Year-End Giving Made Easy

The World is Full of Problems.
GlobalGiving is Full of Solutions.

Happy New Year’s Eve!

New Ts for BOLD Nebraska {dot} ORG

It was a big year for progress. Despite all the madness, 2010 looks pretty good for big steps forward. I’d say Hopey Changey is working out for this guy. If you’re on Facebook and want to chime in, we’re listening: What’s your BOLD Statement on BOLD Actions?

For more on progressive politics in this oh-so-conservative state of NE, do visit BOLD Nebraska {dot} ORG.

my list:

arcade fire – the suburbs
yeasayer – odd blood
wolf parade – expo 86
midlake – (random songs)
rancid – and out come the wolves (my own personal 2010 revival)
sole and the skyrider band – plastique (released in 2009 but i didn’t get it until 2010)
live at kexp volume 6
CocoRosie (new band discovery)
Pela (new band discovery)
NAS + K’NAAN + Damian Marley (courtesy of Bil Johnson)

I just downloaded Live At Ancienne Belgique from Yeasayer

Celebrate the close of 2010 with some live Yeasayer.

19x25" Screenprint on 140lb CVR French Paper; Smart White

Hello and Welcome!

It’s the final weeks of 2010. Holiday time is upon us. Good tidings. Great cheer. Et cetera and so on. And I for one am looking forward to a little down time. A nice bit of “slow down” if you will. Perhaps some reflection, a little visioning for the coming year and for certain some booze. Maybe even lots of booze. This is America after all. Amidst all the food, family and shopping, being driven to drink is certainly a national pastime. (more…)

I watched the live stream of the Rally to Restore Sanity on Saturday. Pretty funny. The Roots were awesome. The large Colbert puppet a nice touch. Plenty of laughs and lots of not taking ourselves too seriously. That right there is a good takeaway from the whole thing. To stop taking ourselves so damn seriously. But the closing speech by Jon Stewart was highly appropriate on many levels and a great way to close out the day. These are “hard times” not “end times” indeed. Some highlights:

• The country’s 24-hour, political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems, bringing them into focus, illuminating issues heretofore unseen. Or they can use that magnifying glass to light ants on fire, and then perhaps host a week of shows on the dangerous, unexpected flaming ants epidemic. If we amplify everything, we hear nothing.
• We hear every damned day about how fragile our country is, on the brink of catastrophe, torn by polarizing hate, and how it’s a shame that we can’t work together to get things done. The truth is, we do! We work together to get things done every damned day! The only place we don’t is here (in Washington) or on cable TV!
• Most Americans don’t live their lives solely as Democrats, Republicans, liberals or conservatives. Americans live their lives more as people that are just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often something they do not want to do! But they do it. Impossible things, every day, that are only made possible through the little, reasonable compromises we all make.
• Because we know, instinctively, as a people, that if we are to get through the darkness and back into the light, we have to work together. And the truth is there will always be darkness, and sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t the promised land. Sometimes, it’s just New Jersey.

In 01 Day : 02 Hours : 01 Minutes : 08 Seconds at the time of this post, the Rally to Restore Sanity will begin. Should be a good time. It’s 2010. We’re in America. An election is coming up fast and furious. All sorts of people are saying all sorts of crazy stuff. And there is just so damn much to laugh at. The absurd nature of things at this very moment can of course lead to something better. So let’s just keep our heads. Happy Friday.

Fabric Of America By Adam Elliott

In less than a week, on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010, the American Voter will decide the future of the republic as it moves forward in 2011. Or backwards. And goodness, have you talked to the “American Voter” lately? It’s a bit worrying. A couple years ago, I remember a lot of discussion about that American Voter being patient. And willing to make sacrifices as the Obama Administration made some very tough decisions about fixing the economy, health care, Afghanistan, the auto industry, credit cards, etc. To the American Voter, I say Ha! Voting Republican this year is like eating a Big Mac. It may taste good at first, but it’s so bad for your health, the environment, gives you a headache in 1-2 hours and shouldn’t you be buying local?

Now, voting Democrat, you may be pissed at them, but really, they are the only chance of using that powerful tool known as the federal government to do really important shit. Like investing in solar, building a light rail system (remember, the FG built the Interstate system), stimulating the economy (yes, the stimulus was a good thing) and doing all the other things only the federal government can do in order to fix our big problems with health care, energy, environment, education and so on to eternity.

So, if you’re so concerned about our deficit, about leaving our children with piles of debt, well let’s get to making some sacrifices. No more wars, tax cuts, oil subsidies, social security and Medicare.

If you’re more concerned with leaving our children with an uninhabitable planet because our carbon emissions officially ruined all chances to grow healthy food and breath clean air, well we still need that ole federal government. Because the states are a bunch of whiney crybabies.

If you’re tired of politics and would prefer to stay at home on November 2nd, really, some people are going to do that?

And if you’re a designer and want to make a poster about all the batshit craziness that is American Politics, please submit to PowertothePoster.org.

Thank you.

The Great Oil Leak of 2010 Poster Project: We’re graphic designers, illustrators, web designers and artists from all around the world who’ve come together to do what they can to provide support to the Gulf Coast Fishermen. A nice little poster project from John Gibby and Jeff Lush. In partnership with Gulf Aid of Acadiana to use art to bring aid to the local fisherman affected by this disaster.

Some very nice posters here:

Rowboat - by Erin Olcsvary

Stuck - by Alyssa Rose

Save the Gulf - by David Vogin

Addicted - by Jude Landry