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A good causeEconomics vs Quality of Life: Hard to tread water when you're surrounded by speedboatsSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on July 14, 2005 - 6:02am.
on A good cause Quote of note: "You have a lower half of the wage distribution in the United States that has not experienced any income gains for a long time now," said Barry P. Bosworth, an economist at the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution. "But from a macro perspective this doesn't have much impact." How Long Can Workers Tread Water? um...he can sit by the door?Submitted by Prometheus 6 on July 13, 2005 - 3:34am.
on A good cause Quote of note: Yet, the looming question is what the 68-year-old Mr. Powell, who served in the military for 35 years and rose to the rank of four-star general, can offer a venture capital firm that specializes in the financing of biotechnology start-ups and technology companies like Google and Netscape Communications, to name two of its more successful investments. Seriously...it's like an insurance company hiring a ex-football star. Mr. Powell has successfully ascended to Brahmin class. I'm impressed. Off the World Stage, Taking a Role in Venture Capitalism A circuitous route to absurditySubmitted by Prometheus 6 on January 10, 2005 - 5:41am.
on A good cause Going through the headlines in the dread RSS reader, I started to read this What Happened in Ohio when this Accepting Politics In Science caught my eye. Given that I feel bad and incomplete data can screw the best of intentions, and given that I feel that is the Bushista plan all along I thought I'd give it a read. As of this writing I haven't read either op-ed. I got...distracted Role modelsSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on July 8, 2004 - 1:34am.
on A good cause S. Africa as Seen in a Mirror …As a correspondent in South Africa from 1988 to 1993, I watched the dying breaths of apartheid: The failed attempt to force blacks into autonomous "homelands." The dismantling of laws imposing racial separation. The week in 1990 that the African National Congress was unbanned and its leader, Nelson Mandela, freed. And I returned in 1994 when the black four-fifths of South Africa's 45 million people got their first chance to cast a free vote. When I returned again recently, I found a country that, at first, felt and looked familiar. The haze of coal smoke and mining dust still carpeted the mile-high metropolis of Johannesburg. The combis, vans packed with black commuters, still speeded to and from the sprawling township of Soweto. Thickets of squatter shacks still pressed against the road from Cape Town's airport to Table Mountain. And the singular beauty of this land, from its shimmering veld to its pristine beaches, was undiminished. But, on closer inspection, it was clear that 10 years of black majority rule had brought profound change. An aggressive affirmative action program had lifted blacks into private industry and swelled the black middle class. All-white schools had become predominantly black schools. All-white suburbs were deeply integrated. What was equally remarkable, though, was what the black majority had not done. It had not used its new upper hand to crush the white minority. It had not taken property from whites or jailed leaders of the former regime. It had not erased the achievements of white rulers from its history books. In fact, the victors had displayed a confidence and magnanimity rarely seen in post-revolutionary societies. Race once dominated conversations here. But no longer. Today, South Africans complain most frequently about crime, and they've built higher security walls and hired more private guards. They criticize the government's mishandling of the AIDS epidemic that now claims 600 lives a day. They lament the persistent poverty, fed by an unemployment rate of more than 20% — twice that, by some estimates. And, when asked, they look back in surprise that their country has undergone a peaceful transition from black oppression to multiracial democracy. I'm doomed, I tell youSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on July 5, 2004 - 4:53pm.
on A good cause I get the whole Stargate SG-1 series on DVD and what does the Sci Fi Channel do?
July 15th is the series premiere. Will I watch this? Is a bear Catholic? Does the Pope sh…wait, that's not right… A little historical analysis on HaitiSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on March 22, 2004 - 2:20pm.
on A good cause In 1920 The Nation published an article by James Weldon Johnson titled Self-Determining Haiti: The American Occupation . That article is up on Africana.com, with an introduction by Professor Kim Pearson. AN ECONOMIST, NOT A LINGUISTSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on February 18, 2004 - 4:54am.
on A good cause N. Gregory Mankiw, President Bush's chief economist, who stirred controversy by suggesting that shipping service jobs overseas could be good for the economy, said his comments were "far from clear and were misinterpreted." Mr. Mankiw, speaking to the National Economists Club, said nothing he said should have been construed "as praising U.S. job losses." Any lost job "is an awful experience" for workers and their families, he said, adding that he had learned from his misstep that "economists and noneconomists speak very different languages." …which is why regular people making decisions based on their "understanding" of economics is ungood. It's why I'm making a point of understanding both the text and context of economics. One MORE "one more thing"Submitted by Prometheus 6 on January 28, 2004 - 6:14pm.
on A good cause If "National Black United Fund" is too general, you can
One more thingSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on January 28, 2004 - 6:09pm.
on A good cause I found this thoroughly misnamed but very interesting collection of factoids at the National Black United Fund web site. THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA
The state of Black America is a study of gains and gaps. NBUF will continue to collect cross-cutting information and update this section. * During the 1800’s, hundreds of organizations provided assistance to the Underground Railroad and the Abolition Movement (Twenty-First Century Foundation, 2001). * Black churches and mutual aid associations were the first Black philanthropic organizations (Twenty-First Century Foundation, 2001). * After the Civil War, schools and education were the main focus of Black philanthropy (Twenty-First Century Foundation, 2001). * The John F. Slater Fund (1882) was the first philanthropy in the United States devoted to education for Blacks. * The Negro Rural School Fund (1907), was created by Philadelphia Quaker An T. Jeanes. The fund supported Black master teachers (Jeanes supervisors) who assisted rural Southern schools (Southern Education Foundation, 2001). * The Virginia Randolph Fund (1937) was created to honor the first of these “Jeanes Teachers” with monies raised by Jeanes teachers across the South (Southern Education Foundation, 2001). * Blacks are more likely to make charitable contributions than Whites (White House Council of Economic Advisors, 2000). * Blacks are more likely to give to religious organizations than to formal philanthropic groups: about 60% of black giving is to churches (White House Council of Economic Advisors, 2000). * Racial and ethnic minority communities receive a lower proportion of grants and also receive smaller grants than mainstream communities (National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, 2000). I found my February charitySubmitted by Prometheus 6 on January 28, 2004 - 6:01pm.
on A good cause The National Black United Fund moves into the Good Causes box for Black History Month. WHAT WE DO
The National Black United Fund (NBUF) performs three key roles in taking Black American community-based philanthropy to new levels: Building Black Philanthropy NBUF and its 20 local Black United Funds work to persuade Black Americans to take their tradition of giving to new levels. We specialize in Customized Philanthropic Giving Programs, empowering Black Americans to invest in the way that works best for them. We also raise funds through employee payroll deduction campaigns in both private and public sectors, the Combined Federal Campaign, individual donations, foundation grants, corporate giving, endowment funds and bequests. NBUF brings new philanthropic dollars into local Black American communities by educating and securing the commitment of individuals who understand charitable giving, but who historically have not participated in organized giving programs. Growing Local Black United Funds (BUFs) The national office of NBUF provides administration, management, research, advocacy and technical assistance for the 20 local affiliates. Grants are distributed by the affiliates to community-based organizations and institutions serving the Black American community. NBUF is also the corporate sponsor of the National Black United Federation of Charities (NBUFC), a federation of over 45 national Black American non-profit organizations engaged in social justice, policy advocacy, community development, and charitable services. Leading the Way Shortly after its birth some 30 years ago, NBUF took legal action to break the monopoly which many traditional mainstream charities held over the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which resulted in the inclusion of thousands of ethnic, alternative, and social change organizations in CFC. NBUF uses its national platform to redefine the challenges and goals for diversity, democracy, and ethnic self-help in the charitable and philanthropic fields. NBUF’s national office provides a variety of services to its local affiliates and community-based organizations, including campaign management, fund development, fund management, strategic planning, and board training. NBUF also provides training and support in professional fund-raising standards and accountability systems. And we help create new models for democratic access and diversified fund-raising workplaces. In the 21st century, NBUF is pursuing these goals on a new and broader scale, reaching new Black American and other philanthropic audiences with a strategy to make Black self-help more systematic and sustainable for the challenges of the future. Breaking New Ground for Nearly 30 years Since its founding in 1972, the National Black United Fund has continually broken new ground, both in reinvigorating the Black tradition of self-help and in shattering barriers to philanthropic giving to charities serving the Black community. NBUF's proud record of achievement includes: 1972: The leaders of the Brotherhood Crusade of Los Angeles - an organization creating a strategic model for Black fund?raising and self?help - found the National Black United Fund to spearhead similar community-based efforts around the country. NBUF establishes affiliate organizations in Boston, Detroit, Fort Worth and Los Angeles. 1970s: NBUF fills the gap left by traditional mainstream funding sources which invest less than 2 percent of their resources in organizations led by Black Americans. 1976: Seeking to achieve philanthropic justice and equity, NBUF takes legal action to join the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), after being denied entrance twice. 1980: NBUF breaks the barrier, winning admission to the CFC. This landmark victory not only allows federal employees to donate to NBUF through payroll deductions - it paves the way CFC participation by more than 800 national organizations, many serving Black and other minority communities. And it sets a precedent that opens up state, county and municipal employee payroll deduction campaigns for NBUF. 1980s: NBUF dramatically expands our participation in employee payroll deduction campaigns, establishes new affiliates, and matures into the only charitable network expanding Black American philanthropy by building community capacity and Black-owned assets. 1991: NBUF organizes the National Black United Federation of Charities (NBUFC), through which Black non?profits come together as a collaborative fundraising entity. 1992: NBUF organizes the MAARK (Maintaining Black American Responsibility and Kinship) program to better connect Black American resources to Black community-based non?profit organizations. 1993: NBUF convenes the "Collaboration, Networking, and Partnership Institute" to foster collaboration and partnerships among local affiliates and national federation members. 1997: NBUF inaugurates its annual sponsorship of the Community and Economic Development Resource Center, which provides incentive, information, and workshops on community groups participating in economic and community development. 2000: NBUF and its affiliates raise and donate more than $6.5 million, while NBUFC raises in excess of $1.5 million. I think 25,000 casualties creates a good causeSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on December 28, 2003 - 4:17am.
on A good cause Islamic Relief is taking donations to help deal with this disaster. See the column on the right. Not to downplay the earthquake at all, but I noticed they have a fund to help out with famine in Africa, so I had to add a link to that as well. The African famine link may well become a permanent fixture. Iran Quake Toll Rises to 25,000; Injured Fill Hospitals, and Streets By NAZILA FATHI Published: December 28, 2003 KERMAN, Iran, Dec. 27 — As rescue workers raced to the ancient city of Bam, officials there raised the death toll from its 12–second earthquake on Friday to 25,000, and worried that it could go much higher. The interior minister, Abdolvahed Moussavi Lari, said on state television from Bam: "The city is ruined. More than 70 percent of it is destroyed." Tens of thousands of the injured crowded field hospitals or lay helplessly in the streets. Survivors and rescuers dug frantically to uncover those still trapped. In Bam, Reuters reported, one man, Taher, cried over the body of his teenage son, calling out, "Wake up, wake up!" Another parent, Fatemeh, 35, mourned her two children, saying, "I am burying myself in this grave." Aftershocks jolted the area, shaking down the already crumbled low–rise dwellings of clay tile, brick and concrete block. Dozens of international relief flights and supply shipments sped on their way, transporting everything from skilled rescue workers to water purification tablets. The United States said it was sending tons of medical supplies in a military airlift, as well as rescue squads and medical teams. Most rescue workers were flying here to Kerman, to make their way by land to Bam, 120 miles to the southeast. Iradj Sharifi, rector of the faculty of medicine in Kerman, said that in the pre–dawn earthquake, "Five thousand people were killed on the spot and there are 20,000 people under the rubble." Brigadier Mohammadi, commander of the army in southeastern Iran, told state television, "We need help — otherwise we will be pulling corpses, not the injured, out of the rubble." There were grim but uncertain predictions that the death toll — in a 2,000–year–old city of 80,000 people — might keep growing. "As more bodies are pulled out, we fear that the death toll may reach as high as 40,000," said Akbar Alavi, the governor of Kerman, the provincial capital, according to The Associated Press. "An unbelievable human disaster has occurred." World AIDS daySubmitted by Prometheus 6 on December 1, 2003 - 3:36pm.
on A good cause I wasn't going to do this yet. But you start reading and listening and thinking… My gay community ain't as big as it used to be. Not like it was ever that vast, and a significant chunk of it was lipstick lesbians anyway. It's more like I went this way and they went that way. So most of the people I've lost to AIDS weren't gay. The gay folks I knew established some discipline, fast. And actually, if you don't care about gay folks getting AIDS, you wouldn't much care about the other folks I lost either. Hangout crew, street people, ex-junkies that cleaned up too late, but didn't find out for a couple of years. I would say it doesn't matter WHAT you think. But it does. I know a guy who's HIV positive that didn't tell anyone for years. He didn't want to deal with the exile status. His girl found out later, and that sucks to the point I wanted to smack him. He should have told her. But we all could have made it easier. You don't have to be afraid of people who are HIV positive. You don't have to be afraid of people with AIDS. If you could catch it from just being around them, we'd all have it. People with AIDS aren't evil. Some have been foolish, or unknowledgeable or just lied to. But they're not evil, and AIDS is no more a punishment than the flu…and a lot harder to catch than the flu. I don't know if there's a lot of good biochemical news about AIDS. But I do know if we all weren't so stupid, frightened or closed-minded, there could be a lot less bad news on the personal tip. Let's hope they live long enough to get the medicineSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on December 1, 2003 - 6:18am.
on A good cause W.H.O. Aims to Treat 3 Million for AIDS The World Health Organization called on developing countries yesterday to train and organize 100,000 health care and nonprofessional workers to carry out its plan to begin delivering antiretroviral drugs to three million AIDS patients by the end of 2005. The organization, a United Nations agency, said 6 million of the 40 million people infected with the AIDS virus were in immediate need of antiretroviral treatment, but that only about 480,000 were receiving it. The new program, which the organization said would cost at least $5.5 billion, is intended to reach half those in need by the end of 2005 ? two million more than would be reached by then without such a program. In issuing a more detailed framework for its program, to coincide with World AIDS Day today, the organization also recommended four combinations of antiretroviral drugs that countries could use to start treatment. The list was vastly simplified from the 35 possible combinations the organization had recommended previously. All four combinations have been proved effective, though none include the powerful protease inhibitor drugs that are often prescribed in the United States and other wealthy countries. A little earlySubmitted by Prometheus 6 on November 26, 2003 - 6:00pm.
on A good cause Just so I don't forget, December 1, 2003 is World AIDS day. The button in the Good Causes box on the right will take you to a British site where you can discover if you are HIV prejudiced. Of course, YOU'RE not prejudiced, right? You don't need to take the test or find out the facts about AIDS, right? Right? Good news IISubmitted by Prometheus 6 on November 20, 2003 - 6:24pm.
on A good cause Source: American Diabetes Association Buckwheat 'controls diabetes' BBC News November 19, 2003 A type of herb called buckwheat may be beneficial in the management of diabetes, say researchers. Extracts of the seed lowered blood glucose levels by up to 19% when it was fed to diabetic rats. Scientists at the University of Manitoba in Canada say diabetics should consider including the grain in their diet, or taking dietary supplements. The study, part funded by the food industry, is published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. A food that could actively reduce blood glucose levels could be a real breakthrough. More detail on the Good Cause of the MonthSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on November 20, 2003 - 6:21pm.
on A good cause You've seen the link to the American Diabetes Association on the right there. I'm not an official advocate or anything but Denis Bustin of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Diabetes Research left a comment two days ago that I thought I'd put on the front page: In 2002, the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Diabetes Research made diabetes research history by reversing and curing type 1diabetes in mice. Using a mechanism that allowed the re-growth of the missing insulin secreting tissue, the disease has not re-occured in these mice. We were greatly encouraged by these findings as they confirmed that we have been pursuing a path that we hoped would lead to discovering a cure for type 1 diabetes in humans. Furthermore, it was discovered that this finding could provide us with important clues to also treat other autoimmune diseases such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The ability to re-grow missing adult organs in adult animals opens up future treatment possibilities never visualized.
Over the past year, we have committed a significant clinical research effort to study diabetic blood from people in all stages of diabetes for the same potentially treatable defects. Currently the data is very encouraging as it indicates that the markers of disease and treatment will be very similar between the mouse and human with diabetes. The Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Diabetes Research has secured approval to take this exciting potential therapy to human clinical trial. However, the greatest obstacle in our path is the lack of funds to carry on these clinical trials that we believe could mark a breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes and other diseases. We ask you to please consider becoming our partner in this innovative and promising research by making a charitable gift in support of our goal to cure type 1 diabetes. For further information or to inquire on creative ways to make a gift, please contact: (617) 724-6432 or email us at [email protected]. To make a gift online or read additional information on this study, please visit our website at www.massgeneral.org/diabetes. Posted by Denis Bustin at November 18, 2003 08:57 PM
I hope you're satisfied, AaronSubmitted by Prometheus 6 on October 17, 2003 - 7:25am.
on A good cause Aaron at Uppity-Negro, attempts to shame the devil and instead invokes a reified Chaos Deity. In fact, I'm calling out male bloggers to add a link to the Breast Cancer Site for the remainder of October.
Do an entry explaining what the site's about:
Your click on the "Fund Free Mammograms" button helps fund free mammograms, paid for by site sponsors and provided through the efforts of the non-profit National Breast Cancer Foundation to low-income, inner-city and minority women, whose awareness of breast cancer and opportunity for help is often limited.
And urge your visitors to click through. See the upper right and consider yourselves so urged. Are you reading the RSS feed? then here: I'm only being so obliging because I'm rather fond of breastesses. For technical reasons, I'll be clicking next month, but I'm sure they'll find that acceptable. CORRECTION: Click now, cash donation next month. Not only have I answered the call, fugging up my achromaticity in the process, I've shaved off the little white corners that annoy Aaron so much. Download it from my site yourself, tough guy. Furthermore, equally good causes can get equally good placement. Being beyond time and all that, someone's gonna have to tell me about these things and if I see them and call them Good, I shall exalt them.
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I also noticed that right now, Equal® (the artificial sweetener guys) are matching donations made through 12/31/2004 up to a maximum of $50,000.
