Rev. Danny Fisher

Over at H-Buddhism (The Buddhist Scholars’ Information Network), Florida State University’s Jimmy Yu offers a new bibliography of sources on Buddhism and medicine. He also helpfully breaks it down into three “loosely defined” categories: Premodern East Asia,
Premodern South Asia and Tibet, and Modern. Yu’s bibliography is the result of a general call for suggestions. Quite a few scholars and students contributed, including myself and the incomparable Justin Whitaker of American Buddhist Perspective. Take a look at the bibliography here.

The Associated Press ran a fascinating, inspiring article this week about a new study published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings suggests that a “pay-it-forward” daisy-chain of ten kidney donations initiated by “a single altruistic donor” has the possibility to “help increase the number of kidney transplants, lead to better matches that will increase survival and even reduce spending on costly, long-term dialysis.” Dr. Michael Rees, the transplant surgeon at University of Toledo Medical Center who authored the study, says, “My dream would be that we eliminate the waiting list because we could turn every altruistic donor into 100 transplants.” Give the AP’s article a read here.

In other organ donation news, the former stars of NBC’s ER, Julianna Margulies and George Clooney, returned to the show this week for one of its final episodes. Their thread of the story revolved around the vital importance of organ and tissue donation from deceased patients. In the powerful scene embedded below (which plays more like a PSA), the two make a convincing pitch to a grieving grandmother (played by Susan Sarandon). Take a look. And for more on how to register as an organ and tissue donor in your state, go here.

This from CREDO Action:

We know about the Bush administration turning a blind eye and refusing to regulate bad behavior. We know about the banks that played fast and loose with our retirements, and then, when it all blew up, they took golden parachutes lined with our tax dollars.

On March 12, Jon Stewart of The Daily Show discussed another serious problem: financial news networks like CNBC that promoted Wall Street propaganda and then blamed the financial crisis on “losers” who couldn’t make their mortgage payments.

Stewart took on Jim Cramer of CNBC; the interview was moving, appalling, and a searing indictment that hit home for us here at CREDO…

[Now,] sign the petition:

“We, the undersigned, are deeply disturbed by CNBC’s complicity in the reckless financial practices that led to our current economic crisis. The purpose of journalism is to question, probe, and expose behaviors like these. Instead, CNBC was only too happy to call Americans in foreclosure “losers.” The network gave bad advice that lined the pockets of the superwealthy even as it decimated the retirements of millions of Americans. CNBC is far from the only entity to blame for this crisis, but its complacency has not gone unnoticed. CNBC should act like a news organization, not a propaganda tool of anti-regulation Wall Street gamblers.”

Sign the petition here, and watch the Stewart/Cramer interview in full below.

[Image via TV Guide.]

Over at his blog Monkey Mind, our friend and past interviewee James Ishmael Ford points us to the new-to-DVD documentary entitled Jews and Buddhism: Belief Amended, Faith Revealed. The film, directed by Bill Chayes and Isaac Solotaroff, and narrated by Sharon Stone, is described this way:

This film examines the dramatic surge of interest among American Jews in the spiritual teachings of Buddhism. Jews, who make up 2% of the population, account for some 30% of non-Asian American Buddhists. Many of them are among the leading expositors and scholars of Buddhism in America. In practice, traditional Jewish ritual and liturgy are being modified in synagogues and among individuals seeking to incorporate the teachings of Buddhism into their spiritual lives.

Jews and Buddhism is the first film to interrogate in depth the reasons for this phenomenon, explore it in the context of 20th century Jewish-American life, and consider its impact on contemporary Jewish thought and practice. This documentary, named “…one of the outstanding documentaries of 1999.” by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is narrated by Sharon Stone, and includes rare footage of the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, as well as David Ben Gurion, Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Boorstein, Rabbi Alan Lew, and many others. The film has appeared on PBS and the History Channel as well as over 50 film festivals worldwide. In addition, it is in widespread educational distribution.

You can order a copy here, and watch a clip below.

This from the We Campaign:

Limiting carbon pollution is the next step in the plan to Repower America and revitalize our economy. But the fossil fuel industry has already signaled that it will spend whatever is necessary to maintain the status quo. To jumpstart our economy, we need bold action from our leaders.

Sign our petition below and we will deliver it to your members of Congress.

“Congress must support bold national policies this year to transition to a clean energy economy. We urge you to cap carbon pollution to help create the jobs and businesses that will Repower America.”

Signed,
[Your Name]

Sign the petition here.