The United States is changing. Many of us are actually -- stopping our shopping! The commercial press calls it “fear” or “loss of confidence,” – but we get emails every day from excited Americans who ride bicycles now, boycot big boxes and chains, and consciously limit their waste.   Read More...

The First Amendment keeps out Consumerism, which is the god-monarchy of our day. We are protected from Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart and Blackwater USA by the Constitution, which guarantees all Americans a logo-free, native culture. We are surrounded by the force field of the amendment. Corporate marketing is unable to penetrate it. When we walk into the protective enclosure of the amendment, we enter into its anti-fundamentalist faith, which assures us that people left to their own dreams and needs – will make a good life.   Read More...

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The New York Times lead story a couple days ago:
Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies
"The consumer spending slump and tightening credit markets are unleashing a widening wave of bankruptcies in American retailing, prompting thousands of store closings that are expected to remake suburban malls and downtown shopping districts across the country."

Our headline?
AMERICANS STOP SHOPPING!   Read More...

Taco Bell, Wal-Mart, NRA Hired 'Black Ops' company That Targeted Environmental Groups

I would like to say publicly that we have worked with one of the targeted groups in this report: the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their organized tomato pickers in Florida. A number of their leadership came to New York City as a part of the Clean Clothes and Fair Food - A Conference to Promote Justice in Factories and Fields. Most of the event was held at Columbia University last year.   Read More...

How can we forget after 9/11 Bush/Cheney/Giuliani sang in 3 part harmony: “If you love your country you will go out and shop.” Consumerism says ALL of American life is best run by the market.

Regresso a lo Basico
Como podemos olvidar la harmonia en tres partes que cantaron Bush, Cheney, Juliani despues del 11 de Septiembre "Si tu amas a tu pais sal a la calle a comprar".   Read More...

We’re losing a small shop every day, it seems. The defense of our neighborhood will take us into many battles, with anti-chain store zoning, trips to the courts… But I have a feeling that we will have to move against the mono-culture with more than “policy.”   Read More...

We entered the hulking Javits Center with our friends from Transportation Alternatives, and the bride, groom, and lover on the side. Above us gleaming cars and trucks floated – looking religious and militaristic at the same time.

Paul White from TA found a spot on top of the steps – it made a natural stage. Savitri D set us up. Below us, a long line of car enthusiastics were hit by the announcement that "Lady Liberty" in the green robe with the spiky crown, would now marry "The Automobile" – consummating a 100 year love affair...   Read More...

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The SPRING FEVER of radical localism takes over the East Village! Local-lujah!

The Vooruit festival in Ghent, Belgium ended last night and I’m sitting here in the back room of this raw version of a Bed and Breakfast, before dawn, waiting to go to the airport. There’s a thrush singing out there in the dark. The week here is fascinating. Our action in the Carrefour supermarket, marching up and down the aisles waving plastic packaging in the air – that stands out in the mind.   Read More...