China Alleges New Olympic Terror Plot

Now, I'll admit to being a bit of a cynic and stories like this one just don't help. Given China's history of prevarication, do we really believe that this is actually more than a protest against government restraints and abuses? Or is it something manufactured to make them look like they're taking care of business?

On the other hand, it's not exactly a comforting PR stunt - making up a serious threat to foreign journalists, athletes, and visitors. It makes me wonder if this is just an excuse to increase Chinese persecution in Tibet and the surrounding regions. I suppose it would be a valid reason, if it really was terrorism.

I've never believed in throwing political issues into the Olympics, but this year - I just don't know. Many world leaders have chosen to 'miss' the opening ceremonies. Maybe it is time to talk about boycotts.




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God Bless!

Jules

National Donate Life Month

Obviously, this is a subject near and dear to our hearts.

Tell someone: The need is great and growing.

* More than 95,000 people are in need of an organ for transplant.
* Each day, about 77 people get the organ transplant that gives them a second chance, but 17 to 19 others die because they did not receive an organ transplant.
* More than half the people on the waiting list for a donated organ are racial or ethnic minorities. Chances of getting a transplant increase if donor and recipient share the same racial/ethnic background.
OrganDonor.gov "April is National Donate Life Month"

Since 2003, April has been designated as Donate Life Month. There are 30 days in which you, your company, and your school can make a difference in the lives of people who need organ transplants. Programs exist for a myriad of applications.

Decision Donate is an instructional program for high schools, that helps students make informed decisions about becoming an organ donor.

The Workplace Partnership provides information about businesses that make donation information available to their employees. Find out how to get your company/employer involved.

Participate in National Donate Life Month events sponsored by an organization in your area. Help them spread the word!

As harsh as it may sound - when you're dead, you're dead. How incredible is it that from one death, the life of at least eight (8) people can be improved/saved? Don't think about death, think about life. Commit to Donation

What if You were on The List?

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God Bless!

Jules

FreeRice.com

A friend of our sent us this link - FreeRice.com. For every definition you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice throughout the United Nations, in an effort to end world hunger. What a great way to practice your vocabulary!

Not all of the words are exactly easy. Some are older in usage, and some are medical. As you work through the list, your vocabulary level increases and decreases. Mine went up pretty fast, then went down even faster! lol

By the time my brain decided it had had enough, I had donated almost 2,000 grains of rice and gotten some well-needed mental exercise.






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God Bless!

Jules

Reusable Totes

Rather than choose paper or plastic, why not carry one of these custom-designed totes?




I don't drive to any of the stores within about a 1/4 mile of our apartment - it's just more practical and logical to walk - so, I have a couple of totes for these quick trips. Not only am I not adding to the local landfill, it's actually a lot easier for me to carry everything home.

These totes are great, no matter what store you're going to. So many places - discount and grocery stores, for example - offer self-serve check-out lanes. Why not carry a canvas tote, rather than packing those few items into something that you're just going to throw away when you get home?






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God Bless!

Jules

Earthjustice eBrief

I received the latest Earthjustice eBrief yesterday and was absolutely thrilled to read about:

Coal power stopped in America's heartland

A precedent-setting shockwave swept out of Kansas (Oct. 18) and across the nation when that state became the first to reject a coal-fired power plant because of its global warming impacts. The Sunflower generation plant would have spewed 10 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. Earthjustice relied on legal tactics and public pressure from our Kansas activists to defeat the plant. Kansas now leads the national surge against coal power expansion. See video of Earthjustice attorney David Baron debating the issue on CNBC.

Unfortunately, there was also this report out of Wyoming:

Coal supporters react with anger, stealth

As political and business leaders in Kansas vowed revenge over the Sunflower defeat, the state of Wyoming quietly approved an even dirtier coal plant, which Earthjustice is also challenging. Amid the furor, Earthjustice welcomed Senator Joseph Lieberman's bill to cap global warming emissions from coal power and other sources.

As always, we take one step forward and two steps back. It's frustrating and upsetting to read about our legislators working against everything their constituents want - in favor of big business. I know that it's nothing new, but we are at a point in our environmental evolution that simply does not allow for outrageous acts of stupidity.

Wyoming? Get a clue!

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God Bless!

Jules

Citizen Advocacy Academy

I just received confirmation from Defenders of Wildlife that I have been accepted to attend the Citizen Advocacy Academy at the Phoenix Zoo on November 4th. Not only will I be meeting other advocates for wildlife and the environment, I'll be developing skills to help me work with my community, the media, and elected officials. Needless to say, I am really excited.

As you know, many of my posts here are about saving wildlife, ecosystems, and the environment in general. This is something that is very important to me and, since I can't support these causes with cash, I compensate by writing and speaking to as many people as I can. Won't you join me?

It's really very easy. Just go to the Defenders of Wildlife's Wildlife Action Center and find the activity that appeals to your interest and available time. There are many, many ways that you can get involved. Please help.






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God Bless!

Jules

Solar Air Conditioning Systems

Living in Arizona, the one thing we have an abundance of is sunshine; over 300 days per year, in fact. This makes solar energy an obvious and economical choice, what with the personal tax credit, property tax exemption, equipment sales tax exemption, and utility rebate programs. And that doesn't include the federal renewable energy incentives. (Just search " your state energy incentives " to see what programs and rebates are available in your area.)

Solar Panels Plus offers products to produce hot water and electricity. Depending on your location, the electricity, which can be used immediately or stored for future use, may also be sold back to the public grid. As great as these ideas are, what really caught my attention was the solar air conditioner. This process powers an absorption chiller unit, the type of system that's been in use since the early 20th century. But, with the addition of solar energy collection, this system has become truly cost-effective.

In current use, these air conditioners are actually gas-fired, meaning heat is applied to a boiler which then powers the cooling cycle. However, combined with a rooftop solar thermal collection system, these units no longer need gas firing, resulting in extraordinary savings. There's even a low cost option that allows the system to function as a heater during the winter.

If you're looking to live a 'greener' life, wouldn't Solar Panels Plus be the perfect place to start? You don't have to live in the desert to take advantage of solar energy.




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God Bless!

Jules

Tell Congress to Keep Fighting for Children's Healthcare

In a rare show of bipartisan compromise, Congress passed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill. As expected, Bush vetoed it; however, the House was only a few votes short of enough to override the veto. So, possibly as early as today, Congress is voting on this bill, again.

Families USA is sponsoring a petition, targeted at Congress, urging continued bipartisan support for SCHIP. Only a few additional votes are needed to pass this bill - and make it veto-proof. Ten million American children need this program.

Won't you please sign the petition and remind Congress, whose members have guaranteed healthcare coverage, that the health of our future is dependent upon the health of our children?






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God Bless!

Jules

Protect Alaskan Wilderness ** Urgent Request **

The Wilderness Society is sponsoring a petition to stop the Bush administration from allowing drilling in the area of Teshekpuk Lake in Alaska. After years of protecting this region, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering opening it up for oil drilling. This simply cannot happen.

Scientists rate the Teshekpuk Lake area as one of the most important Tundra-Wetland ecosystems remaining in the world. It is home to lagoons, lakes, rivers, streams, meadows and more.

It also provides critical habitat to a million birds, more than 45,000 Caribou and other mammals, and seven Native communities. Even Polar Bears occasionally find their way to this area in the warmer months.

We have until November 6th, the BLM cutoff date, to comment and make our voices heard. Please sign this petition ~ by October 29th, to ensure Care2 can deliver all comments before the deadline. Help keep the oil industry out of this fragile ecosystem.

If you don't, who will?








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at Independent Designers

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God Bless!

Jules

Comcast Interferes With File-Sharing

Have you heard about this?

Last week the Associated Press reported that "Comcast Corp. actively interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet subscribers to share files online, a move that runs counter to the tradition of treating all types of Net traffic equally."

If I understand correctly, after a subscriber sends a request to upload a file through a BitTorrent sharing computer, Comcast actually sends a fake message that appears to come from the subscriber, stating that the requester no longer wants the file, effectively ending the session. Now, if you or I were to do that, we'd be looking at charges and jail-time.

After reading this article, I was actually quite happy that our complex dropped Comcast to go with Cox. Sadly, I have no reason to assume that Comcast is the only provider interfering with their subscribers.

Comcast along other cable providers and phone companies has argued that such legislation is unnecessary because they don’t discriminate but the SavetheInternet.com Coalition worries that "the nation's largest telephone and cable companies - including AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner - want to be Internet gatekeepers, deciding which Web sites go fast or slow and which won't load at all."

Please visit SaveTheInternet.com and learn, not only what's being done, but how you can "take action and protect free speech everywhere" - while we still have some.

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God Bless!

Jules

Protect Critical Habitat for Polar Bears

As the poster children for global warming, polar bears are in grave danger - as a species - from melting sea ice. Already birth rates have dropped and documented reports tell of bears drowning and starving, of dens collapsing on mothers and cubs because of rainfall too early in the season. A new study by US Geological Survey shows that the ideal polar bear habitat is declining and, worst of all, is projected to be mostly gone by 2050. Where does that leave the animals dependent upon this ecosystem?

A new petition, sponsored by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and targeted at Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Department of the Interior, is urgently asking the US Administration to not just designate the polar bear as a threatened species, but to take the necessary steps to protect its critical habitat. Without this additional provision, listing polar bears as threatened will do little to save them. Global warming is the primary threat to these beautiful animals and acting to protect the Arctic sea ice is the only way to truly help.

Please show your support for the polar bear and our planet - sign this petition. It only takes a minute and can mean the world to the world.

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God Bless!

Jules

Not In My Cart!

Just yesterday, I received a notice from Consumers Union announcing the launch of their new campaign - Not In My Cart.org, designed to give a voice to consumers who are, justifiably, concerned about the quality of the products on their store shelves. As you probably know, more than 12 million children's toys have already been recalled this year. Last week, J.C. Penney issued a recall of Winnie the Pooh toys for excess lead levels, and the Cub Scouts pulled a lead-laden merit badge.

If you're interested in keeping these dangerous, deadly products out of the US marketplace, visit Not In My Cart.org and send a letter to Congress. Tell legislators that it's time to take decisive action to protect Americans from contaminated pet food, toxic toothpaste, lead-laden toys, hazardous tires, contaminated seafood, and unsafe electrical items. With the holidays just weeks away, consumers will soon be buying millions gifts and toys, as well as food and beverages for seasonal get-togethers.

It's time for manufacturers, importers, and retailers to step up to the plate and make sure that American consumers are safe - during the holiday season and beyond.

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We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Blog Action Day Wrap-up

Whether you participated in Blog Action Day or just enjoyed all of the ideas that were generated, you just have to see the final numbers. I was thoroughly amazed by how many bloggers, how many blogs, and how many RSS readers were involved in this project. Wander on over to Blog Action Day.org and have a look at the statistics.

You'll also find a list of some of the online and traditional news outlets that carried stories. (Did you notice Graham's lovely column for Blogger.com?) From Greece to Australia to Vancouver to Manila, the media had something to say about this day. For more articles, check out Google News Search.

It was an interesting concept and really made me think about the ways that humans are damaging the planet we call home. Not to mention, it challenged me to change some of the things that I do, without thinking, that contribute to ozone damage. I did use the BP Carbon Calculator to get a rough idea of our carbon footprint. Amazingly, we are producing 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide, less than 1/2 of the United States average of 18.58.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

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We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

IndieMV Teams With UNICEF Against AIDS

IndieMV - Music+People, a music video based social network, has joined with UNICEF Canada to promote the global Unite For Children, Unite Against AIDS campaign. Designed to help bring awareness of the impact that HIV and AIDS has on children around the world, this year-old campaign is dedicated to seeing that young people are not ignored in the efforts to combat these devastating diseases.

The UNITE AGAINST AIDS video contest, sponsored by IndieMV, is an opportunity for people to creatively express their views about HIV and AIDS in music and video. It couldn't be easier to make your voice heard. Simply go to IndieMV and create your account. Once you apply for the contest, you can start creating your 30-60 second video.

IndieMV provides audio tracks, video footage, and images that you can incorporate into your creation. Of course, if you have music, video, or photos of your own, you can use those, too. Once you're done, just upload your video to the site and tell all of your friends to come vote.



Submit a video and vote for your favorites through November 15, 2007. The top three videos will be announced on November 22nd and will be shown at the Unite Against AIDS concert in Montreal on November 28th 2007. The Grand Prize winner will be announced on December 8th, after a second round of voting.

Don't wait! Make your voice heard today.

Press Release:

IndieMV.com Launches and Partners With UNICEF for Upcoming, Star-Studded, 'Unite Against AIDS' Benefit Concert

Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan and Others to Perform at UNICEF AIDS Benefit Concert as IndieMV Provides Music-Video Based Contests to Promote Awareness

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IndieMV Media Group announced today the official launch of the Company's web site www.IndieMV.com and shared details about their recent partnership with UNICEF to provide music-video based contests surrounding the upcoming "Unite Against AIDS" benefit concert on November 28, 2007.

IndieMV.com, is a video-based website that has been designed to connect independent music artists, fans, and labels through social networking. The website is not only a video marketplace for musicians but also a social networking service for students, music lovers, and users that simply want to connect. Services to users are based around networking tools such as video blogging (or 'vlogging'), private web-cam messaging, photo sharing, as well as access to music videos, interviews, and much more. Services to musicians include digital distribution with revenue share on video downloads along with access to all user-based features.

IndieMV also offers users a new technology called 'Sliders'. Sliders are an advanced tagging system that allows users to easily search content on a more personalized level. It is a filtering system that each user can customize to their personal interests and preferences.

Concurrent with the website launch, the Company is also pleased to announce their new relationship with UNICEF surrounding music-video based contests that have been organized to help promote their upcoming "Unite Against AIDS" benefit concert in Montreal, Canada on November 28, 2007, as well as promote independent music while spreading awareness for the "Unite For Children, Unite Against AIDS" campaign. IndieMV will be hosting a music-video contest in conjunction with UNICEF. It has been designed to give youth the opportunity to share their impressions and thoughts on issues regarding AIDS and its effect on the world. UNICEF will provide audio tracks and visual footage, and IndieMV will provide the platform for uploading, viewing, and voting for the music videos. Over the next couple of months, the Company's campus development efforts will carry the UNICEF message and encourage thousands to support the campaign and to build their scene on IndieMV.com.

Confirmed feature performers already include headliner Avril Lavigne, Grammy Award winner Sarah McLachlan, Corneille, Marie-Mai, Angelique Kidjo, and DJ Dino Lenny, as well as the winner of the IndieMV "Unite" band contest. Net proceeds from the concert will benefit UNICEF's international 'Unite For Children, Unite Against AIDS' campaign, which is the largest ever mounted to bring the world's attention to the global impact of HIV and AIDS on children and young people. Please visit www.IndieMV.com for more details surrounding the contests and concert.

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We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

How Big is Your Carbon Footprint?

Today, October 15th, is Blog Action Day, a day when thousands of bloggers, reaching millions of readers, all post about one cause - the Environment. There is no agenda, no required viewpoint. Each writer will post about what is important to them.

There are calculators (BPs is one of my favorites) for determining your personal or household carbon footprint, based on household energy habits and usage, energy-rated appliances, recycling habits, and miles traveled per year. While that is a pretty good indication of how much carbon dioxide you're releasing into the environment, such calculations leave some interesting items out of the equation.

• How much meat do you eat?
  • The meat industry creates 18% of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in methane from cattle and nitrous oxide from manure. We still eat meat, but much less than we used to and the amount lessens every year.
    
    
• What types of light bulbs do you use?
  • Compact fluorescents (CFLs) use one-fourth the electricity and generate 70% less heat than standard incandescent bulbs. Even as renters, we were able to replace every bulb, but one, with CFLs. Because these bulbs generate more light, I can easily read any size print from the comfort of my recliner, with only the light from one fixture across the room.
    
  • I would also recommend putting lights on dimmer switches whenever possible. For most activities, it may not be necessary to have a lamp turned all the way up, allowing a further reduction in energy usage.
    
    
• Do you mail your bill payments?
  • By paying bills online or through automatic deductions, fewer trees have to die for checks, envelopes, and postage, and less fuel is needed to deliver mail. We don't receive any bills by mail; all of the information is available online. This further reduces the need to fell trees for paper or fuel mail trucks to bring us statements.
    
    
• Where does your food come from?
  • Buying locally grown and produced goods decreases the use of fuels to transport these items from other parts of your country or the world. Additionally, supporting neighborhood farmers and artisans strengthens local economies and offers fresher, healthier products.

Many thanks to Jay and Julie Online.com for many of these ideas. It's nice to know that Mark and I had already adopted many of these ideas for reducing our carbon footprint.

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We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Owners of Massacred Pets to Receive Help

I don't know if you've been following this story, but it's horrendous. Apparently, residents of some Puerto Rican housing projects were told that they were not allowed to have pets. In order to ensure compliance with this policy, the owners hired a company to come in and remove the pets.

If that weren't bad enough, the contractor that removed the animals is reported to have injected the animals and taken them to a nearby city where they were thrown off a 50-foot bridge. Many of the animals, though seriously injured, survived the fall. The company's owner responded with, to paraphrase, "You can't prove those were the animals we removed."

Happily, if that's a term that can be applied to this situation, Friends of the Animals and other groups, are helping the pet owners pursue claims of animal cruelty and civil rights violations. I'm not sure that being able to own a pet is really a civil right, but I'm happy to see the animal cruelty charges being aggressively pursued.

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We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Wolf Awareness Week

October is a busy month - Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Blog Action Day, BP Solar Decathlon - and Wolf Awareness Week, October 14-20, 2007. Defenders of Wildlife sponsors events around the country during the 3rd week of October, to celebrate wolves, as well as encourage conservation of all wildlife.

Please take time to learn about these beautiful creatures and their important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Find out what you can do to support the PAW Act and urge your representative to help stop Alaska's aerial hunting program. This Act will also help to curb the spread of such hunting programs to areas like Yellowstone.

If you live in or are planning to visit Golden, Colorado this month, please drop by the Lookout Mountain Nature Center between 1pm - 4pm on October 14th for An Afternoon of Wolves. A wolf expert from Yellowstone will be at the Center to share his knowledge of and experience with these amazing animals. The event is free and you can stop by at any time during the afternoon.

Other events are planned from Anchorage, Alaska to Smyrna, New York. Check back often for the latest listings.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Blog Action Day

Organized by a core team of bloggers, October 15, 2007 has been designated Blog Action Day. A day when bloggers around the world will join together to put one important issue - the environment - on everybody's mind. Can you imagine the impact? Thousands of posts from every corner of the globe, speaking out on one day, about one concern.

It doesn't matter what your blog is about. I have three, not counting Yahoo!360, - one you're reading right now, another is a creative writing blog, the third is on MySpace. I've registered all of them. Curious about which blogs are participating? Check out the list of over 8,000!

Do you make money blogging? Why not donate your earnings from October 15th to an environmental charity? Choose from five officially supported organizations, from Greenpeace to The Nature Conservancy. You'll find donation details, as well as links to each charity's website, on the Blog Action Day website.

What about your friends who blog? Send them an email and let them know about this important day. And don't forget to add a banner to your website or blog. The goal is mass participation, so make sure that everyone you know gets the word.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Tell Rush Limbaugh to Apologize

I've never been a Rush Limbaugh fan, although I used to listen to his TV program off and on. It was a bit like a train wreck - you didn't want to look, for fear of what you'd see, but you just couldn't help yourself. Plus, there was always the chance that you'd get to see him stuff both feet in his mouth.

Apparently, Mr. Limbaugh still likes to make an utter fool of himself. The latest came on his September 20th broadcast, where he called American servicemen and women who oppose the war in Iraq "phony soldiers". This is not a small number - according to a December 2006 poll, only 35% of service members approved of Bush's handling of the war.

The Care2 Petition Site is asking everyone who supports our troops (you don't have to support the war) and is offended by these comments to sign this petition and tell Rush Limbaugh to apologize to our troops. Remember, his show is broadcast on Armed Forces Radio, so members of the service - around the world - heard these insults.

Won't you take a minute and sign this petition? I have.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Michael Vick and a PSA

I found this story quite interesting, if that's the right word. Michael Vick, it has been confirmed, voluntarily took a PETA class on 'respect for animals'. He is now in negotiations, again confirmed, with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to do a public service announcement.

Apparently determined to improve his public image, Vick told PETA that he was interested in taking an animal rights course in order to show kids that education is the way to better oneself. Okay? In my opinion, the only thing Vick has learned throughout this debacle is how to say and do whatever it takes to make people forget what kind of person you really are.

Now I know that sounds unfair, but come on! He lied about his involvement in the dogfighting ring and then, when he couldn't get away with the lies anymore, tried to place most of the responsibility for said ring onto his partners in crime. After being beaten badly in the press by animal rights groups and the public, Vick made a 'humble' plea to the court, complete with 'liner notes', if you recall.

Still not fairing well in the public eye, Vick found God. That should have served to set an entirely new group against him - when in doubt, get religion? I don't think so. Now, in a last ditch effort, he wants to do PSAs for PETA.

I'm sorry, but I just don't buy it.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Vick Finds Jesus

Between telling the press that he wasn't quite as responsible as the other people in the dogfighting ring - that he financed, Michael Vick has apologized "from the heart," explained that "Michael Vick" behaved immaturely, and promised that "Michael Vick" would be working on this immaturity.

I don't know about you, but referring to himself in the third person smacks to me of trying to actually distance himself from his actions by blaming "Michael Vick" - not to mention it's just creepy. (When I was a teenager I babysat a little girl who never said "I want" or referred to herself as "me". She ended up in therapy for years.)

Now - he's found Jesus! Click on the post title to read the article in Fox News - Mike Straka says it all so well!

Espousing, what he considers to be, the right thing, doesn't really count in my book because I don't, for a minute, believe that he actually means it. Just like many dysfunctional children I know, Michael Vick isn't sorry because he did something wrong; he's sorry that he got caught.

I'm just waiting for the crocodile tears!

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Senator Breaks with President?

In a move that made my non-Republican heart happy, Senator John Warner, R-Virginia, made a statement Thursday, asking the President to start pulling troops out of Iraq. The White House is, shall we say, not pleased that one of the most party-loyal Republicans in Congress has spoken out in direct opposition to current 'policy'!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Senator Warner or why his opinion should carry so much weight, here are some basic facts. He is Former Secretary of the Navy; former Chairman, and now the second-ranking Republican of the Senate Armed Services Committee, having begun his association with our men and women in uniform sixty years ago. In this capacity, and throughout his career, he has shown unwavering support for the men and women of the armed forces. He has also been a champion of modernizing the structure and operations of the military to ensure its effectiveness in the 21st century. In a nutshell, when John Warner speaks about the military, people listen and rightly so.

Having just finished a fact-finding tour of Iraq, Senator Warner determined that the government in Iraq is not living up to the promises that they made when the United States entered into this conflict. (Not a huge surprise. Many analysts have made the same observation.) What sets this statement apart, is that Senator Warner expects the US to take action to show the Iraqi government that we are not intending to continue throwing more bodies into the war without some serious effort on the part of the local government.

I don't see anything untoward about what he's saying. Truth hurts, eh, Mr. President?

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

America's Second Harvest

Have you visited America's Second Harvest lately? Remember, people aren't hungry only around the holidays. Some families have trouble, as Bill Murray said in Scrooged "making their dream happen."

A great deal of Second Harvest's work is getting donated supplies to food-rescue organizations and food banks. But did you know that they also support seven other programs:

* BackPack Program
* Community Kitchen
* Disaster Relief
* National Produce Program
* Kids Cafe
* Relief Fleet
* Seafood Initiative



Please stop by their site and learn how you can lend a hand.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Alzheimer's Memory Walk

An adult brain contains about 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons, with branches that connect at more than 100 trillion points. Scientists call this dense, branching network a "neuron forest." Signals traveling through the neuron forest form the basis of memories, thoughts, and feelings. Neurons are the chief type of cell destroyed by Alzheimer's disease, slowly destroying those memories, thought, and feelings.

Every year, volunteers of all ages, in hundreds of communities across the United States, team up with the Alzheimer's Association to conduct a fund-raising Memory Walk. Since 1989, Memory Walk has raised more than $225 million for Alzheimer care, support, and research. It's time to start thinking about this year's Walk.

Team Captains are needed for the 2007 Memory Walk, so sign-up early! Most of the walks are a distance of 2-3 miles and are held on a weekend morning in the fall. If you've never captained a team before, don't worry! Everything that captains and volunteers need to know is available online: from registration and donation forms, to guides and sign-up sheets, to fund-raising and recruiting ideas. Learn about National teams and their progress, for helpful ideas.

Sign-up today to be sure that you have enough time to bring people together and mobilize your community to start raising funds for your team's Memory Walk.



Don't let Alzheimer's sufferers be forgotten!

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

CharityUSA.com

You may not be familiar with this company, but you have probably seen some of their sites. They do amazing things for some great causes. All you have to do is visit any of these websites and click to donate food staples, books, free mammograms, pet food, medical care, or help protect the rain forest.

www.thehungersite.com
www.thebreastcancersite.com
www.thechildhealthsite.com
www.theliteracysite.com
www.therainforestsite.com
www.theanimalrescuesite.com

It doesn't cost anything to help - all of the clicks are supported by sponsors of the site. If you would like to do more, all purchases from any of the sites increase the food, books, etc., given to each charity.

Won't you stop in and lend a hand?

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Michael Vick to Plead

Well, we all knew that this was coming. With his 'partners-in-crime' pleading guilty and pointing fingers, and lengthy written statements, at Michael Vick, it was only a matter of time until he entered his own guilty plea. Technically, his formal plea won't be entered until August 27th. But Vick's attorney and the judge in the case announced today (August 20th) that Vick is pleading guilty to, sadly, lesser charges.

In case you haven't heard, the state prosecutor for Surry County, Virginia is also planning to bring charges against Vick and his cohorts on September 25th.

I have never in my life wished anyone ill, however, these hideous deeds cannot go unpunished and the men involved need to be shown for the murderers that they are.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules