Michael Moore is at it again with a new documentary: Capitalism: A Love Story. Watch the trailer:

http://www.capitalismalovestory.com/
http://www.michaelmoore.com/

[If you cannot see the embedded video, click here to view it]

Brian McLaren is in Australia and will be visiting churches in Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney his week. Find out more here.

Do you know what a Flashmob is? Watch this video:

The Global Health Network (GHN), in conjunction with The Oaktree Foundation are organizing a peaceful ‘flash mob’ demonstration across the nation at MIDDAY on Saturday the 10th of October.

The campaign aims to educate the public about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and call on the Australian government to set a time-line for reaching the promised 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) given towards effective International Aid. This commitment has been made for the past 40 years and is still unmet.

Reaching the 0.7% target will help to realise the Millennium Development Goals and Make Poverty History! This event will be coordinated nationally by the GHN in all capital cities (and some regional centers) across Australia.

What happens on the 10th of October?

• Everyone is given a time and place to meet their city coordinator. At this time, watches are synchronized and exact details for the final re-group and flashmob are finally revealed (e.g. meet back at the Opera House and freeze for precisely 2 minutes at 12.00 noon).
• Group coordinates watches and then dissipates
• Group reconvenes at appropriate time and place in their capital city (or regional centre).
• Group to stand still for one/ two minutes, attracting media attention, then dissipate again as if nothing has happened.
• Re-grouping afterwards at appropriate pub/café/park for networking and debriefing

How to get involved:

Flashmobs will be taking place all over Australia:

Sydney: 11:10am sharp (Harbor side of Museum of Contemporary art (NCA) at Circular Quay). More info: Fay Roberson (fjroberson@yahoo.com)
Melbourne: 11:10am sharp (Arts Centre, 100 St Kilda Rd). More info: Catherine Pendrey (catherine.pendrey@gmail.com)
Adelaide: 11:15am sharp (Union Hall, Barr Smith Lawns, Adelaide University). More info: Ayesha Richardson (ayesha.richardson@gmail.com)
Canberra: 11:15am sharp (Medical School). More info: Anna Galezska (u4486876@anu.edu.au)
Perth: Wednesday 7th October, 1pm sharp (The Oak Lawn, UWA). More info: Sook Ting Lee (sookting.lee@gmail.com) or Montgomery Franke (frankie401@hotmail.com )
Gold Coast: 11:30am sharp (Hard Rock Café, Cavill Ave Mall). Wear a black t-shirt. More info: Brad Plettel (nice_knowing_you_2@hotmail.com or 0421 554 011) Facebook Event here.

For more information about the campaign, visit: http://www.kevinpoint7.com/

[If you cannot see the embedded video, click here to view it]

Boycott Max Brenner

So, after several emails to head office, lots of searching on the internet, and a ton of phone calls to the customer enquiry line, one of their stores and their PR company, I finally found out that Max Brenner does not use fair trade chocolate.

I’d be more than happy to hear otherwise, so if you’ve heard anything different, or wish to find out for yourself, you can call them on 02 9318 6000 or email them at: thechocolatebar@maxbrenner.com.au

As I’ve posted before, 80% of the world’s cocoa is collectively supplied by Western Africa, where hundreds of thousands of children working in these cocoa fields are subjected to the worst forms of child labour and are often abducted and trafficked across borders. Check out my recent post on the chocolate industry.

So, would it be fair to say that when you enjoy chocolate at Max Brenner, you are indirectly supporting child slavery?

I’m not trying to single out Max Brenner, there are many other retailers that sell us products that are from questionable sources and through this blog, I’d like to highlight those retailers while also highlighting alternative options. But the fact of the matter is, Max Brenner is guilty of being corporately irresponsible.

The reason I wanted to highlight Max Brenner on this particular occasion is because the stores are becoming increasingly popular across Australia and many of my friends go there and many church groups meet there.

Fair enough, most people aren’t aware of the injustices associated with the cocoa industry, but if you are reading this blog, consider yourself enlightened. You no longer enjoy the privilege of ignorance.

On the Gold Coast, you can purchase fair-trade chocolate from places like Mrs Flannery’s or Wray Organic and any number of health food stores. You can even now find a range of fair-trade products at IGA, Coles & Woolworths.

For more info, visit the Fair Trade Association of Australia & New Zealand: http://www.fairtrade.com.au/

“Poverty is not an accident. 1492 marks the birth of modern times when the conquistadors violently extracted gold and other natural resources. Since then, our economic system has been financed by the poor by forcing them to give up their land and access to natural resources, then through unfair trade, debt repayment and unjust taxes on labor and consumption. This system was carefully built and maintained by the free market policies, resource monopolies and structural adjustment programs by the World Bank and the IMF.”

Check out The End of Poverty?, a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary…

http://www.theendofpoverty.com/

[If you cannot see the embedded video, click here to view it]