In Ole' Balti-More

I just discovered this young artist out of Baltimore. As I continue my house and soul search for a move to Brooklyn, I keep getting drawn into new and interesting things in the District. Though Rye Rye is technically a Baltimore artist, I think its a good local discovery nonetheless.

M.I.A. and Rye Rye

and

Rye Rye mashes some Dirty Dancing

I got out of my bed for the first time all day yesterday (I'm allergic to that beautiful tree outside my apartment) and found myself at a small Ethopian restuarant on 9th and U listening to some really great beats and watching artists compete in their medium of choice (cakes, wire, markers). It was super fun. This morning as I was wondering to that new caribean market i just found, I saw one of the DJ's just getting home. He mixed Simon and Garfunkle with some really great house beats and he lives in my building. YEA!!

Take care - Renee

Flame Retardents Found in Indoor Dust

There is a rich discussion happening on several chemicals these days; Bisphenol-A, deca-brominated flame retardants, and polyvinyl chloride (though its a plastic)to name a few. A friend of mine explains why chemical additives are so dangerous in consumer products by comparing each of us to Lionel in Peanuts. We each carry around with us a little dust bowl and everywhere we sit or move or stand all the additives that have degraded out of the products in our homes and work places swooshes around.

A study just released goes into a little more depth about why that might happen, specifically about flame retardants.

check it out.

update: I was just informed that Lionel is from the Jeffersons and Pigpen is from Peanuts. Yes, I was born in the 80's. Only 28 days into the decade of neon and big bangs, but nonetheless the 80's.

Oh and . . . .

I love America!

best quote ever in regards to protecting the health of americans, "frankly I forgot about it"

Heading to the Bay

I'm heading to the other coast today. I'm showing up to a large companies annual shareholder meeting. I'm excited and nervous and interested in talking about the importance of green cleaning to a new audience. I find it interesting the learning curve of people, myself and others. I find it interesting that people who care about their children, the water near their homes, and the health of the planet in general don't often see the connection of those daily concerns to large scale impact of their jobs. Maybe people in really big companies who have worked really hard for big titles and big paychecks don't have the space to make those connections because they are working so hard on other things. Maybe.

Anyways, I'm sure it will all go well and I'm sure this big company will finish the job. I like everything else they do, but I thought it was a little inappropriate to call me ironic, unhelpful and disturbing as well as dishonest in both a letter and a phone conference. I'm a pretty helpful person I think. I was actually stunned that someone 30 years older than me that makes about 100 times more than I do and holds a whole bunch more power than I do, would scream at me in a meeting. Maybe I'm more powerful than I realize. Must think of ways to exploit this new found power? Or maybe they aren't as friendly as they say they are after all.

This pic should get you through the rough times of a Sunday.