Please welcome artist, Lara Swift.  Ms. Swift supplants any originally parochial senses of creativity with sexual singularity and soul-scratching vibrancy.  Saturated, earthen, digital.... knee-melting. Link.

Bike & Build raises money and awareness for affordable housing across the U.S.  You can help support Bike & Build simply by eating at Pizzeria Uno's in Kenmore Square, Boston -- then presenting  this little paper voucher when it's time to pay the bill.

"This summer I will be leaving Boston (sad, I know) and biking from Providence, RI to Seattle, WA. I will be riding with a program called Bike & Build along with about 30 other riders on this specific route. The program has 6 routes, and in total almost 200 people involved.

"Bike & Build's mission is to raise money and awareness for affordable housing across the U.S. It does so by organizing these trips and asking participants to each raise at least $4,000 to facilitate the ride and to donate to local affordable housing organizations en route. We also stop about 1 day each week to help build at established sites.

"Personally, thanks to the generosity of family and friends, I am well on my way to raising $4,000 (almost 90% there!), but I'm seeking a challenge and am trying to reach $5,000. I am sending this message because I will be holding two upcoming fundraisers at Uno's Pizzeria in Kenmore Square to benefit Bike & Build. The first will be this Friday, March 23. The second is Friday, March 30. All you have to do is go to Uno's and have something to eat or drink and 10-20% of sales will be donated to Bike and Build.

"In order for the servers to know you are there to support this cause, you will need to bring a paper voucher with you. If you aren't able to print it, at least bring some sort of note and speak with your server indicating that you are there to support my trip with Bike and Build...maybe even write it on the bill.

Thank you!
-Terra

PS - Feel free to spread the word!"

Ingeborg takes us to Reichenau, Switzerland and starts off with a quick nature walk through beautiful landscapes and up into the mountains. Check out today's new set (5 of 5)!

Seeing the Light is Jetgirl's newest artist feature -- spotlighting the work of Boston photographer, freelance art director, set designer, and stylist for film, Amy Whitten.  In the coming few days, Jetgirl will share this beautiful series of Whitten's stills that vividly transform some of life's otherwise unseen passings like hot breath across fingerprints on cold glass. Each image is paired with the artist's playful and revealing annotations -- bringing us happily closer to her personality, creative sense of surroundings, and occasional fondness for mischief!  Enjoy this first set, and check back later this week for set 2...

Link 

February 13th, 2007 -- EarthRights International announced this invitation to a special screening of the award-winning documentary, Total Denial, on Thursday, February 22nd.

Jan 31, 2007: PETA announced today that progress has been made with the pig flesh industry.  The announcement began:

As many of you know, I work in an independent bookstore -- actually, an independent bookstore devoted to science fiction, fantasy and related gaming. Well, it was announced yesterday that we are very close to going under.

It's breaking my heart, folks. Pandemonium has been a staple on the Cambridge literary scene for over 17 years. Tyler (the owner) took over the premises of the Science-Fantasy Bookstore when Spike decided he'd had enough back in '89. It's not just a store--it's a community center. I spend two nights a week there... my customers are familiar friendly faces. Jeez, I even met my current boyfriend there.

Over the past ten years, independent bookstores have been dropping like flies in an area where there used to be one on every block (and even denser in Harvard Square). There are a few holdouts, but last year Boston lost two of its mainstays--Avenue Victor Hugo and Wordsworth. I bought almost all of my UK Pratchetts at Wordsworth back in the 90's when he was out of print over here.

Anyway, if anyone is interested in helping:
http://community.livejournal.com/pandemonium_bks/

Cheers,
Lisa "Riz" Risley
"Our tragedies may define us, but that does not mean they determine our fate." From the screenplay Long December

This is really cool -- Amnesty has hooked up with "Working Assets" to create a program with 10% of your phone charges go to support AI.  They just announced today:

"Now there’s another tool in the fight for human dignity: your cell phone. Join Amnesty Wireless, our new cell phone service that supports Amnesty International, and with every call you make, 10% of your phone charges will benefit Amnesty — at no extra cost to you!"

Link 

 

In other news,The Consumerist  published a formula for dumping Verizon Wireless without incurring an early contract exit fee... very nice coupling of announcements... though I'm not sure I'm ready to give Verizon Wireless up for Sprint quite yet...

Our cycling friend, Terra, clued Jetgirl into a great organization "LivableStreets", the Cambridge non-profit run by Jeffrey Rosenblum who recently ran a screening of "Contested Streets".  The film was inspiring, unifying, entertaining, and its filled the LivableStreets gallery/offices with a huge crowd of other really interested and interesting people.

Mr. Rosenblum announced that another showing of "Contested Streets would be happening in the future, we'll try to find out when that will be, or you could sign up to the LivableStreets mail list for more immediate notification.

CONTESTED STREETS explores the history and culture of New York City streets from pre-automobile times to the present. This examination allow  for an understanding of how the city - though the most well served by mass transit in the United States - has slowly relinquished what was a rich, multi-dimensional conception of the street as public space to a mindset that prioritizes the rapid movement of cars and trucks over all other functions...

Link