Whoopi Goldberg Honored By Lupus Foundation Of America

October 22, 2012

Whoopi Goldberg, physician and renowned researcher Dr. Michael Lockshin, and humanitarians Judith and Wayne Barlin were honored for their work to improve the lives of people with lupus, at the Lupus Foundation of America's annual Butterfly Gala in New York City on October 18.

Other special guests at the Gala included multi-talented musician, philanthropist and photographer Julian Lennon, actor S. Epatha Merkerson, music producer Phil Ramone, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Saks Fifth Avenue, Stephen I. Sadove. Actor Phylicia Rashad served as the Master of Ceremonies.

Four-time Grammy award winner India.Arie inspired and moved the crowd with a performance of her song There’s Hope: a salute to the honorees and the hope they bring to people with lupus.

Lennon and Merkerson presented Goldberg with the 2012 National Public Awareness Award for her work to increase public awareness of issues touching the lives of women and children, including lupus. Dr. Michael Lockshin, one of America’s most preeminent doctors and lupus researchers, received the National Leadership Award for Lupus Medical Advancement. Dr. Lockshin is Director of the Barbara Volcker Center for Women and Rheumatic Disease and Professor of Medicine and Obstetrics-Gynecology at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Judith and Wayne Barlin received the Lupus Foundation of America Family of the Year Award for making possible more than $1.5 million in support for pediatric lupus research and for establishing the Michael Jon Barlin Pediatric Research Fund. The Barlins also developed a college scholarship program for young people with lupus. The Barlins’ son, Michael Jon, passed away from lupus in his early 20s.

The Gala seeks to focus attention on lupus, an autoimmune disease that affects 1.5 million Americans, mostly women of childbearing age. Although lupus can be fatal and can rob a person of their most productive years, it does not share the high profile of other diseases.

“The challenges we face to make lupus one of the top national health priorities do not daunt us,” said Peter Schwab, chair of the Lupus Foundation of America’s National Board of Directors. “We remain steadfast in our mission to advance lupus research and, just as importantly, provide education and support to those with the disease as well as to further raise awareness of this significant health threat.”

The Lupus Foundation of America’s New York City Butterfly Gala is the companion event to the Foundation’s National Butterfly Gala held each year in Washington, DC. The Butterfly Galas raise awareness about lupus and generate critical funding for research, education, and advocacy for people with lupus.

Read more: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/9137-whoopi-goldberg-honored-by-lupus-foundation-of-america?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz2A26Eqc54

Paul McCartney Supports Campaign To Save Sea Turtles

October 21, 2012

Sir Paul McCartney has lent his support for a campaign to save sea turtles from being farmed for food in the world’s last commercial farm in the Cayman Islands.

He announced his support last week with a news story on his website, calling for fans to support the World Society for the Protection of Animals' (WSPA) campaign to stop sea turtle farming at the Cayman Turtle Farm, in the Cayman Islands.

McCartney tweeted: “There is no humane way to farm sea turtles. Support @WSPA campaign to #stopseaturtlefarming” adding on his official Facebook page: “the Cayman Turtle Farm is the last place on Earth that breeds endangered sea turtles for food.”

An investigation conducted by WSPA has revealed disturbing evidence of animal cruelty, along with massive conservation and financial failures at the Cayman Turtle Farm.

Despite marketing itself as a conservation focused tourist attraction, the Cayman Turtle Farm is the world’s last remaining facility that commercially raises sea turtles for slaughter and consumption.
Some 7,000 endangered sea turtles – accurately portrayed in Finding Nemo as peaceful animals that travel thousands of miles across oceans – have been effectively immobilized and stockpiled in filthy, tiny tanks for so long that they have begun to cannibalize each other.

The shocking images documented during WSPA’s investigation show widespread problems at the tourist attraction that also commercially factory farms thousands of turtles for human consumption under the banner of sea turtle conservation.

Stress from overcrowding turns these gentle animals into cannibals and WSPA staff saw turtles with fins entirely chewed away. In-breeding causes turtles to be born with massive deformities, such as no eyes; these young animals have no chance at life at all.

WSPA Wildlife Campaign Leader Dr Neil D’Cruze said: "The farm itself reports that demand for turtle meat has halved, possibly due to waning interest. The galling backdrop to this large-scale suffering is that of the 31,000 turtles the farm says it has released since 1968, only 133 have been released in the last five years and in over 40 years only 11 farm-tagged turtles have actually made it back to the beach to nest.

Bill Cosby - "I'm 74 and Tired"

Bill Cosby "I'm 74 and Tired" (Born July 12, 1937)

 

 

 

"I'm 74 and Tired" Worth reading...

This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in Jamaica,
the UK , United States of America , Canada , Australia and New Zealand.  
 
"I'm 74 and I'm Tired"

I'm 74. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and  I'm tired. Very tired. 

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.     
 
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor. 

I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20's and even 40’s be-deck themselves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 74. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and her children.   Thank God I'm on the way out and not on the way in.


There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!

This is your chance to make a difference.

 

 

Ashley Judd Funds Efforts to Save Abused Dog’s Life

Get out your hankies, folks, because this one is a tear-jerker.

Actress Ashley Judd is personally involved in the rehabilitation of a severely abused cockapoo named Walter — and despite her efforts, it’s not clear yet whether he’s going to make it.
Walter was not only starved by his previous owner (the emaciated dog weighs only 11 pounds, about half of what he should, considering that he’s five), but he was also thrown out of the window of a moving car.


He was rescued by Tennessee-based organization Snooty Giggles, who partnered with the Animalia Health and Wellness for Animals clinic to try and save his life. And that’s where Judd stepped in.
The actress heard about Walter’s plight and contacted both organizations. She not only volunteered to foot his medical bills, but she also visits Walter every day, emotionally supporting his recovery. Still, it might not be enough — Walter’s condition is very fragile.

“We are doing everything we can to help Walter. Ashley has been a huge support,” says Snooty Giggles’ Shawn Aswad.

“It’s almost unbearable,” Judd says. ”It certainly defies individual and collective humanity to know that, not just Walter, but a lot of animals, are treated this way.”

Despite his ordeal, Walter has a very sweet temperament and enjoys being around people and other dogs. Judd hopes that she might eventually foster Walter, but it will be a long time coming — she says Walter’s recovery will be a “very long journey.” However, she also notes that he clearly has a strong will to live, something that certainly works in his favor.


Walter’s progress is regularly documented at both the Snooty Giggles Facebook page, and Judd’s own Twitter account (she also tweets photos of him). The most recent updates state that there has been a slight downturn in his health, but the rescuers aren’t giving up.

“As roller coasters go….it’s going to be another up and down day for Walter. Over night he developed a bit of a cough and is definitely much weaker. His WBC count has gone back up a smidgeon (not surprising, but disappointing), his electrolytes remain balanced, which is key (and very impressive I must say….not an easy task for a vet team considering the circumstances). So….here we go again….lots of coffee and chocolate being circulated at Animalia Health and Wellness. I promise to give a mid-day report with pictures. Keep the love coming,” reports the Snooty Giggles page.

No matter what happens, Judd wants Walter’s story to be shared and hopes that it will serve as a lesson.

“This never should have happened to Walter, and through his story, we can make sure that it never happens to another animal again,” she says.

Here’s hoping for a happy ending.

Kristin Bauer Speaks Out for Tony the Tiger

Kristin Bauer, the actress who portrays the lovely-but-lethal vampire Pam on HBO's award-winning True Blood, has teamed with the Animal Legal Defense Fund in the fight to free Tony, a Siberian-Bengal tiger who has been living in isolation as a "tourist attraction" at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana for the past decade. More at http://www.aldf.org/Tony

Here is the video on YouTube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4hTHzh4M-o&feature=player_embedded

Los Angeles Youth Network

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXG3jRJ5-54&feature=colike

Slash is doing his part to support the Los Angeles Youth Network, a non-profit organization which helps runaway and homeless youth on the streets of Los Angeles, CA. The ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist has released a new version of his 2010 single “Gotten,” featuring vocals from Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, for the charity.

You’ll need to make a minimum donation of $1 on Slash’s website in order to own the new track, with all proceeds going to the Los Angeles Youth Network.

In addition, Slash has created a new video for the track. The nine-minute short film features a storyline that centers on a 16-year-old girl who runs away from home because her mother’s boyfriend is abusive. The girl lives on the street for a time, but eventually returns to the house to rescue her mother.

In addition, the new video packs some additional star power that includes Hellcats actress Amanda “AJ” Milchalka, True Blood actress Kristin Bauer and The Breakfast Club actor Judd Nelson, among others.
 
“This video was created to make people take notice of the homeless teen epidemic which is rampant in L.A. as well as in the rest of the country,” said Slash in a statement. “The story in this video is just one scenario amid millions of potential situations happening at any given time in Los Angeles alone. Everybody involved with the making of this video selflessly donated their time and talents to this cause. I thank them with all my heart.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

http://www.classichitsandoldies.com/v2/2012/03/29/slash-releases-remixed-gotten-single-video-for-charity/