Koch brothers summon Bush, Cruz, Walker, Rubio to SoCal confab

CREDIT: Getty

Koch brothers summon Bush, Cruz, Walker, Rubio to SoCal confab

The crowded field of GOP contenders is competing aggressively for the support of uncommitted mega-donors.

By Kenneth P. Vogel

7/27/15 12:54 PM EDT

Four leading GOP presidential candidates – Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Scott Walker – are traveling to a Southern California luxury hotel in coming days to make their cases directly to the Koch brothers and hundreds of other wealthy conservatives planning to spend close to $1 billion in the run-up to the 2016 election.

Read more

shared from

RELATED: COMMENTS BY ROBERT REICH

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

SONA 2015: Aquino's 6th State of the Nation Address

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

We're blocking Shell's ship!

Friend, We're blocking Shell's ship!  Ask President Obama to deny Shell from drilling in the Arctic. As I write this, I'm preparing to suspend myself from a bridge, blocking Shell's icebreaker from leaving Portland, OR for the Arctic. And if you got this email, that means I made it. Shell is almost ready to drill in the Arctic but its icebreaker containing a vital piece of drilling equipment hit something, causing a gaping hole. So it had to come down here to Portland to get patched up. We are now what stands in between Shell and an Arctic oil catastrophe.   While I’m holding up the ship, you can take action by asking President Obama to cancel Shell's drilling plans and protect the Arctic! Shell isn’t just threatening polar bears and walruses with its drilling plans. By tapping into a new source of oil ironically only accessible because of melting ice it’s threatening the entire world with worsening climate change. I’m prepared to stay up here as long as possible, and so are my friends. We have enough supplies to last several days, and we’re not letting Shell's ship through. I’m inspired by the courage of everyone who has acted so far: from the Alaska Native communities who have been resisting driling for years, to the thousands of kayaktivists who met the rig in Seattle, to the millions who have spoken out against this terrible plan. Every minute Shell is delayed is more time for us to convince the Obama administration to cancel the company’s drilling plans. Take action now! The fight to save the Arctic is heating up, and we can win. There’s only a very short window of time that Shell can drill, and this once leaky icebreaker already threatened the whole operation. Shell has been here before. In 2012, the company conducted Arctic drilling tests, spectacularly crushing a containment dome (the same piece of vital equipment aboard this leaky icebreaker) and crashing a drilling rig into the Alaskan coast. But Shell still thinks it can safely drill and, for some reason, the Obama Administration agrees. The government just allowed Shell to clear a major legal hurdle. So that leaves it up to us to stand up against the oil giant. Shell is almost ready to drill. Tell President Obama it’s not too late to change his mind and stop Shell before the last ship reaches the Arctic. And that’s why we’re out here. I don’t know how long we’ll be able to stay, but we’re going to delay Shell for as long as we’re able. And we’re going to make sure the world is watching so everyone knows about Shell's dirty plans to spoil the Arctic and heat up our world. Join me today and tell President Obama to stop Shell and leave a clean climate legacy. For the Arctic, Georgia Hirsty Greenpeace climber P.S. We'll be here blocking Shell as long as we can. Follow along live and join the call to President Obama to protect the Arctic and our climate.
Greenpeace 702 H Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20001 | 1-800-722-6995

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

LA Times Editorial: Drilling for oil in the Chukchi Sea isn’t worth the risk

LA Times Editorial: Drilling for oil in the Chukchi Sea isn’t worth the risk

Jul 29th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

A polar bear dries off after taking a swim in the Chukchi Sea in Alaska. The U.S. Interior Department has said updated scientific models don’t bode well for polar bear populations across the world, especially in Alaska, the only state in the nation with the white bears. (Brian Battaile / Associated Press)

By THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD: 29 July 2015

The Obama administration is being at least somewhat more cautious this time around in allowing Royal Dutch Shell to drill in the Arctic waters of the Chukchi Sea. The company must keep its drills from reaching the oil reserves until it has the equipment in place that can shut down a well in case of a spill. It may not drill in two places within 15 miles of each other because of the potential disruption to walrus habitat. The company has worked hard to convince Interior Department officials that it has overcome the sloppiness that led to a series of mishaps during its first attempt in 2012, including the grounding of its drilling rig.

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, Associated Press, Chukchi Sea, Climate Change, Environment,Gulf of Alaska, Oil Spill, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, United States.
Tagged: Alaska · Arctic Ocean · Chukchi Sea · Environment · Royal Dutch Shell Plc ·Shell

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Activists hang off Oregon bridge to stop Shell icebreaker from returning to Alaska

Activists hang off Oregon bridge to stop Shell icebreaker from returning to Alaska

Jul 29th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

Steven Dubois | Associated Press: July 29, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. — Environmental activists rappelled off Portland’s tallest bridge early Wednesday in an effort to stop a Shell Oil Arctic icebreaker from leaving the city.

Thirteen protesters dangled from the St. Johns Bridge while another 13 remained on the bridge as lookouts. Greenpeace USA executive director Annie Leonard said the activists have enough water and food to last for days, and can hoist themselves to allow other marine traffic to pass.

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, Associated Press, Chukchi Sea, Climate Change, Environment,Oil Spill, Pollution, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, United States.
Tagged: Alaska · Arctic Ocean · Chukchi Sea · Royal Dutch Shell Plc · Shell

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Greenpeace Suspends Climbers off Portland Bridge to Block Shell’s Arctic Icebreaker Ship

Greenpeace Suspends Climbers off Portland Bridge to Block Shell’s Arctic Icebreaker Ship

Jul 29th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

BY ZOË SCHLANGER 7/29/15

Early Wednesday morning, 26 climbers affiliated with the environmental group Greenpeace rappelled off the edge of St. Johns Bridge in Portland, Oregon, and suspended themselves in a row, forming what they hope will be a human blockade to prevent a Shell ship from leaving for the Arctic. They each have enough supplies to last for days, a Greenpeace spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Photos from the scene showed the climbers suspended on ropes high over the Willamette River at dawn. Some appear to have hammock chairs.

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, Chukchi Sea, Climate Change, Environment, Oil Spill, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, United States.
Tagged: Alaska · Arctic Ocean · Chukchi Sea · Royal Dutch Shell Plc

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Protesters in Portland dangle from bridge in a bid to block Shell icebreaker

Protesters in Portland dangle from bridge in a bid to block Shell icebreaker

Jul 29th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

In Portland, environmental activists test out a new tactic: Climbers have rappelled off a bridge to block a Shell icebreaker.

By Evan Bush and Hal Bernton: July 29,2015 

Trying to delay Shell’s Arctic ice-breaking ship in Portland, 13 protesters are dangling from the St. Johns Bridge, which spans the Willamette River.

The protesters rappelled from the bridge at about 2:30 a.m. as a group of about 50 kayakers looked on, said Michael Foster, a kayaker from Seattle and veteran of earlier protests against Shell that took place in Washington state. Foster said the protesters are now suspended in hammocks and bivouacs, the same gear as would be used for rock climbing. The dangling activists have enough for two days and plan to re-supply, Foster said.

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, Chukchi Sea, Climate Change, Environment, Greenpeace, Gulf of Alaska, Oil Spill, Pollution, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, United States.
Tagged: Alaska · Arctic Ocean · Chukchi Sea · Oil · Royal Dutch Shell Plc · Shell

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Greenpeace again stands in Shell’s way to arctic

Greenpeace again stands in Shell’s way to arctic

Jul 29th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

Activists hang under the St Johns Bridge in Portland, Oregon, in an attempt to block the Shell-leased icebreaker MSV Fennica. Photograph: Steve Dipaola/Greenpeace

PORTLAND, Ore., July 29 (UPI) — Greenpeace said Wednesday several of its activists have suspended themselves from an Oregon bridge using climbing gear in a protest against Royal Dutch Shell.

“The next big step in the fight to save the Arctic is happening right now,” the campaign group said in a statement. “Greenpeace U.S. activists have suspended themselves from St. Johns Bridge in Portland, Oregon to block a Shell Oil vessel from leaving port for Alaskan waters.”

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, Chukchi Sea, Environment, Greenpeace, Oil Spill, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, United States.
Tagged: Alaska · Arctic Ocean · Chukchi Sea · Royal Dutch Shell Plc

The TRUTH will set you FREE.