Citizen Hunters know that "net neutrality" and making sure that the Internet is free, open, and independent has been a long standing passion of mine.
I was so excited to hear Obama, in his weekly radio address, promise to "renew our information superhighway" as one of the many ways we must invest in our infrastructure in this struggling economy to help create jobs.

"It is unacceptable that the United States ranks fifteenth in the world in broadband adoption," Obama said. "Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they'll get that chance when I'm President -- because that's how we'll strengthen America's competitiveness in the world."

You should check out InternetforEveryone.org, an initiative to connect every American to a fast, open and affordable Internet. It is so important that we continue to find ways to close the digital divide.

Josh Silver, whom I have mentioned from another great group, freepress.org, points out that "right now, more than 40 percent of American homes are not connected to broadband. This digital divide isn't just costing us our ranking as global Internet leader -- its costing us jobs and money at a time when both are urgently needed."

Check out the radio address for yourself on YouTube.

According to a new study happiness is contagious -- I hope you catch it. The study shows that the more happy people you are around the happier you yourself are. The more connections you make with family and friends the more satisfied you are.

I suppose like most pearls of wisdom it sounds quite obvious, but thought it could be a nice reminder to all of us.

Life is always difficult for refugees. Moreover, it's often difficult for children fleeing war zones to adjust to living in America. An Extraordinary Coach, Maggie Rodriguez keeps these kids focused on and off the field and in so doing provides them a home. Check it out.

A new study shows that green spaces create healthy kids in more ways than one.

Speaking of healthy kids -- check out this article about a school that hasn't served sugar in 10 years! Wow!

About five years ago I started spending a lot of time in Los Angeles for work. I remember how much of an alien I felt like out there. Everyone always looked hip, partied harder than everyone I knew, and never seemed to be doing anything, yet were "successful." They were always working on "projects" that had "buzz, heat, and momentum". Suffice to say I felt like I didn't fit in.

So I was very relieved to receive an invite to a charity whose mission it was to clean the oceans. Understandably, Angelinos, who get to gaze at the lovely sea every day, are passionate about the issue.

I put on my cutest suit and made the pilgrimage to the home of, objectively, the most successful producer in Hollywood -- I felt like a million bucks. The place was stunning and teeming with interested, curious people engaged in conversations ranging from film, novels, politics, international affairs, to their kids. After the event I was to go to a late night meeting for another eco group -- this was going to be OK after all. (See, I'm thinking, there are word people, nerdy people in LA -- everyone else is wrong about them!)

Well, about 20 minutes into the event when people were getting situated to hear the speakers, a stunning six-foot-plus glamazon was shimmying her way toward me with a 60+ year-old guy, maybe younger, who looked hipper than any 20-year-old New Yorker. She leaned over to him and said "so are we, like, for the oceans?" And just like that my LA dreams went up in flames.

The story is just a funny one I wanted to share, but after the jump check out the great news on our oceans --which, by the way, I am, like, totally for!

"In the city, you have to think about what is going to happen around the next street corner. In the woods, you walk with a group of friends and counselors. You don't even think about city problems."

These are the words of one of the 10,000 New York City kids from some of the toughest neighborhoods who, thanks to the Fresh Air Fund, get to experience a summer vacation at a host family's home or one of Fresh Air Funds camps. By getting involved with this charity you could change a child's life forever.

The kids stay at homes in small town communities and suburbs in over 13 states from Virginia to Main and Canada and at Fresh Air's sprawling 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York.

The Fund was started by a Pennsylvanian! In 1877 Reverend Willard Parsons, a minister in a rural Parish in Sherman, PA asked his congregation to open their homes and hearts to provide country vacations to city youth.

You can give a child an experience of a lifetime by making a donation, volunteering your time, or opening up your home. Think of the new perspective, friendships, and unforgettable memories you would be helping to create!

More than 65% of all children are re invited to stay with their host family, year after year.

Please donate today and think about becoming a host family. There is no such thing as a "typical" host family. If you have room in your home - and your heart - to host a child, you could be one too.

This is a blog by request and I will be stealing most of it from a NY TIMES piece on Sunday -- full disclosure -- from memory. I am so sorry for all of you that are stuck in airports across the country. I am in LOS ANGLES and even here, shock & horror, it is awful! I have a cold and sore throat like everyone I have heard from.

Here is what I can do. Hopefully you have your chargers for you computer with you. Keep checking back with Citizenhunter--not a shameless plug, I bet there are lots of things you may not have noticed that can help you pass the time, help you change a life, and also just make you smile. Also, Facebook your heart out--man, I love that thing.

OK, so you are hungry and annoyed and tired -- what to do? Well if you are in Houston that is easy--karaoke all the way!! Or move away from it if you are about to go postal please. Deep breathing, meditate, say prayers, call loved ones, read a book for pleasure, write a poem, flirt with the cute girl or guy you saw, play peek-a-boo with a baby and give those parents a break already. Go up to anyone in uniform and just say thank you -- nothing more is needed.

Being stuck can be an opportunity -- Thich Nah Hahn, one of my favorite writers, a Buddhist monk says that -- and he should know, right?

OK, now to food.

LAX folks :

In and out Burger -- you deserve it! Go to the parking lot garage -- it is right next door.

Encounter Restaurant and see what you can see.

Dallas:

Stay if you can and get yourself to Billy Bob's largest and greatest honky tonk in the world --I once saw Merle haggard there for 10 bucks!!

Railhead BBQ and Dickey's BBQ Pit

Atlanta:

By the way that place is blowing up--why is everyone moving there? Can someone tell me? Quick watch this CBS thing I did on refugees there who play on a special soccer team--really amazing!

One Flew South is the place to eat

Philly:

Need I say get a darn soft pretzel already. Also pick up a Philly Daily News and let me know what's going on.

Cities I have missed, please write in on the comments what you know.

Travel Safe, guys, and no airport rage please -- everyone is bumming!

Do you ever marvel at how annoying songs don't annoy you at Christmas time? You write cards and say thank you more than normal -- OK,much more. You smile and wonder and are joyful. You love the smell of pine and it is enough to make your day. You buy tons of plants and keep some and give them away. You find money you don't have, to be generous to those you love and to those you have never met. You let yourself eat pie and don't beat yourself up about it. You let your crazy aunt do her thing and get out of the way before it starts to grind ya.

I saw this article and like most things I like, it stated The Obvious and something I have thought of many times before. The big question is -- what is to stop us from doing all the things we do around the holidays -- all year round? (Except the presents -- we will go broke.) So whaddaya say?

I think we should resolve to do it and give ourselves the gift of forgiveness, gratitude, childlike wonder, and the belief in things that are impossible to prove. Merry Christmas -- in all the many ways it could mean.

On Facebook I always smile when someone has a "relationship status" that says it's complicated. I feel that could be the status update for just about everything.

"It's complicated" is the way I have always felt about the holiday staple movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." As recently as Thanksgiving, when like a religious ritual everyone settled on the pic, I quietly protested that it was not an "inspiring, lovely tale". I have found that in Holidays past my comments about the film being pretty downright depressing and very complicated were not exactly met with an eagerness to debate and discuss -- more like "drink your egg nog and chill out already!"

This year my obsession with injecting sardonic and depressing commentary to the film was aided by the timely and equally depressing state of the banks and how the film deals with such issues.

I was tickled red and green when I saw this piece in the NY Times -- finally someone agrees with me!

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, 'My son, the battle is between 'two wolves' inside us all.

'One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.'

'The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, 'Which wolf wins?'

The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'

I resolve to feed the right one and put the other on a cleanse -- LA style.