We had Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and now today is Giving Tuesday. You would think that the day of giving would come first, being as important as it is. Anyway, I have a request for you. If you are choosing to give to charity at all this holiday season, please consider giving a small amount to the MDA. The MDA is the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and they help kids like my brother. They've been helping him since the day he was diagnosed. They paid for his leg braces and walker when he first started having difficulties walking, met with our family all the time, and were honest and straightforward about what to expect. They tested me and determined that I'm a carrier, and now I'm waiting for an appointment (they're very busy) to determine if I am a manifesting carrier. That would mean I show symptoms of the disease as well. Without the test, I've been tentatively told by three doctors that I am manifesting, but until we can afford that test and get an appointment, we won't know for sure.
You can read more about Muscular Dystrophy on their website. It's not just one disease, either. They look at ALL neuromuscular diseases. My brother has Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy. It's the most aggressive (and always fatal) type. Our family is an anomaly.. No one else has the disease (it's genetic) besides my mother, brother, and myself. Not my uncles or grandfathers or anyone. It's very strange. But Muscular Dystrophy has no cure yet. Even if they found one now, it would likely be too late to save my brother, who is going through the final stages of the disease. But finding a cure would save other children from going through such agony, and their siblings and parents from feeling the guilt and torment that comes with being a "survivor." I often say that if I ever became part of the 1%, I wouldn't stay there for long. There are way too many worthy charities that need help, and this is a huge one for me.
So please, have a look around their website. If you want to donate, feel free.
Let's get to the news.
-- [Chuck] The UN has begun to talk about climate change as of yesterday, and there are some things you should know about this. Here's a great article discussing what the UN will be talking about, what obstacles they are facing, and what could happen as an outcome.
-- [Chuck] As the new policies in Europe continue to drop food prices and cause problems for citizens, dairy farmers are taking up some interesting arms against Parliament in Brussels. The protest movement, called "1,000 Tractors to Brussels," brought farmers to the forefront with a little gadget called a milk cannon. Initially aiming at the building, police blocked the way and soon were sprayed with roughly 15,000 liters of milk.
-- A financial expert has reviewed OWS' policies to remain debt free, and says he can't stop laughing at the suggestions of "forming community ties" and "getting to know each other," saying they don't mean squat in a financial borrowing market. Reading the interview, it becomes clear that this "expert" is heavily in favor of borrowing rather than saving to purchase, and really doesn't seem to understand how that might work.
-- [Chuck] We're all used to hearing complaints about the horrors of Wal-Mart and their treatment of employees, but why don't we hear those same complaints about Wal-Mart's main competitor? Costco is just like Sam's Club in that they sell in bulk, yet Costco pays its employees almost 50% more than Sam's on average, and stocks products of high quality for low prices. The only complaints you hear about Costco are from Wall Street shareholders.
-- [Chuck] Congratulations to Peru on banning all genetically modified foods and ingredients from their country for the next ten years!
-- One of the veterans attacked by Alameda Deputies last year in Oakland after an Occupy march is suing for abuse. The Iraq War vet was left lying in his cell for 18 hours without medical treatment, suffering from a lacerated spleen. He alleges that officers mocked him as he cried out in pain, and denied him medical treatment.
-- After the horrible fire in Bangladesh killed over a hundred workers who made clothing for Wal-Mart, this Bangladeshi woman is circulating a petition demanding that the companies who use Bangladeshi factories and workers for their clothing must make fire plans with workers for their safety. Please sign.
***Solidarity***
To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment