One If By Land Bucks County

A Pennsylvania judge in the heart of the Keystone State’s fracking belt has issued a forceful and precedent-setting decision holding that there is no corporate right to privacy under that state’s constitution, giving citizens and journalists a powerful tool to understand the health and environmental impacts of natural gas drilling in their communities. More here: http://bit.ly/10X3ylm

April 27th 12N - Special Spoken Word Presentation for The North Star at Doylestown Historical Society

Come hear the powerful the First Person narrative of runaways before the Civil War. Try your voice in one of a collection of several narratives from the book, The Underground Railroad by Charles L. Blockson. The 12 noon event is being held at the Doylestown Historical Society, co-sponsor of the special screening of The Underground Railroad at the County Theater. Join the spoken word readings at 56 S. Main Street. http://www.doylestownhistorical.org

The changes are hard to ignore. From a sleepy Pennsylvania town on the banks of the Susquehanna River, Towanda, the county’s seat, has metamorphosed into a real boomtown, with industry trucks and large pickups jamming the single main street. Crime has gone up by about 40 percent, while rents and food prices have skyrocketed.

Although not worried at first and even hopeful that future royalties from the gas may help her expand her business, Ms. Sheila Russell soon found herself in a nightmare, when she discovered that one of the wells on her property had been leaking methane gas into the ground, due to a faulty casing, for over a year.

Today, Russell has stopped drinking the water from her private well and even refuses to water her produce with it, preferring instead a nearby spring-fed pond. Water tests have shown elevated levels of methane and metals, still within state norms, but she does not want to take any chances. More Here: http://bit.ly/XFQP2K

Mon. Jan. 28th 7PM PROMPT - Meeting - Doylestown Borough Council Meeting to Proclaim February as African American Month

Please join Doylestown Borough Council on Monday, January 28th at the Doylestown Borough Council Meeting, when Council will vote on the first ever Resolution recognizing February 2013 as African American History Month in Doylestown. The focus of this year's African American History Month is "At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."

Request for Help With Presidential Pardon For Leonard Peltier Pardon -www.treaty.tv

Harry Belafonte, Peter Coyote, Pete Seeger, Common and Mos Def and a host of other celebrities call for people to write letters to request clemency for Leonard Peltier from 1) President Barack Obama, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20505. 2) They want those letters to be repeated in emails to local congressmen at http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ 3) They want a copy of the letter to also be sent to Rep. John Lewis, 343 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. A benefit concert was hosted by the celebrities at the Beacon Theater in NYC in December. Nelson Mandela had called for his release, as had Mother Teresa, Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Dahai Lama.

Prosecutors admitted there was no evidence against Peltier. Amnesty International asserts "unfair trial" in the mysterious shooting deaths of two FBI agents. False testimony and switched evidence was used to convict him. Leonard Peltier was honored at a star studded benefit concert at the Beacon Theater in December, and on Thanksgiving Day in Plymouth MA, also known as The National Day of Mourning for First Nation people. A true "Thanksgiving Day" can be realized by Mr. Peltier when his wrongful imprisonment has ended after 37 years. View his honoring: http://bit.ly/SDJSA2

Mr. President, I'd like to Suggest 11 Common Sense Ways to Fix Election Protection - By Steven Singer

Across the country on election day, voters went to the polls expecting to exercise their civic duty. Most succeeded. But many came away frustrated by language barriers and invented rules, exhausted from standing for hours in long lines, and, in some cases, disenfranchised. On Election Night, President Obama declared: "By the way, we have to fix that." Now citizen Steven Singer has some ideas on how to fix that:

1) Open Ballot Access. 2) Holiday Voting. 3) Paper Trail. 4) Verify Identity Without Disenfranchisement. 5) Honest Open Debates. 6) Expanded Debates. 7) Instant Run-Off. 8) Tightly-Drawn Districts. 9) Full Public Funding of Diverse Candidates. 10) No Legislation Without Consultation. 11) Constitutional Amendment. Read more and sign a petition here: http://bit.ly/S86rMU

Election Protection Reforms is In Order - What are Your Ideas from Bucks County, PA?

Voter suppression is a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing people from exercising their right to vote Suppression can include intimidation, misinformation about polling places, demand for an ID that isn't legal, denial of the right to cast a ballot to manipulating the ballots during the vote count after the polls close.

Citizen documentation plays a crucial role in scaring off those who are trying to intimidate voters, and forcing the media to cover the issue. Please contact rkellysf@yahoo.com with your observations and ideas.

Hand count the paper ballots in front of people and then compare the votes to the number that comes from the optical scanner machines. Start an industry in each state where the one type of optical scanner is manufactured, putting America to work to give a decent optical scanner machine for US elections. The singular paper or the machine alone is not acceptable.

Let’s set an example with local US industries that foster a uniform voting throughout the country that is not controlled by corporations. Simply government, a group of citizens including technical experts that constantly check the validity of our elections. The machines would belong to the people and to the US government.

Add Paper Ballots at the Storm Ravaged Polls Across Many States? Gov. Corbett Agrees to Guarantee Electricity for Electronic Voting Machines at Polling Places in PA

After concerned voters asked whether the Election be delayed by one week due to the storm, Gov. Corbett agreed to guarantee electricity at polling places in PA. However, ore than 50 million are impacted by the storm in 12 states -- PA, NJ, NY, NH, VA, DE, MD, MA, VT, CT, NC, ME. Transformers blew everywhere and in some places, electricity will be down by a week or more before repairs are complete for more than 8 million people. Many voters are distracted from the election due to necessary cleanup. The electronic voting machines may be compromised by the storm.

WATCH - Former NSA Analyst is quoted as Uncovering Mass Manipulation of Votes for the GOP by 10 Percent in US Large Precincts

Former NSA analyst is quoted as uncovering "uncharacteristically high rate" of ballot returns for Romney and other Republican candidates -- the bigger the precinct, the larger number of votes -- these numbers did not corollate for medium and small precincts in this analysis of the primaries.

Can it be true the larger the US precinct, the easier it is for the GOP to commit election fraud within a 10 percent margin of manipulation? More in UK Progressive Magazine, Crockett and Johnson. Read here: http://bit.ly/Y5ovtP

Oct. 21st, 12 Noon Celebration of the Canonization of Native American Kateri Tekakwitha in Bucks County

On Sunday, October 21, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI will proclaim Kateri Tekakwitha as the Catholic Church's first Native American saint of North America. A celebration at 12 Noon will be held at Saint Katharine Drexel Mission Center and National Shrine 1663 Bristol Pike, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020. The Native American Catholic community, Representatives from the Kateri Circle in Montana, as well as New York and Canada (where Kateri lived her life) will be among those gathered on this day.

In addition to the Mass in her honor, there will be Native singing, drumming and dancing. There will be some samples of Native American dishes as well. Memorabilia will also be displayed and can be purchased. Contact: wihinape@yahoo.com

This the first time President Obama has done a Q&A with the American Indian press. It is believed to be the first time a sitting president of the United States has conducted such an interview with Native media. It’s a first that aligns with the image Obama has worked hard to cultivate in Indian country.

Adopted as “One Who Helps People Throughout the Land” when he was campaigning for president on the Crow Nation reservation in May 2008, he has since hired several Native American staffers, held three annual tribal summits and taken administrative action on multiple long-standing trust and water settlements. http://bit.ly/Oaer0M

THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HEARD on Voter ID law: Injunction granted: NOW Are You Sure You are Registered to Vote? Check Here -- Also Find Your Polling Place

Not enough time and not enough volunteers to help 750,000 registered voters get their photo ID by Nov. 6th. That was their message brought on posters to the Supreme Court by Citizen to Citizen, a local Bucks County group of scores of individual volunteers. Why? Because citizens were willing to spend their own money and time to help fellow citizens and there was not enough time in the day to reach all 25,000 Bucks County voters.

Celebrate the registered voters whose ability to participate in the election was threatened by a Republican law. Read court decision here: http://bit.ly/SwtCBY

Now click the link below from the PA Department of State to find out whether you are truly registered to vote and where your polling place is located. Some people find they are not registered because they didn’t put down information from their ID exactly the way it is on the registration form. If you misspelled your name or forgot to add a middle initial that is on your ID, you will not be registered.

From the dawn of history, and in cultures throughout the world, humans have been prone to imbue Earth’s life-giving rivers with qualities of life itself — a fitting tribute, no doubt, to the wellsprings upon which our past (and present) civilizations so heavily rely. But while modern thought has come to regard these essential waterways more clinically over the centuries, that might all be changing once again.

Meet the Whanganui. You might call it a river, but in the eyes of the law, it has the standings of a person.

In a landmark case for the Rights of Nature, officials in New Zealand recently granted the Whanganui, the nation’s third-longest river, with legal personhood “in the same way a company is, which will give it rights and interests”. The decision follows a long court battle for the river’s personhood initiated by the Whanganui River iwi, an indigenous community with strong cultural ties to the waterway.

Under the settlement, the river is regarded as a protected entity, under an arrangement in which representatives from both the iwi and the national government will serve as legal custodians towards the Whanganui’s best interests.

Shale Gas Drilling Industry Pays PA State Elected Officials $23 Million to Thrive

The natural gas industry and related trade groups have now given nearly $8 million to Pennsylvania state candidates and political committees since 2000, according to new research by Common Cause Pennsylvania and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania,532.33, House Majority Leader Rep. Mike Turzai (R-28) with $98,600.

Top recipients of industry money given between 2000 and April 2012 were Governor Tom Corbett (R) with $1,813,205.59, Senate President Joseph Scarnati (R-25) with $359,145.72, Rep. Dave Reed (R-62) with $137,000 and Sen. Don White (R-41) with $94,150.

"Grannies always check their facts before acting, discarding rumours, conspiracy theories and the agendas of others. They wait patiently till the whole picture is clear before hitting the street with their pointed, original and devastating songs, written by any old gran who feels inspired." The newest one is called, "Legitimate Rape." Check it out here: http://raginggrannies.net/a-z-list

A presentation on EnergyWorks and a related veterans green jobs project will be in Ivyland, PA at the First Annual Ivyland Day. Come to the intersection of Wilson and Pennsylvania Ave’s in Ivyland, PA.

The EnergyWorks project of the regional Metropolitan Caucus is seeking to lower energy costs in nearly 170,000 households in Bucks County.

There will be a $150 giveaway towards the EnergyWorks application fee to the first three people to sign up at this event. The EnergyWorks Program can homeowners to increase comfort, eliminate health and safety problems, and deliver real energy savings to homeowners.

Come to Narrowsburg on Thursday, August 23 2012 at 8:00am to Canoe the Big D against Gas Drilling!

Demascus Citizens, a group that pushes to preserve the environment against industry gas drilling, requests that people join them around the Big Eddy and to bring signs to protect the Delaware River!

The group wants to appeal to PA Governor Corbett, who will be in Narrowsburg, NY to start a canoe trip down the Delaware River on Thursday August 8 and they want all be there to show to keep the Delaware clean and beautiful - and NOT DRILLED.

The Demascus notice says, "Corbett wants to open the Delaware River Basin to gas drilling and has been pushing the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) very hard - even withholding PA's dues to the DRBC and threatening to withdraw from the Commission. DCS has signs at our storefront, 25 Main Street, Narrowsburg and make your own. We do not want the Delaware River to become impacted like the Susquehanna River or dead like Dunkard Creek." mailto:dcs@damascuscitizens.org

Massive Natural Gas Pipeline Construction into busy Manhattan Begins Without Public Notice

On Saturday, July 28th, the first national rally and march against drilling and for clean energy will take place in Washington, DC. on the capitol grounds at 2pm. The Philadelphia bus will leave from North 12th Street, between Race and Arch Streets near the Convention Center. People are urged arrive by 8:30 a.m. to sign in and then board the bus at 8:45 a.m. The bus leaves promptly at 9AM. See more: http://bit.ly/PYiAR7

Ohio residents are blocking access to an injection well in Trumbull County this morning, protesting the failure of Ohio regulators to adequately test and monitor the dumping of toxic fracking wastewater in the state.

Trumbull County residents are gathered at the well site on Sodom Hutchings Road in Vienna Township, to express concerns about the contents of the 1000 gallons of fracking wastewater that spilled along the five miles of road in Fowler Township, a nearby residential area, on July 7. Read more: http://bit.ly/Pa6XK4

States' Faulty Source Code on Voter Registration Software is Faulty: Examine Yourself

This voter registration and voter history system has been widely criticized -- in Colorado, where it reportedly assigned voters who are Republicans as Democrats, and vice versa, and in Tennessee where it has been proven to lose voter histories.

Now you can examine two codes below yourself. More on this here: http://bit.ly/LY74Zr

Note that one of the service items reveals that it was tripling votes for "random" voters in the 2004 primary. Files I have obtained show that it doubled or tripled votes in the 2008 primary, and also in the May 2010 and Aug 2010 primaries in Tennessee. However: It is not random. It only appears to be random when voters are sorted by fields other than precinct/voter ID. In fact, it is doubling and tripling recorded votes in white Republican suburbs.

Sat. June 23rd - Join the Second Annual Cycle Bucks County Charity Bike Ride

Doylestown, PA -- The New Hope-Solebury Community Association and the Tara L. Riedley Foundation are presenting the Second Annual Cycle Bucks County charity bike ride, a one-day bicycle tour designed to raise funds and community awareness for The Heart Institute of Doylestown Hospital and Girls on the Run,whose respective missions involve improving heart health and empowering girls self-esteem through running. Participation costs range from $55 per cyclist 18 and over to $5 for children. Check Website for details: www.cyclebuckscounty.org or contact 215.933.8209.

Millions of Dollars in Homeowner Foreclosure Funds Are Diverted by State Governments to Unrelated Projects

States have diverted $974 million from this year’s landmark mortgage settlement to pay down budget deficits or fund programs unrelated to the foreclosure crisis, according to a ProPublica analysis. That’s nearly forty percent of the $2.5 billion in penalties paid to the states under the agreement. More here: http://bit.ly/MjoAYz

Spectra Gas Drilling Pipeline Under Hudson River and Into Populated New York City Area Has Been Approved

The controversial “Spectra Pipeline,” or the NJ-NY Expansion Project was approved this week by the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission). It made various headlines.

The Mayor’s PlaNYC 2030 report states that there hasn’t been a new natural gas transmission line built into the City’s boundaries in over forty years. More: http://exm.nr/LgWBpH

Boris Johnson’s plans for an airport in the Thames Estuary spell disaster for the climate, according to community activists. 150 million passengers per year would use the airport, increasing emissions at alarming rate. People are struggling to meet the weak climate target of reducing emissions by 80% by 2050, the introduction of yet a new airport will only further hinder attempts to achieve it. Read more here: http://www.planestupid.com/

The European Governments Finally Realize that Citizens Reject Austerity Proposals

Brace yourself for plenty of excitement by the right wing Wall Street worshipers who may try to scare Americans into showing how bad the anti-austerity votes are.The last time Austerity "worked" the economic conditions were radically different. Perhaps Europe has had the benefit of watching the US go through this economy so they knew that the bailouts and the easy money post-crisis was all about Wall Street. The bailouts of the banks had to happen but there was no reason whatsoever that we had to bailout the bankers. Blog here: http://bit.ly/IAssyy

VIDEO - After Confusion at the Polls, Community Convinces Bucks County Commissioners to Institute Voter I.D. Task Force

Yesterday at the Bucks County Commissioners Meeting, Pastor Darryl Jones, Sr. of the Concerned Pastors of Bristol delivered over 1,800 signatures collected in support of a county task force. But before he did, Commissioner Loughery proposed the creation of a Bucks County Voter ID Educational Steering Committee. You can listen to Comm. Loughery describe the proposed Steering Committee starting at the 1:37:00 mark of this audio http://bit.ly/JWIypW. The proposal the Commissioner read would form a Bucks County Voter ID Educational Campaign Steering Committee. Come to Commissioners Meeting on May 16th 10AM at Archbishop Wood High School, 655 York Road, Warminster, PA. Share your views on voting rights and more.

Many questions to ask at the next Commissioner's and BOE Meetings, including why the written handout about required voter I.D. was in a very tiny type size on a tiny 5 ½ “x4” thin slips of losable paper. The unreadable type allegedly describes acceptable I.D.s for November, but only offers the Department of State website and an 800 number to call if a voter I.D. is needed from the DMV.

There was no list of other acceptable documents required as I had requested. At a County Commissioner's meeting, the Bucks County Board of Elections had shown a larger, multi-colored, heavy stock “written statement of I.D. instructions” as sent by the State that was to be distributed to voters in Bucks County. It wasn’t. At the May 16th Commissioners' meeting, I will ask why." http://bit.ly/JXQe9J

Sign a Petition for Appeal to County Commissioners to explain voter I.D. at their May 16th meeting, 10AM: http://bit.ly/Jgyh6h

Bucks County Courier Apologizes for Racist, Divisive Cartoon. A Citizen Writes:

"In the print version, they ran a little box on the op-ed page that said, "Not so funny". Thanks to Clare Finkel for noticing it."

'Our apologies to readers who were offended by Tuesday's political cartoon. The cartoonist was poking fun at simplistic campaign slogans. In retrospect, the words used to convey that message were more offensive than funny. While we strive to give all contributors to our opinion pages wide latitude in expressing their points of view, occasionally the bounds of good taste are exceeded. We will strive to do better.'

The citizen writes: "It's a disingenuous response, but probably the best that the editorial staff at the paper is capable of. So, after shock and deep disappointment that such a cartoon would even be run in Bucks County in 2012, we can claim a victory for the side of civil society (not "good taste") that the paper was forced to apologize. Thanks for whatever part you played in encouraging them to do so." View Cartoon Here: http://bit.ly/KuzPa8

Wed. May 16nd - 10 AM Join Urgent Citizens Presentation Before Bucks County Commissioners - CITIZENS' VOTING I.D. RIGHTS

May 16th 10 AM - Bucks County citizens are gathering for an urgent presentation at next Bucks County Commisisoner's meeting. Join the meeting to share your views. Meeting location TBA. Signatures needed on petition:

PA Military Veteran's I.D. was Refused - Citizens Weren't Told They Didn't Have To Display I.D.'s Until November -- Defiance and Confusion at the Primaries

Doylestown: "My neighbor, a strong Photo ID advocate, with whom I have had long debates, offered his retired 20 yr. Navy Air Force pilot photo ID marked “indefinite” which is written in the law as an acceptable ID. The poll worker told him he could not vote with that card because it did not have an expiration date. He angrily showed his P.A. driver's license. Pray for our heroes without licenses."

Lower Makefield: “A friend of mine went to the polls in Yardley, yesterday and, in protest, refused to give his photo ID. They let him vote, anyway! Curiouser and curiouser, we said …

Jenkintown: "I had a photo ID, but my wife intentionally didn't present hers, as I could vouch for her and both of us knew the registrar personally. This situation might be worse if this was real voting. So, I wonder, how often this has or will occur.

Similar situations have happened whenever I needed to cash a check.....You had to have I.D. or no deal. So, I would go to someone who knew me for an OK. Or, I would leave my purchase, create a scene and walk away.....At my bank, the teller refused to accept any ID I had. So, I said to her "how do you know who anyone really is??"....Stolen ID?....What's next, finger prints?”

Yardley: “I also refused to show my ID, which stumped the lady who was checking people in. Now I'm worried that he may not let me vote in November if my signature doesn't match the poll book sufficiently. Good times.”

Lower Makefield: “Seems audacious to ask for ID when it’s not yet a requirement. Talk about bold!”

Warminster: “We had a few people at Warminster 14 who showed and/or said that they didn’t like it, but obeyed the law anyway. Because we have our sign-in book divided four ways I could work at only one of the four tables. 34% of our registered voters voted in the primary and the great majority had drivers’ licenses. A few that came to my table had passports and a handful had state-issued non-driver photo ID’s. I wish that it had occurred to me sooner to remind each one to keep that official paper voting instructions with the impossibly tiny print to help their relatives, friends & neighbors who didn’t vote in this primary! Most of them didn’t, I’m sure.”

Plumsteadville: “I did the same with the same result since the absolute requirement is not in effect until the November election.“

Sign a Petition for Appeal to County Commissioners to explain voter I.D. at their May 15th Meeting: http://bit.ly/Jgyh6h

P.A.'s "Idiotic" Voter I.D. Law Forces Some of the Disabled to vote Without I.D. by Absentee Ballot - But Requires I.D. of those who go to Poll

How idiotic is the new Voter I.D. law when people can still vote by absentee ballot without an I.D.? IF there really were large scale voter fraud (at least by voters) absentee offers far more potential for fraud than going to the polls.

But I'm sure the state doesn't want to go against groups representing the disabled. Thus absentee voting has been left alone. But who will help before citizens reach the polls only find out that they cannot vote if they don’t have a valid photo I.D.? What if they aren’t aware until turned away ...or give up waiting due to more processing time and related problems? Is this a violation of the right to vote?

When will we quantify the value of a new law that will disenfranchise so many who think the only option is photo I.D.? Now is the time to join with others in a campaign to alert people on voting issues in November... such as if they go to poll, what they will have to show, if don't have photo ID or can't get one easily or timely, how to proceed so they still can vote.

Ironic that one of big excuses for DRE's (direct recording electronic machines) was need for one in each polling place for disabled. These are the people most likely not to have photo I.D.’s and will resort to absentee ballot. A presidential election year is not a good time to make major change ... well, maybe good for some candidates but certainly good not for citizens.

Expired Driver's Licenses Back to 1990 are OK for Voter I.D. Says Secretary of the Commonwealth

Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele announced today that the state has implemented a streamlined process for people to get I.D. who have expired PA drivers’ licenses or non-driver photo I.D. Now you just need to show up at a Driver’s License Center and give them your name. They match you to your record in their database and produce a new ID. No documentation required. (She said it doesn’t matter if you’ve changed addresses. They use the photo on file to confirm the match.)

The one exception is for licenses/I.D.’s that expired pre-1990. Some might be in the system, some not. But PennDOT says it will help those people in that situation.

Quebec Bans Any Fracking Pending Studies

CALGARY – The province of Quebec has moved from a de facto ban on shale gas development to a “complete and total moratorium,” lamented Calgary oilpatch executive Michael Binnion on Tuesday, following news that a review on hydraulic fracturing won’t include any demonstrations in the province. The committee will order several more studies with a deadline of next spring, Joly said Tuesday, with the final report targeted for completion some time in 2013. He reported that the committee learned a lot from public hearings held from November 2011 to January 2012 and said there would be further hearings, geared toward specific sectors. Committee members plan to also travel to Alberta and B.C. and to Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York where there are also shale-gas deposits.

At 6 PM there will be vigils/rallies at the Bryn Mawr HQ of Aqua America, a private water company which is about to evict 32 low income families from a riverside community on the upper Susquehanna, so they can pump millions of gallons exclusively for fracking.

Apart from the fact that many people do not want to locate, Aqua is refusing to offer adequate compensation even for those who willing to go. Because the tenants were renters on a private property which was sold, Aqua's obligation is nil. It is, in effect, an eminent domain for purely private gain.

Time Noon and 6 PM
Place 762 W Lancaster Ave. Bryn Mawr (just east of Bryn Mawr Ave)

A strict interpretation of the law would also forbid general practitioners and family practice physicians who sign the non-disclosure agreement and learn the contents of the “trade secrets” from notifying a specialist about the chemicals or compounds, thus delaying medical treatment.

The clauses are buried on pages 98 and 99 of the 174-page bill [11], which was initiated and passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and signed into law in February by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett.

Pennsylvania requires physicians to report to the state instances of 73 specific diseases, most of which are infectious diseases. However, the list also includes cancer, which may have origins not only from chemicals used to create the fissures that yield natural gas, but also in the blow-back of elements, including arsenic, present within the fissures. Thus, physicians are faced by conflicting legal and professional considerations. Read more here: http://bit.ly/zQnqvZ

Governor Tom Corbett signed into law House Bill 934, also known as the Photo Voter ID bill, which will require Pennsylvanians to produce photo identification when they vote.

"I am signing this bill because it protects a sacred principle, one shared by every citizen of this nation. That principle is: one person, one vote,'' Corbett said. "It sets a simple and clear standard to protect the integrity of our elections.''

A new report has found dozens of cases of illness, death and reproductive issues in cows, horses, goats, llamas, chickens, dogs, cats, fish and other wildlife, and humans. It says these conditions could be the result of exposure to gas drilling operations. More here: http://bit.ly/x5bGPp

Gas Driller Chesapeake Must Pay $565,000 in Fines

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12040/1209176-100.stm?cmpid=latest.xml

Is Deployment of I-Pad Voting a Backdoor to Internet Voting?

The Oregon Secretary of State says "the iPad application could eventually extend to all voters, but something like that is still a ways off" ... she says she wants to see the results of how it's used in the District 1 election.

Video: http://kdrv.com/page/236262

VIDEO: 100% of South Carolina election results were routed through Barcelona-owned Scytl/SOE before being released to the public

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3_xFb1sWKU

Read out Scytl/SOE - the foreign routing company for U.S. votes: http://bit.ly/zns9MG

US Thirst for Fossil Fuels is Decimating Nature's Wildlife: Report

“America’s outsized reliance on dirty and dangerous fuels is making it much harder to protect our most vulnerable wildlife,” said Mark Salvo with coalition member WildEarth Guardians, said in a statement. “We should not sacrifice our irreplaceable natural heritage in order to make the fossil fuels industry even wealthier.”

The report itself does not shy away from pointing its finger directly at the profit-driven aspect of the fossil fuel industry, nor its dependence on taxpayer-funded subsidies:

The oil and gas industry is subsidized with huge tax breaks and numerous loopholes. Taxpayers will hand out nearly $100 billion to oil and gas companies in the coming decades.

The myth that we can lower gas prices with our own oil reserves has been disproved time and again. It is a well-known fact that the United States uses about 22% of the world’s oil, but we sit on only 1.5% of proven oil reserves.

The American people are clearly getting the short end of the stick from the fossil fuel industry, both in terms of jobs and in preserving our natural heritage.

Read more here from Common Dreams Staff: http://bit.ly/wBK2Ql

Americans Don't Take Vacation Because They Fear Taking Time Off of Work

Seventy percent of employees polled said they didn't use all their earned vacation days in 2011. 'You have this kind of fear of not wanting to be seen as a slacker,' says John de Graaf, executive director of Take Back Your Time, an organization focused on challenging the epidemic of overwork, over-scheduling and time famine facing society.

While some companies are good about encouraging employees to take earned time off, others aren't concerned about the potential repercussions that may come from that nose-to-the-grindstone approach. 'They think, "If I burn someone out, I can always find someone else,"' says de Graaf.

Read More Here: http://bit.ly/qiY8R2

France Outlaws Fracking

By Tara Patel

French senators voted to outlaw hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, making France the first country to pass a law banning the technique for extracting natural gas and oil. Read Full Story Here: http://bloom.bg/jVKplD

“We are at the end of a legislative marathon that stirred emotion from lawmakers and the public,” French Environment Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet said late yesterday before the vote. Hydraulic fracturing will be illegal and parliament would have to vote for a new law to allow research using the technique, she said.

Energy companies that plan to use fracking to produce oil and gas in France will have their permits revoked and its use could lead to fines and prison, according to the law passed by a vote of 176 in favor, 151 against by the senators in Paris.

New Jersey State Legislature First in U.S. to Ban Dangerous Gas Drilling

New Jersey’s state legislature became the first to pass a bill to enforce a statewide ban on a controversial gas drilling technique known as fracking. The legislature was unanimously in favor of the bill, which passed the state Senate 32-1 and the Assembly 56-11.

“Today, New Jersey sent a strong message to surrounding states and to the nation that a ban on fracking is necessary to protect public health and preserve our natural resources,” said Senator Bob Gordon (D-Bergen). “Any benefits of gas production simply do not justify the many potential dangers associated with fracking such as pollution of our lakes, streams and drinking water supplies and the release of airborne pollutants. We should not wait until our natural resources are threatened or destroyed to act. The time to ban fracking in New Jersey is now.”

Toll Continues Quest in Supreme Court to Develop Historic Bucks County Land; Dolington Village

Dolington Historic District as part of the National Register of Historic Places, is located in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County, represents early to mid-nineteenth century Federal influenced vernacular architecture in lower central Bucks County before 1850.

By Carol Stuckley

As anticipated, Toll Brothers has appealed the Commonwealth Court’s Decision regarding the validity to challenge to the FCO (i.e. rezoning for high density housing to benefit Toll Brothers) to the PA Supreme Court.

As most of us recognize, this is the second time that Toll has appealed to the PA Supreme Court in order to obtain approval to rezone land for higher density housing in and around Dolington Village in order to increase their profits per acre at the expense of the residents in our community. They were defeated in their prior attempt.

We expect that the PA Supreme Court will DENY Toll’s request and AFFIRM the Commonwealth Court’s ORDER. If our expectations are realized, the hearings regarding the validity challenge to the FCO high density housing rezoning ordinance will resume before the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board prior to year end. Most of you will remember that the hearings before the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board (January 4, 2007 thru June 7, 2007) were abruptly “suspended” when Leo Holt withdrew his appeal after receiving confirmation that he would receive 40 acres adjoining his property at zero net cost to him and his former wife.

The other Legal Parties to the Hearings however, did not withdraw and the series of Appeals over the past four years have had the objective of finishing the hearings before the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board and defeating the FCO high density housing rezoning ordinance to maintain the integrity of the Ordinances that protect the residents in our community.

Contact Newtown Zoning Board: http://www.twp.newtown.pa.us/contact.htm

carol.stuckley@gmail.com

Madeline Rawley's Warning to Officials about Maintaining Moratorium on Fracking - She Seeks 100,000 Signatures Using Four States' Petitions

By Madeline Rawley 6/12/11

As your Tuesday editorial on natural gas fracking rightly said, "if something goes wrong, the result can be catastrophic."

Print Petitions Below:

Pennsylvania: http://bit.ly/j3oMgR

Delaware: http://bit.ly/mzEcwH

New Jersey: http://bit.ly/jpNi2j

New York: http://bit.ly/jrJ1sP

Our elected officials in the Delaware River Basin, influenced by a perhaps illusory promise of economic development and a new source of energy, may soon decide to lift the moratorium they have placed on fracking here, and risk a catastrophe, just as the Japanese government officials did when they responded to a Tokyo energy company and placed nuclear energy plants on an earthquake fault that had a tsunami danger as well. The result was a short-term gain for very long term pain.

The Delaware River Basin Commission, created to protect the waters of the Delaware River, which runs past Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware, hearing about the environmental, drinking water and public health problems that natural gas fracking can cause, wisely put a moratorium on drilling. Now, however, the commission, composed of the four governors of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware, and the general who heads the Army Corps of Engineers, says they will vote soon on whether to lift the moratorium and permit the drilling to begin.

Please google "Delaware River Basin Commission" for contact information. Tell the DRBC to keep the moratorium in place until the EPA study says gas drilling will not destroy our clean Delaware River water, our most basic need.

Madeline Rawley

Doylestown Township

Ms Rawley is a local resident of Bucks County monitors election integrity and official county business. She urges citizens of four states to gather signatures for petitions to influence the DRBC to maintain the moratorium on fracking.

Click for petition details here: http://bit.ly/kEOA3

June 4, 2011 - Project River Bright Delaware River Cleanup

Project River Bright will remove trash and litter from a stretch of the Delaware River to be determined. Volunteers who are experienced paddlers with their own boats are invited to join the cleanup and preserve the region's most valuable local waterway. Throughout the summer months additional activities will include safety practices, an introduction to the Lambertville Wing Dam and more.

The Delaware Valley Division of the American Canoe Association holds its meeting the 4th Thursday of most months beginning at 7PM, 1020 State Route 32, Lebanon NJ. Contact Noel Rickert at 609-397-5742. Website: http://www.dvdaca.org/

May 26th - 7:30PM - Central Bucks High Schooler Sponsors Native American Performances

By Rebecca Dangler

With final rehearsal from 3pm-7pm on Wednesday night for any prospective dancers, a spectacular presentation will be made at CB West on May 26th! The address is 375 West Court Street, Doylestown. Admission on Thursday is $5. This year our choir had the privilege of touring to Cleveland, OH and working with Valerie Naranjo, the lead percussionist in the Saturday Night LivTe band, on some amazing traditional Native American music that she had arranged especially for us.

For our spring choir concert in at CB West in Doylestown, we will be performing Native American pieces, along with many other genres. Members of the Native American Alliance of Bucks County have been invited to perform traditional Native American dancing. Call the school at 267-893-2500

Texas Company's Pipeline Proposal for New York City and New Jersey shocks residents in those communities

By Clare Donahue

Surprised residents have learned that Texas-based gas drilling company, Spectra Energy, plans to install a network of gas pipelines through their densely-populated neighborhoods of the West Village and New Jersey. The 30-42 inch wide pipes would carry gas at 1500psi -- an extremely high-pressure. Similar 30-inch pipelines operating at only 386psi exploded last September in San Bruno, CA and resulted in deaths and the complete demolishment of an entire neighborhood. The Spectra Energy pipeline would carry "fracked" natural gas from the Catskill region of upstate NY and from Pennsylvania.

Like some other gas companies, Spectra Energy has a checkered compliance record, with Texas Eastern ranking 7th worst based on EPA penalties assessed in 2009. Although the company has purported to have completed “Comprehensive Stakeholder Outreach,” there was found to be a lack of awareness by anyone in the NY/NJ region who had been surveyed about it.

FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) has not announced a specific timeline for the Spectra application, however, a draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected soon. A brief public comment period of only 30 days will follow. If FERC approves, Spectra projects commencing construction in January 2012.

Opposition to the pipeline has sprung up after a few residents got wind of the plans. Now people have formed a new group called Sane Energy Project (SEP). Initially, Sane Energy Project found that New York City officials had no details about Spectra Energy's plans. West Village residents, having barely recovered from the trauma of 9/11, were alarmed to learn about this potential hazard so close to where they live, work, and shop.

SEP is asking for support. For more information contact: Owen Crowley mailto:owen@panix.com

(347) 559-6936

Clare Donohue mailto:clare@121studio.com
(347) 452-9594

Massai Cultural Event at Peace Valley Park, Bucks County, PA

Sunday May 15 - 11am-4PM - Come to Peace Valley Park to celebrate with Massai tribal guest John Sakuda, visiting Bucks County with MCEP representatives to present “Maasai Cultural Family Day” featuring an afternoon of children’s games, folk dancing, music, crafts and face painting. Other groups expected to attend include Native American, African and others.

Pre-register: http://www.maasaiculturalproject.org/annual/annual.html

215.297.8458

info@maasaiculturalprojects.org

Enrichment Series Examines Abundance and Money in Four-part Series in May

Plumsteadville Grange- During the first 4 Sundays May 1, 8, 15 and 22, the Sacred Paths Community will focus on both the spiritual and very practical issues of your personal economy. During the morning gathering at 10AM, the focus will be on the spiritual aspects of abundant living. Following the gathering, at 12:00, Jeff Brown, Vice President at Wells-Fargo Bank, will lead a workshop on ways to stop your financial head from spinning.
This dynamic and interactive four week noon workshop series will show you:
* How to set and reach your financial goals
* Fun and easy savings tips
* Leading causes of overspending
* Money management traps to avoid
* Tips for establishing and maintaining strong credit
* Valuable information about retirement and investing
Does your spirituality reflect your check book? Does your check book reflect your spirituality? It could be that you have no money and feel great peace, or that you have more money than you know what to do with and feel great anxiety. If you are feeling confused or challenged by your financial life, consider making the commitment to attend this series.

Consider it an investment in creating financial peace. $40 fee. To register, call 215-579-1836
5901 Easton Road (Route 611) (Third building North of Stump Road on East side of Route 611)
Plumsteadville, PA

Email natkaye@starlinx.com

Smartphone Pictures Pose Privacy Risk through Tracking Capability

Pictures you've e-mailed or uploaded from your smartphone could leak information that can threaten your safety or that of your children.

More here:

http://bit.ly/gKcEWC

Total releases of radioactive iodine-131 and cesium-137 from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi reactors in Japan now appear to rival Chernobyl, according to the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. See animated map of radiation plumes reaching the U.S:

As a result, there is now fallout through the northern hemisphere, with hot spots appearing due to rain. For instance, rainwater in Boise, Idaho, on March 22, 2011, was reported by the Environmental Protection Agency at 242 picocuries per liter, about 80 times the U.S. drinking water standard if the level persisted for a prolonged time. The drinking water standard is a common reference number for water purity, even if the water is not used for drinking.

Preliminary risk calculations on the March 22, 2011, rainout event in Boise indicate that the risk from a single such event would be low, even if cows were mostly getting their feed from outdoor grazing, which may not have been the case. However, government agency measurements of milk contamination are limited and appear to be uncoordinated. Ingesting milk contaminated with iodine-131 increases the risk of contracting thyroid cancer, especially for female infants. A low dose would produce a low risk; the risk increases proportionally to the dose.

Are you a member of the Nation's richest people? If So, You will be Just Fine if the proposed Republican 2012 Budget Cuts happen

Middle and working class families that have or need jobs are worried. Does bloated government or a bloated moneyed class need an transparent message from the Obama Administration to the people? What would you do if you had a chance to clarify what would happen to regular citizens if the Republican proposed budget cuts went through? If you had a chance, what would you tell "The People" about this?

Their tax preparer called to tell them they're getting a $54,000 refund this year.

Thelma Ward was speechless. She had to hand the phone to her husband so she could dance around the living room floor in shock.

"I was thanking God like never before," she said. "We're just overwhelmed -- that amount was so huge it was unbelievable."

With one in three students being bullied in the US today, Gandhi will speak to students and parents about how to deal with these issues in a peaceful, non-violent way. The event will be held at the New Hope-Solebury Upper Elementary School from 10:00am to 12:00am. Crafts, Kirtan & music, snacks, yoga and a Q & A with Gandhi for a donation of $10 per person. For more information phone:

March 23rd 2011 - League of Women Voters on Energy Efficiency and Climate Change

On Wednesday, March 23 at 9:30 a.m., the Bucks County League of Women Voters will host a panel discussion led by Kathleen Horwatt, Environmental Chair at Wesley Enhanced Living (formerly Heritage Towers) located at 200 Veterans Lane in Doylestown. Irene Ho, Education Outreach Director from PECO will present a power point program regarding the recent rate increase that was effective January 1 of this year. Ms Ho will also bring recommendations on how consumers can reduce their energy costs and their carbon footprint. Gwen Peirce also from PECO will discuss PECO Smart Ideas-Dollar Energy. States Horwatt, “We are again revisiting this controversial topic. With the deregulation of electricity, higher costs will be experienced by users.” The meeting is open to the public and citizens are invited to share their suggestions as to how each of us can lower our carbon footprint.

Membership in the League is open to men and women of all ages. Call 215.230.9986 for more information.

Sunday, March 20th - 1PM - Finally in NYC -- a radio show will help to spread the word to the seven million people of NYC who don't know about fracking. Shelton Walden of radio show, Walden’s Pond, will feature PA land owner Shireen Parsons of CELDF to talk about how local towns can create laws to protect themselves. Upstate NYS Guest Victoria Lesser will talk about the threat to upstate NY reservoirs that serve 16 million people in NYC, NJ and PA and that flows in to the Delaware other water estuaries that serve people, food farms and animals.

Walden’s Pond call in show, which deals with politics, culture and health can be heard every Sunday at 1-2 PM on wbai.org or 99.5 FM in NYC. The on air telephone number to call is 212-209-2900. For details check www.oneifbylandbuckscounty.com. Unlike people elsewhere, the people of NYC are mostly unaware about fracking. Help inform them.

At a regularly scheduled Township meeting, the Board of Supervisors for Licking Township (Clarion PA) voted unanimously to adopt the Licking Township Community Water Rights and Self-Government Ordinance. This is the first community rights ordinance adopted in the state to confront the threat of Marcellus Shale drilling by asserting the inalienable right to local self-government. Read Full Story Here:

The Bucks Transition Group held a "community rights forum" on Saturday, October 23rd at 1PM at the Quakertown Library, not far from Nockamixon, Bucks County's own gas drilling territory. The topic was regarding community rights protections.

In response to high interest in the community by landowners, lease-owners, their neighbors and the people who live downstream of proposed gas drilling, the Bucks Transition Group provided a free public forum for helpful information about the rights and protections for the people of Pennsylvania.

The Bucks Transition Group is dedicated to informing Bucks County, PA and communities beyond about Peak Oil and Climate Change. Henry D'Silva for more information at henrydsilva@comcast.net for more information.

Tasty Locally-Grown Banquet - Cheltenham Potluck receives Bucks Transition Town Group Members

In an event that strengthened collaboration and community bonds, the Cheltenham Transition Towns group sponsored a locally-grown pot luck food event for people from everywhere. Members of a Bucks County Transition group supported the event with a visit. The purpose of the event was to encouraged residents to bring a dish produced within 100 miles. Local farmers and folks from food cooperatives, farmers markets and purveyors of locally grown food attended. The concept is to strengthen knowledgLearn about food security and the importance of sustainable practices.

The end of the year holidays — Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year and the like — are generally held to be times of peace, joy, fun and family. That’s what they are “supposed” to be, but for many people they aren’t. On the contrary, some people experience them as times of loneliness, desolation, anxiety, depression, and despair.

Rev. Stephen M. Heilakka, spiritual director of Sacred Paths Community, which meets at the Plumsteadville Grange, 5901 Easton Road (Route #611), Plumsteadville, PA, believes that the needs of those who have a difficult time with the holidays must be addressed. He is planning an interfaith gathering, which he calls the “Sacred Gathering On The Longest Night,” 7:00 to 8:00 PM, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010.

On the web: www.sacredpathscommunity.org

Sept. 18 - 12 Noon - Join Native American Pow Wow - Fundraiser! - Whites Road Park, Landsdale

On Saturday, September 18th beginning at 12 Noon, a Native American Pow Wow and Celebration of Diversity was held at Whites Road Park and Richardson Street in Landsdale to help raise funds for the tribes in the Dakotas who suffer from lack of warm clothing and supplies during the harsh winters. $1400 was raised with the help of a host of music and dance acts that drew viewers all day. Sacred Paths, a Plumsteadville spiritual group, continued the donations the next day.

This was an all volunteer event. This is an Intertribal, Multicultural, Interfaith gathering staring Native Nations dance troup. We are doing a benefit concert with music, dance, drums, and songs from the Native American Background as well as the other diverse cultures. Music for peace promotes honoring diversity through acts of unity. This gathering will benefit the Pineridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota to help families with their heating costs this year. Contact Rosemary Gallagher: 215-855-7530 mailto:peaceproject3@gmail.com website: http://www.naotw.biz/intertribal-powwow

Within less than four miles of another huge and hugely successful hospital: St. Mary on Rt.413, another hospital complex is being proposed for construction. Over a year ago Frankford Hospital changed its name to Aria, and purchased the south east corner of Shady Brook Farm, directly on the intersection of Stony Brook Road and the Newtown Bypass. Currently Aria has an application before the LMT Zoning Board, requesting changes that would permit it to build the first three units of a hospital complex, including emergency ambulances, helicopter landing pad, etc.

Almost immediately after the announcement, there was a surge of public protest and a sign was erected on the Bypass by a citizens’ group. According to their website the Township Supervisors are against the project, but the Zoning Board is responsible for the decision on the matter. There had been much public concern aired a few months ago, but currently little is being heard on the subject. Lest dimming community memory work in favor of project approval, it is critical that there be far more concerted public input. Let’s review the current and possible future traffic conditions at the intersection - and major problem - at the site.

The intersection is in the form of a “Tee” with the Newtown Bypass being the top leg moving through from its collecting loop around Newtown east to major north and southbound connections to I-95 only a few hundred yards ahead, with a single lane continuation into Yardley. Feeding into the Bypass west of the intersection is a dense mixture of housing, business, industry, mining: all in Newtown, Middletown Township, and part of Lower Makefield - including a quarry, five multi-building multi-story office complexes, Lockheed-Martin’s facility, a college branch, George School, plus two good-sized shopping centers. Due to the current economic situation there are a conservatively estimated over 200,000 square feet of existing office space looking for tenants and when filled will be feeding more traffic into the bypass. In addition, there is one large new office building under construction, one combination retail and condominium project approved for construction, and two large residential estate projects in construction, all in areas that will add more traffic load to the Bypass and this corner.

Connecting to the Bypass and terminating, Stony Brook Road contains four major multi-story multi-building office parks, the Floral Vail medical complex, and a connection across I-95 serving traffic to and from Yardley, plus vehicles from further south, moving to and from the same two I-95 connections. This intersection is therefore already a heavily-loaded critical “sorting out spot” for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles and heavily loaded “slow-to-leave-the-light” quarry trucks.

The obvious criticality of this intersection was acknowledged by the way the State DOT designed and built the I-95 connection a few years ago.

For hours every business day this intersection sees long lines of vehicles, two lanes wide on the Bypass, slowly working their way through the traffic light: lines frequently hundreds of yards long. Local law enforcement agencies of necessity closely monitor this piece of roadway, and have commented that the proposed Aria development would require, in addition to expanded roadway, greater annual expenditure for traffic control in the form of more manpower and more cruisers, plus additional ongoing area illumination, and roadway maintenance. They also acknowledge that these would only be partially alleviating. And it must be remembered that a hospital is tax exempt.

In view of the predictable impact of a hospital in this location and further tag-along other developments that are already advertising , as well as those that would inevitably be lured by proximity to a hospital, it is urged that far more public voice be heard, published, and seriously considered before any thought of approval is contemplated.
*****************************
Bernard Heyman’s CV includes a decade as a Town Planning Board Member and Chairman, Design and Construction Manage of IBM’s Real Estate Division for many facilities nationwide including the Philadelphia IBM Building, Adjunct Professor at the Pratt Graduate School of Architecture, Project Manager for the development of the Mercury Command Center at Cape Canaveral, and Civilian Base Civil Engineer for Thule AFB in Greenland.

RESIDENTS WANT PUBLIC HEARINGS REGARDING THE SELLING OF HISTORIC WASHINGTON CROSSING PARK FOR $1

After residents challenge that there was little public awareness of the three year plan, House Bill 2126 passed in the State Congress approved the selling of Washington Crossing Park acreage to a private corporation, the Bowman Wildflower Preserve -- for $1. Citizens purchased the park during the early 19th century and today, a local group Crossing Legacy Foundation, wants the park to stay in the public domain and perhaps under the National Park Service. A final vote by the Senate will need the Governor's approval to pass.

Another group called Friends of the Park which like some of the re-enactors that use the park, support the $1 sale in a plan that is endorsed the state's park service.

The private corporation, Bowman Wildlife Preserve, worth some $3 million, will be given the historic land in the $1 sale and is looking at the type of massive building development on the property that has continued in Bucks County. Some 137 acres are in question.

Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at 2PM OiBL Trains citizens in news production at LMT. In the new form of local media, the stories come from the citizens. This was the discussion in a standing room only meeting, Bucks residents from across the county discuss the stories they would like to see covered in their towns. The topic of the meeting was an examination of the digital online space and how to best use it to have stories heard. Oneifbylandbuckscounty.com is looking for stories from the grass roots and invites all to participate.

May 9th 2010 - BENEFIT CONCERT FOR DESPERATE LAKOTA AND CHEYENNE RESERVATION - Storm Aftermath - Click Story of the Day

Anyone who can remember this winter, should know that nine Native American reservations were devastated by ice storms that destroyed entire villages. The average temperature was 50 below zero. Today there is still no electricity or water supplies. The hardest hit were the children and the elderly. Spring is here, but they are still suffering. The hardest hit were the Pineridge, Rosebud and the Cheyenne River Reservations.

You can help. On May 9th, there will be a benefit concert held by your neighbors in Lansdale. Feel good about helping people in need and meet your neighbors. Make a difference! Address - Lansdale Performing Arts Center, Main Street and Madison Avenue in Lansdale, Contact Ken Gallagher at 215-855-7530 or keng1968@hotmail.com

Community Groups form to CONNECT BETTER WITH OFFICIALS - NEWTOWN 21st CENTURY VOICE

An aid to Chuck McIlhiney came to hear ideas and to greet the residents of Newtown on February 28th, 2010. Jon Frey, of PA-TEC, the support group for a Newtown SEPTA R8 to Philadelphia, said he was pleased to meet local officials and indicated he wanted to form a collaboration, not just for a train, but for transportation from park and rides to the train station. (Frey will be presenting to the Lower Makefield EAC on Wednesday, March 10th...see news story on front page and Watch LIVE here.)

Newtown 21st Century Voice was created two years ago to foster communication between officials and the citizens. "The turn out for the meeting was great! 70 people showed up." said Jaime Marks Corvino, a member who took part in OiBL videotaping of the Town Hall meeting. "It was positive all away. People and officials engage weil in the topics of a Newtown Septa and residents seem to have been overwhelmingly in support of a community center for quite some time." Newtown 21st Century Voice will be meeting to plan for more Town Hall meetings this year.

Due to technical streaming difficulties, Audio Only is available of the First Newtown Town Hall Meeting - buffering occurs at the beginning: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/5093193

On FEBRUARY 28th with the old Acme Supermarket site an eyesore, residents hoped for a community center. Instead the land was sold to a developer. Additional public transportation would ease the burgeoning traffic in Newtown. It's not worth complaining about, some residents say, Let's just fix it.

It's time to examine the sustainability and environmental impact of building. It's time to give options to drivers in a way that represents a global solution launched right out of Newtown, Bucks County. That's what citizens say. The above meeting at George School was attended by Newtown citizens and officials to discuss a quality of life survey of over 300 residents of beautiful Colonial-era Newtown, Bucks County, PA. Come to 1690 Langhorne Yardley Road, Newtown, PA 18940 (215) 579-6500. PA-TEC asked officials to support reinstating the old SEPTA R8 from Phila to Newtown.

Why is Bucks Land worth so much interest to Developers?

PART 2 - Let's Listen to Each Other

"With meetings like the one on February 28th, at 2 PM at George School, my hope is that this special Town Hall gathering will empower greater resident participation and communication with our local Boards. My wish is to foster a large grassroots group effort to help promote active involvement in the community."

Your input and participation, large or small will make a difference. It only takes one person for positive change and it could be you.

While visiting a friend in Doylestown, Pilot Andrew Diffley, tells Dramatic story of making Relief flights in Haiti

"This was a really rewarding experience, probably the greatest I ever had in my life. The only thing that comes close was when I was in the infantry in Vietnam. I learned how to fly after I got out, which I have enjoyed. Out of the blue, came another opportunity last month to serve humanity. You don't think about what you can do, you just do it."

"This is my story about how I traveled four thousand miles through the Haiti earthquake disaster. I would land the plane, crash into sleep, get up in the AM and do it all again. 4,000 miles. After I got home, I added up what it cost me out of pocket and came up with an amount that equaled a dollar a mile. I would do it all over again.

January 27, 2010. What started out as a normal Sunday for me wound up as a week long adventure in Haiti to deliver medical supplies and food to remote cities. I am a volunteer pilot for missionary groups. I received a call from Bahamas Habitat, based in NC -- a Christian missionary group that fix houses -- and they have some airplanes. They were organizing a medical supply relief effort to Haiti. I said, yes, and found the additional equipment for the trip in Wilmington from a group called, Shoes to Share. They offered to fill my airplane with clothing and shoes. I declined the shoes due to space, but asked them to round up medical equipment. They came up with a trailer load. I took off on the mission in the twin engine Piper Aztec.

For years, I'd flown for a group called Air Lifeline, for Angel Flight, and for a group called Veterans Airlift, which focused on getting wounded soldier's and families from point A to point B. For this trip, I flew to Nassau and unloaded the entire plane of supplies. Two doctors there were there trying to get to Les Cayes, Haiti. Les Cayes is Haiti's third largest city, and there was no relief flying in. So that became my second mission -- to fly the doctors from Nassau to Les Cayes, then fuel up and come back to Nassau, to go back to Haiti only once again.

But the plan had changed by the time I got to Les Cayes. It was too late to fly back and so I was invited to spend the night with Christian missionaries. I slept on a couch. When I woke up they asked me to volunteer to fly to lots of other towns to deliver food where there were landing strips. Reciprocal Ministries International needs donations. They are the group that operates the clinic and gave me a place to stay.

"Actually, the only part of it I really experienced was how missionaries were doing things: Two way radio transmission; generators for electricity. The basics. Cite Lumiere, the clinic in Les Cayes, was inundated with patients. I did see partnerships with U.S. nurses. There was one doctor from Iowa and another from Missouri. In fact, there happens to be a whole network of doctors that goes once or twice a year go to remote clinics around the world. I was pleased to be invited to tour the clinic and hospital and to meet patients. I didn’t see any government agency. The clinic and hospital had only Tylenol for treating patients.

Dr. Bill Tenhaff goes down for a week out of every month. One day during this disaster he did forty amputations. Because of little help or supplies, this is more like Civil War surgery than anything else. There were so many injuries. Doctors had to do 30-minute amputations because so many people were waiting with injuries that threatened death. With no supplies, there is no other way to save lives. Fearing deadly infections, doctors have to take the limb off anyway. One boy never cried out in pain. The people withstood it all, stoic, and grateful for the help.

Cuba is closer to Haiti than any other country has five field hospitals set up in Haiti. There was lots of other relief efforts visible in Port au Prince. I saw the Royal Jordanian Airplane, one from Brazil and from Canada. A huge international relief effort. And all different agencies scraping up donations. The tricky part is getting all of that relief effort into towns outside Port au Prince.

The smart people are not trying to organize all of this, they're just take a small piece of the effort and getting it resolved. That's how the missionaries operate. I stayed at their bunkhouse, so I had a place to sleep. Other pilots would land, unload and take off again. By staying, I had a unique opportunity to see some of the country and to be a witness. I want to tell you that that rounding up clothes and food won't help unless you have means to get it there. It's not as useful to buy food here when they can buy food from closer places and get it there more efficiently. They can take money, though, and buy what they need wherever it is available.

The whole trip became an adrenaline rush --going into a small place, in the mountains, short narrow and bumpy runways.

After Les Caye, the city of Fond des Blancs was my next destination. I ate one meal a day, I was sunburned, and lost ten pounds but none of that mattered. My next mission was to La Gonave, an island right in the center of Haiti but totally isolated from the rest of Haiti. I did a flyby at La Gonave and it looked really long compared to Fond des Blanc. This time, I was carrying rice and beans. That's what they eat. Again, these are places that are not on the relief track. The mayor came to meet me and shook my hand. He spoke in French and here I am standing there and I didn't understand one word.

I had started out on a Wednesday, expecting a short trip. I wound up staying for a week. The day after I got home I went right back to work. I would have stayed longer if I could have. Big concern down there was fuel. You had to plan according or you would wind up being stuck down there. I went took my own food, a sleeping bag, spare parts, water and oil for the airplane. I was careful to keep enough fuel to get to someplace that had fuel, i.e, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic. Once place had run out of fuel so I wound up doubling back to to Port au Prince to get more there.

A friend had once sent me a email which said, "Save your money for a worthy cause." Although I spent about $4,000, I didn't do it with the expectation of anyone giving me the money back. I feel fortunate being able to have been able to contribute. Money well spent because I did help some people down there get medical and supplies. They ate. The town was able to opened up an air strip for continued use. I received a thank you email from the Reverend Thomas in Les Cayes. It doesn't get any better than that."

Richard says efforts like his will get the nation through -- as they watch what children are doing in Bucks County. "I want to empower, honor and highlight teens in a positive light. I want to empower young children and allow them to speak and be heard. This would allow me to truely be a host giving the children the support they need to feel the purpose of their lives.

Reviewer: J. Hobbs Dated: 2012-06-25 19:35:49

When it comes to tallying our votes, do the computer geeks in PA government and the election system actually know and admit PA is using a crap system? Is it part of their plan, or would dragging this info out there for them and the public actually accomplish anything???

Reviewer: Shireen Parsons Dated: 2012-01-02 22:04:22

Protect Your Town: About 130 municipalities in PA, NY, MD, NY, CA have successfully enacted local governing authority to ban specific corporate activities and strip corporations of their rights as persons (they're not persons, but legal fictions). Protect your town from land-applied sewage sludge, factory farms, water withdrawal and fracking by corporations. Contact pachamama3@gmail.com for more information.

Reviewer: Shireen Parsons Dated: 2011-10-22 12:46:20

The draconian State of PA cares nothing about the implications of subjecting a captive population of prison staff and inmates to being poisoned by the frackers, but one state representative expresses concern about "how drilling on a state agency's property will affect nearby water sources and property values of homeowners in the vicinity." Why not just pull out all the stops and frack on public school and hospital properties?

Reviewer: Vicki Lesser Dated: 2011-10-01 15:14:14

These young, amazing energies Occupying Wall Street �are getting so much attention. Jon Stewart, news networks, Michael Moore, Sarandon & Russell Simmons. Let�s get behind them so that it is known that Wall Street is behind pending Environmental catastrophes - fracking and the Tar Sands - Wall Street could be the force taking away life as we know it... Youth managed to catch attention that has alluded all of our voices in spite of our celebrities, scientists, heads of major orgs. etc. they need to know our water and air is being sold to the highest bidders....We must get through in a way that they embrace the mess we created....Victoria

Reviewer: Larry Menkes Dated: 2011-09-18 16:37:39

Regarding: ADULTS OF TOMORROW WILL SEE TOTAL LOSS OF POLAR ICECAP - it is becoming apparent to those of us who've studied and understand the science of the polar regions that the adults of today will be in for some rude surprises that may eclipse total loss, a relatively late and somewhat meaningless consequence of climate change. It is already confirmed that Arctic amplification has occurred. Near record losses in two of the last four years indicates that the rate of change has increased, which will drive the amount of change. These are positive feedback loops that affect more than the Arctic ice cover. Permaqfrost melt will also increase and release a lot more methane, a potent greenhouse gas with over 20 times the impact of CO2. Melting ice will alter Arctic salinity and the acidification of the oceans. Each carries with it multiple positive feedback stimuli and further worsen all of this. The worst probable effect will be sea level rise. A mere one meter rise (39,4") could overwhelm the world's economic ability to cope. This could result in as many as half a billion people displaced. This doesn't account for the losses incurred by the world from weather disasters. These are also rising exponentially. In his brilliant research on the direction of today's trends, Chris Martenson PhD declares, "If you think the next twenty years will be anything like the last you better think again. Many of us, if not most, who are alive today will live to see a time totally unlike anything you've become used to or might expect. Time to buckle your safety harness and act like you understand what's at stake here. By the time it becomes obvious it will likely be too late to act. Some top scientists say that's already happened.

Reviewer: Jan Witte Dated: 2011-08-24 22:53:05

Sharron Dallas of Aquatic Conservation wants citizens to email the governor and public officials to regulate the flow into the Delaware River PRIOR TO HURRICANES. Google "Governor Corbett's website, see the contact button and to act prudently with regard to the future management of the Delaware River Reservoirs. Pursuant to http://on.nyc.gov/nyNuc6 the total percentage of fullness for the entire reservoir system is, as of August 22, 2011 at 91.9%. Pursuant to http://1.usa.gov/o8Cory 3.0 inches of rain in a 6 hour period will cause 7,562 millions of gallons of water to runoff into Pepacton Reservoir.

Reviewer: Robert Weinstein, Public Citizen Dated: 2011-06-30 23:54:07

One way to fight the corporate takeover of our democracy is to require CEOs to get approval from the individual owners of their companies � the shareholders � for expenditures intended to influence elections. Legislation to do just that, the SHAREHOLDERS PROTECTION ACT, will be reintroduced in Congress in TWO WEEKS. The more co-sponsors we get in the House and Senate before then, the better the chances of passing this important bill. Copy this link: http://bit.ly/iuZQYp

Reviewer: Linda Gottlieb Dated: 2011-04-21 22:30:25

I'm a patriotic millionaire. For me to be sitting and hoarding my money is insane. We all give to charity, but that's not the same as creating a more equitable society. Now a group of us asks of other millionaires: We make this request as loyal citizens we ask that you increase taxes on incomes over $1,000,000. http://patrioticmillionaires.org/

Reviewer: John McVeigh Dated: 2011-04-13 09:35:53

I am now officially: Comment I.D, 472477-38296114 at the DRBC. I am most concerned about water resources of Pennsylvania being contaminated by Reckless Behavior and Avoidable Negligence. My message to the DRBC is: There should be a total Ban on drilling in the Delaware River Watershed. Write to Commissioner Secretary, P,O. Box 7360, 25 Police Drive, West Trenton, NJ 08628. Copy and paste: http://bit.ly/eMrkbq into your address bar for a web letter.

Reviewer: Clare Maher Dated: 2010-07-20 20:53:01

Regarding the SHAME article by James, I would like to add that the Cheltenham Transition Towns events are requiring that people bring their own (kitchenware) cups, plates and flatware! (In case someone forgets, they have a secret stash of paper supplies.... sshhh!) At previous events, they have had 4(?) waste cans with large posters indicating what recycleable should go into it, and it seemed that people did observe this procedure. We are having a potluck Locavore's Banquet and music jam on 8/28 at the Curtis Arboretum in Wyncote from 5:30 - 8:00 pm. Please mark your calendars, watch for further notices and check out www.transitioncheltenham.org for more details later this month. The initial website post says: Locavore Banquet & Music Nite at Curtis Arboretum -- "Locavore" means that we'll be eating food that was produced/raised locally! Food produced locally is kinder to our environment, helps us stay in touch with the people and the methods that are producing it, and strengthens our community bonds, as well. Bring your instruments and your voices and any other talents you may have, and join us for an evening of good fun, good food, good music, and good neighbors ! Hope to seee you there!

Reviewer: Maryann Dated: 2010-02-06 21:15:21

It is wonderful that citizens are coming together in Newtown but they have an even bigger challenge and that is to work to see that their voice is not just heard but included in actual decision-making by township officials. At present citizens may speak but when decisions are made it is only the "Experts" information that must be considered. It's time that citizens be considered the experts of their own hometown, not the outside developer.

Reviewer: Natalie Kaye Dated: 2010-01-18 10:55:08

I attended the MLK program yesterday "Building Bridges" and participated in the dialogue. It was one of the best MLK events I've ever been part of. Everyone that I spoke with said this was one of the best events ever and a great way to honor the memory of Dr. King. I am looking forward to the next dialogue which will take place during Peace Week in April. Thank you for covering this event and providing people with the opportunity to watch it online. I am so happy to live in Bucks County and take part in programs like these.

Reviewer: Larry Menkes Dated: 2010-01-17 15:33:44

I deeply appreciate Ray Najjar's informed response. Ray, the essential question to ask is "what if they are wrong?" Who is willing to gamble our children's (and grandchildren's, etc.) future on the assertions of a well-funded climate denial industry? Do you remember the tobacco debates? But for now, there's a better option; one that's fiscally responsible compared to the way America uses energy today. We waste so much energy that we could very profitably cut more than half the CO2 emissions we make and probably induce an economic recovery in the process. How's that for starters?

Reviewer: Ray Najjar (Penn State Meteorology Department) Dated: 2010-01-06 09:35:08

Seas certainly are rising. The rate over the past 20 years or so has been around 3 mm per year when averaged over the globe. The more vexing question is the degree to which humans are causing this rise. Recent research shows that over the past few thousand years up until the mid-19th Century, the rates were really low, around 1 mm per year or less. The sudden increase in the mid 19th century coincides with the increase in global mean temperature, which was very likely due to the human-induced rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide. Taking this point with lots of other research makes a fairly compelling case (though no smoking gun) that humans have caused a considerable amount of sea-level rise over the past 150 years or so.

Reviewer: Jim Dated: 2010-01-05 05:24:51

In my many years on this earth, I've learned that it's very hard to convince people to agree with your point of view. I certainly agree with what Larry has said. From my perspective, the data does show the sea levels are rising and will continue to. My belief in this will never convince others to believe, too. However, whenever you see articles like this, always ask yourself the question "what if it is right?" A lot of people discount climate change and the effects it is having. But what if they are right?

Reviewer: Richard Dated: 2009-11-30 10:46:50

In today's age, we all need to let go of trying to find external control. The true power is not through making each other right or wrong. Our power is contained and hidden deep within our souls. Search within and find the strength you need to do and create anything you want in your life. Come with us along the sacred path. Join us on Sundays.

Reviewer: Beth Dated: 2009-11-29 15:01:12

What a wonderful concept, that holidays though celebrated through different religions have the same message. It is wonderful to truly embrace this thought that peace can be found with all people. Let us all celebrate the light!

Reviewer: Diane Dated: 2009-02-18 18:28:47

In these hard times we must all learn to stick together, it's the only way we will survive this depression! Bravo to these men and women...