LibrosContinued:
The U.S. EPA still won’t follow Europe’s lead and suspend or ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides believed to be killing honeybees and other pollinators — to the horror of beekeepers and environmentalists, who are suing the federal government over its inaction.
But at least the agency is doing something. On Wednesday, EPA announced it was awarding $460,000 in funding for research into integrated pest management, to help reduce the use of pesticides and lower risks to bees — “all while controlling pests and saving money.”
Louisiana State University, one of the grant recipients, will use its share of the funds to investigate how bees can be protected from pesticides used to control mosquitoes. Penn State University researchers will investigate the benefits of growing crops without treating seeds with neonic pesticides.
Margaret Reeves, a scientist at the Pesticide Action Network, one of the groups suing the EPA over neonics, welcomed the research grants. “EPA’s investment in integrated pest management puts the U.S. on the path of sustainable, cutting-edge farming,” Reeves said in an emailed statement.
But she noted that the EPA needs to do much more to protect pollinators from agricultural poisons. “Environmentalists, beekeepers, and farmers alike eagerly await bolder steps by EPA that will restrict the use of bee-harming pesticides,” she said. “Without better protections, and fast, bee declines will continue at an unprecedented rate.”
John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.Find this article interesting? Donate now to support our work.Read more: Food
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Mother Jones
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Republicans seem to be inching in the direction of no longer allowing any primary debates to be hosted by non-conservatives or televised on non-conservative channels. The debates would all be on Fox (I guess) and the questioners would all be conservatives who truly understand what it is that conservatives are interested in. Ed Kilgore ponders what this means:
The key point here is the ability of these kind of “moderators” (to use the unavoidable but unintentionally hilarious term) to “vet” candidates by forcing them to “differentiate their positions on core conservative values.” That could mean slicing and dicing the field according to position differences less ideological questioners don’t even understand (e.g., degrees of commitment to the more radical tenets of “constitutional conservatism” that imply abolition of church-state separation or a roll-back of all federal programs not explicitly authorized in the Constitution), or simply an emphasis on “issues” of particular importance to “the base” and pretty much no one else (e.g., Fast and Furious, “voter fraud,” “death panels,” Shariah Law, home-schooling, the gold standard and even “birtherism.”).
Personally, I think this would be great. I can think of three reasons off the top of my head:
Substantive: Why shouldn’t conservatives be questioned by other conservatives who know just what it is that conservatives really care about? That actually sounds pretty reasonable to me. The Huckabee Forum in 2011, starring Pam Bondi, Ken Cuccinelli, and Scott Pruitt, was surprisingly interesting.
Entertainment value: As a blogger, I would really look forward to making the GOP clown show even more clownish. I know that hardly seems possible, but think about it. “Governor Jindal, do you think Christian churches should merely be free of all government interference, or do you think that state governments should require the adoption of Christian curricula in our schools?” “Representative Ryan, do you think global warming is a myth, or do you think it’s actually a sinister plot by the scientific community to destroy the economy?” Bring it on!
End of idiocy: I totally sympathize with the conservative desire to put an end to “Elvis or the Beatles?” kinds of questions. It would be worth it just to accomplish this.
I’m not sure how this translates on the Democratic side, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a few of the debates moderated by honest-to-goodness lefties rather than John King and Wolf Blitzer. Why not make the candidates defend themselves against criticism from the left? It’d be good for them to go up against Rick Perlstein and Katha Pollitt once or twice. Why not?
View this article:
Mother Jones
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Over at National Journal, Fawn Johnson argues that immigration reform is probably dead. We just don’t know it yet. The problem, she says, is the legislative calendar. The Senate will probably finish up its work shortly, but:
After senators get the bill done — probably in time to make their weekend barbeques — they have a weeklong July 4 break. And then they get to wait for colleagues on the other side of the Capitol who will have four weeks — four weeks — to deliberate before Congress takes off for an even lengthier recess in August.
….This is the month in which legislation dies. The last time the Senate passed a major immigration bill in 2006, House Republicans used the August recess to kill it by staging a series of hearings around the country that did nothing but rile up conservatives against it.
….When lawmakers return to the Capitol in September, they will be facing another financial crisis as they debate raising the country’s debt ceiling. The four- to six-week countdown toward extreme limitations on government payments to Social Security or military operations will do two things: It will suck all the life out of any deliberative legislative effort, immigration included, and it will polarize the political parties. It will be far from fertile ground for the biggest immigration overhaul in 30 years.
I still think this depends entirely on the House leadership. If they decide they want to pass immigration reform and get it off the table for good, they can do it in four weeks. If they don’t want to, they can pretty easily fritter away the time. So we’re back to square one: do Republican leaders desperately want to put this whole thing behind them, regardless of the howling from the tea partiers, or do they care more about the backlash from their conservative white base than they do about picking up Hispanic votes in 2016? That’s always been the question, and it still is. The calendar is just another tool they can use to work their will.
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Mother Jones
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An appeals court has ordered the Obama administration to make at least some forms of emergency contraception (EC) available over the counter immediately.
There are two types of EC, a.k.a. the “morning after pill”—one that has two separate pills that contain hormones to prevent pregnancy, and another that requires only one pill. A three-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that varieties of EC that are sold as two separate pills need to be made available over the counter to everyone immediately. The availability of the one-pill variety will be determined after the full appeal is heard later this year.
Judge Edward R. Korman ruled in April that emergency contraception should be made available to everyone—without a prescription and regardless of age—within a month. The Obama administration appealed that ruling and asked Korman to delay its implementation. Korman refused, calling the administration’s argument “something out of an alternate reality.” After that, the Obama administration asked the appeals court to delay implementation of Korman’s ruling. That’s what led to Wednesday’s decision, when the appeals court said it wouldn’t delay Korman’s ruling as it applied to two-pill EC, but would postpone a final decision on the one-pill products.
Although they were surely hoping that an appeals court would just deny the administration’s request in its entirety, reproductive rights groups were pleased with Wednesday’s decision. The decision means that, for the first time, some form of emergency contraception will be available over-the-counter for all women. “Finally, after more than a decade of politically motivated delays, women will no longer have to endure intrusive, onerous, and medically unnecessary restrictions to get emergency contraception,” said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the original suit against the FDA, in a statement.
But this does mean that, for now, Plan B One-Step—the most common form of one-pill emergency contraception—will be available over-the-counter only to women ages 15 and over who have government-issued ID to prove their age. And generic brands of one-pill EC will be available over-the-counter only for women ages 17 and over with ID. Confusing, right?
This article:
Court: Some Types of Emergency Contraception Must Be Available Over the Counter ASAP
Uh oh. That home renovation project is looming and you need a dependable person to run the job. Not much time and you need a solar panel installation contractor! You want someone charging fair rates who knows what they’re doing, but where do you even start? Don’t let the search overwhelm you. Here’s what you need to know to find the right person now.
Reputable solar panel installation contractors will be happy to offer you financial as well as professional references. Gather as much information as you can about a potential contractor’s relationships with suppliers, lenders and banks. If the contractor has good financial references, you know that they manage money well and are professional and honest in their dealings with others.
In most states and cities, a solar panel installation contractor must have a valid license to conduct business. Before you hire a contractor, make sure he/she and all employees have the correct license for your particular project in your area.
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An insured solar panel installation contractor is always a safer hire. By purchasing bonds, the contractor is able to back up any mistakes that he or she is makes and removes financial liability from them and yourself. When looking for a contractor, make sure that they are bonded or insured.
Work to keep your solar panel installation contractor happy with you just as he should work to meet your satisfaction. For example, do not discuss any problems in front other others. Similarly, you should always pay on time and keep consistent contact. A happy contractor will work harder to keep you happy and provide a mutually beneficial relationship. Always work hard to show your contractor that you respect them and their work.
Negotiating your contract is tough. For jobs that can get pricey, negotiate a set price or a narrow range with the ceiling defined. Try to avoid hourly jobs as some solar panel installation contractors may choose to take their time if paid by the hour.
When you are searching for a solar panel installation contractor for your next project, make sure to find someone that knows all of the rules and regulations in your area. Certifications are great for hiring the right contractor, just make sure to check that they really know what they are doing and will perform the correct work in your area.
The bids presented to you from the solar panel installation contractors should last for at least 30 days. If a contractor tries to convince that their bid is only good for a shorter amount of time, they are simply trying to pressure you in to choosing them. If this happens, it might be best to choose someone else for your project.
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