News Roundup: Weekend of June 19-20, 2010

News Quote of the Day:
"A movement of Haitian farmers and other small-scale producers, have rejected a donation by US agricultural giant Monsanto. The Peasant Movement of Payaye has said it will burn 60,000 sacks of vegetable and corn seeds totaling 475 tons at a value of $4 million that the company donated, in partnership with USAID, following the deadly January earthquake. Other farmers´ groups have long-protested the use of genetically-modified seeds, arguing they threaten the poor nation´s biodiversity." from here.

Gulf Disaster:
Leaked BP memo gives far worse spill figure
Oil Coating Seafloor and Killing Fish, Crabs ... and the American Dream
Life aboard the drilling rig that's the Gulf's last hope
Vast amounts of methane in Gulf spill pose threat
Gulf residents slam BP CEO for yacht outing
NOAA Conducts Tests to Determine Fate of Whale Found Dead in Gulf of Mexico
Schultz: Dish soap won't clean politicians' oil-smudged fingerprints

Extreme Weather:
132 killed in massive flooding in southern China

Global Economy:
French government announces plan for pension cut

Economy USA:
California on 'verge of system failure’
In budget crisis, states take aim at pensions

Oil:
Anger grows across the world at the real price of 'frontier oil'

Water:

General Energy:
How low can you go: Milwaukeeans plan to "power down"
Stay Cool This Summer With Natural Cooling Methods

Environment:
British Newspaper Apologizes to Climate Scientist
How much further must logistics firms go to protect the environment?

Agriculture/Gardening:
Monsanto's Unwelcome Donation

Commentary:
Richard Heinberg: Deepwater Horizon: The Worst-Case Scenario