Spring is here! It happened at 1:48 a.m at the moment at which the sun passed directly over the Equator Eastern time aka the vernal equinox. It’s also the end of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the end of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

So what does this mean for us. Well for starters anyone suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (which I assume is most of us) you can now open up those curtains and enjoy some much-deprived sunlight. And while you may still be bundled up in winter gear, don’t fret, you’ll be sporting sandals and shorts in no time.   Toss in long walks through the park, eating at an outdoor cafe and flowers in bloom. Spring is superb!

Check out NY Post for an interesting piece on how other cultures ring in spring.

Looking for your own way to celebrate the vernal equinox? Why not plant a tree? It doesn’t get more spring-y than that. and check out http://www.arborday.org

The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is now here to give you the very best of Katie, Nicole, Giulia, Gina and Kerry! If you worry about missing your favorite bloggers’ posts as they push their way down the page each and every week - Never Fear! Check out our most popular posts of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites.

Katie:

Woody Guthrie: This Grammy Is Your Grammy / This Grammy Is My Grammy

Rambo Fights for Burma’s Freedom + 5 Steps You Can Take To Help Burma In 5 Minutes

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Nicole:

“Yes We Can” Obama Music Video a Unique Celebrity Endorsement

Top 10 US Grant, Scholarship and Fellowship Awarding Foundations

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Giulia:

Ba-Da-Bling Commercials Pulled in New York

“Safe Sex or No Sex” Shirts Get Teens Suspended

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Gina:

10 Internet Videos Featuring Celebrities Advocating For A Cause

Close Up: An Introduction to Iranian Cinema and Cinematic Rainbows

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Kerry:

Sheryl Crow’s Apocalyptic Peak-Oil Song

Solar Powered Soldiers Wear Uniforms with Built-In Batteries

The NY Post reports that the NY state lottery has

apologized for a series of TV ads for a new $3 million scratch off game called “Ba Da Bling” that feature a group of Sopranos-like mob characters rapping, glaring and talking in Brooklyn accents. The ads have drawn the ire of Italian-American groups. One even lodged a complaint with the lottery commission, saying that the state-sponsored ad insulted their ethnic group.

“Here we go again, the traditional stereotype of the Italian-Americans, they belong to the mob,” said Stella Grillo, a representative of the Sons of Italy in America’s New York chapter, who made the complaint.

“I know a lot of people are saying you are overly sensitive,” she added. “But Americans have become more sensitive to most racial groups, and it should apply to Italian Americans.”

Read the rest of this entry »

By Giulia Rozzi

Katherine Heigl, star of the comedy hit “Knocked Up” says she found the film to be sexist.

According to the NY Post Heigl explains “it paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys,” she says. “It was hard for me to love the movie.”

Of course this truth was revealed after Katherine received payment and accolades from the film.

Was the film really sexist or was it simply poking fun at one type of male/female dynamic? Truth is, there are women who are humorless and uptight just like there are men who are humorless and uptight but this film decided not to show those men. So does character choice equate to sexism?

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