redefine christmas.org
as you are celebrating all the things you are thankful for today, consider this from www.redefinechristmas.org:
Consider that the amount of money spent on candy alone during the holiday season is greater than the annual budgets of the American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association and Habitat for Humanity combined.
Redefining Christmas
It’s not about reinventing the holiday. It’s about changing the way we look at gift giving and receiving. It’s taking money we usually spend on obligatory gifts with little meaning, and creating gifts of charity that give in multiple ways, to the receiver, the giver, and people who truly need.
There is no question we are in the midst of difficult financial times. And if it has you feeling unsure or uncomfortable this holiday season, imagine how purely difficult it’s becoming for people who already, or are about to, depend on the generosity of others for the things that only a donation can provide.
As we consider our individual place in this world we can be of help to others with a simple gesture that bestows the gift of charity on those who are in need, on behalf of the ones we care about. If this sounds like a good idea to you, redefine Christmas by giving others donations to their favorite charities, request that others do the same for you, and use this site to share this message with as many people as you can think of. Chances are, you’ll like the way it feels.
i’m also a big fan of Heifer International, where you can support sustainable living by donating farm animals to poor families around the world.
Filed in things you can do | Tagged with BNC, consumerism, NaBloPoMo | Comment (0)BND + Small Business Saturday
once again…time for the annual rant against holiday consumption and nudge toward a smarter economy….
it’s not like i don’t buy things. i do. but i try to buy them conscientiously, knowing where things come from, who made them, and how they were made and what from. i support local fashion as much as possible, shop recycled/used clothing stores, and try to avoid “made in china/sri lanka/vietnam/indonesia” when i buy something new. when it comes to food, beauty, and cleaning products, i look for the most organic/fewest ingredients/greenest thing i can find. but this doesn’t make me anti-consumer. i certainly couldn’t go a year without buying anything. in fact, i think because i am always looking for the perfect thing, the greenest thing, the most sustainable, best choice, i probably end up shopping MORE than someone who just walks into Wal-Mart, loads up the cart and walks out. i probably go to 5x as many stores looking for the best alternative, and pay more for things too, further supporting the economy.
i say this because i don’t want people to get the wrong impression when i support things like Buy Nothing Day (no shopping the day after Thanksgiving) and Buy Nothing Christmas (a radical Christian idea!). i understand that these seem extreme, and many people think futile. does it really make a difference if you shop the weekend after Thanksgiving or a week later? and aren’t giving gifts a nice thing to do?
in my mind, it’s the mindset of these activities that bothers me most – that this ritualized consumption is now an expected part of American culture, so much that people put themselves through horrid situations at the beck and call of retailers like cattle through a gate – remember the people getting trampled last year on “black friday”? – and into financial debt they can’t afford to “participate”. and, in the end, what percentage of Christmas gifts are actually something people wanted?
go ahead, consume. i’m not going to pretend that isn’t part of all our lives. but i encourage you to do it as mindfully as you can. this saturday is the first ever widely organized Small Business Saturday, with companies like American Express giving huge promotions. so maybe instead of hitting up the Best Buy and Wal-Mart on Black Friday and filling up your cart, take some time to find some of the items on your shopping lists at small businesses in your community on saturday instead. if done right, this can turn our economy around. small family businesses will thrive, artists will make a living, communities will come together. in my mind, THAT is the American way.
Filed in things you can do | Tagged with adbusters, BNC, BND, consumerism, economics, NaBloPoMo | Comment (0)
Plastic State of Mind (funny!!)
if you’ve been reading long enough you know that i have a huge pet peeve about plastic, particularly plastic that is used once and then thrown away. EVEN IF “recycled” it’s still a bane on our planet. i have supported the movement to ban plastic shopping bags everywhere, and KUDOS to Los Angeles for passing one this week!
so, this video parody of the Jay-Z song “Empire State of Mind” is one of the most awesomest things i’ve seen in a long while and totally made my day. and so catchy!!
~via
don’t think plastic bags are a problem and the government is micromanaging? LOOK AT THIS PHOTO:
(#11 from the Big Picture/National Geographic Best of 2010 Photo contest).
i don’t think that dolphin is going out for groceries.
Filed in environment, things you can do | Tagged with NaBloPoMo, plastic | Comment (0)kreeya.com independent fashion website launch featuring miranda caroligne
me in a miranda caroligne scarf + sweater for kreeya.com, photo by warren@after5media.com
back in september, i did a photoshoot with my good friend Miranda Caroligne for the new independent fashion website, kreeya.com, which just launched TONIGHT!
a lot of small independent clothiers don’t have the time or know-how to manage an online marketplace for their goods. even with the rise of the amazing etsy.com, a lot of my friends struggle to find an easy and effective way to sell their goods online. everything must be bought in-person, sometimes at some crazy loft/garage/basement workspace in a fringe neighborhood that you can’t find. kreeya.com is hoping to become a marketplace specifically for independent fashionmakers in the SF as well as help to promote them, which i think is awesome:
“Each week, Kreeya will feature a new local fashion designer and showcase their unique collection and the story behind it.”
Miranda is currently the featured designer and there are lots of photos of me in miranda’s awesome clothes! (omg!). definitely also check out the interview with Miranda on the blog.
you can also follow Kreeya on facebook.
Filed in bay area gems, fashion, photos, things you can do | Tagged with mirandacaroligne | Comment (0)50 Reasons to Love Oakland
(In response to “50 Reasons to Love San Francisco” which was a response to “50 Reasons to Be Pretty Damn Euphoric You Live in New York City,” which, in its response to the NYC Haters, called for everyone to make a list for their city. so i did.)
in no particular order and without catering to anyone:
50. it’s usually at least 10 degrees warmer (and sunnier) than SF, sometimes 20, especially during fog season (July)
49. a long walk around and/or gondola ride around Lake Merritt
48. the hills: Joaquin Miller and Redwood Regional Parks
47. the Oakland Museum of California
46. Jack London Square, especially the First and Last Chance Saloon
45. the cranes!
44. conscious hip hop, esp The Coup
43. The Fox + Paramount Theatres
42. Jingletown
41. American Steel
40. Old Town bars & restaurants
39. “donettes” and french press coffee for brunch at Flora
38. the Chapel of the Chimes
37. the Piedmont Rose Garden
36. International Blvd – like the Mission before hipsters!
35. the Bordello
34. The Vulcan
33. The Crucible
32. the Cathedral of Christ the Light
31. Manzanita macrobiotic restaurant vs. Chicken and Waffles
30. Mama Buzz cafe, where the hipster watching is almost as good as their veg/vegan food (last time there: a table of 3 next to us: a chick knitting and smoking a joint saying really nonsensical “i’m so high” things while another girl read her facebook page out loud to the other 2 and a guy doing the total Joaquin Phoenix “I’m still Here” thing with the bushy beard and sunglasses. dude, that was 2009.)
29. people in oakland really are as weird as they look/act/seem, they’re not just TRYING to be
27. the A’s / Raiders – keepin’ it real
26. the Grand Lake Theatre marquee
25. the Grand Lake Farmer’s Market (sunday mornings)
24. Trestle Glen – so white-picket!
23. Van Jones + The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
22. Middle Harbor Shoreline Park
21. FAIRYLAND
20. the Oakland Zoo, which i like better than the SF Zoo.
19. the Oakland Coliseum Swap Meet,, where you can find everything from on-site Chinese cupping services to your stolen bike
18. tapioca drinks from Chinatown
17. Temescal – awesome foods from Lanesplitters to Dona Tomas + now there is a Burma Superstar!
16. all the crazy incarnations of Eli’s Mile High Club
15. the Stork Club + The Uptown + 21Grand
14. the Parkway Speakeasy (RIP?)
12. “hella”
10. Chabot Space & Science Center
9. Oaksterdam
8. cheaper rent for more space than the West Bay
7. Cafe van Kleef
6. Piedmont – Rockridge Shopping
4. Art Murmur!
3. sitting on the patio drinking a local microbrew at Beer Revolution while eating Vegan Soul Food
1. being part of a truly multicultural urban renaissance
this list is not meant to be comprehensive or exclusionary. these things are off the top of my head and based on my own lifestyle/experience living in oakland – so please add more! and i know it was very hard for me to not to not list a bunch more restaurants…so i ask for you to please add things to do/places to go, not more places to eat unless they are *really* special 
and yeah, i remember the KML spoof “Oakland Tourism” video of 2009. spare me.
UPDATE 11/10: TK has now done a “30 Reasons to Hate San Francisco“. i’d take his lead again and do the same for Oakland, but outside of “gangbanger crime”, actually i’d have a hard time coming up with as many, as we don’t have your SF problems! we can park almost anywhere!
Filed in bay area gems, most linked/commented on, personal favorites, things you can do, travel | Tagged with NaBloPoMo, oakland | Comments (4)the country you love could be your own (FP voter guide 2010)
the official 2010 Voter Guide from False Profit HQ:
Here at False Profit LLC, we care about politics. And we know that you care about politics too. We noticed that one time you read that article about politics and stuff and shared it on your Facebook account. That was totally cool. Now we have another opportunity to make a difference.
Whether or not you believe voting makes a difference doesn’t matter. You should do it because it’s awesome. And nowhere does it matter more than in local elections. Best of all, voting gives you the right to complain. As a San Francisco resident, that’s an inalienable right that they can’t take away from you, no matter how hard they try.
So be sure you vote on Tuesday, November 2. Or else Olivia Wilde will be very pissed at you.
Below is your handy Cheat Sheet to print and take to the polls. Check our web site for the full explanations and more links to do your own research.
Remember: The country you love could be your own.
False Profit Voter Guide Cheat Sheet
CA Prop 19, Marijuana Legalization – YES
CA Prop 20, Congressional District Redistricting- No
CA Prop 21, Vehicle License Fee to Fund State Parks – YES
CA Prop 22, Prohibits State from Taking Local Funds – Yes (with dissent)
CA Prop 23, Suspension of Air Pollution Control Laws – NO NO NO
CA Prop 24, Repeal of Corporate Tax Loopholes – YES
CA Prop 25, Simple Majority State Budget Passage – YES YES YES
CA Prop 26, Approve State and Local Fees with 2/3 Vote – NO
CA Prop 27, Eliminate State Redistricting Commission – YesSF Prop AA, Vehicle Registration Fee – YES
SF Prop A, Earthquake Retrofit Bond – YES
SF Prop B, City Retirement and Health Plans – NO
SF Prop C, Mayor Appearances at Board Meetings – NO
SF Prop D, Non-Citizen Voting in School Board Elections – YES
SF Prop E, Election Day Voter Registration – YES
SF Prop F, Health Service Board Elections – YES
SF Prop G, Transit Operator Wages – YES
SF Prop H, Local Officials on Political Party Committees – NO
SF Prop I, Saturday Voting – YES
SF Prop J, Hotel Tax Clarification and Temp. Increase – no
SF Prop K, Hotel Tax Clarification and Definitions – yes
SF Prop L, Sitting or Lying on Sidewalks – NO NO NO
SF Prop M, Community Policing & Foot Patrols – Yes & No
SF Prop N, Real Property Transfer Tax – Yes & NoBarbara Boxer – US Senate
Debra Walker – SF City Supervisor District 6
1) Rafael Mandelman, 2) Rebecca Prozan – SF City Supervisor District 8
GOVERNOR: Meg Whitman is not for me. I’m voting for Moonbeam!!!
OAKLAND/BERKELEY (ALAMEDA): WE GOT A LOT ON OUR LOCAL BALLOT TOO. I support using the Green Party Voter Guide to make those decisions:
Alameda County Local Measures
F – County $10 Vehicle Registration Fee – Yes, with reservations
H – Berkeley: Continuation of School Maintenance Parcel Tax – Yes
I – Berkeley: Continuation of School Facilities Bond – Yes
J – Emeryville: $95 Million School Bond – No, with reservations
L – Oakland: Schools Parcel Tax – No Endorsement, see write-up
N – Albany: Appointed City Attorney – No Endorsement, see write-up
O – Albany: Utility Users’ Tax – Yes
P – Albany: Paramedic, Fire Engines and Ambulance Tax – Yes, with reservations
Q – Albany: Cannabis Business Tax – No Endorsement, see write-up
R – Berkeley: Downtown Plan – No, No, No!
S – Berkeley: Tax on Cannabis – Yes
T – Berkeley: Medical Cannabis – Yes
V – Oakland: Cannabis Tax – Yes
W – Oakland: Telephone Tax – Yes
X – Oakland: Parcel Tax – No, No!
BB – Oakland: Amend Measure Y Funding – Yes
NO EXCUSES, people. You are LEGALLY ALLOWED to take off work to vote if needed. and come ON! voting isn’t hard when you have awesome cheat sheets! (or visit SmartVoter.org to make your own informed decision.) DO IT!
Filed in politics and news, things you can do | Tagged with false profit, rock the vote | Comment (0)love/hate for the equinox
happy Equinox, everyone! and a special one at that: a full harvest moon tonight to light up your life.
it has now been almost 14 months that i have been a carless commuter, 6 of which i have had no choice but to bicycle, as my bus route was cancelled. i love bike commuting. LOVE IT. but sometimes i have to remind myself to love it. sometimes when i crawl out of bed, after a not-so-good night’s sleep, to face a foggy, windy morning, the last thing i want to do is get on my bike and ride a 25 minutes to WORK. this seems to be particularly harder the last couple of weeks, but i’ve been actively reminding myself to ENJOY THIS. enjoy the fresh air on my skin, the endorphins and adrenaline, the little things like the smell of freshly cut grass or wet eucalyptus leaves, even on the foggiest/mistiest/windiest of mornings.
generally, Autumn is my favorite time of year. back when i was a child in the midwest, it signified several things: 1. going back to school (which i liked), 2. my birthday (10/1), 3. halloween, my favorite holiday, and 4. leaves changing color and crunchy leaf piles.
now, here in the Bay Area, it means 1. my birthday, 2. halloween, my favorite holiday, and 3. WARM DAYS and SUNSHINE after a cold foggy summer. but it also means: 4. days get shorter, 5. Daylight Savings Time is coming soon, and 6. eventually, RAIN.
4 and 5 and 6 are making it difficult to love the equinox/first day of Autumn this year, as a bike commuter. biking in the dark and rain is not fun, no matter how hardcore you are. but still: I <3 AUTUMN and i intend to make the most of every last luscious sunny afternoon until the darkness descends.
Filed in things you can do | Tagged with bicycling | Comment (0)the paralysis of choice
i am often totally – literally – paralyzed by choice. jay goes crazy that i take so long reading labels in grocery store aisles. i spend forever deciding between garments in stores. i will, literally, stand, unmoving, in a department store or grocery store aisle or sit unmoving on my car while i mentally try to come to some decision. i find this happening more and more as i get older, and i am unclear as to whether this is me having too many preferences, always looking for the perfect thing in a sea of items, or whether modern consumer culture has thrust upon me this plethora of information i am mentally ill-equipped to deal with. this makes me feel, again, literally, retarded. i know it used to be referred to as the paradox of choice, but i feel it has now, in 2010, become more like paralysis for some of us.
this 24-minute TED talk discusses Choice, particularly the American valuation of Choice. is limitless choice good for us? does being an “individual” chooser create stress – and, sometimes, as she gives a very emotional example of, guilt – in our lives? is more choice always better? how do different cultures feel about the modern cornucopia of choices?
Sheena Iyengar studies how we make choices — and how we feel about the choices we make. At TEDGlobal, she talks about both trivial choices (Coke v. Pepsi) and profound ones, and shares her groundbreaking research that has uncovered some surprising attitudes about our decisions.
an embedded sidetopic here is something that i have become acutely aware of especially while living in San Francisco: if you have so many choices/options/variations, suddenly minutiae become important, and thus create distinctions where none previously existed, and people get really obsessed about these distinctions, to the point that their preferences become part of their identity, and create factions that, to the outsider, are invisible. you got X brand of organic free-range sustainably farmed ice cream and not Y brand?! that’s not 1/2 step dnb, that’s 1/4 step dnb! AH!
so much more to say on this topic but i am le tired.
Filed in culture and random linkage, things you can do | Tagged with TED | Comments (2)9/11
this may be simple, but all i know is that while some are burning korans and attacking muslim cab drivers and supporting the arrest of anyone who seems Other, i am doing everything i can to create peace in this world. no hate, no bigotry, no prejudice, no war, no “we are right and they are wrong”. only love and compassion will get us where we want to be. there is no other way. there just isn’t.
Filed in things you can do | Comment (0)Life: Read This Every Day
source: http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com/2010/09/read-this-everyday.html
Filed in QOTD, resolutions, things you can do | Comment (1)
