Penny Coleman has a Great Point

The widow of a Vietnam vet who killed himself after coming home writes a poignant op-ed about the rate of suicide among war vets--statistics more Americans should be forced to hear. She wrote a book about "that most secret death" called Flashback: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide and the Lessons of War and I'm thinking of picking it up... In just a couple of sentences at the conclusion of her article, she clarified some things about military service and pinpointed why the way we talk about suicide bombers has always troubled me. Read this article!

Honoring the Fallen

Veteran's Day was Monday, and I just discovered that the NY Times has created a multimedia presentation of photos of service members who have died in Iraq. Individual faces are made up of squares representing each of the others... and it's also searchable by name or hometown.

Also check out this Military Times database site that gives quite a bit more information about these brave men and women. The count they have now--as confirmed by U.S. Central Command is 4,307.

A bit of good post-election news

Although, the only person I voted for this year who actually won happened to be a Republican (don't ask), the Human Rights Campaign reported that Democrats have taken control of the Virginia Senate for the first time since 1997. Here are some more details.

I'm also thrilled that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. Unfortunately this measure only protects folks based on sexual orientation (and not gender identity) but it's a HUGE start.

And we all needed a bit of good news, didn't we.

Increase the Visibility of Mountain Top Removal

CNN Heroes has nominated Larry Gibson, as one of 4 in the Defender of the Planet category. Gibson has been fiercely fighting mountain top removal from Kayford Mountain, West Virginia and you can watch the CNN clips from the original show here and here. Then you have until noon on Monday, October 8 to vote for him.

According to the rules, "the top vote-getter in each of the six CNN Hero categories will compete in an online vote starting Monday, November 12, with the winner honored at 'CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute'," which will take place Thursday, December 6. So assuming we spread the word and get him the win in this round, stay tuned for the next vote!

For more about Larry Gibson's work and to find out how to get involved, check out MountainKeeper.org.

Crafters with a Cause

I've always been into artsy things. I still sell recycled crafts like record clocks and marble jewelry and domino coasters at the local farmers market--and years ago I even started a webzine called Craftygal with some friends in Rochester, NY. But nothing warms my heart more than crafting with a message... so I was thrilled to hear about a project by the International Fabric Collaborative.

Jennifer Marsh, an MFA student at Syracuse University (and creator of the lawnmower cover above), is collecting 3 foot square fiber panels from crafters around the world who are concerned about our dependence on oil. And with them she plans to create what's essentially a giant cozy for an abandoned gas station. Yep, she thinks big.

The deadline to submit a panel is March 15, 2008 and I'm definitely going to participate. If anyone else would like to join me, and Courtney Weida who gave me the scoop, please contact me (Taryn Chase) and we'll try to set a time to get together and discuss!

UPDATE!
Jennifer Marsh will be giving a lecture here at Radford University at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 9 in 203 McGuffy Hall. Future fiber workshops (knitting, crocheting, quilting, etc.) to participate will also be discussed!

Recycling in Radford

Radford University student Mary Hickman has started an online petition to implement a curbside recycling program in the City of Radford.

She writes:

Those who represent the city of Radford are currently considering renovations which would include new sidewalks, bike trails, parks and landscaping. However, no funding has been provided in their five-year plan for much-needed improvements to the recycling program. I spoke with Larry Amy, who oversees recycling for the city (540. 731. 3605). He told me that Radford's streets are too narrow for a curbside recycling program. He also said that there are no future plans for improving the current recycling program.
Tell the city that you want curbside recycling and you want it NOW. Tell them that if you had this program, you would take advantage of it. Yes, there are obstacles that bar the city from creating a curbside program; however, with hard work the challenges can be overcome. The city of Radford is expanding as more students come in every year. Shouldn't our recycling program grow, too? See the city's five-year plan for improvements here.

Please consider signing and/or sending the link to the petition to others.

Also, I'd be curious to hear if other folks have more information about the history and obstacles of recycling in this area...

Memorial for the Mountains

Everybody's probably heard of the Google Earth program by now--someone you know has downloaded it to show you the satellite image of your house or office, with familiar cars in the parking lot--kind of eerie really. Wave hello to Big Brother.

But with the new version, not only can you also view the skies and explore the galaxy, but ILoveMountains.org has created a Memorial for the Mountains that allows you to locate and learn about the 470 mountains that have been destroyed so far by mountaintop removal.

After you've downloaded the latest version of Google Earth, select the Featured Content Layer, click on Global Awareness, and check the box for Appalachian Mountaintop Removal. There's a tutorial here to guide you there.

Once you've explored a little bit, be sure to add the additional features, such as the shockingly numerous file markings for all the Sludge Dams and Before-and-After Overlays.

I'm relatively new to Southwest Virginia, but the massive scale of the destruction surrounding my new home feels like it's in my backyard after having seen the Memorial. Please check it out, and then let's talk about what we can do to stop it from growing.