Africa
Thursday Open Thread
Thousands rally in support of the Jena Six today.
A cholera case in Baghdad; other cases have been reported previously in the north. Officials blame unsafe water, a broken sewer system, and failing medical system.
Global warming will hit Africa hardest. In fact, it already is.
Darfur: civilians still under attack.
Iraq Moratorium Day --- TOMORROW. Antiwar actions nationwide, both on an organizational and individual level. What's cool about it is it'll be repeating on the third Friday of every month until the war ends. So kind of like Antiwar Tuesday, except more concentrated and on a much bigger scale.
Friday Open Thread
Mucho news in the world.
Hey, guess what we just let domestic agencies do!
And on the war front, it seems the US armed forces holds the highest rate of suicide it's seen in 3 decades.
We also suck at giving charity.
So, there's that.
Food
Is it better to spend more money to buy organic, or buy regular food and donate the difference to people who are starving? It's a difficult question.
I lean heavily toward the second.
Alertnet journalist Mark Snelling explains why. Here's an excerpt, but I recommend clicking over for the full read, it's worth it.
Reverse culture shock can be one of the hardest adjustments for any journalist or aid worker.
saddening
i'm already a supporter of the one campaign and everything supporting africa and aids, povery, etc.
I watched American Idol tonight.. for those of you who didn't, they had a special "Idol Gives Back" to raise money to fight poverty here in the states and also abroad in Africa.
Theres something about seeing it in front of you rather than just hearing the numbers that makes it all the more real. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS WORLD when there are SO MANY people DYING every MINUTE because they can't eat, can't fight AIDS properly, and die from malaria. IT makes me sick.
SOmething has to be done. NOW. RIGHT NOW.
Let them take placebos.. oh no wait we charge for those too.
There are half a million people living with AIDS in Thailand and who are in
desperate need of treatment. The drug company Abbott, based in Chicago, has developed the lifesaving drug Kaletra and is currently charging $2,200 for the drug. In countries such as Thailand where people make on average $2 a
day affording this drug is impossible. Months ago, Thailand issued a
compulsory license to produce Kaletra generically, which is cheaper, for
their population of people living with HIV/AIDS. A compulsory license is
legal under the World Trade Organizations THRIPS Law which explicitly
elucidates that each country has the right to issue compulsory licenses, "to
Tuesday Open Thread
- Heavy clashes in Baghdad.
- We should start pressuring governors to do THIS. Example.
- Gonzales subpoenaed.
- Terribly bloody clashes in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Starbucks Response
Here's my response from Starbucks!
Hello Tricia,
Thanks so much for contacting us regarding your suggestion for Starbucks to create a Red product beverage.
Your feedback is very important to us, so we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. I want to assure you that I've passed on your comments to the appropriate people in our company for their attention.