Getting a Grip

Meet our “Living Democracy” Partners

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:57:44 +0000

Here at Small Planet we value the work of people who are proof of Living Democracy—an empowering way of life in which citizens use their voices and values to make lasting, positive change in our society.

For the past few months we have been connecting with organizations around the country that embody the core elements of Living Democracy.

Interested in finding out a little more about our Partners? Check out the list below where you will find web links and descriptions of what these wonderful organizations are doing to help our planet! We find their phenomenal efforts inspiring and know that you will, too.

Want to become a Small Planet Partner? Please email us at team@smallplanet.org (more…)

A site and blog we’d recommend: Sunlight Foundation

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:41:24 +0000

Kudos to the good people at the Sunlight Foundation for their nice site and great mission: “the Sunlight Foundation was founded in January 2006 with the goal of using the revolutionary power of the Internet and new information technology to enable citizens to learn more about what Congress and their elected representatives are doing, and thus help reduce corruption, ensure greater transparency and accountability by government, and foster public trust in the vital institutions of democracy.”

Check them out!

Frances on the “food crisis,” on CBC National news Wed, March 14

admin — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:46:01 +0000

Frances will be appearing on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s national news show, The National, on the evening of March 14^th. She will be part of a special panel-discussion segment about the burgeoning world food crisis.

The show will air at 10 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. NDT and on CBC Newsworld at 9 p.m. EDT/PDT, 10 p.m. EDT and 11 p.m. EDT/PDT.

To watch on-line once the piece is posted, just go here.

Spread the word! Obama to use technology to “promote citizen participation in government decision-making”

admin — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:51:07 +0000

Check out these inspiring examples (below) of Barack Obama’s intentions for using technology in his presidency. Then, spread the word about them. (Perhaps the best thing you could do with your knowledge of them is to reach out to the Obama campaign and tell them that they should be doing whatever they can to get people talking about these fantastic, empowering ideas.)

The first is an article from the coming June issue of The Atlantic (”HisSpace”):
“Obama clearly intends to use the Web, if he is elected president, to transform governance just as he transformed campaigning. Notably, he has spoken of conducting “online fireside chats” as president… What Obama seems to promise is, at its outer limits, a participatory democracy in which the opportunities for participation have been radically expanded. He proposes creating a public, Google-like database of every federal dollar spent. He aims to post every piece of non-emergency legislation online for five days before he signs it so that Americans can comment. A White House blog - also with comments - would be a near certainty. Overseeing this new apparatus would be a chief technology officer.”

The second, which fleshes this vision out, is the text from Obama’s “Technology” issue page. The most pertinent section for readers of this blog is found here.

Thanks to our friend Jared Duval at ecoAmerica for pointing these out to us.

Frances remembers 1968 in the “World’s Largest Circulation Magazine”

admin — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:24:13 +0000

The newest issue of AARP: The Magazine (circulation: 21,500,000) contains a feature called “1968: The Year That Rocked Our World,” which features a reflection from none other than Frances Moore Lappé. (Other participants include Oliver Stone, Tom Hayden, Charles Simic, Ram Dass, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Judy Collins — and even Bootsy Collins.)

It’s fascinating stuff. After all, as Frances says, “Nineteen sixty-eight is the year I decided to find out why people were hungry in the world.”

You’ll find the piece, as printed in the magazine, here, and an extended on-line interview here.

“Becoming Part of an Extraordinary Story,” by Bruce Haynes

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:23:16 +0000

The following is adapted from an essay written by Bruce Haynes, a writer and slam poet from South Africa who has become very committed to working for change and Living Democracy. It was originally written as part of an International Essay Contest being held by the Goi Peace Foundation (http://www.goipeace.or.jp/). The contest’s theme is “My project to create positive change in my environment. How can I foster sustainable development in my community?”

Being that Bruce was inspired by Getting a Grip, he sent it to us and we in turn asked his permission to share it with you. We hope you’ll enjoy it.

I’m so excited about life. I’m using my power. I’m using my capacity to act. I’m trusting the process. And I’m loving it.

My name is Bruce Haynes. I’m a recovering stutterer. I’m also a 19-year-young Slam Poet. Goi Peace foundation, are you hearing me? Tokyo, Japan! Are you hearing me? Humanity! Do you hear me? I spent nine months in the UK last year with the purpose of finding out about what was really going on with the climate change situation. I did! I went back to my home country for three months with the intention of finding my voice. I did! My life has become a project to create positive change, and fostering sustainable development will come as a by-product of turning this whole situation upside-down. I believe very strongly that we can do that. I believe strongly that we can co-create positive change. (more…)

Frances: “Wasn’t It Also Obama’s ‘Democracy Speech’?” …a new article on Huffington Post

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:34:30 +0000

Click here to read Frances’s reponse to Barack Obama’s already-famous “race speech” of March 18th, 2008.

Frances in The Nation and on CommonDreams.org

admin — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:51:13 +0000

Now online: “The Only Fitting Tribute,” Frances’s take on the New Deal written for The Nation and found also on CommonDreams.org. Click here to read it.

You can also hear Frances, Andrea Batista Schlesinger, and Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser discussing a “New New Deal,” on TheNation.com and more. You’ll find airtimes here.

Getting a Grip on Money & Politics, Part II

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:14:20 +0000

Getting a Grip on Money and Politics, Part II from Anthony Lappe on Vimeo. Meet Frances on tour or hear her on the air. Watch Part I here.

A birthday bash…talking democracy

admin — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:03:47 +0000

It’s a bitter cold, blustery night in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a town of 35,000 an hour north of Boston. I arrive at its spire-dressed City Hall for my talk sponsored by Sustainable Cape Ann and the Cape Ann Forum.

Entering the large meeting room with high ceilings and dark wood banisters around the balcony above, I notice that chairs are already arranged so that the audience can quickly become participants. These folks have a plan up their sleeve.

Gloucester, MA, City Hall 2.10.08 (more…)