Home of the Wanderer

Greg Mankiw’s recent blog post makes some interesting claims, but in it he glosses over some important pieces of the real-world situation for the majority of Americans. (more…)

I dream of a theater company that changes the world. A movement, really. To draw out a new story from the next generation, to transform our ideas of what’s possible among people. A sustainable company at its heart? Not only do I dream it, I believe it’s possible. Will you explore this with me?

When I was sexually assaulted in 1998, it took me two and a half years to tell more than two people.

I just read the email below, and I’m uncomfortable because I want people to consider seriously any claim that a person has been subjected to sexual violence.

If you’re willing, the next time someone lets you know that he or she has been on the receiving end of sexual violence, please tell that person that he or she is not alone, say something like, “I trust you’ll tell me if I can do anything to help,” and then be quiet and listen.

Thanks.
– (more…)

Our purpose and our mission is to have fun learning, practicing, and teaching others about alternatives to violence by embodying creative responses to conflict in the public sphere with an invitation that uses street theater to expand and transform ideas of what’s possible in relationships among people, and makes accessible tools, ideas, and infrastructure to implement these possibilities. All are encouraged to join with us in pursuit of our purpose in adherence to our principles. (more…)

Have you seen the news?

After decades of brutal dictatorship, the people of Burma are rising. In the past few days, hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters, led by Buddhist monks, have flooded the streets of Rangoon. But yesterday, the military started shooting monks and journalists.

This is a true emergency. Avaaz.org and MoveOn.org have launched a petition demanding Burmese generals negotiate rather than crush the demonstrators. They’re focused on getting United Nations Security Council members–particularly China’s Hu Jintao–to intervene. Thousands of people from all over the world are adding their names every hour — will you sign? Click here:

http://pol.moveon.org/burma/?r_by=&rc=blog

Thanks!

[Credit where due: this text was composed by MoveOn for their members to send to their friends and family.  I did you the favor of sharing it here, instead of filling your inbox with it, because I don't like spam either.]

Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty ∞ Get Rich Slowly

J D Roth  writes about the use of micro-finance to battle poverty.  He says it well enough that I won’t bother reiterating here, except to say that this is the sort of thing a group of workers could do once they’ve established a successful collective and freed themselves from debt.

A dear friend of mine has recently been saying to me that there is no way for working people to obtain the means of production through the existing economic system. I believe that there are ways in which workers are already acting to use the economic structures of our society to acquire controlling interests in their respective workplaces, thereby creating worker-owned collectives. Thus, I believe that the existing economic system, despite its flaws, can be used by oppressed people in the process of liberating themselves. (more…)