So We Are Grasped By What We Cannot Grasp

My eyes already touch the sunny hill,

going far ahead of the road I have begun.

So we are grasped by what we cannot grasp;

it has its inner light, even from a distance.

and changes us, even if we do not reach it,

into something else, which, hardly sensing it,

we already are;

a gesture waves us on, answering our own wave…

but what we feel is the wind in our faces.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Link Loving 09.05.11

• Richard Black on the amazing Alec Loorz, a 16-year-old who says he is suing the US government on their lack of climate action.
• Not On The Wires. A group of journalists devoted to producing and sharing interesting stories from people all around the world.
• Five lessons from the AV referendum. I fear Mark Wallace is right.
• Tina Fey is back as Sarah Palin. *JOY*
• Freedom of Information requests reveal that BP officials openly discussed how to influence the work of scientists conducting independent research into the consequences of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. Natalya Sverjensky.
• Powerful open letter from Clifford Singer to the owner of the Daily Express, Richard Desmond.
• Africa’s demographics are changing – one in three now middle class. David Smith. Andy Sumner has a wider critical look.
• Michael Ignatieff, ex-leader of the Canadian Liberals has an endearing goodbye message. Richard Gowan.
• Meredith Warner suggests using the Fibonnaci Sequence as a way to accurately plan timings.

Consumerism: The Musical

Just what you need on a Monday morning.

Link Loving 08.05.11

• Interesting profile of Guyana from Robert Coates at the New Internationalist. Brazil investing big time.
• The story and economics of GroupOn. Fasctinating stuff from Felix Salmon at Reuters.
• George Monbiot on the need for a new green narrative.
• What is school for? Seth Godin.
• The silent bonfire of safetyguards. Sophie FitzMaurice.
• Tom Baker on the power (or lack of it) of calling your MP as part of a campaign.
• Some great campaign tips from Joy Cushman on diagnosing a problem before stepping in.

New York – Without The Ads

Morgan Spurlock – the guy from Supersize Me – has a new project – No Ad New York.

It’s a simple idea – taking a 360-degree picture of Time Square, then edit the picture online to get rid of all the ads. It ends up looking something like this.

It seems that there are ever more campaigns to get rid of visual pollution (or even better ‘life pollution’). Ironically, even SkyHD has got the same idea…

Link Loving 07.05.11

• The Island President – a film about President Nasheed from the Maldives, who has become a champion for the small island states and the fight against climate change.

The Robin Hood Tax Song

How could I have missed this!?

Link Loving 06.05.11

• If the UK had launched the raid against Bin Laden. Classic photo.
• Sharing and caring: the implications of collaborative consumption. David Roberts.
• You thought the private sector was less bureaucratic than the public sector? Hah. Julia Middleton.
• Some great lessons for campaigners after the success of Twestival, from man with the keyboard – Cian O’Donovan.
• Where the Doha trade talks go, the climate talks follow. Back to the future of multilateralism. Andrew Pendleton.
• The Big Society and the struggle for the soul of the voluntary sector. Anna Coote.
• Carbon accounting system is mad as a hatter. Andrew Simms.
• How Finland is shaking up the European Union. David Bosco.
• How social innovation really happens. Joe Brewer.

The Story Of Citizens United

Every time that the team behind The Story of Stuff puts something out into the world – I am amazed.

The clarity of the message, the friendly tone – that isn’t trying to be cuddly, and the joy of the creativity of it all! More please.

Link Loving 05.05.11

• A backlash against Chinese economic activity in Africa? Duncan Green.
• After the demise of the SDC, is it time for a People’s Green Watchdog? Solitaire Townsend.
• Ann Pettifor’s blog gets a make over – but keeps it’s name, Debtonation.
• Rotterdam has been a building site for over a decade. Now it’s ‘new heart’ will contain…shops and casinos. Wonderful insight from John Thackara.
• The future for the Canadian Greens following the election of Elizabeth May. Felix von Geyer.
• What was Nick Griffin doing at a conference on peak oil? Alex Evans.
• Libya: time for an Islamic Peacekeeping Force? Richard Gowan.
• Laurie Bennett on Chandran Nair’s RSA talk – the future’s… not bright.
• Talking to people about sustainability can be like talking to people when they’re really drunk. Ed Gillespie.