When I heard this morning that Barack Obama had been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, I was pretty much speechless.  I’m not entirely sure how to react to this announcement.

On one hand, I’m undeniably an Obama supporter—even if I don’t have a graphic tee with his face emblazoned on it like most of my friends do. I read Dreams from my Father, voted for him (twice), and watched the election results breathlessly last year while furiously checking FiveThirtyEight every ten seconds. I love his eloquence, his poise, and everything he represents: the return of intellectualism to the White House and the possibility of improved race relations across the country. Plus, he graduated from my alma mater, even if he hates talking about it. And his wife is pretty kickass.

On the other hand… when I saw this SNL sketch last week, I couldn’t laugh because I was too busy cringing. I agree with most of the points that the Saturday Night Live crew is making: Obama’s rhetoric has rarely been matched by decisive action. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are still dragging on, healthcare is still a mess, and the recession hasn’t exactly ended, despite what some media outlets are saying. (Also, the sketch itself was just horrifically unfunny. SNL kind of blows this season… but I digress.) Read More »

I have a confession to make: I was more excited about my California Pizza Kitchen leftovers last night than I was about Project Runway. Now, I’m sure most of you are thinking to yourself, “Obvi. CPK is the bomb.com, so who wouldn’t be super excited about those?” And I agree – it was the roasted eggplant pizza, which is just phenom – but I still think I should have been more excited about my favorite TV show.

Well, my former favorite TV show.

I am trying so hard to get excited about this season of PRW, but I just….can’t. Yes, some of the designers (Althea, Ra’Mon) are talented, but they are all just so blah. I mean, let’s get real, the most exciting person on the show (or the most exciting to watch, rather) is Johnny, the former meth-head-turned-pathological-liar who somehow snuck onto the show with a box of needles and zero talent.

Where is the drama? Where are the funny people? Why do I insist on sitting through an hour of this show every week, bored to tears and dreaming about my pizza that’s sitting in the fridge? And how am I supposed to get excited about a bunch of boring people making dresses out of the L.A. Times?

Anyone who is anyone knows that the L.A. Times is good for one thing and one thing only: the crossword puzzle. Was this a PR opportunity for a dying business? Some ploy by the L.A. Times to report higher sales to their advertisers since the designers each took 300 papers?  And how do you think Al Gore felt about this obvious waste of precious materials?! Read More »

College brings a whole lot of new experiences, new lessons and new people. But it seems that no matter what school you go to, there are same characters on every campus:

With the Go Green revolution, a lot of us have been making the effort to protect and preserve our environment: trees, animals, reservations. Hemp jewelry is so in right now and vintage is your new passion, right?

Well, guess who’s more passionate than you are? The Neo-hippie, better known as The Empathetic Activist.

The Empathetic Activist feels the pain of the distressed, whether it is animal, mineral or vegetable. When a mouse-trap is set up in the dorms, he or she will be there to protect the rights of our furry friends. When soda cans are thrown in the cafeteria trash, he or she will be there to lecture their peers on the perils of cans in dumps around the world. When a tree is cut down to expand your campus, he or she is there screaming murder through blurred vision…or at least collecting signatures to stop the madness.

The Empathetic Activist cares, but not about material objects. While we’re all spending what little money we have on a spring break wardrobe, the E.A. is perusing the local consignment/ thrift/ vintage shops while munching on some tofu, as he or she is also most likely vegan/vegetarian. (“Animals have rights too!”) And when your favorite neo-hippie is not purchasing vegan Birkenstocks, you will find him or her working for social consciousness, whether it be through debates and discussions with friends or long and heated monologues during class. Read More »

Remember that girl who claimed she was attacked for supporting McCain? Yeah, one BIG, FAT LIE.

Britney Spears hangs with the kiddies.

Finally, a site that celebrates real women.

Michael Jackson scares the crap out of us.

Al Gore put to work for the election.

These boys are very funny. Maybe they are single too?

Guy Ritchie does what we all do after a breakup: gets his drink on.

Does Paris have a body image problem?

It’s effing FRIDAY, people. Time for some Beer Pong.

So Josh Hartnett has a sex tape. God heard our prayers! What we wouldn’t give to see that thing…in IMAX. [Wipes drool off of desk.] Knowing this (and praying that we can one day watch it) got us thinking: what does one eat while watching a sex tape? Popcorn? Edible underwear?

Also, who else would we want to see starring in their very own sex tape?

Ed Westwick, fo sho.

The teacher from the new 90210.

Ourselves (for private viewing only…and the cellulite would have to be airbrushed).

Anyone, in fact, besides these people: Read More »

It happens every year. School ends, your lease runs its course and its time to pack up all your sh*t and move out. In doing so, you discover things you haven’t seen since the day you moved in: that old camera (filed with embarrassing photos from that frat party during welcome week), the cell phone you dropped in the toilet and all those empty printer cartridges from finals first semester.

You consider selling everything on Craigslist… or you could just toss that crap in a hefty bag and leave it for the management company to tow away to the nearest landfill. You’d choose number two, didn’t you? Well, Al Gore would be quite upset with you, Captain Contaminator.

Read More »

Thanks to one Mr. Al Gore, I have been somewhat of a greenie (a friend of the planet, not the dog treat) for awhile now.

I have been spreading the word for months (like here) in hopes that I can get other people on board with me. Not because it is trendy or “in” right now, but because we don’t want our children to have to deal with such a mess of a planet later….or burst into flames because the earth has gotten so hot.

And I have met a lot of apprehension along the way:

“But I really love my Hummer.”

“It’s so hard to be earth friendly!”

“GO HUG A TREE!”

“Ew. Reuse someone else’s PAPER?!”

Ah; ignorance. How I loathe thee.

If people just sat down and listened for a few minutes they would realize just how simple it is to be earth friendly. I am not asking people to reuse their Ziploc bags (which I get made fun of for all the time) or stop using toilet paper. I am asking people to make teensy tiny changes to their daily routines that make virtually no difference to the user and a huge difference to the planet.

Since I last wrote about green items such as compact fluorescent bulbs and reusable grocery bags, a whole slew of new earth friendly products have surfaced. These hot new items are innovative, made from recycled products (to cut down on excess waste!) and yet another few easy ways for you to get a bit more green-ified. The best part, obviously, is that they don’t look like crunchy “Save the Planet” items; these are things you actually need and want. Read More »

Think it takes too much effort or is too expensive to be Green while slaving away in class, writing papers, and living it up at school?

Don’t be so lazy! There are so many ways an individual can have a large effect on the environment and it can start by simply changing your lightbulb. It takes a lot less effort than you’d think!

A compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) is that funny-looking swirl that fits into a standard socket. It costs three to five times as much as a conventional incandescent bulb, yet uses one-quarter the electricity and lasts several years longer. There are many other ways you can contribute if you knew.

I believe Shipwreck said it best, after episode 39 of GI Joe, when he said,

“Knowing how to impact the environment is half the battle, following through on that knowledge is what will make a difference. ”

We haven’t really even begun to scratch the surface of conservation because many people don’t know what they can do to play their part in the Green Movement.

The other half of society thinks that being Green is some taboo activity for hippies and the state of Vermont. A lot of people don’t even realize what their affect on the environment is. Read More »

Today is 7/7/07 and besides being the biggest day for weddings, like, ever, it is a big day for Planet Earth. As I told you before, Live Earth, a concert to benefit the planet/spread awareness of global warming will rock the planet (from all around the world) from morning until night.

And while it will be an awesome show, today’s extravaganza is about a lot more than making some snacks and enjoying some good music with friends. Live Earth is a chance to begin something huge and make great strides in changing the way we treat this planet. And no one knows more about this than one Mr. Al Gore.

Who, by the way, personally sent me an email to alert me of the upcoming concert. Well, “personally” might be a strong word. Technically, I signed up for his email list and get updates from him weekly. But that is beside the point; the real point is that Mr. Gore has asked me to sign a pledge to change my actions and make a more positive impact on my beautiful planet. He also asked me to pass the pledge along.

So here it is: The Live Earth Pledge. Read it, click it and sign it. And begin making the difference that this earth so desperately needs.

I PLEDGE:

1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;

2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral;” Read More »

More important than finding the color of your aura or analyzing your handwriting, the Carbon Footprint calculator is an online test that actually means something.Sponsored by Live Earth, which is set to take the global stage on July 7 with a slough of powerful entertainers giving concerts, the calculator tabulates your “footprint” based on things like your electricity bill, your use of energy – efficient lighting, modes of transportation and dedication to recycling, plus more.

I scored a 220 (not having a car finally works in my favor!). The average American score is 325. You might be surprised by your score, but even more surprised by how easy it is to reduce the force of your tread.