Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Distraught Gulf Shrimper Arrested for Pouring Oil on Herself in Senate Energy Hearing

This lady is an author published by Chelsea Green, one of our favorite sustainable publishers.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/52989
and here's the Common Dream's Article as well.
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Diane Wilson, a fourth generation shrimper from the Gulf, poured oil on herself at today’s Senate Energy Committee hearing to protest Senator Lisa Murkowski's refusal to make BP pay for the disaster that has been devastating Wilson's shrimping community. Republican Lisa Murkowski, ranking member of the Senate Energy Committee, blocked the bill that would have lifted the oil companies' liability cap (the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act). Wilson was removed from the hearing and arrested.

Wilson traveled from Texas, where her livelihood and those of her fellow shrimpers has been ruined. She had this to say, “My name is Diane Wilson. I am a fourth generation shrimper from the Gulf. With this BP disaster, I am seeing the destruction of my community and I am outraged. I am also seeing elected representatives like Senator Lisa Murkowski blocking BP from being legally responsible to pay for this catastrophe. She stopped the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act and wants to keep the liability cap at a pitiful $75 million. This is outrageous. How dare she side with big oil over the American people who have been so devastated by this manmade disaster.”

“We want people to call Senator Murkowski’s office and tell her to stop supporting big oil and support a healthy environment and American livelihoods instead," said CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin, who was with Wilson at the hearing. "Our members from across the country have sent Murkowski thousands of emails already. We also want the Senator to call for Diane Wilson to be exonerated. BP CEO Tony Hayward should be in jail, not a distraught shrimper!”

Wilson has been working for decades fighting the polluting of the Gulf. She wrote the book An Unreasonable Woman: A True Story of Shrimpers, Politicos, Polluters, and the Fight for Seadrift, Texas detailing her years long fight against oil and chemical companies in her community. She went on to say, “I have seen the oil and chemical companies destroying our air, water, our wildlife--and the government going along with it. Politicians like Murkowski take campaign money from big oil and then get in bed with the same oil and chemical corporations. This must stop. Enough is enough.” The full text of Diane's statement is here

Wilson is also a co-founder of the organization CODEPINK Women for Peace. She was in front of BP HQ in Houston, Texas two weeks ago to protest the oilspill and draw attention to BP’s legacy of negligence. Read her most recent article, “The BP oil gusher is just the latest in a long line of assaults on the Gulf of Mexico” published on Grist.com.


Praise for An Unreasonable Woman: A True Story of Shrimpers, Politicos, Polluters, and the Fight for Seadrift, Texas

“A stunning achievement.”
Molly Ivins

“...An Unreasonable Woman will stand as one of this nation's greatest works of nonfiction. I have never read a book quite like this one, and worry already that I might not yet again. This is one of the most powerful works of nonfiction I can remember reading in many years. In a cynical age, amidst such rampant loss and destruction, it's easy to regard Diane Wilson's book as simply a masterpiece, and to let it go at that. But we owe it more. This book inspires in us the courage to believe—to remember—we can still change the world.”
Rick Bass

Thursday, June 3, 2010

AE Book News for June


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June 1, 2010

Dear AE Monthly Reader,

Good taste but bad timing. We asked a disappointed seller, the largest buyer, and neutral observers to rate the success of a major auction conducted under trying circumstances.

A Los Angeles collector goes to court - and wins - his battle not to have to obtain a dealer's permit.

We visit an outpost of civilization, the shop of the legendary but unwell bookseller Peter Howard.

We attended the Gold Rush book fair and found things are looking up.

A manuscript and book auction coming up in July is estimated to take in $20-$30 million.

The digital age is coming to the rare book rooms, but this does not mean they aren't still buying print almost as much as ever.

One of the larger budgets for historic material today belongs to the Cherokee Nation.

A new collector tries sniping at eBay.

Borders offers a new electronic reader, but Microsoft cancels its proposed entry.

Google enters the electronic book market, with Google Editions to be offered for sale within the next few weeks.

As Google challenges Amazon and others with Google Editions, its new operating system for mobile devices takes on Apple.

Recent audits show newspaper circulation continues to tumble in freefall. How much longer can the printed word survive?

Is Sotheby's the most valuable company in the world? For a few moments, it seemed so.

Here is your link to all of these articles: AE Monthly.

This month we review 12 new bookseller catalogues.

Children's books are always the feature at Aleph-Bet.
Both modern and antiquarian French books are found at L'Ancre Aldine.
The Arader Galleries offer great maps and books.
Printing history and bibliography are the focus of Michael Thompson.
Peter Harrington offers a collection of important books.
Brian Cassidy presents a miscellany of the unexpected.
The book as art is the focus of the Kelmscott Bookshop.
Joe Rubinfine presents 18th and 19th century American documents.
Clark Rare Books takes a look at America and particularly the West.
Literature, film and mystery are always in style at James Pepper Rare Books.
Sotheran's orders up a spring miscellany.
Libreria de Antano features the Jesuits in America.

Here is your link to all of these reviews: AE REVIEWS..