Citizen Bytes

Bio: Adam Levermore lives in Sunnyvale, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a graphic designer, sci-fi geek and lifelong shuttle fanatic. He tweets at www.twitter.com/lexigeek.

My take: On Monday, I fulfilled a dream of a lifetime.

Since I was a young boy, I’ve been fascinated with the space shuttle and I’ve always wanted to see a launch. With the shuttle program set to be scrapped next year, I knew I was running out of time. So when I heard NASA would be holding a contest for 100 lucky Twitterers to participate in a shuttle launch “tweetup,” I jumped at the chance.

BIO: Jason Kucherawy is a comedian and tour guide. He is a co-founder of Tour Guys, a walking tour company based in Toronto and Vancouver. Jason lives in Toronto and travels as much as he can.

MY TAKE: This past August I was informed by email that I was selected as a torchbearer for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. When I opened the email, I practically exploded with joy. I hooted, I made fist pumps, I jumped out of my chair and I beamed. It written in black and white: I was going to be a torchbearer!

BIO:My name is Ingrid Fischer and I am on the way to Uganda this week to take up my next assignment with the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA). We help communities in far-flung corners of the globe break free of poverty using the credit unions and co-operative enterprises they create.

My take: As I pack my bags I leave behind four years of effort helping Sri Lankans piece their lives back together amidst the backdrop of disaster and war. In 2004, tsunami waves washed lifetimes of effort away in just 20 minutes.

Bio: Sakine Zulang is a 17 year old high school student. She currently lives in Toronto but was born in Turkey. She speaks four language: Turkish, French, English, Uyghur. She considers herself a Uyghur Canadian.

My take: What is imperialism? What is genocide or holocaust? When you’re just 17 and growing up in Canada you don’t believe there are such ugly things or events going on around you. You believe with your entire heart that the world has learned from its past and mostly you have hope that the future will hold happy things for everyone. A 17 year old shouldn’t have to experience disappointment or knowledge that this world is full of unfairness.

Bio/About: Gracen Johnson is a student at the University of Guelph. She is very involved on her university campus and, among other activities, volunteers with Oxfam Guelph and the Centre for International Programs.

My take: If something desperately needs to be done, what excuse do I have not to do it?

Yes, the same question that compels me to wake up at an ungodly hour to lug the recycling out to the curb also sent me on a 10-month journey to Fill the Hill. Something desperately needs to be done about Canada’s climate game plan, which at present could be described as simply beating around the bush.

It is only natural for me to take action on climate change - nothing but basic citizenship. Knowing the seriousness of the climate crisis, it would be inconceivable for me not to give it my best effort. Furthermore, changing my lifestyle and my light bulbs is not going to cut it for the country and certainly not for the whole world. Canada needs legislative action and a veritable shift to the new green economy.

Submitted by Jackie Bodie.

My name is Jackie Bodie and I’m a Nortel employee on long-term disability.

Never did I expect that I would actually have to use the disability insurance that I dutifully paid premiums for during my 14 year career with Nortel. A phone conversation with a Nortel HR employee confirmed one particularly important question I had regarding the details of their plan — that I would be provided with a disability income up to age 65. This was enough to satisfy me that I had sufficiently planned for a worst case scenario.

Are you a Nortel employee who has also been affected? Send us your story: letters@cbc.ca

Submitted by Melanie Johannink

Bio/About: I am a recently laid-off Nortel employee, terminated with no severance pay or additional benefits on April 30, 2009.

My take: I was distraught that, after 18 loyal years of working for a company it was allowed to terminate me with no severance. I now have little money coming in to pay our bills. My two small children have given up the extras and now we feed our children cheap meals. We have cut out activities and new clothes in order to put food on the table until I find another job; we are still hopeful, but it is difficult during these hard economic times.

Are you a Nortel employee who has also been affected? Send us your story: letters@cbc.ca

Submitted by Dana Isenberg

About/Bio: I work for a Manila-based NGO called Institute for Social Entrepreneurship Education (I4SEE). We operate a livelihood program in Malabon City, one of the worst hit areas of Metro Manila.

My take: The NGO was relieved to find those closely involved in the I4SEE programs were safe, though the flood was a set back. One of the recipients, Mary Ann Lopez* had to wait on the second floor of her home for one night and one full day so water on the first floor could subside. Her Xerox machine, which brought in extra income, had to be thrown away. Parts of her sewing machine were also damaged.

About eight per cent of babies born in Canada each year arrive too soon, and many of them need extra support that isn't available, a group says.

Premature infants face increased risks of illness and death. Every year, a million premature babies around the world don't survive, according to the March of Dimes. Those who do face higher rates of learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, respiratory illness and are more likely to have developmental and behavioural problems.

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Were you a premature baby? Have you faced health issues as a result? Share your stories.

Asia had little respite Thursday from an already brutal storm season, with warnings the next tempest was en route to the Philippines and the death toll from the previous typhoon reaching 383.

Officials were preparing compulsory evacuation plans for tens of thousands of people in the Philippines as they watched Typhoon Parma track toward the country with winds gusting up to 210 km/h.

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