Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Michael Franti's Presidents' Day Contest

3 Comments

by Brianne Goodspeed · 01/22/07

For any Michael Franti fans, I just saw that he’s hosting a contest that challenges people to write a letter to the President. The carrot is a pair of tickets to an upcoming show and the opportunity to read your letter on stage before Spearhead’s set. I just finished a letter telling the President that if he’s going to continue to put people through the meat grinder in Iraq, then he needs to institute a draft (ladies, too; it’s only fair). This should have been done long ago. Is it really right that the war has such a minimal effect on the day-to-day lives of most Americans while soldiers are being sent back for two, three, or four tours? When your number gets called, you get clued in real fast, which, I imagine, is part of why the Bush administration will never resort to selective service. Just keep us fat and happy, you know?

I also wrote to say that there should be a series of free, public, live televised debates in Washington D.C. this spring and summer. Last August, President Ahmadinejad of Iran challenged George Bush to a debate saying, “The debate should be uncensored in order for the American people to be able to listen to what we say.” The White House dismissed it as a “diversion” intended to distract Americans from Iran’s nuclear program. (How would listening to a debate about Iran’s nuclear program distract us any more than not knowing anything about it?) Personally, I’d love to see President Bush debate President Ahmadinejad. I’d also like to see him debate Hugo Chavez, Castro, and others, but only if he would agree to take the battery pack out of his back. It would be like reality politics and I’d hitchhike back east in order to see it. Since Bush’s (few remaining) proponents liken him to Abraham Lincoln, let’s revive the Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Anyway, back to Franti. The more I hear of Franti’s music, the more I respect his work. In 2005, Franti went to Baghdad, Israel, and Palestine to see first-hand what’s going on. The result is a documentary film, “I Know I’m Not Alone,” and the recent album, “Yell Fire!” (Franti isn’t as competent a filmmaker as he is a musician, but it doesn’t really matter.) At one point, he asks his guide and driver, Maher, “What about the pollution? The air is so heavy here,” to which Maher replies, “Who the hell cares about pollution?”

Touche. War and environmental degradation make unfortunate bedfellows.

Bush, car, contest, farm, meat, Music, nuclear, Politics, Pollution, spring, summer, white house

Campus Climate Challenge hits 350

1 Comment

by Summer Rayne Oakes · 10/30/06

Firstly, isn’t that the coolest logo you’ve seen for climate change? F’ing brilliant. It makes such a statement. I got my Campus Climate Challenge organic cotton tee in the mail not too long ago, so I’ll be sporting that down the road… but really I have to hand it to my buds at the CCC and Energy Action: you’re really doing some awesome stuff. I was happy to go to your website and see that you have 350 schools signed on to your initiative. Keep on pumping them out; we got some @$$-kicking to do over in that there White House.

climate change, cotton, Energy, Organic, organic cotton, schools, sport, white house

Ani DiFranco

1 Comment

by Starre Vartan · 08/28/06

Ani DiFranco (one of my favorite artists ever), recently explained why feminism is tied to environmentalism. Reprieve is her new album.

Among the more important themes on “Reprieve” is the persistence of patriarchy in world politics.

“It’s the elephant in the room,” she said. “As I get older, I really understand peace to be a product of balance. And there’s a fundamental imbalance inherent in patriarchy. Unless you have a dynamic interplay between the sensibilities of the two sexes, you can never create peace. It’s impossible.

“But I feel like people are looking at me sideways these days going, ‘Shouldn’t we be talking about the war, or the Gulf Coast or racism or environmental doom?’ And I feel like saying, ‘That’s what I am talking about. We have to start at the root.’ ” From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Ani DiFranco, Feminism, Politics, white house

That Boy Gots Balls of Steel

7 Comments

by Summer Rayne Oakes · 05/18/06

I’m a liberal…no surprise there…Chances are if you are wearing the “C” on your sleeve as opposed to the “L,” you’re missing out on one fine fellow: Steven Colbert. I was watching some videos on Current TV as of late, with an old highlight on Colbert’s stand-up at the White House Correspondent’s dinner.

Current pointed out the website, Thank You Steven Colbert, a blog clearly dedicated to the size of Steven’s manhood.

See a short piece below:
Randall Says:
May 1st, 2006 at 11:43 am

Thank you, Mr. Colbert, for being the only correspondent with the BALLS to salute the President in the manner he deserves. ”

Truthgobbler Says:
May 1st, 2006 at 11:43 am

“Gargantuan brazen balls.”

Anonymous Says:
May 1st, 2006 at 11:42 am

You, Sir, have an absolutely huge pair. Well done.

Bonzai, The Evil Joker Says:
May 1st, 2006 at 11:41 am

Kudos from far away Romania! It really took balls to pull the stunt you did! Though this is the first time I’ve heard of you, you have my respect!

L Says:
May 1st, 2006 at 11:40 am

I think we should open a store that have your BALLS for sale so that “real journalists” can know what that truly is…

I love you STEPHEN COLBERT….

Melanie Dexter Says:
May 1st, 2006 at 11:36 am

You, sir, are a Patriot. I am bringing up my children to worship you as the god you are. Thank you for your mighty, mighty cojones.

Curious now? Check it out on GOOGLE VIDEO
*Note the pict above, left ball hangs lower, which is anatomically correct. Go ahead girls, eyeball them up on your guy.

children, Colbert, comedy, tv, video, white house