Stand Up, Take Responsibility, Be An Adult

In kindergarten if I pulled on someones pig tales I would have to take responsibility for my actions. In elementary school if i did not do my homework I would own up to my actions and take responsibility. In high when I threw a party that got out of hand and was busted by my folks, I stood up and took responsibility.  At work, if I dropped the ball on a project or forgot to relay a message I would take responsibility for my mistake. My whole life I have been taught by parents, teachers, employeers and friends that I am responsible for my actions, and that when I fail, slip up, or make a mistake it is I that takes responsibility.

Yet what baffles me is that the people we entrust with the most responsibilites in this country don't seem to think that they have to be accountable for their actions, at all.  One person in particular that comes to mind is L Paul Bremer. He was appointed by President Bush in 2003 to take over for Gen. Jay Garner in overseeing the reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in Iraq. Well, it does not take a genius to see that he has received an F in these matters. Yet, there is no apology or acceptance of any wrong doing on his part, what so ever.

In a new documentary entitled No End In Sight a disturbing picture of his actions paints out that he was a neglectful and unqualified person for the job. Declining to be interviewed for the film, the film makers managed to find one video interview of Bermer on CNN. When pressed with a tough question the, "I can't recall" answer was the only thing that came to Bremer's mind. Come on bub, don't play stupid, that excuse did not work on my parents and it aint going to work on me.

This is just one person in a long list of people who should be accountable for their actions. I mean, the clerk at the grocery store has to account for every penny that comes through his register, you would hope that the same rules apply to someone like lets say the President.

Here is a good time line of how we as America dropped the ball in possibly curbing the amount of violence we are now seeing in Iraq. Who knows what could have been, but I do feel that Bremer's actions have coast us dearly. And who is going to take responsibility? Those who have lost their lives, and the unfortunate others that will follow. 

08ingchange is east coast bound

Armed with over 100 posters in my bag, 08ingchange is heading out to New York city to bring in the new year. I will be hitting the streets of NYC for the next three to four weeks, spreading the message and creating some change in the city. What better way to bring in 2008 then sharing the idea that CHANGE is all the rage.

Chasing Santa on Christmas Eve

Last night was a success. We clocked in over 60 miles of LA streets, hitting up the valley, westwood, santa monica, vencie, culver city, west hollywood, los feliz and chinatown.

Also a special thanks to D for coming along for the ride and providing his wheels. I am proud to say that this poster run was done entirely on veggie oil.

The Ron Paul Blimp

Props to the Ron Paul blimp. I noticed some posts you placed up on box we have been occupying for some time, the one on Laurel Canyon and Riverside. Thanks for not covering up '08 but adding to it.

I am not sure if I understand the blimp but kudos for trying something different. Blimps are a good way to catch attention. I remember as a kid my parents pointing out to me, "look there's a blimp" and sure enough there was a blimp, high in the sky and moving incredibly slowly. Nine times out of ten it was for Met Life.

You can check out what i mean by visiting ronpaulblimp.com

I don't know? Me and that candiate make strange bedfellows . . .

Today was an odd day. What i thought would be a free day was spent at the West Los Angeles traffic court. I had to square away a fix it ticket. What should have taken five minutes took three hours and $25. Neon lights, bad Christmas decorations, and bureaucratic procedures are not a good combination. The best part of the day was the drive over there.

The Supulveda pass wizzed by as I listened to this weeks episode of This American Life. This week they explored friendships and how sometimes the most unlikely people become good bed fellows. It got me thinking, not just about the way i see my friendships, but towards the way i see life, and the decisions i will have to make in the near future.

All i have been hearing recently on public radio is Iowa this and Iowa that. I know, an important state whose results will help determine which candidates will move on in the election and which ones will not. But what i have gathered is that the results might be a crap shoot. While some people are up and others are down, no one is quite sure how it will all turn out. Which then got me thinking, "will i be placed in a position to vote for a strange bedfellow?" A person I might not think at first to have anything in common with, but later find to be a trusty companion?

I DON'T KNOW. At the moment i feel more confused then a post-op tranny waiting at a bus stop for Santa Claus.

Just some food for thought. Give it a listen, you'll laugh, you'll cry, maybe even have an epiphany.

LISTEN HERE

"CHANGE" is all the political rage

In listening to Warren Olney's "To the Point" today on LA's KCRW radio station, political analysts talked about the battle for the term "change" in the Democratic primaries.

LISTEN HERE

Obama is gaining ground on his "Change" platform - basically a smug on the outdated, political rigidness of the Clintons.

Hillary responded by claiming her slice of the "Change" pie. She now calls herself an "agent of change," claiming she's got the experience to implement this Change.

But who really owns Change? '08ingchange does!! It's true, ask our lawyers.

No, kidding, YOU DO! You're the only real change that's possible in this election, and in our political and social futures. So take these candidates' vernacular with a grain of salt. Go out and vote, but vote on issues, not on their claim on words, metaphors or terms.

In '08, change is coming from the people, not the politicians.

'08ing hits SF

Good people of the City by the Bay: '08ingchange has landed.
In early December, a group of '08ing muckrakers threw up our beautiful paraphernalia all over the streets of this fair town.

Neighborhoods hit: north beach, chinatown, financial district, SOMA, mission, lower and upper haight, and more.

If you missed out, keep your cool. More '08ing subversive ad campaigns to come.
No city will be safe, no town left uncovered, no village unscathed.

Join us, help us. Bring '08ing home to your neighborhood - we make a great holiday gift!

As always, respect and love. And many thanks to the SF cats who helped make it happen.

the start of something special

Just a special little thanks for all those that came out to our "unofficial" launch party Thanksgiving evening.

There were familiar faces, their were new faces, there was also a BIG BUNNY face.

Also a special thanks to Pete Wheeler for laying down the tunes and getting everyone feeling funky and fresh.

More good times to come so stayed tuned.

Turkey Evening Bash

That is right. While most people like to use Thanksgiving as a day to eat, watch football, and pass out, '08ingchange has decided to do something a little bit different. DJ Pete Wheeler from the UK and DJ shitty pod will be spinning up some post turkey fun down at Bar 107 in downtown LA this thanksgiving evening. So why not escape from the family you came to visit to join the '08ingchange family for warm faces, cool drinks, and crazy random crap that will be thrown at you from above.

S.C.A.D Listen to this . . .

First and foremost it is official we are now addressing Southern Californians Against Dryer's in acronym form, S.C.A.D

Now onto other business.

I heard this piece on NPR the other day on my way to home depot. A short piece about clothes lines and how certain communities ban their use. I am already on the case to combine my small efforts in not using the dryer as a small way to curb my energy consumption with Project Laundry list, a group working to pass legislation on protecting our right to use clothes lines.

LISTEN HERE

More to come on this front soon.

When does voting best suit you?

What reasons do you have for not going out and voting when the day comes to collect on those "i voted" stickers? Is it because you don't have time? Work is too overwhelming? Maybe you have fallen behind on registering and don't think you will be able to vote once you get to a polling station? While we may make many excuses for not getting out to vote the truth of the matter is that we should not have any excuse. That idea should not even exist in our minds. It is a right we are given and a right we should all collect on.

Why Tuesday? is a group that is devoted to increasing voter turnout and is working to create election reform. They have posted a challange to all presidential candidates asking them to answer three questions concerning their thoughts on voting. Check out to see who responded and who didn't.

http://www.whytuesday.org/challenge

who are we and what are we doing?

Tonight was rewarding. I spoke to a friend who noticed our posters but asked, "so what is it?" I have found that defining 08ingchange is a difficult thing to do. I explained that we are trying to strike a chord in people that the little changes they make in their daily lives when added up are a considerable amount of change.

I then asked my friend what changes he has made recently. He told me that he takes the bus to work three times a week. Well, for living in LA that is quite remarkable because hardly anyone out here considers the bus as a means to get to work. But his answer was perfect to the question he had posed upon me. Making the conscience effort to take the bus three times a week is a small change, but a change non the less. And if you compiled a list of all the people this year in Los Angeles that have decided to take the bus one, two ore three times a week as an alternative to driving I am sure you would be astonished by the numbers.

All of us out there are more alike then we tend to believe. Yes, we have various views on life, religion, politics, you name it. But we are human, and as humans we share the human drive to make our lives better, not matter what condition we are in. If i only I had a list of all those out there that have decided to take public transit to work a few times a week rather then drive. I have a feeling the number of people making that change would make one think, "wow, there are people like me, and a lot of them".

So, all you out there making change, email me us at contact@08ingchange.com and fill us in on what changes you have made recently. With any luck i could have that list for my friend by next week.

I have to regulate

This week has proven to be a busy one. With sixteen hour work days and postering in the evening there has been little room for sleep. I have been working hard, zig zagging across the city and laying down glue and paper whenever possible. I have also had to throw the smack down on two locations. Advertisers trying to cover up my shit with some stupid advert, and with painters tape!

Well, let me just say that shit don't stick, but mine do. On both occasions I ran out of the car, tore the adverts down to reveal our message of change, still there, stuck on good and tight.

So we hit some west, and even made our way east to China town. More locations to come. Let me know what changes you are making in your day to day life. This is a collaborative effort. Don't forget that WE have the power. WE have the power to be whomever WE wish to be. WE have the power to create the life condition WE choose to live. And WE have the power to tell those in power that their power is given to them by US. And that when WE demand change, WE expect results.

A reciprocal encounter

Today while at the parking lot of Food 4 Less I had a somewhat strange yet enlightening encounter. As i closed my trunk I turned around and I saw a man walking towards me. Walking over to my car I could see him fumbling for some kind of paper in his bag. I was wondering to myself "Oh great, what is it this guy is trying to sell?"

Out of his bag appeared a news journal. Smiling he looked at me and said, "You look like you could use something positive" and handed me a journal with the title "Is God responsible for natural disasters?" I examined the journal and began to notice that this was a publication for Jehova's witnesses. This man was spreading what he believed to be important information on how to change your life and be a better person. I kindly accepted the journal and said thank you.

As he turned around to leave I stopped him and said "Wait!! I have something positive to give you as well". A sharp turn and quick grab I reached into my car and pulled out an '08ingchange sticker. I handed it to him, he looked at it with a crunched up brow and said, "what is this?" I replied, "08ingchange". In an instant his face lit up and he let out a load laugh. At that very moment the two of us knew we were experiencing something unique. While our ideas of change were different, we were still on the same page that a little communication and a little reaching out can sometimes go a long way.

818 hate last night . . where to next?

Last night we hit up the 818 hate area code until we ran out off paste. We can't forget how many people live in the valley. You feel me? Next stop, the slowly gentrifying west side. You ready, because i sure am.

First the skin, now the streets . .

That is right. Are campaign is official and we are now taking to the streets asking for you to take notice and let us know what is '08ingchange in your life. At first i thought a tattoo would work, but I did not have my head on straight . We needed something bigger and bolder, and now we have it. Keep an eye out, for just around the corner '08ingchange is there.

a little change + a littel change = a whole lot of change

We should never doubt the power that lies within small change. I know there is change going on every minute of every day. If we were to harvest all that change and add it up it would weigh a ton. That is where the power of 08ingchange comes into play. We want to hear from YOU.

The size of change is not what's important, it is the act of making change that is important. All the small changes each of us makes in our lives added up create billions of changes each day. It is when i begin to think in these terms does my mind begin to tremble. So much change happening, everywhere. Now, if only I could consalidate it? But wait, we can!

Email us at contact@08ingchange.com and fill us in on the changes you have made. You will soon find out that others out there are thinking on the same wave length and before you know it, the small change you made is now a big change all over the world.

Southern Californians Against Dryers

Why is it in that we southern Californians love our dryers so much? We have sunshine almost 365 days out of the year yet I hardly see clothes lines hanging in back yards. In other countries dryers are considered a luxury, and some of those countries hardly see any light. So, as a stand to conserve energy and take more advantage of the natural resource that is "the sun" here in Los Angeles, I have stopped using my dryer and hang dry all my clothes. I figure, hey we got tuns of sunshine, might as well use it.

Now if you are asking yourself, why should i start hanging my clothes outside here are a few good reasons why.

1) Home appliances account for 20% of your total energy consumption with dryers sitting towards the top of that list.

2) Drying your clothes outside allows your clothes to last longer.

3) If you live in the countryside you can get that "country fresh scent" without having to buy it in a bottle

4) It is one small simple thing you can do to help conserve energy.

Now I know there will be times where you may have an important meeting and that one shirt needs to be dry or who knows, we could even get a bit of rain here in southern California and your dryer will be your only solution. But for the times when it is not a necessity lets use that delicious California sun to dry our wet clothes.