Other than dealing wiith the crises besetting the planet: Writing; reading; drawing; 3-D films; simulator rides; pets; air hockey; theme parks (usually when I have a free pass. I think they're obscenely overpriced, and Disney is criminally negligent re: safety); sports (i.e., miniature golf); thrill rides (which I usually do alone).
Other activists and/or people with common interests. I'd ***LOVE*** to stop getting Friend Requests from anorexic models with breast implants advertising webcams and "adult" sites, but there's no chance of that happening.People on my friends list are always competing with each other to get in my "top eight"--and to maintain that priveledge. I, of course, get off on people kissing up to me so they can have/maintain that status. It's pretty cool.
The sound of motorists honking at peace demonstrations; of course, the ORIGINAL Ewok song at the end of Return of the Jedi; pretty much anything that Richard Simmons plays on his shows; '70s music and soundtracks (e.g., Phantom of the Paradise, Hair, JCS (early 1970s versions), Shock Treatment). I'll watch any music video as long as Beavis & Butt-head are commenting on it.
A few of my favorite movies (in no particular order) are: JCS ('73), Ecological Design: Inventing the Future (documentary), Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Dreamchild, Fail Safe (the original), The Spirit of '76, The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Labyrinth, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised , The Day the Earth Stood Still, Serial Mom, Polyester, Innerspace...
I almost never watch television besides movie rentals and episodes of South Park, when I have access to cable. I have about 35 hours of Beavis & Butt-Head episodes on tape.
ECOTOPIA by Ernest Callenbach. Appalled by the environmental, economic, and foreign policies of the United States, Oregon, Washington, and Central and Northern California have broken away from the union and formed a new country: Ecotopia. The capital is San Francisco, where rivers once paved over, have been reclaimed and flow through the city. Renewable energy is ubiquitous. Cars are banned--instead, people get around on bicycles, horses, and electric buses. Because the communities are localized, people usually don't have to travel far. But when long commutes are necessary, Ecotopians can take mag-lev trains or electric buses, which have exclusive use of what's left of the freeways. Life in Ecotopia is simpler and more community-oriented. Although Callenbach wrote the book over 30 years ago (and set it in 1999), many of his ideas remain current. Ecotopians publish their own books through a venue similar to the internet. (And when readers print the books out, they have the option of printing them with permanent or temporary ink. The latter would allow the paper to be recycled.) I just finished reading Ecotopia Emerging, a prequel, which explains how this society came to be. The book is very topical and inspiring.----------------------ISLAND by Aldous Huxley. In A Brave New World, Huxley depicted both modern and "primitive" societies with skepticism. In Island, he endeavored to present a viable third alternative: Pala, an island in SE Asia, whose inhabitants live relatively simple lives but also embrace science, education, and some technology. The society was cofounded by an atheist doctor from the west and a Buddhist native of Pala. The founders were determined to avoid the problems of western society. Children are tested at an early age to determine whether they have the potential to become "stong men" (a la Joseph Stalin) or "Peter Pans" (a la Hitler). If they are at-risk, they are given medication and psychological treatment. Child-rearing is significantly different; it is similar to the African idea that "it takes a village to raise a child." Children routinely spend time living with families unrelated to them. Thus, both the children and their biological parents get "vacations" from each other. Sex is revered in this society. Tantric sex is practiced, and teenagers are trained individually by sex instructors. Palanese take mushrooms regularly, which gives them glimpses of reality that they can take back to their daily existence. Unfortunately, various countries would like to see a regime change in Pala--a regime that would give the outsiders access to Pala's natural resources.--------------WALT DISNEY AND THE QUEST FOR COMMUNITY by Steve Mannheim. This book goes into detail about Walt Disney's final (and unrealized) dream: an Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow (EPCOT, not to be confused with Epcot the theme park), which would have been built in Florida. The dominant modes of transportation in this model city would have included monorails, PeopleMovers, bicycles, and electric carts. (There would not have been a single traffic light in EPCOT.) Each house-dwelling resident might have had their home connected to an AVAC trash collecting system. Thus their trash would have been sucked through underground pipes to a central processing facility. (Biodegradable waste would have been composted.) This was Disney's solution to noisy, messy garbage trucks. Mail might also have traveled through tubes. Walt Disney's team was also looking into solar power, alternative sewage treatment, and waste water systems. However, before any of these plans could reach fruition, Disney died. Some of these ideas have been implemented to some extent in cities, but monorails and PeopleMovers are still regarded as theme park attractions. EPCOT would have been a practical demonstration of these concepts.---------- UNEARTHING ATLANTIS by Charles Pellegrino. Explores the theory that the Atlantis myth may be based on the destruction of an advanced civilization on the Mediterranean island of Santorini (aka: Thera) in 1650 B.C. by a volcano. This society had indoor plumbing and apparently was peaceful.
*Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who could teach us a lot about democracy--instead, our government is helping to instigate a civil war in his country. *Malalai Joya, an Afghan female parlaimentarian who risked her life to speak out against Afghanistan's warlords. She is loved by the people of her country--both men and women--but her life is in constant danger from the warlords. *Jean Bertrand Aristide, the twice-democratically-elected president of Haiti who the U.S. threw out in 2004, along with thousand of other democratically-elected Haitian politicians.(See: Haiti Action ) *People who go to Colombia--many at their own expense and risk--to help Colombians who are trying to stay out of the fighting. These volunteers include individuals and members of Global Exchange and Fellowship of Reconciliation. *Rep. Maxine Waters, who stood up to the Bush administration on behalf of Haitian President Aristide, the victim of a U.S-backed coup. (See: www.haitiaction.net) *Marla Ruzicka *No More Deaths, a humanitarian group that helps refugees who try to cross the U.S.-Mexican border and counters the work of the Minute Men. See: No More Deaths *Amy Goodman of Pacifica Radio (see Democracy Now! ). *There's more, but I'm sure most people stop reading this by now. Still reading???!!! Here are some heroes who I know personally (activists): Nina Z., Susan A., Jennifer M., Cat V.
Mindi T. isn't ostensibly an activist, but she overcomes staggering adversity and brings good into a world that has treated her very badly. One doesn't have to be an "activist" to make significant improvement in the world.