No Information for May 2017
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May 2016 - Dear President Obama: The Clean Energy Revolution is Now
Film Synopsis: The film takes a cross-country look at drilling, highlighting its variety of contaminations, the stories of its victims, the false promise of an economic boom, with a focus on clean energy solutions that would allow us to proceed towards a future that does not rely on yet another dirty fossil fuel extraction process. Interviews with scientists, economics, health professionals, geologists and whistle-blowers provide the core information we think will convince the current President and those that will follow to join the "anti-drilling" majority growing across the United States and call for fossil fuels to be left where they belong, in the gound.
Film Website: - HERE! Trailer: - HERE!
Program:
* Introductions and Announcements
* Karen Feridun of Berks Gas Truth is here to join us for the dicussion.
* Video - Dear President Obama: The Clean Energy Revolution is Now!
* Discussion with Gene Hunter and Karen Feridun
* Action - Join the March for a Clean Energy Revolution in Phila on July 24 - HERE!
* Action - Read about 'fracking on public land' - HERE - then click HERE to sign the Food and Water Watch Petition to Ban Fracking on public land.
Related Videos:
* The Last Drop by Josh Fox - HERE!
* 'Disruption' on climate change - HERE! (52)
* Bill McKibben: 'Do the Math' on climate change - HERE! (45)
* 'Fracking' with Dr. Ingraffea - HERE! (23)
Ideas to Stay Informed, Get Involved, and Take Action:
* Article - Six Years After BP Spill, Feds Plan to Lease More of the Gulf for Drilling - HERE!
* Article - Contamination at 3900 Fracking Spill Sites in N. Dakota Alone - HERE!
* Article - PA Fracking Water Contamination Higher Than Reported - HERE!
* Book - 'Fracking Pennsylvania: Flirting with Disaster' by Walter Brasch - HERE!
* Websites - List of Environmental Organizations (Local, State, National) - HERE!
May 2015 - Shadow of Liberty
Film Synopsis:
Using the film "Shadows of Liberty", we explore the question of who the 'news media' is serving. This film reveals the extraordinary truth behind the news media: censorship, cover-ups and corporate control. Filmmaker Jean-Philippe Tremblay takes a journey through the darker corridors of the US media, where global conglomerates call the shots. For decades, their overwhelming influence has distorted news journalism and compromised its values.
Film Website: Shadow of Liberty - HERE and trailer HERE!
Program:
1. Welcome and Introductions!
2. Quotes about the media - a. HERE b. HERE c. HERE!
3. Feature DVD - "Shadows of Liberty" (53m)
4. John Nichols on Media Reform - HERE (9+)
5. Discuss 10 Steps Toward Media Reform listed on the film website and
below (especially # 6)! HERE!
6. Quote about news sources - a. HERE b. HERE c. HERE!
Discussion about where to get your news!
7. Bernie Sanderss on why media don't cover key issues - HERE! (3)
8. Video of "Light One Candle" - HERE! (4)
Related Videos:
* Josh Fox Solutions Grassroots video on Go Renewable - HERE! (31)
* Link to signup for renewable energy in PA - HERE!
* Marty Kaplan on Why the Media Ignores Climate Change - HERE! (3+)
* Media Ownership Lesson - HERE! (9)
* Video on Media Reform - HERE (4)
* Comcast/Time Warner merger discussion on Democracy Now - HERE! (9)
* Professor Victor Pickard on media reform - HERE! (15)
* Shadows of Liberty Film Q & A on the film - HERE! (43)
* John Pilger - War by Media and the Triumph of Propaganda - HERE! (25)
* Will New FCC Internet Regulations Strengthen Monopoly Control? - HERE! (15)
* Interactive map on how 4 companies have bought local TV Stations - HERE!
10 Steps Toward Media Reform:
Click HERE for more details on each idea.
1. Watch this and other movies to raise awareness.
2. Learn from the film contributors (HERE) and their organizations.
3. Join and contribute to independent media groups listed below in Get Involved.
4. Save the internet and net neutrality.
5. Write letters to the editor about media reform.
6. Advocate for policy changes (HERE). Discuss connection to reform the system idea.
7. Teach serious media literacy in the public schools.
8. Become a media watchdog and challenge your local media.
9. Demand an end to mass surveillance.
10. Read more about the issue. See below.
Ideas to Stay Informed, Get Involved, and Take Action on this issue!
Stay Informed: Articles and Books!
* Article - War by Media and the Triumph of Propaganda - HERE!
* Article - The Fall and Rise of Investigative Journalism - HERE!
* Article - How to Keep the Internet Open and Free - HERE!
* Article - John Oliver is Doing Some Really Good Investigative Journalism - HERE!
* Article - Media Consolidation Threatens Our Democracy - HERE!
* Article - 10 Chomsky Quotes on How Media Really Operates in America - HERE!
* Article - 15 Things Everyone Would Know if There Were a Liberal Media - HERE!
* Article - Media Consolidation: The Illusion of Choice (graphic) - HERE!
* Book - Dollarocracy: How the Money and Media Election Complex is
Destroying America - HERE!
* Book - Global Muckraking: 100 Years of Investigative Journalism from
Around the World - HERE!
* Book - The New Media Monopoly - Click HERE for info about the book and Click
HERE for video about the topic.
* Book - America's Battle for Media Democracy: The Triumph of Corporate Libertanianism
and the Future of Media Reform - HERE! Video with author on book - HERE!
* Book - The Habits of Highly Deceptive Media -
* Free Press Media Reform Action Guide - HERE!
* Occucard on The Corporate Media - HERE!
Get Involved: Websites of groups that are active on this issue!
* Free Press - HERE!
* Free Speech TV - HERE!
* Democracy Now - HERE!
* Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) - HERE!
* Center for Public Integrity - HERE!
* The Media Consortium - HERE!
* Save the Internet - HERE!
* Journalism Organizations - HERE!
* Important websites supporting the common good! - HERE!
Take Action: Things you can do!
* Tell the FCC not to allow the Comcast/TimeWarner Merger - HERE!
* Call Congress about Net Neutrality - HERE!
Others
* Tell Congress to Sunset the Patriot Act - HERE!
* Tell SEC to expose the hidden influence of corporate money - HERE!
* Support petition opposing investor-state dispute settlement in
trade agreements - HERE!
* Tell Congress to reject TPP fast track authority - HERE!
* Tell PA Public Utility Commission to support strong clean energy development
rules - HERE!
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May 2014 - War on Whistleblowers
Film Synopsis:
'War on Whistleblowers: Free Press and The National Security State' doesn't so much unfold as detonate. It's a swift kick in the pants at 66 minutes and utilizes a deft blend of archival footage, graphs, subject interviews and bites from knowledgeable talking heads such as David Carr, Seymour Hersh, and original whistleblower, Daniel Ellsberg. A fun fact: "The Obama administration has indicted more people for violating secrecy than all previous administrations put together." That's not some conspiracy crank talking. It's Bill Keller, Pulitzer-winning former editor of the NYT.
Film Trailer: - HERE!
Film Website: - HERE!
Film Action Guide: - HERE!
Related Videos
1. Oliver Stone Asks Congress to End the War on Whistleblowers - HERE!
2. Project on Government Oversight Video - HERE! (12)
3. Frontline 2 part program on the 'United States of Secrets' - HERE!
4. Stuff They Don't Want You to Know: Whistleblowers (4 each)
(Part 1 -HERE; Part 2 - HERE; Part 3 - HERE!)
5. Truthout Video about Whistleblowers - HERE! (12)
6. Democracy Now story about Thomas Drake - HERE! (14)
7. Story on Fox News Whistleblowers - HERE! (10)
Ideas to Stay Informed, Get Involved, and Take Action on this issue!
Stay Informed: Articles, Videos, and Books!
* Article - Whistleblowers Need Encouragement, Not Roadblocks - HERE!
* Article - Wikipedia on Whistleblowers - HERE!
* Article - Why We Need Whistleblowers - HERE!
* Article - The Case for a Secrecy Beat - HERE!
* Article - The 25th Anniversary of the Whistleblower Act - HERE!
* Book - 'Don't Kill the Messenger' by Don Soeken (2014) - HERE for article about book!
* Book - 'No Place to Hide' by Glenn Greenwalt (2014) -HERE for C-Span interview!
* Book - 'The Rise of the American Corporate Security State: Six Reasons to Be Afraid'
by Beatrice Edwards (2014) - HERE for article about the book!
Get Involved: Websites of groups that are active on this issue!
Project on Government Oversight - HERE!
Government Accountability Project - HERE!
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press - HERE!
National Taxpayers Union - HERE!
Public Citizen - HERE!EdwardssWhistleblowers Support Fund - HERE!
Make It Safe Campaign - HERE!
National Whistleblowers Center - HERE!
Common Cause - HERE!
Sunlight Foundation - HERE!
National Priorities Project - HERE!
Take Action: Legislation and Petitions You Can Support or Oppose!
1. Petition to Congress to support legitimate whistleblowers - HERE!
2. Tell Elected Officials to oppose the Grimm Act - Info HERE!
3. Tell your Senator to support Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act - HERE!
4. National Whistleblowers Center Action page - HERE!
5. Project on Government Oversight Action page - HERE!
6. Free Press.net Action page - HERE!
Take Action: Monthly 'Fix Our Democracy Now' Ideas!
Instant Runoff Voting should be used in any election where more than 2 people on the ballot for one spot. Click - HERE! (3) - for a short video about IRV.
