Brooklyn’s annual Mermaid Parade added a new twist to an event known for its costumes and fantasy: politics. Perhaps its just these troubled times we live in or maybe its the looming threat of development looming over the seaside boardwalk section of Coney Island where the event is held. But one thing was for sure, this year’s crop of Mermaid Parade performers had more serious issues on their minds than in years past.

If it wasn’t clear from the banners and costumes dissing development in the historic Astroland Amusement Park, home of the Cyclone Rollercoaster, and and surrounding Boardwalk area, then the choice of this year’s Neptune King of the Parade certainly drove the point up. Wearing the crown of the parade, The Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping (seen above) spearheaded the preservation message of the festival with his soothing message of community preservation that caused at least one or two spectators to start speaking in tongues.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. We brought you some excellent top 10 lists this week on art, technology, director Errol Morris, and naughty celebs who should rethink their eco-lifestyles. Don’t forget to catch up with some of our other most popular articles of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites.

Katie:

Bush’s War: PBS Frontline Brings the War to a Computer Near You

Inverted Areola, Asymmetrical Breasts, & the Miss Bimbo Game

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Nicole:

Where the Wild Things Are: Top 10 Art Blogs

Dark Water: Artist Explores Consequences of Three Gorges Dam Project

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Giulia:

A Pregnant Man?

Is the Lebron / Gisele Vogue Cover Racist?

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Gina:

Top 10 Technology Blogs

Errol Morris’ Top 10 Films

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Kerry:

Top 10 Celebrities Who Need a New Cause

Dead Bats Flying: Mysterious Fatal Illness Alarms Scientists

America suffers from a collective case of do-gooder deafness: we have a hard time hearing a message when it’s delivered by a dorky academic or an unattractive activist. We’re all ears, though, when celebrities speak out about their pet causes, or their pets, or whatever. So, in acknowledgement of the fact that I, as a mere blogger, can only hope to influence so many people, I’d like to enlist the aid of some of our most oogled and Googled celebrities to help America combat climate change and overconsumption:

1. Britney Spears: Britney’s evidently on the road to recovery after some much needed r “˜n’ r. Here are three more “r’s” I’d love to see Britney promote: reduce, reuse and recycle. Our landfills are overflowing with post-consumer crap and the oceans are clogged up with plastic; what better time for Britney to redefine white trash! Recommended reading/viewing: Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte; The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard.

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The secret to Jim Hightower’s success lies in a style of political commentary best described as “pleasantly apoplectic;” he’s mad as hell, but in an ultra-affable way. Who else could stoke a fire in the belly with so many belly laughs?

In our climate change crisis, Hightower’s a natural source of alternative energy. He’s got his own brand of windpower, fueled by blowhards and gasbags, of which the right seems to have an endless supply.

And then there’s the wave power he’s helping to generate with his new book, Swim Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow. Swim Against the Current, co-authored by Susan DeMarco, provides heartening proof that citizen activists are turning the tide against the Powers That Be who’ve dragged our democracy through the muck.

If you subscribe to the “Yes-Things-Are-Awful-But-What-Can-I- Do-I’m-Just-One-Person” school of thought, I’m giving you an “F” for fatalism. I’ll change it to an “A” for attitude adjustment after you read this book and get off your apathetic ass and join the ranks of the grassroots greenies and grannies who are the heroes of Hightower’s book.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. This week we celebrated some of our own favorite top 10 bloggers who work night and day to provide us up-to-date info on films, literature, and feminist news. Don’t miss these exciting and informative blogs, as well as some of our most popular stories of the week.

Katie:

“La Misma Luna Under the Same Moon,” Not the Same Old Movie

Top 5 Eco-Friendly Gadgets for Under $50

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Nicole:

Top 10 Literary and Book Blogs

NBC11 First Wind Powered TV Station

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Giulia:

Top 10 Feminist Blogs

Horton: The New Mascot for Pro-Life

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Gina:

Top 10 Film Blogs

Top 10 Films I Would See If I Was At SXSW

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Kerry:

Our Pharmaceutically Fouled Water Supply

Top 7 New Sins Against God’s Green Earth

Has the Pope been hanging out with our favorite faux holy roller, the Reverend Billy? “˜Cause the Vatican’s brand new “To Don’t“ list seems to take some pages straight from our pompadoured preacher’s playbook. According to the Daily Green, the 7 new sins include:

1. Genetic Modification
2. Experimenting on Humans
3. Polluting the Environment
4. Causing Social Injustice
5. Causing Poverty
6. Becoming Obscenely Wealthy
7. Taking Drugs

How palatable will these newly minted no-no’s be to a society that glorifies self-gratification?

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Ladies and gentlemen, stop your engines: the era of the soccer mom and NASCAR dad is about to be eclipsed by a carbon conscious, fair trade-coffee klatch of “ecomoms,” according to the New York Times:

Move over, Tupperware. The EcoMom party has arrived, with its ever-expanding “to do” list that includes preparing waste-free school lunches; lobbying for green building codes; transforming oneself into a “locovore,” eating locally grown food; and remembering not to idle the car when picking up children from school (if one must drive). Here, the small talk is about the volatile compounds emitted by dry-erase markers at school.

Perhaps not since the days of “dishpan hands” has the household been so all-consuming. But instead of gleaming floors and sparkling dishes, the obsession is on installing compact fluorescent light bulbs, buying in bulk and using “smart” power strips that shut off electricity to the espresso machine, microwave, X-Box, VCR, coffee grinder, television and laptop when not in use.

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We sure do like our video games. So much so that Amazon is reporting that they sold 17 Wii’s a second this holiday season. Nintendo’s latest and most innovative video game console was Amazon’s top seller for a year that they are boasting was their best ever. This is interesting as many retailers are reporting the worst holiday season sales results they have had in some time.Seems folks like clicking to purchase their presents instead of actually having their credit card swiped. I have to admit that it was much easier on me to order some gifts online, not to mention that I could have them sent to directly to my Christmas destination instead of having to deal with bringing them to the increasingly difficult airport. And come to think of it, most of the gifts I received were actually ordered online.I can’t help but wonder if this has to do with that fact that the internet is huge and has so many more amazing creative gift options than say the local Wal-Mart. In fact check out some of the awesome places I purchased gifts from below (keeping in mind the extra cash you may have received this season), and because as a society we definitely buy way too much, I am also posting a video of Reverend Billy talking about his new movie “What Would Jesus Buy?:

http://www.animalsleepstories.comhttp://www.handmadeinbrooklyn.comhttp://www.caebuttons.comhttp://www.buyolympia.com

for more information on What Would Jesus Buy? go here

Starbucks is blaming a decrease in US consumer spending for their first ever fall in traffic. Shares also fell as the company has announced that they will open less stores in 2008 and start their first ever televison advertising campaign.It’s interesting that Starbucks is actually starting to falter just as consumer’s are becoming more informed about fair trade coffee and Starbucks lack of it from movie such as the Francis’ brothers Black Gold and from more exposure in the news.One person that will no doubt be happy by this news is Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping. Not only is Reverend Billy against consumerism but he has a particular distaste for Starbucks. Check out the Reverend himself speaking out against Starbucks history of using non fair trade coffee and union busting when their employees decided to organize. Want more of the Reverend check out the trailer for his new movie What Would Jesus Buy? and what happened when he brought the film to South by Southwest almost a year ago. You can catch the film in New York now and in LA starting November 21st.