Jan
10
Help End World Hunger with FreeRice!
January 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment
“WARNING” the site reads. “This game may make you smarter. It may improve your speaking, writing, thinking, grades, job performance… ” The oh-so-addictive-and-good-for-you-too vocabulary game works like this:
- You’re presented with a word.
- You click on the answer that best defines the word.
- If you get it right, you get a harder word. If wrong, you get an easier word.
- For each word you get right, FreeRice donates 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.
Jan
3
Exquisite Safaris
January 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Check out the Exquisite Safaris website, with sections on philanthropic travel, an article about Marc Gold and the 100 Friends Project, thoughtful—and thought provoking—articles about kindness, spiritual activism, and related topics … and beautiful photographs.
“The Exquisite Safaris philanthropic mission integrates a guided visit to a humanitarian outreach project into every private, luxury, epicurean experience we create. These personal introductions create authentic cross cultural friendships that generate trust, respect, and generous donations funding philanthropic travel projects worldwide.”
“If you are coming to help me, you are wasting your time but if you are coming because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
– Indigenous Saying
Dec
29
Innovative Cultural and Philanthropic Travel
December 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“If you have been wondering how you can make a difference and ‘give back’ while you travel and explore this extraordinary world of ours, this is your chance. Your grace, interest, and generosity as a traveler will impact the lives and the future of the people you meet. Don’t miss the opportunity—come along on a life-changing experience with The Cultural Explorer. Call us at 415-387-1335.”
Check out the Making a Difference trips, special two-week, hands-on tours that give you the opportunity to get involved and make a difference while you explore and learn about South Africa.
Dec
10
100 Friends Project
December 10, 2007 | 1 Comment
Dear Supporters of the 100 Friends Project,
Greetings from Thailand! So far this year I have been using your donations for humanitarian projects in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal and Indonesia, Tibet, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, Guatemala, Laos, Myanmar and other countries.
This is the time for our semi-annual appeal for donations.
You can view photos of recent project activities individually or in a slide show format related to all the activities described below by clicking here:
You can read a more detailed report about recent 100 Friends activities described below by
clicking here
Dec
10
When a Luxury Vacation Cultivates Philanthropy
December 10, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Here’s a New York Times article about vacationing like a rock star.
By JENNIFER ALSEVER
More luxury tour operators now offer philanthropic-minded trips to places like Kenya, Cambodia and Vietnam that incorporate visits to local schools, hospitals or wildlife centers. Travelers also go on traditional sightseeing tours and safaris that may cost $300 to $1,000 a day, not including airfare.
Oct
1
Travel as a Political Act
October 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lee Azus from Get Lost Travel Books writes in October’s Store Notes about his new appreciation for Rick Steves:
Sep
5
Beach Impeach III
September 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment
| September 15, 2007 | ||
| 1:00 pm |
Local cabbie, travel writer, activist, and community organizer Brad Newsham plans Beach Impeach III for Saturday, September 15 at Chrissy Field in SF. If you’re wondering what that has to do with travel writing, think: freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, preserving the Constitution, civic responsibility, ability to travel freely, no-fly lists, unlawful searches … you get the idea.
From Brad:
“Dear Everyone,
“Not long ago this list was subscribed to by 1500 people, folks who had expressed an interest in my writing (www.bradnewsham.com), in my Filipino friend Tony (Tony is fine—and in 2006 he became a grandfather), or in my Backpack Nation project (www.backpacknation.org). But two years ago, when I started talking about impeaching George Bush and Dick Cheney, 400 people un-subscribed from this list almost overnight.
Jun
1
The Cultural Explorer
June 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Interested in traveling to Africa? Then don’t miss The Cultural Explorer, which specializes in off-the-beaten-path itineraries. In 2007, there are two Make-a-Difference tours (one departing in September and one in October) on which you meet with “entrepreneurs, interact with the local children, visit schools, teach in a orphanage, assist health care workers, observe animal rescue, and experience life in the townships.” For 2008, there’s a tour that combines animals and art, and sounds absolutely wonderful.
Apr
25
Record of Iraq War Lies to Air April 25 on PBS
April 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment
| April 25, 2007 | ||
| 9:00 pm |
Thanks to April Orcutt for reminding us about the upcoming documentary. The following review is from Z Magazine, “an independent monthly magazine dedicated to resisting injustice, defending against repression, and creating liberty.” Watch it from 9 to 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25.
“Bill Moyers has put together an amazing 90-minute video documenting the lies that the Bush administration told to sell the Iraq War to the American public, with a special focus on how the media led the charge. I’ve watched an advance copy and read a transcript, and the most important thing I can say about it is: Watch PBS from 9 to 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25. Spending that 90 minutes on this will actually save you time, because you’ll never watch television news again — not even on PBS, which comes in for its share of criticism.
“While a great many pundits, not to mention presidents, look remarkably stupid or dishonest in the four-year-old clips included in “Buying the War,” it’s hard to take any spiteful pleasure in holding them to account, and not just because the killing and dying they facilitated is ongoing, but also because of what this video reveals about the mindset of members of the DC media. Moyers interviews media personalities, including Dan Rather, who clearly both understand what the media did wrong and are unable to really see it as having been wrong or avoidable.
Apr
22
Women of Color “Full Moon” Backpacking Trip, Desolation Wilderness, CA
April 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
| July 26, 2007 | to | July 29, 2007 |
Join Wild Women Workshops instructors Chelsea Griffie and Deni Hodges on a 4-day beginner-friendly backpacking trip to the Desolation Wilderness. The trip will include yoga classes and some reflective writing time.
July 26-29, 2007. Pre-trip meeting scheduled for July 21, 2007.
Cost: $100 (This trip is subsidized through a grant from REI). Applicants will be selected on a first come/first serve basis. Space is limited to 10 participants.
Apr
16
Oakland: The Soul of the City Next Door
April 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
| June 16, 2007 | ||
| 2:00 pm | to | 3:00 pm |
June 16th, 2 pm
Book signing
Book Passage
1 Ferry Bldg # 34
San Francisco
“Oakland, California has more to offer than anyone would have guessed. From a vibrant underground music and art scene to the most straight ahead sustainable restaurants and businesses, it should not be missed on a vacation to the Bay Area. Oakland has a rich history marked by a welcoming spirit and the most ethnically diverse population in the United States.
Apr
16
Cultural Escapade
April 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Serena Bartlett recently self-published Oakland: The Soul of the City Next Door, “an ‘urban-eco travel’ guide. It is the first guide in our company’s City Next Door Series, inspiring people to look to their own stomping grounds for adventure and cultural experiences, all of which can contribute to the longevity of the planet and the development of strong community.”
Apr
16
Santa’s Got a Brand New Bag: Santa Claus has come to town
April 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
A tireless giver to the world’s desperate and needy, Marc Gold has become a St. Nicholas for the new millenniumby Michael McCarthy
Pacific Sun, December 15, 2006
“If Santa Claus is an old man with a long white beard who gives away gifts at Christmas, then Marc Gold must be one of his merry elves.
Or Santa’s helper, for few people personify the spirit of giving more than Gold, to whom every day seems to be Christmas. News about his work is spreading via word of mouth; the world may be a mess, but meeting Gold presents opportunities to change all that.
Mar
21
Mayan priests purified their sacred land after Shrub scurried off. Can we do the same?
March 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Can George W. Bush Be Purged?
By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist
Friday, March 16, 2007
Sage is always good. Or maybe lavender. Pine is nice, too. Dried, bundled, tied with string, burned with hot, divine intent. Would it work? Do we have enough to go around? This is the question.
I speak, of course, of ritual. Purging and cleansing and purifying and, truly, burning a nicely dried, blessed smudge stick can be a terrific slice of personal magic, to rid a space (or perhaps even your own body) of negative juju or vicious spirits or just to make way for the new and the moist and the good. You can smudge a room. You can create a divine smoldering cloud and then move through the smoke, invoke change, purge the negative, invite hot licks of yes. It is a thing to do.
But here’s the thing: Can you smudge an entire nation? Do we have enough lavender for 300 million?
Mar
18
Passing Through but Leaving a Lasting Impression
March 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“Travel often turns my expectations upside down. In 1999, I visited Iran with a small group of Americans to watch a total eclipse of the sun. On the afternoon of the event, I found myself alone in Esfahan’s vast Khomeini Square: one American among 50,000 Iranians…” Read the rest of this article about Jeff Greenwald in the March 13 New York Times. If you haven’t visited Jeff’s Ethical Traveler website in a while, check it out here.
Mar
18
Marc Gold and 100 Friends
March 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Michael McCarthy published a story about Marc Gold and 100 Friends in a recent Pacific Sun. You can read it here.
Mar
1
Peoples of the World
March 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Here’s an update from the Peoples of the World Foundation. This article, by Dilwyn Jenkins, is about the Asháninka, “one of the largest indigenous groups living in the Amazon today.”
Feb
28
Greenwald in Iran
February 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Hear Jeff Greenwald tell his story about being the lone American in a vast Iranian crowd gathered to watch a solar eclipse, and what happens to him when an aggressive anti-American demonstration erupts. This and other stories are archived by Tales from Earth on KUSF.
Feb
28
Beach Impeach videos
February 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment
What’s the connection between travel writing and the Beach Impeach project? Let’s see: freedom to travel, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech … not to mention human decency. Here’s a link to a powerful Beach Impeach video, Run to the Rock, by Jamie Cavenaugh, which YouTube yanked because of “inappropriate” content. What’s inappropriate about it? Well, it shows what’s happening in Iraq, that’s what.
Here’s Impeach on the Beach, shot by thirteen-year-old Sam Rubin. This one is on YouTube.
The movement for impeachment has mushroomed; there are a lot of YouTube entries. Here are a few more:
Oct
14
News from 100 Friends
October 14, 2006 | Comments Off
Here’s the latest news (10/11/06) from Marc Gold and the 100 Friends Project:
“Hello to all supporters of the project! This is a report from the field demonstrating how your donations are being put to work. I am currently in Bangkok, Thailand and the project is going really well. In this year’s mission support has been given to many poverty-stricken families and small organizations in Cambodia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As you will see, the funds for the project supplied by YOU are being put to VERY good use!
Oct
3
UFW’s Camp Justice
October 3, 2006 | Comments Off
Congratulations to Kelly Hayes-Raitt for her excellent article in the San Fernando Valley Sun about the UFW’s Camp Justice.
If you enjoyed the article, you’ll want to check out Kelly’s website, Coast-to-Coast Community Campaigns, about her work specializing in tailored, economical community organizing and media relations programs. You can also find links there to Kelly’s blogs about women in Iraq.
Sep
15
A Citizen Of The World
September 15, 2006 | Comments Off
From Daily OM, August 4, 2006
As the technology of travel grows ever more refined, the world grows smaller. Whereas a journey of a hundred miles once took many days, we can now travel across the globe in mere hours. The four corners of the earth are accessible by plane, train, and ship, and there are few pleasures in life as soul-stirring and transformative as travel. In a new land, the simplest of joys can be profound-meditation takes on a new quality because the energy in which we are immersed is unfamiliar. Our sensory experiences are entirely novel. Yet the relative ease with which we can step out of our own culture in order to explore another means that we are ambassadors representing not only our own way of life but also the culture of the traveler. As a conscious citizen of the world, you can add value to the locales you visit while simultaneously broadening your own perspective.
Sep
11
Middle East Delegations: Meet the People, Learn the Facts, Make a
September 11, 2006 | Comments Off
Thanks to Diane LeBow for sending this information about Global Exchange’s upcoming Middle East Delegations:
“Dear Friends,
I would like to let you know about several important up-coming delegations to the Middle East. With the recent invasion of Lebanon and siege on the Palestinian Occupied Territories, it is crucial, now more than ever, to examine the role of U.S. foreign policy within the region.
Through connecting with people and engaging with civil society organizations, U.S. citizens are able to bear witness to the wide range of ramifications resulting from the Bush Administration’s vision of a ‘New Middle East.’ The delegations also serve to present the diversity of opinions among Americans not represented within our government.
Sep
3
Seacology
September 3, 2006 | Comments Off
Jeff Greenwald is writing for Seacology, “the world’s premier nonprofit, nongovernmental organization (NGO) with the sole and unique purpose of preserving the environments and cultures of islands throughout the globe.” Go here to read Jeff’s story about illegal longline fishing in Fijian waters.
Jun
18
New Orleans Public Library
June 18, 2006 | Comments Off
Do you have “extra” books around that would benefit from a new home? Thanks to Karen Misuraca for forwarding this information: the New Orleans Public Library is asking for hardcover and paperback books for any age reader in order to restock their shelves. Anything the libraries cannot use will be distributed to destitute families or sold for library fundraising.
“NOPL has been overwhelmed by the generosity of people across the country who have donated an estimated 1 million books of all kinds, conditions, and subjects. (Can anyone use hundreds of Russian grammar books?) We are grateful for this assistance, and will put all these books to the most appropriate uses possible. However due to extreme storage and staff limitations, we ask you to avoid sending books directly to NOPL.”
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