CERES - Investor coalitions challenging securities law

Ceres is a coalition of over 80 investor, environmental and public interest organizations united to advance corporate responsibility.

I had never heard of them but I find it pretty cool that there is a coalition this big of responsible investors that is focused on changing securities laws and pushing corporations towards being responsible:

The institutional/financial professional sign-on statement at www.SaveShareholderRights.org spells out specific concerns: "The SEC has issued three specific proposals which we believe would eliminate or cripple the resolution process. We cannot support the following proposals: (1) the 'opt-out' option that would allow the most unresponsive companies -- those with the worst records when it comes to good corporate conduct and governance -- to drop out of the shareholder resolution process and isolate themselves further from their shareholders; (2) the unilateral substitution of the electronic petition model or 'chat room' for the vibrant and public 14a-8 shareholder resolution process; and (3) the raising of shareholder resolution resubmission levels from the current 3%, 6% and 10% vote levels to 10%, 15% and 20% levels, thus effectively killing many important shareholder resolutions."
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The Social Investment Forum (http://www.socialinvest.org) is the national membership association for the social investment industry. It is dedicated to the concept, practice, and growth of socially responsible investing. The Forum's 500-plus members include financial planners, banks, mutual fund companies, research companies, foundations, and community investing institutions.

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (http://www.iccr.org) is a coalition of nearly 300 faith-based institutional investors, representing over $100 billion in invested capital. ICCR members bridge the divide between morality and markets by envisioning a civic economy that integrates ethical, environmental and social values. Inspired by faith, committed to action, ICCR members work to build a just and sustainable global community.

Ceres is a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as climate change. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a network of 60 institutional investors managing $4 trillion in assets focused on the business impacts of climate change. For more information, visit http://www.ceres.org

Publicity

Let's get some readers!

I like the free aspect of this directory:

Dog Poop

Vancouver is onto something...
Instead of picking up each chunk with a plastic bag, why not compost it

Birth

Despite ongoing rumours of my pregnancy, I am not in fact pregant, rather just bloated. Thanks for well wishers on facebook and real life. Superbad this Friday at

Rideau Centre
Superbad
1hr 53min - Comedy - English - IMDb
6:50

This should position us well for half price food at the Marche / Richtree in Rideau center after the movie. Patty Boland's afterwards until a reasonable hour...

If you really love me check this out: Universities selling out? Literally/Structurally?

Maher Arar - Even more vindication

Torture, Maher Arar, inefficiency of the Canadian government - American Government...Do you feel safe?

Trust them they have access to secret information. And they will censor the information from the public to protect us:

This is just embarrassing. Why censor this? From the perspective of Canada there is no motivation. The only people that could benefit from such censorship are those who fucked up and let Maher Arar be tortured.

Globe and Mail Interactive

In September 2002, the RCMP filed an application for a Telephone Warrant. In the application, the RCMP referred to Mr. El Maati’s confession to the Syrians that he undertook pilot training at the request of his brother and that he accepted a mission to be a suicide bomber by exploding a truck bomb on Parliament Hill. After learning of his confession, the RCMP was advised that Mr. El Maati stated that any previous statements he made to the Syrians were made under extreme coercion. Regardless of this, the RCMP stated that its investigation had corroborated much of the information in the El Maati confession.
In the application, the RCMP stated that the information concerning the El Maati confession “is still accurate and continues to be true.” In regard to Mr. El Maati’s public statement to DFAIT that his confession to the Syrians was the product of torture, the RCMP affiant stated in the application that he doesn’t know about the justice system in Middle Eastern countries but he advised that much of the information in the confession was corroborated. He also would not comment on whether Mr. El Maati was tortured into giving his confession but he noted that DFAIT observed that when he was interviewed he appeared to be in good physical condition. There were no DFAIT notations made about marks, scars, bruises, etc. He stated that at this time he could only surmise that Mr. El Maati told the truth and his recantation was an attempt to now “damage control”.
The RCMP did not give the following information to the presiding judge:
(i) the human rights record of Syria;
(ii) the public record that the Syrian Military Intelligence (SMI) was known to torture detainees in order to get information while the detainees are held in communicado at the Palestine Branch. At the material time, Mr. El Maati was held in communicado at the Palestine Branch by the SMI;
(iii) when reference was made that Mr. El Maati appeared to be in good physical condition by DFAIT, DFAIT observed Mr. El Maati in August 2002 while the “confession” given to the SMI was in November 2001, nine months earlier.

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This must have been helpful to Justice O'Connor:
Note the blacked out portionsssssssss

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Thanks again to Lorne Waldman one of Maher Arar's lawyers. Here is a paper I wrote for his class with three friends on Redress for Torture

Should I switch to word press?

I don't know let's try a trackback to another site

A rant about wilderness and its meanings

Chocolate sculpture

Oh my goodness, this is so fantastic!

http://pingmag.jp/2007/07/27/sweat-designs-with-cocoa-in-mind/
Visit this site. Beautiful sculptures made of chocolate.

Distributor - Organic & Fair Trade

I am having an ongoing adventure learning about fair trade and importing, distribution and sales. Loads of fun.

I look forward to sharing dulce de leche con mis amigos!

Interrupcion

Scientists solve Checkers...I still have a ways to go

U of A Professors have proved that they can beat any human being in Checkers

Chinook Proof

You can even play Chinook
Alberta researchers solve checkers

SHANNON MONTGOMERY

Canadian Press

July 19, 2007 at 2:54 PM EDT

EDMONTON — It's taken dozens of computers humming away for almost 18 years, but a University of Alberta team has finally solved every possible game of checkers and concluded that as long as no mistakes are made, the game will end in a draw.

The popular game may be simple to play, but it holds a potential 500 billion billion positions. That's one million times more complicated than any other game solved before, says Jonathan Schaeffer, the computer science professor who began the project in 1989.

“In hindsight, it was ludicrous. Why tackle something a million times bigger?” said the wiry-haired academic. “Maybe there's a little bit of craziness there.”

A conversation on the street - Buerger's Disease

I never would have asked him if he wasn't on the street: "what happened to you?"
He told me his story tonight and a bit about his family. I gave him some money and returned home.
It was one of the better conversations I have had recently. What a life he has led!
He has lost some appendages and doesn't play the guitar anymore.

I wasn't sure what to believe but he said he had burger's something...well that is what I thought I heard. But he was actually saying BuErger's disease, which cuts off the blood flow to parts of the body which hurts like hell and can lead to gangrene and eventually amputation (23 times in his case).

Here is some information about Buerger's Disease and a website of a guy who got it really early. I hope that I am not exploiting a man that I met on the street. I hope that he can at least appreciate that he had an impact on another human being.

Wikipedia: Buerger's disease
Brandon Carmichael has Buerger's disease

And a lesson...
You know how in the movies they slam beer bottles and guitars onto people, well my buddy one time snuck up on his friend and slammed a guitar (acoustic) onto her head. It broke and twanged like nobody's business. She recovered and joked, "you always wanted to do that."
I hope that everyone can find someone who will understand the importance of slamming guitars onto other people, just to hear the sound. Not that I would ever do it...

Paul Potts an opera singer for today and tomorrow

Yes Paul Potts rocks. Enjoy the opera. Tim enjoys a good portion of Paul Potts!

Paul's Official site
Awkward interview with a performance on NBC Morning Show...Meredith Viera we love you but chill out...
Moreover, Paul wins

Zambian workers, Chinese bosses

What if Canada got everything right in CSR, but our companies couldn't compete with other country's companies? Is this just a way of hiding behind the old excuse of "Johny doesn't have to make his bed, why do I?"

I may come up with an actual answer to this but I thought I would just point out two examples that raise the issue:
from the BBC: BBC - Zambia miners 'see little reward' By Orla Guerin BBC News, Zambia

from the Talisman Sudanese controversy:

• The sale
• China's purchase
  
• Talisman's home

Sudan divestment / Student action: Standnow in the US and Stand Canada
More info on CSR, Genocide and activism at Corpobligation.com

Bluesfest - Manu Chao, Spearhead, White Stripes

The greatest music I have ever heard. Can't say enough about these bands. Jack White is a genius on the guitars and rocked the blues this Sunday in Ottawa at Bluesfest. I also got down to the celtic music of Leahy.
The political messages of peace, love and understanding were clear and received well by the crowd. It was fun to feel a sense of hope and community as we cheered on activists and artists: Manu Chao, Spearhead and Sarah Harmer. Keep on rocking in the free world!

Sustainability standards

I look forward to delving deeper into this website:
Sustainable Measures. Take a look if you like.

Another use for a Burka!

Head of Pakistan's Red Mosque captured

ZEESHAN HAIDER

Reuters

July 4, 2007 at 4:30 PM EDT

ISLAMABAD — The head of a radical Pakistani mosque at the centre of a bloody stand-off with security forces was arrested on Wednesday while trying to escape clad in a woman's burka, officials said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070704.wmosk0704/BNStory/International/home

Happy independence day USA - It's hard to be a Muslim on the 4th of July!

Humour, music, religion, understanding...

It's Hard to be a Muslim on the 4th of July
Uploaded by snovision

You can support Tommy Wallach
Buy his CD at Buy CD

Rickshaw injury / hiatus

I regret to inform the fans that a rib bruise/break has sidelined men for the next few days. This will allow me to go further into debt and to spend more time on activism. Keeping my eye on the bright side. wink and groan...boo
Stay tuned for pictures of the rickshaw!

onwards and upwards

On the go, up to Olympus. I am working away diligently on corpobligation.com, transferring news from TCBCO to corpobligation, getting ready to launch a fair trade importing business, starting rickshawing, and generally staying cool when the heat rises!
Where are you going to be on Canada Day? Taking a rickshaw ride with Tim!
Drop me an email or call me if you know my number. You can also call Ottawa rickshaws: (613) 853-0012 and ask for me.

Ideas for a better world

Buying less giving more
Composting - not as bad of smell as expected...Compost now
Chocolate being good for you
Love making across barriers

And minibuses...stay tuned

Paul Potts is in the semis and is a youtube phenomenon

It turns out I was not the only person to enjoy Paul Potts' take on opera. A video of his is at the top of youtube at this moment and he seems poised to go ahead to the finals!



Yes He WON!