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The President repeated the basic message he has been taking around the country for nearly two months:

Social Security has a solvency problem that needs action today, and voluntary private accounts are an important part of the answer. He proposed changing the program so benefits for low-income workers will grow faster than benefits for people with higher incomes.

Yes, the system needs some adjustments, but we do not neeed to destroy it in order to fix it.


::Shelley

Joshua Nelson one of thousands of nonwhite Americans born Jewish
By Verena Dobnik, Associated Press

NEW YORK - When Joshua Nelson sings the gospel music of his black ancestors, he commands attention.

It's not just because of his fire-and-brimstone voice, the comparisons with the late Mahalia Jackson, or even his discovery by Oprah Winfrey, whom he counts as a friend. It's the places he sometimes performs (synagogues), the word he avoids (Jesus), and his own faith (Jewish).

'Jews for centuries'
"We've been Jews for centuries, as long as anyone can remember," Nelson says. "Why is it that when people of color are Jews, questions are raised?"

In fact, Nelson is one of about 100,000 nonwhite Americans who were born Jewish. Another 300,000 people of color are followers of Judaism through marriage, adoption, conversion or the recent surge of Jewish immigrants from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, according to Yavilah McCoy, director of Ayecha, a New York-based group she founded five years ago to reach out to Jewish minorities.

Nelson's voice rocked a pre-Passover "Liberation Seder" last week that was organized by McCoy and co-hosted by The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan. The evening, accompanied by a seder meal of Middle Eastern, African and East European dishes, accented the Jewish community's diversity in New York.

Among black Jews, "you see the flavor of Jewish culture in a way you might not have seen before, when it was just black and white, so to speak _ as in, Christians and non-Christians," says McCoy, 33, who is black and raised in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood, where she studied in a yeshiva with other Orthodox Jews.

For more information, click on the above link.

Jason Kamras, math teacher in the District of Columbia, is the 2005 National Teacher of the Year.

The National Teacher of the Year Program began in 1952 and continues as the oldest, most prestigious national honors program that focuses public attention on excellence in teaching.

The National Teacher of the Year is chosen from among the State Teachers of the Year by a national selection committee representing the major national education organizations. Each April, the National Teacher of the Year is introduced to the American people by the President of the United States. The National Teacher of the Year is released from classroom duties during the year of recognition to travel nationally and internationally as a spokesperson for the teaching profession. All activities of the National Teacher, and projects involving the State Teachers of the Year, are coordinated through the National Teacher of the Year Program.
The program is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers and is sponsored by Scholastic Inc.


::Shelley

On April 19, the Department of Agriculture unveiled a new version of the food-guide pyramid, adding a color-coded reminder to make healthy food choices and increase physical activity. You can identify better diets based on your sex, age, and activity level.

For more information about the guidelines, click on the above link.

My reaction is mixed. The old pyramid made sense. It started out broad at the base, where healthy foods were located, and tapered up to a narrow tip, the site for the not-so-healthy oils and sweets. It was familiar and easy to understand. The new image is a bit confusing. The pyramid colors represent food groups and the widths of the bands offer a general guide to daily portions from each food group. You will need access to a computer to find out your best diet.



::Shelley

The nation marks today's 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. I am watching the memorial service on CNN. Today's anniversary is to be a day of remembrance, with 168 seconds of silence for the victims. Also, I am watching the a reading of names of victims and a reunion for family members, survivors and rescuers.

Let us never forget.


::Shelley

Eleven-year-old Thomas Adams of Tulsa, Oklahoma, on mission to 'Save Our Looney Tunes' has collected almost 34,000 signatures at Save Our Looney Tunes, a Web site that he formed recently to keep Warner Bros. from "ruining" the classic Looney Tunes characters.

The Web site was made last month, after Warner Brothers' plans to debut Loonatics this fall were unveiled. Loonatics follows the adventures of the "descendants" of the current Looney Tunes, set in the year 2772. Adams suggests that the Loonatics, such as 'Buzz Bunny,' look evil. His goal is to get 100,000 signatures on his petition by this summer, then presenting the petition to Warner Brothers. "We urge Warner Brothers to create entirely new characters for the series rather than 'ruining' the classic characters," the petition reads. "We know they are saying that these are descendants of the classic characters, but it doesn't really look that way. Some 'classics' just shouldn't be tampered with." Signatures for Adams' petition have come from all 50 states, in addition to such countries as Japan and Austrailia. Even American soldiers in Iraq have signed the petition.

I signed his petition. Please click on the link above for more information and sign his petition, if you agree. Thank you.

::Shelley

Patricia M. Dugan, a Philadelphia lawyer and an expert in civil and canonical law, created a Web site that allows you to "vote" for the next pope.

Just click on the link above for more information. Visitors must cast their ballots from the list of cardinals, although the pope does not have to be a cardinal.

Footnotes:
German Cardinal Ratzinger, 78, was been named Pope Benedict XVI. For more information, go to http://go.philly.com/pope

As of April 23, 2005, the Pope received 30,844 e-mail congratulations, written in English. The e-mail address is benedictxvi@vatican.va I wonder what kind of spam the Pope gets?


::Shelley

I just read about the controversal plan in Wisconsin that may legalize the hunting of stray cats.

For more details, please click on the link above.

I think that this is cruel. The local animal agencies (animal shelters) are best able to manage roaming cats.

What do you think?


::Shelley

(The first thing this morning was to fire up my computer and go grab my much needed first cup of coffee.)

A beluga whale, whose normal range is the Arctic Circle, has somehow found its way into the Delaware River, making it as far north as Trenton. They are extremely social and are curious about humans, often swimming up to boats. The Coast Guard is watching the whale to make sure boaters and others leave it alone.

The whale appears to be in good health.

If you think of a good nickname for the stranded whale, please let me know. (Researchers in Quebec believe the whale hails from the St. Lawrence River and is a nearly 30-year-old male named Helis. --4/15/05)

Footnote: "Trenton Makes The World Takes," a sign on a nearby Delaware span, could more aptly proclaim that "Trenton Knows The Whale Blows."

Footnotes:
As of 4/20/05, it appears that Helis is outta here. The Coast Guard operations center reported that its pilots had not seen the whale.

As of 4/28/05, it appears again that the whale is back. It turned up yesterday in the Schuylkill River. The return visit must mean the eating is good!


::Shelley

This is my first online journal. The purpose of this journal is to share with you my thoughts and ideas for the improvement of our society. Also, to keep you periodically informed of events and circumstances affecting society. I welcome your comments and suggestions.


::Shelley