NewCityMovement

Zero Fuel Coda

Coda, a zero fuel emissions car from California. Just heard about it on tha NPR.

Abduct Yourself April 25th - Rescue Child Soldiers

I was invited to a screening of a compelling documentary about child soldiers in Africa last week. Specifically northern Uganda. I highly recommend it, it's short and you can see it at therescue.invisiblechildren.com. The film was made by three adorably naive surfer bros from So. Cal who went to Africa six years ago to find a subject for their movie and in their travels stumbled upon hundreds of refugee children fleeing a raided village in the night. It turns out an evil warlord named Joseph Kony has been terrorizing the area for decades, kidnapping young boys in these raids and forcing them into horrendous acts of violence. He says he's some kind of god or deity (naturally) and lives deep in the jungle. The event catapulted these filmmakers into documenting the war and starting their own movement to bring peace to the region. They came close once to striking a deal with Kony last year but he pulled a no-show and retaliated a short time later by killing 600+ people in one village! Today, the people of Uganda and all involved would rather Kony be brought to justice at any cost. The problem is that no major countries have financial interests in the region and don't really care enough to do anything. That's where you and I come in.

On April 25th, 2009 join us in cities across the country, including Salt Lake City for THE RESCUE. It is time for us to help end this war, to see Joesph Kony arrested and the children he has kidnapped returned back to their families. Here's what you need to know and how you can help make the event a success...

Reasons To Cancel Your Cable

According to Cancelcable.com, paying for cable is "like buying a new 50″ TV each year and tossing it in the dumpster." Lately I've been considering all the ways one can consume, neigh over consume entertainment in our present day as online streaming networks, downloading and Netflix evolve in prevalence and quality. I'm not a kill your TV kind of person, I love my "stories" as much as the next guy. But one thought keeps coming to mind lately. In a world where time and now money are so precious, why spend so much of it watching what is just on the telly at any given time, or spend it programming (and reprogramming in my case) the Tivo when you can see what you want, more or less at your leisure without cable or sattelite?

It's something to consider for those of us who enjoy TV but could use the savings. 20 years of not paying for cable could take $45,000 off your 30 year home loan. And who better to hate on in this bad economy than your cable company? They've been gouging you for decades to watch 30% commercials!

I know that Hulu.com isn't news to anyone reading this, but I've learned more in the past few days that makes me even more curious as to the possibilities. If you have a computer and hi-speed internet, you can practically watch any show out there on network specific sites or online hubs like Hulu. Since a lot of available entertainment on the net is scattered at best, a site called SideReel is helpful in finding what you want. Many shows are available on several sites including Hulu, Sling, Crackle, Fancast, TV.com or others (which was news to me) leaving you to choose the one that offers the best streaming quality and viewing control. Also, among the ways you can stream your Netflix is a new $99 device called 'Roku' which has been getting glowing reviews from Wired, the Times and The Washington Post. The small internet connected set-top box uses your computer as it's search and programming tool, leaving the simple on-screen interface to play what you've told it to download. iTunes and Xbox do this too but Roku seems like it's the growing method of choice. The quality isn't as good as digital television, but it's better than your computer and it rivals broadcast apparently, and you can always get the movies you really want to see in hi-def/DVD in the mail right?

Think about it. If you could unplug from the hype of premium channels like HBO and Showtime long enough to watch what was really worth seeing a few months later through Netflix or iTunes, you could beat the system, save your hard earned cash and have a lot more free time.

BUTTARSPALOOZA!

Some friends and I are throwing a little party.  Perhaps you've heard of it?

In honor of Senator Chris Buttars - a coalition of wild Utahns unite to form BUTTARSPALOOZA!

It’s NOT a Rally – NOT a Protest – IT’S A PARTY!

Come celebrate Utah’s diverse communities – and discuss the real threats to America: the Climate Crisis, racial injustice and an economic recession. Join the party Saturday, February 28th from 1-3pm on the south lawn of the Utah Capital in Salt Lake City. Bring signs and noise-makers and dance to music provided by DJ Jesse Walker. There will also be a performance from the cast of Saturday’s Voyeur, break dancing from the Blow Up Kings crew, and a Latina Drag Show!

Presenters include kick-ass speakers from HEAL Utah, Citizens for Sustainability, The Steel Workers Union, Trans Action and MORE!

EMCEE'd by the one and only Troy Williams and Michael Mueller from Radio Active/KRCL!

The party is open to all of Utah – everyone is invited and everyone belongs! Buttarspalooza: this Saturday afternoon at the Capital! Come prepared to have a rowdy good time!

Social Experiment Homework

This cartoon brings to light an interesting social experiment proposed by Tom Ackerman. What if those who cannot be unionized stopped recognizing traditional marriage? Even if only in a cultural sense, the experiment proves a great way to get others to understand the need for equality. (Thanks Roger)

KUTV community blogger Gavin Sheehan interviewed me today for his neat site called Gavin's Underground which you can read here.

Are You Registered To Vote? The Deadline is next week!

Hey People, this is serious,

The deadline for getting voters registered is FAST approaching. Mail in registration for Utah must be postmarked at the latest October 6th. We know that most people will stick with their initial party affiliation they declared the FIRST time they vote and we know that most young voters will vote for Obama. Because of that, it's important to get the young voters registered THIS week!

Info for registration at http://elections.utah.gov/voterregistrationnewwhen.html

If you don't have time for any other volunteering, please find the time to help with registering young voters before the deadline by contacting my friend Robin Ashdown or the Obama Utah HQ (see address below) if you can help with any of the things listed below:

1)  Go to Robin's "Dinner, Drinks, Do and Donate" on Friday at the 'Pleasure Palace'.

2) Join or organize a Campus Outreach group to get young Obama supporters registered.  They have until October 6th to do mail-in Voter  Registration.

3) Get your groovy ass online at mybarackobama.com -- log in to "Neighbor to Neighbor" to get started calling Obama supporters.

4) Party For Obama -- Throw a dance party THIS WEEKEND and get your guests to register to vote.  Get a stack of mail-in registration forms ready for all the kids who haven't voted before.

5) Go down to Obama HQ to volunteer (it's downstairs from the Pleasure Palace)

Obama Utah Headquarters (now open 7 days a week!)
780 E. South Temple St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84102
801-983-7370

Online calling tool: http://ut.barackobama.com/N2N
Utah Homepage: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/uthome
Danielle (Colorado trip coordinator) = (801) 574-0240, danielle.smith@barackobama.com

5 Reasons why bikers shave their legs (and none of them have to do with aerodynamics.)

Sisterhood Of The Traveling Genes

The Genographic Project is a DNA human history study funded by National Geographic Society, The Wiatt Family Foundation and IBM. Me and my signif other recently got the testing kit in the mail that allows every day people to plug into the findings and discover where their ancestors hail from. Ancestors as in 150,000 years ago - back to 'Mother Africa' ancestors. Geneticist Spencer Wells started the project in 1996 by sampling pure DNA from isolated cultures and tribes around the globe and using them to "chart the ancient human migrations from Africa across the continents." For those of us with Mormon backgrounds, where genealogy is a really big deal, this should definitely take the cake... assuming you believe in science, DNA and that the world is older than 2000 years old.

NKOTB

The New Kids On The Block telephone came out in 1990. Someone was mentioning the other day that it was one of the first high profile 900 number rip off scams. The phone came preset with a hotline button that connected one hundred thousand unsuspecting little girls per week to recordings of the 'Kids' for 95 cents per minute. The service was advertised in newspapers and television as well.

AT&T has confirmed that the Hulk Hogan Hotline was the most lucrative 900 line in the United States from 1991 through 1993. Other early leaders in amassing huge volumes of revenue were the New Kids on the BlockDionne Warwick Psychic Network. – Wikipedia

Chicago's "Promoters' Ordinance" To Cripple Local Music

Tomorrow the Chicago City Council will vote on Chapter 4-157, the "Promoters' Ordinance" which will force independent promoters to become licensed, regulate the kinds of events that are allowed and change the face of independent Chicago music, arts, and culture. Many believe it's aimed at stomping out underground dance music. The Sun Times has more today.

The website "In opposition to Chapter 4-157" states the following:

What is Chapter 4-157? (from the Chicago Independent Radio Project)

The Chicago City Council has fast-tracked its new version of a measure first introduced last year to greatly impede independent promoters attempting to hold events in the city. Under the proposed law, independent promoters would have to acquire a promoter's license at a cost of up to $2000 every two years, obtain liability insurance for every event thrown, even if the presenting venue already has liability insurance, be fingerprinted and background checked, and maintain extensive records of each event. The ordinance allegedly is intended to prevent disasters like the one that occurred in the E2 nightclub several years ago, but really would just put many small indies (not to mention non-profits that rely on events for fundraising, like CHIRP) out of business.

Jim DeRogatis is on top of the story, so we'll link to him rather than paraphrase further.

FYI, the ordinance exempts non-profits from certain portions of the rules (although not the extensive record keeping), but requires a group to have been in existence for at least three years, or to have 501(c)3 status.

The Factory Meat Trix

Clever use of B movie The Matrix to reveal the true conditions of factory farmed meat, milk and poultry. The goal is to get people to eat healthier, locally-grown food.

You'll be proud to live in Utah after you wander through the comments section of the latest Salt Lake Tribune article on Salt Lake's proposed domestic partner registry, which is being stonewalled by Republicans for fear of the dreaded 'Gay Agenda'. Something about Rep. Chris Buttars face (see the pictures in the article) speaks of a man who has no joy or happiness in this life accept when denying it to others.

In a historic vote Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved Mayor Ralph Becker's domestic-partnership registry - the first of its kind in the Beehive State - drawing a whoop and applause from a modest crowd at City Hall. [Salt Lake Tribune] also [Equality Utah]

Vote

Ya'll better be votin' today. Find your polling place here.

Spiral Jetty Threatened by Energy Development

An urgent email to Tyler Green of Modern Art Notes from the Director of Friends of the Great Salt Lake, tells of plans for drilling oil in the Salt Lake near Spiral Jetty. This action would require some kind of industrial complex of pipes and pumps beneath the water and on the shore and would require roads for oil tank trucks, cranes, pumps etc. which produce noise and will severely alter the natural environment.

If you want to send a letter of protest to save the beautiful, natural Utah environment around the Spiral Jetty from oil drilling, the emails or calls of protest go to Jonathan Jemming 801-537-9023 jjemming@utah.gov. Please refer to Application # 8853. Every letter makes a big difference.

UPDATE: The comment period about the Spiral Jetty-impacting energy development has been extended to Feb. 13. For more information from the state of Utah, click here. For more information on how to comment, click here.

The Seattle P-I's Regina Hackett says that the state of Utah has already received 1,000 comments, and that those comments have begun to alert them to the importance of the Jetty. "I think they were impressed to be taking calls from Europe and Japan about an artwork in Utah," the acting director of the Salt Lake City Art Center, Leslie Peterson, told Hackett. [Via: Modern Art Notes]

Utah Rally For Obama Saturday

Come support Barrack Obama with friends and neighbors who believe in a better America.

Senator Obama does not rely on corporate lobbyists and special interest groups to fund his campaign. He relies on us. Our support will help spread his message of HOPE. Together, we can create real change in this country.

Get fired up with gospel singers, community leaders, and Barack’s vision for a new century.

Be a part of history and celebrate with us:
Saturday, February 2, 7:00 p.m.
Bryant Intermediate School
40 South 800 East, Salt Lake City

For more information and to purchase tickets click here.
Email us with any questions at dollarsforanewdirection@gmail.com

$20 Adults / Students $10 – advance
$25 Adults / Students $15 – at the door
kids accompanied by an adult FREE

Peter Garrett, the former lead singer of rock band Midnight Oil was named Australia's environment minister a few months ago.