Handbags4Hunger

Please Help a Family Rebuild

2012-01-27T14:27:00.001-06:00

Folse Home Destroyed by Fire Christmas 2011

Charity proceeds from every sale today and this weekend will be donated to Folse Family Fire Support! A great lady who lost her home on Christmas. If you don't care to shop, you can donate directly: HERE. Thanks and God Bless! :)

On Christmas day 2011, Becky Raymond of Beech Island, South Carolina received an urgent text message from Lori "WildRags" Johnson-Folse, to "pray for my dogs," because Lori's "house is on fire with the dogs inside!"

As it turns out, the Johnson-Folse family of Clinton, Louisiana was attending a holiday dinner 40 miles away, as their house was engulfed in flames. The home was a total loss. Both dogs, new puppies, perished. To make matters worse, the family was not insured.*

Lori and Family Must Start Over
The family is safe but is in need of so much. Let's gather together and help this very nice family!

Please help this family rebuild their lives. Every little bit helps!

BreAnna, age 13, James age 16, Memoree age 14

Mother of 3 Teenage Children
The family has spent the last few years making repairs to their modest home from damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, while doing renovations to prepare for the addition of adopted daughter Memoree, as well as Lori's mother, who suffered a serious stroke.

Just as the projects were nearing completion, the home including new furnishings was totally destroyed by fire on Christmas Day.

“Christmas is the time of year when we are all seeking peace in our homes and with our families,” said Bobbi Zaunbrecher, CEO of the Louisiana Capital Area Chapter of the Red Cross. “To have that peace shattered by fire is especially painful and a memory these families will forever associate with the holidays."

Lori WildRags Johnson-Folse

Lori is a VERY special lady - but don't take it from me....Lori's own words speak volumes on the size of her heart:

"We are not foster parents. We are there for ANY child when needed. We step in and help so they are kept out of the system, help the family get back straight, the kids return home and they continue to live their lives. Just wanted to clarify that. We are not paid foster parents. I have always done this from my HEART for it is the right thing to do. The children are our FUTURE. I worked from home, ran an online business. This allowed me to fluctuate my hours so I can/could be there for ANY child in the community that needed me for anything. I will slowly rebuild my business and have an income again. I will NOT stop helping any child in need."

"We are a hard working compassionate caring real family living life who fully believe and live in paying it forward by any means we can. Be it monetary sharing, encouraging, no deed done is too small."

WHO IS LORI? In her OWN words, Lori is:

"[A] survivor of horrible domestic violence which I refuse to allow to turn my heart cold nor hard. Advocate for children with disabilities volunteering anytime I can. Being a single Mom most of my children's lives only gives me more determination to move mountains in life. I am human and not afraid for I have faith is GOD. No child I meet nor know will EVER go without for we share our love, our hearts are huge."

"I have strong faith determination and compassion. My love for GOD and his family is HUGE!"
--Lori WildRags Johnson-Folse

Oh is THAT all Lori? Well no, actually there's more. Lori is ALSO:

"[A] volunteer parent advocate for children with disabilities, active in our community, in online community needs, we are a pay it forward family, Active in 3 schools as needed and/or called upon. We have kids of all ages over all the time since I am a SAHWM I help others when needed with their kids, run errands for and etc when needed, grab a sick kid from school when a working parent cannot miss work to go get them, etc. I am a donor on Microgiving. I say I, meaning, my family. Pretty much, ha ha ha, if I do not have it or cannot do it, I know someone who can. So I get calls in that direction often. Having to start over since losing address books, etc but I am getting there again taking notes and will compile a good "help book" again. I have raised my kids (and everyone else's) to be respectful, volunteer, help, work hard, that they have the decision to make if it concerns them, their voice does count and we will listen and discuss it."

On MicroGiving's website, where Lori is a registered donor, her profile offers the following insights:

"My Purpose: To live my life the best I can, sharing smiles, hope, strength, compassion, encouragement, assistance, anything and everything I can possibly be and do for others. Praising GOD for both the good and bad in life for LIFE is a wonderful gift! I will forever be a survivor as I have FAITH!"

There IS hope here...the land beneath the charred remains is Lori's, and the house next door is up for sale. Here is where YOU can help!

Funds are urgently needed to clear the debris, and to make a down payment on the house next door.

Lori is known for helping others in need so when she needs a porch built, roof repaired or windows installed, people come over for a little work and a fine dinner at the end of the day. We hope those who are inspired by her story will come forward and help her in her time of need. A fund has been started through MicroGiving, an online fundraising website.

Please don't feel badly if you can't spare $, you can still help. Please go to the Microgiving site and click on the "SHARE" buttons...will you give up 2 seconds and click on a share button? It could make a HUGE difference.

Please help this family rebuild their lives.

Every little bit helps!

*For verification purposes, you can go to The Red Cross: Lori's family is the Clinton LA entry for December 25 2011.

Please Help a Family Rebuild

2012-01-18T17:41:00.000-06:00

Johnson-Folse Home Destroyed by Fire Christmas Day 2011

On Christmas day 2011, Becky Raymond of Beech Island, South Carolina received an urgent text message from Lori "WildRags" Johnson-Folse, to "pray for my dogs," because Lori's "house is on fire with the dogs inside!"

As it turns out, the Johnson-Folse family of Clinton, Louisiana was attending a holiday dinner 40 miles away, as their house was engulfed in flames. The home was a total loss. Both dogs, new puppies, perished. To make matters worse, the family was not insured.*

Lori and Family Must Start Over
The family is safe but is in need of so much. Let's gather together and help this very nice family!

Please help this family rebuild their lives. Every little bit helps!

BreAnna, age 13, James age 16, Memoree age 14

Lori WildRags Johnson-Folse

Please help this family rebuild their lives.

Every little bit helps!

*For verification purposes, you can go to The Red Cross: Lori's family is the Clinton LA entry for December 25 2011.

Handbags & Handguns: 2012 Golden Globes Fashion; Best & Worst Dressed

2012-01-17T12:20:00.000-06:00

We just discovered this blog. Hilarious stuff!

1/16/12

2012 GOLDEN GLOBES FASHION; BEST & WORST DRESSED

Let's start with the worst, shall we.

I do not like Piper Perabo's dress one bit.

It's ginormous.

It looks like plastic.

It's also see-through.

Let's not forget the color. It looks like dirty bath water.

NOT A FAN!
Read MORE

Free Priority Shipping

2011-12-17T09:56:00.001-06:00

Free Priority Shipping through December 23, 2011!

Ship your items to a single U.S. address.
Checkout before 11:59 pm CST December 23, 2011.
Select "Free Priority Shipping" as your shipping method.
Your order ships within 24 hours for free shipping via United States Postal Service, Priority Mail.

The Fine Print

Applies only to orders, excluding gift-wrap charges (and taxes - for Wisconsin shipments only).
Applies to U.S. delivery addresses in the 48 contiguous states.
Excludes Alaska and Hawaii, APO/FPO addresses.
May be used in conjunction with a promotional code!

After Promotion Ends on 12/24/2011: Standard Shipping Rates for U.S. Deliveries returns, so hurry before this offer ends! Enjoy!

Urge Your Grocery Store to Protect Seals : The Humane Society of the United States

2011-11-14T11:07:00.006-06:00

Blood on the Ice

Canada's cruel seal slaughter has begun, although mother seals can barely find ice to give birth on and the bottom is dropping out of the world market for seal fur. Thousands of restaurants refuse to serve Canadian seafood until the slaughter stops, and this boycott is having an impact.

Let's show Canada that the end to the seal slaughter is as inevitable as melting ice.

Join the 2011 boycott now!

Join the 2011 boycott to save seals! It’s the first step you can take to help end the slaughter forever.

What are your next steps?

STEP 2: Get the word out. Show Canada’s commercial fishing industry that we will not back down.

	Click to share the pledge by posting on Facebook»
	Click to tweet to save seals»
	Email your friends -- copy and paste this text: "I just signed the 2011 Boycott to Save Seals. As long as Canada’s commercial fishing industry slaughters baby seals, I refuse to buy Canadian seafood. If you care about animals, will you join me? Click to sign the pledge» It is up to all of us to send the Canadian fishing industry a message they cannot ignore: Stop the killing of defenseless seal pups, or we'll put you out of business. Thanks for helping save seals!"

STEP 3: Act on your promise to boycott Canadian seafood.

Find seal-safe restaurants and grocery stores near you»
Download our guide with tips on how you can turn your pledge into action for seals.

BEST SHOPPING WEBSITES

2011-11-04T15:04:00.000-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A lot of websites carry things that are unique or things you're not going to find everywhere. Quirky.com is one great example. The users create all kinds of crazy products. For example, a cell phone charger that you stick to your windshield and works on solar power or a bendable power strip. Really interesting products there. Of a Kind is another great website in that group. Basically they roll out a different designer every week and have limited edition clothing, accessories, all kinds of stuff. You might not like it one week but the next week might be really great stuff.

Everyone knows about eBay and secondhand shopping is a great way to save. A lot of these new sites work in social networks. They link up the whole secondhand shopping to Facebook and Twitter. Addoway works with your Facebook account, so if you're a Facebook junky and want to find a seller that you know other people have dealt with or someone who's in your network, this is a great way to find somebody who's trustworthy.

Also Sell Simply.com works through Twitter in a similar fashion. And I-ELLA.com is another great website. You know the whole expression "shop in your closet?" Well, this site lets you shop in literally hundreds of people's closets. People who are willing to sell things to you, swap things with you or let you borrow things right out of their closet.

And Dealradar aggregates all of those daily deals. You may have signed up for Groupon and LivingSocial. Dealradar will group them to help you sort through them every day. Yipit is another site that does this. Decide.com is a really unique site, if you're looking for a television or other electronics. It will help you decide whether it's time to buy or whether you should wait. Maybe you're thinking the price is going to drop or there's a new product coming out, Decide.com will tell you whether to buy or wait.

Absolutely. This is one of the hot trends in online shopping. It’s really kind of a cheap -- you get a cheap thrill every month. What you basically do is fill out a survey and it will -- each of these sites will determine sort of your "style profile." Then every month they'll send you a product. For example, JewelMint.com will sent you a piece of jewelry that fits your style profile, $29.99 a month, free shipping. Then you have Send The Trend which is all kinds of accessories, scarves, sunglasses, etc. and Sole Society is shoes, and that's $49.99 a month. And you can send things back if you don't want them or not participate one month and there's no shipping fees so kind of fun.

Free Bracelet With Every Handbag Purchase!

2011-11-03T14:18:00.001-05:00

Free Bracelet With Every Handbag Purchase!

We are giving away a beautiful stretch shell bracelet with every handbag purchase, while supplies last.* Additional bracelets available at $8 each in your choice of 7 shimmering colors.

Refresh your style with this chic wide shell stretch bracelet. Featuring a stretch cuff design, made of lustrous shells. The piece measures about 1-1/3" in width, and fits comfortably around most wrist sizes. This shell bracelet has a soft sheen that looks glamorous with any outfit.

Colors include: Natural, coral, gold, forest green, aqua blue, purple, and rosy dark brown.
*Limited time only. While supplies last. Free bracelet is natural shell color as shown.

Watching Our Flag Burn With Pride

2011-10-25T13:12:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the privilege of attending my first US Flag Retirement ceremony, courtesy of my son's Cub Scout pack. It was held outdoors at the end of our annual Halloween meeting around a dying campfire, in the dark, amidst dozens of kids and their parents, who had been up to this point laughing and joking while watching the skits the various dens put on. Then the annoucement that we had a flag that needed to be retired and complete silence was required. You could have heard a pin drop.

It's pitch black, campfire has gone out, only the glow of embers...soooo quiet...a flattened cardboard box is laid on the embers while someone starts reciting the ceremony by flashlight. The box ignites, & an old tattered flag is laid onto the flames. At that moment, flames shoot up as if on cue - illuminating faces watching in silent awe as we hear:

Photo Courtesy of Scott Adams

"I AM OLD GLORY; for more than 9 score years I have been the banner of hope and freedom for generation after generation of Americans. Born amid the first flames of America's fight for freedom, I am the symbol of a country that has grown from a little group of 13 colonies to a united nation of 50 sovereign states. Planted firmly on the high pinnacle of American Faith, my gently fluttering folds have proved an inspiration to untold millions. Men have followed me into battle with unwavering courage. They have looked upon me as a symbol of national unity. They have prayed that they and their fellow citizens might continue to enjoy the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, which have been granted to every American as the heritage of free men. So long as men love liberty more than life itself, so long as they treasure the priceless privileges bought with the blood of our forefathers; so long as the principles of truth, justice and charity for all remain deeply rooted in human hearts, I shall continue to be the enduring banner of the United States of America."

15 Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes

2011-10-06T13:26:00.003-05:00

15 Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/

2011-08-29T20:26:00.004-05:00

Free Bracelet With Every Handbag Purchase!

We are giving away a beautiful stretch shell bracelet with every handbag purchase, while supplies last.* Additional bracelets available at $8 each in your choice of 7 shimmering colors.

Colors include: Natural, coral, gold, forest green, aqua blue, purple, and rosy dark brown.
*Limited time only. While supplies last. Free bracelet is natural shell color as shown.

2011-08-14T18:55:00.000-05:00

Famine and Drought Crisis in East Africa

2011-08-11T20:09:00.006-05:00

UPDATE: Handbags4Hunger has added the option to support relief efforts in Africa, as one of the choices during checkout.

Cate Turton / Department for
International Development

On July 20th, the United Nations officially declared a famine in parts of Somalia. This is the first time in 11 years that a major famine has been declared. The last one, in 2000, was in the Somali region of Ethiopia.

Here are the facts that are being reported about the current crisis:

Areas of East Africa, including Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, are experiencing one of the worst droughts in 60 years...

Read More

Shadow Hills School Surpasses Its Fundraising Goal!

2011-08-09T12:01:00.002-05:00

From No Kid Hungry Blog
REPOST of ALETA GREER ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2011

Shadow Hills School Surpasses Its Fundraising Goal!

Medicines and Emergency Aid Rushed to Joplin

2011-05-27T16:26:00.002-05:00

The terrible tragedies the United States have suffered due to natural disasters in the past 2 weeks have resulted in crushing need. Floods, wildfires and now tornadoes. The extent of the pain people are suffering due to the tornadoes on May 22 in Joplin, MO where over 125 were killed, and more killed in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas 2 days later -- is so palpable I find myself cringing.

"But our Flag Was Still There" -- By el clinto: May 23, 2011

The stories of people losing their loved ones are so hard to watch - like Hank and Catherine Hamil in Piedmont, OK who lost both sons - ages 3 and 15 months. Terrible and so hard to go on living. But live they must because Catherine is pregnant with their 4th child. This new baby will grow up never knowing his brothers. Someday they will all be reunited but for now the pain is unimaginable. Please keep them all in your prayers.

And with that I am letting you know we have just added another option to direct your proceeds - to the U.S. Disaster Relief Fund through AmeriCares, a 4-star charity as evaluated by Charity Navigator. They have been posting on Facebook and Twitter about shipments of aid they are rushing to Joplin, including badly needed medicines, emergency supplies and bottled water. They just announced that any donations made to AmeriCares by May 31 will be matched up to $100,000.

Kate Middleton’s Handbag From Her Epic Meeting With Michelle Obama Has Been Identified

2011-05-26T14:24:00.009-05:00

Kate Middleton’s Handbag From Her Epic Meeting With Michelle Obama Has Been Identified

Photo: TOBY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images

The black silk clutch she carried was "Maud" by Anya Hindmarch, the label announced today in a press release. Now that that's out, the bag will probably sell out in all kinds of stores. But the good thing about the stuff Kate wears is that it's usually generic enough that, if you want the same thing, you can pretty easily find something similar enough to be satisfying.

A quick search for the Maud clutch shows it is already out of stock in Ivory at the online shop. The black version is not shown. Price? £250.00 or $351.73 USD.

By: Amy Odell at New York Magazine.

Meet Sohaib Athar, Accidental Witness of Osama Bin Laden Raid - The Atlantic

2011-05-02T13:39:00.001-05:00

Meet Sohaib Athar, Accidental Witness of Osama Bin Laden Raid - The Atlantic

MAY 2 2011, 10:59 AM ET1

The 34-year-old IT consultant from Lahore, Pakistan, liveblogged the attack on Bin Laden's compound without knowing it

Hours before Keith Urbahn, Donald Rumsfeld's chief of staff, tweeted that he had received confirmation from a reliable source that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in a raid about 60km outside of Islamabad, Pakistan, one man near the scene of the action was an accidental witness. "Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event)," Sohaib Athar tweeted, before letting his few hundred followers know he wanted it gone. "Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant swatter :-/"
When it became clear that Athar was tweeting from his home in Abbottabad, Pakistan, hours before anybody outside of the Obama Administration knew what had happened, @ReallyVirtual, his Twitter handle, has added thousands of followers. (As of this writing, Athar has more than 50,000.) News organizations and bloggers were quick to publish brief profiles of Athar before he had spoken to anybody -- "For the people who are trying to email me to reach me, I simply can't filter out the notifications from the emails :-(." But, in all of the excitement, they got some of the details confused.

"A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S"

According to his Twitter, Athar spent some time this morning speaking with Mosharraf Zaidi and Omar Waraich, reporters covering Pakistan, and somebody from Reuters because they got to him before he could go to sleep. We can anticipate more detailed information soon. Until then, this is what we know:
Sohaib Athar is a 34-year-old IT consultant born in Lahore, Pakistan. According to his Twitter biography, he's living in Abbottabad while "taking a break from the rat-race by hiding in the mountains with his laptops." He moved there two years ago from Lahore, where he seems to have spent his entire life. A 1996 graduateof Forman Christian College in Lahore, Athar earned his BSc in Pure and Applied Mathematics and Physics before going on to complete Masters-level studies in Computer Science at the University of the Punjab.
Athar maintains a blog at ReallyVirtual.com. In the past, Athar has used this space to write about programming-related topics, document the deaths of protestors and even to complain about the state. Last July, when Athar's wife and son were in an accident he described as "near-fatal" with a police van, he took to ReallyVirtual. "Most of us Pakistani IT professionals spend our lived shielded from the 'system,'" Athar wrote. "Yes, we sometimes come out of our shells and protest against whatever we believe we have to demonstrate against -- and yes, we do write blog posts and opine and criticize and debate, and sometimes we attend the feel-good TEDx talks to 'spread ideas' -- but living in front of our computers, we rarely get a first-hand experience of the system that we loathe (but one that we have to live in)." Athar went on to conclude that he was shocked and disgusted by the "state of our legal and health system."
Before this morning, though, it had been nearly a year since Athar updated ReallyVirtual.com. "The Guy Who Liveblogged the Osama Raid Without Knowing It" was the title of his most recent blog entry, filed under "Etc." The post: "...is what I am for the next few hours on twitter," he wrote, explaining the headline. "I am too tired and sleepy to blog or talk about it though, but I guess it is finally time to revive this abandoned blog. Maybe tomorrow..."
He knew interest was mounting. After tweeting about the helicopter hovering over Abbottabad, Athar continued to update his feed, essentially liveblogging the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound without knowing the details. "A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S," he wrote. At this point, Athar started exchanging Twitter messages with others in Pakistan. To Mohcin Shah in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, he wrote: "all silent after the blast, but a friend heard it 6 km away too... the helicopter is gone too." Staying on top of the story, Athar predicted the event was part of "a complicated situation" as the Taliban "(probably) don't have helicopters."
Athar continued tweeting, with dozens of updates before the story spread across the United States. And then his profile exploded, with new followers coming in from every corner of the globe. Athar downplayed his role in the event: "I am JUST a tweeter, awake at the time of the crash," he wrote. "Not many twitter users in Abbottabad, these guys are more into facebook. That's all." Just another case of being in the right place at the right time -- or the wrong place at the wrong time.
Now, after a long night, he rests. "Bin Laden is dead," Athar tweeted three hours ago. "I didn't kill him. Please let me sleep now."

Spare us shoganai as we face an ominous spring | The Japan Times Online

2011-03-26T16:07:00.002-05:00

Bitter harvest: Fukushima farmer Sumiko Matsuno (left) and a friend bag carrots on March 24 despite their worries that no one will buy them due to radiation fears. AP PHOTO

By STEPHEN HESSE

F or two weeks now, ever since death and destruction swept northeastern Japan, all of us here have been trying to get our heads around this catastrophe.

Warm wishes: Evacuees from the radiation zone around TEPCO's Fukushima nuclear power plant wait in the cold at a refuge on March 24 to receive donated clothing. AP PHOTO

The number of victims is mind-numbing; the fatalities, the missing, the homeless. The longer-term challenges, too — environmentally, socially and economically — have our minds spinning with fears, uncertainties, future scenarios and alternative plans.

Two weeks ago, my editor asked me to write an article sharing some observations on the unfolding tragedy. I couldn't. Even now, I find gathering my thoughts an unfamiliar challenge, despite being well used to both the rigors of the law and of academia.

The damage is too great, the impacts too far-reaching, the wounds too raw. Warnings, admonitions and half-formed exhortations come easily, but so do cliches and false generalizations.

It will take months, if not years, to tease apart the tangle of conflicting priorities that now face Japan and, to some extent, global society. As a result, much of what we say today will sound trite in time to come — if not within days or hours — and some will prove to be simply wrong.

N atural disasters on an unprecedented scale have torn northeastern Japan apart: a monstrous earthquake with terrifying (and ongoing) aftershocks, and a mountainous tsunami. In a region of the country not known for severe quakes, what people fear most brought a perfect storm of calamity.

That's because the terrors of Friday, March 11, were just the beginning. Within hours, four nuclear reactors began their dizzying dance of collapse, to the edge of meltdown and back, for lack of coolant.

All of which left each of us dealing with the situation in very different ways. Some frantically tracked down information and compared notes with others trying to make sense of the chaos. Others resigned themselves to passive acceptance, waiting to see what would happen.

"What was that book?" my wife asked, " 'Quiet Spring'?"

" 'Silent Spring,' " I replied. The seminal 1962 book by Rachel Carson warned of the dangers that DDT and other chemicals pose to ecosystems and songbirds. It is also often accorded a key role in launching the environmental movement.

"Well, this is ominous spring," she observed dryly, getting on with her daily routine as I busily checked radiation readings and wind directions in Tokyo and coastal areas to the north.

It is telling that in Japan we don't so much fear human malfeasance, guns in the wrong hands, thieves or murderers; the things that scare us most are the terrors of nature.

As an outsider who has been on the inside here for more than 20 years, it seems to me that the Japanese most fear the deadly power and destruction of nature when it comes without warning, without reason or recourse. Earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis and floods would undoubtedly top the list.

And there is something about earthquakes in particular that permits a sort of mass abdication of responsibility.

Earthquakes just happen. The newest cellphones pulse and buzz when geological sensors around the country register that a quake is imminent. But the warnings often come when the shaking has already begun — or just as often, they don't come at all.

We are able to build sturdy, steel-frame houses, but much of each day is spent in offices, schools and on public transportation — all places where safety and structural sturdiness vary from excellent to questionable.

We do what we can to prepare, and we leave the rest to the architects, civil engineers, bureaucrats — and fate. I n Japan, fatalism is culturally ingrained, and one of the most commonly used expressions in all manner of circumstances is shoganai (it can't be helped). For foreigners, this can be exasperating, especially for those from nations that embrace "pulling yourself up by your own boot straps." But that's the way it is and we get used to it. It can't be helped.

As a result, when disatrous temblors strike Japan, as they do relatively often, there is minimal finger-pointing. Japanese know that no one is perfect, and nature's wrath surprises even the best of us.

This time, however, Japan has become hostage to its own hubris.

Japan depends on nuclear power for about 30 percent of its electricity, second only to the United States and France. Until now, the threat of a nuclear reactor meltdown has been an abstract gamble that most Japanese citizens, politicians and business leaders have been willing to take.

Nuclear power oversight by the government and inspections by utility giants in the Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe) and Kanto (Tokyo and Yokohama) regions have long been suspect, and since nuclear power was first introduced in 1966, there have been cracks, leaks, injuries and deaths.

Nevertheless, most Japanese — and, in large part, the country's media, too — have turned a blind eye to these failings. After all, we all need electricity.

Ask Japanese what they like most about Japan, and many will reply, "It's safe and convenient."

"Safe" is relative, of course, but it means that we do indeed have few thieves, and no shooters or bombers.

"Convenient" means we can get just about anything we want 24/7. In most cities, electric trains run often and on time, and for as much as 20 hours a day; 24-hour convenience stores sell almost anything you might need, and vending machines save us trips to convenience stores.

We have cellphones that give us 24-hour connections to family, friends and colleagues, to train schedules and tickets, to social networks, global positioning and, of course, pizza delivery.

We have kitchen appliances that perform even the simplest of tasks on our behalf, and we have heated toilet seats with numerous functions that spray, wash and dry.

We have elevators, escalators, electric vehicles — and world-famous neon — as well as high-tech, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities nationwide.

So as Japan rebounds and rebuilds, one multi-billion-dollar question that must be answered is this: In a society that is totally dependent on electricity and has become wedded to the notion that convenience is the backbone of modernity both now and in the future, how will Japan satisfy its energy needs in the decades to come? U ntil now, about 60 percent of Japan's electricity has been generated using fossil fuels, while about 30 percent has come from nuclear power, and about 8 percent from hydro power. Other renewable sources provide only 2 percent.

Eager to stabilize and reduce carbon emissions, and because fossil fuels, in particular oil and gas, will inevitably become less abundant and more expensive worldwide as time goes on, Japan has been aiming to raise nuclear power generation to 40 percent of its overall power-supply mix.

Worldwide, too, because of growing concern about climate change due to human-generated emissions of carbon dioxide and methane, as well as other man-made chemicals, nuclear power has been getting a second look from many governments.

Japan in particular faces a power squeeze. It is one of the top three energy consumers in the world, behind the U.S. and China, but is only 16 percent energy self-sufficient, and it has yet to make a strong commitment to developing alternative energy sources.

Japan's future prosperity depends on electricity — lots of it. More efficiency can help, but at present, oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy power this nation. Now, with the spectre of radiation spreading across the Kanto plain and its 40-odd million people, Japanese citizens are going to need a whole lot of convincing that nuclear reactors can be made fail-safe.

The government can no longer cow its citizens as easily as it once could. And, who knows, even the media may start to actively fulfil its duty in a democracy to seek out and share information with the public, and call for accountability when appropriate.

But Japan is still fundamentally an island nation where "groupthink" can be forced on the majority by dominant minorities.

Keidanren, for example, Japan's powerful business association, is very unlikely to support an increase in alternative energy use unless the central government also provides a comprehensive and realistic blueprint for coherent, subsidized, long-term development.

Ironically, concerns over nuclear power could push Japan to reconsider some of those fearful forces of nature as harbingers of a new energy portfolio. Japan is short in conventional energy sources, but it is rich in potential for harnessing wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and tidal energy.

With time, investment and commitment, Japan could also make great strides in the development of hydrogen-based power systems for electricity generation and transportation. S o, as we move forward from this tragedy, another key question comes to mind: Will fear of radiation and anger at the utilities' apparent ineptitude remain ingrained in consumers' and voters' minds? Or will shoganai creep in and allow grudging acceptance of the nuclear power status quo?

Japan faces an unimaginable crisis, one that puts it at the crossroads of change and demands a rethink of energy use and generation. But that same crisis also offers a chance for Japan to get it right.

What Japan does is, however, crucially important beyond its own shores as well, because whatever Japan decides will influence development policies worldwide for decades to come.

Shoganai may be reasonable for events that have already occurred. But the future of Japan, and of our planet, is ours to decide. And it can be helped.

Stephen Hesse teaches in the Chuo University Law Faculty and is the director of the Chuo International Center. He can be contacted atstevehesse@hotmail.com.

Japan Update 3/26: Death Toll 10151, Survivors Face Daily Struggle

2011-03-26T16:00:00.002-05:00

by Chuck Larlham

The official death toll has risen by fewer than 100 over the past 24 hours, to 10,151. During the same time, the number of missing has fallen by about 500 to 17,053, suggesting that identifications of the dead are reducing the latter list. But no one is fooled; the number actually missing is far higher than the list of missing people would suggest. Whole towns are gone, and their people with them.

To create its daily official death toll, the government counts the bodies collected from the shores of tsunami-ravaged northeast Japan, and says that more will come. It counts the bodies collected as it slowly and carefully cleans up the meters-thick layer of mud and debris where towns used to be. It counts the bodies it collects, and warns of untold numbers to come, but it will not speculate on how high those numbers might go… and it does not officially recognize the estimates of the missing from the few remaining local town officials in the devastated area.

The number of survivors in government-operated shelters declines slowly. The highest count given was about 350,000, which is down now to less than 250,000. Still, humanitarian aid distribution is difficult. While some say delivery of humanitarian aid has turned the corner, for many it remains elusive. The lack of fuel, the destruction of roads and rail, and the fact that many roads are simply blocked by the mud and debris left by the retreating tsunami, mean that getting through with food and water is often difficult. Even, according to some reports, the Yakuza are complaining that their humanitarian efforts are often unsuccessful because of such impediments.

The temporary return of winter has once again made life more miserable for the refugees. With no heat or light, and not enough food to sustain them, sub-freezing temperatures are a threat to the more vulnerable among them… especially the aged, of whom there are many. Illness has become a factor as well, and the indirect effects of the tsunami, hunger, disease and despair, are about to begin adding to the death toll.

Winter also makes the clean up more difficult, since the government is attempting to clean up in a fashion that allows for the recovery of bodies without their destruction in the process, and that means the use of truly heavy machinery and rapid excavation techniques is not possible. As hundreds, perhaps thousands of bodies are uncovered the death toll will continue to rise.

Japan faces, as did America after 9/11, months of constant reminders in body count and devastation as the clean up continues.

2011 Japan Earthquake

2011-03-12T10:25:00.005-06:00

UPDATE: Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami - Handbags4Hunger is now donating all hunger proceeds to Japan, via the American Red Cross.

On March 11, 2011 at 14.46 (local time), a magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck 81 miles (130km) east of Sendai, the capital of Miyagi prefecture (Japan), followed by a 13 foot tsunami. It is with great concern we are seeing the images from Japan. The scene of the devastation is quite amazing. It will be a while for all of us to get a full sense of the disaster and its impact. Microsoft has activated its disaster response protocol to monitor the situation in Japan and other areas on tsunami warning alert, and offer support as appropriate. We are taking a number of steps, including ensuring the safety of our employees and their families and assessing all of our facilities for any impact.

Ways to Help:

Several organizations are offering support to help victims of the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief. Here are a few ways you can help:

The American Red Cross is accepting donations for Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami
relief. Individuals can also text 'REDCROSS' to 90999 to donate $10 from their mobile phone.
Save the Children is responding to the needs of children and families affected by the earthquake and its aftermath. Donations can be made to Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund.
International Medical Corps is responding to the health needs of the disaster's victims.
World Vision has announced mobilization in response to the earthquake and tsunami.
NetHope, a collaboration of the world’s leading humanitarian response organizations
is mobilizing efforts to support aid agencies responding in the region.
Mercy Corps is working with its partner Charity Peace Winds Japan to accept donations.
AidMatrix is working with its partners to connect resources and materiel for various response efforts. Needs for In-Kind and Transportation donations are being assess and will be posted to
the AidMatrix network as they become available.

News and Resources:

Search Bing for the latest quake information
Get the latest news from MSNBC
See updated images
Watch related videos
Get breaking news on Twitter

REPOSTED FROM:

Microsoft Disaster Response: Community Involvement

One of our Favorite Sites: TOMS Shoes - A Pair of New Shoes is Given to a Child in Need With Every Pair Purchased

2011-02-13T15:51:00.010-06:00

One for One - Official Store - TOMSshoes.com
TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about. The TOMS mission transforms our customers into benefactors, which allows us to grow a truly sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support.

Giving Is Catching On...

The TOMS mission of giving shoes has attracted other brands, resulting in unique and successful collaborations. Ralph Lauren sold co-branded Polo Rugby TOMS, giving a matched pair with every pair sold. Element Skateboards has issued limited edition TOMS + Element shoes as well as a One for One skateboard. With every skateboard purchased, one will be given to a child at the Indigo Skate Camp in Durban, South Africa. It is TOMS’ hope that as our One for One movement continues to grow, more and more companies will look to incorporate giving into what they do.

The TOMS Story

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers.

As of September 2010, TOMS has given over one million pairs of new shoes to children in need through Giving Partners around the world.

Shop TOMS!

New at H4H: Customers Can Choose From 6 Options to Designate Where Their Proceeds are Donated

2011-01-10T13:50:00.003-06:00

10% of the proceeds from every sale at Handbags4Hunger are directly donated to The Children's Hunger Fund. CHF is well-known as one of America's most cost-effective charities. 99% of all revenue is used in programs serving the needs of children. This is one organization that does what it says with the donations!

New at H4H: for each handbag sold you the customer can choose from 6 options to designate where the proceeds are donated: Including Food Paks to needy families, International or U.S, Disaster Relief, etc.

Would you like your gift to provide emergency aid as CHF responds to disasters? It's your choice. Or you can choose to have your proceeds fund home delivery of Food Paks to needy families.

For details go to Handbags4Hunger.com and click any handbag to see the choices.

HOMELESS MAN‘S VOICE KICKS OFF ’TODAY’ SHOW

2011-01-06T13:47:00.003-06:00

America is fascinated with the story of Ted Williams, the homeless man with the amazing radio voice. So too is NBC. Williams took over as the announcer this morning on the “Today” show. Needless to say, he nailed it:

“If you need proof that life in this country can change overnight, look no further than Ted Williams,” host Matt Lauer said during the show’s opening. Later in the day, Lauer and co-host Meredith Vieira interviewed Williams on his incredible story:

But what about the good Samaritan with the video camera? It turns out that Doral Chenoweth III, the man who filmed Williams, has a story of his own.

How faith helped uncover a 'golden voice'

By John Blake, CNN

January 6, 2011 1:31 p.m. EST

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Videographer Doral Chenoweth III thought Ted Williams might make a good subject for video

Video of Williams, the "homeless man with the golden voice," goes viral on YouTube

Chenoweth explains that encounters with homeless not just a job but "part of my faith"

Chenoweth says he's touched Williams still has his business card weeks after filming

(CNN) -- By now, millions of Americans have heard from Ted Williams.

He's "the homeless man with the golden voice," a panhandler whose stunning vocal skills were recorded for an impromptu video that's netted at least 4 million views on YouTube.

But what about the good Samaritan with the video camera?

What made him stop for Williams on a dreary, overcast day when scores of people ignored the African-American homeless man during the peak of the Christmas season?

It turns out that Doral Chenoweth III, the man who filmed Williams, has a story of his own.

Videographer has played this part before

Five weeks ago, Chenoweth was driving to Lowe's with his wife, Robin, when he spotted a thin man with wild, unruly hair at an intersection. The man held a cardboard sign that read, "I have a God-given gift of voice. ..."

Chenoweth stopped and talked briefly with Williams, but he couldn't stay long because he had company at home. He returned, however, a week later.

"Hey, I'm going to make you work for your dollar," Chenoweth said as he rolled down his window and took out his flip camera. "Let me hear you say something."

What comes out of Williams' mouth is startling. It's a rich, baritone that doesn't match his craggy exterior at all. His enunciation is crisp, his tone smooth as suede.

Williams isn't holding that cardboard sign anymore.

After Chenoweth posted the video, it went viral. Williams did interviews on national television and radio. He's received several jobs offers, including one that comes with a home. A reunion with his 92-year-old mother is being arranged.

But the other character in this contemporary parable had played this part before.

"The first time we dated, he stopped and gave a blanket from the back of his car to a man who was homeless," said Robin Chenoweth. "I thought to myself, if he has this kind of compassion for a man on the street, he's going to make a great husband and father."

Chenoweth is paid to notice people. He's a multimedia producer forThe Columbus Dispatch newspaper in Ohio. He said he stopped because he thought Williams might make a good video.

Still, he wasn't so sure after the filming. He said he sat on the video for five weeks until he finally decided to use it because it was a slow news week. Then he watched the video take off.

"I never anticipated this," he said. "A week ago, he was living in a tent behind a station in the middle of December, and now he's being flown to New York and his video is everywhere."

Looking through the lens of faith

But the reason Chenoweth stopped goes deeper than his job.

It's "standard operating procedure" for him, he said, to stop and talk to people who are homeless, whether he's carrying a camera or not.

"It's part of my faith," he said after some prodding about his motivations. "You may not be able to help someone with money, but you can at least say hello, how you doing, and look at them."

Doral Chenoweth III, his wife, Robin, and their children Cassie and Kurtis went on a church mission trip to Tanzania.

About 14 years ago, Chenoweth said he was assigned to photograph a homeless ministry at New Life United Methodist Church in downtown Columbus. He was so impressed by the ability of the 50-member congregation to help the homeless that he and his wife joined.

The church's pastor said that Chenoweth routinely invites people who are homeless to the church for meals and medical attention. He's also photographed people on the street and displayed their photographs to emphasize their humanity, said the Rev. Jennifer Kimball Casto, New Life's pastor.

When asked if she was surprised by Chenoweth's action, Casto said: "Absolutely not. Doral has a special heart for people who are homeless and in need."

Chenoweth's concern for people goes beyond Columbus, and even the United States. His wife said they are regular Habitat for Humanity volunteers. They've also taken seven trips to Africa with their two children, Cassie, 12, and Kurtis, 10, to serve impoverished communities. Chenoweth has documented many of the trips on hiswebsite.

"He's taken me all over the world," Robin Chenoweth said. "He's a fabulous husband. It's the best decision of my life to be with him."

Chenoweth sounds thrilled to see where the new-found fame will take Williams.

He had a reunion with Williams after their video went viral. A local radio station interviewed Williams, and Chenoweth was there for the interview.

"We had a big hug and shook hands," Chenoweth said. "He almost cried when he saw me."

Chenoweth was watching a local radio station interview Williams when he saw something that touched him.

"He still has my business card," Chenoweth said. "He's been carrying it the whole five weeks since I gave it to him. He was carrying it right in his fingertips."

Filming a visual parable

The Rev. Tom Long, a professor of preaching at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, watched the video of Chenoweth's encounter and saw a visual parable unfold. It reminded him of Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan.

In the parable, a Samaritan, a group of people hated by many first-century Jews, stops to help an helpless man wounded by robbers after two Jewish religious leaders -- a Levite and a priest -- pass the man by. The story was shocking because the hero was a villain (imagine the parable of the Good Crack Dealer).

RELATED TOPICS

YouTube Inc.

Columbus (Ohio)

Homelessness

Religion

Chenoweth didn't see Williams as "visual white noise" to tune out, Long said. "He sees possibilities others don't see and acts on them and, wow, here we go," Long said.

Long said there's more to the story than the importance of treating people in need with compassion because miracles may happen. "His (Chenoweth) experiences expose what is already true about people, that even an homeless person who doesn't have a golden throat is nonetheless a child of God."

Casto, Chenoweth's pastor at New Life, said Chenoweth taught another lesson with his encounter with a panhandler.

"We are all broken in some way, but we are also gifted in some way," she said. "Mr. Williams is a perfect example of that."

House Passes Child Nutrition Bill

2010-12-02T22:53:00.001-06:00

Today we celebrate the passage of the long-awaited Healthy, Hunger-Free Families Act. The legislation will increase access to federal food programs for millions of children and improve the nutritional quality of the meals they serve. And for that, we have many, many people to thank.

So thank you, Senate Agriculture Chairman Blanche Lincoln and House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller. Thank you for your tireless efforts to get the child nutrition bill passed. You are true champions for hungry children and invaluable partners in our fight to end hunger.

Also instrumental to the process are Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and First Lady Michelle Obama. We thank you and and all Members on both sides of the House and Senate who supported the passage of this remarkable child nutrition bill.

Tim McGraw Films PSAs for Hunger

2010-11-07T19:36:00.002-06:00

Tim McGraw Films PSAs for Hunger

Tim McGraw has filmed public service announcements to raise awareness about hunger in America. The PSAs began airing in November. McGraw appeared in the campaign on behalf of Feeding America and Hamburger Helper's Show Your Helping Hand campaign. McGraw and Hamburger Helper have already collectively donated $525,000 to the campaign, with an anticipated extra $100,000 to be raised through donation codes inside boxes of Hamburger Helper. Donations may also be made through Feeding America's website. The campaign concludes on Dec. 31, 2011. Learn more about Feeding America at CMT One Country's website.

Please Help our Boy Earn His Way Through Cub Scouts! Buy Popcorn:

2010-10-04T21:09:00.004-05:00

Handbags4Hunger

Please Help a Family Rebuild

Please Help a Family Rebuild

Handbags & Handguns: 2012 Golden Globes Fashion; Best & Worst Dressed

1/16/12

2012 GOLDEN GLOBES FASHION; BEST & WORST DRESSED

Free Priority Shipping

Free Priority Shipping through December 23, 2011!

The Fine Print

Urge Your Grocery Store to Protect Seals : The Humane Society of the United States

STEP 2: Get the word out. Show Canada’s commercial fishing industry that we will not back down.

STEP 3: Act on your promise to boycott Canadian seafood.

BEST SHOPPING WEBSITES

Free Bracelet With Every Handbag Purchase!

Watching Our Flag Burn With Pride

15 Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes

Famine and Drought Crisis in East Africa

UPDATE: Handbags4Hunger has added the option to support relief efforts in Africa, as one of the choices during checkout.

Shadow Hills School Surpasses Its Fundraising Goal!

Medicines and Emergency Aid Rushed to Joplin

Kate Middleton’s Handbag From Her Epic Meeting With Michelle Obama Has Been Identified

Meet Sohaib Athar, Accidental Witness of Osama Bin Laden Raid - The Atlantic

Spare us shoganai as we face an ominous spring | The Japan Times Online

Japan Update 3/26: Death Toll 10151, Survivors Face Daily Struggle

2011 Japan Earthquake

UPDATE: Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami - Handbags4Hunger is now donating all hunger proceeds to Japan, via the American Red Cross.

Ways to Help:

News and Resources:

Microsoft Disaster Response: Community Involvement

One of our Favorite Sites: TOMS Shoes - A Pair of New Shoes is Given to a Child in Need With Every Pair Purchased

Giving Is Catching On...

The TOMS Story

New at H4H: Customers Can Choose From 6 Options to Designate Where Their Proceeds are Donated

HOMELESS MAN‘S VOICE KICKS OFF ’TODAY’ SHOW

America is fascinated with the story of Ted Williams, the homeless man with the amazing radio voice. So too is NBC. Williams took over as the announcer this morning on the “Today” show. Needless to say, he nailed it:

How faith helped uncover a 'golden voice'

House Passes Child Nutrition Bill

Tim McGraw Films PSAs for Hunger

Please Help our Boy Earn His Way Through Cub Scouts! Buy Popcorn:

http://bit.ly/scoutspopcorn