Archive for the ‘Urban Activity’ Category
Why we must win the Wisconsin recalls
Sunday, February 19th, 2012Do you want to prove it’s possible for an enormous grassroots movement, backed up by fearless Democrats, to part a sea of unlimited corporate dollars and win elections with the message that we should stop taking stuff from working people and giving it to the rich?
We have a chance to prove that right now. Please, click here to contribute to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin for the recall of Governor Scott Walker.
One year ago this week, tens of thousands of people were physically occupying the Wisconsin state capitol building and the grounds surrounding it. They were protesting an immoral Republican budget bill that stripped collective bargaining rights for public employees and slashed funding for health care and education in order to hand out huge tax breaks to corporations and the ultra-rich.
With this budget just hours from passage, all 14 Democratic senators left the state, thus denying Republicans the quorum they needed to pass the bill. If even one Democrat had either stayed behind or been captured by the state police which Republicans sent to arrest them, then the bill would have passed that day. Instead, the Democrats held out and the ranks of the protesters swelled. Fed by pizza orders called in from around the world, they kept the capitol building occupied for weeks.
Republicans eventually passed their budget bill by illegally circumventing Wisconsin’s open meetings law, but the protesters and the Democrats were undeterred.
Backed by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, the protesters began organizing recalls of Republican state senators. With an all-volunteer effort, they collected hundreds of thousands of signatures in less than two months. Over the summer, they successfully removed two Republicans from office by scoring electoral victories in districts Democrats could not even win in the landslide of 2008.
Even after that, the protesters and the Democrats kept going. They continued holding daily protests at the capitol building and dogging Scott Walker at all of his public appearances. Then, on Nov. 15, they filed the papers to recall Scott Walker. Through snow and winter weather, more than 30,000 volunteers collected over one million recall signatures. In so doing, they forced recall elections against not only Scott Walker, but also against the Republican Lt. Governor and at least three more Republican state senators.
The whole time they did it with a simple message: Scott Walker and Wisconsin Republicans are cutting education, health care and salaries for working people in order to make big corporations and the ultra-rich even richer. Despite the unlimited donations which have given Republicans a massive financial advantage in this fight, the Democrats and the protesters have used this populism to continually gain ground.
Wisconsin is not the only state where these battles are being fought, but it is a special case because it shows us a path to victory. How do we put an end to the gut-wrenching trend of conservative politicians taking from working people and giving to the rich? We do it by having heroes on the ground who keep protesting, gathering signatures, and knocking on doors no matter what, and by having Democrats who are willing to back those heroes up by going to the mat to defend the middle-class.
The decisive recall election against Scott Walker is coming soon. If Walker is recalled, then the whole country will know Democrats and the middle class can defeat the forces of greed with fearless populism. Republicans and the ultra-rich know such an outcome could change the political dynamic in our nation, which is why they have given more than million dollars to Scott Walker to defeat the recall.
Much of that money came from only a few dozen members of the one percent of the one percent, all of whom gave ,000 or more.
What happens in Wisconsin will impact the entire country. We must prove it’s possible for a tenacious grassroots movement, backed up by a fearless Democratic Party, to breach a red sea of corporate cash and win elections with a populist economic message. If we lose, the masters of the universe will continue looting what remains of the middle class with no apparent electoral consequences for politicians who facilitate their destructive actions.
On the one year anniversary of the beginning of the Wisconsin protests, please give to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin to recall Scott Walker. This is an election none of us can afford to lose.
Pre-Conference Session on Coordinated Entry
Saturday, February 18th, 2012Pre-Conference Session on Coordinated Entry
The Allianceâs Center for Capacity Building is hosting a pre-conference session focused on planning for the development of a coordinated entry and implementation steps. The session will open with short presentations on the key aspects of successful coordinated entry. A facilitated discussion on these concepts, as well as others of interest to participants, will follow. Audience members will then have time to work on their own communitiesâ coordinated entry processes. Communities are encouraged to bring their ideas and any work they are currently doing on planning for or implementing a coordinated entry system. Multiple stakeholders from each community are encouraged to attend. Space is limited to the first 50 registrants.
National Alliance to End Homelessness
2.1 A Blueprint for Ending Family Homelessness
Saturday, February 18th, 20122.1 A Blueprint for Ending Family Homelessness
The recent recession and continued economic downturn have negatively impacted families more than any other homeless population. This workshop will explore local program innovations and discuss what systems changes and other efforts are needed to stem the rising tide of family homelessness. Presenters will offer a big-picture look at family homelessness across the nation and what it will take to end it.
National Alliance to End Homelessness
3.4 Effectively Collecting, Coordinating, and Using Youth Data
Tuesday, February 14th, 20123.4 Effectively Collecting, Coordinating, and Using Youth Data
Data is essential to create effective evidence-based strategies to prevent and end homelessness. This workshop will examine methodologies of point-in-time counts and other surveys, discuss coordinating HMIS with mainstream data systems and explore ways to use these data to inform policy decisions and interventions.
National Alliance to End Homelessness
2.2 Implementing the HEARTH Act: Preparing for the New Emergency Solutions Grant
Sunday, February 12th, 20122.2 Implementing the HEARTH Act: Preparing for the New Emergency Solutions Grant
Under the HEARTH Act, homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing are eligible activities for the new Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). Presenters will review the changes to the ESG program and discuss ways to transition programs from HPRP to ESG funding. Presenters will also discuss strategies for implementing ESG and will explore successful program models. Other resources for funding these programs will be explored in workshop 5.6.
National Alliance to End Homelessness
1.8 Weathering the Storm: Employment Strategies That Work
Saturday, February 11th, 20121.8 Weathering the Storm: Employment Strategies That Work
To transition back into housing and off of time-limited rent subsidies, families and youth require immediate assistance to achieve sustainable work and economic security. This workshop will examine strategies that have helped low-income parents and youth find and maintain employment. Presenters will discuss strategies cultivated from successful subsidized and transitional employment program models and strategies for parents experiencing homelessness.
National Alliance to End Homelessness
Mitch McConnell’s attack on ‘liberal thugs’ will be only one bite at CPAC’s red-meat conference
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
The Conservative Political Action Conference has today begun an annual get-together that looks to be even more of a contest in right-wing attacks than usual. American Conservative Union President and long-time lobbyist and Republican heavyweight Al Cardenas got things started with a speech filled with phrases such as demolishing the “subsidized radical left.”
In excerpts provided from a prepared speech Mitch McConnell will make, the Senate Minority Leader says that Democratic strategy is to “Pick a target, freeze it, personalize it, and then polarize it.”
“But rarely have we seen those tactics employed with the kind of zeal that we see today. This White House and its lieutenants have made an art form out of the orchestrated attack,” the Kentucky Republican will say, according to excerpts provided to POLITICO.
“They’ve shown they’ll go after anybody or any organization that they think is standing in their way.”
Projection is a chronic ailment of McConnell and his pals.
But he’s unlikely to provide the fieriest speech of the conference. In addition to presidential contenders Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, ex-contenders Gov. Rick Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann, and possible future contenders Gov. Bobby Jindal and Sen. Rand Paul, Peter Brimelow will appear on a panel titled “The Failure of Multiculturalism: How the pursuit of diversity is weakening the American Identity.” Brimelow is the founder and chief honcho of VDARE.com, a racist, anti-semitic, anti-immigrant white nationalist website. It is named after Virginia Dare, the first child of English parents to be born in North America, 425 years ago in the short-lived Roanoke Colony.
(Continue reading below the fold)
Leading Orthopaedic Surgeon Advocates for “Clean Air” in the Operating Room
Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
Carmel, NY (PRWEB) December 07, 2011
More than 800,000 joint replacement procedures are done in the United States every year, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Total joint replacements, which are done most frequently to relieve the pain and disability caused by severe arthritis, are performed most often on knee and hip joints but also on joints in the ankle, shoulder, fingers, and elbow. ?The risk of postoperative infection is present in all surgical procedures but it can be particularly serious in joint replacement,? says Dr. Joel Buchalter of Somers Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine. ?While the infection rate for joint replacement has been reduced to 1-2%, our goal is zero infections. And because airborne contaminants in the operating room are the primary cause of infection, creating an ?ultra clean air? environment is an important weapon in our fight against infection.?
Postoperative infection is particularly troublesome in joint replacement because the implant procedure introduces foreign material into the patient’s body. Bacteria are usually well controlled by the body’s own immune system; when an infection is detected, the immune system responds quickly and attacks the infecting bacteria. But an implanted prosthetic joint cannot defend itself against infection the way other tissues can. When bacteria gain access to the area around the prosthesis, it is harder for the immune system to clear the infection with a foreign body amidst the tissues. If an infected implant persists, the problem can worsen and sometimes the implant may need to be removed in order to cure the infection.
Preventing infection requires careful attention prior to surgery, during surgery and after surgery. Prior to surgery, patients and their doctors must ensure that conditions that might introduce bacteria into the body ? such as skin conditions, problems of the teeth and gums, and urinary tract infections ? are treated. These bacteria can be carried by the blood from distant sources in the body to the prosthesis. Similarly, after surgery patients must be attentive to treating cuts promptly and consider taking prophylactic antibiotics before invasive dental work or other procedures.
?But blood-borne bacteria do not pose the greatest risk in joint replacement procedures,? Dr. Buchalter says. ?The majority of infections are caused by airborne particles that are either present in the operating room ? from skin cells shed by the operating room staff and the patient. ? or are introduced through the ventilation system or through infiltration (e.g via a door being opened and closed). That’s why the most advanced facilities use specialized ?clean air? distribution systems that remove these contaminants to reduce the risk of infection.?
Air distribution in a hospital operating room is more complex than in a typical office building, where the primary objective is to quickly mix the air introduced into the room with the air already in the room in order to maintain a comfortable temperature without a draft. In the operating room, this typical system would spread an unacceptable level of airborne contaminants. Clean air environments were developed initially for semiconductor manufacturing and subsequently adapted to operating rooms. They utilize a specialized air distribution system comprised of several components that remove particulate matter from different sources:
The Nashua NH Dentist Resource
Advanced Dental Implant Certification Awarded to Dr. Angel Lopez and Dr Brian Cahill
Monday, February 6th, 2012
Durham, NC (PRWEB) December 07, 2011
Research Triangle Dental and Implant Center (http://www.rtdental.com) is pleased to announce that two of its currently hugely knowledgeable dentists, Dr. Angel Lopez and Dr Brian Cahill, each and every effectively completed more than 200 hours of advanced instruction this year in dental implant placement and restoration, fulfilling the needs for Fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. RTDental also boasts the latest diagnostic aids, supplies, and dental equipment to guarantee that patients have the very best chance of achievement with their dental implants. In truth, it is one of the few dental offices in the Investigation Triangle Dental location with CT scan three-D dental imaging, which is typically crucial to ensuring the most precise placement and restoration of dental implants.
“The development and use of dental implants has been 1 of the greatest advances in dentistry in current years, and if you are one of the 69% of adults age 35 and over who have lost at least one permanent tooth, or 1 of the 26% of adults with lost all their permanent teeth just before the age of 74, dental implants may be the greatest therapy choice for replacing those missing teeth to replicate the natural function and appearance of your lost teeth,? stated Dr Lopez. ?Dental implants are extended-term tooth replacements that are surgically placed in the jawbone and act like a strong tooth root, never slip or make embarrassing noises that advertise the truth that a individual has false teeth, and can never ever decay like teeth supporting conventional crowns and bridges,? Dr Cahill stated. Dr Lopez added ?If patients knowledge fear connected with dental visits, we can take care of that as well when placing or restoring implants. We are certified to offer mild to moderate sedation to eliminate your anxiety, so you can lay back, relax, and before you know it, the therapy is done. Call our workplace today to schedule an appointment to find out if implants are a fantastic option for you.?
The Nashua NH Dentist Resource
National Alliance to End Homelessness to Host National Conference on Family and Youth …
Monday, February 6th, 2012From February 9 to February 10, 2012, the Alliance will host the National Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness in Los Angeles, CA.
National Alliance to End Homelessness