But then I saw this video on Elephant Journal and had to pass it along.

Over at Elephant Journal, there's an interesting little discussion started around mindfulness and politics.  I've added my two cents... come over and check it out and comment... makes things more fun that way! :-)  The link to it is right here.

Yikes, almost October already.  Once again, my desire to log in on a regular basis got sideswiped by life.  But that's okay, I've been pretty busy, and it's been for the better.  I've started a blog about my adventures (and mis-adventures) about teaching; if you are interested in reading it, you can find it here.  Feel free to leave a comment!  (I love getting comments on my blogs.)

I've also started an article series on education in the 21st century for Elephant Journal. Part one of the series is about my (virtually) paperless classroom, and can be found here.  Part two addresses the digital divide within my room and can be found here.  It'd be great to get some thoughts and feedback from people here.  Other parts of the series are going to include the No Child Left Inside movement, mindfulness in education, the impact of NCLB... the list goes on and on.

So... yeah, I've been busy, but as always, I'll be here as often as I can!

In case you missed it or want to see it again, here is the link to the Elevision interview with Robert Thurman at the Boulder Theater on July 23rd.  Enjoy!

This is from the Candle4Tibet website:

100,000,000 people will unite their light in the world's Greatest Light protest.

Tibetan diva, Yungchen Lhamo, joins Candle for Tibet campaign

Tel Aviv, July 14 2008

The world's greatest LIGHT PROTEST will take place on August 7th 2008 - one day before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. At least 100 million people from all over the world will light a candle and say YES for freedom in Tibet!

The Campaign started on facebook from the desktop of David Califa, 52, a retired private individual with an investment banking background, from Ramat Hasharon, Israel. Mr. Califa has been financing it with his own private funds. "Candle for Tibet" has quickly developed into a global movement which operates from a multilingual (25 languages, all translated by volunteers) web site with its own social network alongside.

Mr. Califa has now joined forces with members of Unity Network, a global movement acting to unite and promote love between human beings regardless of their color, nationality, sex, religion or politics. Tibetan diva, Yungchen Lhamo, has recently joined "Candle for Tibet". Miss Lhamo, who is recognized as the "Voice of Tibet", will lead the campaign with her divine voice, music and spirit.

To date more than 500,000 people from well over a hundred countries signed in.

"Candle for Tibet" asks people to put the candle in their windows, desks, or anywhere else where other people will see it and hopefully do the same. Many will participate in candle vigils throughout the world. The light protest is expected to be seen by billions on TV screens all over the world on the day the Beijing Olympics open.

On the following day letters will be issued to every head of state in the world reporting how many people from his country wish Tibet to be free, and demanding that each one of them will act for the freedom of Tibet.

Reasons why Candle for Tibet's light protest is unique:

A light protest is a new global medium which enhances the power of one person to make a stand for a noble cause. It unites millions of people around the world, given a chance to act on a specific moment in time, for a single goal. It is by no means a virtual protest.

It heralds breaking down country boundaries in terms of democracy, and one's ability to 'vote' on an idea. And it brings hope.

It tells individuals, regardless of their nationality, sex, race, political views and religion, that if they unite behind an idea in today's age, they can change their reality.

It is the more significant and effective a poll to which world leaders can refer. (Angela Merkel and Gordon Brown were surely aware of public opinion in their countries regarding the Tibetan issue).

It was never done before (at least not on such a scale)

It is non violent and also non profit.

The message is simple: Every human being who cares about freedom has a responsibility of lighting a candle. The act of lighting a candle, being personal and spiritual, is also viewed as a vote. Such massive vote that world leaders will not be able to ignore.



Web Site:    http://www.candle4tibet.org/

Social Network: http://candle4tibet.ning.com/

Contact: David Califa

Email: info@candle4tibet.org

+972 (54) 4730090


WHY TIBET. Tibet today, has become a symbol of freedom. It is a symbol that represents the natural right of any human being for self determination, freedom of thought, conscience, belief and religion.

THE OPPORTUNITY. . The Olympic Games in Beijing which will open on August 8th 2008 are a unique opportunity to focus the world's attention on the annulment of those rights in Tibet and in many other places in the world. This is especially a unique opportunity, in a time when China is sensitive to worldwide public opinion. We are not against the Olympics or anything else for that matter; we stand for Freedom, Period. The Olympic Games in Beijing is why we feel it's the right time and place to make our stand.

THE POINT. . The aim of it all is to give the people of the world a real chance to unite in a way that sends an active and creative message of love and freedom. We believe in the power of the people when uniting together to make a true change in the world. This time it is for Tibet and for freedom, but the next step could be any other goal the people choose. We aim to reflect that there is a way for people to unite as one and make a difference. Right after the CANDLE FOR TIBET campaign we will announce the next campaign.

ABOUT UNITY NETWORK. . Is a global movement acting to unite and promote love between human beings regardless of their color, nationality, sex, religion or politics. Unity Network is aimed at empowering the world's population to manifest their united power by creating a network that will enable public globally synchronized actions and peaceful protests for the sake of peace, love and other interests common to all human beings.

ABOUT YUNGCHEN LHAMO. . Her name means Goddess of Song. . She left Tibet in 1989 at age 25, via the perilous navigation of the Himalayas in order to escape the oppressive Chinese regime governing Tibet. She made a pilgrimage to Dharamsala, to receive the blessings of the Dalai Lama, where he lives in exile. She was inspired to reach out to the world through her music, to share her culture and educate people about Tibet. Since being signed to Peter Gabriel's Real World Records label, Yungchen has released two critically-acclaimed albums. Michael Coulson directed Yungchen's first music video, Happiness Is. . The video can be seen in our site courtesy of the singer herself.

http://www.yungchenlhamo.com/

I went to the the Tattered Cover in Denver last night to listen to Prof. Thurman talk about his book and to touch base with him prior to tonight's Elevision, and I'm glad I did.  He was amazing; one of the best speakers I've heard in a while.  He focused on Tibet and his new book of course (after all, he was there to promote it!), but covered a few other topics as well, and did it in a warm, funny, informative, and entertaining way.  Prof. Thurman himself is a really laid back and genuinely nice guy.  I'm glad I had the chance to talk with him outside of the hecticness that will be tonight.  One thing I will say for sure is that if anyone is on the fence about going, don't be.  Get your ticket and go... it will be totally worth it.

First, check out this nifty new video about Elevision.

Second, don't forget that this Wednesday is the Elevision: Free Tibet event at the Boulder Theater with Robert Thurman, James Gimian, and Robert Schmidt... for more info and tickets, go here.

And... on a more personal note, my raw milk deliveries have started, and with it, access to raw cream.  I'd never had it before, but let me tell you, it makes an absolutely PERFECT creme brulee.


It came out so perfect... between the raw milk and cage free eggs, that was a pretty hippie creme brulee... and it  tasted quite good, if I do say so myself.  Added the sugar and carmelized it, then we had it for dessert.  YUM! :-)

World Tibet Day is this weekend.  Boulder's celebration is tomorrow... who's going (besides me)?

Coolest news of the week:  Robert Thurman is coming to Boulder!   On July 23rd, Elephant Journal will be hosting an Elevision and book signing with Professor Robert Thurman at the Boulder Theater!

If you can make it out, you definitely should! It should be fun.... music, a fashion show, other guests, and Prof. Robert Thurman (first American-born Tibetan Buddhist monk, a friend of H.H. Dalai Lama XIV, and Uma's dad).

If you are looking for more info,go here or here.

Spent the weekend helping out at the Gaia Film Festival in Boulder.  It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun also.  I also had the good fortune to see some pretty great movies.  On Friday, we watched the short film, Sacred Water, followed by Water, a movie about the properties of water, including the chemical properties, but water possesses qualities far beyond its chemical composition of H₂0, including the idea that not only can water be influenced by our thoughts and emotions, but also that water has memory.  It was an interesting film, and I’m looking forward to getting it on dvd.

The movie that had the most impact on me, however, was Fields of Fuel, which I firmly believe has the potential to have an impact similar to An Inconvenient Truth.  I have already made the decision to contact Subaru of America about the possibility of importing a Subaru Boxer diesel engine from Europe and putting it into my Forester if at all possible, then instead of using petroleum based regular diesel fuel, switching to biodiesel.  I emailed Subaru and got a response that they are looking to bring the diesel Subaru to the United States in the next few years, but that’s not fast enough for me.  I am completely sickened and fed up with the oil industry, and if it is at all possible, both logistically and financially, to get a boxer diesel in my car by summer’s end, I’m going to do it.  I’m going to be calling Subaru this week and try to further explore my options.

The movie itself was well done.  It addressed the issue of food vs. fuel, and included information that biofuels can and should be made from more than one source, including micro-algae.  The movie looked at the issue from the progressive environmental piece, as one might expect, but also addressed the issue of national security and the dangers of our reliance on foreign oil, especially in regards to our importing oil from the Middle East.  I found myself touched by the impact that petrochemicals have had on the people who live near its processing areas to outraged over the abuses that the petrochemical industry has inflicted on the American people for the past 100+ years.  Overall, an excellent film.  I will definitely own it on dvd when it is released, and will likely by the 45 minute educational version once it is released as well in order to share it with my colleagues.

The man responsible for Fields of Fuel, Josh Tickell, was in attendance at the festival, so I got to meet him, which was pretty cool.  (That’s who is standing next to me in the picture.)  He was very personable, and you could tell that he takes this issue seriously, and with a passion that is infectious.  I only was able to talk with him for a few minutes, but really enjoyed our conversation.

I also had the pleasure of hearing Peter Russell speak on Sunday night.  He had some really interesting things to say about what he sees as our potential future on this planet, and I definitely want to pick up some of his books and likely a few of his movies as well.  I particularly am drawn to his book The Global Brain, which has also been made into a movie, and while I’ve never read the book or seen the movie, I have added the book to my reading list… well, right now it’s on my “track this down and get it” list, but once I do get it, it goes on the “get cracking and read these books” shelf.  (Okay, I admit, it’s actually the “get cracking and read these books” shelves, but you get the point.)

I’m really looking forward to next year’s festival.  Kyle, Blake, and I have already decided that we want to be involved in it again next year.  We had a great time and met some great people.  Next: helping out with the Boulder Adventure Film Festival in November!

 

(cross posted to: http://todd-mayville.blogspot.com/)