Beautiful Shiny Apples
Good to the last drop – concerns for child labor
The Nowhere Place of God
Occupy and Non Violence
I read a good article on Occupy as a movement of non violence. Obviously, the media appreciates the opportunity to scare people with the scenese of violent confrontation. This article puts the whole movement in perspective, in its non violent perspective.
Did you know that when Occupy Oakland was camping out, crime went down 19%? ”Occupy was so powerful a force for nonviolence that it was already solving Oakland’s chronic crime and violence problems just by giving people hope and meals and solidarity and conversation.”
Watch “Noam Chomsky on Ron Paul’s 9/11 Theories” on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/v/01e8-zSLkg0
Not occupying Middle Eastern countries is an issue where libertarians on the left (like myself and Chomsky) can agree with libertarians on the right (like Ron Paul). This clip is from a Republican debate last September. It is interesting to me to see that there are a significant amount of Republicans who are against violent occupation, bucking the trend of the GOP.
Watch “Army Whistleblower Lt. Col. Daniel Davis Says Pentagon is Deceiving Public on Afghan War” on YouTube
If you have seventeen minutes, this is a very informative video on basic reasons why we should not be in Afghanistan, compliments of Daniel Davis latest military whistleblower. Because it is an election year, politicians are hesitant to talk about cutting military spending or pulling out of Afghanistan. Use this opportunity to call your local candidates and voice support for reducing military funding and overseas occupations. We need less violence and more money in our budget.
North Dakota Flowers and the Spirit to Nurture
I came across an interesting NPR story about commercial agriculture, bees, almonds, conservation, and our interconnectedness. Ready?
Kenya’s legal same-sex marriages
From the BBC:
Homosexual acts may be outlawed in Kenya but there is a long tradition among some communities of women marrying each other. This is hard to fathom in a country where religious leaders condemn gay unions as “un-African” – and those who dare to declare their partnerships openly often receive a hostile public reaction.
The man who ate my lunch
One thing that is psychologically jarring for me, here in Los Angeles, is to see the extremes of wealth alongside deep poverty and brokeness. I see it most acutely when I am downtown. You can buy a $6,000 suit on one block, and two blocks from that you can mingle with the desperate junkies.
Link: 5 Amazing Places in the US in Danger of Being Destroyed by Dirty Energy
It is sometimes difficult to find concise summaries of big environmental issues in the U.S. If you are interested in an overview of places in the U.S., I would recommend 5 Amazing Places.
The Right to Work
The Republican Governor of Indiana signed into law a Right to Work act. “The measure would allow workers to avoid paying dues to a union even if the workplace, private or public, is unionized.”
Link: Good White People
From Good White Person:
White guilt doesn’t really help me in itself, it doesn’t help me have a less racist experience of the world. Articulation of white guilt re-centers discussion of racism around white experience, and it puts pressure on POCs [people of color] to reassure white people’s feelings…
Faith Parker at Occupy All Saints Church
This is a super cool Episcopal church in L.A. Unfortunately, it is on the complete other end of town. =(
Another story of someone struggling against the banks. It’s tough going up against such massive entities. Occupy’s grassroots movement might be the only true recourse some people have.
The cutting edges of our fragility
“We are unspeakably precious in the cutting edges of our fragility.” – James Finley
Is Gay a Choice?
Research shows that for women, sexual preference is more likely to be a choice than for men…and what’s wrong with that?
