Here are some campaigns I have come across please take a second help out:
www.ecopledge.com
Take a 5 seconds fill out form to encourage Hertz and other rental car companies to use environmental friendlier cars. Simple idea take a second.
A lot of people say support the troops support the troops.
Unlike Conservatives who say it but do shit, we as progressive, liberals, people who care should help out. These kids (I say kids cause mostly younger then us) are poorly paid, stressed and under prepared for an unfair war. Make a donation, please help
We who know, and who have access to $5 - $10 can do something... give a gift basket, recycle old print cartridges... everyone has a little something to give. so please help out...
http://www.give2thetroops.org/
http://opgratitude.com/website/html/index.php
PS These will be on sidebar of website as well so you can always give.
“These instruments can teach, they can illuminate, and yes, they can even inspire; but they can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use them towards those ends. … Otherwise,they’re merely wires and lights in a box.” — Edward R. Murrow, October 15, 1958
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Friday, December 24, 2004
Things I LIKE About Christmas
I figure its the holiday, and instead of thinking about how much I hate Christmas, I am actually going to focus on what I like about the holiday. Seriously.
1. The commercialism: I know what you are thinking, that is what makes it so obnoxious, but bear with me. See because of commercialism, that it is ok that I hate Christmas. If Christmas was not hallmark created holiday, I would have to hate Christmas on its merits, the whole holly jolly bullshit. Now I can hate Christmas and not look like a total scrooge.
2. I am easier to Employ: If it weren't for Christmas, most Christians might see me being Jewish as a threat (apparently we run everything or something like that) but instead especially this time of year I am an opportunity. "so you are saying you will work on Christmas? And not care?" Because of Christmas I am so employable
3. Chinese Food & A movie: We Jews have out own tradition on Christmas, and boy do I love it. Going to a movie on Christmas is like going to temple, you know the only people you will see there are other Jews, in fact I am sure the employees left... aslo Jewish (reference reason #2)
4. Endless sports: the NBA, College Football, the NFL and once upon a time the NHL all highlighted there best games to capture the market of families sure to be home. NFL games not just Sunday and Monday, Christmas day, The Sat, the Sun. So many games. NBA always has a good game. AND OF COURSE BOWL SEASON STARTS. There is just sports sports sports and its a beautiful thing.
5. A Christmas Story: I love the movie A Christmas Story. I think its hilarious and it probably is the only true Christmas movie I like. (I will leave out Bad Santa for its obvious lack of holiday spirit) "You'll shoot your eye out kid." That always cracks me up.
6. Empty roads: There is no one out, no one aside from a few Jews going to work. And it is great, even here in DC its like a ghost town, you have your pick of the road, and you know no cops are out, they off its Christmas.
7. Proximity to Jan. 1st: Its not that I like New Years, but thanks to the Pagan's Christmas was placed close to New Years Day, and because of that we get so much time off. The fact that they run together, it is like a summer vacation for adults that no longer get that time off.
8. Palm Tree Appreciations: All this let it snow let it snow. It really makes you think how beautiful.... THE BEACH IS. Every Christmas I remember exactly why I hate the cold. And all this talk of a white Christmas makes me remember how great palm trees really are.
9. Jesus was Born: Now true, Jesus was born in the summertime. But I mean its like President's weekend, or MLK's Birthday, we celebrate the day even if it is not exactly right. Jesus was an alright Jew. He wasn't such a bad guy. True some shitty things have been done in his name, true many of them to his own people, the Jews, but he himself was an O.G. hippie. And I think if he were alive today, we could totally chill, have a lot to talk about.
10. Christmas proximity to one of my favorite days: Christmas is so close to one of my favorite days, December 26th. Boy do I love Dec. 26th, no Christmas music, no Christmas commercials, no one wishing me Happy Holidays, and no one complaining (Faux network) about the destruction of Christmas because places of commerce are not in the Christmas spirit enough (of course they are the only thing about Christmas there is. You know they always say it is giving not receiving, but in the end you know who wins, CORPORATIONS, COMMERCIALISM, either way someone is buying something). And there is a whole 30 days before they start up again on Christmas next year.
11. Its Christmas, be nice: I think its great that people have goodwill towards man. The attitude, be nice, be truthful, treat man well, have peace on earth. These are all great principals. Now if we could only get Christians to be like that the 364 other days in the year.
12. Family: We used to get together on Christmas, all of us Childs & it was wonderful. Although we used to celebrate the holiday at night on Christmas Day, a little backwards, it was so nice seeing everyone as we are all scattered around the globe. I always liked seeing them, especially the grandparents who you never see enough.
See 12 Things I like about Christmas
Things I LIKE About Christmas:
1. The commercialism: I know what you are thinking, that is what makes it so obnoxious, but bear with me. See because of commercialism, that it is ok that I hate Christmas. If Christmas was not hallmark created holiday, I would have to hate Christmas on its merits, the whole holly jolly bullshit. Now I can hate Christmas and not look like a total scrooge.
2. I am easier to Employ: If it weren't for Christmas, most Christians might see me being Jewish as a threat (apparently we run everything or something like that) but instead especially this time of year I am an opportunity. "so you are saying you will work on Christmas? And not care?" Because of Christmas I am so employable
3. Chinese Food & A movie: We Jews have out own tradition on Christmas, and boy do I love it. Going to a movie on Christmas is like going to temple, you know the only people you will see there are other Jews, in fact I am sure the employees left... aslo Jewish (reference reason #2)
4. Endless sports: the NBA, College Football, the NFL and once upon a time the NHL all highlighted there best games to capture the market of families sure to be home. NFL games not just Sunday and Monday, Christmas day, The Sat, the Sun. So many games. NBA always has a good game. AND OF COURSE BOWL SEASON STARTS. There is just sports sports sports and its a beautiful thing.
5. A Christmas Story: I love the movie A Christmas Story. I think its hilarious and it probably is the only true Christmas movie I like. (I will leave out Bad Santa for its obvious lack of holiday spirit) "You'll shoot your eye out kid." That always cracks me up.
6. Empty roads: There is no one out, no one aside from a few Jews going to work. And it is great, even here in DC its like a ghost town, you have your pick of the road, and you know no cops are out, they off its Christmas.
7. Proximity to Jan. 1st: Its not that I like New Years, but thanks to the Pagan's Christmas was placed close to New Years Day, and because of that we get so much time off. The fact that they run together, it is like a summer vacation for adults that no longer get that time off.
8. Palm Tree Appreciations: All this let it snow let it snow. It really makes you think how beautiful.... THE BEACH IS. Every Christmas I remember exactly why I hate the cold. And all this talk of a white Christmas makes me remember how great palm trees really are.
9. Jesus was Born: Now true, Jesus was born in the summertime. But I mean its like President's weekend, or MLK's Birthday, we celebrate the day even if it is not exactly right. Jesus was an alright Jew. He wasn't such a bad guy. True some shitty things have been done in his name, true many of them to his own people, the Jews, but he himself was an O.G. hippie. And I think if he were alive today, we could totally chill, have a lot to talk about.
10. Christmas proximity to one of my favorite days: Christmas is so close to one of my favorite days, December 26th. Boy do I love Dec. 26th, no Christmas music, no Christmas commercials, no one wishing me Happy Holidays, and no one complaining (Faux network) about the destruction of Christmas because places of commerce are not in the Christmas spirit enough (of course they are the only thing about Christmas there is. You know they always say it is giving not receiving, but in the end you know who wins, CORPORATIONS, COMMERCIALISM, either way someone is buying something). And there is a whole 30 days before they start up again on Christmas next year.
11. Its Christmas, be nice: I think its great that people have goodwill towards man. The attitude, be nice, be truthful, treat man well, have peace on earth. These are all great principals. Now if we could only get Christians to be like that the 364 other days in the year.
12. Family: We used to get together on Christmas, all of us Childs & it was wonderful. Although we used to celebrate the holiday at night on Christmas Day, a little backwards, it was so nice seeing everyone as we are all scattered around the globe. I always liked seeing them, especially the grandparents who you never see enough.
See 12 Things I like about Christmas
Black Market for Music and Movies
Yesterday I got paid $75 for a focus group on downloading or getting bootleg Movies. I can only assume this is for the movies industry expecially considering it was through Luntz Research.
(in case you don't know Frank Luntz was the pollster who created the 1994 Contract with America, and was is renowned for making legislation the name of the exact opposite of what it does ie. The Clean Sky's Intiative, or No Child Left behind. I myself had a run in with Mr. Luntz being banned from his segment on MSNBC because I articulated a well thought out attack against the War in Iraw and did it from the perspective of being a Military Family member. I know I was banned because my friend who is his assistant told me as much)
Anyway it bothers me that these industries continue to try to attack piracy by attacking the consumer or attacking the poor who use this as a means to make a few dollars. True it is illegal, but ITS A BLACK MARKET. The black market occurs when the price of a good is artificially inflated, ie. the music industry which has 5 distributers who own all means of mass producing CD's as well as connection to radio and TV play.
Similarly, distribution of movies is tightly controlled. And while it may seem many so called "low-budget" or indie films in truth if I were to create a great movie I couldn't just get it played in theaters, it takes lots of money and access to movie theaters and DVD\VHS distributor. Take for example Farenheight 9-11 when Disney refused to distribute it, he had to get rich donors who created Marimax and other big entities to foot the bill and intially it had only very limited distribution even with all its money behind it. It was only after intial success did it make it out of NYC, and other limited engagments.
What I am saying is, if the Movie industry wants to stop piracy, then it has to actually meet the market supply and demand. Prices are way inflated, and those stupid commercials saying you are stealing from the light guy is just sad. Take the money from the millions you pay the execs or Ben Afflack, don't over charge $9.00 at a movie theater or $25 for a new DVD release. Why would I pay $25 when I can get it for free online?
If it were $5 as one of the questions asked, I wouldn't go to the hassel of downloading, buying DVD/R and risking downloading, but at $25 for an ok movie, you best believe I will not be paying to see it.
And musicians who do not see that we are not the reason you can't make money, has little to do with illegal downloading and more to do with the fact CD companies pay .10 cents per album AT BEST, control all rights and all distribution. That is why an up-in-coming artist has to tour, where most of their profits come from. It costs a production company according to a study commissioned by European courts to see the legality of CD prices, "The total cost for manufacture of a product is likely to be a maximum of 10% of the actual market price."
Its very simple, we need the government to step in make it illegal for companies to set up single distribution rights. Any production company should be able to sell to any store, and so forth, there needs to be a real deliniage so that the monopoly on production is broken. The same with movies. Anyone should be able to submit to a Movie Theater not just major distribution companies. Breaking these lines will create real competition and in turn will allow for real price of DVDs and CDs.
If the price of these goods was actually set by the market or at least close to market value, there would be no black market for the goods. Simply put, lower the costs don't come after some 13 year old for downloading a song, that is just a losing battle.
(in case you don't know Frank Luntz was the pollster who created the 1994 Contract with America, and was is renowned for making legislation the name of the exact opposite of what it does ie. The Clean Sky's Intiative, or No Child Left behind. I myself had a run in with Mr. Luntz being banned from his segment on MSNBC because I articulated a well thought out attack against the War in Iraw and did it from the perspective of being a Military Family member. I know I was banned because my friend who is his assistant told me as much)
Anyway it bothers me that these industries continue to try to attack piracy by attacking the consumer or attacking the poor who use this as a means to make a few dollars. True it is illegal, but ITS A BLACK MARKET. The black market occurs when the price of a good is artificially inflated, ie. the music industry which has 5 distributers who own all means of mass producing CD's as well as connection to radio and TV play.
Similarly, distribution of movies is tightly controlled. And while it may seem many so called "low-budget" or indie films in truth if I were to create a great movie I couldn't just get it played in theaters, it takes lots of money and access to movie theaters and DVD\VHS distributor. Take for example Farenheight 9-11 when Disney refused to distribute it, he had to get rich donors who created Marimax and other big entities to foot the bill and intially it had only very limited distribution even with all its money behind it. It was only after intial success did it make it out of NYC, and other limited engagments.
What I am saying is, if the Movie industry wants to stop piracy, then it has to actually meet the market supply and demand. Prices are way inflated, and those stupid commercials saying you are stealing from the light guy is just sad. Take the money from the millions you pay the execs or Ben Afflack, don't over charge $9.00 at a movie theater or $25 for a new DVD release. Why would I pay $25 when I can get it for free online?
If it were $5 as one of the questions asked, I wouldn't go to the hassel of downloading, buying DVD/R and risking downloading, but at $25 for an ok movie, you best believe I will not be paying to see it.
And musicians who do not see that we are not the reason you can't make money, has little to do with illegal downloading and more to do with the fact CD companies pay .10 cents per album AT BEST, control all rights and all distribution. That is why an up-in-coming artist has to tour, where most of their profits come from. It costs a production company according to a study commissioned by European courts to see the legality of CD prices, "The total cost for manufacture of a product is likely to be a maximum of 10% of the actual market price."
Its very simple, we need the government to step in make it illegal for companies to set up single distribution rights. Any production company should be able to sell to any store, and so forth, there needs to be a real deliniage so that the monopoly on production is broken. The same with movies. Anyone should be able to submit to a Movie Theater not just major distribution companies. Breaking these lines will create real competition and in turn will allow for real price of DVDs and CDs.
If the price of these goods was actually set by the market or at least close to market value, there would be no black market for the goods. Simply put, lower the costs don't come after some 13 year old for downloading a song, that is just a losing battle.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Starbucks Coffee is Awful
I don't know how people drink Starbucks Coffee. This morning a friend unknowingly bought me Starbucks coffee because I was driving them to the airport. And on a purely coffee level, that coffee was awful.
It is honestly not just because I hate the company for its evil trade policies and the destabilizing effect it has had on world Coffee Prices. NO THE COFFEE IS SIMPLE BAD. Coffee was cheap, weak and they try to hide that fact by making it strong. But it was disgusting....That was some of the worst coffee I have drank... No sarcasm, how do people drink that every morning?
It is honestly not just because I hate the company for its evil trade policies and the destabilizing effect it has had on world Coffee Prices. NO THE COFFEE IS SIMPLE BAD. Coffee was cheap, weak and they try to hide that fact by making it strong. But it was disgusting....That was some of the worst coffee I have drank... No sarcasm, how do people drink that every morning?
Monday, December 20, 2004
Help Nobel Peace Prize Winner this Christmas
Professor Wangari Maathai won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize
She started this site
http://www.planttreesforpeace.org/
For her Project which creates greenspaces in urbanizing development and demands economic justice in Kenya. She is amazing.
When you are looking for a gift to give this Christmas, make a donation in a persons name to her.
She started this site
http://www.planttreesforpeace.org/
For her Project which creates greenspaces in urbanizing development and demands economic justice in Kenya. She is amazing.
When you are looking for a gift to give this Christmas, make a donation in a persons name to her.
The Idiot Talks About Social Security
It really bothers me that the unelected President runs around the country claiming there is a problem with Social Security. That is like someone rubbing a bunch of stores and complaining the crime in the city is to high. If there is a problem with social security it is because Republican Presidents run huge deficits and are forced to raid the Social Security Fund.
It is a sham that the media is going along with this. They do not report that the fund is safe until 2052 nor that the only reason it is unsafe is because Bush refused to pay it down like he promised in 2000 election cycle. The do not mention that the program was created BECAUSE THE STOCK MARKET CRASHED. Social Security is supposed to be there regardless of the market’s volatility.
Social Security is the one socialist program we have. For a working life, citizens pay payroll tax to the fund. No matter how poor, it is always taken from workers, in the hopes that someday they will have security that they will not be out on the streets starving in their old age. And it has been successful at doing that.
Saying it doesn’t work is bullshit it doesn’t work because you keep taking money from it Jackass… WHAT HYPOCRISY and no one says it.
It is a sham that the media is going along with this. They do not report that the fund is safe until 2052 nor that the only reason it is unsafe is because Bush refused to pay it down like he promised in 2000 election cycle. The do not mention that the program was created BECAUSE THE STOCK MARKET CRASHED. Social Security is supposed to be there regardless of the market’s volatility.
Social Security is the one socialist program we have. For a working life, citizens pay payroll tax to the fund. No matter how poor, it is always taken from workers, in the hopes that someday they will have security that they will not be out on the streets starving in their old age. And it has been successful at doing that.
Saying it doesn’t work is bullshit it doesn’t work because you keep taking money from it Jackass… WHAT HYPOCRISY and no one says it.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Movie I am Best In
Fight Club!
What movie Do you Belong in?(many different outcomes!)
brought to you by
Weird Never would have thought that
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Ah Voter Fraud How I love thee
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/121604Z.shtml
go toward bottom of page as actual testimony from Ohio County official about electronic vote tampering
Any Doubt of Voter Fraud Now?
Among activists and investigators looking into allegations of vote fraud in the 2004 Presidential election, the company always mentioned was Diebold and its suspicious electronic touch-screen voting machines. It is Diebold that has multiple avowed Republicans on its Board of Directors. It was Diebold that gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to Bush’s election campaign. It was Diebold CEO Walden O’Dell who vowed to deliver Ohio’s electoral votes to Bush.
As it turns out, everyone was looking the wrong way. The company that requires immediate and penetrating scrutiny is Triad Systems.
Triad is owned by a man named Tod Rapp, who has also donated money to both the Republican Party and the election campaign of George W. Bush. Triad manufactures punch-card voting systems, and also wrote the computer program that tallied the punch-card votes cast in 41 Ohio counties last November. This Triad company graphic displays the counties where their machines are used:
go toward bottom of page as actual testimony from Ohio County official about electronic vote tampering
Any Doubt of Voter Fraud Now?
Among activists and investigators looking into allegations of vote fraud in the 2004 Presidential election, the company always mentioned was Diebold and its suspicious electronic touch-screen voting machines. It is Diebold that has multiple avowed Republicans on its Board of Directors. It was Diebold that gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to Bush’s election campaign. It was Diebold CEO Walden O’Dell who vowed to deliver Ohio’s electoral votes to Bush.
As it turns out, everyone was looking the wrong way. The company that requires immediate and penetrating scrutiny is Triad Systems.
Triad is owned by a man named Tod Rapp, who has also donated money to both the Republican Party and the election campaign of George W. Bush. Triad manufactures punch-card voting systems, and also wrote the computer program that tallied the punch-card votes cast in 41 Ohio counties last November. This Triad company graphic displays the counties where their machines are used:
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Thais plan origami 'peace bombs'
I really hope this works cause I think this is amazing
Thais plan origami 'peace bombs'
By Kylie Morris BBC News, Bangkok
The Thai government is to launch an unusual peace offensive on Sunday.
Military planes will drop an estimated one hundred million paper origami cranes on the country's Muslim south.
The "peace bombing" of the paper birds has been scheduled to coincide with the 77th birthday of Thailand's revered king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.
More than 500 people have been killed this year in a surge in violence in the troubled provinces close to the Malaysian border.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4069471.stm
Thais plan origami 'peace bombs'
By Kylie Morris BBC News, Bangkok
The Thai government is to launch an unusual peace offensive on Sunday.
Military planes will drop an estimated one hundred million paper origami cranes on the country's Muslim south.
The "peace bombing" of the paper birds has been scheduled to coincide with the 77th birthday of Thailand's revered king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.
More than 500 people have been killed this year in a surge in violence in the troubled provinces close to the Malaysian border.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4069471.stm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)