Things We Learned on the BBC Today

The BBC reported yesterday that southern Sudan is pledging to end their highly controversial child soldier program. The United Nations' children's agency estimates that there are 900 child soldiers right now in the region.

Southern Sudan is holding an independence referendum in January. The territory wants to separate from the rest of Sudan,

Sudan's civil war ended in 2005, but tensions between the two sides remain high.

The genocide in Darfur has also been an issue of global concern in Sudan.

Team Colbert?!

Whew! I am not having much like with loading images these days, but nevertheless I had to mention this news item about comedian/talk show host/political satirist Stephen Colbert's involvement with the U.S. Speedskating team. The speedskaters would be competing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. My sister Lale and her husband Matt will be in Canada to watch curling, a sport that they have developed a foundness for. And, Heather Richardson of High Point, NC, will also be at the Olympics, but as a competitor representing the United States in the 500 meter, 1,000 meter and 1, 500 meter speedskating races.

Those of you who live in Park City, Utah, Steamboat Springs, Colo., Nashua, NH, Duluth, Minn. or Eau Claire, Wisc., might be surprised to learn that Richardson will not be the first North Carolinian competing in speedskating at the winter Olympics. Joey Cheek, who has been a vocal human rights activist with regards to the genocide in Darfur (Sudan), won a gold medal during the last winter games. Cheek is originally from Greensboro, NC, which is an adjoining community with High Point.

Colbert, who has recently been profiled in "Rolling Stone" and "Sports Illustrated" for his involvement with trying to raise $300,000 for the U.S. Speedskating team. He is stepping because the team fell short of its budgetary needs when their sponsor the Dutch banking giant DSB went under.

Richardson has faced her own financial struggles as she relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah, to train for the winter games. She was initially working for a Bath and Body Wax store in SLC in 2008, but she had to quit her job to focus on speedskating training.

When asked by "Rolling Stone," why he chose to support the speedskating team Colbert responded by saying that (paraphrase) 'men who wear unitards are the most macho of men.'

In today's edition of "The News-Record" (Greensboro's main newspaper), reporter Gerald Witt interviewed local auto dealer Tim Ilderton who is trying to raise individual funds for Richardson. Her father Jeffrey works for Ilderton. High Point University is working to raise funds for the North Carolina speedskater as well.

Colbert said his favorite speedskater was Richardson's teammate Katherine Reutter because she 'allowed him to sign her titaniumhard thigh.'

The comic talk show host added that is was 'ok for liberals to wear American flags during the Olympics' because they were in a foreign country, and Canada (no less).

Regardless of one's politics or nationality for that matter, if you wish to contribute to Richardson's fund, you can long on to her Facebook page, visit heatherlynnrichardson.com or write a check to: Go Heather Fund (put Heather Richardson in the header) PO Box 350 High Point, NC 27261.

Know Your Congressional Reps and Senators (16 of 21)- Frank Wolf

Those of who read this blog regularly know I'm a fairly partisan Democrat. In fact, we just endorsed Demcratic state senator Creigh Deeds for the Virginia gubernatorial race (see earlier entry).

But, I do happen to have many Republican friends and some of them are federal state representatives in Washington, DC, Richmond and Raleigh.

Cong. Frank Wolf (R-Va) is one of those friends, and I have tremendous respect and admiration for him.

Wolf, who was born on Jan. 30, 1939, in Philadelphia is the most senior of all Virginia's congressional reps. Wolf was elected in 1980 after narrowly defeating the incumbent Democrat Joe Fisher (1914-1992) who had served three terms in the house.

Wolf is co-chair os the Human Rights Caucus along with Cong. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), and he is also prominent in the fields of transportation and gambling.

Since 1989, Wolf has made five trips to The Sudan (according to Wikipedia) and he has advocated relief for the genocide in Darfur.

Wolf also formed the bipartisan Iraq Study Group in 2006 to access the war in Iraq.

But, Wolf is perhaps best known for vocally criticizing China's human rights record. During a visit to Beijing with Cong. Chris Smith (R-NJ) just prior to the 2008 Olympics, Wolf was not allowed to meet with local human rights lawyers.

He was last challenged by Democratic opponent Judy Feder.

Wolf represents the tenth district of Virginia, which includes mostly DC suburbs as well as the town of Front Royal and the City of Winchester.

Cong. Rick Boucher (D-VA), who was elected to office in 1984, is Virginia's most senior Democratic congressional rep.

I met Wolf while working for a weekly newspaper in Woodstock, Va., which is now in the sixth congressional district represented by Cong. Bob Goodlate (R).