Act of Peace

FREE Open Mic

2008-06-17T19:42:35Z

There is a free open mic at Cafe Evolution in Florance MA this Thursday June 19th. It is from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Come read your own stuff or your favorite poem or just sit back and watch!
I hope to see all you awsome peoples there!

act_of_peace @ 2007-05-17T06:22:00

2007-05-17T10:22:32Z

Cross Cultural Solutions sent me this info on a bill being introduced to help fund int'l volunteers. I have been looking into another trip to Central America If I could get funding for at least part of it I will have less fundraising to do.

Hmm, dollars for war or dollars for service work...

Muchas Gracias!

From: "Cross-Cultural Solutions" <info@crossculturalsolutions.org>
Subject: Global Service Fellowship -- Urgent Action Required
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 15:57:35 -0500

Hello S,
You know first-hand that volunteering abroad is an amazing, often life-changing experience. You gain new perspectives and insight into the culture and yourself. You return home having learned about global issues, and you become empowered to effect positive change in this world.

However, for many people, the costs associated with international volunteering keep them from pursuing this exciting and personally inspiring experience. Today, you can take five minutes to help open the opportunity to thousands of more people.

Within the next few weeks, a bill - the Global Service Fellowship - will be formally introduced to the senate. This bill, sponsored by Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Russ Feingold (D-WI), calls for the creation of this landmark fellowship that would enable 10,000 people to volunteer who can't afford to. If passed, this bill will have the most impact on international volunteering since the creation of the Peace Corps.

By supporting this bill, you're making it possible for Americans to apply for fellowships, ranging from $2,500 to $7,500, to cover their expenses volunteering abroad. Imagine what a difference it would make overseas and back home with an additional 10,000 Americans volunteering abroad each year!

For more detailed information about the Global Service Fellowships, read more from the Brookings Institution's recent policy brief: http://www.brookings.edu/comm/policybriefs/pb160.htm

We know that you care deeply about international volunteering. This is your chance to help substantially by just taking five minutes. Don't hesitate - take action now! The step-by-step toolkit shows you how to contact your representatives to let them know that you feel this legislation is important and you want them to support it.

Together we can make a difference. Please join us!

In Partnership,

Steven Rosenthal
Founder and Executive Director
Cross-Cultural Solutions

Live Journal Utah Peace Community

2007-03-17T13:12:05Z

PeaceForge

2007-03-03T20:37:31Z

PeaceForge might interest some of you. It's a wiki (like wikipedia), but focused on peace. It tries to document different kinds of violence and conflict, then find patterns of causes, and possible solutions. It's still quite young, so there's not a lot done yet, but there are quite a few educational tools and stuff, and it's supported by some big peace organisations (although individuals can contribute too, of course).

act_of_peace @ 2006-09-24T15:30:00

2006-09-24T19:31:04Z

Hey everyone.. I’m Samantha and I’m 16 years old. Peace has always been a major issue in my life.. I feel very strongly about it and feel as if with everything going on in the world right now, there must be something I can do to support peace. So, I was thinking about putting a peace rally together in my city. I was thinking about having close to 75 people volunteering to do it.. holding up signs that talk about peace and such. I was also thinking that I would come up with a design for a t-shirt and have a bunch of them made and everyone who participates would have to buy one to wear to the rally. I am also thinking about where the profits from the shirts would go. A few people have mentioned sending them to the American troops but it sort of is a contradiction of supporting peace. As much as I am against the war, I still support the American troops. But, supporting the troops is sort of supporting them fight, which is the complete opposite of peace. Another suggestion was sending the money to the Peace Corp. Anyway, I figured since all of you in this community feel strongly about peace, some of you could suggest some ideas for the peace rally and suggest where the profits could go.

Any input would be excellent! Thanks!

STOP THE DIVINE STRAKE Blogswarm!

2006-05-14T15:09:26Z

I am organizing a STOP THE DIVINE STRAKE blogswarm for Tuesday, May 16th. I hope you all will participate in an effort to stop this test.

See more information at Green Jenni's blog at:Jen's Green Journal. Jenni has put together a nice post about the test.

Please register here or at Blogswarm
(Thank you to those that have already registered!)

STOP THE DIVINE STRAKE!

act_of_peace @ 2006-04-14T11:09:00

2006-04-14T16:09:30Z

The truth about 9/11.
Please educate yourself.
This is one of the most comprehensive films you can watch.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8260059923762628848&q=Loose+Change&pl=true

act_of_peace @ 2006-02-24T15:07:00

2006-02-24T04:07:48Z

Do something useful today.
Sign this petition against whaling.

http://www.greenpeace.org.au/petition/whale_petition.html

xoxo.

just a thought...

2006-02-20T01:30:44Z

Hi all
I won't be here for long.
I just had a thought while reading the other day and wanted to share it whith as many folk as possible.:

this is a quote from Ursula K. LeGuin's book "Left Hand of Darknes"

'They say here "all roads lead to Mishnory." To be sure, if you yurn your back on Mishnory and walk away from it, you are still on the Mishnory road. To oppose vulgarity is inevitably to be vulger. You must go somewhere else; you must have another goal; then you walk a different road.'

or, to paraphrase: to oppose war is inevitably to be war-like. to fight war is still fighting. to focus all your energy and thought on stopping war, protesting war, arguing against war, ......

are you puting as much energy into looking towards peace? what does peace look like? feel like? how will people, countries, nations, religions react to each other in peace time?

being anti-war is a not a bad thing... but I believe that if we don't know what the peace after the war looks like.. if we have no goal.... then how will we stop the war.

what is that old saying? "the devil we know is beter than the one we don't."

may your day be filled with peace and joy

Vote Your Rights Away!

2006-02-19T06:53:47Z

Here's the seemingly impossible scenario ... you're living in the most powerful country in the world. A single tragedy has occured and your leader has made it clear that some rights must be removed to protect the country from terrorism.

Are you ready?! VOTE!
(must be registered to vote)

A peace campaign . . .

2006-01-28T09:26:04Z

So, I'm posting here to tell you about a world peace campaign I started a little while ago. I'll start out rather vague in the hopes of roping you in before you have a chance to think that this is a crackpot scheme.

What is this world peace campaign about? It is about reminding people that small actions can have a big impact. It is about encouraging people to put positive energy into their everyday activities. It is about questioning and challenging oppression. It is about promoting a positive attitude toward gender relations and body image. It is about promoting a healthy and wholistic attitude about bodies and sexuality.

Have I gotten your interest?

Oh good, you decided to read more. Well the campaign is called "Orgasms for World Peace". Don't stop now. Keep reading!

If you think promoting orgasms for world peace is a little too kooky for you, then you are exactly who this campaign needs! The Orgasms for World Peace Campaign needs grandmothers, veterinarians, accountants, artists and pastry chefs. In other words it needs everybody. It needs ordinary people willing to put a really positive spin on an incredibly beautiful and powerful thing that everyone everywhere should have the right to experience.

How does it work? The idea is simple really. Every Sunday evening at 9 O'clock everyone, everywhere will do their best to have an orgasm and, at the moment of climax, visualize world peace and healing.

So, you might ask, "How can doing this really help create world peace?" Well, just imagine a whole world full of blissed out satisfied humans. Sounds pretty peaceful, huh? But, it is more than that. It is about a world wide acknowledgment of how it is good and healthy to feel good. It is about directing powerful psychic energy towards peace and healing. It is about loving your own body and yourself and extending that love infinitely outward. It is about saying a prayer with your body for the good of the earth and all living things.

Now, I know that a lot of people can be uncomfortable talking about sex, orgasms, or certain body parts? Maybe this whole concept of orgasms for world peace is making you kind of squeamish. If it is, you should ask yourself why. Where did you learn that this was something to feel awkward about? Maybe it is time to give earth's population a different message about our bodies and our sexuality.

So, I encourage you all to become a part of this, spread the word to everyone you know, and have an orgasm for world peace every sunday! The goal is to get as many people involved as we possibly can by word of mouth, the internet and any other method I haven't thought of. Thanks for reading!

There is an LJ community for the campaign called O YES! that everyone who is interested is invited to join. This community is a place to hear how the campaign is evolving, hear what others are saying and make your own posts related to the campaign. I encourage everyone to join!

To join the 0yes community go to http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=0yes

To read what people are writing in this community go to http://www.livejournal.com/community/0yes/

Welcome to the Greenpeace Organizing Team

2006-01-26T21:00:46Z

A Semester of Action!
The Greenpeace Organizing Team would like to invite you to be trained hands-on to become and environmental leader. We are inviting you to join a program that includes international travel, one-on-one training, and an incredible amount of fun!

Professional Training:
There are over 50 cutting-edge training in grassroots organizing, campaign skills, media strategy, and direct action. You will be trained by America's top environmental leaders in every issue from planning national campaigns to learning to drive the Greenpeace boats.

Travel Abroad:
There will be one week of of travel to meet international activists. In the past they have traveled to the Greenpeace headquarters in Amsterdam, and Paris to take part in a 500-person peace sign.

The Campaigns:
This is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with a real Greenpeace campaign!

Tuition and Credit:
Tuition: $3,500, and limited scholarships are available on a need or merit base. The tuition covers training expenses, books and materials, cost during travel abroad including flight, food, and lodging.
Credit: This is something you are going to want to work out with your school Try to receive credit as an independent study or internship.

The Details:
What: Action filled semester and the BEST hands-on training you can get to become an environmental leader.
Who: You and 5-10 other top students from across the country.
When:Summer 2006: May 29t-Aug 4
Fall 2006: Sept 18-Dec 15
Where:Washington D.C. (Summer and Fall) and San Francisco (Fall)
You Get: Great skills, international travel experience, and life-long
friends!

Who Should Apply:
Students who are passionate, smart, visionary, and interested in protecting the environment. Rising freshmen and sophomores are preferred. Greenpeace strongly encourages applications from a variety of people. The best part is NO prior experience is necessary!

How to Apply:
Log onto: www.greenpeaceusa.org/got
Admissions are rolling, and two-thirds of the program participants are accepted through early admission.
Early Admission Deadline: Feb 3
Regular Deadline: Feb 24

Please help us gain a green and peaceful future!

act_of_peace @ 2005-11-05T13:05:00

2005-11-05T19:08:06Z

all arre welcome.

Give My Money

2005-09-13T23:22:48Z

BushCo. isn't helping the victims of Katrina; he's abandoned the country and left us to help ourselves. Let's make our mark, show that we care. I'll give $2 to the Red Cross for every comment left at the link below. I urge you to give money if you can.

http://nuvolab.com/?p=57

George W. Bush Criticizes US President

2005-09-02T19:19:29Z

http://nuvolab.com/?p=48

If you've seen the commercial ...

2005-08-29T02:18:50Z

http://nuvolab.com/bp.mov

x-posted everywhere

Lab Magazine | July Issue | Women's International Inequality

2005-07-17T01:25:25Z

"The clamor of Chalibans (the Right-Wing Fundamentalist counterparts of the Taliban) on the hunt is getting closer and, if you're a woman of child-bearing age or are about to become one, they're aiming for you." - L. Grant

"Making abortion illegal won't stop abortions from occurring; it will only force abortion underground." - Jordan Monge

"These programs ensure that kids aren't even taught where to get condoms or how to use them, because they "don't work." Now you're probably wondering why this article is in an issue on women's inequality. I'm here to tell you that these abstinence-only programs not only spread disinformation, they're sexist." - Anonymous

"Of course. When poverty-stricken citizens are evicted from their homes by Target for pennies, the first thing they're going to do is shop at Target." - Nuvie

"Gays and Lesbians must insist on full civil rights now not because their bodies are somehow genetically deformed (and thus "fixable") but because they are citizens entitled to those rights by the legal document that is not just the heart, but the very bedrock of this country." - Benevolus

Fake News

"Starburst manufacturers have also merged with Exodus International, the famous Ex-Gay Ministry, to bring forward their new line of StraightBurst chews."

"CNN's senior vice president Sid Bedingfield announced this new division after Jon Stewart's searing comments of CNN on The Daily Show, noting that, 'We already lie to the public and cover up the real scandals, why not get some publicity for it?'"

act_of_peace @ 2005-06-23T13:57:00

2005-06-23T17:57:41Z

act_of_peace @ 2005-06-15T00:23:00

2005-06-15T04:23:51Z

re: the energy bill due out on the senate floor on mon. if activism= your thing, PLEASE HELP!

2005-06-11T02:40:15Z

We would like @ least 100 copies of this letter sent to the sen. specter and santorum's energy aids that the Center for Creative Cooperation met with in DC on Wednesday, 8 June 2005.
*****************************************************************************************
Dear Mr. Dower and Mr. Beynon,

I understand that on June 8th at your offices in Washington DC, you met with Virginia Kennedy, Amie Montemurro, Lita Dunne Grossman, Dolores Roselli, and Allison Avery who represented my organization's views on the importance of an intelligent energy policy. I understand that you made the following important points:

* The voices of Pennsylvania's citizens are equally as important to Senators Specter and Santorum as the voices of lobbyists from big corporations like Exxonmobile or Big Coal. Therefore, Pennsylvania's citizens - working men and women who do not have funds for large campaign donations or to pay for expensive professional lobbyists and who have difficulty taking time off from work to travel to Washington DC on a frequent basis - can be assured that they receive equal access to their elected officials in all matters and equal consideration in important legislation like the energy bill.

* Senators Specter and Santorum, though both support drilling for oil in ANWR on the basis of national security (though no guarantees are in place to make sure any oil from ANWR is sold domestically) and the rejection of CAFE standards in automobiles due to perceived economic difficulties, fully realize the importance of a sound energy policy focused on renewable energy sources as opposed to continued use of fossil fuels that have been linked to global warming.

* Senators Specter and Santorum are strong supporters of initiatives within Pennsylvania that keep PA's environment safe and healthy and that hold corporate polluters accountable to the people of Pennsylvania. You, as legislative aides, have both committed to making sure our organization knows when either or both senators are promoting environmental initiatives, so that we can attend and support these actions.

* Senators Specter and Santorum will be made aware of our concerns regarding PA's environment and of the health of the global environment as it impacts all pivotal issues, for example poverty and AIDS issues, women's issues, labor issues, and national security issues.

* Even though you will be profoundly busy when the energy bill comes to the Senate floor, you will make every attempt to keep our organization informed of its progress and to be sure that Senators Specter and Santorum are aware of our support for the following:

1. We are fully aware of New York Times article Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming at http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/politics/08climate.html?hp&ex=1118289600&en=54e7b911a5d025aa&ei=5094&partner=homepage and the London Guardian article Revealed: How Oil Giant Influenced Bush at http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1501646,00.html, In light of these revelations and the newly released report signed by 11 academies of science from all over the world asserting the connection between human activity and climate change (found at http://nationalacademies.org/onpi/06072005.pdf), we support actions by our senators that urge Congress and the president to admit and tackle climate change with the urgency the problem deserves.

2. We support standards put forth in the Kyoto Protocol, the approval of a steep rise in mandated CAFE standards, and an aggressive public relations campaign like the one regarding social security, to make the public aware of the urgent need for conservation and the change to sustainable energies, as opposed to drilling in ANWR or any of our other public spaces..

3. We DO NOT support nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels, since nuclear power is inherently and drastically dangerous, an extreme national security risk, and since other safer cleaner technologies and conservation measures can be more safely pursued. In addition, Pennsylvanians do not want new nuclear reactors in their backyards.

4. We DO NOT support further tax subsidies to big fossil fuel companies while renewable technologies and conservation programs get a much smaller piece of the tax break pie.

Thank you for your attention to our concerns. We look forward to our future contacts.

Sincerely,
**********************************************************************************
Present at the meeting were 5 representatives (including myself) from a newly formed NEPA "activist umbrella" called The Center for Creative Cooperation, which is a center for activists groups who support sane energy policies, environmentalism and general social justice issues to coalesce and support one another. The Center fully advocates the autonomy of each group, but is in place to help garner support and numbers for grass roots organizations.

The first section of the letter highlights some of what they SAID to us during out 90 minute conversation/debate. The second section is what WE support (as the Center for Creative Cooperation). Between all of us and our groups, these aides, Mr. Dower and Mr. Beynon, need to receive at least 100 hundred of these emailed letters this weekend, since the energy bill hits the Senate floor Monday.

We fully understand that these letters may not change the course of energy bill history. HOWEVER

1. These letters will put these guys on notice that we weren't kidding when we said that we represented a "strong coalition of concerned citizen groups," I wasn't making it up - they need to know we have some numbers here.

2. They understand that for every letter they get, there are 10 more people in our groups who support what the letter says.

Please, spread the word to groups/people who you think may be interested........we would like @ least 100 letters/emails to be sent to these guys by monday.

If they only get a few, our impact int he future will be considerably less--if they get more than a few, we will matter more. GRASS ROOTS WORKS ON NUMBERS - So let's show them we have numbers!!!

All you have to do with the letter is:

paste the following two emails into the address line:
Matthew_Beynon@santorum.senate.gov Thomas_Dower@specter.senate.gov

if you know friends or other PA groups who would be interested in voicing similar (or the same) concerns, please forward this email to them, and have them send this message (or something similar...) to the email addresses listed above.

then, please sign your name (and address if you're from PA) under the "sincerely".

One more thing, i have recently started a (potentially... still have to file the paper work) non-profit group called S.A.F.E.R. (Student Action for Environmental Responsibilty). The only requirement to support this group is to be a student or a supporter of students/student action, so if you are interested in this (and you do not have to be a PA resident to "join") please let me know via a comment and if you are interested and choose to send a letter to san/spects reps please include something like:

Amie Monte
Member of S.A.F.E.R. (Student Action for Environmental Responsibilty)

after the closing "sincerely" of the letter.

thanks! if anyone has any ?'s about the meeting/lobbying for a sane energy policy lemme know:)

peace!

one more time:

Dear Mr. Dower and Mr. Beynon,

I understand that on June 8th at your offices in Washington DC, you met with Virginia Kennedy, Amie Montemurro, Lita Dunne Grossman, Dolores Roselli, and Allison Avery who represented my organization's views on the importance of an intelligent energy policy. I understand that you made the following important points:

* The voices of Pennsylvania's citizens are equally as important to Senators Specter and Santorum as the voices of lobbyists from big corporations like Exxonmobile or Big Coal. Therefore, Pennsylvania's citizens - working men and women who do not have funds for large campaign donations or to pay for expensive professional lobbyists and who have difficulty taking time off from work to travel to Washington DC on a frequent basis - can be assured that they receive equal access to their elected officials in all matters and equal consideration in important legislation like the energy bill.

* Senators Specter and Santorum, though both support drilling for oil in ANWR on the basis of national security (though no guarantees are in place to make sure any oil from ANWR is sold domestically) and the rejection of CAFE standards in automobiles due to perceived economic difficulties, fully realize the importance of a sound energy policy focused on renewable energy sources as opposed to continued use of fossil fuels that have been linked to global warming.

* Senators Specter and Santorum are strong supporters of initiatives within Pennsylvania that keep PA's environment safe and healthy and that hold corporate polluters accountable to the people of Pennsylvania. You, as legislative aides, have both committed to making sure our organization knows when either or both senators are promoting environmental initiatives, so that we can attend and support these actions.

* Senators Specter and Santorum will be made aware of our concerns regarding PA's environment and of the health of the global environment as it impacts all pivotal issues, for example poverty and AIDS issues, women's issues, labor issues, and national security issues.

* Even though you will be profoundly busy when the energy bill comes to the Senate floor, you will make every attempt to keep our organization informed of its progress and to be sure that Senators Specter and Santorum are aware of our support for the following:

1. We are fully aware of New York Times article Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming at http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/politics/08climate.html?hp&ex=1118289600&en=54e7b911a5d025aa&ei=5094&partner=homepage and the London Guardian article Revealed: How Oil Giant Influenced Bush at http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1501646,00.html, In light of these revelations and the newly released report signed by 11 academies of science from all over the world asserting the connection between human activity and climate change (found at http://nationalacademies.org/onpi/06072005.pdf), we support actions by our senators that urge Congress and the president to admit and tackle climate change with the urgency the problem deserves.

2. We support standards put forth in the Kyoto Protocol, the approval of a steep rise in mandated CAFE standards, and an aggressive public relations campaign like the one regarding social security, to make the public aware of the urgent need for conservation and the change to sustainable energies, as opposed to drilling in ANWR or any of our other public spaces..

3. We DO NOT support nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels, since nuclear power is inherently and drastically dangerous, an extreme national security risk, and since other safer cleaner technologies and conservation measures can be more safely pursued. In addition, Pennsylvanians do not want new nuclear reactors in their backyards.

4. We DO NOT support further tax subsidies to big fossil fuel companies while renewable technologies and conservation programs get a much smaller piece of the tax break pie.

Thank you for your attention to our concerns. We look forward to our future contacts.

Sincerely,

and please comment if you are forwarding the message because we would like to keep track of how many emails are being sent to the senators. thanks!!!

(cross-posted)

No Shit

2005-06-11T00:06:19Z

Um

CNN is BLIND ...

Hola!!

2005-05-25T21:14:22Z

<<< Click & join!

act_of_peace @ 2005-05-13T00:31:00

2005-05-13T04:31:56Z