I know what you’re thinking right this very minute. You’re thinking, “You know, reading about the climate and stuff is all well and good, but I really wish that this Kondrat character would bring me video of Jay-Z joining U2 on stage to rap during ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday,’ as that would realize many of my dreams.” Well, GUESS WHAT! Done.

Man. Powerhouses, teaming up in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Read the rest of this entry >>

mikelicht's Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

The FDA has announced plans to investigate the “Smart Choices” initiative, an industry-led nutrition labeling program, arguing that the labels may mislead the public by implying that sugary foods are healthy.

I’m amazed that the “Smart Choices” label has gotten this far, considering it was trying to suggest that Froot Loops are somehow nutritious, and happy that the FDA is taking decisive action to curtail the manipulative marketing scheme.  However, given that Kraft has announced that they are phasing out the label, and General Mills, Kellogg and Unilever plan to follow suite, I have a feeling the label will not be around for much longer regardless of what the FDA does.

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While there may be some question about who will attend the UN Climate Change Conference, and what they will accomplish,  you can be sure that the public will have an opportunity to discuss climate change in Copenhagen at the KlimaForum09.

Billed as The People’s Climate Summit, the free event will simultaneously take place only a few blocks from the UN gathering, and will feature guest speakers (including Naomi Klein!), over 150 open debates, 60 exhibitions, as well as music, film and art concerning climate change.  KlimaForum09 provides an open space for ordinary citizens, grassroots movements and organizations to develop constructive solutions to the climate crisis.  Special efforts have been made to invite people from countries that are and will be most directly affected by climate change, and who have limited opportunities to participate in the global discussion.  Read the rest of this entry >>

houseofsim' Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

Skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing may be considered rebellious activities by some people, but the Stoked Mentoring program utilizes these non-traditional sports to teach life skills to at-risk and disadvantaged youth and transforms rebellion into hope.

Currently operating in New York and Los Angeles, Stoked seems like a totally radical way for kids to develop confidence and perseverance from positive role models, while having fun and getting great exercise.  And if you happen to be in New York on November 12th you can show your support of the amazing work they do by attending the 2009 Stoked Awards.  Watch the inspiring trailer below to learn more about the program and this years awards, and use the Act link to find out how you can become a mentor or support Stoked in other ways. Read the rest of this entry >>

Help make a difference by making a movie. The YouTube Video Volunteers program gets users to help raise awareness for causes you care about and compete for recognition of your work on the YouTube homepage.

Each month, the channel will feature a different relevant issue on the Video Volunteers channel with a new guest curator. This month the issue is hunger, so YouTube is seeking submissions of homemade videos about organizations that are working to address hunger in America. Submit your under-three-minute video by November 21 to get a chance for a spot on the YouTube homepage. The top three videos will be featured at the end of the month.

To get you inspired, check out this video David Arquette made for the program:

Glenn Beck is almost always frustrating to watch.  And while I try not to post about too often because it seems like it would just be giving him more of a platform, I was so enraged by his rant on vegetarianism and Meatless Mondays last week that I couldn’t help but respond with a post.

Well, I’ve calmed down a bit since then but I couldn’t hide my joy at Jon Stewart’s clever and right on Glenn Beck impersonation from last night’s Daily Show.  In the skit Stewart takes on the subject of Glenn Beck’s recent appendicitis and uses it to show how ridiculous Beck is night after night after night.

It might just be the perfect segment to get your weekend started right.

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Going into Howard Hawks’ Hatari! at BAM this past Wednesday night I had a feeling I would like it.  I mean the film’s description is kind of amazing:

“John Wayne has never been better than as the leader of a pack of big-game hunters on the African plains who tackle rhinoceroses, elephants, and giraffes to sell to American zookeepers. Hawks’ late-career masterpiece is funny, tender, and thrilling, with some truly awesome scenes of capturing wild animals.”

However, even knowing that I was going to really enjoy the film, I was still surprised by  how much I truly really loved it.  Simply put Hatari! is kind of like hanging out with great old friends for 2.5 hours with occasional bursts of action and animal capturing.  Wayne, Red Buttons and the entire crew are warm, funny and make you want to be a part of their world.  And that world is where we get to the issue part of this post, capturing animals to be put in zoos. Read the rest of this entry >>

I love pets and dream one day of having a lifestyle and an apartment that will make is possible for me to have a dog.   And when I do I want to get awesome cool things for them, like Etsy seller Handmade Green’s Vintage Elevated Dog Feeder.

This Etsy Pick of the Day is made out of two one-quart stainless steel bowls and a reused vintage wooden crate, which are, in the words of the seller, “98% recycled materials, just reused parts and sweat equity.”  This makes the feeder not only good for the environment but also really nice looking.  Read the rest of this entry >>

One of my favorite films at this year’s New York Film Festival, Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon, was something I was really surprised to like as much as I did.  I thought I might appreciate but I never guessed that I would enjoy it as much as I did, despite the pessimism inherently in the film, it is fascinating to watch. From my review this past October: Read the rest of this entry >>

Shake Hands With the Devil is a movie based on Roméo Dallaire’s novel Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, and is about Dallaire’s experience in 1994 during the Rwandan genocide. Dallaire was a part of a peacekeeping force that was in Rwanda and during his time there he had a hard time getting done what he thought needed to get done.

The trailer for the film looks pretty good, I like that there are no huge celebritities in it, sometimes I find that this really allows you to think about the reality of a situation.   And the story sounds simple amazing. Read the rest of this entry >>