Tuesday, October 16, 2012

MOVE: Invisible Children's new film from the creators of KONY 2012

There was a lot of media coverage of the Kony 2012 movement. It started off great with millions of views on the Kony 2012 movie. This is because we live in a great time of mass easy communication. Unfortunately this was also the movements undoing. When information can be easily communicated on a mass scale. Miss-information can easily be communicated on a mass scale. How many of use actually do more then watch one or two you tube videos. It is hard to discover the truth when it take more then one click to find it.

Here is what I know about Invisible Children and their Kony 2012 movement:

I know the people. I personally have meet Bobby Baily one of the founders of Invisible Children. He did not stop at Invisible Children but is now working on a global poverty project that focuses on extreme poverty.  The people at Invisible Children are not looking to get rich from these projects because you can't. These are men and women who can't unsee what they have seen and can't sit by while it continues. These people at Invisible Children are sincere.You would have to be sincere to work endless hour for almost nothing at all.

I know that Invisible Children have been looking at results To see if they are really making a difference and what they can do to improve in sharing this issue sense before Kony 2012. They have all ways been transparent in there organization even before Kony 2012.

I know that Invisible Children is an advocacy non profit. Which means from the beginning they have set up their efforts to support the advocacy of this issue. The reason they did this was due to the fact that the most effective way to stop Joesph Koney, the LRA, and the decades of war was to encourage international involvement. The best way to do that is get people to care and to let there government representation know that the issue matters. That is why they are an advocacy group and why (being true to what an advocacy non profit dose) they spend part of their raised funds on getting people to care. That being said a percentage of there funds goes to creating programs that have saved hundreds of lives. There are many who criticize that they are not doing enough. Why would anyone (especially someone who is not doing anything) fight the those who are actually doing something.

I know that i may meet criticism and stress for posting this and supporting Invisible Children. The people at Invisible Children did not know how vulnerable mass communication could make them and have now learned how quickly media can turn. I know how vulnerable posting this makes me and have done it anyways. Not because I am fearless (I am fearful of what might come) but because I can not stop. No matter how people feel about the legitimacy of Invisible Children or Kony 2012 it dose not change the fact that there continues to be legitimate pain and suffering due to a long war that can be stopped if enough people care. I Care. And I plan to voice it, to continue writing to my repetitiveness, and not to forget about suffering just because it is not at the top of my news feed.

This is the Invisible Children's response to what happened with Kony 2012. I encourage you to take the time to watch:

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Pain au Chocolat

French for a chocolate croissant. I made a simple recipe for that taste that will make you feel as you just left the Boulangerie in Paris.

Ingredients:
1 crescent roll dough tube
1 jar of Nutella

Tools:
1 cookie sheet
1 cookie sheet spray
1 spatula
1 table spoon
1 oven

Told you it was simple :)

Directions:
1. Open up the tube
2. Lay out the dough pieces
3. Place a table spoon of Nutella in center of dough pieces
4. Roll dough and pinch sides
5. Place on greased cookie sheet
6. Place in oven for time and temperature direction on back or crecent rolls tube
7. Let cool
8. Sugessted that you enjoy with a cup of coffee and friends


Monday, May 7, 2012

Live Below the Line







What is Live below the line?


Live Below the Line is an innovative awareness and fundraising campaign that's making a huge difference in the fight against extreme poverty. Live Below the Line is challenging individuals and communities to see how much change you can make out of $1.50. By living off just $1.50 per day for food for 5 days, we will be bringing to life the direct experiences of living in extreme poverty and helping to make real change.


Why are we doing it?

Over 1.4 BILLION people in the world are living every day in extreme poverty (that's over 4 times the population of the United State. The world bank states the poverty line is drawn when an individual lives off of $1.50 a day. Keep in mind food is not cheaper in developing nations so a $1.50 worth of food in the US is $1.50 worth of food in a developing nation.


Why am I doing it?

I don't see a good reason why I can't.




How does it Work?

Ok so here are the basics:

  • From May 7th – 11th, you can spend no more than $1.50 a day on food and drink.
  • This means you have a total of $7.50 with which to buy all ingredients for your meals.
  • The full cost of all the items you consume must be included in your budget. This means budgeting for whole packages of food such as rice, pasta, noodles and eggs etc.
  • For items such as salt, pepper, herbs and spices, simply work out the cost of each item per ounce and budget your shopping proportionally. Separate your items before the challenge so there’s no need to be digging around in your pantry.
  • One of the easiest ways to partake in the challenge is to share the cost of ingredients amongst a team, as long as no participant spends more than $1.50 a day or their total $7.50 budget. Working as a team will allow you to pool together funds and do more with your cooking.
  • You can’t grab a snack from the pantry unless you include the cost of buying the item new in your budget.
  • You can use food sourced from your garden as long as you can account for the price of production!
  • No combination of meals on any given day can exceed the $1.50 spending limit. Remember this is a challenge to eat creatively – don’t at any point deprive yourself of three meals a day.
  • You cannot accept ‘donated’ food from family or friends, but monetary donations towards your fundraising goals are acceptable, and encouraged!
  • You are allowed to drink tap water – remember you should try and drink at least 6-8 glasses of water each day.


Who is involved?




What can you do to help?

Monday, February 13, 2012

How to Make A Recycled Valentine

Show those who you Love that you care about them and the planet.


   Materials
  • An old newspaper
  • Used envelops
  • Elmer's school glue
  • Red sharpie
  • Scissors
  • Sponge


Steps
  1. Cut heart shapes out of the old envelopes
  2. Tear up the newspaper into small pieces
  3. Sponge a small layer of glue onto the heart
  4. Place over laping pieces of newspaper onto the glue covered heart
  5. Sponge a thin layer of glue over the newspaper covered heart
  6. Let Dry
  7. Cut over hanging pieces of newspaper
  8. Draw a fun design onto the heart with the red sharpie
  9. Write a valentine note onto the back
  10. Give it to your loved one

 

Legend says that St. Valentine was a Roman priest who was martyred for refusing to stop marrying solders to their loves at a time when it was against the law for solders to marry. And the idea of sending a valentine started because he left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine".

Monday, November 7, 2011

Roman Holiday




Sorry Audrey mine was better.

The Fist step of my solo trip. Next to Tiber Island (Isola Tiberina) while a cérémonial pression is going on Below!
Sitting on Isola Tiberina next to the Fiume Tevere!

National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II (Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele I)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_to_Vittorio_Emanuele_II 


Saint Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peters_Square 
 
Up Bright and early to be in the security line.
Papal Swiss Guard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_Swiss_Guard

The Pietà ( Michelangelo)
Much smaller than i though it would be not going to lie but still beautiful and moving.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietà_(Michelangelo)
Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Papale di San Pietro)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter%27s_Basilica 
The Basilica in the distance.
I just thought this was to good. Another reminder of why i love JPII.
Castel Sant' Angelo
You may remember it from the Novel Angels and Demons.
Spanish Steps (Trinita dei Monti)
Princess Ann: I could do some of the things I've always wanted to.
Joe Bradley: Like what?
Princess Ann: Oh, you can't imagine. I-I'd do just whatever I liked all day long
 .
Ok granted i am not as graceful when i eat gelato as Princesses Ann.
Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)
So i did not need to steel a camera from the school girls behind me like Mr. Bradly. I just threw in my coin to insure i would return to Rome and was on my way. P.S. thank you random strangers who offered to take my Pic.
Roman Forum (Forum Romanum)
Joe Bradley: Now, come on. You're not that drunk.
Princess Ann: [
laughing] If you're so smart I'm not drunk at all. I'm just being
[
her head falls against his chest]
Princess Ann: verrrrry haaaappy...
The heart of Ancient Roman life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Forum
The Colosseum (Coliseum)
Joe Bradley: Where do you live? Princess Ann: [mumbles drunkenly] ... Colosseum... Joe Bradley: [to taxi driver] She lives in the Colosseum.Cab Driver: Is wrong address!  
Over 2000 years old.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Colosseum

Arch of Constantine (Arco di Costantino)
Arch of Janus (Arco di Giano)
The Mouth of Truth (La Bocca della Verità) Joe: The Mouth of Truth. Legend is that if you're given to lying, you put your hand in there, it'll be bitten off.
Ann:
Oh, what a hard idea.
Joe:
Let's see you do it.
Ann:
(she nervously moves her hand toward the mouth, but then pulls back) Let's see you do it!
I am sorry to report i no longer have my right hand and my nose has mysteriously grown longer.
Wait ...what is this? Why is she wearing a helmet? (And looking way to excited)


Fontana di Trevi at night!
Castel Sant' Angelo From across the Ponte sant' Angelo at night!
Me on the Ponte Sisto over looking the Fiume Tevere!
Via della Conoiliazione while driving by!
The Colosseum, my guide and me!
Thank You Luca and Nicole For showing me such a great time!
If any one wants to Have fun in Rome Check out Luca's B&B rooms and Holiday Appartment:
http://www.airbnb.com/users/show/610888