The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

TakePart Gang:

Arrested in Development by Wendy Cohen

Is Google Making Us Dumber? by Blair Golson

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Nicole Hughes:

Top 5 Ways to Green Your July 4th

Greenopia: Eco-Guides For Your City

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Andy Kondrat:

Hypermiling Contest Winner Gets 124 Miles to the Gallon

Rise in Fuel Prices May Lead to Dirtier Energy Sources

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Jon Popham:

Red Tide in Yellow Sea Threatens Olympics

Mercedes-Benz Ditching Gasoline Cars by 2015

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Giulia Rozzi:

46664 Concert: Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela

Denise Richards Likes to Share

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Gina Telaroli:

Top 10 Movies for the 4th of July: For Patriots and Cynics!

The Radical and Beautiful Journey of Wall-E

When you aren’t busy grilling or watching fireworks you should definitely check out one of our Top 10 Movies for the 4th of July. Our list is perfect for both patriots and cynics as it showcases films that both celebrate the history of our country, sometimes question it and also highlight a need for change. Let us know if we missed your favorite and enjoy! Also be sure to check out our 4th of July TakePart links below:

takepart to support the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan wars this Independence Day.

takepart to learn how you can Take Action to encourage others to vote and speak their peace.

takepart to help keep the internet independent this Independence Day - Save the Internet!

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10. Election Day : A verite look at election day 2004 and how we vote in this country. With the upcoming election this film brings to light much that we should be discussing about what it means to be American. Also it premieres on PBS tonight : http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/electionday/

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Roger Shimomura´s exhibit at the Flomenhaft in NYC reflects his own experience of one of the greatest disgraces in US History, the Japanese internment of WWII. Shimomura was two years old when his family was forced by the US Government to move from their home in Seattle to the Minidoka internment camp in Idaho. The family was amongst 120,000 Japanese-Americans rounded up after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The family was eventually permitted to return to home when Shimomura was five years old.

To reconstruct the experience of his family the artist used the writings of grandmother, Toku, who kept a meticulous diary of their time at Minidoka. Shimomura uses a combination of American Pop Art and traditional Japanese ukiyo-e prints embued with scenes of a childhood lived within the confines of barbed wire in the installation “Minidoka on My Mind”.

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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. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Katie Halper:

Necklacing Returns to South Africa, Tutu Calls for Peace, and History Repeats Itself

Ted Kennedy’s Malignant Brain Tumor: Sad News, But the Work Goes On

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Nicole Hughes:

Bush’s Food Aid Package Promotes Use of GMOs

Gas Prices Exceed Those of 1973 Oil Crisis

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Andy Kondrat:

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Could Cost US 38 Trillion Annually

USDA Budget Squeeze Forces Agency to Stop Tracking Pesticide Use

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Jon Popham:

Brooklyn Bridge Birthday Celebration!

Smokey the Bear: Environmental Icon

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Giulia Rozzi:

Suicide Tourism in New York City

Kristin Davis and Her Solar Powered Home

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Gina Telaroli:

Media That Matters Film Festival Premieres on May 28th

Top 10 Ways Indiana Jones Saved the World: Part #1

Smokey the Bear perseveres to this day as one of the greatest environmental icons of American popular culture. Remember back when some fool you met at a party in the early 90’s was yammering on about Neil Young being the Godfather of Grunge? Or some other fool (or maybe the same one but this time rolling on ecstasy) in the late 90’s couldn’t stop talking about how Brian Eno was the pioneer of electronic music? Well when it comes to being influential, neither can hold a candle to Smokey the Bear, whose storied career in environmentalism began over 60 years ago - and that ain’t no foolin’!

Created by The Ad Council in 1944, Smokey the Bear stands at the center of the longest running public service campaign in the history of the United States. The furry cartoon character has been educating the young and old alike on forest fire prevention, conservation and environmentalism since the days of WWII in media including posters, magazines, radio spots PSAs, and in his own show, the intro to which can be seen below:

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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. Several topics really stood out this week, including the Oscars as social advocacy inspiration, civil rights and Black History Month, and lots of hot news on entertainment going Green. Check out our most popular posts of the week on these subjects, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites.

Katie:

Happy Belated “Freedom to Marry” Week!

Rosa and Raymond Parks: Valiant Valentine #5

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Nicole:

Top 10 Oscar Picks to Inspire Social Action

Cornel West: Black Thoughts On Black History Month

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Giulia:

H&M’s “Fashion Against AIDS”

Ed Begley Jr. Goes Green

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Gina:

Top 10 Best Picture Winners That Inspire

Remixing “Chicago 10″

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Kerry:

How To Set the World On Fire Without Burning Out

Eco-Brokers Cater to Green Homebuyers

This year Oscar turns 80 and with big show less than 5 days away I thought it might be nice to reflect on years past. Thus, I present to you the Top 10 Oscar Best Picture Winners That Inspire. Each title is listed along with the year it won.

Did I miss your favorite? Leave a comment with your pick for the most inspiring Best Picture winner and I’ll post the best comments next week on the Takepart Blog

1. Gandhi 1982 (directed by Richard Attenborough) - It makes sense that a biopic of one of the world’s most inspiring people would also be inspirational itself. Ben Kingsley gives an outstanding performance as Mahatma Gandhi, the lawyer turned activist and leader that confronted the British and urged for non-violent protest. In a way, I think it all comes down to this quote:

Gandhi: “Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always.”

and learn more about the teachings of Gandhi.

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