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20080210

Mike Huckabee - John McCain - Ron Paul - Mitt Romney - Washington_State - Arizona - Arkansas - Texas - Massachusetts - 2008 Election - "Huckabee won't concede state; GOP resuming delegate count." ... "According to the Saturday tally [in Washington State], [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate and Senator from] Arizona Sen. John McCain won about 26 percent of delegates, [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate and] former Arkansas Gov. [Governer] Huckabee won 24 percent, [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate and Representative from] Texas Rep. Ron Paul finished with 21 percent, and [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate and] former Massachusetts Gov. [Governer] Mitt Romney, who has dropped out of the race, got 17 percent." ... "Pastor Joseph Fuiten of Bothell [Washington], who's heading Huckabee's volunteer effort in the state, said three Huckabee supporters in Pierce County [Washington] reported voting irregularities on Saturday." ... "Fuiten said one woman reported that she and a Ron Paul supporter were told that they wouldn't be allowed to run for alternative delegate positions — and that no actual vote was taken at the caucus. Instead, Fuiten said the woman reported that the caucus leaders simply tallied up the sign-in sheets to get the results." ... ""Counting is not so much the issue, so much as it is a concern about disenfranchisement," Fuiten said." ... "Paul's campaign is also not conceding the state." -By Janet I. Tu -SeattleTimes
Mike Huckabee - John McCain - Washington_State - Arizona - 2008 Election - Law - "Huckabee protests Washington caucus results." ... "[2008 Election] Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee cried foul Sunday after [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate] John McCain's apparent victory in the Washington state caucuses Saturday." ... "Huckabee's campaign released a statement saying that it will be exploring all available legal options regarding the "dubious final results." Arizona [Senator] Sen. McCain was announced as the victor in the caucuses. Sunday, he had 25 percent of the vote; Huckabee had 23.8 percent." ... "Huckabee's campaign chairman, Ed Rollins, said Luke Esser, Washington state's Republican Party chairman, chose to call the race too quickly for McCain." ... "Rollins said Huckabee was losing by 242 votes with 87 percent of the vote counted. He said there were 1,500 or so more votes that were apparently not counted." ... ""That is an outrage," Rollins said." ... "Rollins said the Huckabee campaign's lawyers will be on the ground in Washington soon to see why the count took so long, and why the vote-counting was stopped prematurely." ... ""It would be a disservice to every voter in Washington state to not pursue a full accounting of all votes cast," Rollins said. " -SeattlePI
Barack Obama - Hillary Clinton - John McCain - Mike Huckabee - Washington - Nebraska - Louisiana - Illinois - New York - Kansas - 2008 Election - "Obama wins big in Wash., Nebraska, La." ... "[2008 Election Democratic Presidential Candidate and Illinois Senator] Sen. Barack Obama swept the Louisiana primary and caucuses in Nebraska and Washington state Saturday, boosting his slim delegate lead over [2008 Election Democratic Presidential Candidate and New York Senator] Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in their historic race for the Democratic presidential nomination." ... "The Illinois senator also won caucuses in the Virgin Islands, completing his best night of the campaign." ... "The Democratic race moved into a new, post-Super Tuesday phase as [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate John] McCain flunked his first ballot test since becoming the Republican nominee-in-waiting. He lost the Kansas caucuses to [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate] Mike Huckabee, gaining less than 24 percent of the vote." ... "Huckabee also was named by NBC News as the apparent winner of an extremely close Louisiana primary race." ... "His Kansas defeat aside, McCain also suffered a symbolic defeat when Romney edged him out in a straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference meeting across town from the White House." (1, 2) -AP -MSNBC

20080204

Babies - Health - Corporate - Manufacturers - Los Angeles - California - Washington - "Study finds high levels of chemicals in infants using baby cosmetics: Babies exposed to lotion, shampoo and powder had more than four times the level of phthalates in their urine as those whose parents had not used the products. Previous research found that the substances altered the children’s hormones." ... "Infants and toddlers exposed to baby lotions, shampoos and powders carry high concentrations of hormone-altering chemicals in their bodies that might have reproductive effects, according to a new scientific study of babies born in Los Angeles [California] and two other U.S. [United States] cities." ... "The research, to be published today in the medical journal Pediatrics, found that as the use of baby care products rose, so did the concentration of phthalates, which are used in many fragrances." ... "The lead scientist in the study, Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana of the University of Washington's Department of Pediatrics, said the findings suggested that many baby care products contain a variety of phthalates that enter children's bodies through their skin." ... "Manufacturers do not list phthalates as ingredients on labels, so it is unknown which products contain them." ... "In their report, the scientists advised parents who want to reduce their baby's exposure to stop using lotions and powders unless their doctors recommend them for medical reasons. They also suggested limiting use of shampoos and other products. Many adult lotions and other personal care products also contain phthalates." -By Marla Cone -LAtimes

20080124

Dennis Kucinich - Dick Cheney - Law - Health Care - Gay Marriage - Ohio - Energy - US - International - Trade - Seattle - Washington - 2008 Election - History - "Kucinich Abandons White House Bid." ... "[2008 Election Democratic Presidential Candidate and Ohio Representative] Democrat Dennis Kucinich is abandoning his second, long-shot bid for the White House as he faces a tough fight to hold onto his other job - U.S. congressman." ... "Once dubbed the "boy mayor" of Cleveland [Ohio], he made an unpopular decision to refuse to sell a publicly owned utility that pushed the city into default and drove him from office." ... "In 1994, Kucinich was elected state senator and he then won a seat in Congress in 1996. His once unpopular stand against the sale of the municipal electric system was praised as courageous. In 1998, the Cleveland City Council issued him a commendation for having the foresight to refuse to sell it." ... "During his time in Congress, Kucinich has been one of the most outspoken liberals, opposing international trade agreements like the North America Free Trade Agreement and marching with protesters in Seattle [Washington] during a meeting of the World Trade Organization." ... "As a presidential candidate, he has proposed a Department of Peace, backed universal health care and supported gay marriage. He also pushed for impeachment of [Republican] Vice President Dick Cheney." -By Joe Milicia -WRAL.com

20071231

Money - Politics - Federal - Housing - Legislation - New Jersey - Georgia - California - Texas - Utah - Maryland - Nevada - Oregon - Washington - 2004 Election - US - Netherlands - "Lender Lobbying Blitz Abetted Mortgage Mess: Ameriquest Pressed For Changes in Laws; A Battle in New Jersey." ... "During the housing boom, the subprime industry succeeded at more than just writing mortgages. It also shot down efforts by some states to curtail risky lending to borrowers with spotty credit." ... "Ameriquest Mortgage Co. [ACC Capital Holdings], until recently one of the nation's largest subprime lenders, was at the center of those battles. Working with a husband-and-wife team of Washington lobbyists, it handed out more than $20 million in political donations and played a big role in persuading legislators in New Jersey and Georgia to relax tough new laws. Those victories, in turn, helped blunt efforts by other states to crack down on reckless lending, critics of the industry contend." ... "Home loans made by Ameriquest and other subprime lenders are defaulting now in large numbers, roiling global credit markets and sparking debate about whether regulators and lawmakers should have anticipated the mess and taken action. A close look at Ameriquest's lobbying and political donations shows how the subprime industry maneuvered to defeat legislation that might have contained some of the damage." ... "Data from federal and state campaign-finance records, Internal Revenue Service filings, and the National Institute on Money in State Politics show that from 2002 through 2006, Ameriquest, its executives and their spouses and business associates donated at least $20.5 million to state and federal political groups. In comparison, over the same time period, Countrywide Financial, another large subprime lender, gave about $2 million in campaign gifts, and spent an additional $6.7 million lobbying in Washington, records indicate." ... "Some of the giving by Ameriquest executives and associates was high-profile. [Republican] President Bush received more than $200,000 for his 2004 re-election campaign, and Ameriquest founder Roland Arnall and his wife, Dawn, contributed more than $5 million to political organizations that backed the president. Last year, [Republican] President Bush appointed Mr. Arnall ambassador to the Netherlands, and his wife took over as chairman of Ameriquest's parent company. California [Republican Governor] Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaigns received at least $1.4 million, along with stacks of tickets to a Rolling Stones concert that were used to lure big donors." ... "Last year, ACC Capital, its [Ameriquest Mortgage Company] parent company, agreed to pay $325 million to settle regulators' claims that it charged excessively high mortgage rates and didn't adequately disclose loan risks. Some of the state attorneys general who signed the settlement, including Greg Abbott of Texas, received campaign donations from the firm. Utah's attorney general, Mark Shurtleff, received a $1,000 contribution and Rolling Stones tickets." ... "Ameriquest also handed out Rolling Stones tickets to state legislators in Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and California, according to ethics records and local news accounts." ... "Federal lawmakers didn't pose much of a threat to the subprime industry in recent years. Members of Congress received at least $645,000 in donations from Ameriquest and large sums from other big subprime lenders, Federal Election Commission records indicate." ... "ACC Capital, Ameriquest's parent company, and its executives gave more than $350,000 to Texas politicians in 2006, including $100,000 to [Republican Governor] Gov. Rick Perry, according to state records." -By Glenn R. Simpson -WSJ.com

20071020

Alberto Gonzales - Karl Rove - Randy "Duke" Cunningham - Criminal - US Attorneys - Politics - Government - Law - Hatch Act - Washington - 2004 Election - New Mexico - San Diego - California - "Gonzales could be prosecuted, McKay says." ... "The U.S. Inspector General may recommend criminal prosecution of [Republican President Bush's] departed Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at the conclusion of an investigation, possibly as early as next month, the fired former U.S. attorney for Western Washington told a Spokane audience Friday." ... "His refusal to open a federal criminal investigation into voter fraud allegations in Gov. Chris Gregoire’s razor-thin victory over Republican challenger Dino Rossi in 2004 [election] may be the reason he was fired, John McKay told the Federal Bar Association." ... "Appointed by President Bush in October 2001 to the top law enforcement job in western Washington, McKay said he believes he and seven other U.S. attorneys were fired last December by Gonzales for political reasons, perhaps with former White House chief of staff Karl Rove pulling strings." ... "Gonzales “lied about” reasons for the firings when questioned under oath in July by the Senate Judiciary Committee and now has hired a lawyer and is refusing to answer questions from the Inspector General, McKay said." ... "“There was a conspiracy to politicize the Justice Department,’’ the former U.S. attorney said, “and they did not get away with it.”" ... "[Former New Mexico U.S. Attorney David] Iglesias has filed a Hatch Act complaint, alleging Rove and other White House officials may have violated that federal law in his firing." ... "[Former San Diego, California U.S. Attorney Carol] Lam has said she believes her firing was tied her office’s aggressive investigation of Rep. [California Republican Representative] Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a Republican congressman who later pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion." -By Bill Morlin -SpokesmanReview.com

20070813

Microsoft - Computer - Search Engines - Online - Advertising - Seattle - Washington - "Microsoft Wraps Up $6B aQuantive Buy." ... "Microsoft took a major -- and expensive -- step toward solidifying its place in the online advertising space with its $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive." ... "Completing its largest acquisition ever, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) closed its US$6 billion purchase of digital advertising player aQuantive, then created a new business unit to encompass aQuantive and its three companies: Avenue A | Razorfish (Nasdaq: RAZF), Atlas Solutions and DRIVE Performance Solutions." ... "Formed in 1997 and based in Seattle [Washington], aQuantive is a veteran and big player in the online advertising world. However, the price paid by Microsoft is 85 percent more per share than aQuantive's valuation last Friday, before the deal was finalized." ... "Some observers believe Microsoft was becoming antsy about getting a foothold in the digital advertising industry, since [search engines] Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), AOL and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) have already bought, or are buying, online ad entities. Microsoft said the acquisition shows it is serious about its "increased focus on online advertising market opportunities."" ... "The size of the deal raised eyebrows of many observers, as the price was triple the amount Microsoft ever paid for an acquisition and double what Google is willing to spend on DoubleClick (Nasdaq: DCLK). It's also far more than the $680 million paid by Yahoo for Right Media, an Internet ad exchange and the $435 million spent by AOL on Advertising.com in 2004." -ECommerceTimes.com

20070812

US - International - Seniors - Babies - Science - History - Canada - EU - Washington - "U.S. now trails 41 other nations in life expectancy." ... "Americans are living longer than ever, but not as long as people in 41 other countries." ... "For decades, the United States has been slipping in international rankings of life expectancy, as other countries improve health care, nutrition and lifestyles." ... ""Something's wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the one that spends the most on health care, is not able to keep up with other countries," said Dr. Christopher Murray, head of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington." ... "A baby born in the United States in 2004 will live an average of 77.9 years." ... "That life expectancy ranks 42nd, down from 11th two decades earlier, according to international numbers provided by the Census Bureau and domestic numbers from the National Center for Health Statistics." ... "Researchers said several factors have contributed to the United States falling behind other industrialized nations." ... "A major one is that 45 million Americans lack health insurance, while Canada and many European countries have universal health care, they say." ... "Adults in the United States have one of the highest obesity rates in the world." ... "A relatively high percentage of babies born in the U.S. die before their first birthday, compared with other industrialized nations." -AP via -AZStarNet.com

20070809

Music - Entertainment - Webcast - Artists - Free Speech - Communications - Media - Net - Corporate - Politics - Seattle - Washington - Illinois - "Pearl Jam protests censoring of Lollapalooza webcast: AT&T says the deleting of Vedder's anti-Bush lyrics was a 'major, major mistake.'." ... "Pearl Jam is alarmed that an AT&T concert website pulled the plug on their stage politics, but an official with the communications giant today called the incident "a major, major mistake" that runs counter to the company's policy." ... "The Seattle [Washington] rock band closed the three-day Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago [Illinois] last weekend, with AT&T's Blue Room handling the live webcast. But when lead singer Eddie Vedder sprinkled one song with some disparaging lyrics about [Republican] President Bush, a content monitor chose to hit the equivalent of a mute button." ... "The band, on its official website, called that decision an example of Corporate America putting a chill on free speech." ... ""This, of course, troubles us as artists but also as citizens concerned with the issue of censorship and the increasingly consolidated control of the media," the band said in the statement. "AT&T's actions strike at the heart of the public's concerns over the power that corporations have when it comes to determining what the public sees and hears through communications media."" -By Geoff Boucher -LAtimes

20070721

Julie MacDonald - Government - Animals - Justice - Science - Politics - Industry - Seattle - Washington - West Virginia - "Decisions on species to be reviewed: Methods of Interior official who resigned in question." ... "In the wake of the resignation of a [Republican President] Bush administration official who was rebuked for meddling in scientists' calls about protecting endangered species, federal officials on Friday announced plans to re-examine eight decisions influenced by the disgraced official." ... "Environmentalists labeled the administration's move a "token effort designed for damage control."" ... "Friday's announcement by Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, comes less than three months after the resignation of Julie MacDonald, an Interior Department official in charge of the wildlife service. She had been chastised by the agency's inspector general for bullying agency scientists and leaking information to industry groups." ... "The most recent controversy in the Northwest involved a Washington, D.C.-based team of [Republican President] Bush administration officials, including MacDonald, who overruled a panel of Northwest-based experts and reduced by one-fifth the amount of acreage protected as "critical habitat" for the spotted owl." ... ""People's bells should go off when the folks in an agency's regional office are overruled by political appointees in D.C.," [Seattle, Washington attorney from Earthjustice, Kristen] Boyles said. "I don't believe the region is always right, but I believe they are paying attention to the science because they are the scientists." ... West Virginia Democratic Representative Nick Rahall: ""What we have learned to date raises concerns about political tinkering with science that has affected perhaps 100 endangered species-related decisions -- and goodness knows what else -- that deserve further scrutiny," Rahall said Friday." ... "Environmentalists noted that Hall was agreeing to review only about a third of the cases in which misconduct by MacDonald was alleged." -By Robert McClure and John Heilprin -AP -SeattlePI.NWsource

20070616

Michael Elston - Alberto Gonzales - US Attorneys - Law - Politics - Seattle - Washington - Phoenix - Arizona - San Diego - California - Little Rock - Arkansas - "Justice Dept. Official To Quit: [Michael] Elston Had Role in Prosecutor Firings." ... "Former U.S. attorney John McKay of Seattle [Washington] told Congress that on Jan. 17 -- before McKay stepped down -- he received a call from Elston that he "greatly resented." He said Elston attempted to "buy my silence by promising that the attorney general [Alberto Gonzales] would not demean me in his Senate testimony."" ... ""My handwritten and dated notes of this call," McKay told Congress, "reflect that I believed Mr. Elston's tone was sinister and that he was prepared to threaten me further if he concluded I did not intend to continue to remain silent about my dismissal."" ... "Paul K. Charlton, who was the U.S. attorney in Phoenix [Airzona], said that he, too, received a call that day in which Elston offered "a quid pro quo agreement: my silence in exchange for the attorney general's." Another former prosecutor, Carol C. Lam of San Diego [California], said Elston accused her of "leaking" word of her dismissal to the press "and criticized me for talking to other dismissed U.S. attorneys."" ... "Former U.S. attorney Bud Cummins of Little Rock [Arkansas] also recounted a Feb. 20 conversation with Elston that Cummins said contained a "threatening undercurrent" warning that Justice Department officials would retaliate if he or his colleagues spoke to journalists or volunteered to testify in Congress." -By Dan Eggen and Amy Goldstein -WashingtonPost

20070503

Secret - Paul McNulty - Michael Elston - US Attorneys - Law - Politics - Arizona - Arkansas - Seattle - Washington - San Francisco - California - "Justice Official Says He Was Directed To Call Fired Prosecutors." ... "The chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty has told congressional investigators that phone calls he placed to four fired U.S. attorneys -- calls that three of the prosecutors say involved threats about testifying before Congress -- were made at McNulty's direction." ... "Michael Elston, the chief of staff, told congressional investigators in a closed-door session on March 30 that McNulty specifically instructed him to make the phone calls after the Justice Department's No. 2 official learned that the fired prosecutors might testify before Congress about their dismissals." ... "At least one member of Congress has questioned whether the phone calls might constitute obstruction of justice." ... "Elston said that McNulty directed him to place calls to fired U.S. attorneys Paul Charlton of Arizona, Bud Cummins of Arkansas, and John McKay of Seattle [Washington], all of whom said they felt pressured to keep quiet. Elston also placed a call to federal prosecutor Kevin Ryan of San Francisco [California], as directed, but did not speak to him. The calls were placed between January and March of this year -- before details about the political motivations for the firings became public." ... "On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee made public formal correspondence from three fired prosecutors who said they thought that Elston was trying to intimidate them into keeping quiet." -By Murray Waas -NationalJournal

20070426

Renzi - Domenici - Wilson - Hastings - Ariz - NM - Seattle - WA - 2006 Election - US Attorneys - Law - "Renzi Aide Called U.S. Attorney to Ask About Probe: Chief of Staff Inquired About Land Deal Investigation; Prosecutor Among Eight Who Were Fired." ... "The top aide to [Arizona Republican Representative] Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) called the office of Arizona's U.S. attorney about six weeks before the prosecutor was fired, inquiring about a federal probe into the congressman's role in a land deal that benefited a former business partner and political patron." ... "The former U.S. attorney, Paul K. Charlton, told House investigators this week that his office alerted the Justice Department's headquarters about the call from Renzi's chief of staff, Brian Murray, because he considered it potentially improper, according to congressional sources who spoke about the probe on the condition of anonymity. Justice rules require prosecutors to report contacts from members of Congress seeking information about investigations." ... "The incident means that Charlton was the third of eight U.S. attorneys forced to resign last year who had reported to Justice officials that Republican members of Congress or their staffs made inappropriate overtures to their offices about politically sensitive investigations they were supervising." ... "The former U.S. attorney for New Mexico, David C. Iglesias, has told Congress he felt pressured to speed up an indictment of Democrats during phone calls last October from [New Mexico Republican Senator] Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.) and [New Mexico Republican Representative] Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.). And former U.S. attorney John McKay of Seattle has said he was called by the chief of staff to [Washington Republican Representative] Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) about a preliminary inquiry into [2006 election] voter fraud in Washington state." -By Amy Goldstein and Dan Eggen -WashingtonPost

20070306

Hastings - Ed Cassidy - Boehner - Ohio - California - Washington - 2004 Election - US Attorneys - Law - "Hearing on U.S. attorney's ouster reveals Hastings' office contacted McKay." ... "During the recount of the hotly contested 2004 governor's race in Washington state, the chief of staff to [Washington state Republican Representative] Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., called former U.S. Attorney John McKay to inquire about the status of any federal investigations into voter fraud, McKay told a Senate committee today." ... "McKay told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Ed Cassidy, who now works for [Ohio Republican Representative] Republican Minority Leader John Boehner, called him "some weeks" following the 2004 election, and after a third re-count had determined that Democrat Christine Gregoire had narrowly defeated Republican Dino Rossi." ... ""I was told the purpose of the call was to inquire on behalf of congressman Hastings" about the status of ongoing investigations of voter fraud, McKay said in response to a question from [California Democratic Senator] Sen. Dianne Feinstein." ... "McKay said that he informed Cassidy that the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington had already asked the public to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation with any evidence of voter fraud, so it could be investigated." ... "Cassidy then began to ask McKay whether any future action would be taken by the U.S. Attorney's office with regard to the governor's race." ... ""When Mr. Cassidy called me on future action I stopped him and I told him I was sure that he wasn't asking me on behalf" of Congressman Hastings, McKay told the committee, "because we both knew that would be improper. [Cassidy] agreed it would be improper and he ended the conversation in a most expeditious manner."" -By David Bowermaster, Mike Carter and Alicia Mundy -SeattleTimes.NWsource

20061017

US - Government - Money - Politics - Legislators - Election 2006 - TV - Radio - Ads - Washington - Virginia - Indiana - Connecticut - Iraq - Afghanistan - Military - "Dems using hourly wage issue against GOP rivals." ... "Democratic challengers in more than two-dozen House and Senate races are attacking Republicans in Congress for taking pay raises while voting against a minimum wage increase." ... "The attacks are contained in television and radio ads running from Washington state to Virginia. In some races, such as House contests in Indiana and Connecticut, Democrats also link pay raises to Republican votes against combat bonuses for U.S. troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan." ... "Most members of Congress currently earn $165,200 a year; top leaders earn more. That's $31,600 more than in 1997, when the federal minimum wage was raised to the current $5.15 an hour. Unless legislators act during a lame-duck session after [2006] Election Day, lawmakers who will be part of the Congress that convenes in January will get an automatic 2% raise to $168,504." -By Andrea Stone -USATODAY

20060901

Washington - Maryland - Police - "McGavick gave misleading DUI account." ... "A 1993 Maryland police report, obtained Friday, shows that [Washington state] Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike McGavick was less candid than he seemed last week when he disclosed a previously unknown arrest for drunk driving." ... "For example, in a sketchy, four-sentence description of the incident on his campaign Web site Aug. 24, McGavick wrote that he was stopped when he "cut a yellow light too close in 1993" while driving home with Gaelynn, now his wife." ... "The Montgomery County, Md., police officer who arrested him Nov. 21, 1993, said in his report that he saw McGavick "drive through a steady red light."" ... "The candidate, who is running against Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, said in an interview last week that he was issued a citation but wasn't arrested." ... "But the police report and a police spokesman Friday said McGavick was placed under arrest, handcuffed, driven to a district police station and handcuffed to a desk while he was questioned and signed various forms." -By Neil Modie -SeattlePI.NWsource

20060706

World - Fuel - Ocean - Animals - Food - Science - Seattle - Washington - "High acidity infiltrates the oceans." ... "Corals and shelled sea creatures face an uncertain future in oceans made increasingly corrosive by the industrial emissions that fuel global warming, a government report warned Wednesday." ... "Human activities, chiefly the burning of fossil fuels, have upset a natural balance in ocean acidity, concludes the report called Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reefs and Other Marine Calcifiers: A Guide for Future Research." ... "From corals to sea snails to microscopic plankton, the creatures affected underpin many ocean food chains, say the authors of the report, a document reflecting the views of 50 top experts in ocean chemistry. The research was sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other federal agencies." ... ""We have very clear evidence, and there is no doubt this is occurring," says report co-author Richard Feely of the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle [Washington]." -By Dan Vergano -USATODAY

20060608

Global - Industry - Climate - Disaster - Politics - Earth - Environment - Entertainment - UN - Seattle - Washington - "Does Gore overheat global warming?" ... "Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," continues to trigger heated discussions about global warming, as well as Mr. Gore's political ambitions, real or imagined." ... "But how close to the mark is his representation of the science tying humanity's industrial activity to changing climate aka anthropogenic global warming?" ... "In short, say several climate researchers, he basically gets it right, although one can question some aspects of the presentation." ... ""I worry that the movie is a little heavy on disaster scenarios," says David Battisti, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Washington in Seattle and director of the university's Earth Initiative. Over the course of the coming century, he says, average conditions are likely to change in ways that should prompt action now; it doesn't require extreme examples to make the point." ... "After viewing the film, he says, his impression is that nothing in it "misstated the science in a qualitative way."" ... "Indeed, his colleague Eric Stieg, also with the University of Washington, has noted that the film includes research that is only a few months old and clearly relevant to the discussion - research that won't appear in the next UN summary of climate science, slated for release early next year. The newest studies were too late to be included in the next UN summary, which is published about every six years and widely cited in public debates." -By Peter N. Spotts -CSMonitor

20060327

Terrorism - Enforcement - Environment - Food - Civil Liberties - Free Speech - Privacy - Law - Politics - 2004 Election - Seattle - WA - CO - "FBI Keeps Watch on Activists." ... "The FBI, while waging a highly publicized war against terrorism, has spent resources gathering information on antiwar and environmental protesters and on activists who feed vegetarian meals to the homeless, the agency's internal memos show." ... "For years, the FBI's definition of terrorism has included violence against property, such as the window-smashing during the 1999 Seattle [WA] protests against the World Trade Organization. That definition has led FBI investigations to online discussion boards, organizing meetings and demonstrations of a wide range of activist groups. Officials say that international terrorists pose the greatest threat to the nation but that they cannot ignore crimes committed by some activists." ... "The FBI's encounters with activists are described in hundreds of pages of documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act after agents visited several activists before the 2004 political conventions." ... ""They don't know where Osama bin Laden is, but they're spending money watching people like me," said environmental activist Kirsten Atkins. Her license plate number showed up in an FBI terrorism file after she attended a protest against the lumber industry in Colorado Springs [CO] in 2002." (1, 2) -By Nicholas Riccardi -LAtimes

20051223

Washington - Microsoft - TV - Web - Business - "NBC Universal Buys Control of MSNBC From Microsoft (Update3)." ... "NBC Universal bought a controlling interest in the MSNBC cable news television channel it created with Microsoft Corp. in 1996, with an option of getting full ownership in two years." ... "NBC Universal increased its stake in MSNBC to 82 percent from 50 percent in a cash transaction, Microsoft spokesman Adam Sohn said today, declining to comment further. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft and General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal will continue to own equal parts in the MSNBC.com Web site." -By Alex Armitage -Bloomberg

20051213

Washington - Animals - Water - Science - "Efforts to protect orcas may have wide impact: Public urged to comment on the conservation plan." ... "Early next year comes the first step in determining how much punch the "endangered" label will carry for the oft-ogled orcas [in Washington state's Puget Sound]. Federal officials are asking the public to speak up in the next few weeks." ... "But the agency isn't likely to do anything soon about an expanding whale-watching fleet, and what orca advocates call a growing underwater cacophony of boat noise hobbling the whales' ability to find prey and communicate." ... "Orca advocates want all that dealt with under the new endangered designation, but that's unlikely, according to Fisheries Service spokesman Brian Gorman." ... "Environmentalists, who had to sue the Fisheries Services to force the endangered species listing, say that's exactly what they're afraid of." -By Robert McClure -SeattlePI.NWsource

"Proposed Conservation Plan for Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca)." -nwr.noaa.gov/Marine-Mammals/ Whales-Dolphins-Porpoise/ Killer-Whales/Conservation-Planning/ upload/SRKW-propConsPlan.pdf

20051207

Washington - Gay - "Spokane voters oust mayor embroiled in sex scandal: Recall vote - James West, accused of offering city jobs and other favors to entice dates, will leave office Dec. 16." ... "Mayor James West was recalled from office Tuesday in a special election prompted by news accounts that he offered City Hall jobs and perks to young men he met in a gay Internet chat room." ... "West, 54, a Republican and former state legislator who voted against gay-friendly bills, must leave office when the election results are certified Dec. 16." ... "The Spokesman-Review newspaper conducted an undercover investigation and reported in a series of articles beginning May 5 that West visited gay chat rooms on his city-owned computer and offered internships and other favors to young men he hoped to have sex with." -By John K. Wiley -OregonLive.com/Oregonian

20051104

Gordon Smith - Oil - Money - Politics - Wildlife - Alaska - Washington - Oregon - "Senate endorses oil drilling in Alaska wildlife refuge." ... "Senate opponents to drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge failed Thursday to strip the measure from a massive budget package as supporters of exploration argued that the oil is needed to help break America of its import habit." ... "Environmentalists, who believe strongly the refuge should continue to be off limits to oil companies to protect the area's wildlife, had acknowledged that it was a long shot to get the provision killed and now are concentrating on defeating the overall budget bill." ... "The Democratic Party of Oregon issued a statement criticizing [Oregon Republican Senator Gordon] Smith's decision to vote for a budget package that includes the drilling." ... ""Gordon Smith has again shown the dishonesty of his slick campaign ads and so-called independence in the U.S. Senate," said Kelly Steele, the party's communications director. "When the chips were down, Gordon Smith bowed to the will of the Bush White House, and broke another promise to Oregonians."" ... "[Washington state Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell:] "Using backdoor tactics to destroy America's last great wild frontier will not solve our nation's energy problems and will do nothing to lower skyrocketing gas prices," Cantwell argued. She dismissed industry arguments that the refuge can be drilled with little if any adverse impact on the environment or wildlife." ... "The Prudhoe Bay oil fields, just to the west of ANWR [Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge] and the Alaska oil pipeline have resulted in 504 spills a year since 1996 and there's no reason to assume greater protection in the refuge, maintained Cantwell. " -By H. Josef Hebert with contributions by Matthew Day -AP via -kgw.com

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