Twitter

I started this blog post with something witty, but somehow it got erased.  So without much further ado here is a little bit of what I have to say about Twitter.

According to Wikipedia Twitter, a social networking and micro-blogging website, was created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey.  I'm not exactly sure when I became aware of Twitter but it has dominated many social media conversations for awhile now.  

I'm always a little behind on the social media train anyways, not getting on facebook or MySpace till after I had graduated from college and was married.  These two things, mainly designed for college aged folks to keep in touch and learn about new and interesting things, especially music in the case of Myspace, have evolved in to much larger networks.  

After awhile I dropped Myspace, it was slow and people put a lot of junk on their profiles that I just didn't want to look at.  Facebook is simpler, and I have connected with over 600 people who I know in person or have met one way or another online.  

Then enters Twitter.  I am not the most tech savvy person, I still really don't understand RSS feeds (although as a blogger maybe I should?), or rarely ever use to send or receive text messages.  But very quickly Twitter became the fastest and most prolific way for me to send and access information.  I do not have a so called "smart phone" but the basic text messaging, which my phone was designed for allows me to send Tweets (a short message, less than 140 characters) on the go.  I can also have tweets of particular interest sent to my phone.  Occasionally I find myself wanting to access the mobile web my phone has but I do not pay for on my plan because of a tweet I receive, but I suck it up and wait till I get home.

Some people may find that attraction on have for Twitter boarding on obsessed, but it's not all bad folks, I have surely reaped some benefits from my new friend.  I have won contests for clothing and concerts, I have made connections in my city and across the country, and I've been able to keep up with business and websites I respect.  

I connect with others who have chronic conditions similar to my own.  I can read the latest thoughts of critical thinkers around the subject of the environment, or theology, or sports, or politics, or entertainment, or the economy, or fashion, or... or... or... 

There are people out there who specialize in social media and could tell you all kinds of fun facts about what Twitter and other social media websites can do for your business or organization.  But I'm not one of them.  There are also all kinds of software developers out there creating new tools for social media everyday.  That's not me either.  I take what is given to me and use it. 

So this post is really just saying "FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER" and get to know the world like I am getting to know it.

Columbus Hope for Haiti

Hey Friends, I'm not sure how many Columbus and Central Ohio readers I have out there, but this just came across my Twitter and I wanted to share it here on my blog.

Thursday January 21 from 7a.m. to 7p.m. "Columbus Hope for Haiti" is taking place at the Ohio Historical Society and online. The City of Columbus, the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus, and local media outlets are joining forces to raise money for the earthquake stricken country of Haiti.

I am very proud of my city for stepping up and making it a city wide event. There are several ways you can help out. First, you can drop your check off for the Red Cross at the Ohio Historical Society which is located just of I-71 at Exit 111.

If you do not live in Columbus or can not make it on Thursday there are several other ways you can donate:

• Call the Red Cross at 1-800- HELP-NOW
• Text "Haiti" to 90999, this will donate $10 which wills how up on your wireless bill.
• Make a secure donation online at www.redcross.org

Please help out in any way you can!
And Thank You!

Toxic Coal Ash Spill

I hope by now you have heard about the toxic spill that occured in Harriman, Tennesse spilling 500 billion gallons of toxic coal ash sludge over 400 acres. The link below will point you to a round up of news stories related to the incident. I will write more when I learn what we can do to help with the clean up.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/dec/23/link-roundup-tva-disaster-roane-county-getting-wid/

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

I wanted to take a few minutes to remind you all about the importance of breast cancer awareness, monthly self exams, and regular mammograms.  I've known many people with breast cancer, and  I became passionate about raising awareness and funds while in college.

I am a sister in the Zeta Tau Alpha fraternity, whose philanthropy is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.   While in college I worked with my sisters to raise awareness among college age women about early detection and participated in some crazy fundraisers to raise money for the Susan G. Komen foundation.

For all you wonderful women in my life, please remember to check yourself, get your mammograms, and inform others about breast cancer.  And if you want to take a more active role in finding the cure for breast cancer sign up with The Army Of Women.  The Army of Women is looking for women with and without cancer to partner with researchers to learn what causes breast cancer and to find a cure. 

Just to be sure you are informed, here is a list of links that I mentioned throughout my post, please check them out: 

• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Zeta Tau Alpha
• Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
• The Army of Women

From the Chrsitian Science Monitor

Controversy erupts over Endangered Species Act

Congress and the Interior Department investigate whether the Bush administration undermined federal protections.

By Brad Knickerbocker | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

More Endangered Species News

Julie MacDonald, who was Bush's appointee over the Fish and Wildlife Service, resigned in May after being accused making decisions that favored industry and were detrimental to endangered species. Eight of these cases are now being reviewed by the Department of the Interior. While over 200 decisions were made during MacDonald's five years with the agency, only those cases which would most likely be overturned.

A New York Times article says that MacDonald "browbeat department biologist and habitat specialists and overruled their recommendations to protect a variety of rare and threatened species." And they say she may have "inappropriately bent the process to fit her political agenda." I am not sure how you can "bend" scientific information about endangered and threatened species, but I'm glad that someone is taking notice now.

This is only a small part of the conflict between science and politics that is taking place in Washington, the article also pointed to issues of oil exploration, timber rights, global warming and public health.

Read the article: U.S. Agency May Reverse 8 Decision on Wildlife

The Endangered Species Act of 1973

I've noticed recently that news about the Endangered Species Act has been popping up in my news feeds. Most notable was the removal of our national bird the Bald Eagle from the endangered species list. The Bald Eagle was close to extinction in 1963 with only 417 documented birds, compared to the 10,000 that are counted today. The Bald Eagle was one of the most publicized and best funded on the endangered species list and is now the success story of the act that was signed into existence in 1973.

But what about other species that are nearing extinction? What kind of attention are they receiving and will we be hearing similar success stories in the future? The answer is most likely no if things continue as they are in the current Bush administration. The current administration has put fewer species on the list than any other administration since 1973. According to a article from Reuters a mere 57 species have been listed since 2001 compared to the 512 species listed during the Clinton administration and 234 species listed during the four year term of our current president's father. They have also removed 15 species from the list.

There is now a waiting list of 279 species waiting for recognition by the Endangered Species Act. At least two species have met their demise during the Bush administration, a rare plant known as the Hawaiian Haha and a fish native to Washington state known as the Lask Sammamish Kokonee according to a report by the Center for Biological Diversity.

The problem doesn't seem to just rest on the head of the Bush Administration. I have read reports about fighting within the ranks of the endangered species staff, as well as problems with litigation from environmental groups including the Center for Biological Diversity. It seems to me there some people just can't manage to get along even for the sake of our nation's endangered species.

It's not all bad news however, even with species waiting to be put on the list, others who have already been identified are starting to thrive. Today the El Segundo blue butterfly is back from the brink of extinction and residing along bluffs on Redondo Beach near Los Angeles. As early as last month these butterflies were only in existence in special preserves, but now are in plain sight for surfers and beach goers to observe. Good news for the butterflies I suppose, bad news for the Haha and Lask Sammamish Kokonee.

This makes me very angry.

A Washington Post article about FEMA trailers that hurricane victims have been living in for the past two years. I don't understand how government agencies can be so blatantly destructive.
FEMA Knew Of Toxic Gas In Trailers

The Federal Emergency Management Agency since early 2006 has suppressed warnings from its own field workers about health problems experienced by hurricane victims living in government-provided trailers with levels of a toxic chemical 75 times the recommended maximum for U.S. workers, congressional lawmakers said yesterday.

Money Money Everywhere

Thanks to Matt at Absolutely No Spin for his encouragement in continuing to write about my experiences at the Gulf Coast. After awhile the emotions get to be too much and it's hard to write about something so serious all the time. However I believe it is really important and I will keep talking until the word gets out there.

Today I came across an article from the Christian Science Monitor that said Private Dollars Leading Recovery of New Orleans. I of course had to read it, I think I've pretty much every news story about New Orleans and the Gulf Coast since being back from my trip.

The day I spent in New Orleans was education and sad to say the least. Our guide Mary who is the director of All Churches Together (ACT) a PICO organization discussed with us, among many things, the money situation. There are millions of dollars coming into New Orleans, but people are not benefiting from it all that much. Mary described over and over again, how it has been the people in the neighborhoods that have brought the spirit back to New Orleans and how the government has not been very helpful.

This article describes the situation in New Orleans, as I know it to be, very effectively. It discusses what has been done by the government (including the rebuilding of the Superdome, which to the best of my knowledge no one lives there), and what is being done in greater numbers by the people themselves.

Take a few moments to read the article, become educated about the situation. Note the sidebar on the last page giving you "recovery by the numbers." While there is a large number of street signs, light poles, and storm drains that have been repaired you would not notice these things during a drive through the city. What you would notice are the closed hospitals, schools, libraries, and the vacant houses.

One last statistic: The article says that $117 million in US funds have been allotted for the long-term community recovery program to rebuild public works such as libraries, sewers, and schools however $0 has been actually received by the city so far. We are coming close to 2 years since the storm and people are living with out the things that most people in the US take for granted, our libraries, schools, and don't forget our sewers.

Too Much

I am still trying to adjust to life after being in Mississippi, knowing that I can never go back to "things as usual." The scope of what is going on down there or rather what isn't going on down there is almost too much for me to handle. What can I do? As an unemployed seminarian in Central Ohio there is not much. I can sit here behind my computer and tell you what I witnessed, but I'm not sure if my words are nearly sufficient enough. I can also share my pictures and my stories and encourage others to take a week and see for themselves what needs to be done. But until everyone who experienced what I did starts to spread the word, most of the United States is going to be clueless to the condition of our Gulf Coast.

Two news articles were brought to my attention this week, one about the workers of New Orleans, and one about the safety of the city from flood even after damages have been repaired.

These are both New Orleans specific issues, however it is not just New Orleans who are being treated unfairly after the storm. For NO, it's a government problem and as we know government problems are hard to solve. For the rest of the Gulf Coast, such as in Mississippi, much of the problems are coming from the insurance companies. I don't even know how to begin to describe what the insurance companies are doing to the people that they are suppose to be helping. Someone pays insurance on their property, not for small incidents, but for large catastrophes like Katrina and then they never see the money they are entitled to. An Episcopal priest that I had the privilege of talking to while in Mississippi went as far as to call the insurance companies Satan... those are strong words coming from a very loving and understanding man. Lawsuits (like this one) are raging and people are still not seeing their money. I also found this attorney's website helpful in finding more information about the insurance companies. Keeping in mind that he is running a business and will be making money on any client he attracts through his website, I think it gives a pretty good picture of the problem at hand.

That's probably enough information for ya'll today.

Read the News

Just about every time I read a news article on-line I want to blog about it because I think it is something worthy of noting to people who care about the same things I do. However this is just not possible, and it's also very redundant. So following in the footsteps of my good friend Matt at Absolutely No Spin I have started using Google Reader and sharing items of importance on my blog side bar. I encourage you to read what you can when you can.

Also, I'm looking to read more blogs of interest. So if you read this and think I would enjoy your blog, drop me a line. If I like it a lot, I'll put you on my sidebar.

Peace.