Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read! September 30 - October 6, 2012

Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982. The challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities. Click here to see a map of book bans and challenges in the US from 2007 to 2011. People challenge books that they say are too sexual or too violent. They object to profanity and slang, and they protest against offensive portrayals of racial or religious groups--or positive portrayals of homosexuals. Their targets range from books that explore contemporary issues and controversies to classic and beloved works of American literature.

Why this site? Do you remember National Thrift Week?

If you’re like many Americans, the answer very well might be no. The unfortunate truth is that it seems that some Americans can't even remember the concept of thrift itself! It's time for a change - it's time to bring back National Thrift Week! Up until 1966, it was a coast-to-coast celebration of American ideals like diligence, hard work, responsible consumerism, and smart saving. These concepts are the keys to long term prosperity, and if we collectively embrace them once more, we may be able to right our floundering economy.

Why New Threats to Freedom?

As you will see from these chapter summaries, the contributors to this new collection cover topics ranging from the European Union model of governance to the growing ranks of unmarried women, examining how each is undermining our liberties.

Introduction: Where Have All the Grown Ups Gone?
Adam Bellow
This collection of essays is an attempt to reinvigorate an old discourse about freedom that went out of style with the Cold War.

The Decline of American Press Freedom
Anne Applebaum
Self-censorship due to fear of public backlash, either in the form of violence or, even more cowardly, loss of advertising revenue, is becoming a real threat to our freedoms of speech and the press.

Why Spirit-Health Connections?

This is a site where health care providers, spiritual care providers, educators, and researchers will find free resources on integrating spirituality and healing.

Why The Templeton Plan?

In July 2008, John Marks Templeton, picked by Money magazine in 1999 as the “twentieth century’s greatest stock picker” died of pneumonia at the age of 95. However, he left a legacy in the investment world that will not soon be forgotten. As the United States and world face a shrinking economy, there is a great need to find comfort and perspective in a phenomenal investor such as John Templeton. Therefore, we have established this web resource to serve as a hub for sharing financial wisdom from John Templeton, at times written by him and at times written by his close friends and confidants. We hope you find this information useful as we tread through the waters of uncertain financial times.