Although half-crazy when I signed up for this event, in August 2010 I will compete in my first IronMan distance triathlon (2.4mile swim, 112mile bike, 26.2mile run) on behalf of my sister Grace living with a congenital heart defect. Grace has had four open-heart surgeries since birth, her last in November 2009. Grace inspires me and I hope to inspire her as well, by showing that life can be as adventurous as you wish, each and every day.
[Grace (right) and friend Dallas (left) at Louisville World Fest 2009]
Realizing that Grace’s most recent surgery was only made possible during the last 12 years of medical advances (the number of years between her surgeries), I wish to raise money for research in this field. Please join me in my quest to raise money for The Children’s Heart Foundation, the only national non-profit specifically created to help fund congenital heart defect research.
Our goal is to raise $20,000! The fund-raising website is run by Kintera through the Janus Charity Challenge, exclusively for IronMan competitors. For the top fundraiser in each IronMan event, Janus will contribute an additional $10,000 to help support the chosen charity. The goal is for TEAM GRACE to raise the most money in coordination with the Louisville event, so that our total contribution to The Children’s Heart Foundation will be $30,000; enough to fund a research grant that could mend many hearts. Thanks in advance for your support!
Please join me in my quest to raise money for The Children’s Heart Foundation, the only national non-profit specifically created to help fund congenital heart defect research.
Traveling the world has shown me the value of community involvement in providing fresh and healthy foods to the mouths of thousands. Now that I am home, I wish to help create resources and ways in which healthy food can become more readily available in our communties. Travel through the west end of Louisville, or anywhere in the city for that matter... Do you see accessibility to fresh produce? Do you see fast-food chains filling the cracks of the neighborhoods? Do you see obesity as a result of unhealthy habits (and are these truly habits or rather disconnects between education, health, and affordability of whole foods)?
At Louisville Grows we are promoting sustainable living throughout our city. We are a start-up non-profit and can use your help.
Maine legalized gay marriage. Now Prop 1 is threatening to take away what the LGBT community has accomplished in Maine –sound familiar? This is hauntingly similar to Prop 8 in California.
The campaign needs your monetary contributions in order to keep ads like this on air; otherwise, the opponents of such equal rights may have a stronger voice with their ads of hate and fear.
Regardless of the title, let's get the bad news out of the way first...
THE BAD: Myanmar's political leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, was sentenced last week to another term of house arrest; 18 more months. Although this was potentially a predictable sentence for Suu Kyi based on past actions by Myanmar's military junta, it is nonetheless demoralizing for supporters of democracy and those looking for diplomacy in upcoming elections.
THE GOOD: Briefly stated, it appears that strong economic growth continues to shine in Indonesia! I was both happy to read such headlines and amused by the unmistakable differences in outlook –namely, the critical vs. the upbeat.
Example 1 (the critical): Forbes.com posts the article “UPDATE 1-Indonesia Q2 GDP growth slowest in six years.” Growth slowest in six years --Isn’t that what American’s refer to as a back-handed compliment? Full Text
Example 2 (the upbeat): Article posted on Bloomberg.com reads “Indonesia Growth Likely Near Southeast Asia’s Fastest.” At first glance the title is merely an upbeat comparison to a group of countries. What I’m really getting at is the tone of the article, allowing for phrases like: “Investors are already optimistic about Indonesia’s growth prospects.” Certainly, why not optimism? Full Text
Growth is measured as the annual per cent change in the value of the gross domestic product after taking account of inflation. Source: International Monetary Fund. Translation: nearly every aspect of economic growth is based on material wealth; how much stuff can we build, make, export, import?
In to the book Deep Economy, author Bill McKibben provides an insightful anecdote when he states:
“Under the current system, as many have pointed out, all we do is add together expenditures, so that the most ‘economically productive’ citizen is a cancer patient who totals his car on his way to meet with his divorce lawyer” (pg. 28).
Although I laughed out loud while reading this, post-laughter I was left with a sense of wonder. Luckily the page goes on to explain that many economist have been, and continue to, propose alternative measurements “that would more accurately reflect progress."
Imagine for a moment a revolution in economic theory to report statistically the growth of a country based on mouths fed, human suffering ceased, or perhaps the percentage increase of the population that for the first time has access to clean drinking water. This sort of growth suggests a sociality to economics, that undoubtedly exists between the lines of material production and measurements of services rendered, income, and investments.
THE INNOVATIVE: There are brilliant minds at work solving some of the most overwhelming challenges faced by the people of our planet; those who are willing and capable to combine economic thought (as they personally see it) and innovative ideas to help make the world around them (around all of us) a better place. This video was shared by a mentor of mine --another such brilliant mind.
“…perhaps [a nation’s growth could be measured by] the percentage increase of the population that for the first time has access to clean drinking water”
