Planting the seeds

Well, about a month ago I restarted my observation musings and turned them into the Observations from the Island blog. In that very first post I mentioned how this year I was determined to take control of all my writings and begin to edit, assemble and prepare everything for publishers. With the marvelous Westgate attending the documentary festival I spent this week beginning the process. There has been so much to read, reread and write only to re-write that I have had barely anything left to write for the observations.

Judging from the many responses I received it sounds like the subject of oil, rising gas prices and our climate rang a chord with readers. Since Keli left to Toronto to pitch her film Plant This Seed it seems there are more and more stories developing that only emphasize the importance of her film and others like it. In big news this week, North Dakota recently became the first state to issue licenses to hemp farmers. Gas wars are already beginning in the South including a boycott against Exxon in Beeville, Texas. There is one idea currently circulating that believes we can help bring oil prices down if we stop buying from the top two companies, Exxon and Mobil, for an entire year! In Canada it would be Esso and Petro-Can (thx Brad). Read the sample chain letter below and get involved too! www.breakthechain.org

So while we are on the subject, Keli is having an amazing time at the documentary festival in Toronto. She has met with a ton of people all across the industry and making great contacts. She's planting seeds. Seminars, films, film parties - it's been go-go for the young filmmaker and we look forward to hearing her stories. She was recently interviewed about her film. Check her out at www.pitchpage.com in the production section and if you haven't checked out the preliminary website we currently have up now for our funding drive come take a look www.plantthisseed.com

Lastly, for an unbelievable laugh check out Stephen Colbert as he speaks his truth at the White House Correspondents Dinner. Have a great weekend! www.thankyoustephencolbert.org


This has been another Observation from the Island


SAMPLE CHAIN LETTER TEXT
Subject: RE: Gas prices

I hear we are going to hit close to $3.00 a gallon by the summer Want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. Phillip Hollsworth, offered this good idea:

This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain Day" campaign that was going around last April or May! The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them. BUT, whoever thought of this idea has come up with a plan that can really work. Please read it and join with us!

By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $1.50 is super cheap. Me too! It is currently $1.97 for regular unleaded in my town.(California) Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have Conditioned us to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50- $1.75,we need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the marketplace....not sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocket book that WITHOUT hurting ourselves. How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a Price war.

Here's the idea:
For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from The two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do!! Now, don't wimp out on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!

I am sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) ... and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers! . .

If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!
Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all. (If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have to do is send this to 10 people.... well, let's face it, you just aren't a mathematician. But I am... so trust me on this one.) How long would all that take? If each of us sends this email out to ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!!

I'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you?
Acting together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on.
PLEASE HOLD OUT UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES AND KEEP THEM DOWN. THIS CAN REALLY WORK. YOU KNOW THEY LOVE HOLIDAYS AND SUMMER TRAVELERS.

END CHAIN LETTER TEXT