Progressive Issues

Front Porch:Home:Bleeding Heart Stuff

Ralph Nader tells Bill Gates what many of us have wanted to tell him.
E-The People - Although I'm a little wary that it's a com domain rather than an org, this looks to be a good way for people to get more politically involved. It makes it easy to find out who to contact and how to contact them, whether it be a local, state or national issue.
Rock the Vote - an admirable attempt to reach the short attention span generation.
Project Vote Smart - a non-partisan organization that allows you to track legislative voting records as well as find out who represents you in the first place.
Pacifica Radio - the exception to the rulers. Pacifica is still worth listening to despite the fact that its sellout board wants to make it into the new NPR. Join the fight to save Pacifica.
The Green Party of California - they have a cool platform.
20/20 Vision - Especially interested in nuclear issues, this organization makes things easier for armchair activists.
Working Assets is the kind of company I go out of my way to support. They provide long distance service, online services, credit cards and pagers. The profits after costs go to various worthy efforts. They also provide free calls to Washington, DC so you can speak your mind.
Dark Alliance - Reporter Gary Webb broke this story and the web staff of the Mercury put together a super website. Unfortunately, criticizing the CIA has its price and the Merc's chief fired Webb and backpedaled on the story. So much for muckraking. Update - The Merc doesn't even have the story online anymore although it was a big hitgetter for them. Webb now has a book "Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras and the Crack Cocaine Explosion". Buy it at your local independent bookstore. Meanwhile, here's a transcript of one of Mr. Webb's speeches. Thanks to Garrett Derner for the link tip.
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility - heard about them on the radio. Sounds like my kind of spirituality.
The Guerilla Girls - How I long to be one of them! They are blowing the lid of the chauvinism of the Art world.
SweatGear

Media Watchers

Adbusters
Corporate Watch - just what it sounds like.
Project Censored
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
About Face! - an organization that wants to turn back the tide of starvation imagery with which women are constantly bombarded.

Ecological Links

Real Goods - an organization and catalogue devoted to sustainable living.
Urban Ore - it's a lifestyle digging for ore...
Taken for a Ride - a great documentary that entertains as well as informs about how GM, Firestone and other auto-related companies bought the nation's light rail systems in order to shut them down.

The Natural Step

Det Naturliga Steget - "The Natural Step". A program originated and publicized by Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert in Sweden. It enlists the cooperation of consumers and corporations in making the changes needed to save the environment.
How Electrolux implemented TNS.
The Natural Step- includes a written transcript of an English-language interview that Dr. Robert did with New Dimensions Radio. In case the link moves, you want program no. 2498
A Brief Overview of The Natural Step.
Environmental Building News talks about the Natural Step.
Results of 1989 Swedish Poll on the Environment. The site is in Swedish and English.

Consumer Stuff

People With a Beef and a Website - compendium of sites that have a bone to pick. Some are nuts and some have a very valid point.

Media that moved/moves me...

Affluenza and Escape From Affluenza - 2 great "documentaries" out of KCTS that make folks question the throwaway society we live in and whether it's really a better way of life. Including links for treatment of affluenza.
Who's Counting - a film about Marilyn Waring - goat farmer, former member of the New Zealand Parliament, economist and author of If Women Counted.
Lies My Teacher Told Me. I recommend James Loewen's followup, "Lies Across America: What Our Historic Markers and Monuments Get Wrong" as well.
People's History of the United States - tells history from the point of view of the "losers". I really want to buy the wall charts that accompany it.
Endless Enemies - the book that started it all for me. It examines why US Foreign Policy often acts contrary to our stated intentions of "spreading democracy".

Last modified on 11/12/00

I used to update something on this site about every two weeks. Unfortunately, things are probably going to be mothballed for a while due to a hellacious flareup of Repetitive Strain Injury. I have voice recognition, but it's not too good for me to spend much time on the computer in either case. I still love hearing your feedback about the site, it's just going to take me longer to reply or implement changes. So keep them cards and letters coming!

Yak Back to Spidra Webster: spidra at speakeasy dot net

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