A collection of links, ideas, resources, and miscellany to help create a world that is just and sustainable.
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Earlier this week, I finally finished reading Hope's Edge by Anna and Frances Moore Lappe. I started the book in December and I hadn't intended to read it so slowly, as it was both enjoyable and informative.
The authors connect a host of ideas that interest me--sustainable agriculture, organic farming, social responsibility, and how food can make us better people. Late in the book, the authors succinctly espouse their philosophy that hope comes from food that is good for the earth, good for the farmer, good for the farmworker, and good for the consumer. Seems reasonable to me.
In thinking about what I'm already doing to move myself more in the direction that the book suggests, I see some positive signs. For example,
So, I'm making progress. There's more I would like to be able to do.
This weekend I'm heading off to the Culinary Institute of America for a week-long bootcamp for cooking enthusiasts. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to learn some new techniques, try some new foods, and hone my developing skills in the kitchen. In the back of my mind, though, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with these skills...how will I make use of them in a way that extends beyond my own circle of family and friends?
Peace.
The authors connect a host of ideas that interest me--sustainable agriculture, organic farming, social responsibility, and how food can make us better people. Late in the book, the authors succinctly espouse their philosophy that hope comes from food that is good for the earth, good for the farmer, good for the farmworker, and good for the consumer. Seems reasonable to me.
In thinking about what I'm already doing to move myself more in the direction that the book suggests, I see some positive signs. For example,
- I already try to purchase fair trade (e.g. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters sells tasty fair trade beans; Green & Black make excellent fair trade chocolates) and organic foods (e.g. many from local organic farmers) as often as I can.
- I've cut my consumption of meat products significantly in the past several years and I try to buy wild seafood and naturally-grazed, hormone-injection free chicken, pork, and beef.
- I've cut my consumption of fast food (reading Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation made it much easier).
- I use little in the way of processed foods; when I do, I try to stick to brands like Amy's Kitchen and Westbrae Natural.
- I'm learning more about gardening--both flower and vegetable--from an organic standpoint. I've not had the opportunity to grow many of my own vegetables yet because of travel, but I do grow some tomatoes, peppers, and herbs.
- When I travel, I try to eat at locally-owned restaurants that give more care to cooking than heating up a pre-made vacuum-sealed portion of whatever. A few of my favorites? Cafe Pasqual's in Sante Fe,
Higgin's Restaurant and Bar in Portland, Oregon, and the Doolin Cafe in Doolin, County Clare, Ireland.
So, I'm making progress. There's more I would like to be able to do.
This weekend I'm heading off to the Culinary Institute of America for a week-long bootcamp for cooking enthusiasts. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to learn some new techniques, try some new foods, and hone my developing skills in the kitchen. In the back of my mind, though, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with these skills...how will I make use of them in a way that extends beyond my own circle of family and friends?
Peace.
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
So, today the US Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in the 'enemy combatants' case in which Jose Padilla and Yaser Hamdi are plaintiffs. This past Sunday's New York Times had a lengthy examination of Jose Padilla which included interview excerpts with his mother and his wife (a citizen of Egypt). I don't know anything about the guilt or innocence of these men, but I do it morally reprehensible that they--or anyone else--should be held without access to legal counsel.
Several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to hear the story behind the Ex Parte Quirin (1942) case that the Bush Administration is using in part to justify its decisions in holding these men as well as the Guantamo prisoners. This American Life carried the story. You can listen to the broadcast ("The Facts Don't Matter") by going to the show's website.
You can find interesting opinion and contextual writing about the case at several sites. Some of the ones I like include Lardner's editorial from the Washington Post in 2002; an article from Human Rights Law that discusses the Hamdi and Padilla case in light of Quirin; and a wide-ranging piece by Kenneth Roth in Foreign Affairs that examines the Hamdi and Padilla case within the context of the current administration's overall legal policies. You may also be interested in the links prepared for the National Institute of Military Justice on terrorism and military tribunals.
Several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to hear the story behind the Ex Parte Quirin (1942) case that the Bush Administration is using in part to justify its decisions in holding these men as well as the Guantamo prisoners. This American Life carried the story. You can listen to the broadcast ("The Facts Don't Matter") by going to the show's website.
You can find interesting opinion and contextual writing about the case at several sites. Some of the ones I like include Lardner's editorial from the Washington Post in 2002; an article from Human Rights Law that discusses the Hamdi and Padilla case in light of Quirin; and a wide-ranging piece by Kenneth Roth in Foreign Affairs that examines the Hamdi and Padilla case within the context of the current administration's overall legal policies. You may also be interested in the links prepared for the National Institute of Military Justice on terrorism and military tribunals.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
For those of you who are interested in a theological perspective in working for a better world, I recommend A Global Witness (http://www.thewitness.org/agw/index.html). This website is what remains from an excellent Episcopal publication titled The Witness. I was sorry that the publication was no longer financially sustainable, but I was quite willing to offer my monetary contribution to ensuring that the website stays viable and vital.
A couple of weekends ago, I read Lawrence Lessig's new book titled Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity. It's a cogent, readable look at the impact of corporate and political manipulation on copyright and free expression in the United States. One of the projects that Lessig promotes (and is involved in) is the Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/). This website provides creators--artists, writers, musicians, and the like--with a voluntary and customizable licensing alternative to copyright. Check it out.
During the past several years I've become increasingly aware of the consolidation of media ownership both nationally and globally. This trend toward consolidation is nothing new--Ben Bagdikian has been writing about it for several decades now--but the impact is growing. To get a better idea of how few corporations control what we read, view, and hear, take a look at the profiles of the top media companies, a project of the Center for Public Integrity (http://www.openairwaves.org/default.aspx).
A couple of weekends ago, I read Lawrence Lessig's new book titled Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity. It's a cogent, readable look at the impact of corporate and political manipulation on copyright and free expression in the United States. One of the projects that Lessig promotes (and is involved in) is the Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/). This website provides creators--artists, writers, musicians, and the like--with a voluntary and customizable licensing alternative to copyright. Check it out.
During the past several years I've become increasingly aware of the consolidation of media ownership both nationally and globally. This trend toward consolidation is nothing new--Ben Bagdikian has been writing about it for several decades now--but the impact is growing. To get a better idea of how few corporations control what we read, view, and hear, take a look at the profiles of the top media companies, a project of the Center for Public Integrity (http://www.openairwaves.org/default.aspx).
Welcome to my new blog. I had been telling folks that I had no interest in writing one of these, but increasingly I have ideas and resources that I want to connect for myself. So, I figured I would share them as well.
Soujourners (http://www.sojo.net), a magazine with a liberal Christian perspective, discusses in its mission statement the goal of people being guided by justice, mercy, and humility in their daily living. Those three concepts seem to me a good starting point for a better world.
What I hope to collect and present in this blog are resources and ideas that in some way encourage me (and other readers) to understand and apply justice, mercy, and humility with greater regularity. I suspect I'll toss in a few things just for fun too...after all, a sense of humor is important in a better world too!
Peace.
Soujourners (http://www.sojo.net), a magazine with a liberal Christian perspective, discusses in its mission statement the goal of people being guided by justice, mercy, and humility in their daily living. Those three concepts seem to me a good starting point for a better world.
What I hope to collect and present in this blog are resources and ideas that in some way encourage me (and other readers) to understand and apply justice, mercy, and humility with greater regularity. I suspect I'll toss in a few things just for fun too...after all, a sense of humor is important in a better world too!
Peace.
