2012: The Year of Kony

The time to make a difference is now.

"Right now, there are more people on Facebook than there were on the planet 200 years ago."

This opening line of "KONY 2012", the newest campaign from the Invisible Children Inc. acknowledges the quantity of life across the globe. As the thirty minute video progresses, experiences ranging from first sounds to the dissemination of political uprisings capture what it is to be engaged in society.

If you've watched this video, or any footage from Invisible Children, you already know that its not only the quantity of life that should be of great interest but the quality. In Uganda (and other states where the Lord's Resistance Army, known as the L.R.A., has crossed borders to spread their terrorism), Joseph Kony, a rebel guerrilla leader and number nine on the world's Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives, is running rampant. His extremist ideals are rooted in the Christian Ten Commandments and his campaign involves strategies including murder, mutilation, rape and cannibalism.

What's wrong with this picture?

Thanks to Invisible Children, the time to "do more than just watch"has come. The mission of three young filmmakers in 2003 has exploded into a global movement. College campuses across the United States have witnessed the atrocities committed by Joseph Kony and his followers, including (but not limited to) his practices involving the forceful recruitment of child soldiers. Nine years ago, Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole and Jason Russell "stumbled" upon this war and have since created Invisible Children Inc. as a non-profit and informative resource to educate others and work to stop Joseph Kony through various media outlets.

As of today (March 8, 2012), the "Kony 2012" video has over 12.1 million views on Viemo and 37 million on YouTube. Along with a viral sweeping on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, celebrities such as Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Christina Milian and Nicki Minaj have endorsed the campaign. The message of this campaign, during a presidential election year that has been known for differing and controversial issues is that the eradication of the L.R.A. and its crimes is "something we can all agree on".

Joseph Kony: He can run but he can't hide.

This film was first posted on March 5th. 

If its message can grab the attention of almost 50 million people (a number equal to the total populations of such countries as South Korea or South Africa), what kind of impact will it have on the actions of those people? 

As global citizens, we are obligated to do our part in taking a stand in crimes against humanity. 

There are many ways to be involved in this movement to save the lives of innocent Ugandans and to contribute to the preventative measures being taken to alleviate this crisis globally. Along with the links included below, COSMOpolitique urges you to contact legislators and members of Congress and encourage them to be active participants in this war against Kony. 

This is the year for change at home and abroad.

Sign the pledge to stop Joseph Kony.

Donate to Invisible Children.

SHOP Invisible Children. (All proceeds are donations to the cause.)

Learn more about the cause.

Watch the video: "KONY 2012"

What will you do to help?

Make Your Bed & Get Ahead!: Spring Cleaning 101

You can't keep sweeping your messes under the rug!
Our cleaning tips are hardcore so take off those silly stilettos and get to work!

Yes, it's true that Punxsutawney Phil has decided that there will be six more weeks of winter but we believe that its time to check-in with ourselves and see how those resolutions are going, especially if it means we can get some spring cleaning out of the way! 

We know that the last thing you're looking forward to doing is sorting your junk drawer but think of all the spare change (and other helpful odds and ends) you might discover! (Surprise shopping fund anyone?!)

It might still be February, but if that urge to pull out some spring-y accessories is cramming your closet, here are some strategies that might help minimize the stress!

If you're the type of nester that tends to get sentimental with lots of "things", the key thing to remember is that less is more when it comes to being organized. It might be hard to part with sticky notes that evoke a memory from a funny office conversation but if it's really necessary to keep, hide stacks of "things" under or behind wire curtain panels so that they're (prettily) out of the way and you can re-visit them later.

Brighten up your home workspace with colorful organizational tools like boxes and file containers that are the same shade. The uniformity will add some method to your madness and will brighten the room and your disposition when you can easily access important items.

A place for everything and everything in its place!

Start small. The mission of "clutter control" might just mean that you learn to eliminate the unnecessary paper build-up by the phone or the stack of receipts on your desk. Take baby steps to eliminate the clutter in the first place by finding ways that prevent you from getting lost in a mess in the first place!

Adding a feminine touch to your organization can be fun and creative! We loved Martha Stewart's lattice shed board for hanging tools. For the more advanced organizer, painting the lattice to match your door (or staining it so that it stands out) makes a cleaning project a fun, hands-on art project!

Lastly, find a system for yourself. If you know that doing something a certain way actually helps you to stay organized, then don't change it! The worst thing is re-learning where you put everything so stay simple and stress-free!

Matching your organization tools to already established color schemes
helps you keep the things you love while ditching the mess!


Other links to love: Good Housekeeping, INeedMoreTime.com & Don't Get Bit by the Clutterbug

Are you a fan of 'the closet hanger challenge'? Got tips for keeping clean without spending green? Comment below or 'like' us on Facebook.

We'd love to hear your tips and share them!

Cite This: Wikipedia Site To "Black Out"

Seeing something like this? Here's why:

If you're a high school student studying for midterms, this is just not your week. Come tomorrow (or today), you will find that you're out of luck when it comes to your favorite online encyclopedia; turns out Wikipedia is going on vacation.

You're probably thinking, "what the @#$%!?!?!" but don't fret, it's for the greater good. 

In protest of anti-piracy legislation making its way through Congress, Wikipedia is making itself a "sacrificial lamb" of sorts to advocate against the proposed new tools for censorship. The popular informational resource joins companies such as Google and Facebook in protest and will disable its English version for 24 hours.

What's the big deal?!

The big deal is this, "If passed, this legislation will harm the free and open Internet and bring about new tools for censorship of international websites inside the United States," the Wikimedia foundation said. With supporters from the film and music industry concerned over the frequency at which their products and services are taken advantage of, the concept of intellectual property becomes a significant argument. However, opponents of the proposed legislation have built their cause around issues relating to free speech and privacy. Security on the internet has been a developing topic as social media and many businesses convert to virtual engagement.

Wikipedia has made an appeal to users and supporters of their message to contact members of Congress citing movements like the Arab Spring to press their point. They also mentioned their dissatisfaction with their need to make such a statement by barring users for 24 hours. Jay Walsh, spokesperson for Wikimedia was quoted in an article by Sarah Skidmore on Boston.com saying, "Wikipedia is about being open. We are not about shutting down and protesting. It's not a muscle that is normally flexed."

Countries like China and North Korea are severely monitored by their governments. (China even goes so far as to censor specific keywords in search engines!) While the United States is unlikely to go so far, how far is too far? 

Are you with Wikipedia or against? We want to see some free expression in action and hear your thoughts. Leave us a comment, chat with us on Facebook or send us a tweet @COSMOpolitique.

And take a look at what China is censoring (but you might have to wait until Thursday)!

How To: Make New Year's Resolutions Stick

It's what we're all thinking...

Drink less alcohol. Eat healthy food. Get a better job. Get fit. 

How long is your list of resolutions for the year ahead?

If you're anything like the statistics we found, you're more than likely to give up on your ambitious goals anytime after your first month. We're not saying that to discourage you. In fact, we're hoping you're up for the challenge and, if so, we have a few pointers that just might give you the confidence you need to finally make those resolutions stick!

1. Make your goals realistic and attainable: If your plan is to lose weight, plan a realistic goal for yourself. You can always add more to a task later but by starting out small you can aim for big, overall success.
2. Work with a friend: Sometimes its easier to work in a team. This is an effective way to reach goals on a timeline when you are part of an encouraging group. (It's like having you're own built-in cheerleaders or personal trainers!) Your successes will be their successes and you can work collaboratively on the parts of your goal that might prove to be more difficult.
3. Rewarding yourself is okay: Every so often, a little compensation for a job well done is in order. But, be careful! Stay away from "days off" and instead do less. In lieu of completely giving up for a day, allow yourself to take a mini-vacation and do something that makes you happy but maybe temporarily takes the focus off the one task you're trying to accomplish. You might even feel better about being able to get back on track once you've taken a short break!
4. Give yourself credit: Some goals (like quitting cigarettes) are harder to achieve than basic and simple adjustments to a lifestyle. When dealing with goals that encourage the breaking of habits, sometimes its better to set intervals of scaling back bad behavior or adverse habits and also more manageable. You'll feel more accomplished if you can accomplish pieces of your plan instead of building up anxiety when you don't meet your mark.
5. Don't give up!: Stay focused. Even if you slip, don't beat yourself up about it. Twelve months is a long time to set and accomplish any given task so while there's room for error, there's also room for success!

Whether you are trying to save money or you just to want to plan a trip, we're rooting for you! Send us suggestions you have for meeting your new goals in 2012 by commenting below, on our Facebook page or on Twitter by following @COSMOpolitique!

Here's to a happy and healthy 2012 & may all of your resolutions be successful!

While visions of sugarplums danced...

It's been a long time coming (because retailers have been decorated for what seems like months) but the holidays really are right around the corner. Now, more than ever, its the greatest time of year to enjoy every performance from street musicians to ballerinas around the city. So, grab your roasted chestnuts and find some of the most festive places to be around Boston:

• Nov. 26, 10am-4pm: 1 Maryland St., Savin Hill: Savin Hill Christmas Market 
• Nov. 27, 3pm: TD Garden: Trans-Siberian Orchestra*
• Nov. 30, 7pm-10pm: Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake: Rattlin' Around the Christmas Tree
• Dec. 2, 7pm: The Footlight Club: A Carol Christmas
• Dec. 2, 9pm: Marriot Copley Place: The 25th Annual SnowBall*

• Dec. 3, 10am-4pm: Hill House: Holiday Tree and Wreath Sale
• Dec. 3, 11am-5pm: First Church, Jamaica Plain: Holiday Fair 
• Dec. 3, 1pm: Fanieul Hall Marketplace: 12 Bars of Christmas*
• Dec. 3-18: Wheelock Family Theater: Urban Nutcracker*
• Nov. 25-Dec. 31: Boston Opera House: Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker*

Boldness denotes family-friendly activity.
Star/ * denotes COMSOpolitique recommendation.

We wish you a merry Christmas!

For more holiday ideas, visit Boston.com