Emergency Letter to Obama: You Can't Cut Social Security

Sign the petition

The petition reads:

“Dear President Obama, I’m writing because this is an emergency: the GOP is holding our parents and grandparents hostage to the debt ceiling – and the rumor is you’re about to go along with it.

This is simply not acceptable. The President of the United States does not negotiate with hostage takers – especially over Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, the most significant progressive achievements of the last 100 years.

Fight for me, and I’ll keep fighting for you.

Sincerely, [your name here]”

Complete the following to sign. You’ll also receive periodic updates on activism opportunities.

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Emergency Letter to Obama: You Can’t Cut Social Security

…and then ask us for financial and volunteer support.

The New York Times and the Washington Post are reporting that President Obama may offer cuts to Social Security and Medicare to the GOP in their Debt Ceiling deal. This is an “All hands on deck” moment for every progressive in America. The same Republicans who raised the debt ceiling 5 times (and by nearly $4 Trillion) under George Bush in order to give HUGE tax cuts to the super-rich and mega corporations are now telling America that we can’t afford to take care of our parents and grandparents in their old age.

The Tea Party Congress is not even remotely interested in making compromises or doing what’s right. They are out to destroy America’s greatest social contract and promise to the American people: The New Deal. They are holding our parents and grandparents hostage right now to protect the wealth of the Wall St. tycoons that sabotaged our economy in the first place.

The President of the United States does not negotiate with hostage takers.

Sign our emergency letter to President Obama today: Protect Social Security and Medicare benefits – or don’t ask for grassroots help.

The Other 98% of America needs Obama to take Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare off the table with the GOP. If the Obama and the Dems expect us to fight for them next year then we had better see them fight for us right now.

Lighting Design Basics

ELECTRICAL: Lighting Design Basics
	AMBIENT HOUSE LIGHTING Ambient light (or fill light) is the soft, general illumination that fills a room and softens the shadows. As a rule, the fixtures (often called luminaires in the lighting industry) used to provide ambient light should not draw attention to themselves. Ambient light is best provided by opaque wall sconces, cove lighting, torchiere floor lamps (which point upwards), or dish-shaped hanging fixtures (called indirect pendants). Wall Sconces  Wall sconces should be opaque, not transparent, so that the light will be softer and will not draw the eye to the fixtures. Sconces almost always come in pairs, and they typically are used to flank a door, fireplace, or console table. Two sconces are adequate to provide ambient light in an average size room, but four will be much more effective at providing even, balanced lighting. Cove Lighting  Cove lighting is installed near the ceiling, behind a cornice or ledge. Suitable fixtures include strip lights with miniature incandescent or xenon lamps, compact fluorescents, or standard-length fluorescent tubes. For cove lighting, plan on using either xenon or fluorescent lamps, between 20 to 30 watts per foot for either type. Place the lamps behind the cove as shown in Figure 5-56. If a room has a 9-ft. ceiling, cove lighting can be installed between 12 and 24 in. down from the ceiling. In a room with an 8-ft. ceiling, cove lighting is typically installed 12 in. down. (Note: This may leave the center of some rooms rather dark; the solution here is to include an indirect pendant fixture in the center of the ceiling.)

*Scott's Contracting*

Green Me UP-Scotty
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://scottscontracting.wordpress.com
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solar industry continued its impressive growth rate

U.S. Solar Industry Grows 66% Q1/10 - Q1/11

In what continues to be an era of slow growth for the U.S. economy, the domestic solar industry continued its impressive growth rate into the first quarter of 2011, according to a report released last month by the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research.

Compared to the first quarter of 2010, the industry grew 66%, while domestic manufacturing of PV equipment grew at 31%. 2010 itself was an outstanding year; with 887 megawatts installed, it more than doubled the total for the year before, and the Q1 2011 figure represents over 28% of that 2010 annual figure.

This is not data to take to an international conference, however. Solar growth overseas has been accelerating even faster than at home, with the result that U.S. global market share has decreased since 2009 from 6% to 5.1%.

There is better news on the utility-scale front, however, where the U.S. may become the world leader in the next couple of years. Some 1100 megawatts of concentrating solar and concentrating PV power is currently under construction, with eight times that much in the planning stage.

The report also shows that 88% of this year's solar installations were in just seven states: California, New Jersey, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Colorado, New York and Massachusetts, a 12% increase on 2010's figure. It appears that those states already leading the pack are finding reasons to increase their solar investment.

The full U.S. Solar Market Insight (TM) report can be found here.

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*Scott's Contracting*

Green Me UP-Scotty
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://scottscontracting.wordpress.com
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Re: Commission on waste promotes nuclear power but rejects reprocessing

Share  Join List  Videos Twitter  Website Donate Commission on waste promotes nuclear power but rejects reprocessing -for now The Obama administration's Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, in its draft report released today, predictably advocates continued support for nuclear power.  But, in a surprise move, the commission rejected reprocessing as a near-term radioactive waste "solution" while still approving continued research funding. Beyond Nuclear strongly opposes the commission's endorsement of "consolidated interim storage" which we view as a high security and safety threat and an unwelcome health and environmental risk to host communities. However, given the strong component of nuclear industry boosters on the commission panel, led by Energy Secretary, Stephen Chu, the commission's rejection of reprocessing was unexpected. Beyond Nuclear, along with 170 other groups, supports hardening of waste at reactor sites, as the "least worst" option for now. For more details and action items, see our website. Thank you for working with us for a nuclear-free world. The Beyond Nuclear Team www.beyondnuclear.org

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*Scott's Contracting*

Green Me UP-Scotty
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://scottscontracting.wordpress.com
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