I live in the fine line between info-and-tainment

I love controversy.

Ok, so that's probably not the most serene statement I will make in my lifetime (and, thankfully, not the most extreme), but it is true -- particularly when that controversy allows for meaningful discussion of presumably "common sense" principles.

Enter the wide world of info-tainment.

Inf0-tainment, when used by CNN and Fox network, is little more than entertainment or fluff dressed up as important information. But like any tool, info-tainmnent can also provoke, inspire, corrupt and engage.

And a number of potentially inspiring info-tainment sources have popped up on my radar. I am sure there are many, many more (and I would love to hear about them...hit comments...fill out the damn "need to know your personal life story" blogger form and leave me your suggestions), but I thought I'd share the couple that have registered in my myopic world.

The first is the play Marx in Soho. Yes, this could be accurately considered as a shameless plug (I am involved with the Centre for Social Justice, the organization hosting this play) OR I could simply be well-positioned, which enabled me to learn of this critically acclaimed performance.

Written by Howard Zinn -- an agitator himself and best known for the publication of his book, 'A Peoples History of the United States' -- the premise of this "play on history" is that Karl Marx has petitioned the authorities of the afterlife for a chance to clear his name. But, through a bureaucratic error ends up in Soho, New York, rather than his old stomping ground of London.

According to the Washington Post, Marx in Soho is "engaging and charismatic... The audience was clearly with him as he critiqued the death penalty, mega-mergers and mass media. You wouldn't imagine that social criticism could make for lively theater, but Zinn's text and Jones's acting deftly blended the political with the personal."

For tix go to: http://www.socialjustice.org/

And it doesn't end there.

For those that love blockbuster feature docs, you'll remember Morgan Spurlock -- the man who ate nothing but McDonald's for 30 days straight. Now, Academy Award nominee Spurlock is taking his presumably chance-to-change crusade to a new level with a new television series: 30 Days. The show explores what life changing experiences are possible in 30 days by bringing together people with extreme opinions to live, work and play together for an entire month. Topics covered include minimum wage, anti-aging strategies, binge-drinking, immigration, and more. And the result? Communication and compassion and great info-tainment TV.

The final option is the new film (now out) Who Killed the Electric Car. High gas prices, power shortages, unrest in oil producing regions around the globe and the mainstream population's interest (and push) towards alternative choices (such as hybrid cars) makes this entertaining documentary both relevant and important. But don't worry. It's not just about educating...its also about enlightening. It helps round out the story of the car from the North American perspective and helps define our current car culture, while investigating the death and resurrection of the electric car, the role of renewable energy and sustainable living in our future and does so without getting bogged down in the political spectrum.

For more information on Marx in Soho go to:
http://www.marxinsoho.com/index.html

For more information on 30 Days go to: http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/30days/main.html

For more information on Who Killed the Electric Car go to:
http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/