The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Nicole Hughes:

U.S. Media Ignores Link Between Midwest Floods and Global Warming

Top 10 Houseplants for Removing Indoor Air Pollution

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Andy Kondrat:

Dubai to Build Rotating Positive Energy Tower

Bioethicist Peter Singer Tackles World Food Shortage

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Jon Popham:

Americacorps Workers Assist Flood Ravaged Town

Australians “Out-Fat” Americans

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Giulia Rozzi:

Progressive Book Club

Oprah Recommends “A New Earth”

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Gina Telaroli:

Human Rights Watch 2008 Film Festival Update

SilverDocs 2008 Update

Australians have surpassed Americans in obesity, decisively taking the title of Most Obese Country on Earth in a stunning blow to the national identity of the USA. If you thought the Land Down Under was all about buff, bronzed beach bods frolicking on sunny south Pacific beaches, think again. A new study done by the Baker Heart Institute reported that 70% of men and 60% of women aged 45-65 in Australia were obese, having body mass indices that exceeded 25.

Dr. Simon Stewart, head of preventative cardiology at the Baker Heart Institute told Agence France Press,”As we send our athletes off to the Olympics let’s reflect on the fact that we would win the gold medal problem now in the world fat Olympics if there was such a thing,”.

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The Eating Disorders Awareness Coalition (EDC) has announced that Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund will serve as a lobbyist and lend her visibility as Miss America and her personal story to the April 9 launch of the Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders Act (FREED Act).

The EDC and members of Congress have crafted the FREED Act. The FREED Act represents a legislative answer to a long-overdue question: how to promote research, treatment, and education and prevention programs on a national level.
FREED will mean Centers of Excellence for research, enforce insurance reimbursement, and establish prevention and education opportunities in schools and for health care professionals.

and sign the petition for equality for people with eating disorders or make a donation to the EDC at eatingdisorderscoalition.org