Citizen Hunters, please allow me to introduce you to an amazing association of entrepreneurs, Ashoka. This global group of innovators - or as they call themselves, "Changemakers," collaborate to find solutions to some of the world’s most difficult social problems.

In case you have never heard of the term social entrepreneur, they are individuals that seek to solve societal problems by changing the system, spreading the solution, persuading and engaging others to be proactive rather than leaving problems to government or business sectors to handle them. Some historical figures were the very first Social Entrepreneurs.

Take action and join the ranks of Susan B. Anthony, Vinoba Bhave , Dr. Maria Montessori, Florence Nightingale , Margaret Sanger, John Muir, and Jean Monnet, and become a Changemaker yourself!

All are Welcome, from "Newborn" to "Rated R"

Citizen Hunters, I recently learned of a great opportunity to help the Children's Hospital Of Los Angeles (CHLA). A dear friend told me that CHLA recently upgraded its rooms from VCRs to DVD players, and they are in desperate need of a DVD library for the children and their families to enjoy.

CHLA is a 331-bed, non-profit, private pediatric treatment center located in the heart of Los Angeles. Each year, the hospital cares for over 200,000 inpatients and outpatients from birth to 21 years of age, referred from throughout California and the world.

After speaking with CHLA's fundraising department and receiving their approval, Tina Manguikian decided to start a DVD Drive to build the library from scratch. Her goal is to collect anywhere between 1000 - 1500 DVDs, New or Used, Newborn to Rated R, by June 13, 2008.

How to Help:

Please send DVDs directly to Tina Manguikian at:
2700 Neilson Way,
Unit 725,
Santa Monica, CA 90405

For further information contact Tina at: dvddonations@yahoo.com or (310) 314-5266

Kudos to Governor Rendell for putting our kids first. Read our editorial (below, or here) and then take action by calling your elected official today.

FOR MANY parents in the workforce, particularly those raising children on their own, the cost of quality child care can be out of reach - and high-quality child care, which is part of early-childhood education, is even pricier. According to a report from Public Citizens for Children and Youth, the average cost of such care for two children was more than $19,000 in 2007.

The state Department of Public Welfare provides subsidies for low-income parents, but thousands of Philadelphia-area families are stuck on a waiting list. That translates into more than 1,600 children from the city and 7,850 children statewide waiting for benefits.

Gov. Rendell has proposed increasing the number of available slots by 2,600. And state Sen. Mike Stack and state Rep. Tony Payton have proposed $9 million more to cut the waiting list in half. That's a worthwhile investment. Children who receive high-quality child care are more likely to graduate from high school, find steady employment and stay out of prison. And researchers estimate the public saves $4 to $17 on future costs for every dollar spent on early-childhood education.

Elected officials in Harrisburg should support this worthy program. *

Staying fit and healthy is part of being a citizenhunter, as I have mentioned before. It's important to avoid health complications that are a drain not just on you and your family, but also on taxpayers.

Now there's another reason to stay fit, so you can live longer and do citizenhunter activities for even more time. Though it is somewhat common-sense, a new study by the University of Toronto gives scientific proof to what you may have guessed: that the aging process can be slowed by working out regularly. If we exercise daily, the study shows that we can increase our aerobic power by a quarter in terms of fitness, making us up to a decade younger! Who doesn't want that? That is about as close to a fountain of youth that one will find.

Remember that drinking and smoking are also no-no's, especially in excess.

Exercising also boosts your immune system, gives you better recovery time when you get injured. And better balance -- I mean literally, not figuratively, but that probably applies as well. Your body learns to take in more oxygen from exercising, which makes breathing easier! Now all we have to do is get our air cleaner so that that is even more fun. You can always check out my colleague Kimberly Garrison's columns and podcast for the latest fitness tips.

UPDATE Check out this mini-editorial on a fitness-related cause you can help out with, whether or not you're actually running on Sunday.

Here's a quickie: One Warm Coat helps get coats to people who need them.

Visit the site to donate a coat or get tools and resources to have your own coat drive!

Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is a cool organization to check out. Citizen Hunters know the environmental benefits to eating local food, and the trees that FTPF plants do just that, but they also help to lessen global warming's impact, alleviate hunger, and improve nutrition.

The group has planted thousands of trees and given fresh produce to drug rehab centers and homeless shelters across America as well as to families affected by emergency situations like Hurricane Katrina. The orchards they planted in Kenya and India for needy families also help to provide vegetables and fruits to local schools, orphanages, and health clinics. The foundation says their number-one priority is to help communities help themselves.

They also plant orchards to improve the lives of rescued animals on sanctuaries that provide shade and plenty of yummy pickings for a healthy diet. Check out these cute pics from one of their orchards right here in PA!

Visit the site and make a donation to help their efforts at www.ftpf.org/donation.htm and e-mail them if you want to nominate a space that would benefit from their program.

Also, check out their wish list of things they would like you to donate -- remember as tax time nears, all this stuff is tax-deductible. They are looking for small items, like books on horticulture and software programs, to medium size gifts like GPS -- or for the big players, an extra parcel of land you just can't wait to get off your hands! I found two books on planting and flowers that my grandmother got me when I bought a house in Harrisburg thinking I would have spare time to do some gardening (that never happened) and the books haven't even been opened!

TIME FOR BETTER EDUCATION ON RISKS OF SEX

Here's our Editorial from today's Daily News. I have two sisters between the ages of 14-19, so when I read the recent report that 1 in 4 of our girls in that age range have STD's, it led to two immediate phone calls.

Please read our editorial and get informed. STD's are not just for kids though. Knowing your risk factors, talking openly with your partner, and if you have already decided to have sex, knowing how to protect yourself are all very important. STD's are tricky in that their symptoms masquerade as ones that could easily be pinned on another culprit -- flu, cold, the like. If an STD is not caught early on the effects are far more damaging, and for expectant mothers, if you don't take precautions your baby could very well be affected.

Of those who know they have an STD, 80% do not tell their partners, so it is important to ask your partner when he or she last got tested and if they are sleeping with anyone else. Married couples are not exempt -- people can enter into a marriage without knowing they have an STD or they can be unfaithful -- and when married people cheat they are less likely to protect themselves.

But you feel just fine, you go to the DOC every year or OBGN and you're sure they would tell you if something was up, you don't need to get tested. WRONG! Most doctors do not test for STD's unless you specifically ask and then don't test for all STD's.

Know your risk factors and the symptoms you should be aware of The editorial gives local options, but you can call 1-866- 478-3417 to find a testing site near you. It is confidential.

Remember AIDS and STD's do not discriminate -- you can't tell if someone has one by how they look.

Some things bear repeating. I asked Citizen Hunters to consider the book Antarctica after watching my interview with my dear friend Sebastian Copeland and his cousin Orlando Bloom on Extra, but for those who have yet to, I want to tell you why you should.

This book contains quite possibly some of the most beautiful photographs I have ever seen. It is a coffee table book that will entertain, inspire, educate, and help save our planet!

Sebastian’s photographs are stunning, haunting, majestic, and painful—they leap from the page and grab your heart and they whisper and shout, Look at me! Look at the beauty that surrounds us, a beauty that is being devastated with every minute of inaction, a beauty that we can ill afford to ignore and lose.

A picture, it is said, is worth a thousand words, some, like these, are worth far more. It was a magical photograph of the earth that started the environmental movement and it's appropriate that photos again present a very powerful and visceral call to action.

This book cannot and should not be missed. Sebastian's photography is complemented by insights and writings detailing scientific data and the journey he took aboard the research vessel, The Ice Lady Patagonia. Many luminaries of the environmental movement also share sage words and the book ends as it should, with steps we can all take to make a difference. A portion of the proceeds goes to benefit Global Green, where Sebastian serves on the board and I serve on the LA committee.

To find out more about Antarctica and SOS go to www.antarcticabook.com and www.earthawareeditions.com.

I read "A long way gone: memoirs of a boy soldier" a while back and was devastated to encounter this young man's story of youthful innocence lost to drug-filled mass killing when he was forced to join a rebel army at the age of 11.

Haunted by the story, I spent the night searching the web - Surely, I thought, one child is too many but this must be a story that could only be told by a small few. My research showed otherwise. There were many child soldiers out there, carrying not the same story, but ones that no child should have to be part of.

A recent U.N. report paints an even darker picture than my mind had conjured: In 13 countries around the world (Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Myanmar, Nepal, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Colombia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Uganda), 58 different groups recruit and use child soldiers. The children are also raped, killed, kidnapped, and maimed.

Please visit the Coalition to Stop Child Soldiers to find out what you can do to help.

This blog is long overdue. I have thought about writing it so many times, but listened to the many voices over the years when I have been concerned about a friend, and others who are wise and caring have told me "'don't get involved, people have to hit rock bottom, addicts only lash out at people who try to help, and it won't help anyway."

Over the years I have had many friends who have struggled with addiction. Some got help before it really hurt them, others did after their spouse left them, they got reprimanded at work, kicked out of school, got a DUI or in other trouble with the law due to their drinking, had a pregnancy scare after drunk sex or contracted an STD after drunk sex, just to name a few. Others never got help and I can only assume the consequences of their addiction have only gotten worse.

I think one of the other reasons I have not written about it is I have never had a really close friend who was struggling, a family member, someone who brought it home for me. My friends over the years either had gotten help before I made their acquaintance (one goes to AA every day, every day and has been sober for 13 years, I am very proud of him. He was a huge success as a drunk and then lost it all and now is a huge success as a recovering alcoholic), or I knew or in some instances probably convinced myself that there were folks far closer to them that were already reaching out, just a friend of a friend situation.

Well, the perfect storm started gathering that shook me out of my inaction on the issue. First off, a talented actor Heath Ledger, it is presumed, cut his life short because of addiction.

This is not another blog about obesity and its impact on your health - I'm giving you guys a break for a bit on that one. But just to refresh your mind...

This is about how what you put in your mouth impacts the planet. (Fringe benefit: Much of the advice saves money and is good for you as well.) Some of these things I go overboard with, yes even causing embarrassment to my friends, when it comes to leftovers for instance (guys, feel free to share your best Flavia leftover stories in the comment thread) and others I don't do as well -- for instance I am not a vegetarian and don't always buy local and often don't ask if the coffee I buy is from a farm that practices sustainable agriculture (not that hard, right? Just look for the Rain Forest Alliance certification or Fair Trade or Bird Friendly and you're good) and composting - well I will be lucky if I get to that in the next ten years.

We are a consumer nation, we have no competition world wide on that score. Unless you are my buddy Ed Begley, who on a bet fit his trash for the week in the glove compartment of his small car, you produce about 4½ pounds of trash every day -- that adds up to about 500 billion pounds the good old U.S.A throws out every year. We have so much trash we have to ship a lot of it overseas, and if you look at North America from space, the highest point on the east is a landfill!

Last week there were countless stories on how outrageous it was that Naples, Italy had trash in the streets and the environmental impact of that -- we just hide ours a little better. Here are a few things you can do to help:

Eating meat is very detrimental to the environment on many levels, so if you are a vegetarian, thank you! If you are like me and can't quite give up meat, let me propose a middle ground -- actually my friend Sebastian Copeland did. Eat at least one meat-free meal every other day -- that will eliminate 487 pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere every year!

As promised, here is the blog on how to cut waste in your cafeteria at school. Since I know that kids, when they put their mind to it, can get more done than adults I figured I would give you more than just the cafeteria to work on - I know you can do it! Parents who are reading - work with your kids to help them "green" their school.

Bad news first - there are a lot of things that your school does to waste energy and there is not tons you can do about it, so don't get frustrated. For instance classrooms are heated, lit, and cooled by and large in pretty inefficient ways. This inefficiency leads to schools using about $6 billion a year in energy, and here is the worst part - 25% of that energy is wasted! $1.5 billion wasted every year - enough to hire about 30,000 new teachers. As the daughter and granddaughter of public school teachers I grew up watching my dad try to conserve in his own classroom, but changing the whole culture in schools is even tougher. So I encourage you to talk to your administrators the way you did about cafeteria food to see if they can put lights on timers and use more efficient light bulbs, and by all means remind folks to turn out the lights when they leave a room. But let's focus on what you can do to make a difference since you have control over your own behavior and can set a good example for others to follow.

I was just at Genuardi's since I am back home in Philly for the holidays and added a buck to my groceries that goes to Philabundance--a group you should know about.

I hope this is not just for the holidays, but if it is, make sure to keep up with this great group throughout the year.

Philabundance (philabundance.org or call them at 215-339-0900) is a food bank that helps deliver meals to the homeless and agencies that help do the same. They also have after school programs for both seniors and kids. Find out how you can help bring abundance to a person near you.

In preparation for my recent Greyhound Bus adventure in Florida (A separate story I will share with you soon... and trust me I am certainly not creative enough to make this stuff up. Citizen Hunters, you are in for a treat!), I stopped into a Publix Grocery Store to get some good snacks.

Leaving aside my personal shenanigans for now, I learned of the incredible power of a single dollar. The cashier scanned my Hershey Almond Chocolate Bar (Go Pennsylvania!!!), Nerds "ropes" - which my friend Lisa, fittingly, insisted I purchase (but if she really cared about me, she would've just sent some Tastykakes from Philly - the best, enough said!), and other goodies. While all of this was going on, Flavia, the busybody, was in full effect.

I looked all around and noticed a picture of a beautiful girl with a hopeful smile, but with eyes that seemed haunted for a girl of her tender age. This picture caught me off guard and stopped me in my tracks. I picked up a little piece of paper the cashier could scan that told me I could help feed little girls like her! This magenta ticket enabled me to add $1 to my purchase, which ultimately became a direct contribution to The Food For All program.

The Food For All Organization, a non-profit, provides a variety of self-help solutions to end hunger across the country. To find out more about their programs in your state visit their Web site, call 1-800-896-5101, or write Food For All at 201 Park Washington Court, Falls Church, VA 22046.

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PLUS: Speaking of the power of a dollar, here's an update to the Holiday Book Drive post:

I sat in Borders today to get a little bit of work done, and noticed that it was also accepting donations for children in need this holiday season. Borders has teamed up with First Book, a nonprofit that gives kids from low-income families the opportunity to own and read new books. Instead of bringing books you just add a cash donation to your purchase. Each donation gets distributed to organizations in area communities in the form of gift cards.

To learn more about this program, which runs from now through December 24, visit www.firstbook.org, or your local Borders, Borders Express, Borders Outlet, Waldenbooks, or Brentano's store.

Here's the bottom line: Whether you prefer one bookstore over another, there are various opportunities to donate books or money toward their purchase for children in need. During the holiday season give a gift to someone in need, and find out it is just as much a gift to yourself. I can recall reading Silent Night to my sister and feeling strangely connected to an unknown child who might be reading the Silent Night I had donated. Silly I know, but for a few bucks I got a child what might have been their first new book and I had a moment where I felt happy for someone I had never even met.

With the holidays upon us let's not forget those who will be without their loved ones overseas. The U.S. Postal Service says they will process over 20 million pounds of mail for our men in women in uniform serving our nation. That stat makes me very happy: So many of you are probably already planning to send a care package - just wanted to remind you of some of the particulars.

If you want your package to arrive by Christmas: (jump to the list)

My op-ed column from today's Daily News. Look for the links at the end to Take Action.

THE continuing fires in Southern California again show how much of a threat a small spark can be, and how unprepared we still are to deal with it. But it also shows that, even when things seem to be bleak for many in America, our best nature is ready to emerge.
Because of my work, I live part time in L.A., but spend a lot of time in Pennsylvania and consider it my home. So, last week, I was able to look at what was unraveling in the area as an objective outsider, but also take a deep personal interest in what was happening to the place I spend so much time.

Objectively, it's tough to ignore the effect that two huge issues facing America and the world have had on this natural disaster.

Global warming, as many scientists seem to agree, is beginning to significantly affect temperatures, which affect weather patterns. With less rain and longer Santa Ana winds, the "fires are burning hotter and bigger, becoming more damaging and dangerous to people and to property," U.S. Forest Service chief Gail Kimbell said. "Each year, the fire season comes earlier and lasts longer."

But this is far from just a Southern California problem. The U.N. Commission on Climate Change has studied areas that are getting hotter and drier, and predicts similar fires globally. Most scary is how global warming helps fan these fires, which, in turn, fuel global warming. According to one expert, almost 20 million tons of greenhouse gases, the amount from 3.6 million cars a year, have been unleashed by this latest fire.

The other objective finding is that the war in Iraq affected the ability of the state to respond quickly and forcefully. While California does have a significant number of National Guard troops in Iraq, many are at home, and Gov. Schwarzenegger called up 1,700 of them to aid in the firefighting. (Though shortages did mean he had to pull 400 from the Mexico border.) But one hang-up was that equipment that the California National Guard sends to Iraq stays in Iraq.

ENROLLING IN PROGRAM NOW CAN HELP ALL

Here's today's DN Editorial Please be sure to note the Action Item at the end. Thanks.

WE COULD mention that the U.S. House of Representatives has drafted a bill on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that could be up for a vote as soon as today. This "do-over" is in response to a veto by President Bush, sustained by Congress last week, of a bill that would have expanded SCHIP to include many more children in the popular program that provides affordable health insurance to low- and middle-income families.

But that's not what's important today.

We could also mention the irony of a president who, days after he vetoed spending $35 billion over five years to expand health-insurance coverage to four million more children, requested $46 billion more to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This brings the request for war spending to $196.4 billion . . . for this year alone.

War appropriations could reach $1 trillion by the time Bush leaves office.

But that's not what's important today.

Today, it's important to remind parents that they have a part to play in the future of SCHIP:

Enroll their children, if eligible.

This may be a counterintuitive message at a time that states are fretting that their enrollees are going to be cut from the program. But the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been doing a good job with SCHIP, both in aggressively signing up families and in anticipating the current crisis. The state Insurance Department says that the program, which provides affordable health insurance to families up to 300 percent of the poverty level and beyond, is funded until next May.

They have not, nor do they intend to "disrenroll" children.

The state is concerned that if enrollments drop because of the scary messages coming out of Washington, the state's funding, which is based on enrollments, could be cut.

SCHIP is not a handout. Although it provides free health insurance to poor families - 150,000 children now get free health insurance - it allows families who are not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid to purchase health insurance at a reduced rate. At higher-income levels, families pay the full cost.

Take Action: Families should call 1-800-986-KIDS or visit www.chipcoverspakids.com to check for eligibility. Taking that action can help not only your own kids, but all kids.

Come out and walk the walk. As you may know, this is an issue I have blogged and written about and I will be there walking on Saturday. Here's the info:

On Saturday October 13, following a 10:00 am press conference, Lutheran Settlement House, The Chestnut Hill Business Association, and the Chestnut Hill Community Association will host their first "Two-Mile Walk Against Domestic Violence" to raise funds and awareness for Lutheran Settlement House as part of LSH's fourth annual Purple Ribbon Campaign. The press conference will be held at the Fountain Plaza, located at 8705 Germantown Avenue.

The event will be supported by CBS 3 anchor Larry Mendte, Fox 29 anchor Dawn Stensland, and NBC 10 anchor Dawn Timmeney. Participants are encouraged to wear purple to show their support for victims and survivors of domestic violence.

Launched in 2004, LSH's Purple Ribbon Campaign is a three-month citywide initiative to raise awareness about domestic violence. The Purple Ribbon Campaign is one of many LSH efforts to educate the public and draw greater attention to domestic violence in Philadelphia, while raising the necessary funds to continue to provide free-of-charge services such as counseling, legal / medical advocacy, and education and training to the women and children who are victims of or witnesses to domestic violence.

The walk is free but donations are encouraged. For a donation of $5 or more you will get a T-Shirt for the walk. Free parking is available at West Evergreen Avenue in the SEPTA parking lot. To register or to reserve a T-Shirt, please call Suzette Belz at 215-426-8610 x 208 or sbelz@lutheransettlement.org.

The walk is part of a month-long community service program co-sponsored by Lutheran Settlement House, The Chestnut Hill Business Association, Chestnut Hill Village Apartments, Chestnut Hill Community Association, and 3000BC.
For more information, please visit www.lutheransettlement.org or www.chestnuthillpa.org

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You can show your support for victims of domestic violence and their children by bringing your friends and family to the walk, bringing new toys, SEPTA tokens, and new or very gently used children's clothing (newborn to age 16) for survivors.

UPDATE 10/12: Read this op-ed from today's Daily News.

Penn Environment, one of our favorite groups, comes through with another important action item for all Citizen Hunters:

Do you know the toxic dumpsites near your community that could see cleanups slowed down or stopped if the Pennsylvania legislature doesn't reauthorize the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund?

Check out some of the toxic sites whose cleanup may be threatened.

We are almost to our goal of more than 1,000 emails to Pennsylvania's state
senators asking them to reauthorize Pennsylvania's Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund
with long-term, dedicated and sustainable funding. Help us hit our goal by clicking on this link.

Philadelphia Citizen Hunters, help Vote for Homes keep the issues of homelessness and poverty on the next mayor's agenda.

Vote For Homes! is collecting signatures on post cards to send to both Democrat Michael Nutter and Republican Al Taubenberger to send a message that issues of homelessness and poverty need to be addressed by the next mayor.

They also need volunteers to go out to the shelters and programs to collect signatures and do voter registration.

If you can help or would like more information about Vote For Homes!, please contact Jennine Miller at 215-232-727, ext. 3042 or by e-mail.

Citizen Hunters, I would like to tell you about a man who had an enormous impact on my life and was a great inspiration for much of my work and certainly for this site. I know that I am one among many who were touched by the way he lived his life. I want to share this with you in hopes that you will help contribute to keeping his memory and what he tried to accomplish in his lifetime.

He was a former U.S. national champion rower, Olympic rowing referee, and 45-year rowing coach. From 1968 through 1994, he was an international referee or manager for 17 World Championship USA teams. He passed away in 1999. His greatest passion besides his family, beginning in the 1950s, was to open rowing beyond the bounds of the then all-white, all-male Ivy League monopoly. In the 1970s he ensured that Vesper Boat Club was the first all-male rowing club in Philadelphia to admit women and initiated the first inner-city rowing program for African-Americans. By 1983, he extended that to the first Special Olympics rowing program in the USA. During his lifetime, he spent innumerable hours keeping Vesper boat club in repair and ensuring that her crews had the best chance to win and that everyone who wanted to row could. The man of who I speak is Charles P. Colgan, my late grandfather.

The Charles P. Colgan Vesper Endowment Fund was established by Vesper Boat Club in June 2000, with a bequest from his estate, plus memorial donations to Vesper Boat Club in his honor. The Fund is a perpetual fund, whose investment proceeds are used for the long-term benefit of Vesper Boat Club rowing programs.

On September 7th and 8th my uncle is organizing and riding the 2007 'Tour de Schuylkill' to raise money once again for the Charles P. Colgan Vesper Endowment Fund. The Endowment Fund is vital to Vesper's future, as its purpose is for Vesper's long term benefit. Past year's Tours were quite successful; this year's goal is to exceed $25,000 in donations.

More info after the jump...

AT THIS POINT, ONLY THE FULL STORY WILL DO

Here's our Editorial from today's Daily News. You can comment below. Please Take Action by urging the president to release all documents in the Tillman inquiry!

WHO WASN'T proud of Pat Tillman, the NFL football player, when he gave up his mutlimillion-dollar football career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the Army? He wanted to fight the terrorists who killed 3,000 Americans on Sept. 11.
Tillman went from Arizona's hero to America's hero. When he was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004, his status grew even more. At the time, official Army reports of his death and comments by the White House led us to believe that Tillman had been gunned down by the Taliban. In the weeks following, there were inspiring tributes on TV, in newspapers and at football stadiums.

A subsequent investigation found that Tillman wasn't the victim of enemy fire, but of friendly fire, cut down by his own men. The original story disseminated by the Army was that Tillman had been killed by friendly fire from a convoy moving far away that probably mistook him for the enemy. What's worse, it became clear that some military brass did everything they could to keep the truth from coming out, essentially putting in motion a massive lie to the American people.

Yet, despite the fact that the case was officially closed, we've now found out the case isn't really closed at all.

The Associated Press obtained documents last week showing that the military coroners who examined Tillman's body immediately after his death were concerned that the grouping of shots in his forehead were so close as to indicate that he had been gunned down from just 10 yards away, or less. The doctors urged a criminal homicide investigation be opened, but their request was denied. The doctors' findings place in serious doubt the second investigation that blamed his death on an accident of friendly fire.

EARTH WEEK'S A GOOD TIME TO FOCUS ON WATER SCARCITY

Here is today's Daily News editorial. Please give it a read, add your perspective and check out the link to Water.org.

HAVING JUST started to dry out from the Nor'easter, most people in the Delaware Valley might not think of water as a huge problem.

But given that this is Earth Week, it seems fitting to focus on this natural resource, because it's something only a few us us can take for granted.

Water is something we've got plenty of, and when the rain comes down, it's something we rarely are happy to see. And yet, for billions of people around the world, there is a water crisis that has quietly become the biggest killer on earth.

About 3,900 children died yesterday because they didn't have access to clean drinking water.

That's more than died on 9/11. UNICEF estimates that in 1993 alone, 3.8 million children under the age of five died from diarrhea resulting from ingesting waterborne pathogens.

That's more than all the deaths resulting from the war in Iraq, which is heading into its fifth year.

With the new Congress we have a wonderful opportunity to pass strong federal renewable energy policy through a renewable electricity standard.

The House renewable standard bill would require that utilities generate or buy 20 percent clean, renewable energy such as solar and wind by 2020. A bill expected in the Senate would require utilities to have 15 percent of their electricity come from these clean, renewable sources.

So please Urge Your Senators to Support a National Renewable Energy Standard so that we can reduce global warming, create new jobs, keep more money in our pockets, and make America safer and more independent by weaning ourselves from our addition to oil.

UPDATE: Congrats to Maryland Citizen Hunters for their victory for solar power, you made it happen!

I like the way the Edwards campaign always involves citizens, as government in my view can not solve all of our problems. Like many of you, John Edwards was at the Step It Up Rally, calling for Congress to address the climate change issue. Edwards has already organized over 90 events taking place across the Country where the campaign's One Corps volunteers will not only take a pledge themselves to reduce their carbon, but will be going door-to-door and setting up tables at farmer's markets to get their neighbors to do the same.

Check out the site and make a pledge to reduce your carbon and say how you plan on doing it.

UPDATE 4/19: Newsflash: John Kerry and Newt Gingrich agree on something. Global warming is real!

OK, I have received a bunch of e-mails from folks thinking about buying a hybrid car this summer and a few telling me they already have. Since yours truly has never owned a car (hard to believe but true), I did some research. I hope my findings convince you guys still sitting on the fence to buy a hybrid car to help protect our environment, cut down our dependence on foreign oil, and protect your wallets from expensive spikes in gas prices. Sound good?

Honda and Toyota both have midsize hybrids. The Toyota Prius, as an example (the car Larry David drives on Curb your Enthusiasm), gets 60 miles to the gallon in city driving and 51 on the highway, more than double what a regular car gets! Lexus, Honda, Ford, and Mercury have SUV hybrids and Chevrolet and GMC have truck versions. Saturn is coming out with hybrids this year, including an SUV - the price point is great!

To find out more about the particulars and do some comparative shopping, check this site out. And don't forget to make sure dealerships know you want more choices when it comes to hybrids. Consumer demand has a big impact on auto maker decisions.

If you need more incentives than helping to stop global warming, forking over less money to oil rich countries who don't exactly like us, and saving money at the pump, buying a hybrid brings other rewards as well: The federal government is offering tax breaks and rebates, as are some states. California, Florida, Virginia, Utah, and Georgia allow lone hybrid drivers to use carpool (HOV) lanes, cutting down the time you would normally spend in traffic. Cities like New Haven and Baltimore offer free parking or reduced rates to hybrid drivers, and more and more companies are matching government incentives to encourage their employees to buy fuel efficient cars.

Here's today's Daily News editorial, which as you know I feel strongly about. Please don't miss the Action Item at the end.

WHILE THE White House and Congress express shock and dismay at recent revelations about the Army's Walter Reed Medical Center, the problems with care for those who serve in our nation's military is no shock to those who have been through the system. And as horrific as the conditions at Walter Reed are, they represent just the tip of the iceberg.

It would be a critical error for either the White House or Congress to address Walter Reed without taking the opportunity to address the larger issue: Troops and veterans are not getting the care they deserve, in both the system for active-duty soldiers, which costs about $50 billion a year, and the Veterans Health Administration, which has a budget of about $35 billion for health care for 5.3 million vets, but still generates complaints of waits for all services.

Indeed, former Sen. Bob Dole and ex-Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala have indicated that the commission they are heading on the matter will go deeper than just Walter Reed, and examine the entire system, including the VA.

This is a good start, and long overdue. Yet, the commission will take months to write a report. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands of veterans of Iraq, and the millions overall, will continue to be shortchanged by the current system.

I hope you'll all read today's Daily News Editorial about the folly of provoking a nuclear confrontation with Iran.

Votevets.org and General Wesley Clark have started a campaign that warns against a military strike on Iran.

At stopiranwar.com you can take action by letting U.S. policymakers know that you feel we should work with our allies around the world to use every political, diplomatic, and economic option available in dealing with Iran.

UPDATE 3/6: In a new study, the Oxford Research Group reports that military strikes on Iran "could accelerate rather than halt Tehran's production of atomic weapons."

January 29 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
12:45 at the Philadelphia International Airport
Iraq War Veterans to Unveil New TV Ad in Philadelphia on "Fly Around" Tour

VoteVets.org to Hold Press Conference to Unveil Ad & Urge Senator Arlen Specter to Join the Troops by Voting 'No' on Escalating the War in Iraq Philadelphia - VoteVets.org, the leading political Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Organization, will hold a press conference in Philadelphia unveiling a new television ad urging Senator Arlen Specter to join the troops by voting 'No' on escalation as part of a seven state, eight stop "fly around" tour.

The President's escalation plan to send upward of 20,000 additional troops to Iraq has been met with harsh criticism from senior military leaders, the Iraq Study Group, our troops and the American public. The bipartisan Biden-Hagel resolution against escalation passed out of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday and is expected to go to the full Senate for consideration. But several Senators, including Senator Specter, have not said how they will vote.

Pennsylvania veterans of the Iraq war and their families will join Jon Soltz, National Chairman of VoteVets.org and a delegation of Iraq war veterans to implore Senator Specter to stop the escalation that would uselessly place more troops in the crosshairs of a civil war. Along with the Philadelphia event, the VoteVets.org delegation will fly to seven other cities across the country to urge other key Senators to stop escalation and show the new ad.

VoteVets.org represents the Voice of America's 21 Century Patriots - those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. It primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf of troops, veterans and their families.

Wanted to tell Citizen Hunters about S117, the Lane Evans Act, that Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Barack Obama (D-IL) have introduced, which would establish mandatory mental health screenings for all returning combat veterans. At least one in three Iraq Vets returning home face serious mental health problems from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to depression and anxiety. Many of our brave men and women are being shipped off for their second and third deployments and we must make sure they don't leave untreated.

Please call your Senators and Representatives today and let them know you support the Lane Evans Act.

TAX SEASON WARNING ON 'PAY STUB LOANS'

This is today's main editorial in the Daily News.

IF IT'S JANUARY, it must be time for our annual request for special places in hell for those who see tax season as a time to fleece poor people.

This year, it looks like we're going to need a lot of space down there. Case in point: the "pay stub loans" being offered by large tax preparers such as H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt. One advertisement making the rounds proclaims, "I got $1,500 without a W2. I got people."

The promise: an easy advance on your tax refund, without even having to wait for your W2.
The reality: a high-interest-rate, expensive loan based on a guesstimate that could be wildly inaccurate, rope people into expensive services, and trap them into having to take out bigger, more expensive loans later on.

Here's one way this plays out, according to the Campaign for Working Families and Community Legal Services, which sent testers out to the large tax-preparation services to see how these loans work: You go to, say, H&R Block with your pay stub and it calculates what your tax refund might be based on your salary. You get a loan for that amount; in most cases, you can't get a loan for only a portion of your anticipated refund. You could pay up to 295% APR interest on that short-term loan, and be forced to pay for a dummy bank account and to sign up for tax-preparation services.

Not only is this an expensive way to get cash, but it can lead to big problems if your actual refund is less than what the tax service calculated and you must take out another expensive loan to pay the difference.

A much better route? Get your tax return prepared for free, and make sure you get every dime of the Earned Income Tax Credit -an extra refund for low-income people - to which you may be entitled. The Campaign for Working Families, which works to steer low-income people clear of financial services that can hurt them, offers free tax-preparation services. Each year, it also puts out a call for volunteers to be trained to prepare tax returns for its clients. These are the kinds of people we all need more of. Find out more at www.phillyfreetaxes.org or call 215-686-2599.

Here's an action item from the folks at Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future:

CALL OR EMAIL your state representative TODAY and ask him or her to OPPOSE SB 1025, the bill to kill the Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program. The bill was approved by the House Transportation Committee today, and it may be voted on by the House of Representatives early next week. The bill passed the Senate in February and it prohibits the state from adopting the Clean Vehicles Program which would bring the cleanest, most efficient new cars to Pennsylvania beginning in 2008.

Passage of SB 1025 would be a huge step backwards in Pennsylvania's effort to ensure all citizens can breathe healthy air. The Pennsylvania Clean Vehicle Program is a key part of the plan to clean up the air and meet health-based clean air standards. Let your representative know that you expect him or her to act on behalf of the more than 1 million Pennsylvanians who suffer from chronic lung diseases like asthma and do the right thing in opposing SB 1025.

TAKE ACTION  - Tell your Representative that you want clean air and clean cars and to VOTE NO ON SB 1025.

UPDATE 10/25: PennFuture Praises Citizen Outcry Leading to
Pennsylvania House Deciding Not to Act on Clear Vehicles Program;
Plan to Protect Pennsylvania Seniors and Children from
Pollution that Sickens and Kills Will Go Forward

Harrisburg, PA - Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) today praised citizens and editorial writers across the state for their vocal opposition to proposed legislation to kill the Clean Vehicles Program, which resulted in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives deciding not to consider this legislation. This decision means that the clean cars program, which would help protect Pennsylvania seniors and children from air pollution that sickens and kills, will move forward. The failure to consider Senate Bill 1025, a bill to kill the Clean Vehicles Program, allows Pennsylvanians to have easy access to the cleanest and most fuel-efficient cars, cutting gasoline use and our reliance on foreign oil.

"It's clear that there were not enough votes to pass this bad bill," said John Hanger, president and CEO of PennFuture, "so the proponents kept it off the floor rather than risk losing. The citizens of Pennsylvania won tonight against some very powerful out-of-state special interests, drawing a line in the sand for the right of every Pennsylvanian to breathe clean air. This is a victory for public health, national security, the economy and the environment.

"Pennsylvanians will finally be able to purchase the most technologically advanced, fuel-efficient and cleanest cars, striking a blow against our addiction to foreign oil from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela," continued Hanger. "Saving the Clean Vehicles Program also saves Pennsylvania jobs and industry, since federal law requires that we cut air pollution, and the clean cars program cuts one-third of that pollution, avoiding stricter standards on many businesses."

Senate Bill 1025, which passed the Senate in February, was considered dead by most observers. The Clean Vehicles Program regulations requiring cars sold in the Commonwealth to meet more protective pollution standards beginning with the 2008 model year were passed by a 16-2 vote of the Environmental Quality Board on September 19, following public comments of nearly 5,000 citizens in favor of the new rule and an extensive public involvement process. However, SB 1025 was raced through the House Transportation Committee on October 17, after a full-page ad paid for by out-of-state special interests appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot-News, and less than 24 hours after the committee leadership suddenly announced the consideration of the bill. House leadership then put the bill on a fast track, to be considered on the last voting day of the House session before the election break.

"Unfortunately, we know that the out-of-state special interests that pushed to kill the clean cars program are unlikely to slink off with their tails between their legs, but will try once again to overturn the wishes of the citizens," said Hanger, "We urge the legislative leadership to stand strong for all Pennsylvanians. Don't let this bad bill return from the grave like a vampire during the legislature's lame duck session in late November."

The Clean Vehicles Program standards were developed by the state of California, and are the only option besides the weak standards of the federal government. Once the clean cars program is fully implemented, Pennsylvania will join Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Oregon, Washington and California in opting for the clean cars program.

All CA Citizen Hunters - tell Governor Schwarzenegger to STOP AB 32-- The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006

Taking action will not just have a local effect, but a worldwide one as well. California is the 12th largest source of Global Warming pollution in the world!

Economists are also estimating that passing this bill will produce 17,000 new jobs and add $60 Billion to the CA economy.

Polluters are working hard to pass amendments that would gut it and we can't let that happen!

Call the Governor (916) 445 2841 and ask him to stop the weakening amendments and help Stop Global Warming.

Call the Governor today, Wednesday or tomorrow, Thursday between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM PST

UPDATE 8/31: Good news - Citizen Hunters made a fuss and look what happened!

I am a proud member of the Philadelphia Daily News Editorial Board. You can usually find the latest here. I wanted to make sure you did not miss this one. If you can donate an air conditioner or some muscle to put them in for seniors who desperately need them, please do!

On a personal note, I have a few I would like to donate that are in storage. Not going to let my dad move them this time since he pulled his back last time (sorry for outing you dad, you still look young!) So if anyone can help me, please e-mail me.

If you have not already donated your old cell phone to help battered women in need, I have another idea for you. Donate your phone to be recycled and help an environmental cause - plus get paid for it!

OK, I cannot make this easier for you guys, so get to it. You know you have phones collecting dust in drawers and you think someday you will use it again. You won't. If you are like me you are holding onto an old phone because it contains all your numbers and you can't transfer them to the new one so you use it as a phone book. (Oh, that's just me? How embarrassing.) Anyway, if I can break my finger typing in all the numbers anew you can do it too! Gather up your phones and send them today. Your gift certificate will be in the mail.

What We Can Do to Help

The study out of the University of California shows that middle school and high school age kids with depressive symptoms engaged in riskier sexual behavior.

Like many studies it just lends more specifics and empirical evidence to something that is just plain common sense. When bummed out or depressed, many will seek comfort in sex as others do in drugs or alcohol. They may think that sex will provide the escape from the isolation that depression brings. Many who are depressed self-medicate and sex can be strong medicine.

Without these higher risks caused by depression the picture is already bleak on teens and irresponsible sex. Teens make up over half of new cases of STD's and have a higher risk of contracting HIV.

Not only should this be a reminder to talk to our kids about the dangers, risks, and responsibilities that come with being sexually active, it should also remind us to keep the lines of communication open not just with our only children, but those we might mentor or know. Parents and others should be on the lookout for signs of depression so that they can lend support and also seek professional help if needed. I won't weigh in on the whole Tom Cruise Lauer interview except to say that while I have often thought our children are far too medicated in this country (ADD? I thought all kids had that), it is true that depression can be debilitating both physical and emotionally and should not be taken lightly.

Attend meeting and Contribute to the Debate

Citizen Hunters have been great on the issue of mercury pollution and wanted to alert you to an opportunity to let your voice be heard. To refresh your memory, check out that blog entry again.

On July 27th, state regulators will hold a public hearing in Norristown to gauge
public support for Gov. Rendell's mercury pollution reduction plan.

If you live in Southeastern PA and can go, please do. Filling the hearing room will help make it clear that Pennsylvania supports the state moving forward on this important issue.

WHAT: Public Hearing on Gov. Rendell's Mercury Pollution Reduction Plan
WHEN: Thursday, July 27th at 1pm
WHERE: The Department of Environmental Protection's Southeast Regional Office (2 East Main Street in Norristown, Montgomery County), Delaware Room

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here.

Also, if you want to present testimony at the hearing, you should contact the
state Environmental Quality Board at 717-787-4526 at least one week in advance of the hearing to reserve a time slot at the hearing.

Congress has record low approval ratings, but that did not stop them from voting themselves yet another yearly pay raise. I would not exactly wait by the mailbox for a thank-you card for the $3,300 in extra cash we paid them. That brings the grand total to $168,500 annually, if you were wondering. I don't think Representative Matheson, a dem from Utah, made any friends when he suggested (oh, the horror!) that there should be an up-or-down vote to block the increase. That novel idea got shut down as fast as my fantasy final in the World Cup: Trinidad and Tobago vs. the good old USA. (I'll explain that one later.)

Let's hope we can be the gander to their goose and they show us as much financial compassion as they showed themselves. I was in college the last time the American worker got a raise and I think we more than deserve it. A new Pew Research Poll found that 83% of Americans agree with me and feel the minimum wage should be raised from its current $5.15 to $7.15 an hour, with half of the respondents saying they "strongly support" the idea. The poll showed the issue cut across party and economic lines, with all groups showing widespread support.

Republicans lawmakers read these polls and know that if it came up for a vote it would have to get bipartisan support or they might not be in Congress to collect their next raise. For the last several years, Democrats have been pushing to raise the minimum wage; Republicans have blocked it every time.

Television made history this past week. NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams' report was the first live American evening news broadcast from Africa. Williams was following Bono on a six country tour of some of the most destitute places in Africa, where Bono was checking on his "investment." Over the last number of years, Bono has given his heart and soul, in addition to aid, for a continent that has needed it the most.

In the countries of Mali, Ghana, Rwanda and Nigeria, Bono is not the lead singer of U2. He's not the front man of the biggest band in the world. He is a traveling salesman - an opportunist who sees the plight of Africa as the greatest chance to demonstrate real and tangible change.

The numbers are overwhelming. 40 million African children do not attend school. Over 26 million are stricken with AIDS. An estimated 9,000 people die every day. TB, Malaria and extreme poverty preside over the continent.

In 2002, Bono, along with Bobby Shriver, founded the organization Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa (DATA). Its efforts and endeavors have lessened the numerous burdens that plague Africa, offering debt relief, adjusting trade rules, and attempting to eliminate the African AIDS pandemic.

It appears that the truth about Global Warming is indeed far too inconvenient for President Bush. He wants to "quit the debate about whether greenhouse gases are caused by mankind or natural causes." Not sure how he plans on working towards a solution when he won't acknowledge our role in creating the problem. Recognizing that is essential if Citizen Hunters are going to be spurred to take action. While President Bush continues to ignore the consensus in the scientific community, NASA and even his own EPA, Citizen Hunters must not.

Al Gore's new documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," shows in such an accessible way the implications of global warming. It dispels the myths and shows us what we can do to make a difference.

It's time for us as a nation to look the science behind global warming squarely in the face and stop making excuses.

The World Health Organization estimates that 160,000 people die every year from side effects of global warming ranging from malaria to malnutrition. And what's worse, scientists say those numbers could almost double by 2020, children and the elderly being most at risk. When you think about that, it's easy to see why Al Gore talks about global warming as a moral issue.

As the absurd bi-partisan stir continues over whether the search of Rep. William Jefferson痴 (D-La) offices by the F.B.I. was too aggressive or violated the constitutional separation of powers, I think Citizen Hunters should make a stir about how this illustrates, yet again, the need for effective bi-partisan ethics reforms.

Jefferson, if you missed it, is the Louisiana Congressmen who has been at the center of a 14-month investigation for allegedly taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, $90,000 of which the F.B.I. says he stashed in his freezer.

Though many Democrats are drawing the distinction between the acts of an individual and the much broader pattern of corruption within the Republican ranks, which the Washington Post has called "a criminal enterprise operating out of" the Republican Leader's office, they would be smart to focus on what they plan to do to put in place a system that safeguards our halls of power from the influence of special interest money.

Kudos to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for having called publicly for an ethics investigation of Jefferson, a member of her own party. I wish Republicans would have done the same as they watched a systemic, massive ethics crisis unfold within their ranks. I was also heartened to see that Pelosi called for Jefferson to resign from his seat on the House Ways and Means Committee.

I realize there is due process involved here, but for goodness sake, can we not start holding those given the public trust to a higher standard than whether or not they committed a criminal offense? Pelosi seems to be taking a step in that direction.

Speaking of holding to a higher standard, I am still not satisfied with the Democrats ethics reform proposal. True it goes further than the watered-down, already weak Republican package, but it still only nibbles at the edges of a huge problem. I think Citizen Hunters are too smart to fall for small ideas claiming to be radical reform.

Senator Russ Feingold stormed out of a Judiciary Committee hearing on a gay marriage ban, Reuters reports. Feingold was protesting the lack of openness of the hearing and committee vote on a proposal by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) alter the constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Bravo to Senator Feingold to call a spade a spade and bring attention to this sham legislation the only way he could - by making a ruckus. Of course, I would rather see some sincere debate on such a weighty issue, but it is clear what Republicans are doing here.

A similar measure failed in 2004, and it will fail in the Senate again. This leads me to one conclusion - the Republican Congress, sensing that their majority is slipping away, wants to use the gay marriage bogeyman to stir up whatever votes they can. Why else would Arlen Specter (a man I usually hold in high regard) vote FOR the measure, even though he opposes it? He explains in the article that the only reason he voted for it in committee is so that it would go to the floor of the Senate (where it will be leveraged to turn out the GOP base in November).

That is the credo of the National Endowment of the Art and Humanities (NEA and NEH) and today we must make sure they can continue to promote excellence in the arts. The arts must be accessible and available to every American, regardless of their walk of life, whether they live in a small town or a thriving metropolis. Thanks in large Part to the NEA, gone are the days when ballet, opera, theatre, symphony orchestra, museums and more were only to be found in a few cities. Participation in the arts has increased because of that accessibility.

The arts take us on adventures of self-discovery and nurture our souls, as individuals and as a nation. They sharpen our minds and create paths to new insights, opportunities; they broaden our awareness, imagination and creativity. I think it was Matisse who once remarked that creativity is the ability to see something in a new way each time you look at it. Art helps us to expand that creativity, and that ability to see something in a new way is important in every aspect of our individual and collective lives.

As you guys know I am a member of the Daily News editorial board. Even though they are the anonymous voice of the editorial board, I do at times take extra time in crafting specific editorials that I feel are of utmost importance and share them with you -- like this one.

Months ago, when it was leaked that the NSA was tapping into phone conversations without a warrant, the president assured the nation that the program was limited to a very small number of people - those who made international calls and were suspected of terrorist activity. Now we know the president wasn't completely forthcoming. We now know that the NSA was secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans

Unfortunately for us, our elected representatives in Washington have been negligent in the most important of their duties - acting as an agent of checks and balances to ensure that this administration, or any future administration, always works within the bounds of the law and our Constitution. Our men and women are dying in the name of democracy, we should not be undermining that which they are fighting for here at home.

You can take action on this issue by visiting these sites:

National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

Death Penalty Focus

Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Many girls around the world are forced to marry early, and in the process I believe their childhood gets stolen.

25,000 girls under the age of 18 get married every day. Marriage at 10 or 12 is not uncommon in many parts of the world. These girls face serious health risks from pregnancy and childbirth. Girls under 15 are five times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than women who are between the ages of 20 to 24. Child marriage also results in low levels of schooling for girls.

Every 10 seconds a case of child abuse is reported, that's over 3 million a year. You and I also know that silence shrouds even more cases. Every day more that 4 children die as a result of child abuse. Suffice to say I believe every month should be Child Abuse Prevention Month, but as April comes to a close, the month designated as such, I wanted to make sure I asked Citizen Hunters to do all they can to protect our children.

Help Build Support for House and Senate Home Visiting Legislation. Quality early childhood home visitation programs lead to proven positive results for kids such as improved parenting practices and reductions in child maltreatment.

The Defense Department plans to double or even triple the health care fees paid by some of our military retirees. Our government cannot just say "We Support the Troops" - our policies must prove that we do. Write to your Senator and Congressman and tell them to support S. 2617, the Hagel-Lautenberg Military Retirees' Health Care Protection Act.

Ok, I am a Philly girl and showed my bias, I suppose, in wanting urgent action to make sure discrimination does not get written into our state Constitution. Of all places, Pennsylvania should know that our Constitution was intended to give us rights, not take them away! Citizen Hunters from outside PA felt left out and wanted to know how to help.

Well, there are a few things that upcoming elections always seem to bring into town - TV ads like electronic wallpaper you can't escape and revved up rhetoric about what you should be scared of as well as other wedge issues perfect for ignoring Iraq, jobs, healthcare, and pretty much everything else most folks care about.

If you thought that DC was the only place where polluters help write the environmental laws, think again. It's happening in Harrisburg, PA!

The utility industry and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry have launched a fierce attack against the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) rule that would require power plants to cut their toxic mercury pollution by 90 %. Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that can interfere with the proper development of babies' brains.

Pennsylvania already has a law that denies civil marriages for same sex couples. This attempt to write discrimination into our constitution is completely unnecessary and it seeks to exploit fears to be used for political gain.

It takes time and energy away from things I believe to be more important to Pennsylvanians. Things like property tax reform, raising the minimum wage, education and health care.

Here are 10 great ways you can make a difference on this very important issue. I learned about these tips from an organization I work with, Global Green.

Last weekend I discovered that gas prices went up an average of 17 cents in the previous two weeks - in fact it's up 40 cents from a year ago and is expected to rise even further - so saving energy can also save you cash! (Use this resource to find the cheapest gas is in your area.)

OK, I started with what may happen to the Internet in terms of our freedom to access the information we want on the web if Citizen Hunters don't stand up and take action now. Some of you e-mailed wanting to know about the evils of media consolidation I alluded to in the post.

We are blessed to live in a great democracy and our media system should reflect that. The public's trust in the media, its accuracy and its independence are at an all-time low due to well-publicized scandals and the tendency to focus on high ratings. This tendency often means that the information Citizen Hunters and the American public need and deserve is put on the back burner for the most titillating flavor of the moment. But the media's problems run even deeper.

Love listening to your MP3s, reading your favorite blog, or checking on the latest sports scores? Soon, who your internet provider is may dictate what you can see and hear on the net.

The executives of AT&T, BellSouth and Verizon, among others, have drawn a line in the sand on the notion of a "free internet." These corporate giants want it their way: for their subscribers to only enjoy exclusive services on their network. That could mean anything from sites being blocked or only being able to download MP3s or podcasts from specific and provider-approved locations.

AT&T's Ed Whitacre bluntly noted, "The Internet can't be free…for anyone to expect to use these pipes for free is nuts."

I have been concerned about the issue of media consolidation for quite some time, and I believe that it contributes to the erosion of the very fabric of our democracy. When I read that the one place I felt was safe might fall prey as well, I was outraged. It is critical that we have an informed citizenry, and we should have access to a variety of news sources.

Citizen Hunter was my small way of contributing another place people could go to get information, and I would hate to think those with broadband might be blocked from viewing it or many other worthy sites on the web. In the current climate, the internet is the most open and independent venue for news and it helps to foster cooperation and democratic ideals. Please write to these CEO's and your Representatives in Congress and let them know you want it to stay that way.

As the key vote on net neutrality (telecom bill) comes up in the House in just a few weeks these articles spell out just the beginning of what we can look forward to if we don't win. So take action today and I will keep you up to date on what more you can do to keep the Internet free and independent in the days and weeks to come.

Also check out FreePress.net to learn more about "Internet Neutrality" and other crucial media policy debates. It is important to lobby and take action on issues to force our media to be more public interest-oriented.

UPDATE: Here is a second post on Big Media...

UPDATE 5/5: Congress Wrestles with Net Neutrality

UPDATE 5/6: Understand the Telecom bill before the house and take action!

UPDATE 5/15: Telephone and cable companies are spending millions in an attempt to mislead you on net neutrality. Stay informed, get the facts, don't be duped.

Save Darfur raises public awareness to the plight in Darfur. It gives lots of information on events, elected
officials, ways to educate others, and Darfur Ambassadors. It gives detailed facts on the situation in Darfur.

Darfur Genocide gives updated news, ways to get educated, petitions to sign, online donations, and a way to write to President Bush asking him to "show the moral leadership and courage necessary to end the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan."

The Human Rights Watch dedicates itself to protecting the human rights of people around the world. At this site, they post many articles, ways to take actions and recent reports.

Coalition for Darfur is a blog that gives a great deal of information and resources in order to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur. It has links to give donations to Save the Children - Sudan relief.

Every newswire I looked at today reported that the situation in Darfur is worsening. It has been 3 years since the genocide began, 2.5 million people have been driven from their homes and up to 400,000 have died.

The UN has described it as the "the world's greatest humanitarian crisis." After 3 years of rape campaigns, starvation, and the destruction of village after village, no one has been held accountable. Many citizenhunters have e-mailed me about this grave issue - particularly, I'm proud to say, many young people wanting to know how they can make up for our goverment's slow and inadeqaute action.

Send a postcard to President Bush urging him to stop the genocide in Darfur, and talk with your feet by showing up to the rally on April 30 in Washington D.C.

I have to admit, I was somewhat surprised at how many positive comments I received about the idea for Democrats to back bold campaign finance reform as a response to the growing number of corruption scandals coming out of DC.

The number one question I got in the hundreds of emails I received was, "What can I do to help make this happen?"

Well, it's time to get out of our PJs, and keeping our opinions to ourselves on the comment threads, and take this one to the streets! Here are some suggestions on what you can do to make Clean Elections reform part of the Democratic campaign message.

First, join a group around you that is fighting for Clean Elections. There are groups in every state, with organizers in most counties. Visit Public Campaign at www.publiccampaign.org and click on "State Action" to find out who is organizing in your state. Give that group a call and see if they need some help. I bet they do. You also may want to check out this "Cleaning Up Our Statehouses" Conference in May.

Second, write a letter to the editor. Letters to the Editor are the most read section of the newspaper, so your letter will get noticed by a lot of people. Letters are more likely to be printed if they are tied to what is in the news, so use the resignation of Tom DeLay as the hook, and say this is why we need Clean Elections in this country, at every level. You know who has a nifty tool for writing letters? The DNC. You can use their tool by clicking here.

Third, for goodness sake, tell the Democratic Party and the Republican Party that it's time they get serious about proposing bold solutions to problems -- especially on corruption. Tell them that you would like to see them adopt Clean Elections as one of the highlights of their campaign message.Here's an easy way to send a message to Congress for ethics reform.

Fourth, tell your friends to do the same!There's a reason the saying "strength in numbers" became cliché, you know?

So what are you waiting for?Let's make this happen!

A former staffer of mine told me about a great new search engine. I can't even tell you how many times I pull up a search engine in a day -- at work or at home for all sorts of reasons. Goodsearch.com allows you to designate a charity to receive just one penny for each search that you do through their site. One penny may not seem like a lot, but when you when you think about an average of 5 searches a day, 5 days a week for a year -- it can really add up.

So - I'm asking you to take a look at the site and consider using it as your search engine. Just designate a charity as the recipient and watch the contributions grow. It is an easy way to give to a cause you care about.

A new PAC called Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America PAC launched and, announcing that an Iraq Vet from Pittsburgh, Jon Soltz will head it, while Wes Clark will lead its Board of Advisors. It's about time! It's ironic and sad that not a single elected official who has debated the war in Iraq actually served in it. IAVA PAC is trying to change that, by existing for the sole purpose of getting Iraq and Afghanistan Vets into elected office. There are 10 Iraq Vets running in 2006 for Congress, ten Dems and one Republican. Frankly, I don't care which party they come from, - as long as they are willing to cut through the BS coming out of Washington. The President has bungled this war, and the Democratic leadership refuses to put together a plan to get out. The more heroes from the war in Iraq get into Congress, the more the course we are on in Iraq can change, because only these Vets have the credibility to really move the debate and push for serious action.

On Tuesday Jan. 31 in his column, Nicholas Kristoff pointed to a Gerber study that shows that french fries are the "vegetable" American infants and toddlers eat most! One-third of young children don't eat any vegetable daily and 20% of kids 19-24 mo. eat french fries every day. He also reminds us of the outrageous fact that babies born in the U.S. are less likely to survive their first year than babies born in Slovenia.

I am not blaming it all on McDonald's, I eat there from time to time along with IHOP, Burger King, Waffle House you name it. Moderation is the key.

No need to blame yourself - if this study by Gerber describes your child's diet, just resolve to do better! Our lives have become increasing complicated, we work longer for less money, and have less family support because our relatives are spread out all over the country.

More proof that we need to step up our efforts on the home front to stop the spread of AIDS: A NY health dept. study shows that homeless people were 7 times more likely to die from AIDS as regular New Yorkers, and the rate of new H.I.V. cases was 16 times higher.

Though this is only in NY I am sure most states would be equally disturbed by these striking results if they did studies in their own backyard. The study also shows something I discussed in my op-ed and became more aware of when moderating a panel at an AIDS symposium a number of years ago in Philadelphia. Though it was a small sample size of women and other evidence that weekend was anecdotal, my gut warned me of the scary fact this study puts into numbers. Women who were homeless had higher H.I.V. rates than men!

I applaud NY and their elected officials for taking action to discover what is going on in this oft forgotten population and for doing something about the results of the study. They are planning to be more vigilant about keeping track of the homeless AIDS population and to increase the use of rapid-results testing.

To take action on AIDS, visit the sites below and get involved.

ACT UP Philadelphia ACT UP is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis.

Resources from AIDS Action includes information about federal and state appropriations, Medicaid, court cases, and housing.

DATA aims to raise awareness about, and spark response to, the crises swamping Africa: unpayable Debts, uncontrolled spread of AIDS, and unfair Trade rules which keep Africans poor.

Keep A Child Alive is a unique campaign that offers you the opportunity to provide lifesaving AIDS medicines directly to children and families with HIV/AIDS.

Youth Aids - AIDS kills one child every minute and it is estimated that every 15 seconds someone between the ages of 15 and 24 becomes infected with HIV/AIDS. Youth AIDS informs young adults and teens about the risk they face and teaches them how to protect themselves against contracting the virus.

Read Clinton's Quest to Improve Care and other articles and reports on the state of HIV/AIDS in the world.

ALSO: Read And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts (St. Martins, 1987)

UPDATE 5/9: CDC wants HIV tests for everyone

Help Stop Global Warming by getting informed and joining the virtual march!

Here's a Daily News column I wrote a couple years ago on global warming.

Also: Find out how you can win Larry David's hybrid car from his HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Plus see all that his wife, Laurie, is doing to help our environment. Do what you can to help her efforts. She is a good friend and a great gal! Oh and another thing, don't drive an SUV near her, she has been known to ticket big gas guzzlers and engage drivers in chats about what we can all do to conserve fuel.

UPDATE: Has your Mayor signed the Climate Protection Agreement?

Find out if he or she did and offer a congrats or a call to action depending.

UPDATE 5/15: The Christian Aid Organization warned that over 184 million could die in Africa alone due to droughts and famines caused by global warming in the coming decades, reversing the recent progress made on reducing poverty in the region.

This is the web site for Pennsylvania Coalition against Rape. I worked a great deal with the PCAR chapter in Central PA when I lived in Harrisburg and it is an extraordinary group. PCAR uses its voice to challenge public attitudes, raise public awareness, and effect critical changes in public policy, protocols, and responses to sexual violence. They provide services to victims/survivors of sexual violence and their significant others.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or raped get help right away! First things first, go somewhere safe and call someone you trust to support you, then call 1-888-772-PCAR.

You are not alone; it is estimated that 876,064 American women were raped last year and 111,298 American Men. 7 in 10 people raped were raped by someone they know.

Rape is a Crime

Among the many reasons to report a rape, one being to try to prevent the perpetrator from raping another person, I was struck by a line I recently read in "Night", by Elie Wiesel. Night is an account of his experiences in an Auschwitz Concentration camp, an account which one reviewer described as "almost unbearably painful."

"I only know that without this testimony..my life would not have become what it is: that of a witness who believes he has a moral obligation to try to prevent the enemy from enjoying one last victory by allowing his crimes to be erased from human memory."(viii)

Rape is a crime no matter how well you know the person.

If you have been sexually assaulted or raped in the past it is not too late to get help. Call 1-888-772-PCAR. It is important to talk about your feelings. Survivors of rape have very high incidents of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, something that can be debilitating, we see it in many of our soldiers who fight in combat as well.

Here's my Daily News op-ed on domestic violence. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship and wants help please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.

And as this article shows, men suffer from domestic abuse as well, both gay and straight. Remember, the resources and action steps I describe are not just for women.

Take Action: Please write your Senators to let them know you support full funding for the Violence Against Women Act.

ALSO: Please donate your old cell phone to CALL TO PROTECT program. An important tool for victims of domestic violence who may encounter emergency situations. The lifeline provided by donated phones has literally saved lives. To donate your used wireless phone, please send charger, battery and phone to:

NCADV

1120 Lincoln St, Suite 1603

Denver, CO 80203


303-839-1852, x105