one of the things i love about the change you want to see gallery is the enormous bookshelf beka has amassed over the years. from art theory to obscure political philosophy, i find myself absorbed by book jackets debating which i should tackle next. after hearing beka pimp out Steve Duncombe's book Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy i decided to take it home and have fallen in love with it... filled with so many lessons, i can't stop highlighting every other word (yeah, it's that good.)

then, i was spending a few hours research a design shop named "mother" and happen to stumble on a nice blog post on obama's marketing campaign. as a political junky, i just love his "O." if you get a chance, check out these two articles (1, 2)and read how his brand works.

"It's impossible to go through life with blinders on in New York City," says Economopoulos. "You have to figure out how to live with millions of other people. That's what coworking is about."

when elliot winard transplanted himself to nyc, not only did he find a new city, but a new community of like minded folk. if you've been wondering what's it like to cowork, read this great article by Kiera Butler in the New York Post (archived pdf article).

Technorati Tags: brooklyn coworking, coworking, freelancers union, jelly nyc

excuse me for not being as prolific in writing on this half of my existence. as i'm a few months away from leaving NYC, i'm spending more time on the luck of seven.

as my world turns one more rotation, i've been contemplating the world though the basic lens of cause and effect.

the past few months have seen unprecedented announcements promoting corporate environmentalism or the popularization of environmentalism capitalism. sadly, these all come with a cost. just like the (red) campaign seem to bring AIDS activism into the act of consumerism. on earth day, PC World featured another disturbing statement of reality.

"Most large enterprise companies have strict rules for IT procurement and deployment, but only vague guidelines for hardware retirement and disposal, [Bob Houghton] said. Many of those companies are glad to make grand statements about upholding their environmental responsibility.... Generating revenue from the process can change the whole equation."

WELL thank goodness things are profitable for hardware recyclers. my good friends at greenpeace have been articulating a similar statement within their ToxicTech campaign.

extrapolating this argument a few steps out... what would happen to profitability when governments forced recycling? would the recyclers become the new barons of the world or worse? would we this be part of a more regimented, regulated society?

tomorrow, my good friends at the change you want to see will host author / filmmaker Heather Rogers and Freegan activist Adam Weissman for a feast of a conversation. we will masticate on the the history and politics of household garbage, and yes, it will be a catered event!

Wednesday, April 25, 7:30pm
84 Havemeyer Street, store front
at Metropolitan Avenue
Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11211
917-202-5479 or 646-221-7845
http://www.thechangeyouwanttosee.org

Technorati Tags: (red) campaign, freegan, greenpeace, heather rogers, not an alternative

early this week, i reposted a gothamist video from a greenpeace street action against kleenex. today, the boys and girls have a more detailed video...

Technorati Tags: greenpeace, kleenex, kleercut, times square, vlog, youtube

Tired of arguing with your cat about a bad client?
Wondering what is the next wave of social networking technology?
Looking for an invigorating environment to call an "office?"

You are invited to Brooklyn Coworking's monthly open house and happy hour!

Break free from hourly coffee purchases and grab a slice of Williamsburg's alternative working community - Coworking @ The Change You Want to See - a cafe-like community and collaboration space for developers, writers and independents. These types of grassroots coworking spaces are popping up all over the world, from San Francisco, to Paris, to a few here in New York City...

Join us this Friday, 30 March, at The Change You Want to See gallery for COWORKING BROOKLYN. From 10 am to 5 pm, our doors will be open for anyone to come on by and give us a try. Bring a laptop, a snack or two, manuscript, screenplay, or killer app and leave the kats behind.

From 5 pm to 7 pm, we will host a happy hour(s)! Bring a treat or two and get ready to let your hair down.

Who are we? Writers, Programmers, Organizers, Artist, Philosophers, Activist, Bloggers, and Adventure Seekers...

When you join the Brooklyn Coworking space you get:
• a community of like minded folks
• a low monthly rate
• a flux of interesting people
• networking and expertise
• wifi
• printer and scanner
• coffee
• beer-o-clock
• quiet spaces to work in

If you have questions feel free to email us at brooklyn.coworking[a/t]gmail[d0t]com

Cost: Free!!!
When: Friday, 30 March, 10AM - 5PM (Happy Hour 5pm - 7pm)
Where: The Change You Want to See Gallery, 84 Havemeyer, Willamsburg, Brooklyn
Map: OnNYTurf Subway map

Want more info?
Join the new NYC Coworking Google Group -
http://groups.google.com/group/coworkingnyc
Check out The Change You Want to See Gallery:
http://www.notanalternative.net/wordpress/
See the Coworking Wiki: http://wiki.coworking.info/
See the Coworking Blog: http://blog.coworking.info/

Technorati Tags: brooklyn, brooklyn coworking, coworking, economy 2.0, freelancers union, nextNY, not an alternative, social entrepreneurship, the change you want to see, williamsburg

i sometimes work out of the same offices as greenpeace's internet organizer, but that should not stop you from watching this video!!!

when you're in a culture that is bombarded by mundane commercial advertisement, how does one set yourself above the fold? if you're an activist organization, getting people to understand is hard. getting people to care, damn near impossible... UNLESS you are given the freedom to explore any marketing angle - for more info on how to convince Kimberly-Clark not to use virgin old growth forests - check out kleercut and my favorite Greenpeace campaign, Green My Apple.

just because one organization is a better organizer than another does not mean we are terrorists.

Technorati Tags: gothamist, green my apple, greenpeace, kleercut

over the past month, i've heard a number of books mentioned, sadly there is only one that i haven't read. ;) honestly, it's one of those books that i should be pinched for not reading. Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy has been tossed around since last December's rootscamp, and after hearing it mentioned at SXSW and in Salzburg, I'm delighted to have an opportunity to hear author and activist Steve Duncombe!

my good friends at the Change You Want to See are turning this up a notch... forget your laptops and bring your notebooks, by the end of this session your world will change.

...Change You Want to See is thrilled to host author and activist Steve Duncombe for a presentation and discussion of his acclaimed manifesto Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy. Beyond talk, this is also an applied strategy session – irrigate the irrational, practice your “spectacular vernacular”, exercise your imagination as we craft a creative street action in support of the Coalition of Imakolee Workers' campaign against McDonald's.

Tuesday, March 27, at 7:30pm
The Change You Want to See Gallery, Convergence Stage and Coworking Facility
L to Bedford, G to Metropolitan, J/M/Z to Marcy
84 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn NY 11211

BYOB encouraged, as brainstorm and beer are like butter and bread.

Technorati Tags: coworking, not an alternative, steve duncombe