Wendell Berry says...

...the Food System is firmly grounded on the following principles:

• Food is important mainly as an article of international trade.
• It doesn't matter what happens to farmers.
• It doesn't matter what happens to the land.
• Agriculture has nothing to do with "the environment."
• There will always be plenty of food, for if farmers don't grow it from the soil, then scientists will invent it.
• There is no connection between food and health. People are fed by the food industry, which pays no attention to health, and are healed by the health industry, which pays no attention to food.
• It follows that there is no connection between healing and health. Hospitals customarily feed their patients poor-quality, awful-tasting, factory-made expensive food and keep them awake all night with various expensive attentions. There is a connection between money and health.

Wendell Berry (Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community, 1994).

dark was the night

this compilation is great for a number of reasons:
first, its a good cause, proceeds will "benefit the Red Hot Organization – an international charity dedicated to raising money and awareness for HIV and AIDS through popular culture."
secondly it stands as an accurate snapshot of a particular segment of current music culture. the participants are somewhat iconic and representative an exciting season in music- check out the tracklist.
third- it's just damn good. [thanks johnathan for pointing it out!]

a call to repentance: consumerism

in what is typically known as "black friday," we show our true colors: that in the middle of an economic recession, with a short-term credit market that is threatening to collapse- we are still a nation of rabid consumers. npr reported people lining up at best buy at 10am yesterday- waiting through thanksgiving day and all night long for the 5am opening of the temple. ny times reports a walmart employee getting trampled to death (along with four shoppers injured and a pregnant woman taken in for observation) this morning as shoppers tore down the temple doors for early access to worship.
today i invite you to buy nothing. it's a small step towards repentance. if you want to go further, celebrate a buy-nothing-christmas.
it is increasingly important that we be thoughtful with our spending and understand the impact of our consumption. if you want to give, may your giving not stop with the person recieving the gift. get creative. how about giving some beans from coffee ambassadors? or a micro-loan from kiva? even a donkey or a well from oxfam? or create something- because when you are engaged with your own creativity, your health and the health of your community is vitalized.
and if you need something, i recommend a few questions to work through. Ask yourself: 1) if you really need it. 2) if you can borrow it from someone you know. 3) if you can make it yourself. 4) if you can purchase it used. 5) if you can get it discounted.
introduce new products into your cycle of consumption only as a last resort.
do not participate in 500% mark-ups.
consume less.
ok, my rant is over. merry chri$tma$.