SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS MIRACLE
Overwhelming Massachusetts Generosity a Bright Spot in Plummeting Economy
BOSTON – (December 29, 2008) – Salvation Army officials are calling it a Christmas Miracle. In the midst of a tough economic recession, mounting job losses and the soaring cost of food, Massachusetts citizens have opened their hearts and wallets to those most in need. The Salvation Army's Red Kettles, which began a full week earlier this year due to the economic crisis, have raised significantly more than they did last year on a week-to-week comparison. The goal of raising $3.5 million is in sight. The Army also reports seeing similar generosity reflected in donors' response to the Christmas direct mail appeal.
"The economic crisis has hit so many people hard, and to see this outpouring of generosity by local residents, businesses and other community organizations in this time of great need is truly a miracle," said Major William Bode, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army's Massachusetts Division. "Requests for help this year have risen dramatically. The Salvation Army's mission is to aid all those in need, and with thanks for the overwhelming support in Massachusetts, we are firmly committed to turn no one away."
The Kettles are a critical source of funding for The Salvation Army's services and programs throughout the year, including soup kitchens, food pantries and other vital programs for families, youth and the elderly. Money raised from last year's kettles played a direct role in The Salvation Army's ability to serve more than one million meals to hundreds of thousands of residents across the state.
"We would like to thank our bell ringing volunteers and the millions of people throughout Massachusetts who generously donated to our red kettles," said Major Raphael Jackson, General Secretary of The Salvation Army in Massachusetts. "In these tough times we must be proactive, and The Salvation Army is more determined than ever to reach all those in need – not just this holiday season, but throughout the New Year."
Already this winter season, The Salvation Army has seen requests for assistance spike – especially at local food pantries. Officials worry that once the moratorium on home foreclosures ends at the start of the New Year, and job loss continues to rise, need will become even more dramatic in January, February and March.
"Our biggest fear is that the generous spirit of giving which has helped sustain so many families through the Christmas season will be unable to keep up with the demand for help in 2009," said Major Bode. "People who never imagined they would need assistance continue to come forward seeking help from The Salvation Army. Our sincere hope is that the miraculous response we've seen at our kettles this year will carry over in spirit into the next."
In fiscal year 2008, The Salvation Army provided food, clothing or utility assistance to more than 320,000 people across Massachusetts.
For more information on Massachusetts Salvation Army services, please visit www.salvationarmy-ma.org or contact the State Divisional Headquarters at (617) 542-5420 X 410.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
PRESS RELEASE: Wednesday, Dec. 17---Lottery Gifts Aren't for Kids
The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and the Massachusetts State Lottery Say Lottery Gifts Aren't for Kids
This Holiday Season, Send a Responsible Message to Minors
Boston – It's the season for gift giving for Bay Staters of all ages. But the Massachusetts State Lottery and Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling are urging parents and other adults to refrain from giving Lottery products as holiday gifts to minors.
Research suggests that 70 to 80 percent of adolescents report having gambled for money in the past year, according to the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors at McGill University. Approximately 30 percent report gambling on a weekly basis. Problem gamblers, meanwhile, report beginning gambling during childhood - as early as ages 9 to 10 - according to McGill's International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors.
The choice to gamble responsibly is an adult choice. Lottery instant games and other popular lottery products are not appropriate gifts for minors. The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and the Massachusetts State Lottery are working together this holiday season to increase public awareness of this issue.
"Lottery products, like any other form of legal gambling, are for adults ages 18 or older," said Kathleen M. Scanlan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. "This holiday season, if you do choose to offer a lottery product as a gift, it's important to keep the recipient's age in mind."
Massachusetts Lottery Director Mark Cavanagh said the Lottery's more than 7,000 sales agents are well trained in the Lottery's policies prohibiting sales of all Lottery products to minors. Such sound judgment should be used by all adults, according to Cavanagh.
"Lottery season tickets and instant games are increasingly popular gift items at this time of year," Cavanagh said. "But we urge parents and other adults to find more suitable gifts for children and teenagers."
About the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling
The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling is a private, non-profit health agency dedicated to reducing the social, financial and emotional costs of problem gambling. The Council provides prevention, information, education, advocacy, and referral services for problem gamblers, their loved ones, and the greater community.
About the Massachusetts State Lottery
The Massachusetts State Lottery was created in 1971 to raise revenues for the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns. Since 2003, the Lottery has raised more than $5.6 billion for police officers, firefighters and teachers and other essential public services.
Ashley Hause
O'Neill and Associates
Thirty-One New Chardon Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617)646-1000 | Fax: (617)646-1290
This Holiday Season, Send a Responsible Message to Minors
Boston – It's the season for gift giving for Bay Staters of all ages. But the Massachusetts State Lottery and Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling are urging parents and other adults to refrain from giving Lottery products as holiday gifts to minors.
Research suggests that 70 to 80 percent of adolescents report having gambled for money in the past year, according to the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors at McGill University. Approximately 30 percent report gambling on a weekly basis. Problem gamblers, meanwhile, report beginning gambling during childhood - as early as ages 9 to 10 - according to McGill's International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviors.
The choice to gamble responsibly is an adult choice. Lottery instant games and other popular lottery products are not appropriate gifts for minors. The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and the Massachusetts State Lottery are working together this holiday season to increase public awareness of this issue.
"Lottery products, like any other form of legal gambling, are for adults ages 18 or older," said Kathleen M. Scanlan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. "This holiday season, if you do choose to offer a lottery product as a gift, it's important to keep the recipient's age in mind."
Massachusetts Lottery Director Mark Cavanagh said the Lottery's more than 7,000 sales agents are well trained in the Lottery's policies prohibiting sales of all Lottery products to minors. Such sound judgment should be used by all adults, according to Cavanagh.
"Lottery season tickets and instant games are increasingly popular gift items at this time of year," Cavanagh said. "But we urge parents and other adults to find more suitable gifts for children and teenagers."
About the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling
The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling is a private, non-profit health agency dedicated to reducing the social, financial and emotional costs of problem gambling. The Council provides prevention, information, education, advocacy, and referral services for problem gamblers, their loved ones, and the greater community.
About the Massachusetts State Lottery
The Massachusetts State Lottery was created in 1971 to raise revenues for the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns. Since 2003, the Lottery has raised more than $5.6 billion for police officers, firefighters and teachers and other essential public services.
Ashley Hause
O'Neill and Associates
Thirty-One New Chardon Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617)646-1000 | Fax: (617)646-1290
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
PRESS RELEASE: Wednesday, Dec. 8---New Site Offers Homeowners a Clearinghouse of Green Remodeling Information
Dec. 8, 2008, Des Plaines, Ill. – The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), announces the launch of a new website dedicated to green remodeling, www.greenremodeling.org.
Greenremodeling.org is designed to be a clearinghouse of information on green remodeling for both homeowners and trades people. Since the development of fits education programs, NARI has collected a library of information on green remodeling. The need to share this information with homeowners became apparent through the many inquires about green remodeling that have come into NARI Headquarters.
Amassing all of the green remodeling knowledge we've collected over the past several years and making it available to everyone online was an enormous endeavor," said NARI President Renée Rewiski.
What is Green Remodeling?
It's an all-encompassing approach that emphasizes making a home healthy, comfortable, and efficient. Included are issues like indoor air quality, energy conservation, resource conservation, reduced material waste, and the use of products that are better for the environment (and for people).
Why go green in a remodel?
It's easier on the earth, it lowers costs, and it provides a healthier home in which to live. According to the Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC), housing alone consumes 20% of America's energy. Homeowners who choose to remodel green can lower their energy consumption by 30-50%. It's widely agreed that forests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen, and that building supplies use 25% of its forests. Remodeling green by incorporating recycled materials or sustainable species will help homeowners to tread more lightly on Earth's natural resources.
Green remodeling has increased in popularity as homeowners consider health issues, skyrocketing energy costs and Earth's natural resources. More than 15 million Americans are estimated to have asthma, including one-in-13 school-age children, and more than 28 million Americans suffer from hay fever and other allergies, all of which are aggravated by poor indoor air quality.
Overall green remodeling proves to be very beneficial for homeowners. It:
• Reduces operating costs in the home by increasing efficiency
• Conserves natural resources
• Increases the value of the home
• Improves indoor air quality and in turn, overall health
• Reduces waste
• Reduces emissions costs
• Increases productivity of occupants
• Improves quality of life
Greenremodeling.org details many ways to implement green into the home including:
• Non-toxic paints and sealants
• Programmable thermostats
• Energy efficient appliances
• Natural flooring
• Local building materials
• Natural fiber rugs and fabrics
• Recycled material roof shingles and tiles
• Energy efficient lighting
• Insulated hot water pipes
• Tankless water heaters
• Quality insulation
• Native plants for landscaping
NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. Consumers may wish to search www.greenremodeling.org for remodelers certified as a Green Certified Professional (GCP) or www.RemodelToday.com to find a qualified remodeling professional who is a member of NARI.
Consumers can also call the NARI National hotline at 800-611-NARI and request a free copy of NARI's brochure, "How to Select a Remodeling Professional."
The new greenremodeling.org Web site was designed and built by AmericanEagle.com in Park Ridge, Illinois. The selected vendor was chosen for its vast expertise and experience with association Web sites, as well as commercial sites demonstrating heavy consumer traffic.
CONTACT: Nikki Golden or Jessica Tobacman
marketing@nari.org
(847) 298-9200
Greenremodeling.org is designed to be a clearinghouse of information on green remodeling for both homeowners and trades people. Since the development of fits education programs, NARI has collected a library of information on green remodeling. The need to share this information with homeowners became apparent through the many inquires about green remodeling that have come into NARI Headquarters.
Amassing all of the green remodeling knowledge we've collected over the past several years and making it available to everyone online was an enormous endeavor," said NARI President Renée Rewiski.
What is Green Remodeling?
It's an all-encompassing approach that emphasizes making a home healthy, comfortable, and efficient. Included are issues like indoor air quality, energy conservation, resource conservation, reduced material waste, and the use of products that are better for the environment (and for people).
Why go green in a remodel?
It's easier on the earth, it lowers costs, and it provides a healthier home in which to live. According to the Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC), housing alone consumes 20% of America's energy. Homeowners who choose to remodel green can lower their energy consumption by 30-50%. It's widely agreed that forests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen, and that building supplies use 25% of its forests. Remodeling green by incorporating recycled materials or sustainable species will help homeowners to tread more lightly on Earth's natural resources.
Green remodeling has increased in popularity as homeowners consider health issues, skyrocketing energy costs and Earth's natural resources. More than 15 million Americans are estimated to have asthma, including one-in-13 school-age children, and more than 28 million Americans suffer from hay fever and other allergies, all of which are aggravated by poor indoor air quality.
Overall green remodeling proves to be very beneficial for homeowners. It:
• Reduces operating costs in the home by increasing efficiency
• Conserves natural resources
• Increases the value of the home
• Improves indoor air quality and in turn, overall health
• Reduces waste
• Reduces emissions costs
• Increases productivity of occupants
• Improves quality of life
Greenremodeling.org details many ways to implement green into the home including:
• Non-toxic paints and sealants
• Programmable thermostats
• Energy efficient appliances
• Natural flooring
• Local building materials
• Natural fiber rugs and fabrics
• Recycled material roof shingles and tiles
• Energy efficient lighting
• Insulated hot water pipes
• Tankless water heaters
• Quality insulation
• Native plants for landscaping
NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. Consumers may wish to search www.greenremodeling.org for remodelers certified as a Green Certified Professional (GCP) or www.RemodelToday.com to find a qualified remodeling professional who is a member of NARI.
Consumers can also call the NARI National hotline at 800-611-NARI and request a free copy of NARI's brochure, "How to Select a Remodeling Professional."
The new greenremodeling.org Web site was designed and built by AmericanEagle.com in Park Ridge, Illinois. The selected vendor was chosen for its vast expertise and experience with association Web sites, as well as commercial sites demonstrating heavy consumer traffic.
CONTACT: Nikki Golden or Jessica Tobacman
marketing@nari.org
(847) 298-9200
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
PRESS RELEASE: Tuesday, Dec. 2---Give without Giving This Holiday Season
Give without Giving This Holiday Season
In economic downturn consumers turn to Yahoo-powered search engine and online shopping mall to both save money and generate funds for their favorite nonprofits.
ASPCA has earned more than $22,000!
Los Angeles, CA, December, 2008 – With the economy slipping, charities across the nation are bracing themselves for declining contributions this holiday season.
While individuals still want to support their favorite cause, they may not have the time or the money to do so. There is a solution. More than 70,000 nonprofits have partnered with a new Yahoo-powered search engine called GoodSearch.com, and online shopping mall GoodShop.com to enable their supporters to generate donations just by doing something they do everyday – search the Internet or shop online. What makes the system so compelling is that it doesn't cost the users a thing. It's a form of philanthropy that works for everyone in this tough economy!
Consumers are helping their favorite causes by shopping at GoodShop.com where they can choose from more than 800 well known retailers including Target, Apple, Macy's, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Petco and others. The shopping experience and the prices are exactly the same as going to the retailer directly, but by going through GoodShop, up to 37% of the purchase price is donated to the user's favorite cause. In addition, GoodShop provides the user with coupons and deals for the stores so not only are they helping a cause, but they're saving money while doing so!
Similarly, with the GoodSearch search engine, approximately one penny is donated to the users' favorite charity with every search. You use it exactly as you would any other search engine (it's powered by Yahoo so you get quality search results) and the pennies add up quickly – just 500 people searching four times a day will earn around $7300 in a year! It doesn't cost the users a thing!
GoodSearch and GoodShop have quickly spread via word-of-mouth, the blogger community, and a number of celebrities and their foundations including Jessica Biel, Montel Williams, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Jeff Bridges, and others. This is helping to generate significant funds for the participating nonprofits. For example:
* Supporters of the ASPCA are shopping on GoodShop and searching on GoodSearch, to date raising more than $22,000 to help animals in need!
* The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has earned nearly $10,500!
* An order placed at Adobe Software earned Capri Elementary School in California $191!
Internet users have found GoodSearch and GoodShop to be a compelling idea. Lisa Codron, a teacher in Los Angeles, uses GoodSearch and GoodShop in support of Best Friends Animal Society, which runs the nation's largest sanctuary for abused animals. "It's amazing. I buy so much online and because of GoodShop I get dozens of discounts as well as the opportunity to support my favorite charity. There's really no reason not to GoodShop!"
"The response to this idea has truly been overwhelming," said Ken Ramberg, Co-Founder of GoodSearch and former President of MonsterTRAK, the largest online career site for college students (now a division of Monster.com). "More than 100 new nonprofits and schools register daily and GoodSearch and GoodShop are helping to make a difference in communities across the country. Because of the economy, nonprofits really need our help this year more than ever."
In economic downturn consumers turn to Yahoo-powered search engine and online shopping mall to both save money and generate funds for their favorite nonprofits.
ASPCA has earned more than $22,000!
Los Angeles, CA, December, 2008 – With the economy slipping, charities across the nation are bracing themselves for declining contributions this holiday season.
While individuals still want to support their favorite cause, they may not have the time or the money to do so. There is a solution. More than 70,000 nonprofits have partnered with a new Yahoo-powered search engine called GoodSearch.com, and online shopping mall GoodShop.com to enable their supporters to generate donations just by doing something they do everyday – search the Internet or shop online. What makes the system so compelling is that it doesn't cost the users a thing. It's a form of philanthropy that works for everyone in this tough economy!
Consumers are helping their favorite causes by shopping at GoodShop.com where they can choose from more than 800 well known retailers including Target, Apple, Macy's, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Petco and others. The shopping experience and the prices are exactly the same as going to the retailer directly, but by going through GoodShop, up to 37% of the purchase price is donated to the user's favorite cause. In addition, GoodShop provides the user with coupons and deals for the stores so not only are they helping a cause, but they're saving money while doing so!
Similarly, with the GoodSearch search engine, approximately one penny is donated to the users' favorite charity with every search. You use it exactly as you would any other search engine (it's powered by Yahoo so you get quality search results) and the pennies add up quickly – just 500 people searching four times a day will earn around $7300 in a year! It doesn't cost the users a thing!
GoodSearch and GoodShop have quickly spread via word-of-mouth, the blogger community, and a number of celebrities and their foundations including Jessica Biel, Montel Williams, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Jeff Bridges, and others. This is helping to generate significant funds for the participating nonprofits. For example:
* Supporters of the ASPCA are shopping on GoodShop and searching on GoodSearch, to date raising more than $22,000 to help animals in need!
* The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has earned nearly $10,500!
* An order placed at Adobe Software earned Capri Elementary School in California $191!
Internet users have found GoodSearch and GoodShop to be a compelling idea. Lisa Codron, a teacher in Los Angeles, uses GoodSearch and GoodShop in support of Best Friends Animal Society, which runs the nation's largest sanctuary for abused animals. "It's amazing. I buy so much online and because of GoodShop I get dozens of discounts as well as the opportunity to support my favorite charity. There's really no reason not to GoodShop!"
"The response to this idea has truly been overwhelming," said Ken Ramberg, Co-Founder of GoodSearch and former President of MonsterTRAK, the largest online career site for college students (now a division of Monster.com). "More than 100 new nonprofits and schools register daily and GoodSearch and GoodShop are helping to make a difference in communities across the country. Because of the economy, nonprofits really need our help this year more than ever."
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
EVENT: Monday, Dec. 1---The Anatomy of an Election: A Political Look at Why Obama Won and McCain Lost
The Anatomy of an Election: A Political Look at Why Obama Won and McCain Lost
Monday, Dec. 1 from 5:30-7:00 in the COM Student Lounge
***A Conversation with Michael McShane***
Mr. McShane is Vice President, Political Affairs, for the Grocery Manufacturers of America. He served in the Carter White House as a special assistant for Vice President Walter Mondale and has worked on 11 presidential campaigns in senior positions, including Vice Chair for the Lieberman for President campaign. He chaired all of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) activities at the Democratic convention in Chicago (1996) and Los Angeles (2000)
Monday, Dec. 1 from 5:30-7:00 in the COM Student Lounge
***A Conversation with Michael McShane***
Mr. McShane is Vice President, Political Affairs, for the Grocery Manufacturers of America. He served in the Carter White House as a special assistant for Vice President Walter Mondale and has worked on 11 presidential campaigns in senior positions, including Vice Chair for the Lieberman for President campaign. He chaired all of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) activities at the Democratic convention in Chicago (1996) and Los Angeles (2000)
Monday, November 24, 2008
PRESS RELEASE: Monday, Nov. 24---Change.org and MySpace Join Forces to Launch "Ideas for Change in America"
PRESS RELEASE:
Change.org and MySpace Join Forces to Launch "Ideas for Change in America"
Unique and Inspiring Program Designed to Help Define Presidential Agenda and Provoke Social Change
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Nov 24, 2008 -- Change.org, the leading online platform for social change, and MySpace, the world's premier social network, today announced the launch of "Ideas for Change in America," a groundbreaking citizen-driven effort to help define President-elect Barack Obama's presidential agenda. The campaign is supported by more than a dozen voter mobilization organizations that played an integral role in the record-setting voter turnout, including Declare Yourself, Student PIRGs, Voto Latino, and HeadCount. Media and nonprofit partners include techPresident, Netroots Nation, the Sunlight Foundation, GOOD, and Change Congress.
The 2008 campaign brought unprecedented levels of political participation and excitement, mobilizing millions of new voters. But with election over, the most pressing question has now become: What's next? How can the millions of people inspired by the campaign work with the new administration to create real change?
With the launch of Change.gov earlier this month, President-elect Obama made the first step toward providing the transparency his campaign promised in setting up the Obama Administration. But while Change.gov allows users to submit their stories about the campaign, it does not enable citizens to publicly express their own ideas for how the Obama Administration should advance change or to collaborate in the ways they had become accustomed to during the campaign.
In response, Change.org has created an open platform at www.change.org/ideas that allows anyone to submit an idea for how they would advance change on an issue of importance, discuss ideas with others, and vote on the best ideas from around the country. MySpace has also created a parallel site at www.myspace.com/changedotorg that has the ability to enable nearly 118 million monthly active MySpace users around the globe to directly submit video ideas for the change they would like to see.
"In his victory speech, President-elect Obama talked about his commitment to opening up government, and called for citizens to participate in their own democracy again," said Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray. "Ideas for Change in America answers that call by empowering Americans to get involved in the process of identifying solutions to the most important problems we face."
In the lead-up to Inauguration Day, Change.org, MySpace, and their partners will hold an event in Washington, DC to announce the top 10 rated ideas and deliver them to a representative from the Obama Administration. Change.org and MySpace will also announce a formal nonprofit sponsor for each idea. Each sponsoring nonprofit will then launch a national campaign to mobilize the millions of people on both sites to ensure that each top idea gets the full consideration of the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress.
"During the election millions of MySpace users participated in the campaign like never before through meaningful programs that MySpace developed with the goal of engaging users in the political process," said Lee Brenner, Director of IMPACT & Executive Producer of Political Programming. "We are excited to partner with Change.org to continue this momentum. Ideas for Change in America is an additional tool to enable the MySpace community to continue their active involvement in politics and in making an impact post the election."
About Change.org:
Change.org is an online hub and media network for social issues and collective action. The San Francisco-based social entrepreneurship venture operates a network of blogs covering more than a dozen major social issues and has partnered with more than 2500 leading nonprofit organizations to provide outlets for powerful action. Change.org was founded by two former classmates from Stanford, Ben Rattray and Mark Dimas, in 2006.
About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. MySpace has created a connected global community by integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member forums. MySpace's international network includes more than 30 localized community sites in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Latin America, Mexico, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, India, Japan, and New Zealand. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS - News, NWS.A - News; ASX:NWS - News, NWSLV - News).
Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, September 2008. For more information on comScore Networks, please go to www.comscore.com.
About MySpace IMPACT
MySpace IMPACT's goal is to empower users to make a difference in the world by building partnerships and programs focused on voter education, voter registration, and voter turnout. To educate MySpace users about candidates and issues, the company teamed up with MTV in the primary season to produce a series of highly interactive candidate town hall events geared toward young and first-time voters called the MySpace/MTV Presidential Dialogues; partnered with NBC News and msnbc.com to deliver high-quality election coverage and citizen journalism opportunities to users through a hub called Decision08; and worked with the Commission on Presidential Debates to power MyDebates.org, the official online companion to the Presidential Debates. MySpace IMPACT's online voter registration is powered by the non-profit nonpartisan organization Declare Yourself
Contacts:
Change.org
Ben Rattray
ben@change.org
202-253-1288
MySpace:
Jamie Schumacher
jschumacher@myspace.com
310-969-7087
Change.org and MySpace Join Forces to Launch "Ideas for Change in America"
Unique and Inspiring Program Designed to Help Define Presidential Agenda and Provoke Social Change
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Nov 24, 2008 -- Change.org, the leading online platform for social change, and MySpace, the world's premier social network, today announced the launch of "Ideas for Change in America," a groundbreaking citizen-driven effort to help define President-elect Barack Obama's presidential agenda. The campaign is supported by more than a dozen voter mobilization organizations that played an integral role in the record-setting voter turnout, including Declare Yourself, Student PIRGs, Voto Latino, and HeadCount. Media and nonprofit partners include techPresident, Netroots Nation, the Sunlight Foundation, GOOD, and Change Congress.
The 2008 campaign brought unprecedented levels of political participation and excitement, mobilizing millions of new voters. But with election over, the most pressing question has now become: What's next? How can the millions of people inspired by the campaign work with the new administration to create real change?
With the launch of Change.gov earlier this month, President-elect Obama made the first step toward providing the transparency his campaign promised in setting up the Obama Administration. But while Change.gov allows users to submit their stories about the campaign, it does not enable citizens to publicly express their own ideas for how the Obama Administration should advance change or to collaborate in the ways they had become accustomed to during the campaign.
In response, Change.org has created an open platform at www.change.org/ideas that allows anyone to submit an idea for how they would advance change on an issue of importance, discuss ideas with others, and vote on the best ideas from around the country. MySpace has also created a parallel site at www.myspace.com/changedotorg that has the ability to enable nearly 118 million monthly active MySpace users around the globe to directly submit video ideas for the change they would like to see.
"In his victory speech, President-elect Obama talked about his commitment to opening up government, and called for citizens to participate in their own democracy again," said Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray. "Ideas for Change in America answers that call by empowering Americans to get involved in the process of identifying solutions to the most important problems we face."
In the lead-up to Inauguration Day, Change.org, MySpace, and their partners will hold an event in Washington, DC to announce the top 10 rated ideas and deliver them to a representative from the Obama Administration. Change.org and MySpace will also announce a formal nonprofit sponsor for each idea. Each sponsoring nonprofit will then launch a national campaign to mobilize the millions of people on both sites to ensure that each top idea gets the full consideration of the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress.
"During the election millions of MySpace users participated in the campaign like never before through meaningful programs that MySpace developed with the goal of engaging users in the political process," said Lee Brenner, Director of IMPACT & Executive Producer of Political Programming. "We are excited to partner with Change.org to continue this momentum. Ideas for Change in America is an additional tool to enable the MySpace community to continue their active involvement in politics and in making an impact post the election."
About Change.org:
Change.org is an online hub and media network for social issues and collective action. The San Francisco-based social entrepreneurship venture operates a network of blogs covering more than a dozen major social issues and has partnered with more than 2500 leading nonprofit organizations to provide outlets for powerful action. Change.org was founded by two former classmates from Stanford, Ben Rattray and Mark Dimas, in 2006.
About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. MySpace has created a connected global community by integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member forums. MySpace's international network includes more than 30 localized community sites in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Latin America, Mexico, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, India, Japan, and New Zealand. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS - News, NWS.A - News; ASX:NWS - News, NWSLV - News).
Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, September 2008. For more information on comScore Networks, please go to www.comscore.com.
About MySpace IMPACT
MySpace IMPACT's goal is to empower users to make a difference in the world by building partnerships and programs focused on voter education, voter registration, and voter turnout. To educate MySpace users about candidates and issues, the company teamed up with MTV in the primary season to produce a series of highly interactive candidate town hall events geared toward young and first-time voters called the MySpace/MTV Presidential Dialogues; partnered with NBC News and msnbc.com to deliver high-quality election coverage and citizen journalism opportunities to users through a hub called Decision08; and worked with the Commission on Presidential Debates to power MyDebates.org, the official online companion to the Presidential Debates. MySpace IMPACT's online voter registration is powered by the non-profit nonpartisan organization Declare Yourself
Contacts:
Change.org
Ben Rattray
ben@change.org
202-253-1288
MySpace:
Jamie Schumacher
jschumacher@myspace.com
310-969-7087
Sunday, November 23, 2008
PRESS RELEASE: Sunday, Nov. 23---Real WorldLatin America: A Contemporary Economics and Social Policy Reader
We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest title, *Real World
Latin America: A Contemporary Economics and Social Policy Reader*.
Looking for diverse perspectives to explain the profound economic and social
transformations taking place in Latin America? Real World Latin America
brings together the best recent reporting on the region from *Dollars &
Sense* and *NACLA Report on the Americas*.
Forty-five well-researched and clearly-written articles will give students a
thorough introduction to Latin American economic policies, including the
region's changing political maps, the hidden costs of development, struggles
for human rights, international trade deals, and the role of the United
States in the region.
Chapters on social movements and alternative forms of production document
the grassroots challenges to the Washington Consensus that are rising from
Argentine factory shop-floors, Venezuelan cooperatives, Oaxacan schoolrooms,
and elsewhere. Further chapters look at the impact of migration on home
countries and diasporan communities, and the challenges of responsible
environmental stewardship.
*Praise for Real World Latin America:*
The editors of *Dollars & Sense* and *NACLA Report on the Americas* have
done us a great service. This is a timely collection of essays,
sophisticated yet highly readable analysis of the most pressing issues
facing Latin America today. The book is ideally suited for undergraduate
courses on the region, and will be of interest to a broader readership as
well.
—Eric Hershberg, President, Latin American Studies Association
Latin America is on the move, finding its way towards new approaches to
economic development with social justice. *Real World Latin
America*provides a compelling picture of change, political conflict,
and the real
stakes involved in the region. It is a valuable guide to the contemporary
history of the present, inviting readers to stay tuned for more to come.
—Michael A Cohen, Director of the International Affairs Program, New School
University
This is a timely and invaluable overview of current political, economic,
social and cultural dynamics in Latin America. It brings together an
impressive array of experts who write in a concise and accessible manner on
a wide range of topics that define the current Latin American and
hemispheric reality. Here the reader will find analysis and context for
making sense of today's headlines. I cannot imagine a more important
collection for classroom use and for readers from the general public
interested in understanding contemporary Latin America.
—William I. Robinson, Professor of Sociology, Global Studies, and Latin
American Studies, University of California at Santa Barbara, and
author of *Latin
America and Global Capitalism*
Click here for more
information.
Click here to order an exam
copy.
Latin America: A Contemporary Economics and Social Policy Reader*.
Looking for diverse perspectives to explain the profound economic and social
transformations taking place in Latin America? Real World Latin America
brings together the best recent reporting on the region from *Dollars &
Sense* and *NACLA Report on the Americas*.
Forty-five well-researched and clearly-written articles will give students a
thorough introduction to Latin American economic policies, including the
region's changing political maps, the hidden costs of development, struggles
for human rights, international trade deals, and the role of the United
States in the region.
Chapters on social movements and alternative forms of production document
the grassroots challenges to the Washington Consensus that are rising from
Argentine factory shop-floors, Venezuelan cooperatives, Oaxacan schoolrooms,
and elsewhere. Further chapters look at the impact of migration on home
countries and diasporan communities, and the challenges of responsible
environmental stewardship.
*Praise for Real World Latin America:*
The editors of *Dollars & Sense* and *NACLA Report on the Americas* have
done us a great service. This is a timely collection of essays,
sophisticated yet highly readable analysis of the most pressing issues
facing Latin America today. The book is ideally suited for undergraduate
courses on the region, and will be of interest to a broader readership as
well.
—Eric Hershberg, President, Latin American Studies Association
Latin America is on the move, finding its way towards new approaches to
economic development with social justice. *Real World Latin
America*provides a compelling picture of change, political conflict,
and the real
stakes involved in the region. It is a valuable guide to the contemporary
history of the present, inviting readers to stay tuned for more to come.
—Michael A Cohen, Director of the International Affairs Program, New School
University
This is a timely and invaluable overview of current political, economic,
social and cultural dynamics in Latin America. It brings together an
impressive array of experts who write in a concise and accessible manner on
a wide range of topics that define the current Latin American and
hemispheric reality. Here the reader will find analysis and context for
making sense of today's headlines. I cannot imagine a more important
collection for classroom use and for readers from the general public
interested in understanding contemporary Latin America.
—William I. Robinson, Professor of Sociology, Global Studies, and Latin
American Studies, University of California at Santa Barbara, and
author of *Latin
America and Global Capitalism*
Click here for more
information.
Click here to order an exam
copy.
EVENT: Tuesday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Dec. 7---Passim Annual Holiday Fundraising Auction
Passim Annual Holiday Fundraising Auction!
We're kicking-off our Annual Holiday Fundraising Auction Early and Online this year!
The Passim Holiday Auction opens for bidding on Tuesday, November 25th at 8:00am. Online bidding will close on Thursday, December 4th at 8:00pm. However, for most items bidding will continue during a Live Auction at our Members' Holiday Party on Sunday, December 7th, where we will have even more items! You need not be present at the live event to win.
This is a great way to help out Passim and take care of holiday gift buying needs!
View All 5 Items
Week on the Vineyard!
Enjoy a week at a cottage on Martha's Vineyard! Amazingly located along the water in East Chop this retreat boasts a colorful history, beautiful views, a guesthouse, and friendly backyard ducks! Call your family or get some friends together for a...
Value
$3,500.00
Current Bid
Tripping Lily House Concert
The next time you host a party, create a unique experience and impress your friends with live music! Bid to get an exclusive house concert from innovative roots group Tripping Lily. Tripping Lily weaves a beautiful musical collage of ukulele, vio...
Donated by:
Tripping Lily
Value
$1,000.00
Current Bid
Pete Seeger Photograph
Pete Seeger takes a classic pose in this iconic photo of the folk legend. Taken at Woodyfest in Oklahoma this beautiful shot is something you don't want to pass up!
Donated by:
Artistic Touch Photography
Value
$200.00
Current Bid
Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center
26 Church St Suite 300 Cambridge, MA 02138
Ph: 617-492-5300
http://www.passimcenter.org/
You are receiving this email at adonohue@bu.edu because you have requested information from Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center or have participated in one of our online fundraising auctions. You may UNSUBSCRIBE if you no longer want to receive auction-related emails.
We're kicking-off our Annual Holiday Fundraising Auction Early and Online this year!
The Passim Holiday Auction opens for bidding on Tuesday, November 25th at 8:00am. Online bidding will close on Thursday, December 4th at 8:00pm. However, for most items bidding will continue during a Live Auction at our Members' Holiday Party on Sunday, December 7th, where we will have even more items! You need not be present at the live event to win.
This is a great way to help out Passim and take care of holiday gift buying needs!
View All 5 Items
Week on the Vineyard!
Enjoy a week at a cottage on Martha's Vineyard! Amazingly located along the water in East Chop this retreat boasts a colorful history, beautiful views, a guesthouse, and friendly backyard ducks! Call your family or get some friends together for a...
Value
$3,500.00
Current Bid
Tripping Lily House Concert
The next time you host a party, create a unique experience and impress your friends with live music! Bid to get an exclusive house concert from innovative roots group Tripping Lily. Tripping Lily weaves a beautiful musical collage of ukulele, vio...
Donated by:
Tripping Lily
Value
$1,000.00
Current Bid
Pete Seeger Photograph
Pete Seeger takes a classic pose in this iconic photo of the folk legend. Taken at Woodyfest in Oklahoma this beautiful shot is something you don't want to pass up!
Donated by:
Artistic Touch Photography
Value
$200.00
Current Bid
Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center
26 Church St Suite 300 Cambridge, MA 02138
Ph: 617-492-5300
http://www.passimcenter.org/
You are receiving this email at adonohue@bu.edu because you have requested information from Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center or have participated in one of our online fundraising auctions. You may UNSUBSCRIBE if you no longer want to receive auction-related emails.
EVENT: Nov. 20-Dec. 31---THE HELP GROUP & RIGHT START LAUNCH NATIONAL IN-STORE HOLIDAY
THE HELP GROUP & RIGHT START LAUNCH NATIONAL IN-STORE HOLIDAY
TOY DRIVE FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS
In Natick, Massachusetts, Hundreds of Holiday Toys will be given to Underserved Children
This holiday season, Right Start, a national specialty retailer of juvenile products for infants and young children, in collaboration with The Help Group National Autism Foundation, will conduct a toy drive in all of its 36 store locations throughout the United States. This wonderful program will brighten the holiday season for children with autism and other special needs, ages 5 and under, whose families have limited financial means.
The Help Group National Autism Foundation, established under the auspices of The Help Group – the nation's largest and most comprehensive nonprofit of its kind serving children with autism and other special needs – welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with Right Start to create greater awareness about the special needs community and to reach out to even more children and families this holiday season.
"The Help Group is proud to partner with an organization whose leadership promotes community involvement," said Dr. Barbara Firestone, President and CEO of The Help Group. "We salute Right Start for its commitment to caring and including the public in ongoing awareness campaigns on behalf of children with autism and other special needs."
To maximize the reach of toy donations, The Help Group invited applications for participation from qualified nonprofit autism organizations in each of the Right Start cities throughout the country. These local partners will distribute hundreds of toys to families who may not otherwise have access to toys this holiday season.
Each of these beneficiary autism organizations also received a complimentary copy of Dr. Barbara Firestone's highly acclaimed and award winning book Autism Heroes: Portraits Of Families Meeting The Challenge. This awareness and outreach initiative is part of The Help Group's multi-site, multi-community book distribution program to underserved families made possible through a generous foundation grant.
The holiday toy drive will kick-off on November 20, 2008 and continue through December 31, 2008. "The Right Start's mission is to provide the tools for every stage of a child's life. This holiday season, our customers will have the opportunity to help an underserved child with autism or other special needs by visiting any one of our store locations and buying or donating a new, unwrapped toy," said Hope Neiman, COO, Right Start.
TOY DRIVE FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS
In Natick, Massachusetts, Hundreds of Holiday Toys will be given to Underserved Children
This holiday season, Right Start, a national specialty retailer of juvenile products for infants and young children, in collaboration with The Help Group National Autism Foundation, will conduct a toy drive in all of its 36 store locations throughout the United States. This wonderful program will brighten the holiday season for children with autism and other special needs, ages 5 and under, whose families have limited financial means.
The Help Group National Autism Foundation, established under the auspices of The Help Group – the nation's largest and most comprehensive nonprofit of its kind serving children with autism and other special needs – welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with Right Start to create greater awareness about the special needs community and to reach out to even more children and families this holiday season.
"The Help Group is proud to partner with an organization whose leadership promotes community involvement," said Dr. Barbara Firestone, President and CEO of The Help Group. "We salute Right Start for its commitment to caring and including the public in ongoing awareness campaigns on behalf of children with autism and other special needs."
To maximize the reach of toy donations, The Help Group invited applications for participation from qualified nonprofit autism organizations in each of the Right Start cities throughout the country. These local partners will distribute hundreds of toys to families who may not otherwise have access to toys this holiday season.
Each of these beneficiary autism organizations also received a complimentary copy of Dr. Barbara Firestone's highly acclaimed and award winning book Autism Heroes: Portraits Of Families Meeting The Challenge. This awareness and outreach initiative is part of The Help Group's multi-site, multi-community book distribution program to underserved families made possible through a generous foundation grant.
The holiday toy drive will kick-off on November 20, 2008 and continue through December 31, 2008. "The Right Start's mission is to provide the tools for every stage of a child's life. This holiday season, our customers will have the opportunity to help an underserved child with autism or other special needs by visiting any one of our store locations and buying or donating a new, unwrapped toy," said Hope Neiman, COO, Right Start.
Friday, November 21, 2008
EVENT: Tuesday, Nov. 25---Sex and the Spirit: What do our spiritual lives teach us about our sexual relations?
Sex and the Spirit
What do our spiritual lives teach us about our sexual relations? A weekly discussion of sex and religion using the book 'Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America's College Campuses' by Boston University Professor Donna Freitas, CAS Religion. Hosted by Br. Larry Whitney, LC+, University Chaplain for Community Life at Marsh Chapel, Boston University.
When: Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008 at 5:00pm until 6:00pm on Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008
(Repeats on every Tuesday each week until Tue Dec. 9th, 2008)
Where: Marsh Chapel, 735 Commonwealth Avenue (Thurman Room)
Who: Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info, contact:
Marsh Chapel
Br. Larry Whitney, LC+
lwhitney@bu.edu
617-358-3392
What do our spiritual lives teach us about our sexual relations? A weekly discussion of sex and religion using the book 'Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America's College Campuses' by Boston University Professor Donna Freitas, CAS Religion. Hosted by Br. Larry Whitney, LC+, University Chaplain for Community Life at Marsh Chapel, Boston University.
When: Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008 at 5:00pm until 6:00pm on Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008
(Repeats on every Tuesday each week until Tue Dec. 9th, 2008)
Where: Marsh Chapel, 735 Commonwealth Avenue (Thurman Room)
Who: Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info, contact:
Marsh Chapel
Br. Larry Whitney, LC+
lwhitney@bu.edu
617-358-3392
EVENT: Monday, Dec. 1---Panel Discussion: Europe Confronts Its Past
Panel Discussion: Europe Confronts Its Past
Igor Lukes
University Professor and Professor of International Relations and History, Boston University; Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Boston/
Martin Simecka
Editor-in-chief of Respekt,* a weekly newsmagazine in the Czech Republic, reporting on domestic and foreign political and economic issues, as well as on science and culture.
*On October 13, Respekt published an article by a historian from the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes reporting that a team of historians had uncovered a police document identifying Czech-born Milan Kundera as having informed in 1950 on Miroslav Dvoracek, who served 14 years in prison after being uncovered as a spy. Respekt has refused to apologize to author Milan Kundera for publishing allegations he once informed on a Western spy.
Introduction: Peter Muzila
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovakia in Boston
This event takes place in conjunction with a panel exhibit prepared by the Ministry of Culture and Slovak National Museum entitled "The Magic Number 8 in the History of Slovakia."
Slovak history is interesting in that many important and pivotal events took place during years that end in the number eight. These crucial years include 1848, 1918, 1938, 1948 and 1968. The year 1989 also belongs in this category because the historical turning point that was the November Velvet Revolution of 1989 actually began in 1988. There are important internal connections between the "8" years and their events. The Slovaks' national emancipation process began with the uprising in the revolutionary year 1848 and culminated in 1918 with the founding of Czechoslovakia. This common state of Czechs and Slovaks was then exposed in 1938 to a challenging historical test. The historical ties between 1948, 1968 and 1989 are also strong. They mark the founding, crisis and fall of the communist system in the former Czechoslovakia. In terms of their meaning for history, the "eight"-year anniversaries that fall in 2008 are a natural reflection of both Slovak history in a broader context and of that history's connections to the present. This is also the goal of the exhibition, The Magic Number Eight in the History of Slovakia, whose organizers seek to improve mutual knowledge and understanding among nations.
6:00 PM
Boston University Photonics Center
8 St. Mary's Street, 9th Floor
In cooperation with the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Slovakia
Free and open to the public | Reception to follow
More Information: 617-358-2778 or ihs@bu.edu
Igor Lukes
University Professor and Professor of International Relations and History, Boston University; Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Boston/
Martin Simecka
Editor-in-chief of Respekt,* a weekly newsmagazine in the Czech Republic, reporting on domestic and foreign political and economic issues, as well as on science and culture.
*On October 13, Respekt published an article by a historian from the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes reporting that a team of historians had uncovered a police document identifying Czech-born Milan Kundera as having informed in 1950 on Miroslav Dvoracek, who served 14 years in prison after being uncovered as a spy. Respekt has refused to apologize to author Milan Kundera for publishing allegations he once informed on a Western spy.
Introduction: Peter Muzila
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovakia in Boston
This event takes place in conjunction with a panel exhibit prepared by the Ministry of Culture and Slovak National Museum entitled "The Magic Number 8 in the History of Slovakia."
Slovak history is interesting in that many important and pivotal events took place during years that end in the number eight. These crucial years include 1848, 1918, 1938, 1948 and 1968. The year 1989 also belongs in this category because the historical turning point that was the November Velvet Revolution of 1989 actually began in 1988. There are important internal connections between the "8" years and their events. The Slovaks' national emancipation process began with the uprising in the revolutionary year 1848 and culminated in 1918 with the founding of Czechoslovakia. This common state of Czechs and Slovaks was then exposed in 1938 to a challenging historical test. The historical ties between 1948, 1968 and 1989 are also strong. They mark the founding, crisis and fall of the communist system in the former Czechoslovakia. In terms of their meaning for history, the "eight"-year anniversaries that fall in 2008 are a natural reflection of both Slovak history in a broader context and of that history's connections to the present. This is also the goal of the exhibition, The Magic Number Eight in the History of Slovakia, whose organizers seek to improve mutual knowledge and understanding among nations.
6:00 PM
Boston University Photonics Center
8 St. Mary's Street, 9th Floor
In cooperation with the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Slovakia
Free and open to the public | Reception to follow
More Information: 617-358-2778 or ihs@bu.edu
EVENT: Friday, Nov. 21---History, Memoir and Comics: Graphic Representations of 9/11
History, Memoir and Comics: Graphic Representations of 9/11
Professor Davida Pines has a long-standing interest in, and fascination with, the way the art of comics lends itself to the simultaneous representation of personal and public history. She will consider the difference that comics make when representing serious historic events, and the relationship between form and content in two different graphic works on "9/11: Art Spiegelman's In the Shadow of No Towers and Alissa Torres' American Widow."
Speaker(s): Davida Pines, author and professor
When: Friday, Nov 21, 2008 at 2:00pm until 4:00pm on Friday, Nov 21, 2008
Where: College of General Studies, 871 Commonwealth Avenue (CGS Katzenberg Center, Room 330A)
Who : Open to General Public
Admission is free
Contact: College of General Studies Faculty Research & Scholarship Committee
Prof. Joellen Masters
joellenm@bu.edu
617-358-3205
Professor Davida Pines has a long-standing interest in, and fascination with, the way the art of comics lends itself to the simultaneous representation of personal and public history. She will consider the difference that comics make when representing serious historic events, and the relationship between form and content in two different graphic works on "9/11: Art Spiegelman's In the Shadow of No Towers and Alissa Torres' American Widow."
Speaker(s): Davida Pines, author and professor
When: Friday, Nov 21, 2008 at 2:00pm until 4:00pm on Friday, Nov 21, 2008
Where: College of General Studies, 871 Commonwealth Avenue (CGS Katzenberg Center, Room 330A)
Who : Open to General Public
Admission is free
Contact: College of General Studies Faculty Research & Scholarship Committee
Prof. Joellen Masters
joellenm@bu.edu
617-358-3205
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
EVENT: Sunday, Dec. 7---21st Annual Foster Children's Holiday Party at Tufts
21st Annual Foster Children's Holiday Party at Tufts
A Volunteer Opportunity for the Tufts Community
The Boston Tufts Alliance, a chapter of the Tufts University Alumni Association, in partnership with the Association of Tufts Alumnae and the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, invite your volunteer participation in a great community event now celebrating its 21st year!
Tufts' annual Foster Children's Holiday party is a service event bringing the Tufts community together with neighboring foster families for an afternoon of generosity, warmth and holiday cheer. Tufts volunteers have the opportunity to wrap holiday gifts in advance and/or help to host the party by serving snacks, leading arts and crafts activities, reading, singing, and distributing holiday gifts.
Thursday, December 4
Alumnae Lounge, Medford/Somerville Campus
Gift Wrapping: Open Hours for volunteers (you do need to register to attend):
6:00-8:00pm
Sunday, December 7
Alumnae Lounge, Medford/Somerville Campus
Party Hosts: Volunteers sought for two shifts as follows:
Shift A: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Shift B: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Party runs from 2:00 - 4:00 pm - volunteer shifts include set-up and clean-up.
RSVP: Please email FCHP@tufts.edu to coordinate a volunteer assignment and include with your email: full name, class year (if applicable), phone number and specific volunteer shift.
Questions? Email Samantha Snitow, A02, at samantha.snitow@alumni.tufts.edu
A Volunteer Opportunity for the Tufts Community
The Boston Tufts Alliance, a chapter of the Tufts University Alumni Association, in partnership with the Association of Tufts Alumnae and the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, invite your volunteer participation in a great community event now celebrating its 21st year!
Tufts' annual Foster Children's Holiday party is a service event bringing the Tufts community together with neighboring foster families for an afternoon of generosity, warmth and holiday cheer. Tufts volunteers have the opportunity to wrap holiday gifts in advance and/or help to host the party by serving snacks, leading arts and crafts activities, reading, singing, and distributing holiday gifts.
Thursday, December 4
Alumnae Lounge, Medford/Somerville Campus
Gift Wrapping: Open Hours for volunteers (you do need to register to attend):
6:00-8:00pm
Sunday, December 7
Alumnae Lounge, Medford/Somerville Campus
Party Hosts: Volunteers sought for two shifts as follows:
Shift A: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Shift B: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Party runs from 2:00 - 4:00 pm - volunteer shifts include set-up and clean-up.
RSVP: Please email FCHP@tufts.edu to coordinate a volunteer assignment and include with your email: full name, class year (if applicable), phone number and specific volunteer shift.
Questions? Email Samantha Snitow, A02, at samantha.snitow@alumni.tufts.edu
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
PRESS RELEASE: Tuesday, Nov. 18---Columbia Journalism Review
A dirty little secret of journalism has always been the degree to which some reporters rely on press releases and public relations offices as sources for stories. But recent newsroom cutbacks and increased pressure to churn out online news have given publicity operations even greater prominence in science coverage. Cristine Russsell reports in The Observatory, science desk of CJR.org, the Web site of the Columbia Journalism Review.
Meanwhile, the health care discussion of the past year has been remarkable for the narrow range of ideas and opinions that have floated down to the man on the street. As a potential corrective, our Trudy Lieberman is introducing a series of interviews with a wide range of people and perspectives on the subject, by way of urging the press to follow suit. Here is the first, an interview with Yale professor Theodore Marmor, a health care expert and the co-author of a recent op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The headline, "Health-care plans familiar; Obama and McCain fall into old traps when it comes to financing,"
We hope you find them both illuminating.
The editors
The Observatory — November 14,
Science Reporting By Press Release
An old problem grows worse in the digital age
By Cristine Russell
http://www.cjr.org/the_observatory/science_reporting_by_press_rel.php?page=all
Excluded Voices
An interview with Theodore Marmor
By Trudy Lieberman
http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/excluded_voices.php?page=all
Meanwhile, the health care discussion of the past year has been remarkable for the narrow range of ideas and opinions that have floated down to the man on the street. As a potential corrective, our Trudy Lieberman is introducing a series of interviews with a wide range of people and perspectives on the subject, by way of urging the press to follow suit. Here is the first, an interview with Yale professor Theodore Marmor, a health care expert and the co-author of a recent op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The headline, "Health-care plans familiar; Obama and McCain fall into old traps when it comes to financing,"
We hope you find them both illuminating.
The editors
The Observatory — November 14,
Science Reporting By Press Release
An old problem grows worse in the digital age
By Cristine Russell
http://www.cjr.org/the_observatory/science_reporting_by_press_rel.php?page=all
Excluded Voices
An interview with Theodore Marmor
By Trudy Lieberman
http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/excluded_voices.php?page=all
PRESS RELEASE: Tuesday, Nov. 18---Disney/ABC Supporting and Creating Opportunities for Diverse Talent
DISNEY | ABC TELEVISION GROUP'S CASTING DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES
A NEW INITIATIVE AS PART OF ITS 22nd ACTORS SHOWCASE SUPPORTING
AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE TALENT
An Industry First, Actors Will Receive a Network Mentor for One Year
NOVEMBER 18, 2008 - As part of its continuing effort to find and develop culturally and ethnically diverse talent and actors with disabilities, Disney | ABC Television Group's Casting Project will hold its 22nd showcase featuring 11 promising upcoming actors on Wednesday, November 19 in Los Angeles. Casting directors, talent agents and other industry professionals will view a series of one-act performances. The event is produced in partnership with the Disney | ABC Talent Development & Diversity Department, AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Guild), East West Players, Media Access Office, Nosotros, the Robey Theatre and SAG (Screen Actors Guild). The showcase is not open to the public.
An unprecedented industry first, all 11 actors will be assigned a network executive from the Casting Department who will act as their mentor. The mentor will help nurture their talents and provide guidance and advice throughout the year. As in past years, each showcase participant will also audition throughout the year for ABC's current series and pilots.
The talented actors to be featured are Tish Hicks, Bryan Keith, Jenn Liu, Tiffany Lowery, Geno Monteiro, Emily-Grace Murray, Juan Pacheco, Eddy Rioseco, Mylinda Royer, Amol Shah and Ellen Williams. Past participants include Jorge Garcia from "Lost," Carrie Ann Inaba from "Dancing with the Stars" and Monique Gabriela Curnen ("The Dark Night") and ABC's upcoming primetime drama "The Unusuals."
A NEW INITIATIVE AS PART OF ITS 22nd ACTORS SHOWCASE SUPPORTING
AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE TALENT
An Industry First, Actors Will Receive a Network Mentor for One Year
NOVEMBER 18, 2008 - As part of its continuing effort to find and develop culturally and ethnically diverse talent and actors with disabilities, Disney | ABC Television Group's Casting Project will hold its 22nd showcase featuring 11 promising upcoming actors on Wednesday, November 19 in Los Angeles. Casting directors, talent agents and other industry professionals will view a series of one-act performances. The event is produced in partnership with the Disney | ABC Talent Development & Diversity Department, AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Guild), East West Players, Media Access Office, Nosotros, the Robey Theatre and SAG (Screen Actors Guild). The showcase is not open to the public.
An unprecedented industry first, all 11 actors will be assigned a network executive from the Casting Department who will act as their mentor. The mentor will help nurture their talents and provide guidance and advice throughout the year. As in past years, each showcase participant will also audition throughout the year for ABC's current series and pilots.
The talented actors to be featured are Tish Hicks, Bryan Keith, Jenn Liu, Tiffany Lowery, Geno Monteiro, Emily-Grace Murray, Juan Pacheco, Eddy Rioseco, Mylinda Royer, Amol Shah and Ellen Williams. Past participants include Jorge Garcia from "Lost," Carrie Ann Inaba from "Dancing with the Stars" and Monique Gabriela Curnen ("The Dark Night") and ABC's upcoming primetime drama "The Unusuals."
PRESS RELEASE: Tues. Nov. 18---To Generate Revenue, Tax the Casino
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
To Generate Revenue, Tax the Casino
Interviews Available
CHUCK COLLINS, cell: (617) 308-4433, Chuckcollins7@mac.com, http://extremeinequality.org
Collins is senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he coordinates the Working Group on Extreme Inequality. He wrote the piece "A Fair Plan to Pay for Economic Recovery," which states: "The corporations that rigged the casino economy and the wealthy CEOs and investors that profited at everyone else's expense should bear the recovery costs, not our kids and grandchildren." http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081006/collins
Among Collins' specific proposals:
"Institute a Financial Transactions Tax. Congress should levy a tax on financial transactions such as sale and purchase of stock and more exotic transactions such as credit default swaps, options, and futures. The UK has a modest financial transaction tax of 0.25 percent, a penny on every $4 invested. This is negligible for a long-term investor, but imposes a cost on the fast-buck flippers. Estimated annual revenue: $100 billion. ...
"Eliminate the Tax Preference for Capital Gains. Wealth extracted from Wall Street windfalls will pay out income for years to come. There's no economic reason for taxing income from corporate dividends and capital gains at 15 percent while taxing income from actual work at 35 percent. Taxing wealth and work at the same rates would generate $95 billion a year in revenue. ...
"Eliminate Taxpayer Subsidies for Excessive CEO Pay. Five loopholes that benefit top executives should be abolished. These include eliminating offshore deferred compensation, capping the tax deductibility of excessive pay and eliminating double standards for stock option accounting. Closing these tax loopholes would generate $20 billion a year. ...
"Close Offshore Corporate Tax Havens. Congress should prevent corporations from playing games by claiming expenses in the United States and profits in countries that don't collect taxes. According to the Government Accountability Office, two-thirds of U.S. corporations paid no corporate income tax between 1998 and 2005. Closing this loophole would generate over $100 billion."
Collins' books include "Robin Hood Was Right" and, with William H. Gates Sr., "Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes."
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
To Generate Revenue, Tax the Casino
Interviews Available
CHUCK COLLINS, cell: (617) 308-4433, Chuckcollins7@mac.com, http://extremeinequality.org
Collins is senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he coordinates the Working Group on Extreme Inequality. He wrote the piece "A Fair Plan to Pay for Economic Recovery," which states: "The corporations that rigged the casino economy and the wealthy CEOs and investors that profited at everyone else's expense should bear the recovery costs, not our kids and grandchildren." http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081006/collins
Among Collins' specific proposals:
"Institute a Financial Transactions Tax. Congress should levy a tax on financial transactions such as sale and purchase of stock and more exotic transactions such as credit default swaps, options, and futures. The UK has a modest financial transaction tax of 0.25 percent, a penny on every $4 invested. This is negligible for a long-term investor, but imposes a cost on the fast-buck flippers. Estimated annual revenue: $100 billion. ...
"Eliminate the Tax Preference for Capital Gains. Wealth extracted from Wall Street windfalls will pay out income for years to come. There's no economic reason for taxing income from corporate dividends and capital gains at 15 percent while taxing income from actual work at 35 percent. Taxing wealth and work at the same rates would generate $95 billion a year in revenue. ...
"Eliminate Taxpayer Subsidies for Excessive CEO Pay. Five loopholes that benefit top executives should be abolished. These include eliminating offshore deferred compensation, capping the tax deductibility of excessive pay and eliminating double standards for stock option accounting. Closing these tax loopholes would generate $20 billion a year. ...
"Close Offshore Corporate Tax Havens. Congress should prevent corporations from playing games by claiming expenses in the United States and profits in countries that don't collect taxes. According to the Government Accountability Office, two-thirds of U.S. corporations paid no corporate income tax between 1998 and 2005. Closing this loophole would generate over $100 billion."
Collins' books include "Robin Hood Was Right" and, with William H. Gates Sr., "Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes."
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
PRESS RELEASE: Tuesday, Nov. 18---Army of Women
Army of Women
What's the study about?
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst are studying the breast cells normally found in breast milk to see if there are any differences in the DNA of women whose biopsies turn out to be healthy and those whose biopsies show a problem, such as cancer. Learning more about these genetic differences may eventually help researchers develop a way to provide women with information about their breast cancer risk.
What's involved?
You will be shipped a milk collection container, informed consent form, and questionnaire. You will be asked to complete the consent form and questionnaire and to donate about 2.5 ounces of fresh breast milk from each breast. You will put the consent form, questionnaire, and breast milk in a box that will be picked up by Fed-Ex. If a breast biopsy occurs, you will be asked to provide a copy of the biopsy report. Approximately 1 year after sending your breast milk sample, the researcher will contact you to ask about any breast problems you have had in the last year.
Who can participate?
Breastfeeding moms who may need a breast biopsy
Who is conducting the study?
Kathleen Arcaro, PhD, Douglas Anderton, PhD, and Sarah Lenington PhD, at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Where?
Anywhere in the United States
YES, SIGN ME UP Yes, Sign Me Up NO, THANKS No Thanks RECRUIT A FRIEND Recruit a Friend
Get Involved
Grow the Army of Women
© 2008 Love/Avon Army of Women
This email was sent by:
Love/Avon Army of Women | 2811 Wilshire Blvd. | Suite 500 | Santa Monica | CA | 90403
info@armyofwomen.org
What's the study about?
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst are studying the breast cells normally found in breast milk to see if there are any differences in the DNA of women whose biopsies turn out to be healthy and those whose biopsies show a problem, such as cancer. Learning more about these genetic differences may eventually help researchers develop a way to provide women with information about their breast cancer risk.
What's involved?
You will be shipped a milk collection container, informed consent form, and questionnaire. You will be asked to complete the consent form and questionnaire and to donate about 2.5 ounces of fresh breast milk from each breast. You will put the consent form, questionnaire, and breast milk in a box that will be picked up by Fed-Ex. If a breast biopsy occurs, you will be asked to provide a copy of the biopsy report. Approximately 1 year after sending your breast milk sample, the researcher will contact you to ask about any breast problems you have had in the last year.
Who can participate?
Breastfeeding moms who may need a breast biopsy
Who is conducting the study?
Kathleen Arcaro, PhD, Douglas Anderton, PhD, and Sarah Lenington PhD, at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Where?
Anywhere in the United States
YES, SIGN ME UP Yes, Sign Me Up NO, THANKS No Thanks RECRUIT A FRIEND Recruit a Friend
Get Involved
Grow the Army of Women
© 2008 Love/Avon Army of Women
This email was sent by:
Love/Avon Army of Women | 2811 Wilshire Blvd. | Suite 500 | Santa Monica | CA | 90403
info@armyofwomen.org
Monday, November 17, 2008
PRESS RELEASE: Monday, Nov. 17---New Oil Shale Regulations A Step Toward National Energy Security
New Oil Shale Regulations A Step Toward National Energy Security
Environmental Extremists Vow to Block Development of World Class U.S. Oil Reserve and the Key to Reducing Foreign Oil Imports
Denver, Colorado – Americans for American Energy hailed today's publication by the U.S. Department of the Interior of new commercial leasing regulations for oil shale as a major victory for the nation's drive to be more independent of foreign oil imports. AAE also warned policy makers in Washington, D.C. not to take steps backward to destroy the fledgling oil shale industry as it moves forward with stalled research that could unlock more American oil reserves than is contained in the entire Middle East. AAE anticipates that national environmental groups will step up their campaign to shut down any development of new American oil from oil shale as soon as the new Congress convenes and the Obama Administration takes power in January
"Americans won't soon forget $4 dollar gasoline and we should recognize that here is a big part of the answer to solving our oil and transportation fuel supply right here at home, said Greg Schnacke, President of Americans for American Energy. The new leadership in Washington would be making a huge strategic mistake if they heed the call from the environmental extremists to block this important domestic energy resource."
The new regulatory framework put in place includes strict rules that apply to the industry regarding operational requirements, environmental rules and constraints, royalty and rental rates and other administrative regulations. Before any site-specific plans of development could be approved, additional NEPA environmental analysis would be conducted.
"Industry planners have said all along that they could not move forward with the $1 billion dollar-plus investment for research and development needed to move to environmentally responsible commercial development of over 800 billion barrels of American oil potential unless clear and established federal regulations were in place. If Washington doesn't mess this up, we can change the equation on America's dangerous reliance on foreign oil," said Schnacke.
Environmental Extremists Vow to Block Development of World Class U.S. Oil Reserve and the Key to Reducing Foreign Oil Imports
Denver, Colorado – Americans for American Energy hailed today's publication by the U.S. Department of the Interior of new commercial leasing regulations for oil shale as a major victory for the nation's drive to be more independent of foreign oil imports. AAE also warned policy makers in Washington, D.C. not to take steps backward to destroy the fledgling oil shale industry as it moves forward with stalled research that could unlock more American oil reserves than is contained in the entire Middle East. AAE anticipates that national environmental groups will step up their campaign to shut down any development of new American oil from oil shale as soon as the new Congress convenes and the Obama Administration takes power in January
"Americans won't soon forget $4 dollar gasoline and we should recognize that here is a big part of the answer to solving our oil and transportation fuel supply right here at home, said Greg Schnacke, President of Americans for American Energy. The new leadership in Washington would be making a huge strategic mistake if they heed the call from the environmental extremists to block this important domestic energy resource."
The new regulatory framework put in place includes strict rules that apply to the industry regarding operational requirements, environmental rules and constraints, royalty and rental rates and other administrative regulations. Before any site-specific plans of development could be approved, additional NEPA environmental analysis would be conducted.
"Industry planners have said all along that they could not move forward with the $1 billion dollar-plus investment for research and development needed to move to environmentally responsible commercial development of over 800 billion barrels of American oil potential unless clear and established federal regulations were in place. If Washington doesn't mess this up, we can change the equation on America's dangerous reliance on foreign oil," said Schnacke.
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 19---Witness Genocide - Darfur Refugee Speaker
Witness Genocide - Darfur Refugee Speaker
Join us for this rare opportunity to hear a firsthand account of genocide. We are honored to welcome Mohamed Yahya to Boston University.
Yahya was born in a small village in Darfur. In 1993 his village was destroyed by government-backed militias in some of the first attacks that led to the current conflict. Yahya came to the United States in 2002 and founded Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, an organization to promote the human rights of the Darfur victims.
Speaker(s): Mohamed Yahya
When: Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008 at 7:00pm until 8:00pm on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
Where: Sargent College, 635 Commonwealth Avenue (SAR 101)
Who : Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info: http://www.damanga.org
Contact: BU Darfur Coalition
darfur@bu.edu
Join us for this rare opportunity to hear a firsthand account of genocide. We are honored to welcome Mohamed Yahya to Boston University.
Yahya was born in a small village in Darfur. In 1993 his village was destroyed by government-backed militias in some of the first attacks that led to the current conflict. Yahya came to the United States in 2002 and founded Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, an organization to promote the human rights of the Darfur victims.
Speaker(s): Mohamed Yahya
When: Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008 at 7:00pm until 8:00pm on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
Where: Sargent College, 635 Commonwealth Avenue (SAR 101)
Who : Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info: http://www.damanga.org
Contact: BU Darfur Coalition
darfur@bu.edu
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 19---EnerNoc Energy Start Ups
EnerNoc Energy Start Ups
Boston's EnerNoc have emerged as one of the potential breakout companies in the small but growing market for clean technology, a broad field that encompasses new types of solar panels, water purification systems, fuel cells and more. EnerNoc has installed systems in New England, California and New York.
Mat Tuttleman speaks about the risks and rewards of working at an energy start up. Tuttleman will discuss his career path at EnerNOC where he started as the company's seventh employee. He has helped the company achieve fantastic growth, issue an initial public offering, and become a leader in demand response energy management. Discussion will include an overview of the company, its energy management technologies, and future plans for growth.
When: Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008 at 5:00pm until 6:00pm on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
Where: SMG 228 (595 Commonwealth Avenue)
More Info: http://people.bu.edu/buenergy
Contact: BU Energy Club
Boston's EnerNoc have emerged as one of the potential breakout companies in the small but growing market for clean technology, a broad field that encompasses new types of solar panels, water purification systems, fuel cells and more. EnerNoc has installed systems in New England, California and New York.
Mat Tuttleman speaks about the risks and rewards of working at an energy start up. Tuttleman will discuss his career path at EnerNOC where he started as the company's seventh employee. He has helped the company achieve fantastic growth, issue an initial public offering, and become a leader in demand response energy management. Discussion will include an overview of the company, its energy management technologies, and future plans for growth.
When: Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008 at 5:00pm until 6:00pm on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
Where: SMG 228 (595 Commonwealth Avenue)
More Info: http://people.bu.edu/buenergy
Contact: BU Energy Club
EVENT: Tuesday, Nov. 18---Latino Women & Sexism
Latino Women & Sexism
Come join professor Diane Balser and the sisters of Chi Upsilon Sigma in discussing the issues of sexism present in the world around us.
Admission is free and open to the University community.
When: Tuesday, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:00pm
Where: Women's Resource Center, 775 Commonwealth Avenue, lower level
Contact: Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sority, Inc.
Come join professor Diane Balser and the sisters of Chi Upsilon Sigma in discussing the issues of sexism present in the world around us.
Admission is free and open to the University community.
When: Tuesday, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:00pm
Where: Women's Resource Center, 775 Commonwealth Avenue, lower level
Contact: Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sority, Inc.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
EVENT: Friday, Nov. 14---America Recycles Day
America Recycles Day
Come celebrate all things recycling on Marsh Plaza. Raffles, food, and complimentary coffee if you bring your own mug! Get involved with sustainability issues and support recycling on campus.
**Co-hosted with the Environmental Student Organization
Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 11:00am until 4:00pm on Friday, Nov 14, 2008
Where: Marsh Plaza, 735 Commonwealth Avenue
Who: Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info at: http://www.bu.edu/recycling/
Contact: Environmental Health & Safety
Mackenzie Welch
recycle@bu.edu
617-353-4094
Come celebrate all things recycling on Marsh Plaza. Raffles, food, and complimentary coffee if you bring your own mug! Get involved with sustainability issues and support recycling on campus.
**Co-hosted with the Environmental Student Organization
Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 11:00am until 4:00pm on Friday, Nov 14, 2008
Where: Marsh Plaza, 735 Commonwealth Avenue
Who: Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info at: http://www.bu.edu/recycling/
Contact: Environmental Health & Safety
Mackenzie Welch
recycle@bu.edu
617-353-4094
Viewzi As A Research Tool For Radio?
Almost two years ago, we started with a question: "Does one size fit all?"
We've since spent that time exploring whether there is more than one way to look at search. We've also spoken to lots of people about how they see information now and more importantly how they'd like to see it.
My name is Giovanni Gallucci and I work at a Dallas-based company called "Viewzi" (http://www.viewzi.com). I just want to introduce you to Viewzi. We have found that journalists and educators alike have taken quite a fancy to us for all kinds of rich media searches on the web.
What do we do and why do you care? We built Viewzi, a new type of search engine that is well-suited for web research and pop culture searches. This product isn't just a "techie" website. It is specifically geared towards all kinds of general interest research. Viewzi provides Internet users a way to visually experience the best results for celebrity, music, news/weather, pop culture, recipes and top search engines as text, picture, music, and video results to make search more fun.
The Viewzi Difference
Have a peek at the difference between traditional search engines and Viewzi Views:
General: http://www.viewzi.com/search/power_grid/election%202008
Albums: http://www.viewzi.com/search/therecordstore/Pearl%20Jam
MP3's: http://www.viewzi.com/search/joshuamp3/Britney%20Spears%20Womanizer
Video: http://www.viewzi.com/search/videox3/barack%20obama
News: http://www.viewzi.com/search/newsprint/election%202008
Pictures: http://www.viewzi.com/search/phototile/AIG%20bailout
Books: http://www.viewzi.com/search/amazonbookbuy/stephen%20colbert
Timeline: http://www.viewzi.com/search/cronotron/david%20hasselhoff
Viewzi delivers search results as "views", uniquely designed to showcase different types of content such as music, video and photos as well as topics including news, weather, shopping, and gadgets – all in an a highly interactive and visual way. At present, Viewzi provides users eighteen unique views.
Give Us A Try
I'd be thankful if you would have a look at this to see if it's something you'd use for web research when doing story prep. Is it that good? Yes. This new site truly represents the future of search. Viewzi is not simply a search engine, but a search platform able to morph into any number of user interfaces using any number of different data sources as the situation calls for.
Viewzi, Inc.
2301 North Greenville Avenue,
Suite 270
Richardson, TX, 75082 USA
* Helpful email addresses
* feedback@viewzi.com
* jobs@viewzi.com
* investors@viewzi.com
* developers@viewzi.com
* press@viewzi.com
We've since spent that time exploring whether there is more than one way to look at search. We've also spoken to lots of people about how they see information now and more importantly how they'd like to see it.
My name is Giovanni Gallucci and I work at a Dallas-based company called "Viewzi" (http://www.viewzi.com). I just want to introduce you to Viewzi. We have found that journalists and educators alike have taken quite a fancy to us for all kinds of rich media searches on the web.
What do we do and why do you care? We built Viewzi, a new type of search engine that is well-suited for web research and pop culture searches. This product isn't just a "techie" website. It is specifically geared towards all kinds of general interest research. Viewzi provides Internet users a way to visually experience the best results for celebrity, music, news/weather, pop culture, recipes and top search engines as text, picture, music, and video results to make search more fun.
The Viewzi Difference
Have a peek at the difference between traditional search engines and Viewzi Views:
General: http://www.viewzi.com/search/power_grid/election%202008
Albums: http://www.viewzi.com/search/therecordstore/Pearl%20Jam
MP3's: http://www.viewzi.com/search/joshuamp3/Britney%20Spears%20Womanizer
Video: http://www.viewzi.com/search/videox3/barack%20obama
News: http://www.viewzi.com/search/newsprint/election%202008
Pictures: http://www.viewzi.com/search/phototile/AIG%20bailout
Books: http://www.viewzi.com/search/amazonbookbuy/stephen%20colbert
Timeline: http://www.viewzi.com/search/cronotron/david%20hasselhoff
Viewzi delivers search results as "views", uniquely designed to showcase different types of content such as music, video and photos as well as topics including news, weather, shopping, and gadgets – all in an a highly interactive and visual way. At present, Viewzi provides users eighteen unique views.
Give Us A Try
I'd be thankful if you would have a look at this to see if it's something you'd use for web research when doing story prep. Is it that good? Yes. This new site truly represents the future of search. Viewzi is not simply a search engine, but a search platform able to morph into any number of user interfaces using any number of different data sources as the situation calls for.
Viewzi, Inc.
2301 North Greenville Avenue,
Suite 270
Richardson, TX, 75082 USA
* Helpful email addresses
* feedback@viewzi.com
* jobs@viewzi.com
* investors@viewzi.com
* developers@viewzi.com
* press@viewzi.com
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
EVENT: Nov. 19: U.S. Policy in Iraq: The Challenges Ahead
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS LECTURE
Richard Schmierer
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
(Middle East Affairs)
U.S. Policy in Iraq: The Challenges Ahead
November 19, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.
Asean Auditorium
Dinner to follow in Mugar Café
Dinner reservations required (Business Casual Attire)
RSVP to karen.mollung@tufts.edu
In June 2008 Richard Schmierer became Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Schmierer was Director of the Office of Iraq Affairs. In his current position, he oversees the State Department's support of and contribution to U.S. policy towards Iraq.
Mr. Schmierer is a career Foreign Service Officer and member of the Senior Foreign Service, rank of Minister-Counselor. He is the author of Iraq: Policy and Perceptions (Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University, 2007). Mr. Schmierer received the State Department's 2005 Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy, conferred by The Fletcher School.
In June 2004 when the US Embassy re-opened in Baghdad, Mr. Schmierer assumed the position of Embassy Counselor for Public Affairs. From 2000-2004, he served as Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs in Berlin and from 1997-2000 as Counselor for Public Affairs in Riyadh.
Mr. Schmierer's other overseas assignments include service in Germany in Bonn, Frankfurt, and Hamburg, and in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. His domestic assignments have included service as the head of the Middle East office of the International Visitor Program, and later in the Agency's Office of European Affairs. Mr.Schmierer received his Bachelors degree from Lehigh University and his Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of Massachusetts.
Dinner to follow in Mugar Café
Dinner reservations required (Business Casual Attire)
RSVP to karen.mollung@tufts.edu
Richard Schmierer
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
(Middle East Affairs)
U.S. Policy in Iraq: The Challenges Ahead
November 19, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.
Asean Auditorium
Dinner to follow in Mugar Café
Dinner reservations required (Business Casual Attire)
RSVP to karen.mollung@tufts.edu
In June 2008 Richard Schmierer became Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Schmierer was Director of the Office of Iraq Affairs. In his current position, he oversees the State Department's support of and contribution to U.S. policy towards Iraq.
Mr. Schmierer is a career Foreign Service Officer and member of the Senior Foreign Service, rank of Minister-Counselor. He is the author of Iraq: Policy and Perceptions (Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University, 2007). Mr. Schmierer received the State Department's 2005 Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy, conferred by The Fletcher School.
In June 2004 when the US Embassy re-opened in Baghdad, Mr. Schmierer assumed the position of Embassy Counselor for Public Affairs. From 2000-2004, he served as Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs in Berlin and from 1997-2000 as Counselor for Public Affairs in Riyadh.
Mr. Schmierer's other overseas assignments include service in Germany in Bonn, Frankfurt, and Hamburg, and in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. His domestic assignments have included service as the head of the Middle East office of the International Visitor Program, and later in the Agency's Office of European Affairs. Mr.Schmierer received his Bachelors degree from Lehigh University and his Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of Massachusetts.
Dinner to follow in Mugar Café
Dinner reservations required (Business Casual Attire)
RSVP to karen.mollung@tufts.edu
Friday, November 7, 2008
EVENT: Dec., 2---"The Health of Poetry" - The Julia S. Phelps Annual Lecture by Gwyneth Lewis
The Julia S. Phelps Annual Lecture by Gwyneth Lewis
Gwyneth Lewis-- Mildred Londa Weisman Fellow Poetry, Independent Scholar (Wales)
A Hospital Odyssey
Gwyneth Lewis was appointed Wales’s inaugural National Poet in 2005. She is an award-winning poet in both Welsh, her first language, and English. Lewis wrote the six-foot-high words on the front of Cardiff’s new Wales Millennium Centre, rumored to be the largest poem in the world. She is also a prizewinning playwright and librettist. Her first nonfiction book, Sunbathing in the Rain: A Cheerful Book on Depression (Flamingo, 2002), was short-listed for the Mind Book of the Year. Her second, Two in a Boat: A Marital Voyage (Fourth Estate, 2005), recounts a voyage made with her husband on a small boat from Cardiff to North Africa. Both titles are also published in the United States.
During her time as a Radcliffe fellow, Lewis will work on “A Hospital Odyssey,” an epic poem about the body’s journey through ill health. The poem will use the epic tradition to follow an emotional trajectory through illness, diagnosis, and healing on a mythic stage. She will address such questions as: What is health? How are we responsible for our own bodies and those of others? What does it mean to care for another person?
Lewis is a member of the Royal Society of Literature and an honorary fellow of Cardiff University. She spent three years in the United States as a Harkness Fellow and has also held a NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) Fellowship and a Wellcome Trust arts award.
Gwyneth Lewis-- Mildred Londa Weisman Fellow Poetry, Independent Scholar (Wales)
A Hospital Odyssey
Gwyneth Lewis was appointed Wales’s inaugural National Poet in 2005. She is an award-winning poet in both Welsh, her first language, and English. Lewis wrote the six-foot-high words on the front of Cardiff’s new Wales Millennium Centre, rumored to be the largest poem in the world. She is also a prizewinning playwright and librettist. Her first nonfiction book, Sunbathing in the Rain: A Cheerful Book on Depression (Flamingo, 2002), was short-listed for the Mind Book of the Year. Her second, Two in a Boat: A Marital Voyage (Fourth Estate, 2005), recounts a voyage made with her husband on a small boat from Cardiff to North Africa. Both titles are also published in the United States.
During her time as a Radcliffe fellow, Lewis will work on “A Hospital Odyssey,” an epic poem about the body’s journey through ill health. The poem will use the epic tradition to follow an emotional trajectory through illness, diagnosis, and healing on a mythic stage. She will address such questions as: What is health? How are we responsible for our own bodies and those of others? What does it mean to care for another person?
Lewis is a member of the Royal Society of Literature and an honorary fellow of Cardiff University. She spent three years in the United States as a Harkness Fellow and has also held a NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) Fellowship and a Wellcome Trust arts award.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---National Feminist Town Hall Forum Tonite!
CENTER FOR NEW WORDS...where women's words matter
CNWNews November 5, 2008
Tonight: Make and Understand History with Feminists Around the Country
"What Happens When A Woman Takes the Pulpit?"
Don't mess these upcoming events:
The Day After
A Feminist Town Forum
Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass Ave, Cambridge
Wednesday, November 5 @ 7:00PM
Sarah Sentilles
A Church of Her Own
First Church, 11 Garden St., Cambridge
Friday, November 7 @ 7:00PM
Radical Mommyhood
with Amy Richards & Maegan "Mamita Mala" Ortiz
Arlington St. Church, 351 Boylston St., Boston
Thursday, November 13 @ 7:00PM
Mouthful
An Open Mic for Open Minds
CNW, 7 Temple Street, Cambridge
Friday, November 14 @ 7:30PM
Alison Bechdel
Essential Dykes to Watch Out For
Lesley College, 1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
Tuesday, November 18 @ 7:00PM
Jean Kilbourne & Diane Levin
So Sexy So Soon
Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston
Thurssday, November 20 @ 7:00PM
Feminism & Dessert
Gender & Toys
CNW, 7 Temple Street, Cambridge
Tuesday, December 2 @ 7:00PM
Mouthful
An Open Mic for Open Minds
CNW, 7 Temple Street, Cambridge
Friday, December 12 @ 7:30PM
As a nonprofit organization, CNW relies on the support of individual donors. Please join us in creating spaces and places where women's words matter by mak ing a tax-deductible donation today?
Have you spoken out yet?
This Is What Women Want
Click for more details...
Dear CNWers,
As promised yesterday, we have a new venue for tonight's amazing DAY AFTER National Feminist Town Hall Forum. It's at Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass. Ave in Cambridge, and we couldn't be more excited. Come live, and join in the conversation with feminists watching live from around the country!
Come exhilarated, energized or exhausted, but make sure you're there. It's a big moment, and we need your voice and ideas.
Tonight: Make and Understand History with Feminists Around the Country
It's been a long election season, and now it's FINALLY time to come together to figure out what it all means and what's next.
At this culmination of our This Is What Women Want election project, join us, our panel of national leaders, and feminists around the country TONIGHT to discuss what happened on Election Day, and what we should be thinking about and doing now to fight for equality and justice for all.
This is a first of its kind event convening feminists from around the country live via the blogosphere! Watch live, converse with other audience members around the country and submit your comments and questions in real time.
Panelists will include:
BYLLYE AVERY
Founder of the National Black Women's Health Project and MacArthur Genius Award Recipient
MICHELLE GOLDBERG Journalist and author of Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
ANNE ELIZABETH MOORE Critic, activist, artist, journalist and author
PAULA RAYMAN
Founding Director of the Radcliffe Public Policy Center
LORETTA ROSS
National Coordinator, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective
ANDREA BATISTA SCHLESINGER
Executive Director, Drum Major Institute for Public Policy
Come optimistic, disgruntled, angry, or just exhausted. Just come. We need to hear every voice and idea!
FREE. Wednesday, November 5 @ 7:00PM
NEW VENUE: Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
RSVP & invite friends via Facebook
PARTICIPATE IN PERSON: NEW VENUE: Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
PARTICIPATE ONLINE IN REAL TIME: Participate by logging on 11/5 at 7PM EST to any of our participating blogs, including Feministe, Feministing, Girl with Pen, WIMN's Voices, No Cookies for Me, Viva La Feminista, Writes Like She Talks, Heartfeldt Politics, TakePart, or at our mogulus channel.
Get all the details...
What Happens When A Woman Takes the Pulpit?
Women have been among the most dynamic and successful ministers; but in divinity school, Sarah Sentilles discovered that some of the best and brightest of them were having trouble and even leaving the church altogether.
What was happening? To find out, she entered the lives of female ministers -- women of various ages and races in a range of churches -- and emerged with the first real portrait of what it's like to lead as a woman of faith today. What Sentilles found was that despite many churches' resistance -- conscious or not -- to re-imagining ministry for anyone but a man, many of these women are achieving remarkable transformations in their congregations. And now she's coming to share their stories with us!
To learn more about Sarah Sentilles, please visit: www.sarahsentilles.com
Friday, November 7 @ 7:00PM
First Church, 11 Garden St., Cambridge
Co-Sponsored by the Women's Theological Center.
Don't miss out...
CNWNews November 5, 2008
Tonight: Make and Understand History with Feminists Around the Country
"What Happens When A Woman Takes the Pulpit?"
Don't mess these upcoming events:
The Day After
A Feminist Town Forum
Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass Ave, Cambridge
Wednesday, November 5 @ 7:00PM
Sarah Sentilles
A Church of Her Own
First Church, 11 Garden St., Cambridge
Friday, November 7 @ 7:00PM
Radical Mommyhood
with Amy Richards & Maegan "Mamita Mala" Ortiz
Arlington St. Church, 351 Boylston St., Boston
Thursday, November 13 @ 7:00PM
Mouthful
An Open Mic for Open Minds
CNW, 7 Temple Street, Cambridge
Friday, November 14 @ 7:30PM
Alison Bechdel
Essential Dykes to Watch Out For
Lesley College, 1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
Tuesday, November 18 @ 7:00PM
Jean Kilbourne & Diane Levin
So Sexy So Soon
Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston
Thurssday, November 20 @ 7:00PM
Feminism & Dessert
Gender & Toys
CNW, 7 Temple Street, Cambridge
Tuesday, December 2 @ 7:00PM
Mouthful
An Open Mic for Open Minds
CNW, 7 Temple Street, Cambridge
Friday, December 12 @ 7:30PM
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Have you spoken out yet?
This Is What Women Want
Click for more details...
Dear CNWers,
As promised yesterday, we have a new venue for tonight's amazing DAY AFTER National Feminist Town Hall Forum. It's at Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass. Ave in Cambridge, and we couldn't be more excited. Come live, and join in the conversation with feminists watching live from around the country!
Come exhilarated, energized or exhausted, but make sure you're there. It's a big moment, and we need your voice and ideas.
Tonight: Make and Understand History with Feminists Around the Country
It's been a long election season, and now it's FINALLY time to come together to figure out what it all means and what's next.
At this culmination of our This Is What Women Want election project, join us, our panel of national leaders, and feminists around the country TONIGHT to discuss what happened on Election Day, and what we should be thinking about and doing now to fight for equality and justice for all.
This is a first of its kind event convening feminists from around the country live via the blogosphere! Watch live, converse with other audience members around the country and submit your comments and questions in real time.
Panelists will include:
BYLLYE AVERY
Founder of the National Black Women's Health Project and MacArthur Genius Award Recipient
MICHELLE GOLDBERG Journalist and author of Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
ANNE ELIZABETH MOORE Critic, activist, artist, journalist and author
PAULA RAYMAN
Founding Director of the Radcliffe Public Policy Center
LORETTA ROSS
National Coordinator, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective
ANDREA BATISTA SCHLESINGER
Executive Director, Drum Major Institute for Public Policy
Come optimistic, disgruntled, angry, or just exhausted. Just come. We need to hear every voice and idea!
FREE. Wednesday, November 5 @ 7:00PM
NEW VENUE: Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
RSVP & invite friends via Facebook
PARTICIPATE IN PERSON: NEW VENUE: Lesley University Ampitheater, 1815 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
PARTICIPATE ONLINE IN REAL TIME: Participate by logging on 11/5 at 7PM EST to any of our participating blogs, including Feministe, Feministing, Girl with Pen, WIMN's Voices, No Cookies for Me, Viva La Feminista, Writes Like She Talks, Heartfeldt Politics, TakePart, or at our mogulus channel.
Get all the details...
What Happens When A Woman Takes the Pulpit?
Women have been among the most dynamic and successful ministers; but in divinity school, Sarah Sentilles discovered that some of the best and brightest of them were having trouble and even leaving the church altogether.
What was happening? To find out, she entered the lives of female ministers -- women of various ages and races in a range of churches -- and emerged with the first real portrait of what it's like to lead as a woman of faith today. What Sentilles found was that despite many churches' resistance -- conscious or not -- to re-imagining ministry for anyone but a man, many of these women are achieving remarkable transformations in their congregations. And now she's coming to share their stories with us!
To learn more about Sarah Sentilles, please visit: www.sarahsentilles.com
Friday, November 7 @ 7:00PM
First Church, 11 Garden St., Cambridge
Co-Sponsored by the Women's Theological Center.
Don't miss out...
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---SED Pedalathon for the Earth Highlights Wasting Energy
School of Education hosts a pedalathon for the Earth today, Nov. 5 from 8am-8pm
"Visitors are welcome to stop by to pedal on a stationary bicycle attached to a battery. The pedaling will transform human kinetic energy into chemical energy, which will then power a laptop and a stereo system and heat up free apple cider. SED hopes that participants’ efforts to create energy will make them think twice about wasting energy in the future.
The event will include conversations about sustainability ideas, plans, and actions, as well as a photo of the volunteer on the bike. The pedalathon is a collaboration between SED and the College of Arts and Sciences geography and environment department.
The pedalathon for the Earth will take place today, Wednesday, November 5, in the SED lobby, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, contact Douglas Zook, an SED associate professor."----BU Today
"Visitors are welcome to stop by to pedal on a stationary bicycle attached to a battery. The pedaling will transform human kinetic energy into chemical energy, which will then power a laptop and a stereo system and heat up free apple cider. SED hopes that participants’ efforts to create energy will make them think twice about wasting energy in the future.
The event will include conversations about sustainability ideas, plans, and actions, as well as a photo of the volunteer on the bike. The pedalathon is a collaboration between SED and the College of Arts and Sciences geography and environment department.
The pedalathon for the Earth will take place today, Wednesday, November 5, in the SED lobby, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, contact Douglas Zook, an SED associate professor."----BU Today
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---Newsweek Columnist and Creator of Fake Steve Jobs on Campus Today
Dan Lyons is a technology columnist at Newsweek and the creator of Fake Steve Jobs, the persona behind The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs, a leading technology blog. Dan Lyons will be giving a lecture at Boston University on the subjects of Mac Culture, Apple Inc, and blogging. A reception to follow.
Before joining Newsweek, Lyons spent 10 years at Forbes. Over the past 25 years Lyons has written for a wide range of publications, including the New York Times Magazine, GQ and many technology trade publications.
Visit Dan Lyons' blog for more information.
Speaker(s): Dan Lyons a.k.a. Fake Steve Jobs
When: Wednesday, Nov 5, 2008 at 5:00pm until 7:00pm on Wednesday, Nov 5, 2008
Where: Photonics Center Auditorium, 8 St. Mary's Street (PHO 206)
Who: Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info: http://realdanlyons.com/biography/
Contact: MacBU (Macintosh User Group at Boston University)
Juan Jhong Chung
macbu@bu.edu
857-233-3717
Before joining Newsweek, Lyons spent 10 years at Forbes. Over the past 25 years Lyons has written for a wide range of publications, including the New York Times Magazine, GQ and many technology trade publications.
Visit Dan Lyons' blog for more information.
Speaker(s): Dan Lyons a.k.a. Fake Steve Jobs
When: Wednesday, Nov 5, 2008 at 5:00pm until 7:00pm on Wednesday, Nov 5, 2008
Where: Photonics Center Auditorium, 8 St. Mary's Street (PHO 206)
Who: Open to General Public
Admission is free
More Info: http://realdanlyons.com/biography/
Contact: MacBU (Macintosh User Group at Boston University)
Juan Jhong Chung
macbu@bu.edu
857-233-3717
EVENT CANCELLED: Nov. 10---Picturing America at Boston National Historical Park
The National Endowment for the Humanities and National Park Service regret to inform you that the November 10th event for Picturing America at Boston National Historical Park has been cancelled.
www.PicturingAmerica.neh.gov (https://dnbweb1.blackbaud.com/OPXREPHIL/Link.asp?link=292567)
www.PicturingAmerica.neh.gov (https://dnbweb1.blackbaud.com/OPXREPHIL/Link.asp?link=292567)
Election Day---Voting Rights Concerns
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election Day: Voting-Rights Concerns
Interviews Available
TOVA WANG, (202) 736-5729, twang@commoncause.org, http://www.commoncause.org
Wang is the vice president for research at Common Cause.
WENDY WEISER, [via Susan Lehman], (212) 998-6318, susan.lehman@nyu.edu, http://www.brennancenter.org
Weiser is the deputy director at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law.
CHRIS KROMM, (919) 419-8311 ext 26, c.kromm@southernstudies.org, http://www.southernstudies.org/facingsouth
Kromm is the executive director of the Institute for Southern Studies.
ALEX KEYSSAR, (617) 495-1042, alex_keyssar@harvard.edu, http://ksgfaculty.harvard.edu/alexander_keyssar
Keyssar is the Stirling Professor of History and Social Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and the author of the book "The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States."
HARVEY WASSERMAN, (614) 231-0507, (614) 738-3646, harvey@freepress.org,
Wasserman is co-author of the books "What Happened in Ohio?" and "As Goes Ohio."
RICHARD KIMBALL, (406) 859-8683, aelm@votesmart.org, http://www.votesmart.org
Kimball is the president of Project Vote Smart.
SUJATHA JAHAGIRDAR, (323) 309-6120, sujatha@studentpirgs.org, http://www.newvotersproject.org/
Jahagirdar is the program director for the New Voters Project of the Student Public Interest Research Group.
PAUL SULLIVAN, (202) 558-4553, Paul@VeteransForCommonSense.org, http://www.VeteransForCommonSense.org
Sullivan is the executive director of Veterans for Common Sense.
MATTHEW SEGAL, (847) 502-5012, matthew.segal@savevoting.org, http://www.savevoting.org/
Segal is the founder and executive director of the Student Association for Voter Empowerment.
MICHAEL ALVAREZ, JONATHAN KATZ, [via Jon Weiner], (626) 395-3226, jrweiner@caltech.edu, http://www.vote.caltech.edu/
Alvarez and Katz are both professors of political science at Caltech and co-directors of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project. They will be available on a conference call on Wednesday morning, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. ET to discuss voting technology issues. [For the conference call dial (877) 468-2139; participant code: #150292]
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
Election Day: Voting-Rights Concerns
Interviews Available
TOVA WANG, (202) 736-5729, twang@commoncause.org, http://www.commoncause.org
Wang is the vice president for research at Common Cause.
WENDY WEISER, [via Susan Lehman], (212) 998-6318, susan.lehman@nyu.edu, http://www.brennancenter.org
Weiser is the deputy director at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law.
CHRIS KROMM, (919) 419-8311 ext 26, c.kromm@southernstudies.org, http://www.southernstudies.org/facingsouth
Kromm is the executive director of the Institute for Southern Studies.
ALEX KEYSSAR, (617) 495-1042, alex_keyssar@harvard.edu, http://ksgfaculty.harvard.edu/alexander_keyssar
Keyssar is the Stirling Professor of History and Social Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and the author of the book "The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States."
HARVEY WASSERMAN, (614) 231-0507, (614) 738-3646, harvey@freepress.org,
Wasserman is co-author of the books "What Happened in Ohio?" and "As Goes Ohio."
RICHARD KIMBALL, (406) 859-8683, aelm@votesmart.org, http://www.votesmart.org
Kimball is the president of Project Vote Smart.
SUJATHA JAHAGIRDAR, (323) 309-6120, sujatha@studentpirgs.org, http://www.newvotersproject.org/
Jahagirdar is the program director for the New Voters Project of the Student Public Interest Research Group.
PAUL SULLIVAN, (202) 558-4553, Paul@VeteransForCommonSense.org, http://www.VeteransForCommonSense.org
Sullivan is the executive director of Veterans for Common Sense.
MATTHEW SEGAL, (847) 502-5012, matthew.segal@savevoting.org, http://www.savevoting.org/
Segal is the founder and executive director of the Student Association for Voter Empowerment.
MICHAEL ALVAREZ, JONATHAN KATZ, [via Jon Weiner], (626) 395-3226, jrweiner@caltech.edu, http://www.vote.caltech.edu/
Alvarez and Katz are both professors of political science at Caltech and co-directors of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project. They will be available on a conference call on Wednesday morning, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. ET to discuss voting technology issues. [For the conference call dial (877) 468-2139; participant code: #150292]
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Great Debate: Is the American Century Ending?
THE GREAT DEBATE
Is the American Century ending?
Boston University College of Communication presents The Great Debate on Wednesday, November 5th, 2007 6:30 –8:30 p.m., Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.
The Debaters who will be arguing the question are:
For the Affirmative:
Andrew J. Bacevich
Professor of International Relations and History
Founder, REAP Coalition
Robert S. Litwak
Director of International Securities Studies
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Sarah Thomas, '10 MS
College of Communication
For the Negative:
Robert J. Lieber
Professor of Government and International Affairs
Georgetown University
Ruth Wedgwood
Edward B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy;
Director of the International Law and Organizations Program
Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies
Andrew Jones, '09
College of Communication
The Great Debate is free and open to the Boston University community. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, Contact Lauren Glaser at leglaser@bu.edu or 617-353-5015
Is the American Century ending?
Boston University College of Communication presents The Great Debate on Wednesday, November 5th, 2007 6:30 –8:30 p.m., Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.
The Debaters who will be arguing the question are:
For the Affirmative:
Andrew J. Bacevich
Professor of International Relations and History
Founder, REAP Coalition
Robert S. Litwak
Director of International Securities Studies
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Sarah Thomas, '10 MS
College of Communication
For the Negative:
Robert J. Lieber
Professor of Government and International Affairs
Georgetown University
Ruth Wedgwood
Edward B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy;
Director of the International Law and Organizations Program
Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies
Andrew Jones, '09
College of Communication
The Great Debate is free and open to the Boston University community. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, Contact Lauren Glaser at leglaser@bu.edu or 617-353-5015
Monday, Nov. 3---Frightening: Utilities Cut Off Record Numbers
Frightening: Utilities Cut Off Record Numbers
After the record number of home foreclosures, Americans face a new peril. Utilities are shutting off more customers who cannot pay their bills. In Pennsylvania, an electricity company has cut off supplies to 78 percent more homes than last year. The utility companies say they are under pressure to clean out accounts that are weighing down their books at a time when their stocks are being hammered and earnings growth has slowed, The Wall Street Journal reports. And it is not just the poor that are at risk. "We're seeing an uptick in middle-class people who have never been in this situation before," said Eric Hartsfield, of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
Read it @ The Wall Street Journal
From: The Daily Beast
After the record number of home foreclosures, Americans face a new peril. Utilities are shutting off more customers who cannot pay their bills. In Pennsylvania, an electricity company has cut off supplies to 78 percent more homes than last year. The utility companies say they are under pressure to clean out accounts that are weighing down their books at a time when their stocks are being hammered and earnings growth has slowed, The Wall Street Journal reports. And it is not just the poor that are at risk. "We're seeing an uptick in middle-class people who have never been in this situation before," said Eric Hartsfield, of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
Read it @ The Wall Street Journal
From: The Daily Beast
PRESS RELEASE: Mon., Nov. 3---What If Provisional Ballots Exceed the Margin of Victory?
What If Provisional Ballots Exceed the Margin of Victory?
***Interviews Available***
Novakowski is a senior policy analyst with Demos and the author of the recent report "Provisional Ballots: Where to Watch in 2008." He said today: "When implemented correctly, provisional ballots can enfranchise voters. However, when states adopt unnecessarily stringent standards for counting them and poll workers are not adequately trained in their administration, provisional ballots can have the opposite effect."
According to the report: "More than one in three of the nearly two million provisional ballots cast in the 2004 election were ultimately rejected. Compared to 2004, fewer provisional ballots were cast and a higher percentage were counted in the 2006 election, yet problems remained. In 2008, continued high rates might exceed the margin of victory in several highly contested states in the November presidential race, possibly resulting in uncertainty on the ultimate outcome and increasing the likelihood of post-election litigation. ... The largest percentage of rejected provisional ballots, 43.1 percent in 2006, were invalidated because voters were logged as 'not registered,' despite the voter's belief that they were in fact registered. ... Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia categorically reject all provisional ballots [cast in the wrong precinct]. ... Where multiple precincts are housed in a single polling place, a voter who merely gets in the wrong line can see her ballot voided. In 2006, 15.4 percent of rejected provisional ballots were thrown out because they were cast in the wrong precinct. ... Ohioans cast 127,758 provisional ballots in 2006, the second-highest number in the nation."
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
***Interviews Available***
Novakowski is a senior policy analyst with Demos and the author of the recent report "Provisional Ballots: Where to Watch in 2008." He said today: "When implemented correctly, provisional ballots can enfranchise voters. However, when states adopt unnecessarily stringent standards for counting them and poll workers are not adequately trained in their administration, provisional ballots can have the opposite effect."
According to the report: "More than one in three of the nearly two million provisional ballots cast in the 2004 election were ultimately rejected. Compared to 2004, fewer provisional ballots were cast and a higher percentage were counted in the 2006 election, yet problems remained. In 2008, continued high rates might exceed the margin of victory in several highly contested states in the November presidential race, possibly resulting in uncertainty on the ultimate outcome and increasing the likelihood of post-election litigation. ... The largest percentage of rejected provisional ballots, 43.1 percent in 2006, were invalidated because voters were logged as 'not registered,' despite the voter's belief that they were in fact registered. ... Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia categorically reject all provisional ballots [cast in the wrong precinct]. ... Where multiple precincts are housed in a single polling place, a voter who merely gets in the wrong line can see her ballot voided. In 2006, 15.4 percent of rejected provisional ballots were thrown out because they were cast in the wrong precinct. ... Ohioans cast 127,758 provisional ballots in 2006, the second-highest number in the nation."
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
PRESS RELEASE: Mon., Nov. 3---Bankrupting Coal Industry Would "Turn America's Lights Out"
Americans for American Energy
For Immediate Release: Nov. 3, 2008
Contact: Greg Schnacke, 866-416-0659
Bankrupting Coal Industry Would "Turn America's Lights Out," Democratic Senator Warns
Denver, CO (Nov. 3, 2008) -- Bankrupting the American coal industry, as presidential candidate Barack Obama has reportedly suggested, would crash the already strained U.S. electrical grid, turn America's lights out and increase America's reliance on foreign energy even more, according to the Democratic chairman of Americans for American Energy.
"I am shocked that any candidate for public office, Democrat or Republican, would suggest bankrupting any industry, much less one that literally keeps America's lights on each day," said Wyoming State Senator Bill Vasey (D). "As recently studies have noted, our electrical grid is already strained to the maximum in some places and is in serious need of new baseload power plants. Preventing the construction of clean coal power plants with carbon capture and sequestration would literally lead to turning America's lights out and destroy our economy."
"Clean-coal-fired power plants provide America with more than one-half of the electricity America needs every day. They give us the affordable and reliable energy that keeps us competitive in global markets. And, we have enough clean coal reserves to last us for centuries. We need to accelerate these technologies even faster so that we can build the clean coal power plants of the future as soon as possible," Vasey said.
Vasey is chairman of Americans for American Energy, a non-profit grassroots group that promotes greater reliance on all forms of American energy and less dependence on imported energy. Vasey runs AAE with two other state legislators, Colorado State Senator Bill Cadman (R) and Utah State Representative Aaron Tilton (R).
"Any approach that bankrupts coal would dramatically increase our reliance on natural gas for electric power generation, and that poses its own problems," Vasey said. "Replacing coal-fired power plants with natural gas plants would require an additional 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, in addition to the seven trillion cubic feet we now use for power generation. That means that all natural gas that is available to America would have to shift to power generation, instead of going to families and businesses for home heating and manufacturing processes. We would have to import huge amounts of natural gas from foreign nations -- much more than we do already."
"Shifting solely to natural gas for power generation also would drive energy prices through the roof, which would hurt our economy and our citizens," Vasey said.
"I call on all candidates for office to distance themselves from any policy that seeks to bankrupt the coal industry," Vasey concluded. "America's energy strategy must rely on a balanced portfolio of American resources."
For Immediate Release: Nov. 3, 2008
Contact: Greg Schnacke, 866-416-0659
Bankrupting Coal Industry Would "Turn America's Lights Out," Democratic Senator Warns
Denver, CO (Nov. 3, 2008) -- Bankrupting the American coal industry, as presidential candidate Barack Obama has reportedly suggested, would crash the already strained U.S. electrical grid, turn America's lights out and increase America's reliance on foreign energy even more, according to the Democratic chairman of Americans for American Energy.
"I am shocked that any candidate for public office, Democrat or Republican, would suggest bankrupting any industry, much less one that literally keeps America's lights on each day," said Wyoming State Senator Bill Vasey (D). "As recently studies have noted, our electrical grid is already strained to the maximum in some places and is in serious need of new baseload power plants. Preventing the construction of clean coal power plants with carbon capture and sequestration would literally lead to turning America's lights out and destroy our economy."
"Clean-coal-fired power plants provide America with more than one-half of the electricity America needs every day. They give us the affordable and reliable energy that keeps us competitive in global markets. And, we have enough clean coal reserves to last us for centuries. We need to accelerate these technologies even faster so that we can build the clean coal power plants of the future as soon as possible," Vasey said.
Vasey is chairman of Americans for American Energy, a non-profit grassroots group that promotes greater reliance on all forms of American energy and less dependence on imported energy. Vasey runs AAE with two other state legislators, Colorado State Senator Bill Cadman (R) and Utah State Representative Aaron Tilton (R).
"Any approach that bankrupts coal would dramatically increase our reliance on natural gas for electric power generation, and that poses its own problems," Vasey said. "Replacing coal-fired power plants with natural gas plants would require an additional 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, in addition to the seven trillion cubic feet we now use for power generation. That means that all natural gas that is available to America would have to shift to power generation, instead of going to families and businesses for home heating and manufacturing processes. We would have to import huge amounts of natural gas from foreign nations -- much more than we do already."
"Shifting solely to natural gas for power generation also would drive energy prices through the roof, which would hurt our economy and our citizens," Vasey said.
"I call on all candidates for office to distance themselves from any policy that seeks to bankrupt the coal industry," Vasey concluded. "America's energy strategy must rely on a balanced portfolio of American resources."
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---SUBURBAN COALITION MEETS
The Suburban Coalition hosts a meeting Wednesday night and the group is looking for specific items that its members believe should be part of the coalition’s agenda in the face of slumping tax revenues, budget cuts and a state budget crisis. The coalition features local elected officials and its legislative priorities include education and local infrastructure funding, property tax relief, increasing the stock of affordable housing, and exploring new sources of public revenues.
(Wednesday, 7:30 pm, The Education Collaborative, 1112 High Street, Dedham)
(Wednesday, 7:30 pm, The Education Collaborative, 1112 High Street, Dedham)
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---READINESS FINANCE COMMISSION MEETS
The Readiness Finance Commission, charged with coming up with a price tag for Gov. Patrick’s education reform proposals, holds a public hearing. Education Secretary Paul Reville attends. The commission, co-chaired by Suffolk Construction CEO John Fish and Bentley College President Gloria Larson, is due to issue a report by mid-November.
(Wednesday, 5 pm, Dwight Hall, Perkins School for the Blind, 175 North Beacon St., Watertown)
(Wednesday, 5 pm, Dwight Hall, Perkins School for the Blind, 175 North Beacon St., Watertown)
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT MEETING
The Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust board meets. The board is chaired by Treasurer Timothy Cahill.
(Wednesday, 1:30 pm, One Ashburton Place, 12th floor conference, Boston)
(Wednesday, 1:30 pm, One Ashburton Place, 12th floor conference, Boston)
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---REVILLE AT LESLEY UNIVERSITY
Education Secretary Paul Reville discusses the implementation and long and short-term goals of Gov. Patrick’s education reform effort, the Readiness Project. Those goals, which include big-ticket items such as free community college, are expected to be set back as the state is expected to struggle with falling revenues. After the speech, Reville will participate in a question-and-answer session.
(Wednesday, 2 pm, Lesley University, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge)
(Wednesday, 2 pm, Lesley University, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge)
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---COHEN AT NEW BEDFORD CHAMBER
Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen addresses the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce.
(Wednesday, 8 am, Country Club of New Bedford, 585 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth)
(Wednesday, 8 am, Country Club of New Bedford, 585 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth)
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---FAMILY REUNIFICATION HOUSE OPENING
Lt. Gov. Murray and Undersecretary for Criminal Justice Mary Elizabeth Heffernan will join Correction Commissioner Harold Clarke Wednesday to open the Family Reunification House. The 1,628 square foot structure replaced a trailer used by incarcerated mothers for extended visits, including overnights and weekends, with their children.
(Wednesday, 10 am, South Middlesex Correctional Center, 135 Western Ave., Framingham)
(Wednesday, 10 am, South Middlesex Correctional Center, 135 Western Ave., Framingham)
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---HEARING ON CAPE WIND CABLES SET
State officials will hold a public hearing Wednesday on Cape Wind's application for a chapter 91 license to construct and maintain two electric cable systems that would span 7.5 miles beneath Nantucket Sound and connect the 130-turbine wind farm on Horseshoe Shoals with mainland facilities in Yarmouth's Lewis Bay. The wind turbines will be located in federal waters and the cable system, which will be buried in trenches six feet deep and wide, represents the only portion of the project within the state's jurisdiction under Chapter 91. The Department of Environmental Protection hosts the hearing. Advancing the project was among Gov. Deval Patrick’s campaign promises.
(Wednesday, 6:30 pm, Mattacheese Middle School, 400 Higgins Crowell Road, West Yarmouth)
(Wednesday, 6:30 pm, Mattacheese Middle School, 400 Higgins Crowell Road, West Yarmouth)
Wed., Nov. 5: WILKERSON ANNOUNCEMENT
Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, in the face of federal bribery accusations and a call for her to resign from her Senate colleagues, said last week she would announce her intentions Wednesday. Wilkerson has about two months left in her term and is not actively seeking reelection.
EVENT: Wed., Nov. 5---ELECTION WRAP-UP
The day after Tuesday’s elections is set aside for reviews of results, political analysis, victory rallies and the inevitable recount possibilities. Democrats have a solid grip on the House and Senate and Republicans here have indicated any gain in seats would be considered a victory. A major shift in the party balance within the Legislature is not expected, but each election brings its share of surprises such as incumbents being knocked off.
EVENT: Tuesday, Nov. 4---GREENWAY CONSERVANCY
The board of directors for the Rose Fitzgerald Greenway Conservancy meets. The board, headed by Peter Meade, managing director of Rasky Baerlein, will discuss an initial approach to park operations and the Greenway corridor zoning process. Executive director Nancy Brennan will also provide a report. The conservancy has taken control of the Greenway from the Turnpike Authority.
Tuesday, 9 am, Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, Boston
Tuesday, 9 am, Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, Boston
EVENT: Tuesday, Nov. 4---AERONAUTICS COMMISSION
The Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission meets “for the sole purpose of going into executive session,” according the Executive Office of Transportation.
Tuesday, 11 am, Conference Room 7, 2nd floor, State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston
Tuesday, 11 am, Conference Room 7, 2nd floor, State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston
EVENT: Tuesday, Nov. 4---BEATTY CAMPAIGN
On election night, Sen. John Kerry’s GOP opponent will gather supporters at Westborough’s Doubletree Hotel as the long-shot candidate hopes to unseat the four-term Democrat.
(Tuesday, 8 pm, Westborough Doubletree, Route 9, 5400 Computer Drive, Westborough)
(Tuesday, 8 pm, Westborough Doubletree, Route 9, 5400 Computer Drive, Westborough)
EVENT: Monday, Nov. 3---NEW REGISTRY HOURS
The Registry of Motor Vehicles on Monday will begin opening most of its 35 branches at 9 am, instead of 8:30 am, a cost-cutting measure. Eighteen branches that used to close at 7 pm on Thursdays will also now close at 6 pm and open at 10 am. More info: mass.gov/rmv/branches/index.htm.
EVENT: Monday, Nov. 3---BOARD OF ED ADVISORY COUNCILS
Members from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s 17 advisory councils hear a presentation from board chair Maura Banta and Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester on the board and department’s priorities in the coming year.
(Monday, 10 am, Hogan Campus Center, Holy Cross College, Worcester)
(Monday, 10 am, Hogan Campus Center, Holy Cross College, Worcester)
EVENT: Monday, Nov. 3---LEADERSHIP MEETING
LEADERSHIP MEETING: The semi-regular meeting between Gov. Deval Patrick and legislative leaders is on for this week.
(Monday, 3pm, Gov. Patrick’s office)
(Monday, 3pm, Gov. Patrick’s office)
EVENT: Tuesday, Nov. 4---GOP ELECTION NIGHT PARTY
GOP ELECTION NIGHT PARTY
Tuesday, 8:30 pm, 903 Boylston St., Boston
On Tuesday night, the state GOP holds its official results-watching party at the LIR Irish Pub and Restaurant, where party chairman Peter Torkildsen and former Gov. Paul Cellucci are the featured guests. Cellucci will join the party from 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm. McCain campaign officials will join the GOP at the pub. Limited wireless Internet access will be available.
Tuesday, 8:30 pm, 903 Boylston St., Boston
On Tuesday night, the state GOP holds its official results-watching party at the LIR Irish Pub and Restaurant, where party chairman Peter Torkildsen and former Gov. Paul Cellucci are the featured guests. Cellucci will join the party from 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm. McCain campaign officials will join the GOP at the pub. Limited wireless Internet access will be available.
Friday, October 31, 2008
PRESS RELEASES: Friday, Oct. 31, 2008---MassGOP Announces Election Night Plans
Media Advisory: Contact: Barney Keller
October 29th, 2008 617-523-5005 x245
MassGOP Announces Election Night Plans
Victory Celebration To Be Held In Boston
Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Republican Party today announced that they will hold their election night party at LIR Irish Pub in Boston. For election night questions, please contact Barney Keller at (617) 290-1544.
WHAT: Massachusetts Republican Party Election Night Celebration
WHO: MassGOP Chairman Peter Torkildsen
Governor Paul Cellucci
WHERE: LIR Irish Pub and Restaurant
903 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02115
WHEN: Tuesday, November 4th
8:30 PM
NOTE: Indoor Lighting, Limited Wireless Internet Access
Unsubscribe
October 29th, 2008 617-523-5005 x245
MassGOP Announces Election Night Plans
Victory Celebration To Be Held In Boston
Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Republican Party today announced that they will hold their election night party at LIR Irish Pub in Boston. For election night questions, please contact Barney Keller at (617) 290-1544.
WHAT: Massachusetts Republican Party Election Night Celebration
WHO: MassGOP Chairman Peter Torkildsen
Governor Paul Cellucci
WHERE: LIR Irish Pub and Restaurant
903 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02115
WHEN: Tuesday, November 4th
8:30 PM
NOTE: Indoor Lighting, Limited Wireless Internet Access
Thursday, October 30, 2008
PRESS RELEASES: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008---MESLIFE
I just launched a healthy living social network called melslife that is targeted to younger people – "echo boomers" -- like me who want to embrace life, enjoy food, and maintain their health as well as get their entertainment online -- think of a cross between facebook, YouTube, and WebMD. We built 17 distinctive video channels -- including a Smashed Channel -- that will evolve over the next year as we continue to brand them. Whoever posts the most content between now and January can win 2 tickets anywhere in the world.
I graduated college a few years ago and know how difficult college living can be, as well as starting out in life – career wise.
Why "echo boomers?" Check out our demos (http://melslife.com/target_audience.php). Most college students want to be informed and motivated by their peers and not necessarily by experts.
Please help me get the word out.
Melissa "mel" Melcombe
Press Release
Demos
Why Do College Students Gain Weight?
Check it out at
http://melslife.com/
I graduated college a few years ago and know how difficult college living can be, as well as starting out in life – career wise.
Why "echo boomers?" Check out our demos (http://melslife.com/target_audience.php). Most college students want to be informed and motivated by their peers and not necessarily by experts.
Please help me get the word out.
Melissa "mel" Melcombe
Press Release
Demos
Why Do College Students Gain Weight?
Check it out at
http://melslife.com/
PRESS RELEASES: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008---Hunger in Massachusetts
Hunger in Massachusetts Increases at an Alarming Rate; 522,000 Struggle to Put Food on the Table
Project Bread releases 2008 Status Report on Hunger as many face problems with the basics this winter
October 30, 2008 – Project Bread, the state's leading antihunger organization, has released its annual report on the status of hunger in the Commonwealth. The disquieting trends described in this report point to a sharp and continuing increase in hunger among low-income families and individuals. The report further details the multiple economic effects that hunger has on the Massachusetts economy — especially in the areas of education and health — and argues for systemic solutions designed to address the food insecurity problems of entire populations.
Over eight percent of households in Massachusetts experience "food insecurity," a measurement that captures the degree to which an individual or family cannot obtain adequate nutritious food for a healthy life. "High food prices combined with the current economic crisis are driving a crisis in food insecurity that is broader and deeper than we've seen before in this state," says Ellen Parker, the executive director of Project Bread. "There is every indication that hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts citizens will need help to cover the basics — including many who have never needed help before."
Among Project Bread's findings:
§ Rising food and fuel prices usher in a new era of hunger and there is no evidence to suggest this will change. As the costs of food insecurity and hunger ripple out across the state, the impact on individuals and the economy as a whole is dramatic. Food insecurity and hunger are associated with bad health outcomes and difficulties in learning.
§ Survey research sponsored by Project Bread found fully one-third of school children in high poverty communities live in food-insecure families. Children who are poorly fed do not learn as well in school and are more prone toward obesity and associated health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
§ Data currently being collected from Food for Families, a Project Bread–funded hunger-screening project located in the pediatric service of seven community health centers in low-income neighborhoods, reveal more than 70 percent of the families have run out of money to make a meal. Nearly one third of the families say they cut the size of their children's meals or a child missed a meal because there was not enough money.
§ Reports from emergency food providers — soup kitchens, food pantries, food banks, and food salvage operations funded by Project Bread — show increases in the number of families seeking help. From July to September 2008, calls to Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline, an emergency food assistance line available in 160 languages, were 22 percent higher than in the same period of 2007.
The 2008 Status Report on Hunger also advocates for use of every solution available to hungry people, including immediate emergency help to ease the crisis and long-term solutions to manage the problem and stabilize lives:
§ Enroll every eligible resident in the federally funded nutrition programs — including food stamps, school food, after-school programs, and summer meals programs. The programs are available to every eligible citizen and bring millions of dollars into the state.
§ Bring Project Bread's Better Breakfast and Better Lunch guidelines to scale in low-income schools, potentially improving the health of 300,000 low-income school children. As a first line of defense against hunger in school-age children, the nutritional quality of school food should be improved to meet the highest nutritional standards for health and learning.
§ Provide access to Project Bread's toll-free FoodSource Hotline, 1-800-645-8333, available in 160 languages, as the first place for a family or an elder to turn for comprehensive information about emergency food and enrollment in federal benefits programs.
§ Protect isolated, homebound seniors from hunger by distributing emergency grocery vouchers through the existing system of homecare providers.
Project Bread's 2008 Status Report on Hunger in Massachusetts is attached in a PDF file. The complete report presents the data to support our findings and solutions. Ellen Parker, the executive director of Project Bread, wrote the report. For interviews with Parker, please contact Project Bread.
About Project Bread
As the state's leading antihunger organization, Project Bread is dedicated to alleviating, preventing, and ultimately ending hunger in Massachusetts. Through The Walk for Hunger, the oldest continual pledge walk in the country, Project Bread provides millions of dollars each year in privately donated funds to over 400 emergency food programs in 128 communities statewide. Project Bread also advocates systemic solutions that prevent hunger in children and that provide food to families in natural, everyday settings. With the support of the Governor and State Legislature, the organization has invested millions in grants to community organizations that feed children where they live, learn, and play. For more information, visit www.projectbread.org.
Project Bread releases 2008 Status Report on Hunger as many face problems with the basics this winter
October 30, 2008 – Project Bread, the state's leading antihunger organization, has released its annual report on the status of hunger in the Commonwealth. The disquieting trends described in this report point to a sharp and continuing increase in hunger among low-income families and individuals. The report further details the multiple economic effects that hunger has on the Massachusetts economy — especially in the areas of education and health — and argues for systemic solutions designed to address the food insecurity problems of entire populations.
Over eight percent of households in Massachusetts experience "food insecurity," a measurement that captures the degree to which an individual or family cannot obtain adequate nutritious food for a healthy life. "High food prices combined with the current economic crisis are driving a crisis in food insecurity that is broader and deeper than we've seen before in this state," says Ellen Parker, the executive director of Project Bread. "There is every indication that hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts citizens will need help to cover the basics — including many who have never needed help before."
Among Project Bread's findings:
§ Rising food and fuel prices usher in a new era of hunger and there is no evidence to suggest this will change. As the costs of food insecurity and hunger ripple out across the state, the impact on individuals and the economy as a whole is dramatic. Food insecurity and hunger are associated with bad health outcomes and difficulties in learning.
§ Survey research sponsored by Project Bread found fully one-third of school children in high poverty communities live in food-insecure families. Children who are poorly fed do not learn as well in school and are more prone toward obesity and associated health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
§ Data currently being collected from Food for Families, a Project Bread–funded hunger-screening project located in the pediatric service of seven community health centers in low-income neighborhoods, reveal more than 70 percent of the families have run out of money to make a meal. Nearly one third of the families say they cut the size of their children's meals or a child missed a meal because there was not enough money.
§ Reports from emergency food providers — soup kitchens, food pantries, food banks, and food salvage operations funded by Project Bread — show increases in the number of families seeking help. From July to September 2008, calls to Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline, an emergency food assistance line available in 160 languages, were 22 percent higher than in the same period of 2007.
The 2008 Status Report on Hunger also advocates for use of every solution available to hungry people, including immediate emergency help to ease the crisis and long-term solutions to manage the problem and stabilize lives:
§ Enroll every eligible resident in the federally funded nutrition programs — including food stamps, school food, after-school programs, and summer meals programs. The programs are available to every eligible citizen and bring millions of dollars into the state.
§ Bring Project Bread's Better Breakfast and Better Lunch guidelines to scale in low-income schools, potentially improving the health of 300,000 low-income school children. As a first line of defense against hunger in school-age children, the nutritional quality of school food should be improved to meet the highest nutritional standards for health and learning.
§ Provide access to Project Bread's toll-free FoodSource Hotline, 1-800-645-8333, available in 160 languages, as the first place for a family or an elder to turn for comprehensive information about emergency food and enrollment in federal benefits programs.
§ Protect isolated, homebound seniors from hunger by distributing emergency grocery vouchers through the existing system of homecare providers.
Project Bread's 2008 Status Report on Hunger in Massachusetts is attached in a PDF file. The complete report presents the data to support our findings and solutions. Ellen Parker, the executive director of Project Bread, wrote the report. For interviews with Parker, please contact Project Bread.
About Project Bread
As the state's leading antihunger organization, Project Bread is dedicated to alleviating, preventing, and ultimately ending hunger in Massachusetts. Through The Walk for Hunger, the oldest continual pledge walk in the country, Project Bread provides millions of dollars each year in privately donated funds to over 400 emergency food programs in 128 communities statewide. Project Bread also advocates systemic solutions that prevent hunger in children and that provide food to families in natural, everyday settings. With the support of the Governor and State Legislature, the organization has invested millions in grants to community organizations that feed children where they live, learn, and play. For more information, visit www.projectbread.org.
PRESS RELEASES: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008---New England Ethnic News
Break outside of your ethnic boundaries -- into NEW ENGLAND ETHNIC NEWS (EthnicNEWz.org)!
Highlights on EthnicNEWz.org, a Web site and newswire of UMass-Boston and MIT
(click on headlines and event names to link directly to the stories and Calendar events):
LATINO DISCRIMINATION, ENTREPRENEURS and ANTI-IMMIGRATION IN RHODE ISLAND
Jaime Aguayo, a former member of Gov. Carcieri's Commission on Hispanic Affairs, talks to NEWz about Latino small-business owners in the state (2,000 in all), the Latino student drop-out rate (65% in Providence), Sarah Palin and Latino conservatism, resigning in protest from Carcieri's commission, and a "best kept secret" about discrimination among Latinos.
ITALIANS CONTINUE TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Liborio Stellinuo, the Italian consul general in Boston, takes pride in his ethnic roots in this essay for NEWz and Italian Heritage Month. No longer looked down upon as their Ellis Island forebears were, Italians are now synonymous with beauty, taste and lifestyle, he says.
MY POLISH AMERICA
Stanislaw Radosz, executive director of the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning, gives a heartfelt glimpse of the rich heritage of Poles in the US and Poland, in this essay for NEWz.
WHY DO WE CONSIDER OBAMA TO BE BLACK?
In a commentary for New America Media, Ronald Takaki ponders: Why are all African Americans, regardless of their mixed racial heritage, identified as black?
Genetics and Diet Linked to Diabetes in Latinos
Latinos in the US are twice as likely as whites to develop diabetes. Ignorance, genetics, food choices as well as the portion sizes of foods are linked to the increase, reports NEWz.
Brazilian Guilty in Bomb Attack on Love Rival
A jury has found Brazilian immigrant Joel Lemos guilty in connection with a bomb attack on fellow compatriot José Fernandes do Carmo, reports NEWz.
THE ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME
NEWz's Eduardo de Oliveira opines on the presidential election, as a Brazilian who's been to the DNC and the rallies of Sen. Clinton and the four presidential and VP candidates.
ON UNIVISION, SARAH PALIN TALKS ABOUT IMMIGRATION FOR FIRST TIME
Univision interviewed VP nominee Sarah Palin on immigration. She devoted more time to Latin America than others in the presidential race have in a while, reports Feet in 2 Worlds.
Vietnamese Group Mobilizes Voters and Voting Power
Viet-Vote, a group of determined Vietnamese in Greater Boston, seeks to increase their community's participation in voting and public affairs, says the Dorchester Reporter.
RI Portuguese and LUSOS Honor Their 50+ Years of Public Service
Lusos in Rhode Island celebrated their political representation at the state level as well as their 50 years of continuous office in the RI Senate, reports O Jornal. * * EM PORTUGUES * *
Gandhi Inspires "Be the Change" Volunteer Day in USA
Inspired by Gandhi, Indians across the USA held a "Be The Change" volunteer day. In Boston, some 100 persons helped the homeless, parks, and other causes, reports INDIA New England.
WALLY'S JAZZ CLUB STILL A CULTURAL ICON, SINCE 1934
Wally's Jazz, Boston's first black-owned club, still draws regulars and top musicians, decades after Barbadian immigrant Joseph Walcott opened it in 1934, reports the Bay State Banner.
KOREAN AMERICAN PRESS LAUNCHES KIM KOO CLUB FOR STUDENTS
Korean American Press, with Tufts University, has created a club of middle- and high-school students to foster Korean heritage and instill civic pride, announces KAP.
IN TIGHT ECONOMY, B'NAI MITZVAH GET BACK TO BASICS
The country's economic crisis is affecting Jewish families, who are cutting back on lavish bat and bar mitzvah, reports The Jewish Advocate.
EVENTS ON THE EthnicNEWz.org CALENDAR:
S. African artist Paul Stop forth (exhibit)…'til Oct. 31…Boston
Gurjar Diwali Festival…Nov. 1…Andover, Mass.
Bhakthi Maargam (Indian dance) …Nov. 1…Littleton, Mass.
TOUMANI DIABATÉ from Mali (music) …Nov. 1…Somerville, Mass.
Mexican Day of the Dead....Nov. 2....Boston (Jamaica Plain)
Latin Views (art exhibit)…'til Nov. 2…Groton, CT
Latino de Oro 2008 Awards...Nov. 8....Hartford
Slavery and African American Life in Rhode Island…Providence, RI
The Colors of Italy (photos)…'til Nov. 8…Providence, RI
Films From Iran, at the Museum of Fine Arts …Nov. 7-30…Boston
See more events at ethnicnewz.org/en/event
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Communities of Color and Ethnic Minorities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont:
Send your festival/event photos, news, and Calendar listings for non-commercial events to: EthnicNews@ yahoo.com.
For Calendar listings, please state in the body of your e-mail:
• what the event is (e...g., play, film, book reading, art exhibition)
• time & date of event
• street address (so that new visitors can find you)
• Web site address and/or telephone number for the public
• cost
• brief description of event
Highlights on EthnicNEWz.org, a Web site and newswire of UMass-Boston and MIT
(click on headlines and event names to link directly to the stories and Calendar events):
LATINO DISCRIMINATION, ENTREPRENEURS and ANTI-IMMIGRATION IN RHODE ISLAND
Jaime Aguayo, a former member of Gov. Carcieri's Commission on Hispanic Affairs, talks to NEWz about Latino small-business owners in the state (2,000 in all), the Latino student drop-out rate (65% in Providence), Sarah Palin and Latino conservatism, resigning in protest from Carcieri's commission, and a "best kept secret" about discrimination among Latinos.
ITALIANS CONTINUE TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Liborio Stellinuo, the Italian consul general in Boston, takes pride in his ethnic roots in this essay for NEWz and Italian Heritage Month. No longer looked down upon as their Ellis Island forebears were, Italians are now synonymous with beauty, taste and lifestyle, he says.
MY POLISH AMERICA
Stanislaw Radosz, executive director of the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning, gives a heartfelt glimpse of the rich heritage of Poles in the US and Poland, in this essay for NEWz.
WHY DO WE CONSIDER OBAMA TO BE BLACK?
In a commentary for New America Media, Ronald Takaki ponders: Why are all African Americans, regardless of their mixed racial heritage, identified as black?
Genetics and Diet Linked to Diabetes in Latinos
Latinos in the US are twice as likely as whites to develop diabetes. Ignorance, genetics, food choices as well as the portion sizes of foods are linked to the increase, reports NEWz.
Brazilian Guilty in Bomb Attack on Love Rival
A jury has found Brazilian immigrant Joel Lemos guilty in connection with a bomb attack on fellow compatriot José Fernandes do Carmo, reports NEWz.
THE ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME
NEWz's Eduardo de Oliveira opines on the presidential election, as a Brazilian who's been to the DNC and the rallies of Sen. Clinton and the four presidential and VP candidates.
ON UNIVISION, SARAH PALIN TALKS ABOUT IMMIGRATION FOR FIRST TIME
Univision interviewed VP nominee Sarah Palin on immigration. She devoted more time to Latin America than others in the presidential race have in a while, reports Feet in 2 Worlds.
Vietnamese Group Mobilizes Voters and Voting Power
Viet-Vote, a group of determined Vietnamese in Greater Boston, seeks to increase their community's participation in voting and public affairs, says the Dorchester Reporter.
RI Portuguese and LUSOS Honor Their 50+ Years of Public Service
Lusos in Rhode Island celebrated their political representation at the state level as well as their 50 years of continuous office in the RI Senate, reports O Jornal. * * EM PORTUGUES * *
Gandhi Inspires "Be the Change" Volunteer Day in USA
Inspired by Gandhi, Indians across the USA held a "Be The Change" volunteer day. In Boston, some 100 persons helped the homeless, parks, and other causes, reports INDIA New England.
WALLY'S JAZZ CLUB STILL A CULTURAL ICON, SINCE 1934
Wally's Jazz, Boston's first black-owned club, still draws regulars and top musicians, decades after Barbadian immigrant Joseph Walcott opened it in 1934, reports the Bay State Banner.
KOREAN AMERICAN PRESS LAUNCHES KIM KOO CLUB FOR STUDENTS
Korean American Press, with Tufts University, has created a club of middle- and high-school students to foster Korean heritage and instill civic pride, announces KAP.
IN TIGHT ECONOMY, B'NAI MITZVAH GET BACK TO BASICS
The country's economic crisis is affecting Jewish families, who are cutting back on lavish bat and bar mitzvah, reports The Jewish Advocate.
EVENTS ON THE EthnicNEWz.org CALENDAR:
S. African artist Paul Stop forth (exhibit)…'til Oct. 31…Boston
Gurjar Diwali Festival…Nov. 1…Andover, Mass.
Bhakthi Maargam (Indian dance) …Nov. 1…Littleton, Mass.
TOUMANI DIABATÉ from Mali (music) …Nov. 1…Somerville, Mass.
Mexican Day of the Dead....Nov. 2....Boston (Jamaica Plain)
Latin Views (art exhibit)…'til Nov. 2…Groton, CT
Latino de Oro 2008 Awards...Nov. 8....Hartford
Slavery and African American Life in Rhode Island…Providence, RI
The Colors of Italy (photos)…'til Nov. 8…Providence, RI
Films From Iran, at the Museum of Fine Arts …Nov. 7-30…Boston
See more events at ethnicnewz.org/en/event
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Communities of Color and Ethnic Minorities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont:
Send your festival/event photos, news, and Calendar listings for non-commercial events to: EthnicNews@ yahoo.com.
For Calendar listings, please state in the body of your e-mail:
• what the event is (e...g., play, film, book reading, art exhibition)
• time & date of event
• street address (so that new visitors can find you)
• Web site address and/or telephone number for the public
• cost
• brief description of event
PRESS RELEASE: Thursday, Oct. 30---Faith Leaders on Question 2
AN OPEN LETTER TO MASSACHUSETTS CLERGY AND FAITH LEADERS
To our fellow brothers and sisters in service to God and all of God's children,
Leaders of all faiths are called to certain acts of service: to minister to the poor, to visit the imprisoned, to clothe the needy, feed the hungry and, through God's word, bring peace and comfort to all. Those of us who do this work are often called shepherds. It's an image that is reassuring and captures the great responsibilities that come with this calling – to literally help guide and protect the innocent, the unknowing or the unsuspecting from the dangers that life so often presents. We do this with humility and recognition of our own limitations but also with confidence in God's assistance to help us to see clearly and speak with courage.
Today the people we serve are facing a grave threat and we are reaching out to all of you for help. Next Tuesday, the citizens of Massachusetts are being asked to consider a ballot question that would decriminalize marijuana - a drug surrounded by so much myth that minimizes the risks it poses and the harm that it does. This is an issue that transcends politics. It has a direct bearing on the physical health, the intellectual development, the personal safety and the spiritual growth of thousands and thousands of our young people. Therefore, we have a responsibility to see this issue for what it is and, with one voice, urge all parents, all grown-ups and all people of good will to speak for our children and reject this initiative.
We intend to carry this message to our congregations this weekend. We are respectfully but urgently asking that you also share this message with your congregations and in your communities. We need people to understand that there is no good reason to decriminalize marijuana and very many good reasons not to.
As ministers whose congregations are predominantly people who are poor and of color we look at this threat with the great concern because it is one with which we are already all too familiar. The history of drug and alcohol abuse in society in general, and among the poor and communities of color, is well known and dangerous to ignore or forget. It is a history whose pages are filled with individual and collective stories of pain, violence, loss, exploitation and wasted potential.
For some who do not live in inner city neighborhoods, marijuana use might be regarded as a victimless crime or even a rite of passage. In the communities we serve however, the reality is very different. Marijuana is a common denominator substance used in connection with many other crimes. Marijuana is a big business and its dealers do not hesitate to use violence to protect sales and turf. Finally, marijuana dealers look at our children as their growth market.
The proponents are arguing that possession of less than an ounce of marijuana should be treated as a civil offense and the offender should receive a fine of just $100. What most people fail to recognize is that an ounce of marijuana is no small amount. It's the equivalent of about 60 joints and can fetch up to $600 on the street. In addition, most street sales are being made in "dime" bag, eighth-of-an-ounce or quarter-of-an-ounce quantities. The result is that this ballot initiative doesn't protect kids, but it does create tremendous legal protection for drug dealers!
Proponents have misrepresented the penalties kids suffer from marijuana and CORI records. As ministers, we have and will continue to advocate for CORI reform. We know full well the long-lasting impact of a criminal record. At the same time, we have found no basis in fact for the oft repeated stories about thousands of individuals who have supposedly missed out on job opportunities or college educations because they "got caught just once with a joint."
Finally, proponents have completely ignored the facts around marijuana and its health effects. The increased potency of the drug – it is now 9 times more potent than just a few decades ago – has led to dramatic increases in young people seeking treatment for marijuana dependency. Over the past decade, objective and unassailable medical and scientific evidence are showing that the dangers of marijuana use has been underestimated, including its direct links to cancer, depression, mental illness and other health problems.
Friends, we cannot afford to ignore facts and buy into myths and urban legend. We are ministering to young people who are struggling against significant social and economic obstacles to succeeding in school. Decriminalizing marijuana will only hamper our efforts to close the achievement gap between rich and poor, white and black students. We are ministering to young parents who are struggling against significant social and economic obstacles to hold their families together. Decriminalizing marijuana will not make any family stronger. We are ministering to communities who are yearning and working and striving for social justice and economic opportunity. Decriminalizing marijuana will only bring more crime and destabilization.
We are asking for your help to carry this message forward. Please, in the coming days, share this message with your followers and your friends. May God bless and keep you,
Rev. Jeffrey Brown Pastor William Dickerson
Executive Director Greater Love Tabernacle
Boston Ten Point Coalition Dorchester
Minister Don Muhammad Pastor Ray Hammond
Minister of Muhammad's Mosque Bethel AME Church
of Islam, Mosque # 11 Board Chair, Boston Ten Point Coalition
Board Member, Black Ministerial Alliance
Pastor Bruce Wall Rev. Gregory Groover
Bruce Wall Ministries Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church
Dorchester Vice-president, Black Ministerial Alliance
To our fellow brothers and sisters in service to God and all of God's children,
Leaders of all faiths are called to certain acts of service: to minister to the poor, to visit the imprisoned, to clothe the needy, feed the hungry and, through God's word, bring peace and comfort to all. Those of us who do this work are often called shepherds. It's an image that is reassuring and captures the great responsibilities that come with this calling – to literally help guide and protect the innocent, the unknowing or the unsuspecting from the dangers that life so often presents. We do this with humility and recognition of our own limitations but also with confidence in God's assistance to help us to see clearly and speak with courage.
Today the people we serve are facing a grave threat and we are reaching out to all of you for help. Next Tuesday, the citizens of Massachusetts are being asked to consider a ballot question that would decriminalize marijuana - a drug surrounded by so much myth that minimizes the risks it poses and the harm that it does. This is an issue that transcends politics. It has a direct bearing on the physical health, the intellectual development, the personal safety and the spiritual growth of thousands and thousands of our young people. Therefore, we have a responsibility to see this issue for what it is and, with one voice, urge all parents, all grown-ups and all people of good will to speak for our children and reject this initiative.
We intend to carry this message to our congregations this weekend. We are respectfully but urgently asking that you also share this message with your congregations and in your communities. We need people to understand that there is no good reason to decriminalize marijuana and very many good reasons not to.
As ministers whose congregations are predominantly people who are poor and of color we look at this threat with the great concern because it is one with which we are already all too familiar. The history of drug and alcohol abuse in society in general, and among the poor and communities of color, is well known and dangerous to ignore or forget. It is a history whose pages are filled with individual and collective stories of pain, violence, loss, exploitation and wasted potential.
For some who do not live in inner city neighborhoods, marijuana use might be regarded as a victimless crime or even a rite of passage. In the communities we serve however, the reality is very different. Marijuana is a common denominator substance used in connection with many other crimes. Marijuana is a big business and its dealers do not hesitate to use violence to protect sales and turf. Finally, marijuana dealers look at our children as their growth market.
The proponents are arguing that possession of less than an ounce of marijuana should be treated as a civil offense and the offender should receive a fine of just $100. What most people fail to recognize is that an ounce of marijuana is no small amount. It's the equivalent of about 60 joints and can fetch up to $600 on the street. In addition, most street sales are being made in "dime" bag, eighth-of-an-ounce or quarter-of-an-ounce quantities. The result is that this ballot initiative doesn't protect kids, but it does create tremendous legal protection for drug dealers!
Proponents have misrepresented the penalties kids suffer from marijuana and CORI records. As ministers, we have and will continue to advocate for CORI reform. We know full well the long-lasting impact of a criminal record. At the same time, we have found no basis in fact for the oft repeated stories about thousands of individuals who have supposedly missed out on job opportunities or college educations because they "got caught just once with a joint."
Finally, proponents have completely ignored the facts around marijuana and its health effects. The increased potency of the drug – it is now 9 times more potent than just a few decades ago – has led to dramatic increases in young people seeking treatment for marijuana dependency. Over the past decade, objective and unassailable medical and scientific evidence are showing that the dangers of marijuana use has been underestimated, including its direct links to cancer, depression, mental illness and other health problems.
Friends, we cannot afford to ignore facts and buy into myths and urban legend. We are ministering to young people who are struggling against significant social and economic obstacles to succeeding in school. Decriminalizing marijuana will only hamper our efforts to close the achievement gap between rich and poor, white and black students. We are ministering to young parents who are struggling against significant social and economic obstacles to hold their families together. Decriminalizing marijuana will not make any family stronger. We are ministering to communities who are yearning and working and striving for social justice and economic opportunity. Decriminalizing marijuana will only bring more crime and destabilization.
We are asking for your help to carry this message forward. Please, in the coming days, share this message with your followers and your friends. May God bless and keep you,
Rev. Jeffrey Brown Pastor William Dickerson
Executive Director Greater Love Tabernacle
Boston Ten Point Coalition Dorchester
Minister Don Muhammad Pastor Ray Hammond
Minister of Muhammad's Mosque Bethel AME Church
of Islam, Mosque # 11 Board Chair, Boston Ten Point Coalition
Board Member, Black Ministerial Alliance
Pastor Bruce Wall Rev. Gregory Groover
Bruce Wall Ministries Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church
Dorchester Vice-president, Black Ministerial Alliance
PRESS RELEASE: Thursday, Oct. 30---Security and Auditability of Electronic Voting Machines
Security and Auditability of Electronic Voting Machines
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Interviews Available
PENNY VENETIS, 973-353-5687, 917-617-3524, pennyv@kinoy.rutgers.edu, http://www.northjersey.com/news/elections/31220364.html
Venetis is plantiff's counsel in a four-year lawsuit spearheaded by the Constitutional Litigation Clinic at Rutgers School of Law. According to expert reports conducted as a part of the lawsuit, "approximately 10,000 voting machines used in 18 out of the 21 counties in New Jersey can be manipulated to throw an election." The report concluded that "vote-stealing software can be easily installed in the AVC Advantage [Sequoia electronic voting machines] in less than eight minutes. The technical knowledge needed to write vote-stealing software is widespread and common."
Venetis said today: "The possibility for disenfranchisement due to voting machine insecurities puts at risk the more than 5 million registered New Jersey voters. It is most unfortunate that the state continues to defend these insecure voting systems."
DAVID JEFFERSON, (925) 989-3701, d_jefferson@yahoo.com, http://people.llnl.gov/jefferson6
Jefferson is a computer scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. He has also served as a technical advisor to five Secretaries of State of California on issues related to elections and voting, and has led or participated in several formal studies of voting system reliability and security. He said today: "The most important property that a voting system can have is meaningful and transparent auditability. We must not depend on the reliability of hardware or the correctness of software. Even if the voting system is proprietary and is riddled with bugs, security vulnerabilities, or even malicious code, we must be able to demonstrate we can detect the problem and call the winners properly anyway, and do so in such a way that even the losing candidates will be convinced of the correctness of the outcome. Today this is only practically achievable with scanned paper ballots (or to a lesser extent, a voter-verified paper audit trail) accompanied by a mandatory, statistically sound, risk-based post-election audit procedure."
MICHAEL ALVAREZ, JONATHAN KATZ, [via Jon Weiner], (626) 395-3227, jrweiner@caltech.edu, http://www.vote.caltech.edu/
Alvarez and Katz are both professors of political science at Caltech. They are also co-directors of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project.
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Interviews Available
PENNY VENETIS, 973-353-5687, 917-617-3524, pennyv@kinoy.rutgers.edu, http://www.northjersey.com/news/elections/31220364.html
Venetis is plantiff's counsel in a four-year lawsuit spearheaded by the Constitutional Litigation Clinic at Rutgers School of Law. According to expert reports conducted as a part of the lawsuit, "approximately 10,000 voting machines used in 18 out of the 21 counties in New Jersey can be manipulated to throw an election." The report concluded that "vote-stealing software can be easily installed in the AVC Advantage [Sequoia electronic voting machines] in less than eight minutes. The technical knowledge needed to write vote-stealing software is widespread and common."
Venetis said today: "The possibility for disenfranchisement due to voting machine insecurities puts at risk the more than 5 million registered New Jersey voters. It is most unfortunate that the state continues to defend these insecure voting systems."
DAVID JEFFERSON, (925) 989-3701, d_jefferson@yahoo.com, http://people.llnl.gov/jefferson6
Jefferson is a computer scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. He has also served as a technical advisor to five Secretaries of State of California on issues related to elections and voting, and has led or participated in several formal studies of voting system reliability and security. He said today: "The most important property that a voting system can have is meaningful and transparent auditability. We must not depend on the reliability of hardware or the correctness of software. Even if the voting system is proprietary and is riddled with bugs, security vulnerabilities, or even malicious code, we must be able to demonstrate we can detect the problem and call the winners properly anyway, and do so in such a way that even the losing candidates will be convinced of the correctness of the outcome. Today this is only practically achievable with scanned paper ballots (or to a lesser extent, a voter-verified paper audit trail) accompanied by a mandatory, statistically sound, risk-based post-election audit procedure."
MICHAEL ALVAREZ, JONATHAN KATZ, [via Jon Weiner], (626) 395-3227, jrweiner@caltech.edu, http://www.vote.caltech.edu/
Alvarez and Katz are both professors of political science at Caltech. They are also co-directors of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project.
For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
PRESS RELEASE: Thursday, Oct. 30---MySpace/NBC/WSJ Poll of New and Lapsed Voters
NEW MYSPACE/NBC/WSJ POLL OF NEW AND LAPSED VOTERS
Wednesday, October 29th
Here are some of the highlights of the poll findings:
· Obama has support of 69% of this voting bloc.
· This bloc makes up 13% of the total electorate.
· 70% of these voters are extremely interested in the election and are likely voters.
· At this level of support among new and lapsed voters, even if Obama only won half of all other voters (those who DID vote in 2004), he would win the presidency with 52.5% of the vote.
· In fact, his support among all other voters could drop as low as 47.3%, and he would still win the presidency with 50.1% of the total vote based on the support of new and lapsed voters. (This is based on popular vote, not necessarily Electoral College).
Thus, if these voters actually come out to the polls, then their support will secure a win for Obama.
· 64% of these voters say no matter who wins, the country will be better off in 4 years.
· Desired agenda for the next administration are big picture items, like: Good jobs, fixing Wall Street, lowering healthcare costs, insurance for more Americans, Iraq, and lowering the federal deficit.
· This voting bloc is optimistic about the future, even if they overwhelmingly think the country is currently on the wrong path.
· This voting bloc thinks the current economic crisis is the fault of numerous groups (ie not just Wall Street, but also Congress, Bush, homeowners, etc)
· Download the full poll results here.
· Blog: Interpreting the numbers
by Lee Brenner, Executive Producer of Political Programming & Director of MySpace IMPACT.
For more information please visit the IMPACT channel at http://www.impact.myspace.com
About MySpace IMPACT
MySpace IMPACT's goal is to empower users to make a difference in the world by building partnerships and programs focused on voter education, voter registration, and voter turnout. To educate MySpace users about candidates and issues, the company teamed up with MTV in the primary season to produce a series of highly interactive candidate town hall events geared toward young and first-time voters called the MySpace/MTV Presidential Dialogues; partnered with NBC News and msnbc.com to deliver high-quality election coverage and citizen journalism opportunities to users through a hub called Decision08; and worked with the Commission on Presidential Debates to power MyDebates.org, the official online companion to the Presidential Debates. MySpace IMPACT's online voter registration is powered by the non-profit nonpartisan organization Declare Yourself.
Jamie Schumacher
MySpace
Public Affairs
407 North Maple Drive, 2nd Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 969-7087 office
(415) 341-2594 mobile
jschumacher@myspace.com
Wednesday, October 29th
Here are some of the highlights of the poll findings:
· Obama has support of 69% of this voting bloc.
· This bloc makes up 13% of the total electorate.
· 70% of these voters are extremely interested in the election and are likely voters.
· At this level of support among new and lapsed voters, even if Obama only won half of all other voters (those who DID vote in 2004), he would win the presidency with 52.5% of the vote.
· In fact, his support among all other voters could drop as low as 47.3%, and he would still win the presidency with 50.1% of the total vote based on the support of new and lapsed voters. (This is based on popular vote, not necessarily Electoral College).
Thus, if these voters actually come out to the polls, then their support will secure a win for Obama.
· 64% of these voters say no matter who wins, the country will be better off in 4 years.
· Desired agenda for the next administration are big picture items, like: Good jobs, fixing Wall Street, lowering healthcare costs, insurance for more Americans, Iraq, and lowering the federal deficit.
· This voting bloc is optimistic about the future, even if they overwhelmingly think the country is currently on the wrong path.
· This voting bloc thinks the current economic crisis is the fault of numerous groups (ie not just Wall Street, but also Congress, Bush, homeowners, etc)
· Download the full poll results here.
· Blog: Interpreting the numbers
by Lee Brenner, Executive Producer of Political Programming & Director of MySpace IMPACT.
For more information please visit the IMPACT channel at http://www.impact.myspace.com
About MySpace IMPACT
MySpace IMPACT's goal is to empower users to make a difference in the world by building partnerships and programs focused on voter education, voter registration, and voter turnout. To educate MySpace users about candidates and issues, the company teamed up with MTV in the primary season to produce a series of highly interactive candidate town hall events geared toward young and first-time voters called the MySpace/MTV Presidential Dialogues; partnered with NBC News and msnbc.com to deliver high-quality election coverage and citizen journalism opportunities to users through a hub called Decision08; and worked with the Commission on Presidential Debates to power MyDebates.org, the official online companion to the Presidential Debates. MySpace IMPACT's online voter registration is powered by the non-profit nonpartisan organization Declare Yourself.
Jamie Schumacher
MySpace
Public Affairs
407 North Maple Drive, 2nd Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 969-7087 office
(415) 341-2594 mobile
jschumacher@myspace.com
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