Cool Earth Day Links, Message From Our Prez

From Denny: Since I've been getting bombarded with email about Earth Day - a lot of it worthy to visit - it deserved a post to pass along what people are doing to appreciate their planet.

There are news articles, children's activities and suggestions of how you can help in small ways every day. Make every day your Earth Day! :)

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Joe Heller - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

Earth Day, 40 Years Later: How Far Have We Come? - 20 Million Americans Joined in First Earth Day; Organizers Say 1 Billion Worldwide Taking Part Today





Letter from Vice President Joe Biden


Good afternoon,

We’ve been celebrating Earth Day for 40 years now, but the truth is that tomorrow may be the first one when we are truly able to say that we have started down the road to a real clean energy economy -- and a better world for our kids.

Today I am kicking off the Administration’s celebration of Earth Day in advance by announcing $452 million in Recovery Act “Retrofit Ramp-Up” awards. These awards will help make energy efficiency affordable for hundreds of thousands of homeowners and businesses, and are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs in the process.

And this is just a tiny sliver of what we’ve done. As the President’s point man on the Recovery Act, which included America’s biggest investment ever in clean energy, I’ve visited countless communities that have seen jobs come back through these kinds of initiatives.

You can learn more about all our efforts at WhiteHouse.gov/EarthDay, and also join Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, for a special online video chat tomorrow at 12:00PM EDT at WhiteHouse.gov.

Of course Earth Day is about more than just government action to protect our air, water and environment. Since the first Earth Day forty years ago countless Americans have taken action to make their local communities cleaner and healthier and to have a positive impact on our planet.

This year, President Obama is calling on all of us to pitch in and participate in the Earth Day of Service. On Serve.gov/EarthDay you can find thousands of Earth Day Service events in communities across the country.

Whether you pick up trash at a local park, plant trees, or clean up the river or stream in your hometown, there are plenty of ways to get involved. I hope you’ll join President Obama and me in celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

Sincerely,

Joe Biden
Vice President of the United States





"As we continue to tackle our environmental challenges, it’s clear that change won’t come from Washington alone. It will come from Americans across the country who take steps in their own homes and their own communities to make that change happen."

- President Barack Obama












From Rebellious Roots, Earth Day Now Mainstream

Earth Day: No More Burning Rivers, But New Threats

Finding Ways To Mark Earth Day's 40th

Cabinet Secretary Discusses U.S. Dependence On Foreign Oil

Mars Mission Could Pay Dividends On Earth

10 Green Giants That Could Change the World - how some big business and governments are attempting to be more green. They left out BMW, the German car company that is environmentally sensitive at their American plant.

A Brief History of Earth Day - The enduring appeal of Earth Day resonated far beyond its origins

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Bob Englehart - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

Five Ways to Help Save the Planet in 30 Minutes or Less - Invest half an hour to protect the environment by changing how you live each day

8 Great Earth Day Activities for Kids - Games, art projects, crafts, music and other ideas for children this Earth Day

Go Green With Your Morning Coffee - short video, If you start every morning with a fresh cuppa joe in your hand, then these tips are for you. Find out some simple ways you can buy, prepare, and order coffee so that it's brewed or served in an environmentally friendly way.

Celebrate Earth Day 2010 in Your Community - Just one green act this Earth Day can make a big difference

Documentary Films About the Environment and Ecology - These Documentaries Can Spark You To Become An Environmental Activist.

A Brief Chat About Climate Change - What you need to know about global warming and other disasters

Earth Day Network site

Blog post from 10000 memories of the life as a caterpillar:

Altar of the Planet - A somewhat extraterrestrial and somewhat very terrestrial view on the climate change, Earth hour and human species in general.

From Dennys Funny Quotes: Funny Earth Day Cartoons


The Smallest Earth Day Poem - Libations Friday 16 Apr 2010







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News Headlines Roundup 9 Mar 2010

U.S.: Pennsylvania woman tried to recruit terrorists: Washington (CNN) -- A Pennsylvania woman has been indicted for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and kill a person in a foreign country, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.

Colleen LaRose, known as "Jihad Jane" and "Fatima LaRose," has also been charged with making false statements to a government official and attempted identity theft.

She was arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 15, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said. No arraignment date has been set, the official said.

LaRose is being held at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

LaRose and five unindicted co-conspirators recruited men on the Internet "to wage violent jihad in South Asia and Europe, and recruited women on the Internet who had passports and the ability to travel to and around Europe in support of violent jihad," according to a Justice Department statement.

If convicted, LaRose faces a possible life prison sentence and a $1 million fine, the statement said.



"JihadJane" Charged With Terror Recruiting: (AP) A suburban Philadelphia woman "desperate to do something" to help suffering Muslims has been charged with using the Internet to recruit jihadist fighters and help terrorists overseas, even agreeing to move to Europe to try to kill someone, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Authorities said the case shows how terror groups are looking to recruit Americans - even suburban women - to carry out their goals.

A federal indictment charges that Colleen R. LaRose agreed to kill a Swedish citizen on orders from the unnamed terrorists and traveled to Europe to carry out the killing. It doesn't say whether the Swede was killed, but LaRose was not charged with murder.

U.S. Attorney Michael Levy told The Associated Press the indictment doesn't link LaRose, a U.S. citizen who moved to Europe in August 2009, to any organized terror groups.

Authorities describe LaRose as in her 40s and from Montgomery County. They say she called herself JihadJane in a YouTube video in which she said she was "desperate to do something somehow to help" ease the suffering of Muslims. According to the indictment, she agreed to obtain residency in a European country and marry one of the terrorists to enable him to live there.

"Today's indictment, which alleges that a woman from suburban America agreed to carry out murder overseas and to provide material support to terrorists, underscores the evolving nature of the threat we face," said David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security.



Watch CBS News Videos Online




U.S. condemns Israel's decision to build in disputed territory: Jerusalem (CNN) -- Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the United States condemns Israel's decision to build 1,600 housing units in a Jerusalem neighborhood, calling it "a step that undermines the trust we need right now."

"I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued just hours after he met with Israeli leaders in the region.

"The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I've had here in Israel."

The construction, announced earlier Tuesday, will be in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood, located in disputed territory in East Jerusalem. The Israeli Interior Ministry denies the territory is in East Jerusalem.



Michelle Obama Donates Inaugural Gown to Smithsonian: Continuing a long tradition, First Lady Michelle Obama donated her inauguration dress on Tuesday to the Smithsonian National Museum on American History in Washington.

The white chiffon, one-shoulder gown created by designer Jason Wu will be displayed in a new gallery called "A First Lady's Debut" which will showcases 11 gowns from the past 11 first ladies starting with Mamie Eisenhower through Michelle Obama.


"I truly recognize the significance of this day. This gown -- and all of the items that we'll see in this wonderful exhibit -- help us connect with a moment in history in a very real way," Obama said as she unveiled the gown at the Smithsonian.

"The detail of each gown -- the fabric, the cut, the color -- tells us something much more about each single first lady. It's a visual reminder that we each come from such different backgrounds, from different generations, and from different walks of life," she continued.

Obama also reminisced about inaugural ceremony that took place a little over a year ago, and what this dress meant to her.

"I remember that it was freezing cold in Washington. I know we all remember that. Yet, despite the frigid temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the Mall. Nothing was going to stop them from being part of history," she said.

National Museum of American History, First Ladies at the Smithsonian exhibit


GOP Begins Attacks on Pelosi, Democrats Over Ethics: The Republican National Committee has released a new ad designed to capitalize on Democrats' recent ethical troubles and cast doubt on House speaker Nancy Pelosi's claim that she would help oversee the most ethical Congress ever.




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