A video excerpt from “A Philosophers Notes” discussing the importance of paying attention to the fundamentals if you wish to achieve your goals.

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The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Cleaner, Getting Leaner, and Living is a joyful literary chaperone through one month of veganism, covering every topic imaginable; literally no stone is left unturned!  In her characteristic up-beat tone Patrick-Goudreau holds readers’ hands throughout the 30-day period, answering every question and addressing every challenge anyone’s ever made while maintaining a nonjudgmental, encouraging tone and helping readers make the transition joyfully, healthfully, and confidently. The 30-Day Vegan Challenge includes chapters on everything from reading nutrition labels and mapping out a grocery store, eating out and packing lunches, celebrating the holidays, traveling, living with non-vegans to all of the individual nutrients people are concerned about: iron, calcium, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and more.  The recipes are simple and overwhelmingly delicious, with menu ideas for every day of the week.  What’s more, the book itself is visually stunning, with gorgeous photos and a colorful, reader-friendly layout.  It is truly the quintessential vegan lexicon for new vegans and vegan veterans alike; anyone who loves good food and healthy living is guaranteed hold this book near and dear.

Although I am not a Vegan myself, there are a myriad of reasons to adopt a vegan lifestyle – to improve overall health, shed a few pounds, demonstrate compassion for animals, or help the environment for example – and Colleen Patrick-Goudreau has outdone herself with a timely challenge for all earthlings to explore.

Watch the 2-minute trailer video:

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A chance encounter and shared moment with one of nature’s greatest and most fleeting phenomena.

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1)          Gary Clarke Jr

Gary Clark Jr. is an American guitarist considered by some to be the leader of the Austin, Texas rock scene, playing in a style that has at times been compared to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. He has been acclaimed as the savior of blues and Rolling Stone declared him “Best Young Gun” in its April 2011, “Best of Rock” issue. His live performances, as well as his recordings, blend rock, soul and blues, infusing fluid guitar with a guttural howl and a falsetto trill that mix together.

Check him out in this video:

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2)          Bombino

Omara “Bombino” Moctar is a young Tuareg guitarist and songwriter, who was raised during an era of armed struggles for independence and violent suppression by government forces. His electrifying jams capture the spirit of resistance and rebellion while echoing with guitar riffs reminiscent of fellow Africans Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré not to mention rock and blues icons such as Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page. Already a superstar in the Tuareg community, with the release of Agadez on Cumbancha Discovery Bombino’s stature as one of Africa’s hottest young guitarists has been revealed to the world.

Here are 2 videos of him so you get an idea:

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3)          SMOD

SMOD is a young rap group from Mali who were discovered by Manu Chao when he was producing the groundbreaking album, Dimanche a Bamako, by the accomplished duo, Amadou and Mariam. One of the members of SMOD is the son of Amadou and Mariam. Their music is a great mix of Mali style guitar work, catchy Manu Chao riffs with political lyrics and some African rap in there. It is such happy music and sooooo catchy even if you can’t understand the lyrics.

Here are 2 videos to get an idea of their catchy music:

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I am honored to be on the board and part of the Ubuntu Education Fund family (www.ubuntufund.org). This amazing organization transforms township children’s lives from cradle to career. We use our 12 years of grassroots experience and rigorous business practices to create a comprehensive, creative pathway out of poverty for each of the 2,000 children we serve. We are a community-based international organization in Zwide Township, South Africa. We are doing the simplest, most basic thing that people have always done in order to prosper: we are raising children. This means going through exams, illnesses, adolescence, clothes shopping, counseling, and so much more. It’s simple because it’s something we all want to do. It’s radical only because very few organizations do this. Most of the children we work with are either orphaned, HIV positive or come from extreme poverty. We become their extended family and support them on all levels until they are able to support themselves. Here is a short video from there.

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For the last 12 years, I have been bringing out my favorite World Music tracks of the year and making cd’s to give as gifts. As a World Music fan, I wanted to turn people onto amazing artists they probably have never heard of. This year is the first year I am putting them out digitally as a blog as well as on cd. Hope you enjoy this beautiful music as much as I have all year and get turned onto new artists. To Happy Listening!!

Chill Out

1) Elhem-1 By Diaspora & Amina Annabi (4:11)

2) All the Same By Vieux Farka Touré (feat. Dave Matthews) (4:30)

3) Yer Mande Lek Sen (feat. Mehdi Haddab) (3:53)

4) Les Jeunes Filles Du Maliba By Smod (3:59)

5) Lero-lero By Lusia Maita (4:43)

6) Ojalá By Federico Aubele (feat. Natalia Clavier) (3:24)

7) Labaru Wanwa By Aurelio Martinez & Youssou N’ Dour (3:44)

8) The Whirlwind By Tom Morello (4:00)

9) Talkin’ Tea Party Blues By Dan Bern (4:46)

10) Woza By Vusi Mahlasela (4:24)

11) Tropicália (Mario C 2011 Remix) By Beck & Seu Jorge (3:23)

12) Ahoulaguine Akaline (I Greet My Country) By Bombino (4:03)

13) Marley By Youssou N’Dour (feat. Mutabaruka) (3:53)

14) Night Nurse By Suga Roy & Conrad Crystal (4:03)

15) E. T. By Lee “Scratch” Perry/Bill Laswell (5:09)

16) Redemption Song By Playing for Change (4:10)

17) Alifatá By Kimi Djabaté (3:09)

Upbeat

1) Broda Olé Asa (3:55)

2) Sabali [Grey X Sage Remix] By Amadou & Mariam (feat. Theophilus London)(2:54)

3) Les Dirigeants Africains By Smod (3:59)

4) CA Chante By Smod (3:04)

5) Pelo Shao By Sarazino (3:35)

6) Mi Son Mi Friend By Sergent Garcia (4:15)

7) Goza Moneda Dura (feat. Ibrahim Ferrer) (3:53)

8) Para Poder Olvidarla By Peret (3:19)

9) Rebel Blues By Lëk Sèn (2:53)

10) Aratan N Tinariwen By Tamikrest (3:45)

11) Tar Hani (My Love) By Bombino (6:31)

12) Nobody Beg By Femi Kuti (4:02)

13) Jamm By Cheikh Lo (4:48)

14) Muloma (Let Us Be United) By Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars (4:53)

15) Karam By Kimi Djabaté (5:13)

16) Salamalama Aby By Razia(3:23)

17) Set Fire to the Rain By ADELE (4:02)

I recently did a workshop with one of my favorite peeps, Bob Thurman, at the beautiful Menla Mountain Retreat Center…..so I thought I would share some of his unlimited wisdom. Here is Bob talking about Peace and Nirvana at the Menla Mountain Retreat Center in October 2006. He explains how nirvana is the ultimate, real state of our existence and how we can develop a peace within ourselves that absorbs stress.

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I’m glad to see the mainstream media finally giving some attention to the question of whether all these pink ribbons are actually helping the breast cancer cause. The New York Times gave serious ink space to the issue, although largely missed the point, with “The Pinking of America” by Natasha Singer last month. And Friday, Forbes posted this comprehensive piece by Amy Westervelt, “The Pinkwashing Debate: Empty Criticism or Serious Liability?”

Serious liability, I say! (and thanks to Amy for quoting me in the story). As I wrote in the comments, I was dismayed to read that Elizabeth Thompson, president of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, thinks environmental links to cancer are based not on evidence but on “beliefs and emotion.” Ms. Thompson should take a look at the 2007 study commissioned by her own organization with the Silent Spring Institute, which identified 216 chemicals that cause breast cancer in animals that are widely detected in human tissues and in environments, like the home, where women spend time.

Because exposure to these chemicals is so widespread, “the public health impacts of reducing exposure would be profound even if the true relative risks are modest,” the researchers wrote. “If even a small percentage is due to preventable environmental factors, modifying these factors would spare thousands of women.”

I would also suggest Ms. Thompson take a look at the President’s Cancer Panel report of 2010, which states that the “true burden of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated” and calls for immediate action to reduce carcinogens in the environment.  Also on the reading list should be the Breast Cancer Fund’s State of the Evidence report, which documents hundreds of studies linking chemical exposures and radiation to increased breast cancer risk.

Unfortunately, the big breast cancer charities seem to have taken on the mentality of the corporations that fund them — growth for the sake of growth, whatever it takes. The original intent of the pink ribbon as an advocacy tool has long been buried in an avalanche of marketing hype to sell products and goodwill for corporations that are contributing to the problem by selling unhealthy products and/or putting carcinogens into the environment and our bodies.

What do you think? Is there no such thing as too much pink (as Nancy Brinker told the NYT)? Or is it time to pressure Susan G. Komen for the Cure and other big cancer charities to stop partnering with corporations that are part of the problem and start talking seriously about prevention?

I’d love to hear your comments…

More must-read coverage:
Sacramento Bee: “Pink Inc. Has Many Starting to See Red,” by Francesca Lyman
Nancy Brinker’s response: “Too Much Pink? Not while breast cancer still kills”
Marie Claire: “The Big Business of Breast Cancer” by Lea Goldman
Forbes: “Pinkwashing: Corporate Sponsored Cancer,” by Mia Davis, Amy Lubitow
Deseret News: “Are all the pink ribbons helping to cure cancer?” by Sarah Gamble

David Lynch gives some background on how he got involved in transcendental meditation and how it informs his consciousness and creativity.

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In our louder and louder world, says sound expert Julian Treasure, “We are losing our listening.” In this short, fascinating talk, Treasure shares five ways to re-tune your ears for conscious listening — to other people and the world around you.