Get Smart Week, November 14-20

 

Get Smart About Antibiotics Week is an annual one-week observance by the CDC to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use based on a September 2015 Executive Order. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/18/executive-order-combating-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria

Not all Executive Orders are bad or life changing. The numbers of them mean little.  FDR is the all time winner, and Bill Clinton issued more than either Bush or Obama.  It will take some research to find out if all the committees and boards on the antibiotics week (Executive Order 12353 of March 23, 1982 revised) have reported to the President. To check others, and to see if you think Congress should have been involved: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/executive-orders

 I read through the change order for revising the wording of collecting funds and volunteer time from federal employees for distribution to voluntary organizations, and not sure I could understand the legalize. In central Ohio we get "Bucks for Charity" which is October 3-November 30 (I just received mine yesterday) listing 300 local charitable organizations to support.  I always read this carefully--many are organizations that I would never donate to. I think it's better to know the organizations personally and donate with discrimination.

I wrote about this in 2006 and found an acronym COSMO, Community Share of Mid Ohio, which appeared to get 10% of the total, and then it's organizations received percentages of that.  Here were some groups I would never donate to individually.

•  ACLU mid-Ohio chapter, 18.8%;
  
  BRAVO, which works to eliminate violence perpetrated on the basis of sexual orientation and gender, 31%;
  
  Kaleidoscope for gay, lesbian, bixexual, transgendered and questioning youth, 14.8%;
  
  NARAL Pro-Choice (formerly known as National Abortion Rights Action League, then the National Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League, but it still kills babies);
  
  Coalition on sexual assault;
  
  domestic violence network, 5.7%;
  
  NOW education and Legal Fund, 12% (recently changed its name to Legal Momentum apparently to hide its connection to NOW);
  
  Open Hand for AIDS, 15%;
  
  Stonewall (gay rights), 19.1%;
  
  a variety of environmental, disability, animal rights, and arts groups;
  
  Camp Fire, 28%; Cat Welfare 1%; and Habitat for Humanity, 4.9%. 

Cat Welfare is still on the list, which I think is not right (even though our sweet kitty lived there in her youth) as is NARAL.  What is Stonewall using its money for now?  Hormones for sexually confused children?

Bucks for Charity 2010--the list

Back in the 80s I received recognition at Ohio State for my donation to their community drive/campaign (don't recall what it was called then--United Way, I think). I got a pin, a certificate and an invitation to gather at the Union with the President, various board members and maybe a coach or too. Imagine my surprise when I found out the party was paid for by a beer company. Alcohol probably destroys the lives of more young college students than bad grades, unrequited love, and over reaching professors. That was the last time I donated--but I always read the list of organization that get a percentage.

First on the aggregate list this year is EarthShare Ohio. I just clicked through a few names on the list (there are more at the web site than on the printed list), and you don't have to go far to find some fairly radical names, events, and causes. If you see "environmental justice," "just us" turns out to be blacks and they'll take white people's money. So it looks like Earthshare Ohio gets 3.5% of the total, and then each group on its list gets a percentage of that (that is not clearly explained in the book), like American Farmland Trust gets 20.1% and The Wilds gets 11.6%, etc. Just glancing quickly through the page of Farmland Trust I see it pushed with some reservations the 2009 Food Safety Enhancement Act, which should increase the numbers of government workers and the cost of our food while promoting more safety, and most of the provisions look like they will hurt the little grower/farmer. Not sure I understand water quality trading.

EarthShare: Who We Support - America's most respected environmental charities

After EarthShare Ohio there is United Way of Central Ohio (11.8%), United Way of Delaware County (19.7%), United Way of Fairfield Country (9.9%), United Way of Licking county (21.6%), United Way of Pickaway County (14.5%), United Way of Union County (19.0%), United Negro College Fund (13%), Community Shares of Mid Ohio (6.3%), which supports NARAL Pro-Choice, and Community Health Charities of Ohio (9.6%).

So here's my suggestion. Look through the Bucks for Charity book and if you see something that interests you, look them up on the Internet, check out their mission statement and the names of the people on the board and what legislation, particularly environmental, they support. Remember this when you see the hoopla about man made global warming. They didn't begin measuring the climate's temperatures until the end of the last little ice age, so yes, it is getting warmer. . . that happens after an Ice Age. Also, a lot of those temperature gauges are on asphalt parking lots near concrete and brick buildings. I'm just saying. . . When you're satisfied you've found an organization that matches your values and life mission, send a check directly.