SpunOut.ie Blog
January, 2010
SpunOut Blog: Get your eat on!
Mmmmm mmm mmm.
Crunch
Munch
Gobble
Gulp
Bite
Slurp
Burp
Chew
Whew!
Mmmmmmmm mmm mmm... what a savage feed!
Infamous grafitti artist, Banksy's, take on things
SpunOut.ie loves to eat. Lunchtime in our office is a celebratory time with smiles abound when we escape our laptops to hunt and gather the best of what our beloved Galway City has cookin. We feed our bellies so that our minds can chug through until five o’clock or until the next belly rumble strikes!
Whether you’re a ‘fill the tank’ and keep on truckin kind of a gal or a ‘a bit of freshly ground pepper and a dash of aioli’ kind of a guy, we all need that daily nutrition and lip smacking pleasure to survive.
As you well know however, while we moan about our aching bellies from a junk food session gone wild, or the extra pounds we packed on during the holidays, billions of others across the world (approximately 1 billion or 1 in 6 of us, to be exact) are starving, malnourished, and without crops or hope. According to the World Health Organization, hunger is the gravest single threat to the world's public health. Throw in the issues surrounding food trade, transport, and consumption, and there is much more to think about then 'what will I have for dinner tonight.'
SpunOut.ie is cooking up a tasty line-up of content covering everything from going organic (or not), to the slow food movement, GM controversy, fair (or not so fair) trade, and how to grow your own grub, even if confined to the joyous world of shared accommodation. Feast on all that and many lashing of extra helpings more in the coming weeks!
If you have something to contribute to the ‘Get your eat on’ campaign, it’s not too late, an ‘Ode to Midnight Snacks’ or 'The joys of late night take-aways' perhaps?
SUBMIT HERE or deliver on a silver platter to emily@spunout.ie pronto!
If you know of any cool books, films, or handy internet resources, websites or organisations related to food (anything from yummy recipes to hunger strikes... literally anything folks!) leave a comment in the SpunOut Forum for all to enjoy.
Here's a cool one:
While there is great controversy around international food aid (make your mind up for yourself), Free Rice is an addictive game run by the United Nations World Food Programme that is worth checking out. Every right answer earns ten grains of rice to be donated to help end world hunger.
-The SpunOut Crew
SpunOut Blog: Help Haiti
Natural disasters shake us all up.
The news is flooding right now with accounts and images of the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake that has literally shaken Haitian society to the core. It is the most powerful earthquake to strike Haiti in over 200 years, and there are thousands suspected dead.
SpunOut.ie extends it sympathies and solidarity with the people of Haiti and the millions of others worldwide doing their bit (no matter how big or small) to help our friends in this terrible situation.
The Irish government has announced that it is putting its Rapid Response Corps on standby for travel to Haiti. Likewise, Irish and international relief agencies are calling on ALL OF US for support.
Here's how YOU CAN HELP:
Avaaz.org 100% of funds raised will go into post-earthquake relief and rebuilding programmes and efforts to strengthen local systems in Haiti -- it's the most direct way to build Haiti's resilience and help meet the desperate needs of the people on the frontline who need help urgently today.
ActionAid has been in Haiti since 1996, working with over 30,000 people. They are on the ground and urgently working to help save lives in the short term, while also looking to provide assistance to Haitians to rebuild their lives.
Concern’s main response will focus on providing medicine, water, food and shelter.
GOAL is hoping to have its contact on the ground in Haiti soon and have pledged €250,000 to assist victims.
Oxfam has had a sustained presence in Haiti and the 200 staffers currently stationed in the country, including a highly trained emergency response team of 15, are rushing to meet the basic needs of people who may have lost everything.
Trocaire work in Haiti has for many years focused on helping communities prepare for natural disasters such as this one.
UNICEF's response, coordinated with other UN agencies and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, is aimed at children and women, who are the most vulnerable in times of crisis. Children under 18 make up nearly 50 percent of Haiti’s 10 million population.
If you’re not in a financial place to donate (like a lot of us are!), there are other ways you can help make a difference:
- Contact the above organisations about how you can give your time and energies in other non-monetary ways. You may surprised how eager they are to have your valued help.
- Contribute your thoughts and reactions to SpunOut on this catastrophe, natural disasters, international aid and relief efforts in general, and any other related subject by submitting comments below, chatting in the SpunOut Forum, and submitting your original reflections for immediate publication on our website.
- Contact Comhlámh, the Irish Association of Development Workers and Volunteers, about ways you can become part of their 'people power' for social change.
- Take a moment of silence with thoughts of those suffering and triumphing over adversity in Haiti. Tough times like this affect us all.
- You can … (fill this space with your unique contribution....)
- The SpunOut Crew
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We ALL have so much to be proud of
SpunOut Blog: Spread your buzzzzz.
Hello hello!!!
The crew at SpunOut.ie has decided to say feck it to New Year’s resolutions!
It's not that we're down with self-improvement, as to be honest there's a fine collection of new age books, yoga mats and other 'self help' paraphernalia floating about our offices!
We just want to kick into 2010 by highlighting how ALL of us have already made some MAJOR positive changes in our lives and have done REALLY COOL things that we should be proud of. With all the focus on success (whatever that means!), and the head-wrecking pressure to be better/cooler/smarter/richer, we often forget to recognise and appreciate that we deserve some BIG pats on the back for how great we already are and the tremendous obstacles we've overcome in our wonderfully unique ways. We realise that has a whiff of cheddar to it, but hey, it's so true!
We hope you enjoy and find encouragement in the next two weeks of multimedia and articles from other SpunOutters spreading their buzzzzz!
Got something to share yourself? It’s not too late, but time is ticking so send on a written article/ short video link uploaded to YouTube/ or photo (jpg or gif format please) to emily@spunout.ie ASAP!
Alternatively, you can share in the forum: Wow, I guess that is pretty cool what I did!
Note: Submissions don't have to be long, overly complicated or grammatically amazing; just have fun with it and let your lovely self shine through. Remember, you can always publish anonymously if you like, no bother at all at all!
-The SpunOut Crew
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Happy New Year SpunOutters!
SpunOut Blog: A fresh lick of paint.
The SpunOut Crew decided to ring out 2009 with a colourful splash. We picked up the paint brushes, cranked up DJ Eoghan's amazing shuffle mix, and said good riddance to the dreary magnolia walls that have stared us in the face for far too long. It took many cups of coffee and a few light heads, but we did it! We'll be stepping back into our techni-colour office in a few days to kick start 2010 with a bright outlook, and we hope you too are embarking on the start of a killer year!
All the best in 2010!
- The SpunOut Crew
Eoghan puts the final touches on his new minty green and sonic blue space
Willie (who is responsible for all paint drips on the carpet!) messin about
Emily in steady hand concentration mode
