Laurel Touby Tells Me About Her “Environmental Quickie”

The top seven percent of the world’s affluent contribute over half of the world’s carbon emissions. Mediabistro founder and former journalista and editrix Laurel Touby is trotting the globe for six months, which will leave behind a hefty carbon footprint. Says Touby:

“My whole life, I’ve felt guilty about not doing enough. So I thought, what do I need to do to help and not feel like I’m gonna be sucked into a movement. Besides becoming a Greenpeace volunteer. I needed a quick and dirty way to do something about it.”

Here’s the interview.

My True/Slant Piece On How Obama’s Nobel Prize Is Similar To Credit Cards

Critics argued that President Barack Obama, having been awarded a symbol of peace by five fellows from Norway, devalues the prize. They also suggest that the prize has been tarnished by the Nobel committee’s decision. Either way, the victim in this pathology is the Nobel Prize itself.

I’m thinking the NP will survive it. Here’s the piece.

Congressman Barney Frank And Comedian Tommy Chong Discuss Obama’s New Marijuana Legislation With Me For True/Slant

In my interview, Frank likens pot’s illegality to the slowly building burn of global warming. “By the time it actually takes a profound toll on us, I’ll be dead,” he said. “But making movements in the right direction now forces us look ahead, so we can address and reverse the problems. It gives us our freedoms.”

Chong concurs:

“[The pot laws] are all corrupt. The DEA and the Justice Department create a criminal organization that’s licensed to take over someone else’s property. It’s like bouncers at a night club who start a fight so that they can keep their jobs. If there’s no real crime being committed, then make one up and oppress people with it.”

My coverage of Ted Kennedy’s passing for True/Slant

Mine was the featured obit on the site this morning.

Would you pay $8,000 for an internship for your kids?

Would you pay $8,000 to secure an internship for your college student? Will that internship lead to a better job, post-graduation? Here’s our article that discusses it.

HalogenLife’s first article about making social networks work for you

Here’s my writer’s introductory piece (of a series) on how social networks can improve your personal and professional life. It’s fun and informative.

I interviewed comedian Wanda Sykes for the Washington Post

Look for the article next Thursday. She talks about motherhood, being a former Washingtonian playing the home crowd and why President Obama is the strangest looking ‘Nazi’ she’s ever seen.

Bethenny Frankel’s ’skinny’ book may give you an eating disorder

I presented Frankel’s proposed diet to a nutritionist who said that the total caloric value would be somewhere between 750 and 800 for the day. (The actual number of calories the average woman should take in is closer to 1,200-1,500 each day.) Dangerous book.

Do not watch movies with capitalized red font titles

If you think either of the “Nutty Professor” movies or “Scary” movies or really any recent Eddie Murphy movie is worth watching, then this PSA is not for you.

I interviewed the director of ‘Food Inc.’

The phrase, “you are what you eat” may be the most terrifying takeaway from this summer’s movies. Director Robert Kenner’s sobering “Food, Inc.” is more than just a socially minded documentary, it’s one of the most significant cautionary tales captured on film. He’s very passionate about reforming the food industry. Here’s the interview.