Storms continue to ravage the midwest as a tornado tore through a 20-block swath of Picher late Saturday afternoon, killing at least seven people. The same storm system then moved into southwest Missouri taking the lives of at least 12 others. Then today, those storms moved through Georgia, killing at least one person.

Georgia Power officials say at least 80,000 residents are without electricity across the state, mostly concentrated in the metro Atlanta area and the Macon area.

and visit http://www.redcross.org/ to see how you can help the Red Cross help tornado victims. Also check out their guide about how to prepare for a tornado.

Today was the first Pangea Day- a global event bringing the world together through film. I had the great pleasure of being part of the live taping in Los Angeles. Here is a behind the scenes look at this monumental day.

The taping took place at Sony Studios inside historic Stage 15 where Dorothy followed the yellow brick road and Spider Man leaped from rooftops.

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Earlier this year I wrote about the Manhatan Storage anti-abortion ads that were around Manhatan. Well, Manhattan Storage is taking their support of choice even further as they are donating a total of $200,000 to 5 NYC charities one of which is Planned Parenthood of NYC.

 and visit http://www.plannedparenthood.org/nyc/ for ways you can help Planned Parenthood continue to provide the highest quality family planning and reproductive health care to women, men, and teens across the country.

A green puppy was born in New Orleans last week. The puppy is perfectly healthy thus far, just green. Veterinarians say this occasionally occurs when the mother’s amniotic fluid mixes with the placenta during birth, which dyes the coat of the puppy.

Freak occurrences aren’t the only way to get the your dog or cat to go green, however. You can by checking out the blog Great Green Pets, which offers myriad ideas on how to make having a pet more environmentally friendly. Recent posts include information on organic dog biscuits, dog portrait cards on recycled materials and eco-friendly cat toys.

Click here for video of the green puppy—->: Read the rest of this entry »

Check out this fascinating NPR piece at  about parents considering “Dutch protocol” treatment to delay their son’s puberty in an effort to buy time to resolve gender crisis.

Gender identity disorder is the label most psychiatrists and psychologists give to children who believe themselves to be born into the wrong biological body. It involves a range of behaviors, but on one end of the spectrum there are children like Armand: kids who are more than effeminate boys or masculine girls who may turn out to be gay in adulthood. These are children who genuinely believe they are girls — even though they have a male body — or boys, even though they have a female body. Read the rest of this entry »

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American Idol’s season finale, which appears to be happening on May 20 and May 21 (don’t know how a finale can be two separate shows, but whatever), will be a carbon-neutral event.  This is a part of FOX’s campaign to be a network with no carbon footprint by 2010.  FOX News/pollution joke goes here.  Anyhow, from the American Idol website:

In partnership with the LADWP [Los Angeles Department of Water and Power], FOX secured renewable energy for the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE for the duration of the American Idol production. The power will be provided by LADWP’s “Green Power for a Green LA Program,” and sources will include a combination of solar energy, wind energy and hydropower.

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Love Our Children USA announced it’s annual “Mothers Who Make A Difference List.”

Ross Ellis, Chief Executive Officer of Love Our Children USA said “For the third year we are delighted to honor and celebrate these selfless and caring women who contribute so much to their children, families, society and to various causes.”

Ellis also stated “At a time when our country’s youth are plagued by bullying, cyberbullying, Internet dangers and the latest teen danger of beating down other teens to post on the Internet …not to mention those parents in need of more positive parenting solutions, these mothers serve as role models for others, as their children are their first priority.” [Looktothestars.org]

The 2008 list includes:Ashleigh Banfield, Cate Blanchett, Marcia Cross, Geena Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, Salma Hayek, Jill Hennessey, Finola Hughes, Holly Hunter, Iman, Vanessa Mathison, Nancy O’Dell, Kim Raver, Melania Trump, Naomi Watts and Kate Winslet. Read the rest of this entry »

The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Mother’s Day is this Sunday (don’t forget!), so be sure to take a look at some of the great posts we’ve put together in celebration of moms everywhere! Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Katie Halper:

Top 10 Mother’s Day E-Cards

Hillary Andrews Will Not Lick Bob Stokes’ Swizzle Stick

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Nicole Hughes:

Top 10 Green Gift Wrap Ideas For Mothers Day

Peak Oil Strip Tease

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Andy Kondrat:

Tornado Devestated Town Rebuilds As Green Model Community

Radiohead Attempts An Eco-Friendly World Tour

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Jon Popham:

Nepalese Art Photography: Rubin Museum of Art

America’s First Wind-Powered City

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Giulia Rozzi:

Women For Women International Celebrates Mothers Day

Even More on the Kentucky Derby

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Gina Telaroli:

Video Blog: The Week In Social Action

The War Now Tomorrow and Forever

The Environmental Protection Agency’s name should be a pretty good giveaway for what it’s supposed to be doing, but a survey conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists states that 56% of EPA scientists surveyed have “experienced at least one incident of political interference in the past five years.”  And on Wednesday, the top science advisor for the EPA was taken to task by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee as the agency has been “allowing more ozone pollution than the EPA’s advisory panels recommended and [has been] holding meetings with White House officials about pollution risks that are kept secret from Congress and the public.”  That sounds about right. Read the rest of this entry »

The eighth look at one of my favorite movie moms. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are here)

Gilberte Doinel in Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows

She is definitely one of cinemas worst moms (in a conventional sense) but the scene where Antione Doinel tells his teacher that his mother is dead is without a doubt one of the most memorable in cinema history. The 400 Blows wouldn’t be the same without it’s antagonist and if you’re a Truffaut and French New Wave lover, you probably can’t help but think that if Truffaut’s mother (who he based Gilbrete Doinel on) wasn’t so awful, that he might not have needed to escape into the cinema.. And that would have been a terrible thing.

And on the note of kids watching movies, to learn about Facet’s Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Young Critics Camp! And definitely click click click to see some great scenes from the film. Read the rest of this entry »