ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

When a tragedy occurs, people often come together to grieve and support one another. When the Murray family of Chevy Chase, MD lost both a daughter and mother on June 26, due to an accident caused by a tree branch falling on their minivan, the community responded with acts of full-fledged warmth and sustenance.

After consoling, Sara Knoll, friend of the family's, along with others, set up an online "support system" where more than 400 people have enlisted to offer aid to father, Sean Murray and his five daughters.

The response to the site has been so great that it has ensured that the family's home needs will be met through December 23. The website, Lotsa Helping Hands, makes it simple to reach out to locals in need by creating an online community with a calendar and announcements for organizing.

If you want more ideas on how to help in your community, visit Create the Good's site to find "do it yourself" organizer toolkits to jump-start your plans.

Got a great "do it yourself" way to make a difference in your community? Tell us about it here.

Yum!

Here's the press conference from last night. 90% of the focus was on the debate for health care reform

Our friends at AARP Bulletin have put together a very useful document that spells out the details of the current debate in easily digestible prose. This is a great resource for anyone wanting to get a handle on the current state of play of the health care debate.

These days, everyone's talking about how to save money. But living simpler isn't just good for your wallet - it's good for the environment, too. You might not get your "flowers" at the dollar store like this guy, but we can all agree a little composting helps the landfills and the bank account.

Watch below:

As Congress wraps up before August recess, this is our last chance to make some serious steps to take action for health care reform - and we're having our very own town hall meetings to discuss and strategize.

In fact, AARP will be holding teletownhalls over the next week (which will be audiocast live!) where AARP supporters and members can listen in to hear what role AARP has been playing in the health care reform debate, answer your questions on reform efforts as well as give you an opportunity to potentially connect with Congress straight from the town halls.

There's not much time left, and health care reform legislation will be moving - let's talk about what we can do to make sure it's prioritized. Sign up and submit your questions for Thursday's townhall!

See the times of other town halls after the jump. You'll be able to hear them live here.

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The New York Times covered Obama's speech on the 40th anniversary of the first landing on the moon, which was yesterday, July 20th, when the astronauts of Apollo 11 took the first steps on that big rock that lights the night sky of our planet:

On the anniversary of the first landing on the Moon, several Apollo astronauts called for new emphasis on space exploration. Mr. Obama has endorsed the Bush administration's plan to return astronauts to the Moon by 2020, asking for a 5 percent increase in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration budget.

"We need to go back to the moon," said Eugene A. Cernan, the last man on the Moon as a member of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, adding that he was frustrated at the lack of preparation for a mission to Mars.

As we celebrate this landmark moment, let's hope for more great findings in space exploration to come!

Although times are tough, the summer tends to trigger the "travel itch" - you know, that sense of urgency to get out of town immediately to a sun-drenched vacation consisting of laying out by a pool and sipping on piña coladas all day. So how can we quench our vacation thirst without spending all of our retirement savings?

Well, it looks like Peter Greenburg has some answers for us. An inquiry led Greenburg to give tips on how to find the best deals for older folks looking to go on a cruise - apparently there a lot of discounts for older adults available. Check out the article and some online resources he gives, like CruiseCritic, GalaxSea Cruise and Tours and Cruise.com.

Happy cruising!