How “Manufactured Demand” pushes what we don’t need and destroys what we need most.
Recently I watched the documentary “FLOW (for love of water)” which unexpectedly at the end of less then two hours shifted my outlook on water and made me vow to never drink bottled water again. I think before I thought as long as I recycle the bottle then, it’s an o.k. thing to do. I mean it’s better then drinking high fructose corn syrup, right?! Well for my body yes water is the better choice, for the environment tap water should be the ONLY choice! After watching FLOW, I’m thinking bottled water should just be outlawed all together. This whole bottled water thing not only affects other countries negatively (which we’re kind of pros at) but we’re even destroying our own back yard for this one, gasp! That’s right, Nestle is currently devastating / flat out draining parts of Michigan so that it can pump millions of gallons of water out of the ground to bottle. Then there’s the little tid bit that bottled water is WAY less regulated then tap water and often times more dangerous to drink … and we’re talking seriously dangerous sometimes. So, I’m thinking my palette can withstand the sometimes not so pleasant tap water if it means I’m not contributing to severe devastation of my own country and other countries (ie. earth).
I really think you should watch ‘FLOW’ and come up with your own conclusion. However if you don’t thrive off educational documentaries, I totally understand. So, below is a shorter 8 minute lamens version that you and your 5 year old can understand in under 10 minutes.
If this article is all the time you have then please, just trust me on this … you really, really, really don’t want to drink bottled water unless it’s an absolute emergency! It’s so not cool and I feel pretty bad for not understanding the consequences of my bottled water drinking sooner. If you want natural clean water in your future then you will stop drinking bottled water immediately. For, all my office managers out there it’s up for you to educate your employers on how taboo it is and get a water filter and pitchers instead to serve to clients and employees! You can do it

FARMER CITY — The Blue Ridge school district will help pay for a special appraisal of the Monsanto Seed Co. property in Farmer City.

The company is appealing its $10.8 million assessment from DeWitt County, which translates to a market value of about $32.4 million. Monsanto, which completed a $100 million expansion of the facility last year, wants the assessed value to be about $3.8 million, reflecting a market value of about $11.4 million.

The Farmer City-based school district has the most property tax dollars at stake in the assessment.

Blue Ridge last year approved a five-year, 50 percent abatement of property taxes for the new construction at Monsanto, which lies in an enterprise zone.

School revenues threatened

At that time Blue Ridge estimated it would still receive an additional $188,000 a year in property taxes after the abatement was applied.

If the assessment is lowered to the Monsanto estimate, that revenue increase would be cut to around $83,000 a year.

The Blue Ridge school board voted Tuesday to split the cost of an outside appraiser hired by the county with the county and Santa Anna Township.

The cost of the appraisal, to be performed by Fitzjarrald & Associates of Decatur, is estimated to be no more than $9,500. Another $865 will be set aside to pay the appraiser to testify in defense of the value placed on the property.

Superintendent Jay Harnack estimated the district’s share will be around $5,000.

Board Vice President Dana Evans, who also serves on the DeWitt County Board, said the Monsanto facility is unusual enough to require an outside opinion. Harnack added there are very few comparable facilities on which to base an accurate assessment.

“When you come to an industrial zone, it is pretty complex,” said Evans.

Prior to the expansion, the Monsanto property had been assessed at $975,979, DeWitt County Supervisor of Assessments Sandy Schlosser said.

Goal is fairness

While the district runs the risk of losing money if the assessment is lowered, the “end goal is to get a fair assessment,” Harnack said.

Schlosser said the appraisal should be completed within two weeks.

A Zoning Board of Appeals meeting will follow.

If the issue cannot be resolved locally, it will go before the state Property Tax Appeal Board.

Do you even want to count just how much is wrong with this whole situation. Yes, many companies are guilty of tax evasion, this steps it up to a whole new level of ethical ick though. Monsanto openly wants their land undervalued, they're not even trying to hide the fraud. Not only do they want it undervalued but they want the SCHOOL district to help pay for the 'SPECIAL' appraisal. BECAUSE schools have way more money then MONSANTO.

SERIOUSLY, I'm almost proud of Monsanto for causing my jaw to drop at their new out right low. Here's a free shout out to the IRS ... go after Monsanto this season!

TOKYO, Japan — When two of our activists were detained after exposing major corruption in the Japanese whaling industry - we knew the Japanese authorities breached internationally guaranteed human rights. Now, as these two activists prepare to take the stand and have their day, or more in court, the violation of their human rights has been confirmed by a UN working group.

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, known as the “Tokyo Two”, are due to stand trial on February 15th - charged for theft and trespass. But over the past two years it has become clear that much more is now under the legal spotlight. Corrupt government practices, censoring public information, Japan’s adherence to international law, freedom of speech and the right of individual protest together with the commercial killing of thousands of whales are all under the spotlight. And before the verdict has even been rendered, a working group of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has already ruled that, in the defendants' attempts to expose a scandal in the public interest, their human rights have been breached by the Japanese justice system. The Working Group’s opinion is the first of its kind for Japan.

Take Action: Stand beside Junichi and Toru as co-defendants and show the Japanese government that it cannot silence the opposition to whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Update: February 12th, Nobel Peace Prize winners Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Betty Williams, along with several top celebrties, have added their support for Junichi and Toru. And our Executive Director Kumi Naidoo has written an open letter to Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. 

The scandal

In 2008, Junichi and Toru exposed a scandal involving government corruption entrenched within the tax-payer funded whaling industry. Their findings included the embezzlement of whale meat. The Tokyo District Prosecutor began an investigation but then shut it down the same day that Junichi and Toru were arrested.

The two were held for 26 days, 23 of them without charge - often tied to chairs while they were interrogated, without a lawyer present. They face up to ten years in jail for doing what any honorable citizen should do – expose corruption. But it is not just Junichi and Toru's liberty that is at stake here – it is the fundamental right to peacefully investigate and expose corruption, to challenge authority and to do so without fear of persecution.

Since their initial arrest in June 2008, more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition to demand justice for the Tokyo Two, and legal experts including Supreme Court advocates worldwide have expressed concern about the prosecution. International human rights and advocacy groups such as Amnesty International have questioned the legitimacy of the prosecution.

A hugely significant UN ruling

The UNHRC’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention informed the Japanese government in December that its treatment of Junichi and Toru breached no fewer than five articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The working group also recognised the following facts.

• "Sato and Suzuki acted considering that their actions were in the greater public interest as they sought to expose criminal embezzlement within the taxpayer-funded whaling industry."
• "Junichi and Toru willingly cooperated with the police and the Public Prosecutor but that this cooperation was not acknowledged."
• "The Government did not submit any essential information, such as details of Junichi ans Toru's activities as environmental activists, the investigation they carried out, the evidence they gathered or the help they gave to authorities to formally investigate their allegations."

“This is the first time anyone has been found to be arbitrarily detained in Japan, so even before it has officially begun this case has become a landmark,” said Dr Naidoo. “Prime Minister Hatoyama’s government has shown itself to be a leader when it comes to climate change, now it is time for it to show its commitment to human rights and ensure this case is remembered as a progressive turning point for justice in Japan.”
--Open letter to Prime Minister Hatoyama from Greenpeace International Executive Director Dr. Kumi Naidoo

The Working Group concluded: “The right of these two environmental activists not to be arbitrarily deprived of their liberty; their rights to freedom of opinion and expression and to exercise legitimate activities, as well as their right to engage in peaceful activities without intimidation or harassment has not been respected by the Justice system.” As such, the Working Group found that the government has contravened articles 18,19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and articles 18 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It also took the view that Sato and Suzuki had been denied the right to challenge their detention before an independent and impartial tribunal in fair proceedings, and requested that the remainder of the trial be conducted fairly.

Junichi Sato (left), Toru Suzuki (right), and their lead counsel, Yuichi Kaido (centre) face reporters at a press briefing following their first pre-trial hearing at Aomori District Court in 2009.

Whaling on trial

Thedecision to engage in this politically motivated prosecution was made by the previous government in Japan. The new administration can remedy the shame of this damning UN opinion by ensuring that the trial will be fair, adhering to international legal standards. Further, it should re-examine the original allegations made by Junichi and Toru.

Prime Minister Hatoyama has already shown leadership. In Copenhagen he stood out with his support for ambitious action on climate change. Now he has the opportunity to be seen as a world leader in human rights, by ensuring that corruption is put on trial - rather than the honourable men who exposed it.

Read the full dossier of the whaling scandal and the Tokyo Two here

Over 300,000 people have demanded justice for the Tokyo Two. Have you?