Category Archives: Activism

So Big Brother is Watching Us?…..

Activism, DIY, Latina, Lesbian, News, Political, Politics, Social Media, War, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The latest debate over whistleblower Snowden and the NSA has finally gotten people  talking about the outrageous (is it that surprising?) fact that our government “checks in” on millions of people….just because they can.

whistleblowers nsa

“Fighting terrorism” is an excuse that many people are getting sick and tired of hearing, specially when we are still investing (and corporations making money) in multiple wars in the Middle East with no true solution to getting out, and leaving these nations in a so called “peaceful state”.  And now Syria?…. Ok Obama….

nsa war on terror

So people are now saying…. “Oh no! Google can read my chats! Oh no… Facebook’s privacy policy sucks! Oh no! But the constitution says….!”

I have a proposal.

Let’s not stop at the saying….and let’s actually get some DOING done.

Here are three easy ways to at least try to avoid getting sucked in this “system”.

 

***3 EASY THINGS TO DO…..****

nsa google

1. Change from Gmail to another email provider, like Zoho…. research it. It’s not evil like google. Lovely IT Phenomenon Cara Reynolds (Mushpa) has written multiple posts about Google and has pointed me and a several others to the world of Zoho email. Same functions as Gmail, but has no red tail and horns. You can chat, save conversations, do document transfers…the whole shabam!

Check these out:

From The Day After an Inconvenient Truth: 1.“Just another reason I can’t stand google” 2. “Scroogle: the new and less evil Google” 3. “Some More Scroogle” 4. “The Grid”  and 5. “Google is Everywhere”

nsa facebook

2. Get OFF facebook. I’ve been facebook free for 6+ months after having had it on and off since 2006…. its worth it. Facebook is like a reality tv show. Entertains the masses, and keeps them occupied…. if staying in touch is what you want, then email, phones and even letters (which is so nice to get) gets the job done when you actually TRULY want to stay in touch. You know, and often hear, how much time we “waste” on the book of face. There is so much world out there! And so much to do! Let’s ditch the “like” and get real things done : )

verizon nsa

3. Phone companies? Well this one is trickier. I’m trying to get off Verizon with a contract….and a chunk of a fee, huh. No surprise there. They have their little Verizon drones trained so well, that they even tell you that the NSA scandal might all just be a rumor! I didn’t stick around too much to have a discussion with my Verizon rep, but so far I have ditched my cellphone (mostly because it’s a shattered iPhone, which magically breaks every year so I would have an excuse to buy a new one). It is much harder to keep up with the world with a landline…. So far I’m stuck on this one. T-mobile with their “no contract” deals still get to you in other ways.  So for now a landline will suffice….and taking pictures with a real camera (which is already better) and uploading to my computer might also take an extra minute…. Apparently I’ll be going back to the dark ages….

But being righteous takes work no? Who said fighting this battle would be easy? It’s kicking my butt for sure….On to the next challenge.

Bring it world!

-Mensa

Let’s Go On An Adventure

Activism, Cuban, Gay, Latina, Lesbian, Queer, , , , , , , , , , ,

never

I see so many unhappy people around me stuck at jobs they hate, to pay mortgages (or rent) on houses (or apartments) in towns (or cities) they hate, trapped by debt they hate, with spouses (or significant others) they hate (or aren’t who they thought they were) and kids they use as an excuse to why they can’t live the lives they desire. No thank you. I want adventure. I want to live in a society not fearful of taking a risk, one where people have faith and are strong even when it would seem so much easier to be weak. That my friends is a lie. Fear will fuck you if you let it, understand this. No matter what you think the risk is, no matter who tells you to give in, to be safe and take that $70K job don’t believe the hype. Stop and take a look at the person’s life telling you this, then gauge their happiness. I bet you that safety they chose at the end of the day, did not reward them with the life they dreamed of, not even close. If this was the case people would be a lot healthier and happier, not to mention a lot of shrinks would be out of business.

We need to help each other fight against this brainwashing that only rewards corporations with employees and consumers. I have fought my whole life not to give in on many levels and I still fight, because at the end of the day I choose to  live not survive. It can be lonely, yes, especially when the people you love fight against it and you, but don’t give up. Lead by example and others will always follow, I promise.

I love you world and only want the best for all my fellow earthlings…on the real.

Let’s go on an adventure together.

– Mushpa

Compost This! An Update…

Activism, DIY, Environment, Food, How-To, Latina, Lesbian, Organic Farming, Political, , , , , , , , , , ,

So composting at our home has been…well, I’d say it’s a definite challenge. Doable? Yes for sure. Draggin rotting stinky food on the subway or biking with it (much better option) to the nearest farmer’s market and compost disposal unit, is definitely a task. But I think it has been worth it.

Frozen compost

There has been a couple of times where we got lazy, annoyed at the stink and threw it out in the garbage…guilty! Yet every single time we have gone and dropped it off at a compost site, it has made me take a sigh of relief and accomplishment. It feels good to compost, and it feels extra nice to be good to our Earth!

Last time when we dropped off the compost, I kept noticing frozen pieces of fruit and vegetables in the decomposing piles of veggies, fruit and grains. And then it dawned on me……

Duh! Freeze it!!!! Of course! Makes total sense. You slow down the rate of decomposure by sticking your compost bin in the freezer, and it reduces the smell and the hassle of cleaning by a “Fafillion” Percent!

compost frozen

So Do it! It makes it so much easier. Now next time we go to the farmer’s market to drop it of, we won’t be gagging cleaning the bin out every time. : ) That’s nice yo…

Until the next compost update!

-Mensa

Blood on His Hands

Activism, Art, International, News, Poetry, Political, Politics, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Obama Blood on His Hands

American “Citizens” being killed overseas?

By our own government. No trail. Just Boom. It’s a dirty war.

This Big Bro is watching you, me, and us. 

Sometimes I really just don’t know.

And that is what scares me.

We don’t know.

Today in the news, 10% of elementary schools

(the Separate but Equal Blacks and Browns)

in Chicago are closed down. No funds.

Mo’ Money for the Duurty wars.

Money for a little Gitmo, in a little island will keep them shut.

No law, no man’s lives. And 100 days of hunger? Force fed like foie-gras.

Mr. President Hussein, may I call you by your Middle Name?

You have a dark stain in you slacks. 

That law. That pen. Just Exploded in your pants.

Why do you use red ink? Phew! No worries Administrators!

It blends in.

And the stain in your hands?

It’s permanent ink.

——————-

This is how I feel.

-Mensa