December 3rd marks the third year that STAND, the student arm of the Genocide Intervention Network (GI-NET), calls on the international community to “fast” for the genocide in Darfur. STANDFast asks people to forgo that cup of coffee or that night at the movies on December 3rd and donate the money to on-the-ground civilian protection.
This year, STAND expands the action to help the people of Burma.
GI-NET student coordinator John Bagwell told me that the $200,000 to $300,000 that they hope to raise would go beyond humanitarian aid and focus instead on protecting civilians.
In Darfur that means protecting women from rape as they leave their refugee camps for firewood. In Burma that means providing 200 villages with radios to warn them of an impending attack.
Kudos to the students who are working tirelessly to bring attention and money to the victims of these mass atrocities. But where is the rest of the world?
“For many people, it's a tough issue to think about,” Bagwell says. “The violence, the way that it's carried out, is so horrendous that in many ways it's easier to turn a blind eye.”
Let's hope STANDFast will open some of those eyes.
Americans are expected to spend an average of $832.36 on holiday-related purchases by the close of this holiday season, more than half of that total going to gifts for family members.
And, as Jeremy wrote last week, the retail-induced frenzy on Black Friday that led to at least one death disabused us of the notion that Americans might skip holiday gift-buying in the midst of our global financial crisis. Apparently, nothing comes between Americans and their "stuff."
I won't get into the fact that all of this holiday "stuff" we're buying increases our already high levels of waste (check out tips for reducing holiday waste). But I decided that one of my gifts this holiday season would be to provide you with a list of consumption-free gift ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
And for anyone who thought they were getting some store-bought "stuff" from me this year, you are mistaken. Your gift will likely come from the list below. So, stuff it!
Serve Others (because your time is precious and sharing it is meaningful)
- Offer your babysitting services to a couple in need of a night on the town
- Share your talents (cooking, accounting, editing, photography) for free
- Repair a broken item (family heirloom, bike) that might already be languishing in someone's closet of “stuff”
- Donate your time to a local charity or cause
Make Your Gifts (because if the gift is embellished with your character, it will never be junk)
- Knit a scarf or some other warm and fuzzy clothing item *
- Make a CD of tunes that remind you of your recipient
- Create a photo album or scrapbook of fun days together
- Paint or sketch their beautiful face and frame it **
Give an Experience (because it's fun)
- Go bike-riding (or ice skating or rollerblading or hiking) together
- Donate your time to a local charity or cause with your gift recipient
- Plant a garden or tree together
- Create an ongoing book exchange with books you already own
* Knitting class or experience knitting required. Making a gift is not an excuse for giving a tacky gift.
** Art class or artistic talent required. Again, painting or sketching your gift is not a license to offend with stick figures.
When Tom Brokaw pressed President-elect Obama about his smoking habit on Meet The Press Sunday, Obama's answers revealed the struggle of all cigarette smokers - the addiction.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as “a condition of compulsive drug seeking and use, even in the face of negative consequences.”
But because the tobacco sticks, which contain the addictive drug nicotine, are legal and manufactured and sold by powerful companies with a monster lobby, we use language to describe cigarette use that belies the addiction and negative consequences.
Think about it. We say "habit" instead of "addiction." Or "smoker" instead of "addict."
And that language was evident in Obama's conversation with Brokaw.
Brokaw: “Have you stopped smoking?” Translation: “Are you still using?”
Obama: “…there are times where I have fallen off the wagon.” Translation: “I'm struggling with my addiction.”
Brokaw: “Wait a minute. That means you haven't stopped.” Translation: “You ARE still using!”
Obama: “I have done a terrific job under the circumstances of making myself much healthier.” Translation: “I am a recovering addict who just ran for president. You do the math.”
My point is, let's call it what it is - addiction. Let's rally behind Obama in his struggle with that addiction and use his battle with the butt to highlight the 25% of Americans who can't stop smoking cigarettes.
If you're still not sold on the addiction idea, chew on these sobering facts from the National Institutes of Health:
- Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and death in the United States.
- Cigarette smoking results in more than 400,000 premature deaths each year - about 1 in 5 U.S. deaths.
- Between 1964 and 2004, cigarette smoking caused an estimated 12 million deaths.
I wondered how best to use this blog to honor the day. And I decided that since I love Hugh Masekela and Laurence Fishburne about as much as I love human rights, it would be best if I shared a music video that they contributed to (along with several other artists), called “The Price of Silence.” Amnesty International is distributing the video today in honor of human rights. I hope you enjoy. And more importantly, I hope you take action.
Some people will skip work Wednesday. But instead of calling in sick, many will be calling in “gay.”
That's because a West Hollywood man and his boyfriend have responded to the passage of Proposition 8, which eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry in California, with a protest idea that has caught the attention of gay rights activists and community organizations across the nation - a “Day Without a Gay.”
Sean Hetherington and Aaron Hartzler are asking people (both gay people and their straight supporters) to “call in gay” to work Wednesday, December 10th, to “protest passage of anti-gay constitutional amendments in Arizona, Florida and California.”
They are urging supporters to devote their time instead to community service and are providing a database of service opportunities for those joining the protest. The action, which coincides neatly with International Human Rights Day, echoes similar work stoppages by immigrant rights activists in 2006.
Because the boycott will showcase the economic impact of a day without gay workers and business owners, there are mixed feelings about doing so in these tough economic times.
But I say, an entire day to ponder the state of human rights and gay rights in our world? That's enough to make me call in “gay.”
Why didn't the Secret Service remove the president from the room?
I found one explanation from ABC News, who talked to the Secret Service about the shoe incident. In short, the Secret Service says it's satisfied with its agents' response.
Really? The agency that Congress tasked with protecting the President of the United States for more than a century is satisfied that the president had to duck not one, but two shoes?
By the way, I'm not defending the president's policies. I understand the sentiment of al-Zaidi, who has since become a folk hero.
And with two unpopular wars, the feeling that the United States is occupying Iraq and the idea that President Bush should be tried for war crimes, it's no wonder that peace activists CodePink, for instance, plan to grab a bag of shoes and demonstrate Wednesday “in solidarity with” al-Zaidi. I understand that.
But as a matter of national security, I am interested in our president not being assaulted.
How would this incident have been received if President Bush had been hit by one or both of the shoes? Had he been knocked unconscious? Had he have needed stitches? Had he been rushed to the hospital or worse?
Which brings me back to the Secret Service. Is it just me? Or should President Bush have been removed after ducking the first shoe?
When we think of civil rights struggles, American citizens marching and protesting for equal rights under the Constitution, the tendency is to think of the past. We have seen the grainy footage, heard the speeches and read all about the struggles for equality of race, gender and religion. These fights, it's easy to believe, are over and won.
While things have certainly improved, there is still much to be done. Where gay rights are concerned this is especially true.
The new film, Milk, is timed perfectly to highlight both the ongoing struggles for gay rights and the power of hope to inspire change. Former San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk was the first gay man elected to major public office in the United States. Along with SF Mayor Howard Moscone, Milk was gunned down in his office after serving only eleven months. He was a powerful advocate for change and, in his short time in office, was able to make great strides for gay rights in America.
Yet, as far as we have come in the decades since Milk campaigned so tirelessly for equal rights regardless of sexual orientation, it is now more obvious than ever that his struggle goes on. I'm talking, of course, of Proposition 8, the recent California legislation that denies same-sex couples the right to marry.
The forces that Milk fought against are still very much alive in America today. Sadly, there is no shortage of people in this country who believe that our government should be able to tell two adults that they can't get married because they happen to be the same sex. That they believe the Bible tells them this is perhaps the saddest thing of all, and makes one wonder if they missed the part about “love thy neighbor”. Isn't it all supposed to be about love anyways, and what is marriage but the ultimate statement of love?
The silver lining to all this, though, is that there are many people still fighting Milk's fight in his absence, among them the makers of this film. Go see Milk and be inspired by its message of hope, and reminded that America still has a way to go before it is truly the land of the free.
“Many would rather avoid the issue and pretend that it doesn't exist rather than take a hard, oftentimes rather uncomfortable, look at the issue and try to solve it.”
Poverty is not a one size fits all type of issue. Many would rather avoid the issue and pretend that it doesn't exist rather than take a hard, oftentimes rather uncomfortable, look at the issue and try to solve it.
Interestingly enough however, when an issue reaches the boiling point of affecting everyone on a widespread level and not just the forgotten majority, people begin to pay attention. Welcome to the issue of poverty in America.
With the U.S. recession in full gear, the economy tanking, and oil production being cut , it won't be a huge surprise to see families as well as other individuals fall into poverty. And sure, Americans are hurting more noticeably given the current crisis, but what about those who were in dire straits before all of this happened?
Poverty in America is still on the rise. There is inequality in America and, unfortunately, it doesn't appear as if we've been doing enough to rectify the situation. The incoming U.S. president's administration may give hope to the furtherance of tackling this issue, but it will take more than just federal action to ensure progress is made.
As Americans, we truly have a host of issues to address and solve. However, we can't work to address those needs if we don't acknowledge their existence or come together to try and solve them. So I suggest we all roll up our sleeves and begin working on some solutions.
“News and Notes is a program that has offered an enlightened African American perspective on news and culture for the last four years.”
Times are tough all over right now, certainly, and National Public Radio is no exception. The public broadcaster, which boasts 26 million weekly listeners, has recently cancelled two popular programs to try and cover a budget shortfall for 2009.
Both of those shows are based out of Culver City's NPR West location, which will likely put out a number of talented journalists in a region where legitimate media jobs are disappearing rapidly.
Along with the daytime news show Day to Day, the other program to get the axe is News and Notes, a program that has offered an enlightened African American perspective on news and culture for the last four years. The show, now hosted by Farai Chideya, was previously hosted by Ed Gordon, who replaced Tavis Smiley when he left NPR in 2004.
NPR cites a lack of corporate sponsorship and dedicated listeners in shutting down the programs. While News and Notes is indeed a younger show, it is alone on NPR in representing African American issues so thoroughly. No doubt it was a difficult decision to shut down this program, but it seems like a shortsighted move to eliminate such a distinct and important show.
The show will continue until March, when NPR's new budget takes effect. Until then, show your support by signing the petition to save News and Notes, and joining the Facebook group.
By now, many of us have seen the remarkable decrease in the price of gas lately in our neighborhoods. Just months ago we were talking about energy efficiency, hybrid cars and a host of other issues concerning the popular phrase of "our foreign dependence on oil."
I can even remember when news organizations spent air time each week dedicated to talking about consumers' pain at the pump and tips we could use to get better mileage out of our cars.
For now, it seems we've returned to our old ways, buying gas-guzzling vehicles and throwing caution to the wind. These past few weeks have definitely been kind to drivers, but I don't think it's going to last too long.
Many sources indicate however that the $4 gas price is on its way back. While many cringe at the idea, some are trying to figure out how to ensure when, (not if) $4 gas returns to the pumps, and it helps Americans more than it hurts them.
Now, given the fact that we're all hurting due to this global economic recession, I don't think we'll see high gas prices immediately. Recent news reports stated that by the start of the year, with sales slumping dramatically, many stores are going to have to close. This means less money in consumer's pockets, which may ultimately mean less disposable income and driving ability.
So while the return to $4 gas might not be on its way back immediately, the real question is what do we do once it begins to settle its way back into the marketplace?
Greg Simon, a Health and Human Services transition team member for President-elect Obama, spoke to a group of students at American University about that very issue. Among other topics, he posed questions on how to communicate the importance of the issue effectively, the pros and cons of such a proposal, all while contemplating how to develop feasible policy initiatives.
The discussion was candid, honest and stimulated robust thought along with practical discussion. Typically, when I have a busy day ahead of me, I don't have much time for anything else, but this topic made me stop and watch. I'm glad I did.
The bottom line of the discussion was clear: if we don't prepare for $4 gasoline as things get better, we leave ourselves more vulnerable to issues like global warming and foreign energy dependence.
The challenge is presenting an argument that actually makes sense and gets the American people to in fact “buy in” to the idea. Right now, I‘m not completely sold on the idea, but I'm willing to start listening. How about you?
Will Americans return to more environmentally conscious behavior when $4 gas returns?
“Certainly, a superhero is just what America needs right now, but it may be time to accept that Obama won't be able to be all things to all people.”
The Obama Presidency has hit its first snag, and it hasn't even officially begun yet.
Last week, it was announced that the evangelical preacher Rick Warren would be on hand to give the invocation at the inauguration next month. The choice of Warren, whose wildly successful book, The Purpose Driven Life, has made him a celebrity in evangelical circles, is now being criticized because of the preacher's stance on gay marriage.
While Obama himself has never come out explicitly in favor of gay marriage, his selection of a man who likened same-sex unions to child abuse and incest hardly seems the ideal way to begin a presidency founded on hope and change. To many, it seems like the first faltering step of a too-good-to-be-true candidacy.
I won't be the first to say this, but now may be a good time to re-examine our vision of Barack Obama as the savior of America. Certainly, a superhero is just what America needs right now, but it may be time to accept that Obama won't be able to be all things to all people. He still has the potential to be as good for America as he promised, but this first misstep is an early indication of the tough road he has ahead of him.
In Obama's Rick Warren decision, those on the left who favor gay marriage will be upset by the honoring of someone who has spoken so hatefully about gays. The hardline evangelicals will not be moved into Obama's camp, either, because of his position in favor of abortion, probably their most significant issue. Those in the middle, who are neither rabid on the issue of gay marriage nor vociferously against abortion, will be fine with this—but isn't it a bit late to be reaching out to the undecided?
Rick Warren's statements about gays and gay marriage are shameful, and have no place in 21st century American politics. After all, is likening gays to pedophiles any different from the slurs that were once made by some preachers against African Americans to keep them from attaining civil rights?
Perhaps Obama is trying to be inclusive with this choice, and he certainly can't be blamed for trying to bring Americans together—it will be one of the most important tasks of his administration. But it will not be easy, especially when so many of them insist on clinging to fear and hatred under the guise of Christianity.
UPDATE: Check out Henrik Hertzberg's excellent blog on The New Yorker's website for another point of view.
“Barack talked about bringing change to Washington. This is one way that I'm trying to bring change to Washington, is to inspire people to get on the bikes and to think of new and innovative ways of going about their lives.”
I was talking to my mother-in-law on Christmas morning and she said, “We have company!”
Since my husband was sitting next to me, and we were going to see my brother-in-law later in the day, I was already out of guesses.
“Who?” I asked her.
“Ryan,” she said. “He's biking to Washington, D.C.”
“What? Oh, wow! On a motorcycle or something? Why?” I asked.
“No. He's on a regular bike. He's going to the inauguration,” she answered.
That might sound crazy. But if you know Ryan Bowen, it makes perfect sense.
Bowen is a 22-year-old social justice activist who graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, alongside my brother-in-law in May. (And yes, that is the college that Obama attended before transferring to my alma mater Columbia University, but I digress).
After the presidential election in November, Bowen had the idea that he should go to the inauguration on January 20th, but decided to ride his bike from Los Angeles to D.C. instead of flying or taking some other gas-guzzling mode of transportation. He wanted to make a point and contribute to President-elect Barack Obama's “change” movement.
“One of the main purposes of this … has been to inspire people to manifest change in their own lives,” Bowen says. “Barack talked about bringing change to Washington. This is one way that I'm trying to bring change to Washington, is to inspire people to get on the bikes and to think of new and innovative ways of going about their lives.”
Roll Out!
So, on December 2nd, Bowen, who “hadn't ridden over 20 miles in a day until two weeks before,” set off from Los Angeles. By Christmas Day he had made it to my mother- and father-in-law's home outside of Houston, Texas.
Throughout his journey he has talked to Obama supporters and detractors in so-called Red and Blue states and documented it on his blog.
Another rider, Josh, joined him in Austin, Texas, and several groups of riders have joined him on short legs of his trip. He says that he really wants other riders to join and enter D.C. with him.
He has relied on the generosity of friends who have offered him a place to sleep here and there, more than 100 supporters who have donated money, as well as corporate sponsors who have provided him with food, supplies and replacement tires (a lot of replacement tires).
And Bowen has taken shelter wherever he can pitch a tent, which has led to some interesting sleeping spots, including a horse trailer and near an alligator exhibit in a city park in Louisiana.
“The most inspiring thing for me and something that I would have to say that I didn't really expect to be saying when I first started off is, like, the overwhelming generosity and camaraderie that I felt from fellow Americans,” Bowen says. “I'm proud to be supported, and I didn't think it would be possible. I never dreamed that I would see this much support coming from people across race and gender … lines.”
Undeterred on the Highway of Hope
When I did catch up with him this week to have a phone conversation, he was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was attempting to file a police report. The night before, he and Josh were struck by a jeep. Bowen suffered a hematoma on his thigh, both bikes were damaged and they lost their GPS.
A physical therapist told him to continue his trip because his leg would be fine.
So he did just that. He's in Mississippi today. He's been averaging 85 miles per day since he began the trip and plans each stop on his journey about three days in advance. So he doesn't yet know where he's staying in D.C., but hopes to arrive on January 18th.
Bowen says he hopes Americans will see his journey and be inspired to remain involved in the change movement.
“I was jazzed that Obama got elected,” Bowen says. "Now I'm like, the rubber needs to meet the road with his supporters, because if we don't stay engaged and involved, there is no way that the kind of changes he spoke about in the campaign, that the campaign put forward, can actually come to fruition.“
Amen to that, brother.
Bowen says that any money left over after he arrives in D.C. will go to Play For Hope to support a sustainable sports camp in Rwanda.
Check out a video of his trip below. And to keep tabs on his journey, visit Biking For Obama.
As if my head isn't spinning enough with all of the news coming out of my hometown, today the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit Newsannounced they would end daily home delivery, making them the first major metropolitan newspapers in the country to do so.
Beginning in the spring, the papers will continue to be available at newsstands, at stores and, of course, on the Web. But the papers will deliver to homes only on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The Detroit Media Partnership, which operates both papers, gives several reasons for the change, but there is one reason that has implications for the rest of the industry: "The future of news and information delivery is electronic, and we are focusing our considerable resources - and Michigan's largest news-gathering staffs - on serving those changing needs, while also maintaining seven day newspapers."
At the end of the day, the move makes perfect sense. U.S. newspapers have been struggling for a while. And I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that this is likely the beginning of the end for newspapers as we know them.
Either way, the announcement certainly gives new meaning to going "paperless."
(As evidence of their new digital focus, the media partnership produced a Web video about the changes - see below).
I love being able to see individuals engage in a conversation that's revealing, inspiring and yet so simple in its execution. If you didn't get a chance to see the interview with Magic Johnson, I suggest you do so. The interview was fantastic.
He talked about his successes, how he focuses on his strengths, tailored his approach to communities of color and has been successful in establishing a winning brand that resonates with people and signifies quality. Johnson also spoke about the importance of having mentors in your life that can shape your business mindset.
Now, despite all of the success Johnson has today, he admits that things weren't so easy early on. In fact, when he first started going into the business realm, he was tested. People waited to see if he had the acumen and skill necessary to be a respected businessman.
He said that it took him 10 years to do that. Ten years? That's an awful long time to for someone to have to establish oneself. It definitely speaks to his level of dedication and sincerity towards achieving his goal, along with the necessary sacrifices he was willing to take to achieve it.
From a business standpoint, he spoke of the importance of over delivery. It's that concept of giving people more of what they expect. It's also one of the key qualities that has kept Johnson's enterprises thriving year after year.
There's not much that people don't already know about the five-time NBA champion of the Los Angeles Lakers. He's gone on to develop successful business ventures, philanthropic work in foundations and is committed to empowering communities. In short, it's just another reason why I think the name Magic says it all.
Caroline Kennedy is making her subtle pitch to the NY Governor and the people of New York that she's ready for the U.S. Senate.
With less than two weeks before the next U.S. Congress is sworn into office, three high-profile Senate seats have yet to be filled. Unsurprisingly, there's no shortage of individuals willing to take on the position.
First, there's the Illinois seat that's under investigation due to allegations that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was attempting to sell it. He vowed, amid the allegations, that he was not guilty and would fight.
Next, there's the still open and highly contested Minnesota Senate race between incumbent Norm Coleman and challenger Al Franken. The chances of victory appear to be closing on Coleman, but the proceedings are still underway.
Last, but certainly not least, if there's one Senate seat that has definitely received tons of attention in the media, it's the open New York seat to be vacated by Hilary Clinton. There are tons of possible appointees who could potentially fill it until 2010, but Kennedy's name has created more buzz and appeal than anyone else.
If you're Caroline Kennedy, you have a few things going for you. The first and most lasting element is the name. "Kennedy" says it all. In addition to that, she has dedicated herself to public service and was an instrumental force in helping Barack Obama win the presidency.
Beyond the positive elements that make Caroline Kennedy a potential choice for the seat, there are some challenges for her. First off, this is not a regular campaign. New York Gov. Patterson is the first, last and only voice who decides who will fill the seat; so, she can't appear to be campaigning for a seat that's governor appointed.
So, would it be a good idea to go around the state of New York and begin meeting with high profile leaders? My answer is no. The idea may backfire and turn Gov. Patterson off to the idea of selecting her.
What Caroline Kennedy cannot and must not do anymore is take a ”two steps forward, then duck and run for cover” approach with reporters, once they begin to ask questions. The political climate is so intense now that any missteps can be misinterpreted and highly damaging. Some have already come out and warned her of being Palin-ized with this effort. This is not the approach Caroline Kennedy or any other viable appointee should take.
It's a difficult task trying to find a balance between political eagerness while honoring the role and office of the governor. However, Caroline Kennedy must skillfully execute this task if she has any chance in being sworn into office with the 111th Congress this January. We'll soon see if her efforts pay off.
About 2.6 billion holiday cards are sold each year in the United States. That's an awful lot of paper. And what do you usually do with your holiday cards? That's right. Throw them away. Or keep them in a box. Or (hopefully) recycle them.
So in addition to my consumption-free holiday season, I'm also going paperless this year.
If you want to do the same (and have procrastinated in sending your holiday cards as I have) then consider sending electronic greeting cards this year.
There are always Hallmark's e-cards; Mother Earth News has an earth-friendly card; or if you want to be fancy (and if your computer has a camera and microphone hook-up), you can send a video greeting using YouTube's QuickCapture. All of these options are free!
If you have other ideas, please share them below in the comments section.
And if you need some inspiration, here's the holiday greeting from NASA's crew at the International Space Station. Would have been difficult for them to mail their cards, I suppose.
“The magnitude of this loss is staggering and will be looked upon for years as one of the greatest wealth scandals of our time.”
I read an interesting story in The New York Times recently. It stated that the Securities and Exchange Commission “missed signals” of the Bernard Madoff scandal. Madoff, a 70-year-old former chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, embezzled the fortunes of many investors upwards of $50 billion.
What gets me is how the SEC states that it missed signals to bring this issue to light. The Commission determined that they received credible information concerning Mr. Madoff at least 9-10 years ago. That's not exactly missing a signal. That's pure negligence.
Christopher Cox, who has served as chairman of the SEC since August of 2005, stated that he was “gravely concerned” about the multiple failures to investigate the previous allegations. It would appear that the SEC was simply caught off guard with respect to the widespread chaos of Mr. Madoff's financial dealings. But how can someone be caught off guard if they've been hearing about a situation for almost a decade?
The SEC was not merely getting caught off guard. They seemingly looked the other way. Reports came out stating that there were, in fact, people who came told the SEC that Mr. Madoff was a person of interest who should be looked at. Did the SEC do it? No.
The magnitude of this loss is staggering and will be looked upon for years as one of the greatest wealth scandals of our time. International markets, charities and close personal relationships were all damaged due to this.
I cannot imagine how devastating this type of loss must be to those who placed their personal earnings in the hands of Mr. Madoff.
The SEC needs to be investigated itself, and new leadership must be brought in. It is an absolute disgrace to see a situation of this magnitude unfold, only to see that the officials given the task of making sure it didn't happen in the first place fell asleep at the wheel.
Accountability and integrity must be restored to our financial structures on Wall Street, along with real oversight and leadership in Washington DC. We've seen far too many times now the repercussions that happen to us as a nation when we don't hold individuals accountable for their actions and the ripple effects it sends throughout the world when we fail to take action.
A CNN poll out today says that, 2-to-1, Americans think the Obamas should rescue an animal from a shelter instead of buying one from a breeder or store.
And for good reason.
The Humane Society says about 6 to 8 million cats and dogs end up in shelters every year. About 3 to 4 million of them are adopted and the other 3 to 4 million must be euthanized.
So you can see why pro-adoption advocates think Joe Biden is the bonehead of the week.
The vice president-elect purchased a German shepherd from a commercial breeder on Saturday instead of adopting a pup from a shelter.
Sigh.
All eyes will be on the Obamas when they select the first pet next year. But I'd be surprised, at this point, if the Obamas make the same move.
“Rather than giving the money to lobbyists to convince the government that a more efficient fridge couldn't be made, the companies gave that money to the engineers to actually create a better fridge. And what do you know? It worked!”
What do refrigerators and cars have in common? Answer: they both use a heck of a lot of energy. An article on the website of The New Yorker cites Steven Chu, the Nobel physics laureate who is likely to be appointed energy secretary today, discussing the importance of energy efficiency, and how it relates to both cars and refrigerators.
The article, called "Note to Detroit: Consider the Refrigerator", discusses the energy efficiency regulations put on refrigerators by California's government in the 1970s, putting forward the surprising statistic that, “The transition to more efficient fridges…has saved the equivalent of all the energy generated in the United States by wind turbines and solar cells.”
Refrigerator manufacturers balked at the idea of making their appliances more efficient, saying that the cost of making them run better would make them unaffordable to consumers. When the legislation went through anyway, fridges not only became more efficient, their prices dropped, too.
Rather than giving the money to lobbyists to convince the government that a more efficient fridge couldn't be made, the companies gave that money to the engineers to actually create a better fridge. And what do you know? It worked!
As U.S. automakers continue to fight regulations that would force them to make more efficient vehicles, one wonders if by giving the money they're spending on lawyers and lobbyists to the engineers, they might actually be able to make more efficient vehicles.
Unfortunately, for the U.S. carmakers it might be too late for this particular lesson.
I grew up in a union house. A U.A.W. house to be exact. My father worked at Chrysler and was a (proud) card-carrying member of the U.A.W.
And I grew up in a union town. Actually, it was THE union town. I remember when newspaper workers went on strike in Detroit, several families on my street placed signs on their front lawn that read “No scab papers!”
Anyway, you can imagine how heavy my heart is these days over the fate of the American auto industry (an industry that is well beyond it's heyday and needs to realize it).
My father passed away several years ago. So any disruption in benefits, pension, etc., would impact my mother. I obviously don't want that to happen.
But let's be real! Everyone is to blame for this mess, including the leaders of that union that I hold so dear to my heart.
The government officials, who were enablers and who actually fought for some of the junk that came out of Detroit, must own up to their role in the current auto industry crisis.
And, of course, the Big Three. I don't think I even need to go into why.
So everybody's to blame. The bailout that collapsed in the Senate was the equivalent of bandaging a wound that really required surgery.
And a bunch of hard-working people, who believed in their union leaders and their company leaders and (to a lesser degree) their government leaders, are going to suffer, whether the industry is bailed out or not. Great. Happy Holidays.
(And to anyone who is about to say that the workers were greedy and got paid too much money, save it).
Tamika's recent post about "calling in gay" reminded me of another Proposition 8 protest I saw recently. There's a charming little video on the comedy site FunnyorDie.com (remember Will Ferrell and the pint-sized landlady with anger issues?) that cuts right to the quick of the issue. Starring John C. Reilly, Jack Black, Neil Patrick Harris, Maya Rudolph and many more (I even think Darryl from The Office is in there...), it is a quick and absolutely dead-on jab at those behind Prop 8.
Not only does it make three very good points for keeping gay marriage legal (#1 Selective readings of the Bible, #2 Separation of church and state, #3 Revenue generated by gay marriage and divorces), it also is extremely entertaining. It wouldn't take up my entire day of "calling in gay," but it's a very good start.
“Neil is a great writer, certainly, but there is more to it than that. Where he really succeeds is by writing about cars in a way that is compelling to people who don't like to read about cars.”
Journalism, I have been known to say, is basically just interpreting information and spewing it out again in a nicely packaged, easily digestible form. Whatever you're writing about, be it the mechanics of the Icelandic economy, the new Pussycat Dolls album or the outcome of a city council meeting, the method is still the same. Listen, record, interpret, recount. Depending on where your story will run, the level of interpretation may vary (higher for magazines, where everything is supposed to mean something; lower for newspapers, where facts are mostly allowed to speak for themselves).
Either way, as journalists, our job is to take that information, often from several sources and events, and relate it in a single, easy to read and economical package for our fellow citizens to enjoy and learn from. One of the most important elements, and also one of the biggest challenges of this process, is taking esoteric information—like the inner workings of a city council, or the musical history of the Pussycat Dolls—and making it interesting to someone who may not be a policy wonk or a girl-pop fan.
This is where tonight's guest, Dan Neil, really excels.
As it says in his bio, Neil is the only automotive journalist to ever win a Pulitzer Prize for his craft. Neil is a great writer, certainly, but there is more to it than that. Where he really succeeds is by writing about cars in a way that is compelling to people who don't like to read about cars.
I have never owned a car, and don't know that much about them. When I lived in Los Angeles, however, where Neil's “Rumble Seat” runs in the Times every week, I used to read it religiously. Not because I particularly cared about the model he was reviewing (I was a long way from being in the market for a new car), but because no matter the vehicle, it was always a good story. It wasn't about the car's mechanics or engineering so much as what the car meant. How it made you feel to drive it. What it made you think of to look at it. These things are near-universal, and Neil's talent for relating them has made him one of the most respected people in his profession.
Since leaving LA, under a surprising set of circumstances, I have become a car reviewer myself. I still don't own a car, and still don't know as much about them as most of the other people in the field, but I don't think that matters as much as telling a good story. A story about a car, yes, but a story all the same.
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