The protesters, some of whom had chained themselves to the front doors and had to be sawed out by police, are demanding Citibank shift their large-scale investments in coal-fired power plants due to coal’s increasing investment risk.

With environmental issues being an important issue in the presidential election, protests such as these will be drawing more and more attention as coal and oil companies fight the publicity and put out healthier, happier, fitter commercials to show the friendly side of the energy industry.

“In conjunction with today’s Citi event, Fossil Fools Day activities are happening from North Dakota to New Zealand. There are over 100 actions planned including Fossil Fool award deliveries to some of the most damaging CEOs and politicians, green job rallies, protests and civil disobedience at power plants, energy companies, and banks. Actions aim to express opposition to dirty energy and show support for climate justice and corporate responsibility. Fossil Fools Day is being organized by the Energy Action Coalition and a number of international allies including the International Rising Tide Network, Rainforest Action Network, and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.”

On FreeRice.com, for each word you get right, they donate 20 grams of rice throughout the UN World Food Program to help end hunger. It sounds easy enough. On the homepage, after you choose by highlighting a definition to word that is offered as the mechanism to move people to action any way they can, a total of 130, 345, 500 grains of rice…Yesterday!

On the FAQ page, a question reads:

How does playing the vocabulary game at FreeRice help me?

Why would anyone need more of a reason to play this simple word game, then to end world hunger. Well, what borderline offensive reasons would they put up to entice people to participate?

• Sell yourself, your services, and your products better
• Be more effective and successful at your job

And when you finally read down bulletined answers and blurbs of confidence, “about 25,000 people die each day from hunger or hunger-related causes, most of them children.” Maybe it’s just me. 25,000 people, or…increased degree of productivity. Hmm. Wait, ah Intent:

daddy? nah.

couch? nope.

gorge? tough.

purpose? purpose.
Correct!

On the bottom of the screen, ads? Freerice.com advertises?

“These ads pay for your donated rice.” I just donated 20 grains of rice, today. I think.