Metaphorical Rainbows

Wisdom from the Zen Calendar

"The mirror of the Mind brightly shining, unobstructed, passes through everything in the universe."

-Yung Chia

LOA - Summertime...

Speaking of Gershwin, my old group Live On Arrival did an original rendition of Summertime on the second album, Presentation. I uploaded it on Grooveshark so you can check out it out below:

Gerswhin Sunday

"My time is today."
George Gershwin

Some of his classics performed by some classy artists:

Random Wisdom Found

Life is too short
to wake up in the morning
with regrets. So, love the
people who treat you right,
forgive the ones who don't
If you get a chance, take it.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said it'd be easy,
they just promised
it would be worth it!

Mos Def

I was just breezing around you tube tonight. Started with mos def freestyles and stumbled upon some powerful spoken word from def poetry. Here are some of my favorites:

Mos Def always shining!



WOW!!!!! Talib tearing down walls between religions.



Black Ice breaks it down.



Can't leave out Saul.

be careful out there, this guy is still on the loose, and call me tommy i dont have your new number i forgot to save it

Shunryu Suzuki

"Just to be alive is enough."

"Each of you is perfect the way you are.... and you can use a little improvement."

-Shunryu Suzuki

The Message

I heard this song again recently and I knew I had to post it. This is the only video of "the message" I could find. It starts off with "sex in a pan" which is a cool instrumental but if you are not feeling it, just skip the first minute and a half. Bela Fleck and The Flecktones are all very talented however Victor Wooten is widely thought of as the best base player alive. In this track he raps as well, who'd a thunk it? Great song for peace, equality and universal love.



Here is an example of his genius. Notice how he plays amazing grace using harmonics and he tunes and retunes as he plays. Sick!



A battle between Wooten brothers.

K9 Super Hero!

I saw this a couple years ago and it blew my mind!

Dillon Does "The Week In Rap"

My roommate Dillon Maurer informing the people through music.

An Irish Blessing

Work like you don't need the money,

Love like you've never been hurt,

Dance like nobody's watching,

Sing like nobody's listening,

Live like it's heaven on earth.

Four Tet

It takes a second for this one to get going but then it takes off.



This was the first song of theirs I heard and sure enough everything is alright.



I just think this video is cool.

Worth The Wait!

So it has been a while since I've posted anything, life can be... well you fill in the blank. Back in action! Thanks to Mr. Bill for sending in this video. It is worth watching all the way through for the end. Disclaimer: this is not a religious site, I will post peace and compassion in any form. This guy explains a lot in a little bit of time. Peace is possible, in fact I think it's inevitable.

Let it Shine for Me!

SOS!

Atlanta was blessed to be the last stop of a tour for Sol. illaquists of Sound! These guys always bring the good energy. Last weeks show at 529 in East Atlanta was no exception. Thank you guys for spreading awareness and positive vibrations!

Mother Nature Network

Check out this website for some really cool and uplifting environmental news!

Dubconscious

One of my favorite bands, Dubconscious, came up in conversation recently. I couldn't believe that I hadn't done a post on these guys yet. Dubconscious is a reggae/dub band out of Athens dedicated to spreading peace and awareness. Word on the street is that at least one band member, Adrian, has opened a new indoor/outdoor music venue in Athens. After having brought Bononbo to the Variety Playhouse I'm looking forward to some major positive music to be vibrating out of Athens for a long time to come. They are playing on Thursday night September 3rd at the Variety Playhouse with legend, Lee Scratch Perry.

Twice Blessed!

One down and one to go Atlanta. Collective Efforts played one of their cleanest sounding shows last week, much respect to the sound crew. The group took one of their new singles, "so cold" to the next level and it's still sending shivers down my spine. Luckily for those of you who missed it, they are playing again this Saturday at Smith's Olde Bar with Psyche Origami.

Great News for Troy Davis

Finally, Monday August 17th the Supreme Court issued an order mandating a new evidentiary hearing, meaning that Troy has another chance to prove his innocence. For those of you not hip to the case, here is a breakdown:
Troy Davis was accused and convicted of murdering a Savannah police officer in 1991. There was no physical evidence and since his trial 7 0f the 9 witnesses have recanted their testimony saying that it was forced by the police. The two witnesses who have not recanted their testimonies, are the main suspect in the case and his friend. Even people who advocate the death penalty have been calling for Troy to get another trial.

The beautiful world of sand and light...

Thanks to Debe for introducing me to sand animation, which is an art form that unfortunately receives little or no attention in the US...

Kseniya Simonova is a beautiful 24 year-old Ukranian artist, and can sand-paint like no one I've ever seen. She was featured on a show called Ukraine's Got Talent, and is absolutely amazing...check it out.





If you like this stuff, just search for "sand animation" on youtube, there are many artists, from all over the world. Good stuff...

Respect Seeed

Wow who knew Germans were putting down the funky reggae? This video always gives me a smile.

Light up the Darkness

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow
You may succeed with another blow,
Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Author Unknown

I Have a Dream

Week of Wonderful Wet Weather!

Is this really Atlanta in late July? This week has provided a wonderful contrast to our average warmest month. Furthermore, Mother Earth saw fit to bless Atlanta with some much needed hydration this morning. Looks like a wet week ahead with scattered thundershowers for the next ten days. Let us appreciate the rain and hope for scattered sun!

Transglobal Underground

Faces of Wisdom

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."
-- Albert Einstein


"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the
level of thinking that created them"
-- Albert Einstein

"It is good to realize that if love and peace can prevail on earth, and if we can teach our children to honor nature's gifts, the joys and beauties of the outdoors will be here forever."
-- Jimmy Carter





"Everyone has a right to peaceful coexistence, the basic personal freedoms, the alleviation of suffering, and the opportunity to lead a productive life..."
-- Jimmy Carter

Remembering Dilla

Up, Up and Away!

Magenn Air Rotor System, Mars, is the world’s first high altitude wind turbine. The advantage of this design is that it can reach heights of between 600 and 1,000 feet, capturing wind speeds greater than 28 metres a second, thus enhancing its operational performance.

Sustained by helium, Mars rotates on a horizontal axis, which generates the Magnus Effect. This provides additional lift, which allows it to keep its position in a controlled and restricted location.

Ideal for rural and remote areas, the device’s mobile nature permits it to be rapidly deployed, deflated and relocated without the need for towers and cranes. The turbine can also respond to changing wind patterns, which makes it ideal for disaster situations, such as earthquakes.

Full story on positivenews.org

You are Brilliant and the Earth is Hiring

Paul Hawken is an entrepreneur, visionary environmental activist, and founder of Wiser Earth. In early May Paul delivered a commencement address at the University of Portland, OR. Below are excerpts from his speech.

There is invisible writing on the back of the diploma you will receive, and in case you didn't bring lemon juice to decode it, I can tell you what it says: you are brilliant, and the earth is hiring. The earth couldn't afford to send recruiters or limos to your school. It sent you rain, sunsets, ripe cherries, night blooming jasmine, and that unbelievably cute person you are dating. Take the hint. And here's the deal: Forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don't be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done.

When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren't pessimistic, you don't understand the data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren't optimistic, you haven't got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world.

You join a multitude of caring people. No one knows how many groups and organizations are working on the most salient issues of our day: climate change, poverty, deforestation, peace, water, hunger, conservation, human rights, and more.

This is the largest movement the world has ever seen. Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse concentrations of power. It is made up of teachers, children, peasants, businesspeople, rappers, organic farmers, nuns, artists, government workers, fisher folk, engineers, students, incorrigible writers, weeping Muslims, concerned mothers, poets, doctors without borders, grieving Christians, street musicians, the President of the United States of America, and as the writer David James Duncan would say, the Creator, the One who loves us all in such a huge way.

The living world is not "out there" somewhere, but in your heart. What do we know about life? In the words of biologist Janine Benyus, life creates the conditions that are conducive to life. I can think of no better motto for a future economy.

We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. Whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold suffering. Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich.

You are graduating to the most amazing, stupefying challenge ever bequested to any generation. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn't ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hope only makes sense when it doesn't make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it.

Small Ways to Make a Big Difference

Sometimes going green can seem overwhelming. There are so many ways in which we affect our planet on a daily basis. There are some many toxins to avoid and so much help needed to make our world healthier. Where to begin?

CNN published a list of small things you can do to make a difference. Try to integrate a few of these pointers every day. You won’t know what hit you!

Workshop

1. Unplug your power tools. Figure out which cordless tools (like drill/drivers) get the most use, then unplug the chargers on all the rest. Most cordless tools have nickel cadmium (NiCad) batteries, which will hold some charge for up to a year. They lose 15 to 20 percent of their juice each month, but only take a couple of hours to power up again. Newer tools with lithium ion batteries lose just 2 to 5 percent of their charge each month, so they’ll be ready to go even if you haven’t charged them in ages.

2. Spread sawdust on your floor. Take the superfine shavings captured by your dust collection system, wet them down, then push them around with a stiff broom to sweep your concrete garage or workshop floor. The mix is as good as a power-guzzling shop vac at picking up dust but doesn’t swirl it into the air.

3. Up the wattage on lights. Where you still use incandescent bulbs (with dimmers or three-ways) on multiple fixtures in a room, try consolidating. One 100-watt incandescent emits more light than two 60-watt bulbs combined but requires 17 percent less power. The 100-watter also uses the same energy as four 25-watt bulbs, but pumps out twice as much light. Just be sure your bulbs don’t exceed the maximum wattage recommendation for each fixture. This Old House: Energy-saving bulbs

4. Eat your leftover take-out. Then save the plastic containers it came in–which can’t be recycled in most municipal waste systems–and use them to organize your nails, screws, and leftover paints. Not only does their tight seal help preserve solvents, but the see-through containers stack neatly and display contents clearly. For added strength, double up the thin ones.

5. Save used paint thinner. After cleaning oil-based finishes from brushes and tools, allow the dirty solvent to sit overnight. The sludge will settle to the bottom of the jar, leaving a layer of clear thinner on top. Carefully decant the clear thinner into a clean jar, and reseal it for future use. Be sure to dispose of the leftover sludge at a hazardous-waste-disposal site–never down a sink drain or into a street gutter.

6. Mix it up in the garage. Combine all those cans of leftover white paint that inevitably collect after you decorate the house and use them to paint the garage or workshop. (Make sure only to mix latex with latex and oils with oils.) You’ll keep the stuff out of the trash, and by adding the semi-glosses to the flats and eggshells, you’ll end up with a sheen that’s easy to clean.

7. Turn things on their heads. Store paint cans upside down so the solvents–which separate and rise to the top–get trapped under the bottom of the can. Not only will paint last longer, but solvents won’t be able to slowly seep out through the lid this way.

8. Take charge of your charges. Invest in an inexpensive battery tester, then set up a “battery center” where you can store new cells, check used ones for power, and set aside those that have burned out and have to be recycled. A designated collection spot will deter you from throwing bad batteries in the garbage. Once or twice a year, you just take the pile to your town’s recycling center.

Kitchen

9. Take your fridge’s temperature. Stick an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of your refrigerator, or between frozen goods in the freezer, overnight. Your fridge temp should be between 37 and 40 degrees F (no more, to keep bacteria at bay); your freezer between zero and 5 degrees. If either compartment is too cold, adjust the setting, since keeping them just 10 degrees colder than necessary can boost your energy consumption by up to 25 percent.

10. Freeze your assets. Slip a dollar bill between the rubber gasket on your freezer and fridge doors and the frame, then close the door and tug on the buck. Notice any resistance? If not, the seal’s not tight enough and cold air is probably leaking out, making your fridge work harder to stay cool. Try this on all four sides of the door.

If necessary, call the manufacturer’s service department to find out how to replace the gasket.

11. Throw a dinner party. And clear out that second fridge or freezer in the garage or basement. Then banish the appliance to the recycling center. Getting rid of either one can save you more than $200 a year, especially if it’s an old, inefficient model. This Old House: House-part recycling centers

12. Invite your biggest buddy over. Ask him to help you move your fridge out of direct sunlight or away from the range. The heat from either will force a refrigerator compressor to gobble up more energy than necessary. A fridge uses up to 2.5 percent more power for each degree the surrounding temperature is above 70 degrees. So moving it out of a 90-degree spot can save you as much as $70 a year. If you can’t move it, at least block any sunny window with curtains and put as big a buffer as you can between it and the range.

13. Use the dishwasher. Doing a full load in your machine is far more efficient than washing the same number of dishes by hand. This is especially true if you have an Energy Star dishwasher, which requires an average of 4 gallons of water per load, compared with the 24 gallons it takes to do them in the sink. Using one will save you 5,000 gallons of water, $40 in utility costs, and 230 hours of your time each year.

Bathroom

14. Turn your toilet tank blue. Or green or red. Pour food coloring into the water in the tank, wait two hours, then check to see if any color has seeped into the bowl. If it has, your tank’s flapper is leaking, either from mineral buildup or worn parts. After you flush the dye away so it doesn’t stain, head to the hardware store for a replacement flapper assembly (then go to thisoldhouse.com for instructions on how to install it). Toilet leaks waste up to a gallon of water per minute. That’s more than 43,000 gallons a month.

15. Run the shower. Place a 1-gallon bucket under the running water, then see how long it takes for it to fill up. If it’s less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with one that sprays 1.5 gallons per minute. That could save as much as 14,600 gallons of water a year–especially if you limit your showers to 10 minutes. It will also save you $22 on your annual water bill, and $150 per year on water heating.

16. Go from scalding to just hot. Turn your water heater’s temperature setting down from the standard 140 degrees F to 120 degrees. Not only will this save you some bucks, it’ll also slow down mineral buildup and corrosion, prolonging the life of your tank. Since a new water heater costs about $900 installed, each additional year of use saves you money as well.

17. End the water torture. One drip per second from a leaky faucet or pipe can waste up to 5 gallons of water a day–and 1,800 gallons a year. While you won’t notice much of an increase on your water bill (around $3 annually), if an overlooked leak soaks through your kitchen floor, you could wind up with a $1,000 repair job–money that could have been saved by simply replacing a 50-cent washer.

Entries

18. Wipe your feet. Equip your exterior doors with a series of mats–or one long “walk-off” mat–so everyone enters with clean shoes. As long as there’s room for five steps on the mats, you’ll drastically reduce the amount of grime tracked in. That means fewer pathogens that cause disease and less chemical cleanup. It will also mean improved indoor air quality, since dirt embedded in a carpet can become airborne when it’s tromped on or agitated by a vacuum.

Basement/laundry

19. Reach behind your clothes washer. Turn down the hot water tap for the washing machine so less goes into the warm-water cycle. Perspiration and most other dirt dislodge best at body temperature, so you don’t need water that’s warmer than 100 degrees. Since most washers simply open both the hot and cold taps to make “warm” water, it may take longer to fill the machine. But you’ll save about $40 annually on your water-heating bill.

20. Spend more time in the basement. Make sure furnace filters in forced-air systems are clean. Dirty furnace filters restrict airflow and increase energy use. Cleaning them, or swapping them out each month during the winter, can save you up to 5 percent on your heating costs. Also schedule an annual checkup before the heat comes on to see that the furnace is properly calibrated.

Living areas

21. Listen to your mother. And put on a sweater. That way you can turn down your thermostat this winter. Adjust it by just one degree for eight hours a day, and you could save 1 percent on your monthly heating bills. Do it for 24 hours and save 3 percent. Try setting the temp at 70 degrees during the day and 62 at night during winter (and 78 or higher come summer). Heating and air-conditioning account for nearly half the energy used in our homes, so every little bit less you use makes a dent.

22. Worship the sun. Or at least use it to your advantage. Open blinds or drapes to let in natural solar heat on cold days, then close them once the sun sets, and you can reduce your heating bills by 10 percent. You can also cut your cooling costs by up to 33 percent in the summer by blocking out sunlight with exterior blinds, shutters, or awnings. To keep rooms bright, paint or paper with light or reflective colors.

Originally this is from CNN but I found it on Only Positive News

Solar panel maker is out of this world

By Alexander Haislip

SAN FRANCISCO (Private Equity Week) - Solar panels in space. It sounds more like science fiction than a business, but one early stage company has raised money from investors to launch solar panels into space and use high-powered radio waves to beam back energy to earth...

Because space solar arrays are not affected by cloud cover and other atmosphere impurities and can be positioned in a high orbit to receive the sun's light 24 hours a day, the technology is considered eight to 10 times more efficient than terrestrial solar arrays, according to PG&E.

check out the full story at Reuters.com

Wish

Senate Sides With Obama, Removes F-22 Money

AP, July 21, 2009 · The Senate voted Tuesday to halt production of the Air Force's missile-eluding F-22 Raptor fighter jets in a high-stakes, veto-laden showdown over President Barack Obama's efforts to shift defense spending to a next generation of smaller, single-engine F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

The 58-40 vote reflected an all-out lobbying campaign by the Obama administration, which had to overcome resistance from lawmakers confronted with the losses of defense-related jobs if the F-22 program is terminated.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it was "probably the most impactful amendment that I have seen in this body on almost any issue." He said it was "about whether we will stop doing business as usual, and that is continuing to fund weapons systems that are no longer needed."

The vote removed $1.75 billion set aside in a $680 billion defense policy bill to build seven more F-22 Raptors, adding to the 187 stealth technology fighters already being built.

story continues on NPR.com

I'm Feeling Fine

Looking for Silver Linings

Courtesy is a silver lining around the dark clouds of civilization; it is the best part of refinement and in many ways, an art of heroic beauty in the vast gallery of man's cruelty and baseness.
Bryant H. McGill

A Letter from Alice

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt,and a hat, working on the lawn mower, and Mom in a housedress, dish-towel in her hand. It was the time of "fixing" things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.


It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, re-newing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more .


Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So.... while we have it... it's best we love it... and care for it.... and fix it when it's broken..... and heal it when it's sick.

This is true... for friendships... and old cars... and children with bad report cards... Dogs and cats with bad hips... And aging parents... And grandparents... We keep them close, because they are worth it.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special... And so, we keep them close in our hearts.

Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Dreams

"The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up."

Paul Valery

Bonobo Comes to Atlanta

Bonobo (live band), the Pink Floyd of hip hop, comes to the Variety Playhouse Saturday night. British producer/DJ/multi instrumentalist Simon Green blends classic and innovative sounds creating ethereal music.

My favorite "Walk in the Sky"

Can algae save the world - again?

PLYMOUTH, England (Reuters) - Can algae save the world again? The microscopic green plants cleaned up the earth's atmosphere millions of years ago and scientists hope they can do it now by helping remove greenhouse gases and create new oil reserves.

In the distant past, algae helped turn the earth's then inhospitable atmosphere into one that could support modern life through photosynthesis, which plants use to turn carbon dioxide and sunlight into sugars and oxygen.

Some of the algae sank to sea or lake beds and slowly became oil. "All we're doing is turning the clock back," says Steve Skill, a biochemist at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.

This story continues on ENN the Environmental News Network, great website. Click Here

Thank you Robyn

Just Be Yourself

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier.

The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

Margret Young

Young Girl Survives Plane Crash!

AP, July 1, 2009 · A bruised teenage girl who is the only known survivor of a Yemeni jet crash clung to wreckage for more than 13 hours before rescuers found her floating in the Indian Ocean, a French official said Wednesday.

"It is a true miracle. She is a courageous young girl," Alain Joyandet, France's minister for international cooperation, said at the hospital. "She held onto a piece of the plane from 1:30 a.m to 3 p.m." He said she was strong enough to signal a passing boat, which rescued her.

Hear the Birds Singing?

Beautiful rendition of a classic calypso song with birds joining the chorus at the end!

From Green Roofs to Green Walls

(CNN) -- Walk past the southern face of the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, and you will be greeted by a massive wall of brilliant green foliage -- an 8,600 square feet plant installation by the designer Patrick Blanc, featuring more than 170 different species.

The mass of leaves and flowers seems to be swallowing the building -- and provides a proud symbol of resurgent nature in this busy, downtown district.

The amazing spectacle is one of the largest in a growing number of "plant walls" or "vertical gardens" that are taking root across the world, as architects search for environmentally friendly ways to create beautiful buildings.

Some visionaries even believe that soon we could be harvesting our food from the places where we live and work....

to see the rest of this story click here

I'm really excited to see what happens with the Paris Experiment.

Thanks to my roommate Dillon for this find!

Update Troy Davis

SCOTUS just contacted Troy's attorneys: there will be NO DECISION (which also means no execution date) until their court reconvenes in September.

posted on facebook
by Lynn Hopkins who is in the picture above!

Thanks you Lynn

Global Warming Victory

Dear Thomas,

Last Friday evening, the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the first-ever bill designed to unleash clean energy opportunities, create millions of jobs and combat global warming.

Al Gore called this showdown "the most important environmental vote of this generation." And President Obama promised that a Yes vote would "open the door to a better future."

Still, the bill's passage defied expectations. Back in January, few people believed that six months into a new session and a new administration -- and in the midst of an economic meltdown -- we could pass transformative clean energy legislation in the House.

Well, we did it! And we did it because millions of people like you made their voices heard on Capitol Hill. You fought alongside the NRDC Action Fund because you know that this is America's single best chance to defuse the climate crisis and create a greener, more prosperous future.

House leaders Nancy Pelosi, Henry Waxman, and Ed Markey deserve a great deal of credit for this success. This was no easy fight. The bill touched off regional differences and challenged Big Oil's and Big Coal's stranglehold on America's energy supply.

Waxman, the chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, had to corral many opposing interests to create a bill that would get out of committee and survive the bumpy journey through the Senate and on to the White House. One of the keys to this bill's success was that Americans from all walks of life urged their lawmakers to back climate action.

I saw it for myself. In the past year, I traveled the country to help build momentum for national climate legislation, and the people I talked to -- from clean energy entrepreneurs in Cleveland to labor organizers in Chicago, from national security experts in Georgia to religious leaders in New York -- all believe that building a clean, sustainable energy future will unleash enormous opportunities for America.

I know you agree. And that's important because we're going to need you to make your voice heard again and again in the months ahead. We'll be fighting to make this bill even stronger -- and advance it through the Senate and on to the president's desk. And we need to do all that before the international climate negotiations begin in December in Copenhagen.

The fight in the Senate will be challenging. But just as we defied expectations in the House, we can defy them in the Senate -- especially if we have your strong support.

In the coming weeks, the NRDC Action Fund will be turning all its attention to this final push. The House's historic passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act just gave our efforts powerful momentum.

Sincerely,
Frances
Frances Beinecke
President
NRDC Action Fund

In Memory of MJ

People gathered at the Liverpool station for a mass moonwalk in honor of Mike!



Dwele put this together on the spot as a tribute to Mike! Amazes me to watch someone build a song one layer at a time by themselves.



Got the Dwele video off of Senor Kaos's site, The Kaos Effect. Gracious Senor.

MTV Got One Right!

Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird updates the traditions of small-group swing, German leider, and New Orleans jazz, mixing gypsy, folk, and rock elements into his distinctive style.

A Universal Message of Peace!

Mason Jennings and Jack Johnson make a wonderful point. I'm sharing this one because LOVE is the only religion I know, and this is in the spirit of keeping this site secular. Looks like it might be time to stop fighting over names and dogma! Maybe then we can stop fighting over invisible lines.

The Bird Whisperer!

Today's hero is a friend of mine who I haven't seen in many moons. Cheers Erin, keep up the good work!



Erin Leach I rescued this little guy from drowning at the Fellini's Pizza in Buckhead today. He fell in the fountain and swam in circles until he was tired and appeared to be in some kind of trouble. Once I rescued him he sat with me for the duration of the meal. People were clapping and the kitchen staff even came out to see the bird whisperer! When I put him down he stayed by my side until we were about to leave. Fun stuff!

Food for Thought

Gaia

The Gaia hypothesis is an ecological hypothesis proposing that the biosphere and the physical components of the Earth (atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere) are closely integrated to form a complex interacting system that maintains the climatic and biogeochemical conditions on Earth in a preferred homeostasis. Originally proposed by James Lovelock as the earth feedback hypothesis,[1] it was named—at the suggestion of his neighbor William Golding—the Gaia Hypothesis, after the Greek supreme goddess of Earth.[2] The hypothesis is frequently described as viewing the Earth as a single organism. Lovelock and other supporters of the idea now regard it as a scientific theory, not merely a hypothesis, since they believe it has passed predictive tests.

-Wikipedia

Playing For Change Update!

Playing for Change has a new video!

The Vocapeople...

Thanks to Marilyn Schertz (aka "Mom") for this post:

The Voca People is a new international vocal theater performance combining vocal sounds and an acapella singing with the art of modern beat-box.

Artistic Director: Lior Kalfo
Music Director: Shai Fishman
Producers: Revital & Lior Kalfo
Performers: Eyal Cohen, Oded Goldstein, Liraz Rahmin, Adi Cesare, Adi Kozlovsky,, Naama Levi, Boaz Ben David, Inon Ben David
Video Photographer: Shlomi Albo
Video Editing: Peleg Netanel
Light design: Roy Milo



Here is the website

Emily Bear

Wow! What an amazing and incredibly cute little girl.

Seed Bombing, Guerrilla Gardening

Wikipedia definition:

Seed bombing, also known as "Seed Grenades" is a technique of introducing vegetation to arid soils or otherwise inhospitable terrains. A seed bomb is a compressed clod of soil containing live vegetation that may be thrown or dropped onto a terrain to be modified. The term "seed grenade" was first used by Liz Christy in 1973 when she started the "Green Guerillas". The first seed grenades were made from condoms^[1] filled with local wildflower seeds, water and fertilizer. The seed grenades were tossed over fences onto empty lots in New York City in order to make the neighborhoods look better. It was the start of the Guerrilla Gardening movement.

Losing With a Smile

Let others cheers the winning man,
There's one I hold worthwhile;
'Tis he who does the best he can,
Then loses with a smile.
Beaten he is, but not to stay
Down with the rank and file;
That man will win some other day,
Who loses with a smile.

MOS DEF for President!

Words to the Wise

"Life is just a chance to grow a soul"

A. Powell Davies

"To be moral is to discover fundamentally one's own being."

Simone De Beauvoir

"Love life and life will love you back, love people and they will love you back."

Arthur Rubinstein

"To be alive, to be able to see, to have houses, music, paintings-it's all a miracle. I have perfected the technique of living life from miracle to miracle."

Arthur Rubinstein

"When you truly feel this equal love for all, when your heart has expanded so much that it embraces the whole of creation, you will certainly not feel like giving up this or that. You will simply drop off from secular life as a ripe fruit drops from a tree. You will feel that the whole world is your home."

Ramana Maharishi

"When you come right down to it, all you have is yourself. The sun is a thousand rays in your belly. All the rest is nothing."

Pablo Picasso

"Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy."

Kahlil Gibran

"See as if for the first time a beautiful person or an ordinary object."

Shiva

"I am free when I am within myself."

George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

"The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up."

Paul Valery

"It is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed."

Vida D. Scudder

"In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into a crystal clearness. Our lige is a long and arduous quest after Truth."

Mahatma Gandhi

Long Story Short

This is a story I came up with after a conversation between myself and the one and only purveyor of all things silver, may they or may they not be attached to gigantic and horrific cumulonimbus clouds.
The idea is that, as an artist, we start out with a great idea, then a plan, which, by the time we are half way through, has reduced our lofty goals to a simple and oftentimes distant hope of completion.
So I wrote this story. I put constraints on myself, I wanted it to be around 200 words, and I wanted the story to be told from God’s point of view. While this limitation severely limits what kind of story can be told, if any at all – it at least ensures conclusion.
Here it is – a finished product!
I decided to call it “Gods Complex”


Charlie P. Donovan isn’t going to hit the strike. He wants to, there is nothing more important to him right now. Hitting it would signify the first time his score ever exceeded 200. He flips his hair from his bright, young eyes as he waits, ball perched in front of his face. Charlie steps forward gently swinging his arm in a backwards arc. He thrusts it forward, the ball smashing into the polished wooden floors causing an ominous “Bang!” as his awkward release drops the ball too heavily. Three pins down.
Not today. Not ever, for that matter.
Tomorrow he is going to be drafted. He is going to war!
I’ve decided to throw a war and tomorrow my little ball tossing buddy is going to be sent to kill some strangers. He won’t win, but he won’t die either.
That lovely young thing that stares at him so lustfully, running her thin fingers through her golden hair, smiling and concocting plans to spend the rest of her days with him, she doesn’t really care if he hits the strike. She will soon forget about their love. It’s not really him she loves anyways it’s just the attachment, and the attention. You could sub him out for anybody really.

David Freeman
DSF
Americas Ambassador of Awesome

Perfect Imperfections

From Alice,

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream .
I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'
The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'
'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'
'For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.
Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.
You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

One Size Fits All

"The best thing to give your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity."

Francis Maitland Balfour

Saving the World Made Easy!

You can help save the planet with the click of a button...just click on the "make your own voice heard" link. Once again NRDC makes it very easy for us to take an active stance in saving our planet! I strongly suggest signing up for their Email list. It doesn't cost a penny.

		Dear Thomas, We're at a critical juncture in the fight to cut global warming pollution and defuse the climate crisis. I urge you to make your own voice heard right now in support of strong pollution controls. As you know, the Obama Administration took a huge leap forward in April by recognizing that carbon pollution leads to killer heat waves, stronger hurricanes and many other threats to human health and the environment. At that time, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson proposed an "endangerment determination" under the Clean Air Act -- a finding that carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping air pollutants "may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare." Then, last month, President Obama ordered EPA to follow up this proposal with tough standards to reduce global warming pollutants from new cars and trucks – standards that will save consumers billions of dollars at the pump even as they protect the planet. But before that can happen, EPA must adopt its proposed "endangerment determination." Powerful lobbies like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are trying to stop EPA from acting. That's why Administrator Jackson needs to hear from concerned Americans like you right now. Tell her to adopt the proposed "endangerment" finding -- and to follow up with tough standards for global warming pollution from vehicles and power plants. We already have the technology to cut global warming pollution by making and using energy more efficiently, and by using renewable and cleaner energy sources. This energy technology revolution will help our economy recover, create millions of green jobs, save consumers billions of dollars and cut our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. Please call on Administrator Jackson to slash global warming pollution and begin the clean energy revolution now! Sincerely, Frances Beinecke President NRDC Action Fund

Manu Chao, I Love You

Solar Surge

Excerpts from a Reuters article:

U.S. demand for residential solar power installations is surging despite an economic recession...

Geogenix LLC, a New Jersey-based residential solar company with 20 employees, installed about 150 systems in the first six years of its existence until 2008, and expects to do about that number this year alone, said managing member Gaurav Naik. He predicted the company would install at least 300 systems in 2010 when it plans to expand into Pennsylvania and some surrounding states.

"There is unprecedented demand for residential solar systems," he said.

Faced with a cost of about $50,000 for installation of a 7-kilowatt system on a typical 2,500-square-foot house, a New Jersey homeowner can defray the expense with a $12,500 rebate from the state and a federal tax credit of $11,000, Naik said.

After the first year, the homeowner can also expect a refund check for about $3,200 from the local utility in return for installing the solar panels, Naik said. The owner can expect to save about $1,700 a year in electricity bills, and should recoup the initial investment within five to eight years, he said.

Another Reuters solar story.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Solar stocks rallied on Wednesday as investors bet that increased Chinese interest in solar power, higher oil prices and signs of improvement in lending and financing will help spur demand for the clean energy source.

Guru

This track helps put it all in perspective.

July 3rd Collective Efforts live at Lennys

For all of us without a lake house, CE Crew is headlining at Lennys friday July 3rd.

Something new for you till then

Stand Up for What You Believe In

Words of Wisdom

"At each critical juncture in life... choose love."

-Martin Luther King Jr.

Urban Farming... in Atlanta!

Credit L. Tate with this find!



Urban Farming is all about using empty land for growing food to feed the hungry. Started by Taja Sevelle and supported by the likes of Prince and T.I., everyday this movement makes the world a better place.

Free Urban Farming Starter Kit only cost $4.99 for shipping


Sign up and get involved with Urban Farming.

Compassion is Mightier Than the Sword!

Credit Alice Collins with finding this bright story from the AP

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – A Long Island convenience store owner confronted by a bat-wielding would-be robber said Tuesday he decided to show mercy on the man after he collapsed in tears claiming he was only committing the crime to support his starving family.

Instead of getting loot from a stickup, the store owner provided the man with $40 and a loaf of bread, but only if he promised never to rob again.

"This was a grown man, crying like a baby," Mohammad Sohail, owner of the Shirley Express convenience store about 65 miles east of New York City, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

The man dropped the bread, picked up the bat and tucked the $40 into his waistband before fleeing, said Suffolk County Police Sgt. John Best.

Sohail, who moved to the United States from Pakistan about 20 years ago, said he was getting ready to close his store shortly after midnight on May 21 when the man in his 40s entered with a bat in his hand. Sohail said he tried to stall for a moment and then grabbed a rifle he keeps behind the counter and ordered the assailant to drop the bat.

The would-be thief dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness, Sohail said.

"He started crying that he was out of work and was trying to feed his hungry family," he said. "I felt bad for him. I mean, this wasn't some kid."

He said he tossed $40 to the man, who then stood up and told Sohail he wanted to become a fellow Muslim. Sohail said he then pretended to swear the man into the Muslim faith and two ended up shaking hands.

Sohail said he went to the back of the store to get some milk to give to the man, but when he returned the man had fled. He said he called police and reported the attempted robbery, but doesn't want to press charges if the man is ever caught.

Best said detectives have reviewed a store surveillance video of the attempted holdup, but said it would be difficult for anyone to identify the suspect because he was wearing a mask.

Sohail, who said he had never been the victim of a robbery attempt, said he didn't expect any accolades for what he had done.

"I'm a very little man. I just did a good job," said the married father of one. "I have a good feeling in my heart. I feel very good."

Musicians Climb to Clean Water

HIP HOP HYDRATES
L. Tate

Lupe Fiasco and Kenna are teaming up to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa in an effort to raise awareness about the water crisis.

"My dad almost died as a child from waterborne diseases in Ethiopia, and he had talked to me about digging a well there, and I thought, 'I have too many friends who would be concerned with the subject of clean water. Maybe I can help out,' " Kenna told Elle magazine in a recent interview.

The MC and the experimental rapper/singer have been training up to four times a week to prepare for the trek. They are focused on getting their oxygen consumption levels up and getting in fitter shape. The climb is at least a week long, and the lyricists will climb carrying approximately 30 pounds of equipment on their backs. The mission will bring the artists to the highest point in Africa, which boasts breathtaking views and three inactive volcanos. Though the climb is popular among tourists, the altitude and low temperature make this a difficult and dangerous hike. Those who make the climb typically suffer from shortness of breath, headaches and discomfort due to the limited amount of breathable oxygen. They are set to embark on their journey this fall. Props!


Hey you! Yes you. By the way, you dont have climb 15,000+ feet to help solve East Afica's extremely severe water problem. Often water is a several hours walk away from villages. Once retrieved, the water is often painfully carried back home to needy families via the efforts and strong backs of local women, only to be crawling with bacteria. This water is desperately consumed and used for cooking et cetera while still unsanitary. Last year, more than 2.2 MILLION children under the age of 5 died from water-born illnesses like diarrhea. Check out www.globalwater.org and www.wateraidamerica.org to get more information and MAKE A DONATION. WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBILE. You can also google key words such as water+crisis or africa+organizations to discover well over 10 other organizations' websites and region-specific efforts for this cause. You'll be suprised how much change $10 per pay check can make in the WORLD. For the price of a cheap car, YOU can literally
save thousands. Let's get it.