Thursday, December 30, 2004

Activist Groups Start Moving on Tsunami As assorted groups come out of the holiday doldrums to mobilize support for the people living in the tsunami zone, I'm starting to get things in my email box, which I am happy to pass on. MoveOn.org is facilitating donations to Oxfam and having people sign what seems to be a fairly innocuous statement to Bush and Congress. They're also proposing that New Year's Eve parties collect donations too. LabourStart.org has a page of news on what trade unions are doing around the world to help. With one notable exception (see below), there is hardly any activity from the US. This is shameful. The National Council of Churches has a page on what they're doing. The ANSWER antiwar coalition has some important connections to make between the wars and the relief effort. The California Nurses Association, representing health care professionals, is organizing a nurse-to-nurse relief program. Here's hoping other health care unions follow their example. Finally, the producers of the terrific public radio show, Afropop Worldwide, have suggestions for you, and have opened a discussion forum at their site too! Hundreds of east Africans have also died in this horrible tragedy. Notes does not necessarily endorse everything these organizations do or say, but this is something we can all agree on, I hope. I will pass on anything like this that I receive (and hope you will too!) And don't forget to ping the SEA-EAT blog (check the blogroll, under Must Reads). There's lots more there. 11:07:45 PM    comment []

We are among ABC's People of the Year OK, it's not really "news," but it was a kick to have ABC's World News Tonight broadcast name "bloggers" among its "People of the Year" tonight. Especially after they named Larry and Sergey, the Google guys, last night. The link gives you the transcript of the report, and you can see the video too. Xeni Jardin, the ever-hot journalist and BoingBoing-er gets a lead role, as does an 11-year-old video blogger who doesn't like her smile. The Wonkette and Instapundit logos get some screen time too. FWIW, Joseph Darby, the soldier who broke the Abu Ghraib story and Mary Fetchet of the 9/11 Families, are the other "People of the Year," with one more to be named tomorrow. So, if you have a blog, many congratulations, pardners! If you don't, start yours tomorrow and you can still hog some of this glory. ;-) 9:17:09 PM    comment []