Judith Broder: 2009 Purpose Prize Winner

That’s cool. That is a lot of crosses that they are still adding to… This Judith Broder is a true heroine.

Below is a bit about the organization according to the organization. :] It seems to be a pretty fresh site for a niche market.

-Cara

About The Purpose Prize [According to encore.org]

Launched in 2006 as the first Baby Boomers turned 60, The Purpose Prize is a major initiative investing in a new generation of social innovators – individuals in the second half of life who are marshaling their accumulated experience to tackle some of America’s most pressing problems.

Unlike any other major national award or fellowship, The Purpose Prize challenges prevailing perceptions by investing significantly in accomplished social innovators over the age of 60. Each year, up to six people who have demonstrated uncommon vision, determination and entrepreneurialism in addressing community, national and international problems win $100,000 each. A second group of innovators wins $10,000 each, and dozens more are named Purpose Prize Fellows.

All are making extraordinary contributions to society in their encore careers. Nominations for the 2009 Purpose Prize are open through March 5, 2009. For more information or to nominate someone (including yourself), go to purposeprize.org.

Encore.org is published by Civic Ventures, a nonprofit think tank that is leading the call to engage millions of experienced individuals in becoming a force for social change. Civic Ventures focuses on creating pathways to encore careers that provide continued income doing work that is personally fulfilling and helps address some of society’s biggest challenges.

Impeach Judge Jay Bybee

Common Cause has called for the impeachment of federal Judge Jay Bybee for his role in signing a 2002 memo released last week that authorized torture. Put enough pressure on Congress to launch impeachment proceedings.

Tell your Representative to launch impeachment proceedings on Judge Jay Bybee of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Sign Here!

-Cara

Do Something Simply Nice

It doesn’t so much matter what you feel about the war, America, corporate advertising, etc. The point of the matter is there are a lot of young men and women and a few adults far away from home, fighting this crazy war, that feel forgotten, homesick, crazy, sad, confused, whatever it may be and these boxes of products make them happy, they represent home, America. Who doesn’t love a bag of Skittles…come on, show your humanity and help out.

Here’s How You Do It!

Step 1: Write A Letter

Write a letter to the soldier that will receive your package. You may decorate your letter however you’d like. Do something artsy. You don’t need to put a stamp on your letter, as it will be included in your package.

Step 2: Make Your Care Package

Here are some of the things you can put in your care package:

• A Letter
• An awesome book
• AA Batteries
• Crossword, Puzzle or Sudoku Books
• Baby wipes or hand wipes
• Ziplock bags
• Playing cards, Cool games
• Writing notebooks
• Pens
• Stationary/note cards
• Beanie Babies
• Packs of Gum
• Organic Cookies
• Lip Balm
• Socks
• Tooth paste and toothbrush

Please do not include anything perishable or any home-made food. Sometimes, it takes a few weeks for packages to get to the troops. All goodies should be new and fully sealed.

Step 3: Send Your Care Package

Operation Gratitude is an organization that works with the military to find soldiers who need a care package. Please send your package to Operation Gratitude and they will get your package to a soldier.

Operation Gratitude
16444 Regugio Road
Encino, California 91436
USA

I believe in peace through knowledge.

-Cara

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone and it’s true, war is over if you want it.

Much love to all who couldn’t be home this year.

-Cara

The $3 Trillion Shopping Spree

The occupation of Iraq will cost $3 trillion, America’s most expensive conflict since WWII.

This site, http://3trillion.org/, is about you having 3 trillion dollars and what you can do for yourself or the world with it. You are taken to a global shopping spree, you browse their on-line store, fill up your cart, click the checkout button, and send virtual gifts to others. I was surprise how it was hard for me to get 3 trillion dollars worth of stuff. If these numbers are correct this site is a great educational tool. It makes things seem less unknown, even if the numbers are approximations. I think anyone can add stuff so…it is still fun.  A tip don’t go over the 3 trillion dollar total as it has a bug and clears your whole cart. I learned that the hard way… :[

http://3trillion.org/

Spread the word.

-Cara

End the Financial Irresponsibility of the War in Iraq

The Dead

Target: U.S. Congress
Sponsored by: Care2.com

Donald Rumsfeld, in 2003, estimated that the cost of the war in Iraq would be $50 billion. Five years and more than $500 billion later, Iraq has turned into a sinkhole for American taxpayers. In fact, recent analysis indicates that the true cost of the war could easily top $1-2 trillion dollars!That’s more than any other war, except for World War II. Just think — the war in Iraq has been more expensive than the anticipated cost of the U.S. implementing the Kyoto Protocol to control greenhouse gases ($300 billion).

Countless lives lost and massive fiscal irresponsibility to boot — the entire affair has been one debacle after another. Demand that the U.S. better use its resources and return its troops home.

A Child

The letter you send to congress states,

The war in Iraq has proved far too costly and not just in terms of lives lost. In fact, recent analysis indicates that the true financial cost of the war could easily top $1-2 trillion dollars! That will make it the second most expensive war in the history of the United States.

The yearly cost of the war has doubled since the 2003 appropriation of $74 billion, which the Bush administration expected to be the total cost of the war. And these estimates don’t necessarily account for all the potential expenses, including

* disability pay and health care costs of Iraqi war veterans for several decades;
* replacing worn or destroyed military equipment and resettling the armed forces; and
* paying interest on the debt used to finance the war.

[Your Comment]

To date, the war has cost $341.4 million per day. Worse, thousands of lives have been thrown away in a misguided, high-handed venture of the Bush Administration. I urge you to help the U.S. use its resources better and more importantly, bring our troops home.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]

I am number 3,408, because this war is not worth it.

Sign here.

-Cara

Move On McCain

MoveOn.org is cool, because they show you were they get the documentation for this video ad.

The truth is out there.

-Cara

Code Pink – Women For Peace

Code Pink, who knows how I found this site, but I was cleaning up my bookmarks today and rediscovered it. You’re welcome!

According to their web site,

“CODEPINK emerged out of a desperate desire by a group of American women to stop the Bush administration from invading Iraq. The name CODEPINK plays on the Bush Administration’s color-coded homeland security alerts — yellow, orange, red — that signal terrorist threats. While Bush’s color-coded alerts are based on fear and are used to justify violence, the CODEPINK alert is a feisty call for women and men to “wage peace.”

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities. CODEPINK rejects the Bush administration’s fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead calls for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.”

In other words, they kick ass. They have a YouTube channel you can check out, Don’t Buy Bush’s War. There’s videos of these women getting arrested by Capitol Hill police and such. They’re no joke, and I’m glad they exist.

Represent.

-Cara

I Am Not A Killer

Executions are known to have been carried out in the following countries in 2007:

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Botswana, China, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Korea (North), Kuwait, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, USA, Viet Nam, Yemen.

Amnesty International remains concerned that executions may have taken place in Mongolia and Malaysia. However, due to the secretive nature of the use of the death penalty the organization was unable to obtain reliable information.

An appeal for a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty

I am not a killer.

-Cara