"Crusader"
The Future “Green” Job Market
April 16, 2009
Going green is helping people make the green. In an economy where employers are cutting back and laying off employees, the green job market is growing and is predicted to sky rocket in the coming years. The market is expanding not only to manufacturing and productions, but will be taking over jobs in architecture with commercial and residential redesign, marketing, sales, and legalities with research and consulting positions. According to Forbes.com, the green economy will make up of 10% or 4.2 million of American jobs over the next 20 years.
States such as California, Michigan and Colorado are focusing their resources on the green economy producing jobs in manufacturing and production. Michigan, being a giant in the automotive industry, is focusing on the remanufacturing of the electric car. California enacted more demanding energy and carbon emission standards. It also has three of the ten largest markets with San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. In Colorado, the state is working towards the production of windmill energy and solar power. It is an incentive for states to encourage the green market due to the upcoming economic packing that Congress has developed towards energy-related rewards. President Obama is setting goals alone to double the use of renewable energy.
On the city level, Washington, D.C. is producing government jobs with push of efficient energy being on top of Capitol Hill’s list. Houston, the third largest green market, is pushing the drive towards wind energy and higher carbon emission standards after being a leader in the oil industry for years. Boston is focusing careers with education as Harvard and MIT is becoming known for environmental transformation. The highest demands for green jobs in the future will be out of New York City developing new architecture, design, and engineering offering over 200,000 in the future. Redevelopment of solar power and energy efficiency will bring a drive to redesign building within cities to save costs in long run.
On top of government run and major corporations, a lot new businesses are forming to bring more promising jobs. Green Economy, a firm based out of Boston, was responsible for 118,000 jobs in the 1.6 million industry back in 2005. Every year green businesses grow 5% making the industry worth $12 billion today. New careers are popping up away from the traditional forestry and bringing forth jobs with a twist from engineering to journalism. Even private industries, such as restaurants and nightclubs, are making the effort to go green developing new jobs within their own companies.
Websites have been developed to help assist people in the search to find green jobs. Sites such as greenbiz.com, greenjobs.com, and ecojobs.com all have job boards posting current positions throughout the United States and overseas. Green jobs can bring average income of $40,000 to over $100,000 per year depending on experience. But the best thing about going green is not just about the green but working for a cause that world is fighting together.
In 1917, Amelia started working for the Volunteer Aid Detachment sponsored by the Red Cross. World War I was raging on and in 1918 she fell ill during the Spanish flu epidemic. Soon after her recovery, she visited an air fair with the Canadian National Exposition in Toronto. In 1920, Amelia Earhart took her first aircraft ride and as they say, the rest is history. She asked the man who piloted her craft, Frank Hawks, “I want to fly. Will you teach me?” Early aviation training was very hard and Earhart had to undergo very harsh conditions. She even changed her whole image by sporting a leather jacket and by cutting her hair short in the style of other female flyers. In 1922, she set a world record for female pilots by flying her Airster, “The Canary”, to an altitude of 14,000 feet. This soon led the Boston Globe to refer to her as “one of the best women pilots in the United States.”
Amelia Earhart’s greatest accomplishment has been the only female to successfully fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932 and in 1935 was the first person ever to fly solo from Hawaii to California. During that time transatlantic flights were considered to be very dangerous. In 1937, Earhart attempted to be the first female to fly around the world when her plane was reported missing as it departed for Howland Island. The efforts to find her and the missing plane came up empty. To this day no one really knows what happened to Miss Earhart, her co-pilot Fred Noonan, or the plane. There are many controversies and conspiracy theories associated with her disappearance but no one knows for sure. Amelia Earhart is an Honorary Go-To Girl because her hard work and dedication towards reaching a goal that no one had ever done before is inspiring and uplifting to women everywhere.
Rosa Louise McCauley
In 1932, she married Raymond Parks from Montgomery and he was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. (NAACP) After her marriage, Rosa took on many different jobs and in 1943 she became an active member of the Civil Rights Movement. She soon became secretary to its president, Edgar Nixon. In 1955, after a long day of work, Rosa Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus and took a seat reserved in the “colored” section. As the bus filled up two white men were left standing because all of the seats were taken. The bus driver then attempted to move the “colored” section demanding Parks and three others to give up their bus seats. Rosa Parks refused and was arrested. This event spawned the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Rosa Parks continued to work for the equal rights of blacks and all others until her death in 2005. She is one of the most famous women of our time and definitely an inspiration to women of all races everywhere. She chose to stand up for what she believed in most by not standing up.
Tammy Baldwin
Baldwin’s election won the backings of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and was later joined by another openly gay Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts. Her strong will and determination led her to where she is today. Of course, taking criticism head on for the choice of her sexuality, Tammy Baldwin has never once backed down. Baldwin’s main concerns are that of health and environmental hazards and she plays her role masterfully in fighting to deal with these issues.
Baldwin’s driving motivation in politics is to pass legislation that will guarantee health care for all Americans and many voters back her efforts. Tammy Baldwin is an Honorary Go-To Girl for all of her hard workings in political office and for her strength when dealing with adversity.
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony quickly took a prominent role in the New York anti-slavery movement and other temperance movements even becoming secretary for the Daughters of Temperance. In 1851, Susan was introduced to two other feminists, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Amelia Bloomer. Stanton and Anthony remained close friends for most of their lives and traveled throughout the United States giving speeches persuading the government to treat men and women as equals. Anthony’s popularity grew during these years and in 1868 she published a weekly journal called The Revolution.
In 1872, she was arrested for voting in the presidential election and insisted that the 14th Amendment gave her the right to. A year later she was sentenced to pay a fine of $100 and continued to fight for women to be allowed to vote. In 1892, her lifelong goal was achieved and the 19th Amendment was passed which allowed women to be able to have a say in American government. Today, Susan B. Anthony is considered to be a prominent civil rights leader who played a major role in the 19th century women’s rights movement to secure women’s suffrage here in the U.S. and is the first woman to appear on U.S. coinage. She died in 1906.
Julia Hill
Born in 1974 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Julia Hill is an American environmentalist and activist. She is best known for living a California Redwood tree for two years. Hill lived in the tree, which she named “Luna”, to prevent the Pacific Lumber Company from chopping it down. With the help of other volunteers, she lived in a small shelter she built and the company finally agreed to preserve Luna and three other trees if Hill vacated it in 1999.
At first, Julia wasn’t involved with any environmental organization but was soon supported by Earth First!. $50,000 was donated to the Pacific Lumber Company as well and was then donated to a local university to do research about sustainable forestry. Also in 1999, Hill and other activists founded the Circle of Life Foundation.
In 2001, Luna was attacked with a chainsaw but has been treated with an herbal remedy. As of spring of this year, the tree is doing well with new growth each year. Caretakers regularly climb the tree to check on its condition.
Butterfly Hill is also the subject of the 2000 documentary film “Butterfly” and is also featured in the film “Tree Sit: The Art of Resistance” and both chronicle her time spent living in the Redwood tree. She has even been quoted as saying, “Those things of real worth in life are worth going to any length in love and respect to safeguard.”
Julia chose the name Butterfly for herself because she feels she has undergone a great metamorphosis. She is the author of the book The Legacy of Luna and to this day continues to make a difference with her environmental organizations. Julia speaks for Mother Earth and has also taken a spiritual approach with her life and her mission to protect our planet.
Butterfly Hill is an Honorary Go-To Girl because of her struggles with criticism. Against all odds and even name-calling she still stuck to her mission to protect Luna and all of the other trees that are unnecessarily cut down every day. The Circle of Life website is still going strong and Julia’s mission still continues to echo throughout the forests to this day.
Mother Teresa
After learning English in Ireland in order to be able to teach young children in India, she took her first vows as a nun in 1931. She chose the name Teresa, who is the Catholic patron saint of missionaries. While serving as a teacher in Calcutta, she soon became very disturbed by the amount of poverty that surrounded the city. In 1946, an outbreak of violence between Hindus and Muslims plunged the city deep into despair and horror. In September of the same year, Mother Teresa, in what she describes as “the call within the call”, ventured out into the slums of Calcutta with the intention of ministering and helping the inhabitants while living amongst them. Her work quickly caught the attention of the Prime Minister of India who deeply expressed his appreciation. Mother Teresa’s first year of her mission was full of many difficulties. He had no income and often had to resort to begging for food and supplies. This often made her feel very alone and she often was tempted to return to her convent. However, her love for God kept her working towards His “Holy will.”
In 1950, Mother Teresa was given permission to start a congregation now known as the Missionaries of Charity. Its mission was to care for, in her own words, “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.” It began as a small order with only thirteen members in Calcutta and today it has more than four thousand nuns in many different places throughout the world. The Missionaries of Charity is just one of the many things she did to impact the world. By the 1970s, she was even becoming somewhat of a celebrity and in 1979 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.” In yet another unselfish act, she asked that the money she received be given to the poor in India.
In 1982, Mother Teresa rescued thirty-seven children trapped in a hospital Beirut, walking right through the war zone in order to do it. She received much criticism for her views regarding abortion and divorce but took a firm stand reminding others that “no matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work.” And that is exactly what she did. In nearly every photo of Mother Teresa, she is wearing a huge smile of determination and compassion. Princess Diana also did much work with her to help children’s hospitals.
One year later, Mother Teresa began having many problems with her heart. She suffered many heart attacks and was issued a pacemaker in 1989. In April of 1996, she fell and broke her collarbone and shortly after that fell ill due to malaria. Shortly after her 87th birthday, on September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa died. At the time of her death, her Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters, 300 brotherhood members, and one hundred thousand volunteers operating the missions. These included hospices, homes for AIDS patients, and soup kitchens.
Mother Teresa is an Honorary Go-To-Girl because she reminds us all of what it is to be totally devoted to whatever you feel your purpose in life is. Against all odds, she never broke her smile or her mission for the world. She still continues to be an inspiration to many people throughout humanity even to this day.
Jane Goodall
In 1977, Jane established the Jane Goodall Institute, which supports the Gombe research and is a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. One of her major contributions was the discovery of tool making in chimpanzees. She also took an unconventional step and named all of the animals that she studied instead of just assigning them a number. Critics accused her of becoming too attached to her studies but Jane’s love for all creatures, and especially her chimps, was too strong to make her break.
Jane Goodall is also the president of Advocates for Animals, an animal rights activist group based in Edinburgh, Scotland and has been on the cover of National Geographic more than any other primatologist or ethologist. Her respect for all living things and nature has helped her get to where she is today.
Jane has endured many tests of patience and hardships while working with her chimpanzees. At first they wouldn’t even let her go near them so her observations of them produced very little for her work. Her sense of patience and trust soon won them over and soon they were greeting her as they would each other, with a touch or a kiss. Three months later, Jane made the discovery that chimpanzees were meat eaters, which had never been known before.
Jane Goodall also has written many articles and books about her research and studies of chimpanzees. She has even penned a few children’s books and is honored by Walt Disney with a plaque bearing her name on the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. She has also lent her voice to cartoons such as The Simpsons and The Wild Thornberrys.
Jane’s dedication to her work and persistence through criticisms and tests of patience has made her an inspiration for many who love animals just as much as she does. Today, the Jane Goodall Institute still exists today and works actively to pursue wildlife conservation, education, and conservation. Jane’s “Four Reasons for Hope” are her manifesto for not just the protection of animals but for the protection of the entire planet. She believes that the human spirit is indomitable and that children are the hope for our future.
Her newest book, A Harvest for Hope, takes her accomplishments one step further by making readers aware of the benefits of healthy eating and by encouraging parents to be concerned about their children’s’ health and nutrition. She is currently on tour in Africa promoting her book and giving lectures.
I nominate Jane Goodall as an Honorary Go-To Girl because I feel that she teaches us the importance of respecting ourselves and all of the living things around us. She is a strong woman, even in her seventies, and is still continuing to live her dream and help others. I feel she is an inspiration to all women to live their dreams and to become one with the creatures whom we share our environment with.
Mary Angelou
Maya Angelou, or Margeurite Ann Johnson, was born in 1928. Throughout her childhood she had to endure many hardships. She was sexually abused at the age of eight which caused her to become a mute until the age of thirteen. At the age of fifteen, she started her activist work by becoming the first black person to be hired on the San Francisco streetcars.
At the age of sixteen, Maya had her first child and took up singing in order to support him. By her mid-twenties she had been a cocktail waitress, a Creole cook, a dancer, and a madam. In the decades to follow, she became a successful singer, actress, playwright, civil rights activist, and author.
Maya’s autobiography and first work of literature, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, continues to be an inspiration for all women even today. It is viewed as being a perfect account of a young girl’s reawakening. Her other works, Gather Together in My Name and The Heart of a Woman are also novels about transition and enduring hardships. Ms. Angelou has also written countless poems continue to reach out to the struggling woman. Being hailed by Oprah Winfrey and being very active in different activist groups and events such as The Million Man March have also been a huge part of Maya Angelou’s life.
Her accomplishments have earned her the La Home Journal Woman of the Year award, an admittance into the Director’s Guild, and being appointed by Gerald Ford to the Bi-Centennial Commission. She later became appointed International Woman of the Year by Jimmie Carter. Ms. Angelou also continues, even today, to be active in personal outreach programs in Third World countries, primarily in Africa. This is where she claims to “give her heart and soul.”
Maya Angelou is a huge inspiration to me as a writer and as a woman. Her hard work and dedication is something to be admired by all. Her compassion, which is greatly reflected in not only her writings, but also in her warm smile, is a quality that should be sought out by everyone. She was once quoted as saying, “How important it is to recognize our heroes and she-roes!” I feel that she is one of my personal “she-roes.” One of my favorite poems of all time is written by Maya Angelou. It is called “Phenomenal Woman” and I dedicate it to all of the phenomenal women in the world today.
Golda Meir
In 1906, her family moved to the United States and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she was only eight years old, Golda often had to oversee her mother’s grocery store while she was out at the market. At the age of fourteen, her mother urged her to give up schooling and to focus more on finding a husband. Golda rebelled and fled to Denver, Colorado. When she later returned to North Division High School and re-enrolled she became an active member of the Zionist Youth Movement where she participated in public speaking events geared towards Socialist Zionism. Upon graduating from college, Golda began teaching in public schools and married a man named Morris Myerson. He, Golda, and her sister Sheyna then planned an emigration to Palestine in 1921.
The goal in Palestine was to help found a Jewish state. They applied to join a kibbutz, which is an Israeli collective community, and were denied at first but eventually accepted. Golda soon found herself becoming a very strong leader. The community even elected her to represent them at Histadrut, the General Federation of Labor. Histadrut soon evolved into a shadow government of the would-be nation of Israel. Many leaders were arrested but Golda managed to stay out of jail and take charge of the entire organization.
In 1948, due to much hard work by Golda Meir and other Zionist leaders, Israel was established and she was one of the twenty-four people to sign the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel. The very next day Israel was attacked by joint armed forces from surrounding countries and Golda returned to the United States to help raise money for the newborn nation. Upon her return she was assigned to be the first ambassador to the Soviet Union. The crowd in Moscow welcomed her joyously because many were afraid that Stalin’s repression of Jewish identity would make it impossible to have a strong sense of Jewish community. Golda’s ambassadorship proved otherwise.
From 1949 to 1956, Golda Meir was the Israeli Minister of Labor and in the early 60s was diagnosed with lymphoma. Golda did her best to keep this a secret so that others wouldn’t deem her unfit for service. After the prime minister of Israel, Levi Eshkol, died suddenly in 1969 Golda became the new Israeli Prime Minister. The nation was brimming with confidence that Golda Meir would continue the work of her predecessor.
In 1973, Golda made a wise decision involving what to do during the what is to be known as the Yom Kippur War. She felt that Israel could not depend on European countries to supply them with military supply because they too were under threat of an Arab boycott and oil embargo. She decided not to issue a pre-emptive strike, which United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said made it possible for the United States to help Israel out in receiving military supplies. In 1974, Golda Meir resigned as Israeli Prime Minister and later died of cancer in 1978 at the age of eighty.
I nominate Golda Meir as an Honorary Go-To Girl because she was a woman who became a very important leader during a time when women in politics was nearly unheard of. Her younger struggles and her dedication to her Jewish heritage are what fueled her fight for equal rights for the Jewish nation. Even through sickness, she was always working hard and her strong voice and determination led many to believe things they could not deem possible. I feel she is an encouragement to all women to speak out for what they believe in and to overcome any obstacles that may fall on their paths while working for what they know is right.
Tori Amos
Amos soon became a local legend in 1997 after being noticed at a Teen Talent contest. In high school, she accomplished such things as Homecoming Queen, Most Talented Female, and Best All-Around Female. She was also very active in her school’s drama club. As a senior, she and her brother composed a song for a competition and ended up winning it. This song soon became her first released single along with another B-side that she had written. Shortly after that she adopted the name Tori because a friend told her that she “looked more like” one.
At age 21, Tori moved to Los Angeles to further her career in music. She soon formed the band Y Kant Tori Read that flopped after just one album. Tori felt rejected and humiliated but her experience led her to come in contact with other artists where she lended her voice as a backup singer. During that same year, Tori offered a ride home to one of the regulars at a bar she was playing at and was sexually assaulted. The experience since then has become a regular theme throughout Tori’s music.
In 1992, Tori released her first solo album entitled “Little Earthquakes” and it was on the Top 75 UK charts for 23 weeks. Her singles “Me and a Gun” and “Silent All These Years” have become rape survivors’ anthems and she has since become an advisory board member to the Rape and Incest National Network (RAINN). What sets Tori Amos apart from other female singers is that she is able to capture true emotion and her painful experiences in her lyrics. She’s best known for her lyrical metaphors and her wonderful ability to play mostly by ear. Her wide styles of writing enable her to appeal to lovers of jazz, rock, and classical piano lovers. She created the “Concert for RAINN” benefit concert in 1997 which and even created National RAINN day.
In 1998, Tori married a British sound engineer named Mark Hawley. Tori announced that she was pregnant during her “Boys for Pele” tour in 1999 but miscarried only three months later. The loss inspired her to write even more heartfelt lyrics that women could relate to on a deeper level. With her ninth studio album just being released and many other songs written for movie soundtracks and compilation projects with other artists, Tori Amos has been a huge success for being a woman in the music industry. Her voice captures millions and her writing ability does that even more. Women of all ages can find themselves relating to the experiences she sings about and the artistic style in which she portrays them is inspiring as well.
Tori Amos is a definite Honorary Go-To Girl not only because of her success in being a creative voice speaking for women everywhere, but for her determination and strong will to get to where she is today. She refuses to allow anyone or any situation stand in her way and her strong will and devotion to the simple matter of just being herself breaks a huge barrier that most women can’t even begin to think of how to break down. Tori refuses to allow walls to entrap her and will continue to keep her creative control and the messages she sends through her music to women everywhere for many more albums to come.
Princess Diana
In honor of what would have been Princess Diana’s 46th birthday on July 1, I have decided to nominate her as an honorary Go-To Girl.
Diana was born in Norfolk, England and attended school at Riddlesworth Hall in Norfolk. She was the youngest in her family and also had to endure many hardships during her early life in dealing with her parents’ divorce. She was always admired as being very beautiful and very full of life. She loved children and worked at a nursery school when she met Prince Charles. Lady Diana married Prince Charles in 1981 and they had two boys, William and Harry. But, by the end of the 1980s, rumors of their marriage being in turmoil had been blown up by the media. The divorce was finalized in 1996, and Diana lost her title as her royal highness and soon became known as “Diana, Princess of Wales.”
Princess Diana, aside from the scandalous stories that adorned tabloid newspapers, was best known for her charity work with numerous organizations. In 1987, she was the first “celebrity” to be photographed touching an HIV-infected person. Many felt that she looked at them as real people and never felt inferior to her. She also made surprise visits to Mildmay Hospice in London and asked the nurses to conceal her visits from the media. Mother Theresa even acknowledged Princess Diana’s work in 1997. Diana also took an interest in the issue of landmines and felt that they were a huge threat to children. Diana’s love for children and her kindness toward the sick never seemed to fade.
Diana’s life was full of many hardships and struggles. Her entire life was made a façade at times by not only the Paparazzi but also often times by members of the Royal Family. Prince William and Prince Harry loved their mother very much and Diana would have done anything for the safety and protection of her children. She was always doing her best to bring them out into the world and to allow them to have as normal of a childhood as possible.
Princess Diana soon became a “celebrity royale”. The people adored her and her work and there was something about her eyes that always seemed to draw everyone in. She was a woman who stood by her word and fought hard and to the end to be able to use her royal status to help others, and to simply allow a life of little to no hardships for her and her two boys.
On August 31, 1997, however, Princess Diana was killed in a car accident in the Pont de l’Ama road tunnel in Paris, France after being chased by the Paparazzi. Diana was killed along with her lover, Dodi Al-Fayed and the driver of their car, Henri Paul. Her funeral was broadcasted live and was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide. Many conspiracy theories developed after the death of the princess, but mostly the world just seemed to ache with loss. Many feel that Princess Diana was a saint. They feel she was the patron saint of victims and of the sick. Like many religious idols, she was publicly abused and ridiculed by the same press that caused the worship of her. But she kept going and smiling every step of the way.
One of Diana’s best friends, Sir Elton John, even remade his “Candle in the Wind” (originally written for Marilyn Monroe) to be about Diana entitled “England’s Rose”. Millions of flowers lined her procession and the world reached out for her two sons as they walked behind Diana’s casket. Even now, 10 years after her death, Princess Diana is still considered to be one of the most influential women of all time. She sparked the hearts of many with her charm and her soft-spoken words. Her hard work and dedication especially through times of adversity and major depression is a huge inspiration to women all around the world. Women of divorce looked up to her, charity workers honored her, and young girls wanted to be her. The world could use a few more women like Princess Diana. May she rest in peace.
Ellen DeGeneres
"Aye ca caaa!" We chose Ellen as our first gal because we all just love her so much! Anna loves how she can bust a move to any tune and get a whole crowd to join in. Monroe loves her eclectic taste in music and how she always has the dish on the must-see movies. Ellen is always on Monroe's TiVo in case she misses a show. Piper respects her for the efforts in New Orleans during the Katrina aftermath and how she is always willing to give a helping hand to people in need. With her stellar persona and compassionate nature, that alone makes her a definite Go-To Girl!
Check your local listings for The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Invisible Children
For twenty years the children of Northern Uganda have lived in constant fear of the night. The Lord’s Resistance Army (or LRA) is led by a man named Joseph Kony who proclaims himself a spirit medium, and apparently wishes to establish a state based on his unique interpretation of Biblical millenarianism. The LRA’s main victims have been the Acholi people. Kony has formed a military that consists of young Ugandans ranging from ages 4 to 17 years of age. These children did not join the LRA willingly. They were abducted from their homes in the middle of the night and forced to become soldiers. As soon as they are taken from their homes, the children are exposed to the most horrific and brutal actions of war. They are desensitized of any feelings about killing and attacking innocent citizens. Constant fear plagues them, for they know that at any time the Rebels (as the Ugandans call the LRA) could easily turn one of them into a detrimental example of death.
The military lives in “The Bush,” which is the surrounding desert of Uganda. The children are uneducated and the only thing they come to know day in and day out is death. Children are murdered by other children. Many are forced into sex slavery and raped. At this point, the death toll has far exceeded 10,000 Ugandans and there has been no sign of the kidnappings and killings coming to an end any time soon. The LRA has been in action since 1987, for nearly two decades, and children are still being unprotected. A 2005 poll of humanitarian professionals, media personalities, academics and activists identified the conflict in the north of Uganda as the second worst "forgotten" humanitarian emergency in the world. The time has come to remember our youth and end this horrifying war.
In 2003, three young Americans set out to Africa to in hopes of making a documentary. They had no idea what they were about to discover. Never before had they heard of the LRA or the war taking place in Uganda, but somehow they found themselves in the mist of terror. They filmed hundreds of hours of footage, closely living with Invisible Children who shared their stories with the filmmakers. They met a boy named Jacob who had escaped the LRA and now spent everyday, every single minute of sunlight in hiding from the Rebels. Jacob knows that if he is found he will be murdered for leaving the Bush. Along with him is his brother who also escaped. Their older brother was brutally murdered by the Rebels. Even now, he says, after he has escaped the LRA he wishes he would die. He feels his life is nothing on earth, and he longs to reach heaven to be with his brother. This is where the film footage becomes extremely real and Jacob’s demeanor reverts from an unbreakable boy to a suffering and heart broken child. A break out of sobbing and a cry that can only come from immeasurable pain fills the air as tears stream down his face. This is the heartbreak that thousands of children are living everyday. He asks, “Is it possible that once you go back (to America) that you can not forget about us?” Jacob’s story affected the young filmmakers to the point that they had no choice but to share this with the rest of the world.
Jacob sparked the birth of Invisible Children, the title of the documentary and non-profit organization formed by the three filmmakers. Since that summer, the organization has reached thousands of young Americans eager to join the cause and do what they can to help spread awareness about Uganda. The film footage was made into a two hour documentary, a rough cut, that has been on tour throughout the nation for the past three months. City after city, state by state, the youth of America is using their talent and time to get the plight of Invisible Children to anyone who will listen. How ironic that it is our youth, our children, who are taking action for the children of Uganda.
It seems that through Invisible Children more and more people are becoming aware of the Ugandan plight and willing to help citizens in any way they can. Through education, Uganda hopes to raise a generation of politicians and lawyers to enhance and strengthen their government. The out pour of American citizens willing to help has been increasingly gaining speed in the last months, every single person has the ability to make a difference. the Invisible Children need our money. Whatever we are able to donate to the educational program, whether it be a lot or just a little, every cent counts. And for those people who are completely dedicated to the cause, travel and see for yourself. Volunteers are always needed to help in Uganda.On April 29th, 2006 in over 135 cities, more than 70,000 Americans joined in a silent protest called The Global Night Commute. For the past several months volunteers for Invisible Children have been busy trying to spread the word and get as many Americans to sign up for the Commute as possible.
Screenings of Invisible Children: the documentary will continue to be played throughout the country for the next year. Hopefully, our government will soon stand up for this cause and the war in Uganda can finally come to an end. It is surprising, astonishing actually, that for twenty years a suffering of this magnitude has gone unyeilded. How could we sleep at night while children are walking, running, and hiding for their lives? While I am sure it has been argued that we often over step our boundaries as a country but has this ever stopped us before? Our President sure has not hesitated to send thousands of troops to Iraq in the name of….wait, what is it we are fighting for?
Surely they are incomparable, but in Uganda the citizens pray for us to help. They are calling on not just America, but the entire world to save these children. They are our CHILDREN. Young and helpless and so VISIBLE.
It is an injustice to Uganda. It is an injustice to the world. It is the greatest injustice of life if we continue to watch. Invisible Children need you and they need me. It is time to take the fear out of darkness.
Angels' Place
This organization came about in 1984, originally called Mom’s House, in the Brookline area of Pittsburgh. Over the past 20 years, it has managed to open two more locations in Swissvale and the North Side. Their commitment to the community has been able to provide student parents with the help needed to complete their education, secure satisfying employment, establish careers and become self-sufficient and responsible citizens. They offer hope to get off of welfare by offering a comprehensive program of free services including child care, tutoring, support groups, counseling, grandparent and father figure outreach, and informal classes in parenting, nutrition, child safety, and life skills.
In return, the parents themselves must keep passing grades, and they must attend classes on a full-time basis. They give two hours of their time per week to Angel’s Place, and attend weekly parenting classes to develop necessary parenting skills. It ends up being such a small requirement for a huge opportunity. Even the application is simple, being only two pages long with educational goals and work experience.Even though is a local charity, I support the idea and their cause, and hopefully see it expand even further. Good people can influence a nation to follow an important cause.
(RED)
"(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT) RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT)RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was established in 2002, with the support of the world's leaders and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need by supporting locally-driven strategies. To date, the Global Fund has committed US $7 billion to 460 programs in 136 countries.
What's the meaning of the parentheses or brackets? Well, we call them "the embrace." Each company that becomes (RED) places its logo in this embrace and is then elevated to the power of red. Thus the name -- (PRODUCT)RED. You, the consumer, can take your purchase to the power of (RED) simply by upgrading your choice. Thus the proposition: (YOU)RED. Be embraced, take your own fine self to the power of (RED). What better way to become a good-looking samaritan?!"
National Breast Cancer Coalition
Save the Children
Dress for Success
The Fund for Animals
The ONE Campaign
Prevent Child Abuse
Tickets for Kids Foundation
Tickets for Kids Foundation is committed to enriching the lives of children. Tickets for Kids Foundation fulfills its mission by obtaining tickets to a wide variety of events and attractions - including educational, arts & cultural, entertainment and sporting events - and donating those tickets to community organizations that serve deserving children and their families. In so doing, Tickets for Kids Foundation provides the opportunities for children, from some of our most forgotten neighborhoods, to enjoy many events that they otherwise would not experience.
CARE
"UNICEF is out to change the world for children and with children—vaccination by vaccination, blanket by blanket, biscuit by biscuit, book by book. In most of America, these things are considered completely ordinary. But in many parts of the developing world, they can save a child's life. UNICEF is unique among world organizations and unique among those working with young people. As a global movement, we use our authority to influence decision makers and diverse partners to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. In 156 countries and territories, UNICEF's field staff uses hard-won expertise to meet the challenges facing children and those who care for them. Our history has given us a profound understanding of development and the importance of child health, education, equality and protection in advancing humanity. All that we do helps children realize their full potential.In support of UNICEF's work, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF focuses on five major priorities: education, emergencies, HIV/AIDS, immunization and malnutrition."
Women for Women International
I Have a Dream
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
"Beads for Life eradicates extreme poverty by creating bridges of understanding between hard working and impoverished Africans and North Americans who want to create a world that works for all. Ugandan women turn colorful recycled paper, into beautiful beads. This beauty becomes income, food, medicine, school fees, and hope. It is a small miracle. Our members are women with children living on less than two dollars a day. Many have fled the war in Northern Uganda. Others live with HIV or other serious health challenges. They are incredibly welcoming, hard working, resilient, and creative. North Americans partner with Ugandans by opening their hearts, homes, and communities to buy and sell the beads. All profits from BeadforLife are invested in community development projects that generate income and help people escape extreme poverty. This circle of caring and participation enriches us all."
Power of the Voter
October 8, 2008
The results in the latest Gallup poll hit an all time low in the survey's history. The lowest was back in 1979 where only 12% of American citizens where satisfied with the way things were going in America, but now the record has been broken to 9% with Americans today. How have we let things get so bad when we have the power to elect our government? We choose who we want to run our country and trust, well hope, they will do their best to ensure our security and rights. Now that we are having that right once again, who will do the best job? Who will bring America back to what it once was and have every American citizen satisfied? Only the voter can decide that and in order to know who vote for, here is what each candidate is fighting for.
BUDGET: Obama would force lawmakers to pay for any new spending and tax breaks through new revenue and cuts in other programs. McCain promises to balance the budget after his first term by getting rid of wasteful spending in the government and cuts in programs that do not pertain to Social Security and Medicare.
TAXES: McCain would make Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent and create more of his own. Forbid any cell and Internet taxes, double refund for dependents up to $7000, and reform estate taxation. Obama wants the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to be removed for Americans with incomes of $250,000. He supports a universal mortgage tax cut of 10%, raise taxes on capital gains and tax breaks for low and middle-income Americans.
HEALTH CARE: Obama supports universal health care. He believes all children should have health care, wants to create a national public insurance all citizens can afford, and grade hospitals on performance. McCain opposes universal health care, believes importing prescriptions would lower costs, and wants to give a tax break of $2,500 and $5,000 for families.
IRAQ: Obama wants all troops out of Iraq and wants the country to develop their own political stance. McCain wants to keep troops there until there is complete stability in the country.
SOCIAL SECURITY: McCain supports private accounts while Obama opposes them and feels it can be fixed with simple adjustments.
ECONOMY: Obama wants tax incentives for companies that keep jobs in the US and work with NAFTA to protect the American economy. He wants a $75 billion plan that would give a tax rebate of $500 to families and $250 for Social Security. He would put money into the unemployment insurance and give money to States that were hit by the housing crisis the worst. McCain wants to lower taxes for small businesses and cut corporate tax rates from 35% to 25%.
ABORTION: McCain is pro-life and Obama is pro-choice.
To learn about where the candidates stand of other issues, check out http://www.obama-mccain.info and don't forget to register and vote!
I Ain't Got No Money...
October 2, 2008
You can probably assume you will not be getting a red AMEX card either. The past week has brought a shining spotlight on the financial crisis America is facing after the House rejected, (13 votes short) Bush's $700 billion bailout plan. Bush created the plan after fearing a severe crash coming to the economy in the next week. Washington Mutual and Wachovia were both in financial crisis and if it wasn't for the sellout to Chase (WaMu) and Citibank (Wachovia) the banks would have crashed. After the House rejected the plan, the stock market took a huge loss, over 7%. Though the hit was hard, it was far from the 22% the market faced on Black Monday back in the early 80's. A revised bailout plan was presented to the Senate and passed yesterday with an outstanding vote of 75-25. The House is due to vote on Friday with the new plan.
The revised bailout plan allows the government to spend billions of dollars to buy foreclosures and other failed assets from financial institutions at fair market value. This will allow banks to be able to unfreeze credit allowing
Americans to once again get loans and credit preventing a deep recession. In turn, even though unclear, the government will be able to sell those assets, hopefully making a profit in the long run. The revised plan also included a $110 billion tax break for businesses and the middle class, raise the cap on federal deposit insurance from $100,000 to $250,000, and the Securities and Exchange Commission allow businesses to value their assets at market price on their balance sheets, which means more net worth in the long run.
There are mixed feeling in Congress with the revisions especially with the tax breaks, which have swayed some Democrats in the opposite direction. The previous vote in the House was 228-205 with 2/3 of Democrats favoring the vote. With the revisions and different opinions from the Democratic party there is fear that the vote in the House this Friday may not go through. However no matter how this vote goes, there needs to be a version of the plan that needs to pass to get loans flowing once again or the economy will face a recession that has yet to be seen.
Barack Obama meets with Iraqi Prime Minister
July 22, 2007
Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama met with the Prime Minister of Iraq, Nuri al-Maliki, today to discuss his approach for gradually moving the United States combat troops out of the Middle East. This move is receiving much support from U.S. voters and al-Maliki feels that Obama’s 16-month plan to remove the troops is the “right time frame” but hasn’t made a decision to back it or not.
Obama met President Hamid Karzai and U.S. military commanders and troops in Afghanistan. Joined by U.S. Senators Chuck Hagel and Jack Reed, Obama had lunch with Karzai and his top aides in the presidential palace in Kabul. Obama, who opposed the war with Iraq, said that conflict distracted the U.S. from the task of capturing al-Qaeda leaders and rebuilding Afghanistan after the militant Islamic Taliban regime was ousted.
“We made a strategic error, and it's one that we're going to pay for,” he said. “But we now have an opportunity to correct that problem.”
McCain to Bush
July 10, 2008
Democratic "Unity" and the debate over energy sources
June 23, 2008
Democratic candidate for presidency, Barack Obama, will be uniting with former candidate, Hillary Clinton, on June 27 in the appropriately named city of Unity, New Hampshire. This will be the first campaign rally that both senators will attend together since Obama clinched the nomination on June 3 and Clinton made the decision to endorse him on June 7. Both candidates received the same amount of votes in the primary and the state of New Hampshire is considered to be a crucial swing state in the upcoming November election.
“Their coming back to New Hampshire is a good sign for those of us who believe in the New Hampshire primary and the importance of Iowa and New Hampshire in the process,” said state Senator Peter Burling.
This rally will also expand Unity’s population of about 1,700 to three times that size.
In other election news, for the second week in a row, candidates Barack Obama and Republican, John McCain are debating energy policies for America. McCain is campaigning in California today and Obama and other Democrats argue that the last time McCain ran for president, he informed California voters that he supported a ban on offshore drilling and is also continuing to support a summer gas tax holiday.
“The question is whether we are going to offer the American people real answers and genuine relief or the same, tired Washington gimmicks and special interest favors that have failed our families and country for too long," the Obama campaign said in a statement. "With his proposal to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling that, as even the McCain campaign admits, wouldn’t produce any increase in resources for years and his gas tax gimmick that economists agree wouldn’t significantly reduce the price of gas if at all, John McCain has chosen to offer more of the same instead of change.”
On the Republican side, however, McCain and his supporters are arguing that Obama’s proposals for energy concerns will continue to allow the American people to suffer with no relief in sight. They are also accusing Obama of having many of his supporters and advisers directly tied to the ethanol industry. Senator McCain is promoting a security plan that will emphasize nuclear power, rather than foreign oil supplies, as a way to solve the energy problem in the US.
“Barack Obama has a do-nothing energy policy, which opposes increasing American energy exploration, opposes a break on summertime gas taxes and opposes incentives that will develop an electric car solution faster,” Tucker Bounds, a McCain spokesman, said in a statement.
With gas prices at a record high in the United States, this issue is one that will surely play a huge role in both of the candidates’ campaigns.
The Un-Retirement Saga
July 24, 2008
Oh, Brett Favre. What team are you playing for?
Chicago Bears linebacker, Brian Urlacher, said he “can’t imagine” seeing Favre anywhere other than Green Bay, but isn’t surprised that he wants to play again.
But Urlacher said Chicago wasn’t a likely destination for Favre.
Hey now, you're an all-star
July 17, 2008
From "Underdogs to Wonderdogs"
June 26, 2008
The Fresno State Bulldogs, considered the underdogs, won their game over Georgia 6-1 yesterday putting them on their way to what was an unlikely championship. Steve Detwiler, the outfielder, provided all of the offense that pitcher, Justin Miller, needed to lead the team to victory. Detwiler hit two home runs and brought in all six of the runs while Miller only allowed five hits in eight innings from GA.
The most outstanding player in the CWS, Tommy Mendonca, said, "From here on out, underdog does not mean anything. Write it down. Underdog does not mean anything. We showed anything can happen."
Fresno State was set to be in the top 25 but ended up losing 12 of their 20 games coming into this season. But yesterday proved that the stats meant nothing as they showed that they are the best in NCAA baseball even though no previous national title championship had more losses.
"They're a true champion, and they did it the hard way," Georgia coach, David Perno, said.
Fresno State knocked off No. 3 national seed Arizona State in the super regionals and beat No. 6 Rice and No. 2 North Carolina twice to get to the CWS finals. By the time the Bulldogs met up with Georgia, the No. 8 seed, in the best-of-three final round, the slogan "Underdogs to Wonderdogs" was being spotted on T-shirts and signs all over Rosenblatt Stadium.
Sports Bytes
June 25, 2008
Baltimore Orioles end Chicago Cubs home winning streak at 14…It was the Orioles’ first trip to Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs, and they managed to end their at home winning streak by winning the game 7-5. Baltimore second baseman, Brian Roberts had three hits to reach 1,000 (two singles and a triple) for his entire career and closing pitcher, George Sherill, struck out Ronny Cedeno, Kosuke Fukudome and Henry Blanco to end the game after the Cubs loaded the bases in a very stressful bottom of the ninth. “It makes it a little more stressful, but I don’t get nervous out there,” Sherrill said. “I get nervous when it’s someone else, not me.” Cubs manager, Lou Piniella, was not very happy with his team’s final three at-bats. “It was a good comeback. We got too far behind. … We didn’t have three good at-bats with the bases loaded. We didn’t swing at strikes,” Piniella said.
Tiger Woods has surgery on left knee…Doctors are very optimistic when it comes to Tiger Woods’ reconstructive surgery on his knee on Tuesday stating that it is “highly unlikely” that there will be any long term effects. This was the second time in ten weeks Woods had surgery on his knee, this time on his anterior cruciate ligament. The surgery followed one week after Tiger Woods hit 91 holes to win the U.S. Open in a playoff over Rocco Mediate revealing that he also had a double stress fracture in his left tibia. Unfortunately, to allow time for recovery, the world’s number one golfer will miss the rest of the season, which includes two more major championships and the Ryder Cup. Woods says, “It was important to me to have the surgery as soon as possible so that I could begin the rehabilitation process.”
Tampa Bay Lightning hires Barry Melrose as coach…The Tampa Bay Lightning finished in last place at the end of the season last year so new coach, former ESPN personality, Barry Melrose feels he can “only go up.” The consolation for finishing a league-worst 31-42-9 was gaining the opportunity to select the talented Steve Stamkos in last weekend’s draft. Stamkos was the number one pick. The Lightning’s former coach, John Tortorella, was fired after not leading the Lightning to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. With a lineup that includes All-Star Vincent Lecavalier and former NHL MVP and scoring champion Martin St. Louis, it’s not unreasonable to expect the team to adapt to changes under Melrose’s new reign.
Lakers need more than just Kobe to win it all
June 11, 2008
The “Kings of the Western Conference”, the LA Lakers, appeared to be in trouble and lo and behold, Kobe Bryant was able to pull them out of it just in time. He, with the help of Sasha Vujacic, saved his team and revived the NBA Finals.
“Kobe was fantastic but I thought Vujacic was the key to the game,” Boston Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, said. “I said before we are going to have to win a game when Kobe Bryant plays well. We know that. But when that happens, we have to shut off the other avenues.”
Before last night’s game the stats were strongly against the Lakers. Only three teams in the history of the NBA have overcome a 0-2 deficit to win it all, one being the Boston Celtics vs. the Lakers in 1969. This much anticipated match up between the Celtics and the Lakers this year has also revived what some would consider a rivalry, relating to the Larry Byrd/Magic Johnson era when LA lost to Boston in the finals in 1985 after being beaten by them eight times in a row.
So although Kobe had only Vujacic to lean on he still managed to score 36 points showing the basketball world once again why he is this year’s MVP. No team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit and he made sure that the Lakers wouldn’t have to try. Sasha Vujacic scored 20 points for his team and they won it 87-81.
The Boston Celtics, however, aren’t worried about a thing.
“We still feel,” Paul Pierce, Celtics forward (and member of “The Big 3”) said, “like we’re the better team.”
But Ray Allen couldn’t carry the 3 all by himself. He finished with 25 points, his second best game in the Playoffs so far. Same thing with “Team Kobe”. The LA Lakers can’t rely on him to win the title for them.
Pierce suffered from a sprained knee in Game 2 but was back on the court almost instantly and Rajon Rondo, who has helped the Celtics cruise through the Lakers defense, left the court with a sprained ankle in last night’s game. Kevin Garnett also was off his game finishing 6 for 21.
The Lakers had a home court advantage last night and will on Thursday night as well, and the Celtics, although the injuries on their team list probably should cause some worry, don’t appear to be scared at all.
