Monthly Archives: November 2007

U.S. Endangered Species Program Burdened by Political Meddling

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WASHINGTON, DC, November 29, 2007 (ENS) -  A top Bush administration appointee at the U.S. Interior Department could have benefitted financially from a decision she was involved with to remove a California fish from the federal endangered species list, according to a new report by the agency’s inspector general….

…Although MacDonald was not involved in the initial decision by Fish and
Wildlife Service officials to delist the species, she was “involved
extensively and intimately” in the editing of the final decision. Her
edits were “voluminous,” including changes to the statistical analysis
of Splittail population data, the inspector general wrote in a report
released November 27. … U.S. Endangered Species Program Burdened by Political Meddling

Top 5 Christmas Scams to Watch for This Christmas Shopping Season

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As the Christmas shopping season shifts into high gear, take time to think carefully before making your purchases and any charitable donations.

Although scammers are always prowling for victims with the following scams, consumers are especially vulnerable during the holidays. With so much to do, many otherwise cautious people let their guards down.

Con artists are ready to exploit busy, distracted shoppers — some desperate to buy popular gift items. They’re also ready to “ramp up” their emotional appeals when posing as representatives of real (or real-sounding) charities.

We believe the following 5 Christmas Scams will dominate the 2007 Christmas season. However, if you use common sense and take our advice, the Grinch won’t have a chance of stealing YOUR Christmas.

Top 5 Christmas Scams to Watch for This Christmas Shopping Season

Not Enough Shopping Days Left

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My friend Tracey, the Suburban Diva, shares with us her thoughts on last-minute shopping for the holidays.  In addition to being one of the funniest women on the planet, she is the only homemaker I know who has entertained the Stanley Cup in her living room.  Read on…

In the bizarre world of holiday shopping, there is the infamous “Black Friday.” Soon after arrives “Cyber Monday.” Eventually the “Day After Christmas,” is upon us. But I think retailers are still missing the majority of the shopping population with these minor sales events.

What about “Freak Out Friday?” That day when you realize that you are turning the calendar page to December and you haven’t purchased one gift, decorated nary a bough nor baked a single Snickerdoodle? You can hear the collective scream of panic in every household in America. They say it’s one of the few sounds heard from space….”  MORE>>>

A Feast of Ideas

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When different-minded people gather at Marnita’s Table, meaningful conversation is always the main dish

The dining room windows are foggy with conversation. Every seat, nearly every piece of floor space in Marnita Schroedl’s modest three-bedroom house in Minneapolis is occupied. Patio furniture has been pressed into February service. Guests perch on radiators and test the limits of the pet-weary sofa, juggling paper plates, plastic wine glasses, and animated discussions.

Although space is tight, the more than 50 people who have crunched through fresh snow to get here tonight don’t seem to care. They’ve come to meet six international doctors who specialize in HIV/AIDS and to meet each other. All of them have some connection to the disease. Over the next four hours, they swap stories about how it has changed their lives and their communities and grope for new strategies and answers.

A Feast of Ideas

Please remember that Saturday, December 1st is World AIDS Day.  Do something.

American Obesity Epidemic May Have Topped Out

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Obesity prevalence among African-American women was shockingly high — more than 50% for those ages 20 to 59 and topping 60% for those ages 60 and over compared with 32% of non-Hispanic white women and 37% of Mexican-American women. Obesity rates were lowest for non-Hispanic whites in most age and sex categories.

Among men, however, the prevalence of obesity did not differ significantly by race/ethnic groups.

Medical News: American Obesity Epidemic May Have Topped Out – in Primary Care, Weight Management Source: MedPage Today

Girl of Yes, and an End to Highways

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Carol Guess

 

Girl of Yes, and an End to Highways

This is the City of Subdued Excitement, a city of one-way streets that unfold into highways and again into alleyways without even a hello. This is a city you can know and un-know on the same day, a city no one owns, although more and more people are buying its views. This is a city where vets cluster in yurts, inching closer and closer to Canada. Sunlight happens three months a year. This is a city of beached whales, rock slides, and ghosts; of serial killers and guard dogs, Minutemen and meth labs, borders and bodies among the ubiquitous greenery. This is a city where art and violence have the same velocity, where someone’s knitting sweaters for the skinniest trees: black and white stripes, pink buttons crawling up the bark.

This is a city of liars and I am in love.

Front Porch Journal

Quote of the Decade — So Far

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“A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over,
their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight,
restore their government to its true principles. It is true that in the
meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors
of a war and long oppressions of enormous public debt……If the game
runs sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck
turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the
principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake.”

~ Thomas Jefferson

Buddhism and Christmas

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With Thanksgiving having passed by recently, Americans are all gearing up for Xmas. Buddhism is a religion that doesn’t necessarily have any strict holidays, instead Buddhism blends into local cultures. There are some general holidays in Buddhism such as:

    * The Buddha’s Birthday, typically in spring (called Hanamatsuri in Japanese).
    * Bodhi Day, or Enlightenment Day, happens in early December and celebrates the awakening of the Buddha.

Beyond this though, most holidays are specific to sects, cultures, etc. So, being an American, who did from a Christian background as a kid, I have to wonder what I will do for Christmas.

Buddhism and Christmas « The Level 8th Buddhist

Two Lessons

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They took my Aunt Theresa off life support yesterday. She had a good time on her last day, with reason to be very proud of her granddaughter, and died in the arms of a loved one. It was time to let go of the shell, and her family made the right decision. She is no longer there. At some point today or tomorrow her body will stop breathing, and this part of her journey will officially be over. The details of her departure don’t matter.

What does matter are the lessons to be learned. Continue reading →

Stop the epidemic of rape in Congo

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Every single day, women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo
are being brutally raped, beaten and killed in epidemic proportions.
Congress has a chance to positively impact this catastrophic situation
by passing the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA). Before
another day of violence goes unanswered, please sign CARE’s appeal now, telling Congress to pass this legislation immediately.