Yum & Yuk

Interesting: In Phoenix, The Dark Side of Green: "So 'greening' the city is all the rage now. But if policy makers end up focusing only on those who can afford the low-carbon technologies associated with the new environmental conscientiousness, the movement for sustainability may end up exacerbating climate change rather than ameliorating it . . . Solar chargers and energy-efficient appliances are fine, but unless technological fixes take into account the needs of low-income residents, they will end up as lifestyle add-ons for the affluent."

Listening to TED Talk: Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability

Image: source.

Random House will donate 1 new book to a kid in need for each new follower First Book gains on Twitter (@FirstBook) this week or on Facebook.

Yes yes yes. Right on: the New York City Council has ended co-operation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "By an overwhelming majority, the council passed a bill Thursday ending the Correction Department’s cooperation with federal efforts to deport undocumented immigrants." I especially appreciate that they address the claim that so many make that SecComm allegedly only "catches" people who have previous criminal convictions: "More than 50 percent of all prison inmates who are discharged to the ICE have no criminal record, the council bill states; for 20 percent of all the inmates who are discharged to ICE, their highest offense is a misdemeanor." I firmly believe that Secure Communities should be dropped - because it doesn't only "catch criminals." Because it does lead to racial profiling. Because it doesn't create a safer environment for crime victims. And because this - "The Obama administration has announced that it would suspend deportation proceedings for undocumented immigrants who pose no threat to national security or public safety" - is a lie, and those of us who are advocates for a just immigration system see that it's a lie every day.

With all the focus on heirloom seeds and locally raised pigs, this article in the New Yorker had my mouth watering: True Grits: In Charleston, a quest to revive authentic Southern cooking.