LIFE-NET NEWS

by Ret Z.

Covering Poverty Widely in a Net of Many Voices

January 14, 2009	No Profit; No Proceeds
Volume 12 Number 15	All-Volunteer

"Give a family a fish, and they'll eat a meal;  give them a Net, and they'll have fish for Life."

The 'Amazing Race' of Missionary Work

Two buddies, one frugal and one five-star, have temporarily laid down their jobs for a race. Erica Talley of Overbrook and Samantha McCowan of Media PA will travel to 11 countries in 11 months. They will blend missionary work with a dose of adventure.       Talley, 27, and McCowan, 24, left on January 4 for the World Race, a program in which teams of missionaries, typically ages 21 to 35, travel around the world doing month-long mission projects. Also on the itinerary are periodic competitions among the teams -- a scavenger hunt in Peru one month, a race to Mozambique another.       The World Race, based in Gainesville GA, has drawn 200 participants since its inception in 2005. The program is a division of Adventures in Mission, an interdenominational group that offers opportunities around the world. Participants visit countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Bosnia, South Africa, and Haiti for a month each to build homes, teach English, evangelize, and have a little fun.       Talley and McCowan are procurement agents at the Boeing Co in Ridley Park PA, where they buy helicopter parts. They became friends because they were the youngest people in their pod area. The two often travel together, but they were reluctant to add a missionary trip. Both women decided to pray about the opportunity. They then found that their arguments for not going were trumped by a desire to do good and a belief that they were destined to go.       Leaves of absence came easily. Friends and family helped them in their efforts to raise the $13,800 that each needs to participate.       Their months of travel begin at a time when short-term missions of weeks and months have flooded the field. Career missionaries who dedicate years to one place have been partially eclipsed.       About two million people each year participate in a mission trip of weeks or months, said Robert Priest, a professor of mission and intercultural studies at the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield IL. Short-term missions are an outgrowth of efforts by churches, schools, and agencies to use the trips as a means for spiritual and personal growth, primarily for youth groups. Much of the money that once supported career missionaries now goes to efforts to give a church's young people a taste of mission life, Priest said.       The question for the missionary becomes, "Who are you doing this for?" Priest said. Are you doing this for yourself or to help people?       Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Reforms Target Rooming House Operators

Hundreds of Australian rooming houses are expected to come under the watch of local councils under rule changes that will include fines of more than $5,000 for rogue operators. Changes to the health regulations applied to rooming houses will reduce the number of people allowed to live in a property before it must be registered with council. Under the new regulations, a rooming house with four tenants will need to be registered. Landlords are currently allowed to house up to six people without being monitored.       The Tenants Union of Victoria believes there are about 800 rooming houses operating in Victoria, with less than half being registered. Under the changes, the Government estimates that an additional 300 properties will qualify as rooming houses. Landlords who fail to register their properties will be liable for fines of $5,600.       "We want to make sure that there are acceptable standards of accommodation and amenity for people in public and private rooming houses," Housing Minister Richard Wynne said.       The changes have long been anticipated by councils and by housing and welfare services. However, the Tenants Union's Toby Archer said that while the changes were welcome, greater regulation was also needed over rooming house operators. The Age newspaper has reported accounts of squalid living conditions, violence, and intimidation experienced by rooming house residents who can pay up to $350 a week to rent single bedrooms.       "Essentially anybody, regardless of whether or not they're a fit and proper person, can go and set up a rooming house or potentially hundreds of rooming houses, and there will be absolutely no vetting of that person," Archer said. "The really dodgy current operators, their whole business plan is based on not registering (with council). The Government really needs to recognize that there's this whole other phenomenon out there that's just booming."       Wynne launched the changes at a rooming house project in Albert Park operated by Community Housing and Sacred Heart Mission. The 64-bed residence is in stark contrast to most private rooming houses. All residents have their own bedsits with floorboards, stainless steel kitchen appliances, and private bathroom. On-site support includes social and personal care workers and access to doctors, dentists and psychiatrists. 75% of residents had experienced chronic homelessness before moving there. The project has had an 80% success rate in keeping them in stable accommodation.       Sacred Heart Mission chief executive Michael Perusco said supported, safe, and affordable accommodation was the key to solving homelessness.       Source: The Age

Utilities: Late Payments, Shutoffs Rise

Utility companies that serve South Jersey have seen a spike in the number of late payments and shut-offs. Many say it's because of the failing economy and housing crunch.       Officials with these companies say, however, that this can all be avoided if customers call as soon as they know they will be unable to make a payment on time. "If they realize they are behind on utility bills, they should contact us," said Sandra May, a spokeswoman for Atlantic City Electric. "We are sensitive to the hardships that our customers face, particularly during these tough economic times. That's why we want to work with our customers."       According to May, her company has seen about 400 more disconnects this year as compared to last year, when there were about 9,600. Similar trends have been the case for South Jersey Gas and Public Service Energy and Gas (PSE&G).       South Jersey Gas has seen 15% more account shut-offs in recent months as compared to the same time last year. That comes to about 700 more or 5,000 total, according to customer service director Joe Rodio.       "That number typically goes down as people contact us and get on payment arrangements," said Rodio. Once some type of payment arrangement is made, service is restored.       "We understand people's issues if they are unemployed, but we also have to do what's right, too," said Joe Rodio, director of customer service for South Jersey Gas. "At the end of the day, the rest of the ratepayers would pay that bill."       Never wait until the last minute. "We go to great lengths to educate people that if they have a problem, don't be ashamed to let us know what's going on," said Eileen Leahey, manager of payment assistance at PSE&G. "Otherwise, we send out the bill and think you're ignoring it."       According to Leahey, the number of deferred payment arrangements for PSE&G has spiked by more than 8%. And the number of these arrangements that have continued for more than a year has gone up 28%.       There are programs to help people get their bills paid. Officials also say that customers should take advantage of cost-saving measures like wrapping a blanket around the water heater, putting plastic on drafty windows, and lowering the thermostat at night. One thing customers should know is that companies are not allowed to shut off utilities when temperatures are at extreme lows.       Source: Gloucester County Times

Plans Debated for Aid to Iraqi Widows

A women's rights activist and a Baghdad government official agree that the government needs to take action to help the huge number of widows in Iraq. But they disagree on how to proceed.       "Iraqi widows, especially internally displaced widows in camps, are having a tough time. Most have more than one child and are finding it very hard to feed them," said Mazin al-Shihan, head of Baghdad's Displacement Committee.       "We have reports that some ... are being harassed and blackmailed by government officials," said al-Shihan. "More attention must be focused on this segment of the Iraqi people before it is too late."       Citing figures and estimates from government bodies and NGOs, al-Shihan said Iraq had about one million widows, including those whose husbands had died of natural causes, but a further breakdown was not available. "Such vast numbers of widows could tax any society," he said, expressing the fear that unless something is done, some of these widows or their children could drift into crime or join the insurgency.       Al-Shihan said his committee was drawing up a plan to encourage Iraqi men who lacked the necessary funds for marriage -- to apply for government funding if they wanted to marry a widow. "In this project, we propose offering 10 million Iraqi dinars [about $8,500] to men in their late 30s or 40s who can't get married due to soaring prices, if they marry a widow."       Women's activist Hanaa Adwar, who heads al-Amal, a Baghdad-based NGO, rejected the project out of hand, saying it smacked of "cruelty as the widow must get married to another man to get the government help".       "What we need is to rehabilitate this segment [of the population] to be independent and productive elements of society -- getting them to be more self-reliant in terms of feeding their children," she said. "The government should ensure there are adequate social and health programs [for the widows]. Their dignity is violated when they have to stand in long queues to get small sums of government aid which will last for a few days, or when they have to depend solely on their extended families."       After the invasion in 2003, a new Iraqi social welfare program began to give widows, divorced women, orphans, disabled people, and the unemployed a monthly allowance of 50,000-75,000 Iraqi dinars ($50-70). However, many aid experts say the money is insufficient.       Source: Iraq Updates

Legal Safety Net Under Threat

Adapted from an editorial:       In the real world -- unlike courtroom TV -- people usually get the justice they can pay for, and those who cannot afford lawyers end up bearing an unfair burden. People need decent representation when doing battle with bad landlords and employers, callous health maintenance organizations and government agencies, disgruntled business partners, and grasping relatives. And in an era of predatory home loans, the legal needs of distressed homeowners are urgent and steadily rising.       Advocates for the poor argue, persuasively, that outlays for civil legal services are budgetary pennies that save many dollars. A foreclosure prevented is an eviction avoided, a family kept from homelessness -- and a considerable burden lifted from the government's social service safety net. With legal help, poor people can avoid litigation, easing the load on judges and courtrooms. They can get food stamps, leveraging federal dollars in an underused program. If they avoid the poorhouse they will have, by definition, more money to spend, increasing sales tax revenues and benefiting local businesses.       New York Governor Eliot Spitzer once thought he had a painless way to increase the financing stream for civil legal services. It was to raise the interest rate on the funds that law firms hold for clients in escrow accounts. The Interest on Lawyer Account Fund is a mainstay for financing civil legal services, and when it rose, it helped state spending reach a high of nearly $16 million last year.       But the fund has plunged in the economic downturn, and subsequent budget cuts have taken big bites out of civil legal services. The funding cuts have come at the worst possible time. The Legislature and current Governor David Paterson must take care to save money by spending a little more in the right places, like civil legal services.       Source: New York Times

Rudd's Homeless Plan Pleases Welfare Groups

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan to halve the number of homeless in Australia and accommodate all those sleeping rough by 2020 has been labelled bold, revolutionary, and ambitious by the country's welfare advocates. The white paper on homelessness, "The Road Home", was launched on December 21 by Mr Rudd, with a pledge to outlay $1.2 billion over four years to build new housing and increase services to the homeless.       Under the plan, first announced after November's Council of Australian Governments meeting, the Commonwealth, states, and territories will provide $800 million for homelessness prevention and support services and $400 million to be spent on building more housing. Mr Rudd said that the funding comes on top of the Federal Government's $6.1 billion affordable housing program and is the first step in its 2020 pledge to tackle the problem.       The Government's 2020 plan aims to stop people from becoming homeless in the first place and to break the cycle of life on the streets. It includes support for people at risk of losing their homes.       About 105,000 people are homeless each night in Australia, with 16,000 of them reduced to sleeping rough on the streets. "A country like this should not have this problem, so large and long-standing without being addressed," Mr Rudd said at the Sydney launch. "It's time we had a decent solution to this problem that has been around for a long time."       Brotherhood of St Laurence executive director Tony Nicholson, who sat on the white paper's steering committee, said that the plan was "by far the most substantial commitment to tackling homelessness that we have ever seen in Australia. After many years, Australians have become accustomed to glib, political promises attached to grab bags of initiatives, and this stands in great contrast to that approach."       The Australian Council of Social Services said the white paper would ensure fewer people continued to fall through the cracks. Chief executive Clare Martin said, "ACOSS welcomes plans to prevent homelessness before it begins by targeting people at risk."       The white paper offered a chance at "revolutionary change", Mission Australia head Toby Hall said. "This is the best opportunity the nation has had in almost 25 years to tackle this problem, and we need to grab it with both hands."       Some of the $1.2 billion in new funding will help 9,000 children at risk of homelessness to stay with their families and provide early intervention services for 2,250 families. An additional 2,700 homes will be built for people at risk of homelessness, and 4,200 homes built in remote indigenous communities, Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek said. "These are ambitious goals, but we believe they can be achieved with sustained effort and extra investment."       Source: Australian Associated Press

Small Troop Makes Big Holiday Happen for Camdenites

Senior Girl Scout Troop 26739 held its second annual holiday party on December 20 for 100 Camden NJ families. The troop is made up of nine Lenape High School and Bishop Eustace Preparatory School freshmen from Mount Laurel who have been scouts together since they began as Brownies in second grade. The toy drive they held in conjunction with the party was so successful that even with each child there receiving at least two gifts, there were enough toys left over for Santa Claus to deliver to an additional 30 families. The girls also collected hats, gloves, school supplies, gift cards for parents, and even baked cookies that children could decorate.       "This is very special. Without the Girl Scouts giving to the children of Camden, at least 80% of these children would not receive another gift," said Gerry Taylor, program director of the Camden County OEO Urban Women's Center (UWC).       Troop co-leaders Julie Williamson and Jackie Smoyer began coordinating the coat drive with Taylor when the girls were still Junior Scouts and interested in achieving the Bronze Award -- the highest award given to Juniors, usually for community service done as a troop. Smoyer suggested the coat drive.       "That first year, the girls hoped to collect 50 coats and ended up with 500," Williamson said. The troop expanded the drive the following year, getting the entire Mount Laurel Girl Scout community involved. "So far, we have distributed over 10,000 coats to the Camden community."       So the girls got their Bronze. Then they planned the holiday party to attain the Silver Award during their final year as Cadettes, the next level of Girl Scouts.       "Gerry called and said the Women's Center did this party each year, but hoped that our girls could add a spark," Williamson said. The troop members divided into teams that were responsible for a toy drive, a hat and mitten drive, crafts and activities, games, and decorations and entertainment. The UWC provided wish lists from the families and children it serves, so the scouts could make sure each child got a toy on his or her list.       The troop also solicited corporate donations last year. This year, with the economy hurting, there was a worry that money and toy donations would suffer. The troop enlisted Mount Laurel Junior Girl Scout Troop 23698 and Boy Scout Troop 15 to distribute fliers and collect more toys. "We collected at least 500 toys," said Williamson.       "This shows the girls that the world is a big place where they can accomplish anything," said Williamson. "Running the coat drive and the party shows them that they can be very powerful. We are enjoying watching them grow into strong leadership roles."       Source: Courier-Post

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"An estimated 5.5 million people may need food assistance" in Zimbabwe, said the UN's special rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutterhe, in a joint statement from four senior UN officials. There was "just not enough food" in the country of around 12 million which was once the bread basket of Africa, he added, calling on Zimbabwe's government and the international community for increased help. In the same December 22 statement, the special rapporteur on health rights, Anand Grover, said the country's medical services could not control the cholera outbreak, which has killed more than 1,120. "Zimbabwe's health system has completely collapsed." As the UN experts sounded the alarm bells, the children's fund UNICEF was delivering its first consignment of aid -- intravenous fluids, drip equipment, essential drugs, midwifery and obstetric kits -- to boost government services in the fight against cholera. (Agence France-Presse) The number of New Jersey schools meeting the state's targets on standardized tests has slipped a bit, but education officials say that's because the targets have increased. The state Education Department says 71% of schools met all the goals in the 2007-08 school year, down from nearly 74% the previous year. Of New Jersey's 2,200 public schools, 155 missed at least one goal for the second year, triggering corrective actions. Twenty-one schools -- or fewer than 1% -- have missed the goals for eight years in a row. Of these 21 schools, five are in Camden City. (Courier-Post) NJ Governor Jon Corzine announced late last month that $58 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program benefits will be distributed to more than 103,875 NJ households. This season, Corzine raised income eligibility for the program, allowing about 50,000 more households to be eligible for the assistance program (projected households is 245,000, compared to 196,000 last year). Households heated by deliverable fuel will receive an average of $1,200 per household. Households heated by gas will receive an average of $1,289 per household; those heated by electric will receive an average of $982 per household. (NJ Dept of Community Affairs) Australia has opened a controversial new offshore detention center on Christmas Island to cope with a fresh wave of migrants attempting to reach the country. A boatload of 37 migrants intercepted off Darwin on December 20 were the first asylum seekers to be housed at the remote center in the Indian Ocean, nearly 1,600 km from Australia. It was believed that the men came from Afghanistan and the Middle East. The $400-million center, which has been likened to Alcatraz and described as "harsh and prison-like" by refugee groups, can house up to 800 people. But, acknowledging its unpopularity, the government said that women, children, and families would not be held there. (Sun News Services) Newark NJ is launching a new program to reduce its high school dropout rate. Newark will open alternative education programs at nine schools over the next two years for 150 students who have dropped out or are in danger of doing so. The students will be in smaller classes and receive more personalized instruction. The new approach is part of a partnership with the National League of Cities, which selected Newark as one of three pilot sites for its national initiative to raise graduation rates. (Associated Press) A foreign school in South Korea is offering high school students a chance to showcase their English writing skills and possibly win a cash prize. Busan Foreign School is hosting an English essay competition on February 7 as part of a charity fundraising campaign. The topic, to be given out on the day of the competition, will be a brief essay pertaining to "Charity on a local and global scale," according to a BFS official. All proceeds will be used to fund habitat rebuilding in impoverished communities in Thailand. (Korea Herald)

Life-Net News Extras

Generous Gifts Fill Charities' Wish Lists

Dozens of nonprofit organizations in South Jersey got what they wanted for Christmas.       Larc School, a nonprofit private school for developmentally disabled students in Bellmawr, had all of its wishes granted. "As we could see what the economy was doing we weren't anticipating getting our needs fulfilled, but people were enormously generous," said Susan Weiner, executive director at Larc School. "We were even able to help more families than we started out with."       Larc School was one of more than two dozen agencies featured in the Courier-Post's 16th annual Empty Stocking program. In its wish the school asked for gifts for a single mother with three children and several families in need. "Everybody gave a wish list and we received computers, televisions, clothing, games, toys, dolls, and gift cards," Weiner said. "Some people donated cash and checks and let us do the shopping since we know the families. It was amazing."       Another successful community campaign was the Burlington County Sheriff's 13th annual toy drive. More than 1,000 toys were collected and dispersed among 10 nonprofit agencies within Burlington County. "Our donations were right on par with past years, which was a pleasant surprise," said Sheriff Jean Stanfield. "I was extremely worried this year."       Stanfield expressed belief that because people knew the need was greater they were more willing to give this season. "It really made the holiday for all of us because everybody was concerned we wouldn't get enough," she said. "It has renewed my faith in human nature. No matter how tough it gets, people pull together."       Another agency that saw some success was the Salvation Army in Camden County. "We received more than enough toys for the children and were able to give away two toys to 500 families, which represent 1,800 children," said Major Paul Cain, area commander for the Salvation Army. "We were able to give out 4,000 toys; all donated by the community. We even had a few left over, so the last people still had a selection."       "I'm never surprised by the generosity of people," he said. "It's an interesting situation when the economy seems to turn, people become more generous in a lot of ways."       While toy drives were successful, the Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) was also successful in being able to provide meals to families throughout the region. "Christmas turned out really good," said FBSJ CEO Val Traore. "We had an outpouring of donations from the general community and businesses that really helped bridge the gap. We were able to meet most of the needs of our feeding programs and had a little bit left over."       Traore said the need would continue beyond the holidays. "We are still concerned because during the first and second quarters of the new year we will need support to continue meeting the demand," she said. "Hungry people are hungry 365 days a year. Don't let up on the donations."       Source: Courier-Post

Taliban Imposes Co-Education Ban in Border Region

Pamphlets distributed by the Taliban in Pakistani tribal areas bordering Afghanistan on January 4 imposed a ban on co-educational schooling in the region. According to the Times of India, the Taliban demanded that all co-educational schools be closed. During the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which lasted until 2001, Afghan girls were forbidden to attend school.       In December, regional Taliban leader Mullah Shah Doran announced an education ban affecting women and girls in a northern part of Pakistan known as the Swat Valley. The directive set a deadline of January 15 for all girls, both in single-sex and co-educational schools, to be withdrawn. The Taliban reportedly threatens to bomb schools that ignore this directive and to severely punish violators.       Teacher Mohamed Osman said that "we have no choice but to follow the orders. The government cannot give us protection. Taliban runs a parallel government in 90% of the area of the district, and they execute everyone who opposes them."       Enrollment of women and girls in schools and colleges in the Swat Valley region is only a quarter of what it was only three years ago, before the Taliban gained strength there, according to the Washington Times. In the past year, more than 130 schools, many of which were all girl institutions, have been destroyed in the area.       Source: Feminist Daily News Wire

Stretch Your Charity Dollars

Adapted from a piece by Carrie Schwab Pomerantz:       Even if you have to balance your budget with greater care this year, I believe with a little planning you can still find ways to continue charitable giving -- and perhaps even make your dollars go farther. Here are some ideas that may help you make a charitable difference and still be mindful of your own bottom line during these tough economic times:       The first thing you may want to do is set some giving priorities. If you have to reduce your contributions, you could: Make an across-the-board cutback. For instance, reduce the gifts to each charity you usually support by a certain percentage, say 5% or 10%. Make a list of charities you normally support. Identify your favorite charities as "have to give." Designate the others as "nice to give." Then divide your contributions among the charities that are most important to you.       Whichever method feels best to you, the key is to make a strategic decision about your giving and not react impulsively. Depending on your tax and investing situation, charitable giving can be good for your own finances. Some effective strategies include: Using tax planning to your advantage. Giving to charity can help not only reduce your current income tax bill, but it can also be an effective way to cut estate taxes that may be due in the future. (The income tax deduction is restricted by your adjusted gross income and the type of contribution, but the estate tax deduction is unlimited.) Also remember that you have to itemize deductions on your income tax return if you plan to deduct charitable contributions. And be sure to request a receipt for donations of $250 or more to a single charity. The tax aspects of charitable giving can be complex, so to maximize the benefit, it's a good idea to talk to your tax advisor. Giving appreciated securities. Even with stock prices down significantly, many investors still have stocks and mutual funds that are worth more than they paid for them. If you're in this situation, you could consider transferring some of those appreciated investments to a qualified charity. Doing this is a win-win situation: By giving the securities to charity rather than selling them and donating the cash from the sale, you can avoid paying capital gains taxes. Plus, if you've held the donated securities for a year or more, your income tax deduction will be based on the appreciated fair market value at the time of donation. So you've given a valuable gift -- and you've received a significant tax benefit. Opening a Charitable Account with a Donor-Advised Fund Organization. If you have appreciated assets to give that you've held a year or longer, but you don't want to give them all to one charity or all in this calendar year, consider opening a charitable gift account. This type of account allows you to contribute to the account when you feel the conditions are right and receive an immediate tax deduction. Then you can make smaller grants from the account to numerous charities over time. A charitable gift account also has an added bonus: It can act as a charitable reserve that can be tapped during economic downturns, so you don't have to stop giving. The minimum contribution for most donor-advised fund accounts is $5,000, and the minimum grant is typically $100. Donating cash to lock in losses. To donate securities that are worth less than the amount you paid for them, consider selling them first, and then donate cash. That way you can use the losses to offset other taxable gains. Again, make sure you keep a canceled check or a receipt from the charity in order to deduct the donation. Gifting from your IRA. If you are 70-1/2 or older, a popular and recently extended provision of the Emergency Economic Stabilizations Act of 2008 allows you to donate up to $100,000 from your IRA without incurring income tax on the withdrawal. As an added bonus, this transfer counts toward your required minimum distribution. Be careful, though, because not all charities (including donor-advised funds and private foundations) are eligible recipients.       If making a financial contribution this year just isn't possible, think about giving of your time and your talents. You might even use this season and its economic challenges as a motivation to plan ahead for next year.       Source: TownHall.com

Domestic Violence Spotlighted in Angola

Angola's Ministry of Family and Women Promotion (Minfamu) met early last month to collaborate on a draft law intended to combat violence against women. Domestic violence is not criminalized in Angola and is rarely prosecuted in rape or assault cases. According to the Angola Press Agency, local women's rights advocates aim to guarantee protection for victims and to establish criminal punishments for domestic violence.       At the same time, Minfamu launched a year-long project aimed at developing a statistical analysis of the prevalence of domestic violence in Angola. This project also aims to improve and standardize the response to domestic violence incidents by counseling centers, according to the Angola Press Agency.       A 2006 US State Department report on human rights practices lists discrimination and domestic violence against women and children as one of Angola's existing human rights abuses that is rarely prosecuted and widely underreported. The report found that "under the constitution and law women enjoy the same rights as men" in Angola, but that "societal discrimination against women remained a serious problem, particularly in rural areas."       Source: Feminist Daily News Wire

'Support the Troops' Means 'Here, Too'

Adapted from a piece by Aaron Glantz, author of two books on Iraq:       On any given night 200,000 US veterans sleep homeless on the streets of America. One out of every four people -- and one out of every three men -- sleeping in a car, in front of a shop door, or under a freeway overpass has worn a military uniform. Some have been on the streets for years. Others are young men and women who return home wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan then quickly slip through the cracks.       For each of these homeless veterans, America's promise to "Support the Troops" ended the moment he or she took off the uniform and tried to make the difficult transition to civilian life. That's when these veterans run up against a hostile and hurdle-ridden bureaucracy set up by the Department of Veterans Affairs.       In a best-case scenario, a wounded veteran must wait six months to hear back from the VA. Those who appeal a denial have to wait an average of four and a half years for their answer. In the six months leading up to March 31, 2008, nearly 1,500 veterans died waiting to learn if their disability claims would be approved by the government.       There are patriotic Americans trying to solve this problem. Last month, two veterans' organizations, Vietnam Veterans of America and Veterans of Modern Warfare, filed suit in federal court demanding that the government decide disability claims brought by wounded soldiers within three months. Predictably, however, the VA is trying to block the effort. On December 17, their lawyers convinced Reggie Walton, a judge appointed by President Bush, who ruled that imposing a quicker deadline for payment of benefits was a task for Congress and the president, not the courts.       President Barack Obama has the power to end this national disgrace. He has the power to ensure that the VA bureaucracy be streamlined so it'll help rather than fight those who have been wounded in the line of duty. He can ensure that this latest generation of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan does not receive the bum rap the Vietnam generation got. Let 2008 be the last year thousands of homeless veterans stand in line for free food during the holiday season. Let it be the last year hundreds of thousands sleep homeless on the street.       Source: New America Media

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Federal lawmakers announced on January 7 that Cumberland County would receive $127,781 in funding for emergency food and shelter programs. The money is part of $5.3 million for emergency food and shelter being distributed by the federal government across New Jersey through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Food and Shelter program (EFS, established 1983). Diane Strozyk, director of the Cumberland County Division of Homeless, located in Millville, said the funding is an increase from last year: "We haven't gotten an increase in a long time. We'll be receiving $25,000 extra dollars. I think it has to do with the economy. Every year, we have a few more food pantries on board. It'll be nice to have the extra money since people really need it." Last year, 15 needy-helping groups received funding. (South Jersey News Online) Many leading industrialized nations face their worst economic downturn for 25 years, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned in its latest semiannual report. The organization, which comprises 30 countries that account for 60% of the world economy, said the economies of the United States, Europe and Japan would all shrink next year, with unemployment in the OECD area rising by eight million. It forecast house prices would continue to fall in many countries and that there was a risk that the current global financial crisis had further to run, with fragile banks exposed to new bad debts. The report said that many OECD countries would not return to their long-term average growth rates until mid-2010. (Al Jazeera) Consumer confidence hit an all-time low in December, dropping further in the face of rising layoffs, in yet another sign that consumer spending is unlikely to pull the U.S. out of a yearlong recession any time soon. Consumers have been nervous about spending for months -- putting off big-ticket purchases, forgoing new clothes, choosing store brands at the grocery store. The Consumer Confidence Index measured by the Conference Board, a private research group, fell to 38 in December from a revised 44.7 in November. That is its lowest point since the group began compiling the index in 1967, and below the previous low of 38.8 in October. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected the index to rise incrementally to 45. (Associated Press)

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