News Roundup

Here are a bunch of news stories I've been meaning to post about for a while...

From the New York Times (thanks Kris):

Wal-Mart's social manifesto?

"Rethinking The Meat-Guzzler." [graphic left]

From the Wall Street Journal (thanks Mica):

Greewashing ads scrutinized by world.

From the Christian Science Monitor:

"Legless artist documents the world in 32,000 stares"

From Ode Magazine:

Solar cooking in Bhutan

Green Travel Special Report

Spotted in Washington, DC: Rap Snacks

I went up to DC last week to attend the Socially Responsible Business of Washington (SBNOW) 2007 Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Symposium. On my way back to the train station I spotted this bag of "Honey Dew" flavored Rap Snacks at a street vendor.
From the bag I learned that:
A. Rap Snacks are "The Official snack of Hip Hop"
B. Rappers don't like Trans Fats (though are apparently fine with a host of preservatives, artificial colors and MSG.)
and
C. Reading is fundamental (though there was no elaboration on this point).

Shameless Commercialism part II

If you enjoy the site, you'll love the shirt! I've made a new Another Limited Rebellion T-shirt (and mug) from the lovely calligraphy created for me in Istanbul. And hey, I get a whopping $2 dollars if you buy one, so just consider it an over-sized tip jar if you like. You can get 'em here.

And you can still get an old school ALR tee here.

Spotten in Istanbul part IV: Graf11st

Sadly I missed seeing the Grafist: 11th Annual International Istanbul Graphic Design Week events by a few weeks and the main exhibition by mere days, but I did manage to get a nice tour of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts School, which hosted the event, courtesy of designer Esen Karol.

Thanks again Esen!

Spotten in Istanbul part III: May Day

May 1st, 2007 marked the 30th anniversary of a deadly May Day rally in Istanbul. While I missed this year's events by a few weeks (which ended with 1,000 detained activists and at least 23 injured), stickers like this one promoting the rally, remained on walls throughout the city.

Spotted In Istanbul part II: No Logo in Turkish

When I went to Istanbul, I had no idea what to expect, so imagine my pleasant surprise when I discovered that the terrific cafe/juice bar around the corner, Cuppa, has a bookshelf that features a Turkish edition of No Logo, the book that I use extensively in my class Design Rebels.

Spotted In Istanbul part I: Human Rights Library

I ran into this lovely sign for a human rights library walking through the Beyoglu District in Istanbul. Sadly the place, which was apparently an offshoot of the Human Rights Association of Turkey, seems to now be defunct. Anyone with more details feel free to share.

For The Love of Public Transit

Ralf Youtz was comissioned by Good Magazine to compose this sweet love song for public transit and perform it while riding on the new arial tram in Portland, Oregon.

While we're feeling all warm and mushy about public transportation let's not forget Billy Strayhorn's unforgettable tune Take The A Train, as performed by Ray Nance.



Award for best lyrics in an ode to public transportation would have to go to the Muppets for this rousing number which describes the subway as 'the biggest travel bargain in town - the longest running show underground'
Take it away, guys...

On Vacation(s)

My company and I are taking a holiday starting tomorrow. For a week and a half we'll be happily away from phones and computers. My sister Mica graciously agreed to take the reins and serve as guest editor here at Another Limited Rebellion blog while I'm away, so unless you're heading out on vacation as well, definitely keep checking back with us daily!

Speaking of which here are some links to eco-vacation resources for those of you who want to plan summer getaways from an environmental perspective...

The International Ecotourism Society - Promoting environmental travel. Their global conference is happening in Oslo, Norway right now.

The National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations - Tons of well researched info.

Responsible Travel - Ecotourist holiday packages for folks in the US, UK, EU, and Australia.

Bulungula Lodge - Accredited Fair Trade tourist destination in South Aftica (shown left).

The above links were found accompanying this article on Geotourism in Ode Magazine.

Real Costs: The Plug-In

Dare you add the Real Costs plug-in to your browser (assuming it's Firefox) and discover the CO2 emissions reality of your travel plans? Right now it works with Orbitz, Delta, and United, but future versions will work with car direction, car rental and shipping sites. Download it and start cringing today.

via StayFree!

Spotted in Richmond, VA: Sign of Our Times

This Orwellian sign is on the entrance to the Richmond International Airport in my home town of Richmond, VA.

So what I want to know is where's the icon for "Jokes" and what would it be?