said Marússia Whately, a water specialist at Instituto Socioambiental, a Brazilian environmental group. “Because of environmental degradation and political cowardice, millions of people in São Paulo are now wondering when the water will run out.”

…(read more).

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World’s biggest PR firm calls it quits with American oil lobby – reports

Edelman public relations ends relationship with American Petroleum Institute despite contract that at times was worth more than 10% of firm’s global revenue

The American Petroleum Institute and Edelman public relations have gone their separate ways, according to reports. Photograph: David McNew/Reuters

Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent

Thursday 19 February 2015 15.24 EST Last modified on Thursday 19 February 2015 15.43 EST

The world’s largest public relations firm is ending its lucrative relationship with America’s powerful oil lobby – after more than a decade and at least $327m in billings.

Circumstances of the divorce between Edelman public relations and the American Petroleum Institute (API) were not immediately clear.

Edelman said it would not comment on the report, and there was no immediate response from API.

But ties between the oil lobby and the PR firm ran deep.

Much of the advertising work for API was handled by an Edelman subsidiary, Blue Advertising. The Holmes Report, which covers the public relations industry and first reported the split, said Blue would divest from Edelman and go on handling the oil lobby’s advertising campaigns.

The oil lobby paid Edelman $327.4m for lobbying and public relations, according to an investigation by the Center for Public Integrity. Those earnings, which include money later spent by Edelman for advertising, cover only a five-year period from 2008-2012.

…(read more).

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NASA | A View From The Other Side

NASA Goddard

Published on Feb 4, 2015

A number of people who’ve seen NASA’s annual lunar phase and libration videos have asked what the other side of the Moon looks like, the side that can’t be seen from the Earth. This video answers that question. The imagery was created using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data.

This video is public domain and can be downloaded at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?4253

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Koch Brothers Driving Keystone XL Pipeline from Canada to Cut Out Venezuelan Oil

TheRealNews

Published on Oct 28, 2012

Greg Palast: When billionaires break the law, they get the law changed

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Koch Brothers Exposed – The Chilling New Documentary Republicans Don’t Want You to See

Important Truth Channel

Published on Jul 2, 2014

2014 Democracy Now!
There is a chilling new documentary about the billionaire brothers, David and Charles Koch, that some Republicans do not want you to see. On Monday, Republican Rep. Candice Miller of Michigan tried to block an event at the Capitol unveiling the film, “Koch Brothers Exposed: 2014 Edition.” Miller claimed the documentary could violate House rules and “cross the line into partisan politics.” She unsuccessfully argued that showing the documentary was an inappropriate use of taxpayer-funded facilities. On Tuesday evening, the film event proceeded as planned. The updated documentary shows how the Koch brothers have used their vast fortunes to oppose government programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, as well as obstruct efforts to raise the minimum wage, tackle climate change and expand voting rights. We are joined by the film’s director, Robert Greenwald, founder and president of Brave New Films.

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Koch Brothers EXPOSED: 2014

Brave New Films

Published on Jan 21, 2015

Billionaires David and Charles Koch have been handed the ability to buy our democracy in the form of giant checks to the House, Senate, and soon, possibly even the Presidency.
GET INVOLVED! Sign up to watch without ads: http://bit.ly/1wFXujJ Host a FREE screening: http://bravenewfilms.org/screenings
SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy1U…

The last time we exposed the Koch Brothers’ dealings to the world we here at Brave New Films wound up in their crosshairs. They produced online ad campaigns attacking us, but, it takes more than a banner ad to slow us down.

We’ve reissued Koch Brothers Exposed in an updated version, Koch Brothers Exposed: 2014 Edition, to shine a light on them. We’ve delved even deeper into where their money is going, who their money is hurting, and how much they are making during this whole process leading up to the 2014 Elections.

Two years ago when we made this film very few people knew who the Koch Brothers were or what the Koch Brothers were doing. But now, we so strongly believe that everyone should know what is happening that with your help and donations we are able to offer the film for free. We want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to see the truth.

(5:11) How the Koch Brothers use Citizens United to corrupt democracy

(7:11) The Koch plan to re-segregate public schools

(17:11) Koch University: Rewriting your Education
Is your school on the list http://www.bravenewfilms.org/koch_get…

(21:02) Kochs VS The Minimum Wage

(25:09) Kochs & Voter Suppression

(31:26) Koch Attacks on Unions

(34:54) The Koch plan to dismantle Social Security

(38:20) Kochs & The Environment

(40:52) How the Koch Brothers Cause Cancer by dumping their toxic waste everywhere

(50:08) FIGHTING BACK

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How the Koch Brothers Fleeced America

thomhartmann

Published on Oct 22, 2013

Thom Hartmann asks if the Koch Brothers are the New “Copper Kings?”

If you liked this clip of The Thom Hartmann Program, please do us a big favor and share it with your friends… and hit that “like” button!

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Park Avenue: money, power and the American dream – Why Poverty?

Why Poverty

Published on Jan 5, 2013

How much inequality is too much? To find out more and get teaching resources linked to the film, go to www.whypoverty.net

740 Park Ave, New York City, is home to some of the wealthiest Americans. Across the Harlem River, 10 minutes to the north, is the other Park Avenue in South Bronx, where more than half the population needs food stamps and children are 20 times more likely to be killed. In the last 30 years, inequality has rocketed in the US — the American Dream only applies to those with money to lobby politicians for friendly bills on Capitol Hill.

Director Alex Gibney
Producer Blair Foster
Produced by Jigsaw Productions & Steps International

Why Poverty? http://www.whypoverty.net/en/video/29/

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People & Power – The Koch Brothers

Anti Koch

Published on Aug 24, 2012

How and why America’s billionaire Koch Brothers are spending a fortune in support of a conservative political agenda.

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