This is a great blog entry by George Monbiot, whos blog I just recently found.
Growing My Own: “Boycotting the superstores means taking on five allotments
By George Monbiot. Published in the Guardian 1st October 2005
It was the onions that did it. I was already having doubts about the Co-op, but this was beyond parody. Onions from New Zealand? In late summer, while our own crop was being lifted? …”
(Via Monbiot.com.)
I am very happy to have found George’s blog too. I like his writing and what he has to say about everything I’ve read so far. There’s some great articles that shed light on a lot of current situations. Articles that go back to before I started really paying attention to the current situation in Iraq and the Middle East.
Speaking of growing your own, I really enjoyed his “Careers Advice” entry – Choose Life.
I have grown tired of my life. The life that I have chosen, that is. Not of living .. jeez! It is not what I would have grown for myself if I had to do it over again. Its not that it is altogether bad or anything. George, I think, pretty much sums up the corporate world in the best way I’ve ever read:
“What the corporate or institutional world wants you to do is the complete opposite of what you want to do. It wants a reliable tool, someone who can think, but not for herself: who can think instead for the institution.”
It is never too late though, and I need to seriously start thinking of my freedom and what I want to do. I need to grow my own life.
He gives a lot to think about in his writing. I like blogs like that.
Monbiot.com
Hmmm.
I came across this article in the recently discovered Gothamist. (Found through companion site Seattlest.)
I wonder if our soon to be voted on Washington smoking ban is taking cues from New York: Poll Says People Want A Tougher Ban.
My pen waffled a bit in voting for our ban. The 25 ft language seems a little extreme. It was impossible for me not to vote for the ban, though, as I can’t stand cigarette smoke. I, personally, would like to see smoking completely gone. I wouldn’t miss it, though a small minority of Washingtonians would. I totally understand the 25 ft thing, just the smell is very permeating. Is it an inconvenience? No, an annoyance is more like it.
The Stranger made a good point about law enforcement using the rule to pick on certainly establishments more than others. That would definitely not be a good thing. I wonder, though, that the police would enforce it more at “nice” places and not care so much at the more questionable clubs which was the point The Stranger was making. Who knows.
I think smokers are entitled to their opinions too, but I can’t stand the argument that a smoking ban infringes on their rights. I think its a ridiculous argument to make. They have no control over their second hand smoke, they are affecting non-smokers health by smoking in public. What about the majority of the population, who don’t smoke, what about their rights? Do we have the right not to be exposed to cancer-causing smoke? I think so. If you want to smoke, why not do it in the comfort of your own home? Where it won’t affect anyone else? So, I don’t have the same opinion of Garth from the Gothamist.
But anyway. It will be interesting to see if it passes here or not.
Great news from Argentina:10,000 protest against Bush: “World: Around 10,000 protesters take to streets of Argentinean resort hosting the Summit of the Americas.”
(Via Guardian Unlimited.)