If Chickens Ruled the World
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on July 3rd, 2009
Some people may think that chickens are stupid and harmless birds. These people have never observed chicken behavior on a close level. Yesterday two of our six hens hatched out some baby chicks for the first time ever. The other hens proceeded to tear one of the chicks limb from limb in a vicious attack, before we were able to rescue it. We were able to rescue three other chicks, however, and separated them and their mothers from the other vicious chickens.
Observing chicken behavior can be entertaining, but this was downright horrifying. And the contrast – first there are these sweet hens laying on their eggs and hatching out and caring for and protecting these cute little fuzzy chicks, and then there are the other hens, tearing apart a little baby chick in the dirt. So, I found some good merchandise – a bag that says “WARNING, beware of the killer chickens.”
If chickens were the size of dinosaurs, there would be no human race.
Iranian-American Scholar Posts Daily Updates
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Worldwide Wednesday on July 1st, 2009
Newswise — As millions of ordinary Iranians took their political protests into the streets and on to the World Wide Web via cell phones, YouTube and Twitter, much of the world was getting its first unvarnished look at a complex and diverse society that may be quite different than the one often painted by Western news media, suggests an Iranian-American scholar at Washington University in St. Louis.
“Sometimes it is hard for people to admit that there are good, ordinary, sane Muslims living in Iran, because it feels as though they are supporting the actions of the government,” said Fatemeh Keshavarz, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures in Arts & Sciences.
“But I think we have to overcome that. There are good Muslims — ordinary, peace-loving people — out there, and we have to let them come into the picture.”
Keshavarz, professor of Persian and of comparative literature and the author of a recent book on women in Iranian society, has been posting daily updates on election-related turmoil in Iran as part of her long-running electronic newsletter on cultural, political and social issues in Iran.
Her postings, filled with cell phone videos and firsthand anecdotes from friends and academic contacts within Iran, are available at the Windows on Iran Web site: http://windowsoniran.wordpress.com.
In her most recent posting about what she has referred to as “a peaceful movement that is seeking a repeat of the election in Iran,” she writes on June 22: “There seems to have been relative calm in Iran today. If there were clashes, they have remained unreported. All my personal attempts to dial numbers in Iran remained unsuccessful. The general mood seems to be that of waiting and reevaluating the situation among the people.”
However, the scene was quite different the night before when she wrote:
“Dear All, ?If you believe in praying, it is time to pray for Iran. Things are getting worse and worse.
* Riot police has blocked all the streets to the Azadi Square. People are being arrested in large numbers.
* After dark, shotguns and cries of Allaho Akbar from the rooftops are heard.
* On the streets, the chants have now changed to ‘Down with Khamenei.’”
Keshavarz is available for media interviews on the day-to-day news reports she’s receiving from contacts within Iran and for broader discussions of the cultural context of these events, including the role of women, art and literature in modern Iranian society and the unique ways that this protest is being shaped by the use of cell phones, instant messaging and other online social media.
Countering negative images
Raised in Shiraz, Iran, Keshavarz earned a bachelor’s in Persian language and literature and a master’s in library, archive and information studies from Shiraz University and a master of arts and a doctorate in Near Eastern studies from the University of London.
She also takes interest in the broader implications of cultural education for world peace, and in May 2007, she spoke on this topic to the United Nations General Assembly.
Keshavarz has not resided in Iran since leaving for college abroad just prior to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, but she returns to her homeland for long visits almost every summer.
Although she continues to wear a headscarf on these annual trips, she strongly favors freedom of choice for women in the way they dress.
Her most recent book, “Jasmine and Stars: Reading More Than Lolita in Tehran,” offers warm stories about ordinary, peace-loving Iranians who share the hopes and aspirations of us all, a perspective intended to counter the negative image of Iranian society that is so often portrayed in Western news coverage and in popular books, such as Azar Nafisi’s “Reading Lolita in Tehran.”
Americans don’t know this side of Iran, she says — and don’t realize that it still exists today.
China Linked to 70 Percent of World’s Spam
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Tech Talk Tuesday on June 30th, 2009
Newswise — Nearly three-quarters of the Web sites advertised in computer spam studied by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Spam Data Mine so far in 2009 are tied to China, according to Gary Warner, UAB’s director of research in computer forensics. Warner has dubbed the trend the “spam crisis in China.”
“China has become a safe haven for Web site operators that use spam to promote their products because of the willingness of some Chinese Web-hosting companies to ignore spam complaints about those sites, which are hosted on their servers for a fee,” Warner said. “The hosting companies don’t create the spam, but rather declare themselves bullet-proof hosting sites – meaning that regardless of the illegal activities being reported, they will not terminate their customer’s spam-related Web sites or domains.”
Computer spam refers to unsolicited commercial advertisements distributed online via e-mail, which can sometimes carry viruses and other programs that harm computers. For the year to date, the UAB Spam Data Mine has reviewed millions of spam e-mails and successfully connected the hundreds of thousands of advertised Web sites in the spam to 69,117 unique hosting domains, Warner said. Of the total reviewed domains, 48,552, 70 percent, had Internet domains – or addresses – that ended in the Chinese country code “.cn”. Additionally, 48,331, 70 percent, of the sites were hosted on Chinese computers.
Further encouraging the Chinese spam epidemic is the widespread availability of cheap domain names. Domain names based in China can cost as little as one yuan, or 15 cents in U.S. currency. In contrast, U.S. domain names can costs as much as $35 a year, with a portion of the fees going toward efforts to detect fraud and abuse like spam. The low domain rates in China encourage Web page operators to buy numerous domains, leading to a continuous stream of spam promoting those various sites.
“Not only is it cheap to operate spam-promoted Web sites through the Chinese technology infrastructure, there is not enough revenue being generated to pay for the creation of programs or entities that could prevent such abuses from taking place,” Warner said.
Warner said that while only a very few companies in China are responsible for perpetuating the illegal spam activity, they risk the reputation of their entire nation’s Internet presence. Warner believes the solution lies in a renewed effort by the country’s government to target companies acting as a haven for cyber-criminals rather than a complete block of all Internet flow coming from China. He said China must develop mechanisms to accept and respond to spam abuse complaints. Read more on Warner’s blog at http://garwarner.blogspot.com/.
About UAB
The UAB computer forensics program is on the front lines of cyber crime and takes a three-part approach in its response to battling the problem. The first focus is on academic training to prepare the next generation cyber-crime investigators. The program also seeks to build a public awareness of cyber crime while conducting research to develop cutting edge options for taking on cyber criminals. For more, log on to http://www.cis.uab.edu/forensics/.
The eyes have it
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on June 28th, 2009
Yesterday I saw someone I hadn’t seen in years and he had totally grown up – I remember him as this skinny kid with long dreadlocks – now he has filled out and has a short, respectable haircut. But I still recognized him, because of his eyes. It turns out that this is one of the main things that people look at when doing age-enhancement of photos. People can easily change their hair and even their bodies to some extent, but the eyes remain the same.
“Eighty percent of facial recognition — what makes a face unique — comes from the eyes,” says Glenn Miller, supervisor of the Forensic Services Unit for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Va. It also turns out that we can read a lot of body language through the eyes.
Often referred to as “the window to the soul,” our eyes can tell a lot about what we are thinking and feeling, and remain a constant part of our appearance throughout our lifetimes, even if so many other things about us change.
(The Eye of Horus)
Starchild
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on June 26th, 2009
In the 1930s, an unusual 900 year-old skull was found in Mexico. When finally brought to light and studied in the late 1990s, some came to the conclusion that this “Starchild Skull“ is actually an extraterrestrial-human hybrid.
This mystery skull does not fit neatly into any known human skull deformations. But why would this lead researchers to jump to the conclusion that it was alien?
Apparently, Indian Legends told of “star-people” who came down and created alien-human hybrids, waiting until the offspring reached about the age of 6, when they returned to take them.
While no concrete proof has been found that the skull is actually that of a human-alien hybrid, researchers have still been unable to classify just what conditions caused the unusual deformations of this skull.
What do you think?
Patriotic Music May Close Minds, Children’s Music May Open Them
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Thirsty Thursday on June 25th, 2009
Newswise — The words to “Itsy Bitsy Spider” tell a simple story about an arachnid and a spout, but simply recalling the lines could initiate an unintentional attitude.
That’s the focus of research by Kansas State University’s Eduardo Alvarado, sophomore in pre-law, who is looking at the behaviors elicited from the musical lyrics of common songs.
Alvarado is working with Donald Saucier, associate professor of psychology at K-State to study the effects priming can have on behavior by looking at the positive and negative responses stimulated from music lyrics from a variety of song categories, including patriotic and Christmas songs. Priming, he said, is when someone is exposed to a certain environment and their subconscious is activated, and then they tend to act in accordance with that environment without deliberate intent. Priming can manipulate behavior; if someone witnesses violent behavior, they would likely behave more violently.
“One of the key implications is that behaviors may be malleable in the sense that many individuals have the capacity for similar reactions in social situations,” Saucier said. “Relatively small-scale primes may activate certain reactions, and these may be pro-social or anti-social depending on the context.”
Alvarado said the researchers wanted to see if certain musical lyrics activated a pro-social response, which is a positive feeling like empathy, or an anti-social response, which is a negative feeling like aggression. Study participants had to complete a survey and do a lyrics exercise. For the lyrics exercise, participants had to fill in missing lyrics for different songs.
The songs involved in the study were patriotic songs, such as “The Star-Spangled Banner”; secular Christmas songs, such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”; religious Christmas songs, such as “O Holy Night”; and neutral songs, such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”
Participants filled out a survey that asked questions about their religion and their attitudes toward other cultures and diversity. Half of the participants were asked to complete the survey before the lyric exercise, and the other half completed the survey after the exercise.
Alvarado said the researchers assume people act similarly to primes, and they looked overall at the surveys to see if there was a change in the responses before and after completing the lyrics exercise. They wanted to see if the songs created a pro-social or an anti-social response. He said the preliminary findings showed that the patriotic songs had a negative effect on the participants, as shown through their responses to the survey’s questions about other cultures and diversity. The patriotic songs made the participants close-minded and prejudiced.
“Once they were in a patriotic point of view, they were less empathetic,” Alvarado said. “They didn’t put themselves in other people’s perspective.”
Though songs like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” were meant to be neutral primes, the researchers found that they stimulated a pro-social response.
“You wouldn’t think that those songs were going to put people in a certain mind frame, but they do activate a certain attitude,” Alvarado said. “We found it made people more accepting and more empathetic. The reason for this we think is because we used to listen to these songs when we were little and they kind of activate childhood happiness.”
Saucier said follow-up research will focus on using stronger and more salient primes to influence pro-social and anti-social behavior. Jessica McManus, graduate student in psychology, has been collaborating on the project.
THE BIG PARTY IN GENOA
Posted by Mary Allan Mill in Worldwide Wednesday on June 24th, 2009
If you ask me what my favorite mode of travel is, without hesitation, I will answer that I’ll go anywhere, anytime by boat or ship. To date, I’ve taken over 40 cruises in this country, Canada and abroad. Flat out, I love to sail!
All ships and boats have a “soul”, and when you understand the spirit of a ship, it opens doors. When does a ship receive that soul? On its christening, of course. And so it was June 5, 2009 that two Costa Cruises’ ships were christened at what was called “a massive party”. The 114,500 ton Costa Pacifica and the 92,000 ton Costa Luminosa (the fleet’s first flagship) were christened together on a moonlit night in Genoa, Italy which has been Costa’ homeport since 1854.
That morning Costa VIP’s, along with dignataries from the area made speaches. By cocktail time 9 planes of the Italian Air Force put on an airshow. The piers were filled with residents and guests. Red, green and white plumes were released skyward amidst cheers. The sounds of the voice of the late Pavarotti’s Nessun Dorma filled the air. In Italy, forget the champagne. They toasted the event with prosecco.
4,000 guests attended a gala dinner prepared by two of Italy’s finest chefs. The christening started at 11 PM with a show, “An Italian Portrait in Music and Light” starring Noa, an Israeli singe – he christened the Pacifica. Valentine Vezzall (an Italian Olympic fencing gold medalist) christened the Luminosa. Despite the fact that some questioned two ships being christened at one time, it was certified.
There were circus acts, cutting of the ribbons and two bottles of prosecco completed the celebration. The ships are not twins, but both breathtaking. The Costa Luminosa has more streamlined decor, but each is understated luxury and pleasure at sea.
Many thanks to Theresa Norton Masek, editor in chief of Vacation Agent Magazine for all of the information. When are you going to run away to sea?
THE VISIONARIES AMONGST US
Posted by Mary Allan Mill in Tech Talk Tuesday on June 23rd, 2009
Laughingly, I often say that I have seen everything worth seeing…I swallowed my words when reading an article about The Image Mill. As a child and a young woman, I spent a lot of time in Quebec City, Canada. My grandmother and her sister were born there, my step-great grandfather, General Wilson, was commander of the Citadel which has, for centuries, protected the city.
There are few areas of Lower Town which I’ve not walked, and I know the St. Lawrence Seaway well as it was the entrance and exit for the Allan Line ships which my family owned.
The Image Mill is the world’s largest multi media projection screen. Moving images are projected against the grain silos in Lower Town at the Port of Quebec. The project was part of the 400th anniversary of the historical city. The technology is brilliant, and the effect amazing. The “show” takes 40 minutes and includes much reworking, improvement and enhancement to 20% of the original show. The screen is 600 meters wide and 300 meters tall…the equivalent of 25 IMAX screens, and the effect is 3D. It was, of course, the star attraction of the city’s 400th anniversary!
The screenings are Wednesday to Sunday starting mid-July until September 13, 2009 at the present time. We have Ex Machina to thank for this extraordinary show, and the awesome Robert Lepage born in Quebec in 1957. He’s a director, scenic artist, playwright, actor, film director and, at the top of the list, an applause worthy visionary.
The Image Mill transports those watching through four centuries of Quebec history in four movements: waterways (recounting the days of Quebec’s discovery and exploration), road building (that period in which the land was cleared, then developed), rail expansion (the years of industrialiation and railway construction), and air travel (the era of balloons, airplanes and communications) The production begins at 10:00 PM.
You can view this enormous work from many vantage points in Quebec City and Levis (on the other side of the St. Lawrence), and the wharves between the old Port Market and rue Dalhousie, north of Quai Saint-Andre will offer the best view. Check out www.theimagemill.com and www.bonjourquebec.com.
Father
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on June 21st, 2009
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. — Mark Twain
Research shows that fathers play an important role in the development and well-being of their children.
Today is a day to honor our fathers. For most people this means making a phone call, sending a card, or getting a gift for dad. But what do you do when your father is no longer living?
An artist friend of mine, Kerri Rosenstein, has used her art as a way of working through the loss of her father. Her latest show, titled “father” opened at the Missoula Art Museum this month. For this show, Kerri collected a stone for every day of her father’s life, painted them a rose color, and painted “rosenstein,” meaning “rose stone,” in gold lettering on stones for each day of her life, so far. Visitors to the exhibition were encouraged to take a stone and bring it back out into the world.
Sea Gypsies
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on June 19th, 2009
Well I started off this morning thinking I was going to write about the aquatic ape theory, and then I found The Moken. I went to Thailand about 12 years ago and loved the place, it’s history, it’s beautiful kind people. We even spent most of our time there around Phuket and Ko Phi Phi, and didn’t know a thing about the Moken, a group of semi-nomadic sea people, until today. Unfortunately now their way of life is threatened by tourism and the general encroachment of the rest of the world.
One thing I found fascinating about these people is that, according to one source, none of them died in the tsunami of 2005. Apparently, the fish told them it was coming. Some of them took to the mountains inland, others rescued tourists from the islands, and still others actually rode out the tsunami in their boats.
Seeing the way that these people live, it is easier to imagine that humans as a species evolved in and around water, as hypothesized by the proponents of the aquatic ape theory. What is harder to imagine is what would make people decide to move inland, away from the water. It used to be widely believed that North America was settled by the Native Americans by the Bering Strait land bridge, but more recently scientists have been looking at coastal routes as more plausible.
Some even suggest that global warming could cause cataclysmic flooding that would once again put us in a position of having to survive in a watery environment, as soon as 2012.
Are Socialists Happier Than Capitalists?
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Worldwide Wednesday on June 17th, 2009
Driven by a decline in satisfaction with work life and family life, overall well-being initially plummeted in countries directly affected by the fall of the Iron Curtain, reveals an important new study.
The research, forthcoming in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, expands our understanding of the correlation between happiness and democracy — and whether economic concerns outweigh political reforms in their impact on subjective well-being.
“Although one might suppose these questions are of interest — some might even say fundamental interest, considering that they involve comparing capitalism and socialism — they have received little attention in the voluminous literature on transition economies,” says Richard Easterlin, USC University Professor and professor of economics in the USC College of Letters, Arts & Sciences.
Easterlin examines life satisfaction in thirteen countries in the so-called communist-bloc using self-reported data from a range of sources, particularly the World Values Survey. Communist-bloc countries first appeared in the large-scale Survey in 1989, when a representative population in each country was asked to rate “life these days, as a whole” on a scale of 1 (dissatisfied) to 10 (satisfied).
Other surveys before and after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 asked similar questions about specific aspects of life — such as work, health, and standard of living — and about “the way democracy works in (your country).”
“The dissolution of the police states and increase in political and civil rights in many of the transition countries might have been expected to increase life satisfaction,” Easterlin says. “The sharp decline that initially occurred suggests that adverse economic and social conditions trumped the political in their impact on subjective well-being.”
Indeed, the study finds that the trend in overall satisfaction with democracy is actually slightly negatively correlated to the trend in reported happiness after the fall of the Iron Curtain. This correlation is not statistically significant, according to Easterlin, but undermines the assertion by some scholars that democratization in these countries significantly increased happiness.
“There is evidence that, when asked about their sources of well-being, people rarely mention political circumstances,” Easterlin explains. “Rather, they put foremost those concerns that principally occupy their time, most notably making a living, family life and health.”
Satisfaction with work, childcare and health all decreased significantly during the transition from socialism to capitalism, reflecting a marked rise in symptoms of social stress such as divorce rates, suicide rates, domestic violence and increased alcoholism and drug use, Easterlin finds.
However, people were much more satisfied with one particular aspect of their lives after the fall of the Soviet Union: their material circumstances, including standard of living, goods availability and the environment.
“The positive contribution of life satisfaction to improved material living was outweighed by losses in employment security, health and child care, and provision for old age,” Easterlin says.
Disparities in life satisfaction also increased after the fall of the Soviet Union, particularly along the lines of age and education. Those older than 30, who had already established careers under the socialist system, were far more likely to be dissatisfied with life under capitalism than younger adults. Older people also faced the deterioration of old-age pension support and rising unemployment rates.
Men and women had about equal declines in life satisfaction, Easterlin finds.
“The human cost of the transition was enormous, with the lives of millions turned upside down,” Easterlin says. “The impact of these changes on people’s personal lives and their well-being is almost totally missed by GDP per capita.”
While life satisfaction had rebounded somewhat by 1999, there is evidence to suggest that even by 2005 it had not yet reach pre-transition levels, according to the study. By this time, GDP in the countries studied had increased 25 percent on average since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“The life satisfaction measure, which reflects not only material well-being, but the everyday concerns and worries of women and men about work, health and family, is more indicative of the far-reaching changes that were taking place,” Easterlin says.
He continues: “Life satisfaction is not an exhaustive measure of well-being. But if, in formulating transition policy, some consideration had been given to this measure, perhaps there would have been fewer ‘lost in transition.’”
Richard A. Easterlin. “Lost in Transition: Life Satisfaction on the Road to Capitalism,” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization (2009: 71:2).
Microsoft hopes you’ll soon Bing instead of Google
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Tech Talk Tuesday on June 16th, 2009
By Nicole Norfleet, St. Pete Times Staff Writer
In Print: Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Online here: http://www.tampabay.com/news/science/personaltech/article1008611.ece
Bing me. Bing it. It’s time to Bing and decide. Prepare yourself as Microsoft wages its all-out advertising assault on Web-surfing lingo.
Last week, the software giant launched its new online search engine, Bing. It’s spending an estimated $80 million to $100 million on a campaign to shape Bing.com as a “decision engine” for consumers.
What will you find there?
Bing focuses on four experiences: making a purchase, planning a trip, researching a health condition and finding a local business.
Like Google, Bing also provides tools to search videos, images, news and maps updated with real-time traffic info.
Bing enters a search engine landscape dominated by Google, which holds more than 81 percent of the global market, according to statistics by Market Share. Yahoo, in second, garners a little more than 9 percent.
Will Bing’s consumer focus win people over?
Dewey Davis-Thompson, who owns Internet Adept Inc., a St. Petersburg Web design service, said he hasn’t seen anything beyond Bing’s glossy interface to capture his attention.
“They may catch up with Google, but I don’t know about surpassing it,” he said. “Google is a word like Coke — like Kleenex or Trojan.
“People don’t use a search engine. They Google.”
Will they also Bing?
Green Travel / Personal Note
Posted by Kelly in Mother Earth Monday on June 15th, 2009
As I have mentioned previously, I am making my annual trip back east shortly: I take the bus from southern New Mexico to Albuquerque, then I hop on Amtrak and do one leg from Albuquerque to Chicago (the Southwest Chief) and, after a very pleasant downtown layover, from Chicago to Massachusetts on the Lake Shore Limited. The whole trip takes approximately 48 hours, and is incredibly pleasant compared to flying. There is no security insanity; there is no hurry-up and slow-down; you get there when you get there, and if you can deal with that, it’s an amazingly relaxed and enjoyable trip.
The train is also one of the greenest ways you can travel. I can’t recommend it enough. I will also be filing some stories, post-trip, about my experiences, to give you a more intimate view of what train travel is actually like. Do you have your own stories? Let us know!
Just my imagination
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on June 14th, 2009
I’ve been reading a lot of books lately, and it got me to thinking about how books are such a great escape from everyday reality. When a book is good, it takes you into another world for a while, so much so that you can forget your own life and who you are for a bit.
I started thinking of all the different ways that I escape reality on a regular basis: reading, daydreaming, watching television and movies, drinking alcohol…I’m sure there are more. I wondered, why is it that I feel the need to escape from reality? I mean, my life is pretty good. But even if I were to eliminate all of these ways of escaping, I would still go to sleep and dream every night. It seems to me that people actually have a need to escape reality on a regular basis.
One of the fantastic things about books is that ideas emerge from someone’s imagination and can be shared with others long after the person who had the original idea is gone. There they are on my shelf – the ideas of people long gone. We have a need to share stories and ideas; to use our imaginations. In fact, if we did not go to sleep and dream every night, we would probably go insane.
More information on the study of imagination and the importance of dreaming reveals the how crucial these processes are in the maintenance of everyday reality. Another fascinating topic regarding imagination and consciousness is lucid dreaming. It appears that not only is it totally ok to escape from reality every once in a while, it may be entirely necessary.
TRAVEL TO CUBA
Posted by Mary Allan Mill in Soapbox Saturday on June 13th, 2009
When I was a little girl, one of the two closets in my bedroom was full of my mother’s evening dresses. She would tell me about her many trips to Cuba in the 20’s and 30’s, the glamor and the excitement. I remember a crushed red velvet dress with a very low, draped back and the black chiffon dress that had what she called “a rhumba skirt”. To me, in the early 40’s, Cuba beckoned, then faded.
I went to a boarding school with Valentina who was from Cuba. By then it was the late 40’s and some of the stories she told about politics frightened me. I kept in touch with her, and in the mid 50’s my letters were not answered.
April 14, 2009 Travel Pulse published an article titled, “Obama Lifts Certain Travel Restrictions”. It began, “President Barack Obama is allowing Americans to make unlimited trips and money transfers to family in Cuba, and easing other restrictions to usher in a new era of openness toward the island nation ruled by Communists for 50 years.”
About 1.5 million Americans have relatives on the island nation that turned to Communist rule in 1959 when Fidel Castro seized control. Do I approve? I may have a friend still there. As such, I am emotionally involved.
My mother’s fabulous dresses are lost to the past. No longer will she gracefully descend the marble stairs of the hotel in all her finery, no longer will she dance the starry nights away in Havana…but it is a beginning, we pray, back to individual freedom, a return to contact with the outside world and, as such, a better life.
Only time will tell.
Bigfoot Lives!
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on June 12th, 2009
Ok, I actually don’t know if Bigfoot exists or not, but, like Fox Mulder from the X-Files, “I want to believe.” And I’m not the only one. Even though some Bigfoot sightings have been proven to be hoaxs, people continue to believe and look for the real Bigfoot.
The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization claims to be “the only scientific research organization exploring the bigfoot/sasquatch mystery.” Their website includes a comprehensive sightings database, where you can search Canada and the US for reports of Bigfoot sightings. Other websites describe sightings as well.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence of this creatures existance, many people still believe and hope to find this potential primate relative. There are myths of Bigfoot-like creatures all over the world, just like there are myths of “little people” around the world, and recent evidence has shown that “homo floresiensis,” a small homind, in fact did exist simulataneously with modern humans. So why not Bigfoot?
Cirque Berzerk
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on June 12th, 2009
Thanks to a tip from our intrepid writer Lori, I recently checked out the Cirque Berzerk website, and is it wild! They inform us:
It’s been called everything from “a circus on acid” to “French burlesque meets Sweeney Todd.” Cirque Berzerk’s unique flavor of adult psychedelic vaudevillian tomfoolery returns to the Los Angeles State Historic Park. Performances run Thursday, June 18th through Sunday, July 5th, 2009.
The Cirque includes acrobats, aerialists, stilt walkers, dancers, contortionists, clowns, and more — it sounds like a punk rock cross between Cirque du Soleil and mid-90s Lollapalooza. If you’re in Los Angeles, why not check it out? And if you do, report back, please!
Uighurs in Palau
Posted by Kelly in Worldwide Wednesday on June 10th, 2009
There are various reports that the tiny Pacific nation of Palau will take in 17 Chinese Muslims from the U.S. prison in Guantanamo. The ethnic Uighur prisoners had been previously cleared of wrongdoing and ordered to be released, but could not be resettled in their native region in western China due to fear of reprisals from the Chinese government.
“The agreement opens the door to the largest single transfer of Guantánamo prisoners and is the first major deal on detainees since President Obama pledged soon after taking office in January to close the prison within a year….But the United States had not been able to persuade any country to take them, despite contacting about 100 governments. Washington had said it would not hand them over to China, which has demanded their return, because it feared they would be persecuted or even executed.”
The U.S. goverment has promised $200 million in aid to Palau, but denies that the aid is linked to Palau’s acceptance of the Uighur prisoners. Whether this is true or not, it is a relief that these persecuted men finally have a place to go.
Brain Wired
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Tech Talk Tuesday on June 9th, 2009
Men and women have brains that work differently.
Find out more in this video.
Quitting
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on June 7th, 2009
I have a friend who says “never trust anyone who says they have no vices.” We are creatures of habit and it is too easy to fall into bad ones. Although I am not a religious person, I love yoga. While the Christian Bible gives it’s followers the 10 Commandments, in yoga, there are the Yamas and Niyamas, or Virtues and Non-Virtues. Basically, these are the things that one should aspire to and avoid.
People who know me now are surprised to learn that I used to smoke cigarettes. I tried to quit for YEARS. As long as I was frequenting bars and doing a whole lot of “hanging out,” quitting felt impossible. But once I started rock climbing and running, I found that smoking no longer fit in. Quitting smoking was hard, until I changed my lifestyle and replaced old habits with new ones.
Aspiring toward good habits and avoiding bad ones is a daily practice, and I don’t know anyone who has totally perfected this. But, I figure it is kind of like eating your veggies. It is better to eat a little bit than none at all.
A Few Good Blogs
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on June 7th, 2009
In the spirit of not planning ahead, combined with an unexpected (but extremely welcome) house guest and the damnable hours of the French Open, today I have a few suggestions for other excellent websites.
The Daily Revolution’s own Lori maintains an excellent blog. Ostensibly, it’s about training for her first marathon, but it’s much bigger than that.
My friend Kate writes a blog as well; Chasing Palindromes is about her life, her bikes, and associated adventures. She also maintains a cooking blog with some really fun recipes. “Curried Anything but Couscous” is especially excellent.
Finally, I couldn’t live without Science Daily. I could get a lot more work done without it, though. Have fun!
Bird-brained Behavior
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on June 5th, 2009
Several weeks ago I awoke to a tapping at my window. Thinking it was one of our dogs or our cat wanting to go out, I got up, only to find that it was a Robin at the window. Not only was he tapping, but every once in a while he would throw himself against the window. It was actually quite disturbing to see. We had friends over for dinner that evening and he was still smashing into the window. My theory was that he had brain damage from hitting it so hard. When it continued for days, I finally called the local Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department for help.
Apparently, this behavior is not unusual for male robins during the mating season. The male robin was actually trying to fight his own reflection. Their advice was to cover the window with cardboard, and after a few days he would go away. However, we have these huge windows and were only able to cover the lower half with large pieces of cardboard. The robin was not deterred. It continued for weeks. We got used to the slamming and tapping, but the worst part was that he would sit there and poop in front of our sliding glass doors. Just when we were so tired of it we started thinking of “getting rid of” him for good, we noticed the fantastic nest that he had built just a few feet away, in front of the wood shed.
It was so lovely, we just couldn’t bring ourselves to get rid of him. Then, when we had finally gotten used to the noise and the poop, it stopped. I went out to look at the nest this morning and discovered three little baby robins there (kind of hard to see in this picture). Finally, all the crazy behavior made sense, and I was happy to be able to share my “territory” with this nutty bird.
Little House on the Prairie
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on June 4th, 2009
I have been re-reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” series. People of my generation may be familiar with the books, but probably remember the television series better.
The books follow a young girl and her family in the latter half of the nineteenth century, through various moves across what is now the northern Midwest, and through many trials and triumphs. Although written for young people, the content may resonate for those of all ages. The character Laura and her family are poor, although this is not explicitly stated. They simply work very hard and appreciate what they have. That struck me even as a young child – I marveled at Laura’s appreciation of her Christmas gifts: a stick of candy and a tin cup to call her own.
In these fast-moving and hyper-connected times, Wilder’s books possess a seductive simplicity, but they also show timeless values: love, friendship, hard work, cooperation, and appreciation for what we have. The collection I bought is available at Amazon and elsewhere; other collections and the individual books are available as well. I recommend them for both the young and the young at heart.
Chinese Pottery
Posted by Kelly in Worldwide Wednesday on June 4th, 2009
The world’s oldest known pottery has been discovered in China, according to a report from the BBC. The pottery, in fragments, was estimated at about 18,000 years old and found in a cave that had previously yielded the oldest kernels of rice.
“The previous oldest-known example of pottery was found in Japan, dated to an age between 16,000 and 17,000 years ago, but debate has raged in the archaeological community as to whether pottery was first made in China or Japan.”
Pottery and ceramics have a long history, and archaeologists have relied upon shards as insights into ancient cultures. According to Wikipedia, “The study of pottery may also allow inferences to be drawn about a culture’s daily life, religion, social relationships, attitudes towards neighbours, attitudes to their own world and even the way the culture understood the universe.”
Baked DNA
Posted by Kelly in Tech Talk Tuesday on June 2nd, 2009
Forensic scientists led by University of New Haven’s Dr. Heather Coyle have discovered a new way to extract DNA from ancient bones, using heat instead of freezing:
Standard DNA procedure for bones is to freeze them. When Coyle and her team re-examined the mummy remains they realized the Gobi desert created a natural bone baking process. “It makes the bone more brittle so it makes it easier to grind and break open more cells, so we think we are accessing more DNA to begin with,” Dr. Coyle said.
This technological innovation might have a huge impact on DNA extraction, particularly from older bones, where it is extremely difficult to get usable DNA. For her part, Dr. Coyle hopes the new technique can be used to solve cold cases.
Creature Comforts
Posted by Kelly in Mother Earth Monday on June 1st, 2009
I have written previously about the wonderful benefits we can gain from the presence of companion animals in our lives. For years I have supported a multitude of animal welfare charities and done occasional volunteer work. One of my greatest frustrations has been how to better contribute to animal welfare, particularly through employment. The few related (paying) jobs in my community either did not use my specific skill set or were not jobs that I could deal with on an emotional level – I don’t know if it is a weakness per se, but I could not face abused animals or unnecessary euthanasia situations on a daily basis. So I keep looking, and hoping, and continue donating money when I can.
In the meantime, the number of cats in my house has increased a bit over the last couple years. I rescued an abandoned domestic cat who was living in my yard, along with her two surviving kittens, but before I could get her to the vet, she had another litter – of seven. They lived in my rec room, and I set out finding various places for them, including a couple friends’ homes, and several no-kill sanctuaries. In the middle of this tumultuous period, I was home alone one evening near Thanksgiving when I heard a small, terrible cry coming from outside, repeated over and over again. I grabbed a flashlight and stepped into the darkness with trepidation. Huddled on the breezeway, a tiny kitten, not four weeks old, sat abandoned. I have to admit that my eyes filled with tears as I scooped her up – not just because I felt badly for her, but because I was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of cats I was trying to help.
The story ends well. I found places for all the cats. I never discovered where the baby kitten had come from; I often wondered, as I bottle-fed her and cleaned her and taught her how to use the litter box. There had been no female cats, let alone pregnant ones, in my neighborhood. I think she was abandoned by some callous creep, but at least she was left at the right place. Her name is Mija (Spanish for “my little girl”) and she lords it over my older cats with the supreme confidence of a beloved creature. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I believe that we human animals have a strong responsibility for the well-being of all other animals, particularly the ones that we domesticated. There are so many ways to help, and every small contribution, whether cash or volunteer work or simply being a responsible pet owner, adds up and makes the world a much better place. Please help any way you can.
Links
· ASPCA
· Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Defiling the Temple
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on May 31st, 2009
My body is my temple, and my vehicle as I go through this life. I think about this as I am running along a dirt road out in the country by myself. I give thanks to whatever made this all possible – the big blue sky over green fields, the little yellow and purple flowers along the roadside, and my legs moving me forward.
But no matter how much I love and appreciate my body, I still manage to do things that I know are not good for it. And I know I’m not the only one. I go out into the world and I see so many overweight or just plain unhealthy looking people, and they don’t look very happy.
Why do people do things that they know are bad for them – like eating junkfood, smoking and drinking alcohol, and not do things that they know are good like exercise? Wouldn’t we all be happier if we were as healthy as we can be? Instead people do all these things that they know are not good for them, then go to the doctor and expect to be healed, cured, fixed.
It has been estimated that around 70% of healthcare costs in this country are due to lifestyle choices. It seems to me that a lot of problems could be solved simply by taking better care of ourselves.
Bilingual Advantages
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on May 31st, 2009
Science Daily reports that bilingual people have a strong advantage over monolingual speakers in learning new languages. According to the article:
“People who can speak two languages are more adept at learning a new foreign language than their monolingual counterparts, according to research conducted at Northwestern University. And their bilingual advantage persists even when the new language they study is completely different from the languages they already know.”
An earlier report, also from Science Daily, reveals that bilingualism seems to protect the brain against some of the ravages of aging.
“Children who speak a second or third language may have an unexpected advantage later in life, a new Tel Aviv University study has found. Knowing and speaking many languages may protect the brain against the effects of aging….Dr. Gitit Kavé, a clinical neuro-psychologist from the Herczeg Institute on Aging at Tel Aviv University, together with her colleagues Nitza Eyal, Aviva Shorek, and Jiska Cohen-Manfield, discovered recently that senior citizens who speak more languages test for better cognitive functioning.”
The United States is not known for a high percentage of bilingual citizens, though I myself live in an area where nearly half the population speaks both English and Spanish. Like many high school students, I did take foreign language classes: four years of Spanish. I also scored highly enough on the Spanish language Achievement Test that I didn’t have to take any foreign language in college. Today, I regret that. I like to joke that I speak one-and-a-half languages: I could survive in a Spanish-speaking country, but I’m nowhere near fluent. These studies have made me reconsider. My new goal: to read Chicago White Sox baseball news on their Spanish language website. It can’t hurt!
True Urban Legends
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on May 29th, 2009
While we have all heard about Urban Legends that have been proven to be false, there are a surprising number that are also true. And of course, truth is often stranger than fiction.
Here are just a few that I discovered today that I found interesting:
The child’s song “Sing a Song of Sixpence” was actually a coded message to recruit pirates.
Water boiled in a microwave can suddenly explode.
Outdoor temperature can be determined by counting the number of cricket chirps.
And, thankfully, some old wives tales I believed as a child are apparently untrue, such as:
Chewing gum takes seven years to pass through the human digestive system, and if you go swimming less than an hour after eating, you will get a cramp and drown.
If you get an email or hear a story and you are not sure what to think, you may be able to verify whether the information is true or not by checking the “Snopes” site.
Contemporary Musician: Jack Johnson
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on May 28th, 2009
Jack Johnson is a singer/songwriter in the soft rock genre, as well as a filmmaker, activist, and surfer. He’s well known among the under-40 crowd, particularly for his work on the Curious George film soundtrack and his 2008 CD Sleep Through the Static.
Born in Hawaii, Johnson was a competitive surfer, but a surf accident in his teens prompted him to find another career path. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in film and then became a musician. His debut album, Brushfire Fairytales, came out in 2001; he now has five solo studio CDs to his credit, as well as soundtracks, collaborations, and EPs.
Johnson’s music has a soft folk/acoustic sound with a hint of reggae. The overall feeling is mellow and relaxed, but he addresses serious issues, particularly environmentalism and green living, and his lyrics can be clever and insightful. You can hear his music and view his videos here.
I recommend Jack Johnson not just for his talent but also for his ethics – it’s a nice combination that I’d like to see more of in this world.
Visit Your Own Country!
Posted by Kelly in Worldwide Wednesday on May 27th, 2009
I have not traveled the world as much as I would wish (who has?), but I have been lucky enough to see parts of Canada, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and Spain. I have also been lucky enough to grow up with a mother who thought that traveling my own country, the United States, could be equally edifying. The list of states that I have not visited (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, North and South Dakota, Alaska, and Hawaii – 11 out of 50) is actually much shorter than those I have, and I’ve even managed to actually live in eight (Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, New Mexico, Florida, Indiana, Tennessee, and California), but I still hope to see them all in time.
Recently I dreamt that I stole a car and careened off across the states, visiting all manner of crazy sites before the police caught up with me thanks to credit card receipts. In just such an insane spirit, then, here are a few places that are on my list…
The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California, features 110 different themed rooms, including “Caveman,” “Fabulous Fifties,” “Kona Rock,” and “Safari.” The tacky appeal is endless.
The Amargosa Opera House, founded, designed, and performed in by the multitalented 84-year-old ballerina Marta Becket, is located in Death Valley Junction, California. Get tickets sooner rather than later.
Mitchell, South Dakota’s Corn Palace, originally established in 1892, is made of corn. I first saw the Corn Palace at 2 a.m. one morning, falling asleep in front of the Weather Channel, and thought I had hallucinated it. It would certainly make a great setting for a creepy, corn-themed horror film.
Carhenge, in western Nebraska, is a reproduction of Stonehenge, but made with gray-painted vintage automobiles. Check out its eerie power…
South of the Border, located in Dillon, South Carolina, is a complex of shops, restaurants, and other attractions (a dozen weddings performed every weekend in the summer!). SOB combines the best of the old South and old Mexico. I think.
Finally, I had to include York’s Wild Kingdom, in southern Maine, for old time’s sake. It’s a rather grimy little amusement park and zoo that only a child might love – or at least this child. Wild Kingdom was also home to my imaginary childhood tiger-friend, Tigerolly – another story entirely.
So, there are a lot of wild places to visit in this enormous country. Go out and find some, and let me know all about it.
Cell Phone Virus
Posted by Kelly in Tech Talk Tuesday on May 26th, 2009
Most of us are aware of the dire threat of a computer virus, but did you know that you can get a virus on your cell phone? Daily Science, via a study from a team at the Center for Complex Network Research, tells us that this is a possibility as well:
“The researchers used calling and mobility data from over six million anonymous mobile phone users to create a comprehensive picture of the threat mobile phone viruses pose to users. The results of this study, published in the May 22 issue of Science, indicate that a highly fragmented market share has effectively hindered outbreaks thus far. Further, their work predicts that viruses will pose a serious threat once a single mobile operating system’s market share grows sufficiently large.”
So far only cell phones with operating systems (“smart phones”) can be considered susceptible, but as this feature becomes more common, technology users will need to be more aware of such threats.
Wily Whales
Posted by Kelly in Mother Earth Monday on May 25th, 2009
Science Daily reports on interesting developments in the field of whale studies. Scientists have wondered how and why sperm whales feed from deep sea fishermen’s “longlines.” Researchers from Scripps and the Southeast Alaska Sperm Whale Avoidance Project deployed acoustic and video recorders near Sitka, Alaska, and recorded some surprising results:
“The resulting video, recorded using ambient light at 100 meters (328 feet) depth, not only successfully gave the fishermen a clear idea of how the thieving whales were stealing the fish—they pluck the line at one end to jar the black cod free at the other end, somewhat like shaking apples from a tree—but it gave scientists a chance to match the animal’s acoustics with video depictions of its physical features.”
There is so much about other animals and our planet that we don’t yet know – I personally look forward to more of such breakthroughs in science.
Human Photosynthesis
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on May 24th, 2009
Ah, sunshine. Spending a day outside in the sun can make you feel really good, but too much can be painful. However, some studies show that the health benefits of sunshine, getting enough vitamin D, outweigh the skin cancer risks, and may even help you to live longer. Not only that, but vitamin D has shown to be helpful with depression.
Plants use sunlight to make their own food, in the process known as photosynthesis. But can humans live on light and air alone? Breatharians believe that they can. Members of the Breatharian Institute of America claim to be able to exist without food and water. This practice was known to some in India thousands of years ago, and Hira Ratan Marek claims to be able to literally live on the energy of the sun using these ancient practices.
Research does seem to show that we need at least some sunshine for our mental and physical health. But as I watch the new sprouts coming up in my garden, I think it’s going to take a long time for humans to be able to do that successfully. Let’s not give up food just yet.
Swimming on the Edge of the Desert
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on May 24th, 2009
I have written previously of my love for seacoasts, but somehow I ended up living in the Chihuahua Desert of southern New Mexico. With annual pilgrimages back east to recharge, I am better able to appreciate the sere landscape of my adopted home. My house is located on the east side of town, on the edge of the desert, not far from the Organ Mountains.
Another benefit of my neighborhood is the large standard lot (1.2 acres minimum), which means we see a lot of local flora and fauna. We’re surrounded by mesquite trees, creosote bushes, agaves, and a wide variety of cacti.
The natural landscaping, not to mention my tiny backyard pool, attract many birds. I regularly see finches, sparrows, woodpeckers, doves, thrashers, roadrunners, kingbirds, hawks wheeling overhead, and the shy silver Pyrrholoxia, a cousin of the cardinal.
We also have skunks, coyotes (more often heard than seen), foxes, bull- and rattlesnakes, scorpions, centipedes, cottontail rabbits, jackrabbits, and the actually rather cute pack rats.
So yeah, there’s no ocean here, but there’s a world of beauty, and I can always pour myself a margarita, step into my pool, and dream.
Finding Cheesus
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on May 22nd, 2009
While people have been seeing visions of Jesus Christ all around the world for probably thousands of years, only recently have people started finding images of Jesus in Cheetos. Two different little Jesus-shaped cheetos, called “Cheesus” have been found, one in Texas and one in Missouri.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether these people are serious or not. When I looked up “Cheesus” I found this great site for “Cheesus Industries, International distributor of premium quality, religious-themed cheese sculptures.” But I couldn’t figure out how to order my own personal Cheesus, or the Gouda Buddha.
Sometimes it is obviously a joke, as in the “uncyclopedia” entry about Cheesus. Other times, the line is not so clear between joking and complete irreverance, as with the line of cosmetics called “Lookin’ Good For Jesus,” whose products were pulled from the shelves in Singapore because they were offensive to some people. The products claim to “redeem you in his eyes and take the edge off sinning.”
I’ve got to say it; it all sounds pretty cheesy to me.
Daydreaming
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on May 21st, 2009
LiveScience.com reports that daydreaming is a healthy and normal use of the brain. According to the study:
Until now, scientists had thought that the brain’s “default network,” which is linked to easy, routine mental activity, was the only part of the brain that remains active when the mind wanders. But in the study subjects, the brain’s “executive network” – associated with high-level, complex problem-solving – also lit up. The less subjects were aware that their mind was wandering, the more both networks were activated. “This study shows our brains are very active when we daydream – much more active than when we focus on routine tasks,” Christoff said.
So I guess (some of our) parents were wrong. Dream away!
“All the leaves are brown
and the sky is grey,
I’ve been for a walk
on a winter’s day.
I’d be safe and warm
if I was in L.A.
California Dreamin’
on such a winter’s day.”
– “California Dreamin’”, The Mamas & The Papas
World’s Best Beaches
Posted by Kelly in Worldwide Wednesday on May 20th, 2009
The Guardian recently published an article about the world’s best beaches from various experts and locals. Their choices range around the world from Hawaii to Australia to the Caribbean, Cornwall, and Scotland.
I have been to countless beautiful beaches in my life. I have visited various coastal spots in the United States, as well as Mexico (Mazatlan, Cancun, Tulum, and Cozumel) and the Caribbean area (Bahamas and U.S. Virgin Islands). But despite the icy water and summer overcrowding, my favorite beaches are those in my home state, Maine. Boothbay Harbor is gorgeous. Ogunquit features some of the best sandy stretches on the coast. But I always go back to York Beach.
Most of us carry some amount of nostalgia for our childhood homes. I am uplifted by the harsh salt tang in the air, the punishing breezes and shrieking gulls and dark, glittering water that sends the sun’s dazzling rays straight into my eyes. I can wander along Long Sands for hours, or frolic in the tiny shelter of York Harbor. But Short Sands, with its summer skeeball and old cliffside hotels and homemade fudge in nearby shops, cannot be topped.
If you get a chance, visit sometime. And tell them I sent you because it’s wicked cool.
Climate Science
Posted by Kelly in Tech Talk Tuesday on May 20th, 2009
In a fusion of Tech Talk Tuesday and Mother Earth Monday, Science Daily reports on mathematical modeling of climate change odds.
The news is not good. Comprehensive modeling shows that:
“…without rapid and massive action, the problem will be about twice as severe as previously estimated six years ago – and could be even worse than that…. The study uses the MIT Integrated Global Systems Model, a detailed computer simulation of global economic activity and climate processes that has been developed and refined by the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change since the early 1990s. The new research involved 400 runs of the model with each run using slight variations in input parameters, selected so that each run has about an equal probability of being correct based on present observations and knowledge.”
The study reports, among other items, that there is a median probability of 5.2 degrees Celsius warming by 2100, compared to a projected 2.4 degree warming in a 2003 study.
Governments need to make major changes. So do we.
Who’s Your Mama?
Posted by Kelly in Mother Earth Monday on May 20th, 2009
Scientists have been studying the incredibly well-preserved remains of a 47 million-year-old fossil of a lemur-like creature that may be part of the primate family that eventually led to Homo sapiens.
The fossil, known as Ida, was discovered in the Messel Pit near Darmstadt, Germany, in the 1980s. Scientists disagree about Ida’s place in the evolution of primates, but such an ancient and well-preserved fossil will likely fuel study and debate for decades to come. The BBC article states:
In the PLoS paper itself, the scientists do not actually claim the specimen represents a direct ancestor to us. But Dr Hurum believes that is exactly what Ida is….He told BBC News that the key to proving this lay in the detail of the foot. The shape of a bone in the foot called the talus looks “almost anthropoid”.
Interestinger and interestinger…
What Would Buddha Do?
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on May 17th, 2009
If the Buddha were to reincarnate into the world that we live in today, what would he do? Would he take to the jungle and meditate for years without eating or drinking? Or would he be surfing the internet and have profiles on MySpace and Facebook?
Of course this first question makes the wild assumption that the Buddha would reincarnate at all. The Buddha is supposed to be beyond the cycle of death and rebirth. However, according to some, the “Buddha Boy” is the reincarnation of the original Buddha, a god in human form. His followers say that he can meditate for months at a time without eating or drinking. In 2007, The Discover Channel did a documentary about him, and seemed convinced by the end that he could in fact go without food or water for at least a few days and still remain healthy in appearance.
Buddha Boy, whose real name is Ram Bahadur Bomjon, also known as Palden Dorje, has his own website, a community website, MySpace page, and can be found on Facebook. He does not claim to be a reincarnation of the Buddha, and has been quoted as saying, “in this undisciplined world, my life’s practice is reduced to mere entertainment.”
But all of this makes me wonder, what would the real Buddha do? How can we live “the middle way” in this world – how can we be in it but not of it? And as I was wondering this, and thinking of what to write, my computer went all crazy on me and I was forced to sign off. Maybe that is my answer right there.
Swim!
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on May 16th, 2009
Swimming is a tremendously fun activity with a great number of health benefits, including cardiopulmonary health, increased strength and endurance, muscle toning, all in a relaxing and mostly low-impact exercise. I grew up on the east coast, learned to swim by the time I was five, and was a competitive swimmer as a teen. If there was water around, I was in it, and that hasn’t changed over the years.
Unfortunately, many people never learn to swim, and this is reflected in horrifying drowning statistics. It is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death around the world. In the year 2000, there were more than 400,000 drowning deaths globally. Sadly, most of these accidents are preventable.
Even worse, in the United States, minorities suffer disproportionately from drowning deaths. Almost twice as many black children (58%) as white children (31%) can’t swim, and they suffer three times the death rate. Hispanic children (56%) are also almost twice as likely to be unable to swim. We owe it to all children to teach them to swim, to enjoy the water and the health benefits and just plain fun.
So go out and learn how to swim. ClubSwim can help you find lessons in your area. For children and teenagers interested in competitive swimming, visit USA Swimming’s website.
The Wild Microbial World
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on May 15th, 2009
There has been a lot of talk about the Swine Flu, (er, I mean, H1N1) lately, but it hasn’t turned out to be the big bad pandemic the world had begun preparing for. Although there have now been cases discovered in almost every state , it has not been shown to be any more dangerous than any other flu. Acccording to the CDC, about 36,000 people die of flu-related causes each year.
“Worldwide, the number of deaths attributed to the flu each year is between 250,000 and 500,000″ (Thomas Walkom, The Toronto Star, May 1, 2009)
Some have suggested that the media distorted the Swine Flu story in order to thwart attempts at economic recovery, or to weaken the social protest movement through fear.
The truth is that we live in a microbial world. “Humans Have Ten Times More Bacteria Than Human Cells.” Viruses are amazing. Trying to eliminate these microbes with antibiotics and antibacterial agents is counter-productive.
That is not to say that we shouldn’t protect ourselves. One of the best places to get sick is the hospital. It has been suggested that billions of dollars could be saved, not to mention tens of thousands of lives, each year, simply by cleaner practices in medical facilities. According to one source, “2 million patients get health care associated infections each year.”
It’s their world, we’re just living in it.
Marilyn French
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on May 15th, 2009
Renowned feminist author Marilyn French passed away this month at age 79. She is best remembered for her novel The Women’s Room (1977).
I remember reading The Women’s Room when I was entirely too young (9 or 10!), simply because it was in the enormous family bookcase, I read anything and everything I could get my hands on, and some of it was very, very interesting, if ultimately confusing. I first read this book as an adult in my early twenties; I don’t remember much of this reading, although my mother claims that I said it had nothing to do with my life. (Digression: in fairness, I should say that although I believed in feminism at that time, I was afraid of the title of “feminist” with its unfairly embarrassing cultural connotations, and called myself a humanist. Today? Feminist all the way, baby.)
I am now reading The Women’s Room for the third time, as a full-fledged adult sliding quickly toward middle age. I don’t know what I will take away from it this time, but this passage, about the character Mira’s youthful experiences, stands out:
Later, much later, she would remember these years, and realize with astonishment that she had, by fifteen, decided on most of the assumptions she would carry for the rest of her life: that people were essentially not evil, that perfection was death, that life was better than order, and a little chaos good for the soul. Most important, this life was all. Unfortunately, she forgot these things, and had to remember them the hard way.
World News
Posted by Kelly in Worldwide Wednesday on May 14th, 2009
This week I saw two interesting news stories from around the world – one rather sad, the other fascinating.
Yahoo! Green reported on rising sea levels and associated environmental dangers from the World Ocean Conference in Manado, Indonesia.
“Dealing with environmental refugees will have a much more serious impact on the global economy and global security in fact than what wars have ever done to this planet,” said Rolph Payet, a presidential adviser from the African island nation of the Seychelles. Other nations under threat from even small rises in sea levels include the Pacific island states of Kiribati and Tuvalu, while heavily populated low-lying areas such as Bangladesh’s coastline would also go under.
The Associated Press reported on a new study of Mexican mestizos’ genetic diversity.
Using mathematical analysis, the researchers produced a map of the genetics of the different groups. They found that the mestizo genome includes variations that stretch from Indian to European….They found genomes closer to Europeans in northern states and closer to American Indians in southern areas. Indications of African ancestry were low in most areas, though a few individuals had high levels of African genes. Mestizos from Yucatan were the only ones with a detectable Maya influence.
Meet the i-house
Posted by Kelly in Tech Talk Tuesday on May 12th, 2009
Clayton Homes, the largest manufactured home company in the United States, recently unveiled the revolutionary i-house, a modular, energy-efficient, customizable dwelling. According to the Associated Press:
“A 1,000-square-foot prototype unveiled at a Clayton show in Knoxville a few months ago was priced at around $140,000. It came furnished, with a master bedroom, full bath, open kitchen and living room with Ikea cabinetry, two ground-level deck areas and a separate “flex room” with a second full bath and a second-story deck covered by a sail-like canopy.”
The house includes a rainwater catchment system, flush-mounted solar panels, bamboo flooring, and multiple Energy Star-rated features, such as a tankless water heater, glazed windows, and dual-flush toilets. Clayton’s website allows interested people to examine the home’s features and create their own layout, and even gives a delivered cost estimate.
This just might be the house of the future.
Green Jobs Training at Community Colleges
Posted by Editor in Mother Earth Monday on May 11th, 2009
By Xarissa Holdaway
President Obama’s appointment of Van Jones’s as Green Jobs Adviser to the White House Council on Environmental Quality seems startlingly à propos, especially on the heels of Power Shift ’09, — a major youth campaign which demanded, among other things, green jobs. In light of federally funded job-creation initiatives, a rumored shift in the U.S. economy as a whole, and louder-than-ever support for new green infrastructure, the timing couldn’t be better for paying more attention to how a green economy really works.
Political support is only the beginning. A key issue will be sourcing the workers that can produce and manage clean energy. Many fields require more boots on the ground per kWh than fossil energy sources. For example, in 2008 the number of workers employed in the US wind industry jumped to 85,000, surpassing the 81,000 currently needed to mine coal, even though wind power currently provides only a fraction of the electricity in the US that coal does. According to this University of Massachusetts study, (PDF) investing in projects such as wind power and mass transit creates three to four times more jobs than the same spending directed towards the coal industry.
And training these workers is more complicated than pointing Joe the Plumber towards a solar water heater. The National Council for Workforce Education, in a recent report with the Academy for Educational Development titled Going Green: The Vital Role of Community Colleges in Building a Sustainable Future and Green Workforce (PDF), points out:
[M]any jobs that are currently, or predicted to be, in demand are ‘middle-skilled’ jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree. It is important to note that although there will be a growing number of new green occupations requiring new knowledge, skills, and abilities, it is expected that the majority will be transformed from existing jobs, requiring a redefinition of skill sets, methods, and occupational profiles.
The report goes on to say that community colleges are an ideal place to begin offering such training, since existing vocational programs can be modified, rather than starting from scratch. Fast-growing fields such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and alternative fuels are particularly unable to wait for the development of entirely new programs. Courses already exist at several US schools, including Santa Fe Community College, Great Basin College, Cuyahoga Community College, Central Carolina Community College, and Lansing Community College.
“Community colleges fill a very different role than the other higher education institutions,” says Jay Antle, Sustainability Committee Chair at Johnson County Community College. “The real difference is that the research institutions are inventing and perfecting the technology that community college-trained workers will install and service.”
So, where will the money to fund these training programs come from? As much as $75 billion of the new stimulus bill has implications for the higher education sector, in areas like campus renovations, student loans, federal work-study programs, technology and climate research. Four billion is earmarked for job training. Another $500 million was allocated to the Department of Labor for green jobs education and training, though none of it was set aside specifically for community colleges (though it looks like the DOL may end up granting some to those who apply).
In order to make the most of the limited funds, community colleges are finding creative opportunities to collaborate. A joint project of San Francisco Bay community colleges called the New Energy Workforce (NEW) Initiative has found that cooperation with local workforce boards and each other increases their ability to respond to trends in clean and green technology. In concert, they are launching coordinated courses in photovoltaics and energy management, expanding offerings in renewable energy, and providing “Train-the-Trainer” courses for instructors at other schools.
Department of Labor resources will primarily be coming through local Workforce Investment Boards (WIB), says Kitty O’Doherty, convener of the NEW Initiative. “There are roughly 13 WIBs in our region, and they oversee the operation of one-stop career centers, using Department of Labor funds to provide a variety of career services, including job training, to unemployed and recently laid off adults as well as youth.”
As community colleges coordinate with the local workforce boards, they are better able to predict local employment opportunities. Available energy from wind, solar and geothermal sources varies according to location, and regional networks are more likely to have connections to area employers and estimate training needs.
For example, Centers of Excellence hosted at City College of San Francisco and West Valley College conducted a study in 2008 on Bay Area solar sectors, finding that there was a growing demand for photovoltaic panel installers, solar thermal installers and professionals in photovoltaic sales and marketing. Some fields, like photovoltaic installation, were projected to grow as much as 56 percent in the next 12 months. It was the perfect place for the NEW Initiative to step in.
“When we saw the need [for PV solar technicians], we turned our attention to it immediately,” says O’Doherty. “DeAnza College led the way in securing a grant to fund the effort; Cabrillo and San Jose City Colleges capitalized on existing infrastructure to quickly develop and offer new courses; seasoned faculty at Diablo Valley College hosted a train-the-trainer event to jumpstart both the Cabrillo and San Jose City College courses as well as five others in the region. We can be fast at figuring out which colleges are best positioned for each need; work to meet it; and all the while ensure we don’t over-saturate the market.”
She goes on: “This is a call for new levels of collaboration. We convened the Workforce Investment Boards and the colleges in our region in February, and both groups are extremely committed. They [WIBs] are going to have the funding to place people in these jobs, and we’re going to have the training. The common mission of preparing individuals for meaningful careers and creating a well-qualified workforce for our region is a very compelling motivator.”
Xarissa Holdaway blogs for the Campus Ecology program at National Wildlife Federation and edits ClimateEdu, an email newsletter for colleges and universities.
Photo: Lindsay Randall, Environmental Sustinability Coordinator at Purchase College, advocates for green jobs at the Capitol during PowerShift ‘09.
Photo credit: Xarissa Holdaway
The Economics of Mother’s Day
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on May 10th, 2009
Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on Mother’s Day. The National Retail Federation shows how this spending has been affected by economic conditions in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
But what is it that moms really want?
In Missoula, Montana , Elke Govertson has come up with a novel way to embrace our capitalist-consumerism while honoring mothers at the same time. Five years ago, Elke put on the first Mother’s Day Eve Bash , with a group of about 30 moms. Each year the event has grown bigger. Last year, approximately 350 attended. The event is free to any and all moms, with a suggested donation of $5. Local businesses donate goods and services and there are many sweet prizes given away (this year’s big prize was a dishwasher from Vann’s). Moms get to spend a night out doing yoga, soaking in the hot tub, drinking wine and eating while chatting with other moms, to name just a few of the activities available.
Missoula Moms enjoying Mother's Day Eve
This year, Elke also used this venue to launch her new magazine, Mamalode.
Elke addresses the crowd
So what’s in it for the businesses who are giving stuff away? More customers, hopefully. The majority of household spending is done by mothers. It turns out, making moms happy makes good business sense.
Ultraman Rocked My World
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on May 9th, 2009
“Ultraman, Ultraman: here he comes from the sky.
Ultraman, Ultraman: watch our hero fly.
In a superjet he comes from a billion miles away,
From a distant planet land comes our hero Ultraman.”
In the early 1970s, a strange phenomenon reached American shores in the guise of a tall silver alien: Ultraman landed, and for some lucky children like me, life would never be the same again.
I was probably five years old when I first saw this Japanese television series, complete with awkwardly dubbed English, cheap special effects (think unraveled cotton balls substituting for spacecraft exhaust), and an oddly ingratiating cast of oddballs. From the catchy theme song and psychedelic opening graphics to the scary but all’s-well-that-ends-well plots, I was hooked. It helped that the hero, Hayata, was both attractively suave and suavely attractive.
Ultraman fought some of the most bizarre aliens that Earth has ever seen, and he saved the human race more times than we know. I especially remember the grotesque crab creature with frightening pincers, who alternately appeared six feet tall and sixty, who could disappear at will and freeze humans. Only Ultraman could vanquish such a foe – Ultraman and his human counterpart Hayata, infamous beta capsule in hand, alongside his Space Patrol crewmates. Ultraman rocked my world.
Ultraman was a Japanese cultural phenomenon that resulted in numerous sequel-series, not to mention created a huge toy and accessory industry that continues to this day. The show was simply enormous in Japan; according to a Japanese friend, it was their equivalent of Mickey Mouse. And some American children got to experience the thrill. Apparently the show was broadcast in seventies, in the Detroit area, and around Philadelphia, and also in the Washington D.C. metroplex where I lived between 1973 and 1977. It was definitely not a country-wide syndication; only a few of my friends and acquaintances recall having seen the show…but it made a big impression on us.
So what was it about the show that was so damned cool? One can never pinpoint such a fascination…it’s too much like explaining what attracted you to your first crush (or your latest, for that matter). But I can say this, thanks to Nickelodeon, TV Land, and other retro-maniacal cable channels, I have re-experienced most of my favorite childhood shows. Land of the Lost was appallingly acted – except for maybe the evil Sleestaks. Banana Splits offered nothing catchier than its theme song. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl had nothing going for it except female superheroes who, in retrospect, look really bizarre, but then, in that time period, didn’t we all? I still adore Schoolhouse Rock, but other than that, only Ultraman has held up well, still entertains and enthralls me.
If you get a chance, check out Ultraman online. Your local video store might have some episodes as well. Go on – fly with Ultraman!
(article from the 1999/2000 era Daily Revolution)
Ebu Gogo
Posted by Lori in Wild Friday on May 8th, 2009
Relatively recently, the remains of small, human-like creatures that existed at the same time as modern humans have been found in Indonesia. Although most scientists have now accepted homo floresiensis as a separate species, they are still trying to figure out where it fits in with what we already know about human origins, according to a recent NY Times article.
Science is typically slow to accept new discoveries. Eugene Dubois, who found “the missing link” (Java man, coincidentally also found in Indonesia) died an unhappy man – his discovery was not accepted as authentic until after his death. [See "The Man Who Found the Missing Link, by Pat Shipman.]
Everything that we know so far is based on what we have found. Just because we haven’t found evidence of other little people around the world yet, doesn’t mean that it is not there. There are stories from all over the world about little people: fairies, pixies, leprechauns and goblins to name just a few. And it turns out that there are local legends on the Island of Flores, about a small, hairy human-like creature: the Ebu Gogo.
Although archaeologists are calling homo floresiensis “hobbits,” and have found tools associated with their remains,
if they are indeed the Ebu Gogo of local legend, they were probably much more like Gollum or Goblins, stealing and eating anything they could get their hands on, and not even knowing how to cook.
Are the Ebu Gogo and homo floresiensis the same beings? Could they still exist?
According to an article in Anthropology Today, “Although not particularly probable, the survival of Homo floresiensis in remoter parts of Flores is not impossible.” [See also Gregory Forth's book, "Images of the Wildman in Southeast Asia."]
And finally, if homo floresiensis is actually the Ebu Gogo, are they also the clan of Yagog and Magog of the Quran, who will come through a wormhole at the end of days to devour the earth?
Free Books Online
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on May 7th, 2009
The web can be a valuable resource for just about anything, and literature is no exception. There are multiple websites where you can find free books to read online, download, listen to, or even use on a portable reading device. Following are some of the major outlets.
Project Gutenberg is the oldest digital library. Started by Michael Hart in 1971, the original PG lived on one of the fifteen computers that eventually became the internet. PG currently offers over 28,000 free books.
Wikibooks is a collection of free textbooks in a wide variety of academic areas, and features as diverse as a cookbook, nonfiction for children, and a “random book” button.
Munseys offers downloadable books in a multitude of categories for various portable reading devices.
Baen Books publishes science fiction and offers some of its titles for free, to read online or download.
AudioBooksForFree.com has a wide variety of downloadable audio books.
There really is something for everyone…
African DNA
Posted by Kelly in Worldwide Wednesday on May 6th, 2009
BBC News recently reported on the largest genetic study of Africa to date. According to the article:
“The work revealed the continent to be the most genetically diverse place on Earth, and identified descendents of our earliest human ancestors….The research also located the origin of modern human migration in south-western Africa, near the coastal border of Namibia and Angola. This is based on the widely-accepted theory that the highest level of genetic diversity is in the oldest population – the one that has had the longest to evolve.”
Previous genetic studies of Africa have focused on smaller areas and populations. This time scientists studied genetic material from 121 different African populations, involving the collection of over 3,000 samples and the identification of 14 ancestral population clusters, led by Sarah Tishkoff of the University of Pennsylvania. “Our goal has been to do research that will benefit Africans…I hope this will set the stage for future genomics research there, and future biomedical research,” Dr. Tishkoff reported.
One interesting result is the identification of the San people (also known as Bushmen), located in southwestern Africa near the coastline border of Namibia and Angola, as possibly “the desendants of a population ancestral to all modern humans,” based on genetic diversity and lineage.
Web Overload
Posted by Kelly in Tech Talk Tuesday on May 5th, 2009
The Guardian UK recently reported on potential problems for the internet, including future bandwidth overload and the web’s carbon footprint. According to Subodh Bapat, a Vice President at Sun Microsystems:
“We need more data centres, we need more servers. Each server burns more watts than the previous generation and each watt costs more. If you compound all of these trends, you have the perfect storm.”
Globally, there are more than 1.5 billion people using the internet, and estimates put the yearly energy footprint growth rate at 10%. United States data centers are estimated to consume 1.5% of total energy annually. Google and YouTube are among the most visited websites, resulting in ever-increasing energy costs – and therefore carbon debt. The article states, “From having a relatively small impact just a few years ago, [the computer industry] is now leapfrogging other sectors like the airline industry that are more widely known for their negative environmental impact.”
Students Aim to Wring Pollution – And Millions – Out of India’s Dirty Water
Posted by Editor in Mother Earth Monday on May 4th, 2009
Newswise — If you live in the “Knitwear Capital of India,” your water probably doesn’t taste very good, if you can drink it at all. That’s because dyeing cotton for Banana Republic T-shirts, Reebok socks and truckloads of similar clothing bound for Europe and the United States requires tons of water, and the small textile firms that dominate the industry in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu cannot afford traditional wastewater treatment, so they simply dump toxin-filled water into the local rivers.
That’s the problem that a team of University of Virginia business students has a plan to solve. And their plan has been getting some validation recently.
Darden School of Business students Baijnath Ramraika, Ravi Yekula and Chip Ransler won two business plan competitions last week, raking in $5,000 at Wake Forest University on March 29 and pocketing $10,000 on March 30 from the Darden-U.Va. Business Plan Competition. The top finish in the Social Entrepreneurship category at the Wake Forest Elevator Competition also netted the team a share of $65,000 in legal and marketing services. Last week’s success follows three other wins in the past six months that garnered a total of $3,000.
The business, called Clean India http://www.clean-india.com/, will use algae and sand filtration to treat and recycle wastewater as a “pay-for-use” service.
The garment makers of Tirupur, India generate about 100 million liters of chemical dye-laced wastewater per day, and generally face no penalties for dumping it into the local water supply, Yekula explained. To make their pollution less obvious, the companies typically add toxic de-coloring chemicals to the water before discharging it. The resulting contamination has caused such a shortage of clean water that the local price of clean water has doubled in the past five years. Many places in India, China and other developing countries face similar water supply challenges, giving Clean India lots of long-term growth potential.
But several factors make Tirupur an ideal spot to launch the business, Yekula said. For years, many Tirupur businesses got water by drilling wells, but the growth of this practice has completely depleted the local groundwater. The local municipal water supply is poorly developed, and so manufacturers purchase 60 percent to 70 percent of their water needs from private suppliers, who typically deliver it by the truckload. Clean India will also use tanker trucks to shuttle contaminated water to their treatment facility, and to deliver the cleaned and recycled water.
The large, up-front costs of traditional wastewater treatment equipment are not economically viable for these small garment makers, Yekula said, so Clean India plans to sell them recycled and cleaned water as an on-demand service, costing slightly less than they now pay for delivered clean water. The first target customers are a number of textile firms that are clustered together in a Tirupur industrial park. Three of the firms have already signed on as ready customers whenever the business gets online.
Clean India will use algae and sand filtration to treat the contaminated water. The algae is grown in a patented bioreactor, and then introduced to open ponds of wastewater. The algae breaks down the toxic elements in the water into nonharmful elements. Then a sand filter captures any remaining sediments and particulates. The whole process takes about five days for a given batch of wastewater. The process can be customized by identifying strains of algae that are best suited to removing particular pollutants.
The process is labor-intensive, as workers must move water from pond to pond and separate the algae every day. This harnesses India’s low-cost labor as a substitute for the high capital costs of traditional wastewater treatment equipment costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, Yekula said.
The modular system can be expanded as new customers are added. A 5-million-liter pilot treatment facility will cost $1.5 million. It should pay for itself in 18 months, Yekula said, and produce $4 million in revenue and $1 million in profits by the end of five years. By year five they hope to expand to 26 plants.
“India has a scarcity of water,” Yekula said. “This problem is huge, but we think Clean India has a solution that actually makes a difference. … It’s not only solving a social problem, it’s doing it in a very profitable way.”
Clean India has not yet lined up financing for the pilot facility, but investors and venture capitalists have expressed interest, Yekula said. “With the global economic meltdown, people are looking for places to invest where there will still be at least some growth, and India is still growing.”
Go Velo!
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on May 2nd, 2009
The summer I turned twelve, I got my first 10-speed bike. Too impatient to walk and too young to drive, biking was a great way for a kid to get around in an area with no public transportation. To me, it meant freedom. I could go to the park or the lake or my friend’s house, using just my own human power.
As an adult, I continued to use the bicycle as my primary mode of transportation whenever possible. So when my husband asked me what I would like my next car to be, I said emphatically, “a Velomobile!” A Velomobile is basically an enclosed recumbent bicycle, to protect against the elements. Recumbant bicycles are more comfortable, more efficient, and can be faster than traditional bicycles.
Two huge problems in the US are increased obesity and its many health-related problems, and dependence on fossil fuels. According to Chevron, the world’s demand for oil will only increase in the next 20 years. Their solution? “Better ways to deliver oil and gas.” Drill for more oil. My solution to both of these problems is human powered vehicles.
LIFE EINSTEIN
In the late 1800s, bicycles were all the rage. When the car came on the scene, people embraced it as a cleaner way of getting around than horse power – no more horse poop in the street – but they had no idea of what the cost would be to our environment. Cars have become such an accepted part of our lifestyle that most people would find it difficult to imagine living without them. But with decreasing oil supply and increasing gasoline prices, now might be just the right time to start.
Not only can we use human power to turn our morning commutes into our morning workouts, we can also generate energy by exercising, or even just by being in the right place at the right time. We are only limited by our imaginations. And as Einstein said, imagination is more important than knowledge.
Just for fun, check out Greg Kolodziejzyk, who holds the world records the greatest distance by human power in one day, in both land and water. For more information on Velomobiles, check out this Velomobile guide, and the following sites:
http://www.lightfootcycles.com/velomobile.htm
Friend Benefits
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on May 2nd, 2009
A recent New York Times article revealed many of the benefits that we gain from having good friends, including higher cancer survival rates, a longer life, and improved brain health.
“In general, the role of friendship in our lives isn’t terribly well appreciated,” said Rebecca G. Adams, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. “There is just scads of stuff on families and marriage, but very little on friendship. It baffles me. Friendship has a bigger impact on our psychological well-being than family relationships.”
So why are you reading this article? Go out and make some friends!
IT’S NOT OUR FAULT
Posted by Editor in Wild Friday on May 1st, 2009
Finally I figured it out. Over the years I’ve attended sales and marketing seminars. Advertising companies’ battle cry has been, “If the public doesn’t need it, create the need!”
And so they instilled within our brains, young and old alike, the need and desire for cereal that tastes like candy, products that make us attractive or smell better, detergents that make our clothes brighter or retain their color and shape longer, lawns that grow greener and make our neighbors envious.
Beyond that, they offer us credit cards with our picture or the picture of our cat on them, plus they offer “special rewards” for using the cards at specific retailers. The cards come in platinum, gold and silver. Who can resist?
A long time ago I heard about “subliminal” advertising being outlawed…certain messages were being implanted in advertising on TV. And yet, I look around me at products I’ve purchased because my brain said “You may not realize it, but you really need this.”
Of course the credit card companies made it easy! On radio there are the soft voices selling CDs. Have you noticed that advertising firms aren’t taking Chapter II? They aren’t asking the government for a bail out! So, stop blaming America for its spending spree…put the blame where it belongs.
Working in the Arts
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on April 30th, 2009
While I wait for the conclusion of my interview with Montreal artist John Mavreas and spend tons of time searching the job boards, I have been ruminating on the difficulties of being a freelancer, particularly in the arts. I have been a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader for almost ten years now. The jobs, when I have them, are fascinating.
For years I wrote corporate profiles of tech companies, involving extensive research and interviews. I’ve also written weekly columns for a baseball website, assisted a college Social Work program with the reaccreditation process, and of course been a Daily Revolution contributor. Some of this work has paid very well indeed; some I’ve done because I care about the topic or source. Very little has been work that I can count on weekly to pay my bills.
The economy has hit freelancers, particularly in the arts, very hard. Craigslist ads have bottomed out; listings seem to have diminished by 75% or more. There are normally very few creative jobs in my community; now I may see only one or two per year at my local university. I am interested in working for non-profits that focus on literacy or animal welfare. But where are these (paying) jobs? Do they even exist?
Freelancing is a tough life. I’m not complaining; I’m simply observing. I have multiple friends in more or less the same situation. I have a good friend in Portland, Maine, a visual artist, whose company was recently bought out. Her job is gone. I have another artist friend who has always had to take other jobs to make ends meet. This is the reality for many creative types. We love what we do, and we’d probably be doing it anyway – but it would be nice if there were paying opportunities for us out there. For the most part we are incredibly hard-working and dedicated people. There should be a place for us – ideally, anyway.
Are you a creative type? What are your experiences? Let me know and I will follow up. In the meantime, best wishes and good luck to all the hard workers out there in every field. Keep following your dreams!
WHEN THE MOON STOPS SHINING
Posted by Editor in Worldwide Wednesday on April 29th, 2009
Yes, I’ve seen a partial eclipse, but longest total exclipe of the Century at the Point of Longest Duration is July 22, 2009. The cruise ship COSTA CLASSICA has been chartered and is, right now, the only way to see it at the point of longest duration – 6 minutes 39+ . seconds. This target viewing site is one of two sites with the best weather prospects (and there’s a backup site just in case Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate).
Costa’s cruise begins and ends in Tianjin (Beijing), China. Ports of call include Chejhu, South Korea, Kagoshima and Kobe, Japan (you’ll spend 2 nights in Kobe). If you want optional tours at an additional cost there’s an overnight bullet train excursion to Tokyo or an overnight to Kyoto with tours planned for Kyoto and Osaka. Want the ultimate? There are optional tour extensions including Beijing, Shanghai and Xian.
Pricetag? Per person cruise only based on double occupancy from $2,599 inside cabin or $3,643 per person, cruise only based on double occupancy of an outside cabin. The charter dates are July 16-29, 2009 and special airfares are available in addition from your home airport
On the day of the eclipse, yours will probably be the only group in the world to see this at the Point of Longest Duration. For fun they are going to use the forward motion of the ship along the center line of the eclipse to push the length of totality to 6 minutes and 40 seconds … because they can.
There are 3-7 day tour extensions in China, and all tours are escorted with English speaking guides. Somewhere along the way I’ll be waving to you…
http://www.astronomyvacations.com/Classicaltinerary.html, Astronomy Vacations by Mayhugh Travel, Inc.
Investing in Science
Posted by Kelly in Tech Talk Tuesday on April 28th, 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama has promised that he will increase the government budget for science research from 2.6% to at least 3.0% of the GDP. That goal represents a net increase of about 15%, a not insignificant amount. According to the BBC News article, Obama said:
“A half century ago, this nation made a commitment to lead the world in scientific and technological innovation…There are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science, that support for research is somehow a luxury at moments defined by necessities. I fundamentally disagree…Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment and our quality of life than it has ever been before.”
This Daily Revolution writer applauds Obama’s decision. Commitment to science is commitment to knowledge; there can’t be too much, especially given the state of global warming and dwindling fossil fuels. It is also interesting to compare the United States’ scientific research budget to other countries’. The article includes a graph showing that Japan and South Korea allocate approximately 3.25% of their respective GDPs to science research; the countries of the European Union allocate just over 2.75%, and China just under 1.5%.
Where do you think we should be? What should we be studying, and why? Enquiring minds want to know.
Florida Beaches Among the Trashiest
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Mother Earth Monday on April 27th, 2009
The beaches. They’re one of the reasons you love Florida, right? Well, according to the latest report by the Ocean Conservancy, the Sunshine State actually has the third-trashiest beaches in the nation, behind only California and North Carolina. Last year, volunteers picked up 676,816 items from the state’s coastal areas. Here’s a snapshot of some of the things the environmental group, which sponsored a worldwide cleanup effort in September, found littering Florida’s beaches.
223,777 Smoking-related items (cigarettes, lighters, cigars, tobacco packaging, etc.)
116,835 Beverage containers (plastic, glass and cans)
53,712 Bags (11,336 paper and 42,376 plastic)
11,039 Large objects (refrigerators, cars, building materials, etc.)
6,078 Toys
4,404 Balloons
Read the rest of the report at the Ocean Conservancy web site.
Sunday Morning
Posted by Lori in Human Temple Sunday on April 26th, 2009
Ah, Sunday morning. It’s a great time to relax with a cup of coffee, maybe do a crossword puzzle…I’m terrible at crossword puzzles, but I did love the documentary about crossword puzzle fanatics that came out a few years ago, Wordplay.
I’ve heard they are always hardest on Sundays, but I wouldn’t know – for me, they are always hard. Try the New York Times.
Apparently doing things like crossword puzzles can help keep you sharp – and stave off Alzheimer’s disease – which is always a good thing. Or, you might try surfing the internet, which may increase brain function as well.
“Pursuing activities that keep the mind engaged may help preserve brain health and cognitive ability. Traditionally, these include games such as crossword puzzles, but with the advent of technology, scientists are beginning to assess the influence of computer use — including the Internet.”
Other studies show that coffee improves brain performance and may also protect against dimentia. Drinking coffee may even help prolong your life.
So you can kick back and enjoy that cup of coffee along with your crossword or internet surfing, knowing that what you are doing is good for your body and mind.
For more on the many benefits of coffee, see http://www.positivelycoffee.org/.
That 70s Lifestyle
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on April 25th, 2009
Following on yesterday’s Milky Way deliciousness, we have a fab study from BBC World News: a 1970s-type lifestyle is better for the planet. Woo hoo! Is there anyone for whom this is not welcome news? Well, I am happy, anyway! According to the article:
Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the Faculty of Public Health said shifting the population weight distribution back to that of the 1970s would do quite a lot to help the planet. “In the 1970s we had bigger portions of vegetables and smaller portions of meat and there’s been a shift in the amount of exercise we do. All these things are combining to hurt the planet and this is a calculation that deserves a bit more attention,” he said.
I talked about this with my great friend Lori, who wondered whether disco dancing might have also had a benefit, compared to today’s Xbox and even Wii, not to mention email, cell phones and texting, and Twittering (I am personally the anti-Tweet). I could never give up my WiFi laptop, parked conveniently in front of 250+ satellite channels, and just fifteen feet from the refrigerator – which, come to think of it, may have something to do with the size of my…anatomy. Jeez, where’s Thelma Houston when I need her? Oh yeah – YouTube.
So who says you can’t go home again? That’s why we have Nick at Night, and YouTube, and a million satellite channels of old music, not to mention a thousand more choices in the produce section of the grocery store than we ever had when I was a kid. Should we take advantage? Should we let our hair go wild, and slip into bellbottoms or hot pants, tune into the Brady Bunch or Partridge Family and just let it all hang out?
Si, se puede!
And have I got a song for you…
Raspberries & Rum
Posted by Kelly in Wild Friday on April 24th, 2009
No, that’s not a drink or dessert recipe (although it sounds very tasty indeed) – it’s the taste and scent of a dust cloud in the Milky Way, at least according to a recent Guardian article. The report says:
“In the latest survey, astronomers sifted through thousands of signals from Sagittarius B2, a vast dust cloud at the centre of our galaxy. While they failed to find evidence for amino acids, they did find a substance called ethyl formate, the chemical responsible for the flavour of raspberries…Curiously, ethyl formate has another distinguishing characteristic: it also smells of rum.”
I’ve read a lot of science fiction over the years – some of my favorite authors are William Gibson, C.J. Cherryh, and Larry Niven. But I never imagined that galactic clouds would have a smell, let alone a taste. Suddenly I’m envisioning future culinary tours of space, thronged with haute cuisine passengers waiting to sample vaporized intergalactic delicacies.
My ideal galactic cloud would smell of hot apple pie, combined with the mouth- and eye-watering flavors of fresh serrano chiles and extra-sharp cheddar cheese. I also wouldn’t mind the scent of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and the taste of a very dry gin martini. But that’s just me. How about you – what’s your ultimate galactic combination?
Contemporary Author: Paul Theroux
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on April 23rd, 2009
Paul Theroux, born in 1941 in Medford, Massachusetts, is an incredibly prolific American author who has written numerous travelogues, long and short fiction, magazine articles, and more. Many people are familiar with him by way of his novel The Mosquito Coast, which was made into a 1986 movie starring Harrison Ford.
Theroux is equally known for his many nonfiction books about his railway and other travel experiences. The Great Railway Bazaar chronicles his first major trip, circling from England to Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Russia, and back to England. In The Old Patagonian Express, he travels from Massachusetts all the way down to Patagonia. My personal favorite, The Happy Isles of Oceania, follows his travel by plane, train, and kayak (!) around Meganesia (Australia and New Zealand), Melanesia, and Polynesia. His most recent book is Ghost Train to the Eastern Star (2008), which retraces The Great Railway Bazaar.
I am most familiar with Theroux’s travel books. He is a witty and astute observer, often highly acerbic, critical, and seeking. When I read his experiences, personal as they are, I feel as though I am really seeing a place – he does not rhapsodize like a tourist brochure; he relates sights and smells and sounds and people as he encounters them, no sugarcoating and no bullshit. Some will not like this approach, but I enjoy the (sometimes brutal and necessarily subjective) honesty. He has given me so much information about so many places, most of which I will never see other than through his eyes. Because of Oceania, though, I dream of Aitutaki…
You can find more information about Theroux at the PaulTheroux.com fan site, and in an excellent National Geographic Traveler interview.
THE ULTIMATE GETAWAY
Posted by Editor in Worldwide Wednesday on April 22nd, 2009
Once I was asked what my”ultimate” getaway would be. Then, I was raising two children who were both in private schools and I had a large home. My dream was to go to a luxury hotel with excellent room service and “veg” for a while day on TV, not getting up until 10:00 a.m. and then having breakfast in bed. The children are grown, educated, and the house is smaller. Now, the getaway would be a long, long cruise.
Years ago I was invited to tour one of Crystal Cruises ships. The ship was scheduled to leave Miami in the early evening. I visited the bridge, spa, theatre, dining rooms, work out facilities, library, pools and ended in the Crystal Penthouse with veranda (the ultimate suite on the ship at 1,345 square feet). I felt it would fit my needs from the living room, dining area, personal butler service, a devine sound system, pantry, library and all the bells and whistles that one could wish. There were enough acitivities on the ship to keep anyone busy from dawn to dusk!
After the ship leaves Miami (the World Cruise sails January 11, 2010) it heads to St. Lucia, Castries and on to my favorite island in the Caribbean, Barbados. January 18th it reaches Devil’s Island, Giuana, continuing to Fortaleza and Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Stops are made at Buenos Aires, Montevideo and then we cross the South Atlantic Ocean to Cape Town, South Africa. You can take any one of 7 portions of the Cruise with the first one ending in Rio, the second one ending in Cape Town. Continue to Pt. Elizabeth and on to Durban, Zanzibar, Mombasa, the Seychelles, Mali and Cochin and Mumbai, India.
Before returning from London, you’ll stop in the Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Spain and France.
“Madam, are you leaving the ship?” the steward asked. I wondered, for a second, if I could stow away. But, I smiled and left the ship reluctantly. It had been the voyage of a lifetime…and I’d only spent just over $300,000 including taxes and my single occupancy of the suite. The memories were worth every penny. www.crystalcruises.com
MORE TOYS…
Posted by Editor in Tech Talk Tuesday on April 21st, 2009
People who travel often complain about the hassle and additional weight in baggage when they have to lug adapters and betteries for portable iPods and iPhone speakers. Griffin Technology heard that, and introduced the new Aircurve acoustic iPhone amplifier. At 4.7 ounces, this clear box works with the phone’s speaker, pushing the sound through a coil-shaped amplifying chamber and juicing it up around 10 decibels in the process. Get more information from www.griffintechnology.com/products/aircurve.
I found a watch I want, but it’s an “adventure” watch for Alpha Males. They call it a “Compass Watch for Budding MacGyvers”. It’s a TIMEX EXPEDITION E.TIDE TEMP COMPASS, and it reveals everything from the direction to the rise and fall of tides. Check out www.timex.com.
What’s a “Headphone Splitter for Media Unity”. You can share video and music with this five socket splitter, compatible with all MP3 and DVD players. See www.flight001.c0m.
I’m fascinated by the so-called upstart in the Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) arena, so popularized by Skype as well as by other companies such as Vonage and Vodaphone, magicJack (www.magicJack.com), which enables you to access the Internet over your land-line telephone as well as your computer. The magicJack device, which looks like a large thumb drive, connects to your computer’s USB port. At the other end of the device is a standard jack that connects to your phone. The device loads the software into your computer (it’s Widows and Mack Intel compatible) and you can then talk online over your landline. On the road, you can plug the device into your computer, pop on a headset and get a dial tone. You can also buy international service, but it doesn’t just let you talk online affordably, it allows you to forward your home voice-mails to your e-mail – just click the e-mail and listen to the message.
Earth Day & The Wartville Wizard
Posted by Lori in Mother Earth Monday on April 20th, 2009
Last night I read this great children’s book “The Wartville Wizard,” by Don Madden, in which an old man, unhappy with his neighbors’ habit of littering, becomes a wizard with “the power over trash.” Instead of yelling “slobs!” and picking up the trash along the road by his house, he sends each piece of trash back to the person who threw it out, where it sticks to them. In the end the townspeople, covered in their own trash, promise never to litter again if the wizard will just remove all the trash that is stuck to them. The wizard agrees, “but he would miss yelling ‘slobs!’ a little, because that was kind of fun.”
This seems an appropriate message for Earth Day, the 40th anniversary of which is happening this Wednesday, April 22nd. According to the official U.S. Government Earth Day website:
“Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. Earth Day is a time to unite around new actions. Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet…Earthday.gov is a cooperative effort across the entire U.S. government.”
This website features information on how you can help improve the planet, through both individual actions and volunteer opportunities. They also include a section just for kids.
This Earth Day, ask yourself, what if everything you threw away were to come back and stick to you? You would probably give a lot more thought to what you threw away. Although we are continually reminded to “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” unfortunately too many people forget the first two and think that it is all about putting cans and bottles in the right bins.
What if there were no garbage service? What if you had to find a way to reuse everything you bought? Think about how much trash you buy. Take a look in your garbage can. Is there anything in there that you could have reused? Is there someway you could have avoided buying that trash? I just did that. I see that I have thrown away plastic bags from cereal boxes that I could reuse somehow. Next time, I could buy cereal from the bulk food section, reusing those very bags. When they finally wear out, perhaps I could find some other use for them. My husband takes old plastic bags and fills a burlap sack with them, making a target for his archery practice.
I know a couple who built one wall of their house out of old colored bottles and straw bale. The effect was almost like stained glass. I know some other people who have used crushed recycled glass as a fantastic decoration on their new floors. Crushed glass can be used to make amazing mosaics.
How can you reduce the amount of stuff that you bring home, just to throw away? You could start by buying things with less packaging. Here are some ideas to reduce your imprint, when it comes to garbage.
Buy used clothes from thrift stores. Give away old clothes that you don’t wear anymore. Have a clothing exchange party. This is especially good with kids’ clothes, since they grow out of them so fast. If your old clothes, sheets, etc. are too trashed to give away for someone else to use, turn them into rags (instead of buying and throwing away paper towels) or use them in craft projects (make a crazy quilt!).
Buy whole foods and cook from scratch. Bring your own reusable grocery bags to the store, and/or reuse paper bags.
Consider also where the things you buy come from. I was looking through this catalog the other day of “green living” products, the motto on the front: “simple choices make a difference.” Inside they advertise all kinds of organic clothes, “recycled” products, etc. but on closer inspection you see that many of these things are made in China or some other country where there are very little environmental controls. And think about all the resources it will take to get that product to you! Is this really “green living?” Is this really a “simple choice?”
It turns out that living simply in this world can actually get pretty complicated. But it is worth it to try, instead of just yelling “slobs!” at the rest of the world, even if it is kind of fun.
Other sources of information on Earth Day can be found at:
Do you intend to celebrate and participate in Earth Day? Share your stories with us!
Companion Animals
Posted by Kelly in Human Temple Sunday on April 19th, 2009
A long time ago (coming up on fifteen years), I set out to get a cat. A friend of a friend gave me a kitten – a feisty long-haired grey with a bad-ass attitude and frightening intelligence. Bast helped to make my house a home. Over the years, I gained a few more cats, all by accident, and all giving immeasurable joy every day. So as a long-time pet of multiple cats, I can personally attest to the many benefits of companion animals, and science has been backing me up for decades now. Your health, both physical and mental, will be significantly improved by the presence of a cat, dog, or other pet. Here are a number of informative sources:
· CDC
· Wcco.com
Of course, if you are considering adopting a companion animal, you need to take many things into account. How much time do you have? How much money? What kind of lifestyle? Also, I know many people think that a particular breed is special or attractive, but the fact is that there are many wonderful mongrels and mixed breeds in shelters all over the United States (and world) who would love the chance to become your companion, so check your local shelters and you will be sure to find a friend. Above all, be patient and caring. You will be repaid a thousand-fold.
For more information, visit the Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA, and Best Friends Animal Society; and of course your local shelter and/or sanctuary. Feel free to send your comments, questions, and stories; I will answer all queries, and may feature your own tale in a future column.
Not That Big-of-a-Deal
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on April 18th, 2009
I almost hesitate to complain about evolving English language usage, because English is not just a live, vital language that (not “which”!) is constantly evolving, but also because it is a language that emerged from a convergence of West Germanic, Norman, French, and a smattering of Greek and Latin, among others. Our grammar rules are mostly a mess, as any non-native speaker can tell you. But there are some rules, and as much as I enjoy creativity and invention, we do need some basic guidelines so that we can clearly and effectively communicate.
My biggest irritation at the moment is the heinous use of “big of,” as in “it’s not that big of a deal.” Excuse me? When did this change? It is “that big a deal.” The creeping “of” creeps me out. More knowledgeable people can explain this better than I, so check out:
So, please, please, please, just say no to excessive “of”!
And as long as we’re talking grammar, don’t even get me started on the hyper hyphenation I see everywhere today, including the overly hyphenated (overly-hyphenated? not!) New York Times. See also:
(P.S. I’m already cringing at the thought that I’ve committed any number of grammatical errors in this article – if I have, do let me know!)
OLAF STAPLEDON STILL ROCKS
Posted by Editor in Wild Friday on April 17th, 2009
My friend Juan had pulled some strings with NASA so that I could take a quick trip to Mars but, at the last minute there was some kind of trouble with a lift-off thing-a=magig. My son reminded me of a book I’d read eons ago (published in London in 1931) Last and First Men.
It covers the evolution of man billions of years in the future. Today’s rapidly changing (I hesitate to use the word “declining”) evolution could make those billions change to hundreds of years. It’s a telepathic revelation of man’s chaotic future through space and time.
With a 1930’s perspective, peace is present until an “airship” crashes into London releasing toxic warfare gas. England retaliates against Western Europe and a state of almost total extinction occurs. The US and China become the super powers and agree to a peaceful solution. Shortages of oil, metal and food follow, but an “inexhaustible” energy source is found and “we” cook the planet. The last bit of life exists on the tip of an island close to the North Pole. Darwinism takes over as man continues resulting in a stronger man who regains dominence over earth. He decides to build a genetically perfect brain that will warn of impending doom.
“Brain” feels unfulfilled, replicates itself into a higher state. Man’s prime urge shines through. The brain designs Adam and Eve to experience emotions who eventually destroy the brain through their descendants. A dark cloud appears above a mountaintop and covers the terrain in a “green mist” which is a conglomerate of Martians which act together as the Borg. After the mist consumes crops and people men once again surge forward and send the “mist” back to Mars.
Humans battle the remaining Martians and flourish, after which point the moon falls out of orbit. They are down to a pitiful group, but somehow escape to Venus. On arrival they find Venus almost covered by water. A few islands exist, and there they survive. Vesuvians live in the sea as swardfish creatures who dislike Earthlings. When Venus becomes too hot for them, the humans move to Neptune. The sun is dying. Throughout the book there are flying humans, fish-like humanoids and a “Planet of the Apes” evolution at the end (we make it through).
Yes, it’s Sci-Fi 101, but there were parts of the book that came almost too close for comfort. I’m glad I’m not living in the “Green Mist” period. And, yet, looking out the window…OH, NO……..
The Art of Cooking: Risotto
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on April 16th, 2009
I was supposed to follow up on my introduction of Montreal-based artist John Mavreas, but thanks to an embarrassing technological glitch at my Las Cruces, New Mexico-based lair, that’s not going to happen this week…and since this happened at the proverbial (and actual) last minute, I was literally left flailing in my kitchen…
Ah, my kitchen! I just happened to be making a delicious local fusion specialty (well, local to my good friend Pat and me) – green chile risotto. If you’ve never made risotto because it seems too difficult, let go of that particular prejudice. Risotto takes time – it does not take any special ability or knowledge. Trust me on this – I’m no chef, but I can make very decent meals, thank you very much. Oh, okay, don’t trust me – check out these recipes, anyway:
-
Wikipedia
New Italian Recipes
BellaOnline
Okay, in short, you may have to stand around your stove and keep stirring this delicious dish for upward of thirty minutes, but there’s nothing more complicated than that. You can use any type of broth that you prefer (in my opinion), and whatever you’d like to add. My friend Pat introduced me to the Ital-Mex fusion concept of using green chile (and there is no place in the United States where you can find better chile than here) and parmesan. When I make this recipe, I personally substitute cheddar for the parm; cheddar seems to me to go better with chile, and anyway I like it better than parmesan. You can, of course, substitute whatever cheese you like – that’s the joy of cooking, in my kitchen anyway.
At any rate, at the end of a long session of stirring (which I usually do with a favorite book in hand), you will have a lovely meal that needs nothing more added than a simple salad. As a chile-head, I would suggest a hardy lettuce dressed in soy sauce and titillatingly spicy Rooster Sauce.
So…I apologize for not having the Mavreas interview, but that will (technology willing) happen next week. In the meantime, enjoy art, enjoy food, enjoy yourself; and as always, let me know what’s on your mind. Happy cooking!
CRUISE THE SEINE
Posted by Editor in Worldwide Wednesday on April 15th, 2009
When I heard that the TV program “The Highlander” was to be shown again, I couldn’t have been more pleased. I could visit the Seine where the Highlander’s boat was moored (across from Notre Dame), and I’d wander along the waterfront visiting the artists and the stamp collectors there.
Truly, for me the Seine is the heart of Paris and I’ve enjoyed dinner on the Bateau Mouches (boats) where the views and not the dinner are outstanding. Having cruised on the Rhine River in Germany, I enjoyed the ease of getting off at Cologne and Heidelberg (no long motorcoach rides) – right in the heart of town. River travel is tops!
Peter Deilmann Cruises have a 7-night “Parisian Romance” cruise including a 2-night pre or post stay in Paris at the Concorde St. Lazare Hotel which departs in July or August. Transportation between the ship and hotel is included. An afternoon tour of Paris is part of the package with the Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde among other sights.
Your ship is the MV Cezanne with single seating dining, award-winning cuisine, one crew member for every 2.5 guests, onboard physician and it’s a 5-star floating hotel. All interiors are smoke-free. The 7-night cruise includes Monet’s gardens in Giverny, Louis XIV’s palace at Versailles and the medieval harbor at Honfleur.
All meals on-board are included as well as the Captain’s welcome and farewel champagne receptions plus nightly light entertainment on board including traditional and folklore performances. These are special cruises, and you may want to check out www.deilmann-cruises.com/theme for prices and availability.
Don’t forget your camera as it’s going to be 24/7, and the lady at the table across from you who is waving could just be me falling in love with Paris all over again.
LATEST TECH GOODIES
Posted by Editor in Tech Talk Tuesday on April 14th, 2009
There’s a “new cutie” at www.bestbuy.com called a PoGo Instant Mobile Printer which will print wallet size pics on a portable printer by Polaroid – price tag around $100.00.
Have you heard about SNAGIT which allows you to take a “snapshot” of anything on your PC screen, from a specific section to the entire screen according to “Gadget Girl”, Penny Rudicil. You can click and “snag” exactly what you need. In order to rotate or combine images, use the editing which will also allow you to crop. Once the images are saved, you can import them into other projects like a Power Point presentation, an e-mail or Word document. www.snagit.com
An upstart in the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) area, so popularized by Skype as well as by other companies such as Vonage and Vodaphone, is magicJack (www.magicJack.com) which enables you to access the Internet over your land-line telephone as well as on your computer. The magicJack device, which looks like a large thumb drive, connects to your computer’s USB port. At the other end of the device is a standard jack that connects to your phone. The device loads its software into your computer (it’s Windows and Mac Intel compatible), and you can then talk online over your landline. On the road, you can plug the device into your computer, pop on a headset and get a dial tone. You can also buy international service. But, it doesn’t just let you talk online affordably, it allows you to forward your home voice-mails to your e-mail – just click the e-mail and listen to the message.
FAREWELL TO THE WETLANDS AND BAY0US
Posted by Editor in Mother Earth Monday on April 13th, 2009
As I flew out of New Orleans after the holidays this year, I looked down on the bayous that border what’s known mainly as the 9th Ward. Having lived in New Orleans and Metairie (a suburb) we all knew how low the 9th Ward was, and that when there was a severe enough storm (considering that Lake Pontchartrain is like a saucer) it would flood big time. And yet they built houses there.
Call it bayou or wetlands, it’s much the same. In Florida we’re busy building new subdivisions, pushing the wetlands and all the creatures who have for centuries occupied the wetlands, into a state of strangulation.
Louisiana’s wetlands are in an environmental emergency as it disappears before our very eyes. If something is not done now, the reversal process will be too difficult to save the wetlands or Louisiana’s entire southern coast. Two estuaries, the Barataria and Terrebonne basins, are the most rapidly eroding estuaries on earth. We’re losing time. Since the erosion began, Louisiana alone has lost 2000 squre miles of wetlands – 1.2 million acres. Approximately 25-30 squre miles of Louisiana’s wetlands disappear each year. By 2050, another 435,000 acres and, if nothing is done, it will be gone by 2075.
Within the bayous are fishermen and trappers – a way of life unique to Louisiana. This area hosts one of the largest seafood nurseries in the nation. Here in Florida, we’re busy paving over our wetlands which borders on insanity, but we’ll place it at the feet of greed. What’s the interpretation of federal and state policies calling for ‘”NO NET LOSS OF WETLANDS”? We stand on soapboxes, talk “green” and ecotourism until our throats are dry, and the crowd has gone home…
The Florida Army Corps of Engineers between 1999 and 2003 approved 12,000 permits in Florida which permitted wetlands to be destoryed – they cannot be replaced.
Paving Paradise: Florida’s Vanishing Wetlands & the Failure of No net Loss - By Craig Pitman and Matthew Waite
Bayou Farewell: The Rich Life & Tragic Death of Louisiana’s Cajun Coast – By Mike Tidwell (March, 2003)
Mr. Van Jones Goes To Washington
Posted by Dewey Davis-Thompson in Mother Earth Monday on April 13th, 2009
Green job advocate Van Jones has been added to the Obama economic team and he says his new job entails “creating new policies going forward and trying to make sure as we design new policies that we build in smart ideas.”
According to Green For All, on March 16, Jones is to become Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). “His duties will include: helping to shape and implement job-generating climate policy; working to ensure equal protection and equal opportunity in the administration’s climate and energy proposals; and publicly advocating the administration’s environmental and energy agenda.”
The WSJ says “Obama has touted the job-creation potential of his clean-energy initiative. Now, the focus seems to be on making sure that the administration’s overall climate policy—including a cap-and-trade bill to curb greenhouse-gas emissions—will create more jobs than it endangers in Rust Belt states.”
Harvard University’s Robert Stavins says that job creation and a green agenda are non-compatible. “Addressing the worst economic recession in generations calls for the most effective economic stimulus package that can be devised, not a stimulus package that is diminished in effectiveness through excessive bells and whistles meant to address a myriad of other (legitimate) social concerns. And, likewise, getting serious about global climate change will require the enactment and implementation of meaningful, dedicated climate policies, most likely a comprehensive national CO2 cap-and-trade system. These are two serious but different policy problems, and they call for two serious, carefully-crafted policy responses.”
Van Jones and Green For All (now to be headed by Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins) have found success in the Oakland area with small-scale green job creation. Now we shall see what ideas he can bring to fruition nationally.
Trains Are Cool
Posted by Kelly in Soapbox Saturday on April 11th, 2009
I feel compelled to follow up on our wonderful Editor’s April 6th column on trains. I am thrilled to hear about the cash infusion for Amtrak. Rail travel is much greener than flying; it is also simpler, more relaxed, and far more beautiful. Yes, of course it’s slower – but if you have the time to travel by rail, it’s a lovely and incomparable experience.
As I mentioned in a previous column, I take a major rail trip every summer: I travel from Albuquerque, NM, to Chicago, IL, on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief; following an afternoon layover in an attractive part of downtown Chicago, I take the Lake Shore Limited to western Massachusetts. The trip is not short (particularly for a smoker; Amtrak trains are non-smoking) but it is stunning, and it takes me through a variety of landscapes and experiences that I could never enjoy from 35,000 feet.
Amtrak trains usually include a lounge and viewing car, dining car, and sleepers. The sleepers are expensive — and know that the smallest compartment is approximately phone booth-sized — but it’s worth it if you have the cash. It’s also worth it to take a trip even if you don’t. My own journey takes me through New Mexico, eastern Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa (very briefly — hello, Fort Madison!), and Illinois – and that’s just the first half. I see the high desert, western plains, corn country, and peeks into the back streets of small, unknown towns. It is intoxicating. It is inspiring. And it feels worth every minute of a not very fast trip. (Have you heard of Harvey Houses? And did you know there was an especially fine one in Las Vegas, New Mexico? Or even that there is a Las Vegas, New Mexico?)
I am sitting at home tonight in far southern New Mexico, in the Chihuahuan Desert, enjoying a very rare springtime rain. I can hear the mournful but ultimately seductive siren call of the whistle as a train trundles through town. I wish I were on board that train right now, setting off on an adventure, not caring what the destination is, because getting there is so, so fine.
SON VS. MOTHER, ROUND 2
Posted by Editor in Wild Friday on April 10th, 2009
My son, Charlie, hadn’t mentioned Mars in a while. I knew that it was only a matter of time…
“Mom, about Mars…” I got comfortable on the sofa and listened. “Mars got hit by something a billion years ago, before life really had a chace to evolve. Plus, Mars is further from the sun and photosynthesis evolution would have taken longer than earth.”
“Charlie, are you throwing my concept of life on Mars out?” I began to panic.
“No! The very slim possibility is that Mars was once closer to the sun eons ago before being knocked further away from the sun. It’s also possible that before Mars got hit, it was oceanic.”
Okay, that made sense to me. “So you agree that there was water on Mars?”
“Yes. It’s obvious to me that water covered at least half of the planet when it was hit by a larger meteor. Pushed away from the sun, it gradually went into the ice age from which it never recovered. As water evaporated into space, it picked up two asteroids from the asteroid belt (or possibly one of the moons)…a remanant of the destruction of Mars.”
“And life, what about life?” I asked. His reply was quick, “If life existed, it went underground with the remaining water. Slowly, it evolved in underground caverns and pools. Let’s just say intelligence found a way as life strives for existence universally to develop as a society underground out of detection so far. In my opinion, they would either have very large eyes, or none at all.”
My mind filled with pictures of supposed aliens – no eyes. Charlie had my attention. “Quite possibly, ” he continued, “they could be amphibious to navigate underwater passageways. Then, large eyes for low light would be accompanied by sonar-type abilities like bass sending out high frequency squeaks to navigate caves.”
He’d outdone himself. I needed to do research, and I tried to remember who I knew at NASA that might be able to get me on a quick, round-trip to Mars for Round 3. I smiled, “Could we talk more, later…maybe?”
John Mavreas – Part 1
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on April 9th, 2009
My long-time friend John Mavreas, a multi-talented artist from Montreal, Canada, has kindly agreed to share his art and his insight with the Daily Revolution. John works in a variety of mediums and genres, from oil painting to rock concert posters to comic book illustration. Next Thursday, I’ll publish my interview with John; this week, I have several samples of his artwork for you to enjoy.
These are two of the many posters John has drawn for local band concerts.
Monster Island (now on its third issue) is an art zine focused on the convergence between monsters and comics.
Stay tuned for more from John Mavreas.
A SMART MOVE
Posted by Editor in Worldwide Wednesday on April 8th, 2009
Several yeas ago, while working in a travel agency, I became aware of an outside travel representative who, several times a year, visited Europe with her husband and family. They were often gone a month, but made no other reservations except airfare.
My curiousity got the best of me, and I finally asked if they had relatives throughout Europe whom they visited. “No,” Pat said, smiling as if hiding a great secret. I felt that I may have been rude. “We swap homes…” At that point Pat explained that they belonged to an organization with whom they had their four bedroom beachfront home in Florida listed. Pat and her husband indicated to the organization when and where (giving several desired locations) they would like to stay.
The organization “matched them up”. Their family had stayed in a charming, large apartment in the center of Paris, a seaside villa in Italy, a large condominium in Spain and a home with a view of the Rhine River in Germany. Aside from the cost of their airline tickets, food and an occasional car rental, it was an affordable vacation with they could not otherwise have had.
Membership in home-exchange websites runs $55-126 a year approximately. They need a full description and pictures of your home and neighborhood. Sometimes members contact you, sometimes you contact them. Car access is possible and vice versa. If pets are involved, care and information is passed along. It’s been compared to online dating 10 years ago. Checkout www.HomeExchange.com, www.HomeForExchange.com or www.Digsville.com. AARP mentions www.Craigslist.com which has a “Housing Swap” section where you can list free.
Whether it’s a month-long or a weekend stay in this country, try it out.
Stripped Down and Dismantled: A Peek into E-Waste Recycling
Posted by Editor in Tech Talk Tuesday on April 7th, 2009
GoodCleanTech reports:
“So, you sent a few of your old gadgets for recycling and feel that you helped make the world a better place in your own little way. Hopefully, you’ve been following our recycling tips and our recent recycling superguide so your old electronics don’t wind up in landfills in developing countries. If you sent your old gadgets to certified recycling projects, they would most probably end up in a facility such as one in the picture on the left. Wired has recently posted a photo essay of how electronics are processed and recycled in one of Sims Recycling Solutions’ facilities. Browsing through the pics, you’ll get a general idea of how works dismantle devices to search for valuable, reusable materials and to dispose of hazardous wastes with heavy metal components before being shred. After shredding, the components are separated and then categorized, with those containing toxic materials to be sent for incineration. Overall, the slew of pictures posted could give you a general overview of how things are done in recycling centers. Last August, MIT’s Tech Review also posted a photo essay of a recycling facility that focuses on cell phones.”
THE LITTLE TRAIN THAT COULD
Posted by Editor in Mother Earth Monday on April 6th, 2009
From the time that I was a baby and my parents carried me on board the Trans-Canada train in the 1930’s so that I could meet my grandfather, Charles St. Lawrence Mackintosh in Vancouver, BC I’ve loved trains. My great great grandfather, Sir Hugh Allan had, after all, helped to get the railroad across Canada.
With fascination, I’ve traveled on the famous Blue Train across Egypt, had dinner on one of the Dome Cars in Alaska, relaxed on the legendary trains of Europe, slept on the wagon lits of Italy and France, and watched the visages of the Industrial Revolution on a train from Washington, DC’s Union Station to New York City.
USA Today informs us that there will be an $8 billion infusion to get Amtrak on the “fast track”. Somehow we fell out of love with train travel vs. planes and automobiles. Europe (including the UK) is expanding their fast trains and “greening” their system. The time is now for these faster, newer trains taking us past gridlocked airports and congested highways on electrified railroads speeding up to 200 mph. Remember, there’s never been a serious accident on Japan’s or any other hi-speed railroad. The new system in this country will reduce our dependence on oil, cut pollution and create jobs.
By April, Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood is required to issue a strategic plan detailing how DOT will use the $8 billion. States will then be advised on procedure to apply for grants. In Florida our schedule is Tampa-Orland0-Miami for a hi-speed rail corridor. It will create an entirely new industry in this country.
Amtrak’s electrified Acela already exists – 135 mph. The $8 billion is only a beginning…California’s system alone would cost $50 billion to complete, and it’s already in the works! Check out www.amtrak.com. Let’s fall in love again.
Play More / Happy 50th, Little People!
Posted by Kelly in Human Temple Sunday on April 5th, 2009
I will be visiting my sister’s beautiful family this summer (New Mexico to Chicago, IL to New Hampshire via Amtrak), and am already anticipating days of fun with my four-year-old nephew and two-year-old niece. That in turn made me think of how we grown-ups play. I don’t mean adult play – golf or cocktail parties or, for pity’s sake, Sudoku. I mean real play, like we did as children: running, jumping, singing, imagining.
When I’m around kids, I’m always struck by how in the moment they are, and how rarely adults tap into that particular joy. I always tell myself that I’m going to remember to be like that more often. And I always forget. Not all adults want to play, obviously. But for those of us who do, how are we supposed to recapture the magic?
One thing I do is make my own cards for birthdays, holidays, special occasions. Don’t get me wrong; I’m no artist. But those hours spent with scissors and construction paper and gluesticks and crayons – sheer joy. I’m not thinking about the bills or the economy or my oldest cat’s illness. I simply hum, and cut, and color, and snicker quietly to (at?) myself, surrounded by snippets of discarded scrapbooking sheets, loving every single moment.
Recently I bought a couple of old Fisher Price Little People houses and their accoutrements on eBay. These were my sister’s and my favorite toys as children; we called them People-o’s. With the originals long since given away, I thought it would be a fun birthday gift for her (and me). Of course I had to get everything out and verify the contents and condition. Of course what I ended up doing was setting up both houses, and before I knew it, the People-o’s were having conversations. The People-o’s also made an appearance at a party the following week, and for a few of my friends, they were a big hit.
[And in the annals of “did you know?” – last weekend, the Little People celebrated their 50th anniversary. If only they were real, I’d have sent a (homemade) card!]
Full disclosure: I also do the occasional cartwheel. So how about it – do you still play? And how? Do tell…
ARE YOU HUNGRY?
Posted by Editor in Soapbox Saturday on April 4th, 2009
Since I’m a senior and now live alone, my daughter in Louisiana worried that I wasn’t getting a hot meal every day, and suggested that I find out about some of the food ministries in my area.
And so began a new learning experience. I’d just finished writing a blog for another website. It concerned noted ethnobiologist, Paul Nabhan’s lecture here recently about a future plagued by food security. Nabhan mentioned that “There have been food riots in 32 countries in the last year.” We are using food banks like these ministries and food stamps at levels never seen before.
Tampa Bay has “Somebody Cares” feeding families. “Hunger Strike Force” is a program designed to bring thousands of pounds of food into our area to feed the hungry. Their numbers equal feeding a mnimum of 25,000 people per month or 270,000 yearly. The Angel Food Ministries are everywhere, and Calvary Chapel, St. Pete is collaborating with them to provide relief to the community. Some of these ministries provide boxes of food to low income families for 50% of the retail price. Others, provide the low price to those voluteers who donate their time to help. There is a monthly “menu” and the menu may include three or more choices of food contents.
The Faith Outreach Center, Food Pantry Ministry in Tampa distributes food to hungry families on a weekly basis, and are now looking for funding to purchase a house in the Town and Contry area to establish a Homeless Outreach Center to provide food, clothing and showers.
Cornerstone Family Ministries is located in Tampa, and SHARE Florida Food Network is part of the group. Volunteers here can buy discount food packages.
In a time of escalating food prices and job losses the need is greater than ever. Ministeries are seeing people who have never had to ask for help, showing up on their doorstep needing help. We should give our help as well.
The End of American Slavery?
Posted by Ace in Wild Friday on April 3rd, 2009
Kidnapped, imprisoned, shackled, transported across the ocean stacked like cargo, sold into slavery, tortured, raped, murdered,. That list is just a preliminary survey of the atrocities against the people of Africa, ancestors to many current citizens of the United States of America.
The stories continues well past the official abolishment of legal slavery in the US: segregation, KKK, Tuskegee. For the student of history a true litany of offenses swiftly prove that African Americans were repeatedly and consistently wronged. There is no equivalent “holocaust denial” for the truth of American history, here at least, is plain.
As a nation, the USA has struggled with the appropriate responses, inching along from abolition to integration as teh collective ethos shifted perspective and policy. Recently there was the 2008 House Apology and calls for reparations will no doubt continue.
But the service of an African American President certainly tips the scales. Has the long road finally come to an end? In his inauguration speech and in his actions, Barak Obama spoke to the challenges of all people. He spoke not from a position of victim, but of triumphant hero, there to prove that the light truly shines. Has American finally found racial equality?
Retro Postcard Art
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on April 2nd, 2009
Everything old is new again – or at least has a shot at renewed popularity. Music, fashion, even politics can jump out and surprise us twenty years after we thought they were gone for good. We can include art in this category. Retro advertisements and travel posters flood online art warehouses such as art.com. Today I would like to share a selection of retro postcards, and arbitrarily (because I’m the decider!), I’ve chosen a selection from my old hometown York, Maine.
Everyplace that’s anyplace has one of these postcards, the traditional “Greetings From…” York, located on the southern Maine coast, has long been a summer tourist destination, especially for Canadians, who have no idea that the 65’F water temperature is not, in fact, warm.
Long Sands is one of three major beaches in York (the other two are Short Sands and York Harbor), and by the far the biggest and most popular. I used to live across the street from Long Sands. It’s congested in the summer, and surreal in the winter – have you ever seen snow on a sandy beach?
Nubble Light is located to the north of Long Sands, off Cape Neddick. I just found out that its official name is Cape Neddick Lighthouse. No local would ever call it that. That would be wicked stupid, ayuh.
The Isles of Shoals are a group of small islands about ten miles off the coast at the Maine/New Hampshire border. This old hotel, on Star Island, is no longer open to tourists, unfortunately.
The site of several sea disasters, Boon Island Light is located about six miles off Long Sands, and is clearly visible (as are the Isles of Shoals, further to the south) from the beach.
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Suddenly I feel like taking a trip Downeast…
A NEW EYE ON COSTA RICA
Posted by Editor in Worldwide Wednesday on April 1st, 2009
According to the Ecnomist Magazine over 2 million visitors came to Costa Rica in 2008 and, tourist-wise, they rate Costa Rica higher than all Central American destinations.
Since my first visit, almost 8 years ago, the number of luxury resorts, condos and town homes built for investment by foreign visitors, has soared. Many desireable waterfront and residential properties have been gobbled up by contractors.
My flight landed in San Jose. Dowtown traffic was clogged and hundreds of people crowded the streets. The city is charming from the five museums, the historic small opera house (built by coffee barons to attract world-famous performers) to former grand baronial homes converted to bed and breakfasts.
Once out of San Jose (2-3 days covers everything from butterflies to a coffee plantation), the ecological adventure begins. My favorite? Tortugero National Park! After almost a full day by motor coach, we boarded a launch and cruised along canals. I suspected that a prehistoric creature would peek out between the lush greenery any minue as it’s alive with wildlife from a 3-toed sloth that was relaxing after coming down from his hiding place for his monthly potty visit below his tree, 5 crockodiles happily swimming along with 6 turtles to the tiny, poisonous red frog I’d wanted to see (no bigger than my thumb nail) and a Jesus Christ lizard running over the water at high speed.
We flew back to San Jose continuing on to Dundee Ranch Hotel near Puntarenas (7.5 miles from Puerto Caldera). There, we mounted horses (modified Western saddles with no buck, a coarse rope for reins and closed-footed stirrups). We soon found ourselves at a huge broccoli tree full of colorful birds and families of holler monkeys – so named because they “holler”.
At Manuel Antonio we stayed at Si Como No (”Yes, why not?) and relaxed overlooking the valley below and the Pacific Ocean beyond. In the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, we boarded an aerial tramway (4 passengers per carriage) moving quickly like a magic carpet over the verdant paradise below. The abundance of flora and fauna beneath us took our breath away, and it was as though time was standing still…Costa Rica can be like that, and so much more. www.visitcostarica.com
GOLF HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE
Posted by Editor in Tech Talk Tuesday on March 31st, 2009
Years ago you could hit golf balls aft on a ship and they would fall into the water… It became a “no-no”, and the first cruise company to purchase a golf simulator in 1997 was Princess Cruises. Now on the Queen Mary 2 of Cunard Cruise Line there are two “Full Swing Golf” simulators, and they have more than 35 simulators on major lines.
Please know that I don’t play golf. I’ve “walked” courses around the world, and once sat on a log on the island of St. Croix and watched a Robert Trent Jones’ course being dug and shaped. One of the project managers wondered who I was, and came over to sit down with me. He finally showed me the design for the course, and I was amazed at how complicated it was from angles, mounds and the number of sand traps plus challenging vistas.
Golf on ships and ships featuring golf on themed cruises is growing. Crystal Cruises has an 11-day golf cruise out of Hong Kong to Singapore aboard their 940 passenger Crystal Symphony. The cruise features putting contests, private clinics and golfing tips from Bill Stutzer, head P.G.A. golf pro from San Diego’s Pauma Valley Country Club.
The four world-class courses are in Vietnam and Thailand including the stunning 18-hole Montomerie Links overlooking the Marble Mountains and China Beach coast in Da Nang, Vietnam. If you don’t golf just relax in the spa, get a tan on deck and feast on fabulous food.
The simulators use real balls and clubs, plastic grass, electronic sensors and a video screen. The simulators combine the feel of playing golf with the visuals of a live P.G.A. event (cruisesshipgolf.net). Don’t forget that if you take a regular cruise to the Caribbean, for instance, your onboard Concierge can usually make arrangements and tee times for you to play at some of the courses on the islands. Talk with your travel agent, and bon voyage.
SAVE PART OF OUR HISTORY!
Posted by Editor in Mother Earth Monday on March 30th, 2009
We don’t need more scrap. Preservationists are fighting to save the SS UNITED STATES from being sold to a U. S. buyer for scrap. The conservancy wants to “ensure a dignified future for our national flagship” while emphasizing the “special and irreplaceable nature of this national icon.” They have also initiated the SOS: SAVE OUR SHIP” campaign.
The SS UNITED STATES is considered a special and beloved icon, and it is now listed with the Florida-based ship brokerage firm, Southport Atlantic. Star Cruises, parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, purchased the ship in 2003. NCL has abandoned plans for the ship’s refurbishment, and ownership is now in the hands of the holding company. The ship is considered the crowning maratime achievement of the 20th century.
Despite the recession, some hope must be found for saving this ship. The paddlewheelers that have graced the Mississippi and inland rivers are almost a memory as the DELTA QUEEN becomes a hotel moored in Chattanooga, Tennessee and the fate of the other paddlewheelers is uncertain.
Star Cruises and NCL appreciate the national symbolism and historical value of the SS UNITED STATES. It can be saved by a public-private partnership to acquire the ship. What shouldn’t it become a tourist attraction in a major U. S. city? (www.ssunitedstatesconservancy.org). Let’s make it happen!
Male Energy
Posted by Editor in Human Temple Sunday on March 29th, 2009
 
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Have you read this book yet? If you are a man – and nearly half of us are – it is highly recommended!
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine is a pscho-spiritual manual for masculine “hard wiring.” Personality traits, social structures, and even life patterns are traced throughout the ages as they are mirrored over and over again in mythology, poetry and art.
Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette have had great influence in the mythopoetic men’s movement, stemming from their original classic, King, Warrior, Magician, Lover. Since then they have completed the series with The King Within, The Warrior Within, The Magician Within, and The Lover Within.
In this seminal book, Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette provide a central focus to Men and Myth. The authors’ thesis is that the patriarchal structure of Western civilization, which victimizes men as well as women, is a result of immature Boy Psychology. The book presents four archetypes of mature masculine Man Psychology with the theory that men will be able to integrate the positive and negative elements of these four aspects into their own lives.
All four sides of the “archetypal pyramid” have one positive and 2 negative poles like a triangular side of any pyramid. For example, the positive lover archetype embraces the world with passion and a zest for life and is positioned at the top point of the lover triangle. The negative poles on the bottom are the addicted lover and the impotent lover, overzealous and disinterested respectively. The authors suggest that each man is hard wired with a preset pattern of behaviors somewhere between these three extremes.
Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette go into more detail in four follow up books including “The Warrior Within: Accessing the Knight in the Male Psyche,” “The Magician Within: Accessing the Shaman in the Male Psyche,” and of course books on the King and Lover within. Together, these books lay a sound groundwork for understanding how to experience the archetypal energy in our own psyches.
The King is the life giver and the dancer of the 4 quaters. The king is the conduit for spiritual energy from above, and is personally responsible for the safety and well being of his wards. Every society in known history has a king or leader who is entrusted with guiding his people to success and comfort. Whether it is the United Nations or the corner gang, every group has a leader and focus. Even troupes of apes have an “alpha male” who is empowered with priveleges and responsibilities above the rest.
The benefits and perqs of the king are many, but the responsibilities are many as well. Just as young Prince William was forced to endure the public spectacle of Princess Diana’s funeral in the full spotlight, the role of the king is a tortured one. And if the king fails in his duties he is traditionally disposed of in a highly unpleasant manner! The King is dead. Long live the King!
Often disparaged, seldom understood, the Warrior is the most controversial of the archetypes, because of the cruel acts perpetrated by its shadow side. Yet aggressiveness is an innate characteristic of our species — for men and women alike — and has been responsible for the achievements of our culture. They suggest that the razor-sharp clarity of perception that the archetypal Warrior stimulated in the post-Hellenic Assyrians is what gave rise to the Ego. Aggressiveness is not synonymous with rage or violence: these are expressions of overstimulated aggression. The Warrior, properly accessed, can do a great deal to empower us to live our lives, make our worlds, and protect, provide and create a just order on a perilous planet.
While capable of killing when necessary, the Warrior knows that the real war is within. A man appropriately accessing his Warrior draws on enormous resources of focus and self-discipline that enable him to live an empowered life in the service of his fellow creatures. The Warrior is an energy source that permits us to be assertive about our lives, goals, needs and causes. He gets us moving again after a period of stagnation.
The authors discuss the shadow side of the Warrior, for example in a form of cannibalism in New Guinea. This cannibalism was halted only when the Dutch settlers that were eating the bushmen were convinced that the bushmen, too, were people. The two shadow sides are the Sadist and the Masochist.
Self-discipline is the hallmark of the Warrior. The Warrior is a destroyer. He destroys the enemies of the true Self. He attacks whatever is wounding and damaging, whatever causes despair, depression, injustice, oppression, whatever is cruel or discouraging or making abusive demands. The Warrior’s destruction clears a space for renewal and a new, more just order. The final and most important, “seventh degree” of initiation of a Warrior is the honoring of a pledge — a commitment to steward this power for the good of an inclusive community, for peace with justice.
The Magician is the archetype behind a multitude of professions and “callings.” He calls us on into the unseen. He is the mediator and communicator of hidden knowledge, the healer, technologist, teacher, and contemplative. He keeps his inner eye fixed on the blueprint for the Self — “image of God” or “Diamond Body” we each have within us. Technology is the Magician’s specialty.
The shaman is the fullest expression of the archetype, as guardian of esoteric knowledge and technician of sacred power, because of the problems he is willing to take on. He has the King’s capacity to care, the Warrior’s capacity to fight and the Lover’s capacity to value someone enough to fight for them.
When the Magician energy manifest, you begin to quest. You may not have the slightest idea what you are looking for when you start. Then an initiatory sacred geometry unfolds and your whole life becomes structured according to the archetype of initiation. You then search for a transformative space, a place where initiation can be completed. The dynamic structure of sacred reality to which the Magician calls us involves the Call, the entrance to sacred time, and the Return. Only, when you return, you are a different person. We experience the Call through life-cycle changes or through trauma. We experience what Joseph Campbell calls the Belly of the Whale as the “dark night of the soul” or a “crazy time,” hopefully ending, if guided by someone like a therapist, elder or shaman, with a feeling of ecstasy and of being one with all things. There, you can modulate the grandiosity of your visions and find ways to embody your sacred revelations in your ordinary life.
The Magician may always have a tendency to become schizoid, cut off from the realm of deep feeling. This is carried to its logical extreme in modern society, with the threats of nuclear destruction and ecological devastation and mass extinction of other species reflecting the “power shadow” of the negative Magician.
The authors describe the shamanic potential in contemporary man, describe the seven stages of initiation, and outline five stages to accessing the Magician within. I won’t tell you what the stages are, because it is a Secret Tradition. You’ll have to read the book to find out.
What would happened if we embraced the world as lovers, lovers of life and lovers of the cosmos? Gilette and Moore’s Lover book asks these questions and explores the misunderstood and stifled aspects of masucline passion.
Phallus is here as well, both the physical phallos of the fully engorged penis and the spiritual phallus that drives a man’s enthusiasms and spirituality. While Western tradition has focused on eros vs. agape, the authors bring forth amor. While Joseph Campbell restricts this to physical and spiritual love between two people, when he exhorts us to “follow our bliss” he is speaking of a joy of feeling empowered by the Lover within to live our lives in amorous union with our own deepest and most central values and visions, and with others. And through union with others we are, finally, One.
There is much to contemplate in these books which are studded with historical, mythic and artistic examples. As a whole the evidence that men are indeed “hard wired” is overwhelmingly convincing. Even if the theories are little more than just that, the self reflection and spiritual exploration the books elicit makes them well worth reading.
THE “EARTH HOUR” PROGRAM
Posted by Editor in Soapbox Saturday on March 28th, 2009
Today, March 28, 2009 in Egypt at the Pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza, Cairo Tower and the Library of Alexandria as well as the cities of Cairo and Alexandria will be in the dark. It’s part of “Earth Hour”. The first lady of Egypt, H. E. Madame Suzanne Mubarak has signed an agreement with Jane Butler Kent (vice chairman of travel industry leader Abercrombie & Kent) under the auspices of the Minister of Tourism and others to support this outstanding worldwide effort.
Over 1,000,000,000 people in 1,000 various locations will take part in the largest voluntary power down in history. The goal is to draw attention and demand action on climate change by people turning off their lights (no matter where they live) from 8:30-9:30 PM. Abercrombie & Kent is the leader in getting the travel industry and others behind Earth hour.
Kent stated: “The fact that we are starting to see the impact of climate change in places like Antarctica and Mt. Kilimanjaro inspired us to take action. Kent’s company has also encouraged leading hotel chains to turn off lights in their properties and restaurants.
In East and South Africa many lodges and safari camps are holding stargazing parties to celebrate the dark skies and turn off their generators. Ships Sun Boat III and Sun Boat IV on the Nile are also turning off their generators and operating on emergency power during that time. Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy has identified projects on all seven continents to help offset climate change impact. Register support for Earth Hour at www.abercrombiekent.com/press/index/com. For more information check www.abercrombiekent.com.
Turn off the Power Tonight!
Posted by Editor in Soapbox Saturday on March 28th, 2009
Speak your mind on the use of carcinogenic, global warming carbon fuels, nuclear energy and light pollution.
This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.
In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.
We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.
VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.
Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.
http://www.earthhour.org/home/
THE CONCIERGE
Posted by Editor in Wild Friday on March 27th, 2009
When I opened my travel agency I searched for a name. “The Concierge” was my choice. It means “an all-knowing grandee, with well honed resources and inside savvy.” My husband felt that most people couldn’t spell or pronounce it, let alone know what it means. We used Find Us Travel and I became Mrs. Findus.
The world’s best concierge, according to Virtuoso, in 2007 was Frank Lalno of the Stafford Hotel in London. Actually, some of the best belong to the international association of “Les Clefs d’Or” (literally translated “The Gold Keys”). Members wear a small, gold pin and are the best of the best.
In New York I’ve asked the concierge for a good table at my favorite restaurant, a ticket to a sold-out Broadway show or an invitation to a fashion show. I always give them as much time as possible, and that’s important! And the tip? It can be in a thank you handshake ahead of time, and when you leave the hotel so that you’ll be remembered. How much? Let the tip reflect the extent of the effort.
Most five star hotels have a concierge. It’s part of their appeal for the traveling public. Should a hotel not have a concierge, ask at the front desk or the bellman who might be able to help you. At the Marriott Vinoy in St. Petersburg they have a car for hotel guests which can take you to a restaurant, the theatre or even to shop. The Fairmont, Chicago offers a Bentley. Four Seasons New York, a Rolls Royce.
There is the tale of Lalo finding an interior designer to gift wrap a Mercedes for a guest’s wife. The best I ever did myself was to find a monkey grinder and his monkey for a client’s daughter’s birthday. A concierge can be your best friend.
Elvis Fights Soul-Sucking Mummy in East Texas Nursing Home!
Posted by Kelly in Thirsty Thursday on March 26th, 2009
Hello, dear readers! I’m back with the Daily Revolution after an extended absence of something like ten years, and I don’t think my old stories are in the archives (yet), so we’ll just start fresh. I’ve read a whole lot of books, watched tons of movies, and listened to a lot of music in that time period, and I thought I might throw a few of the more interesting ones out into the ether. Let me know if you like any of them; also, feel free to send ideas, suggestions, and comments.
P.D. James is one of my all-time favorite authors. She specializes in very British mysteries, although some of you might know the film adaptation of her science fiction novel Children of Men. James is a stunning writer; her attention to plot is unparalleled, and she has an uncanny ability to render even the most unpleasant characters in a relatable and almost sympathetic way. The general ghettoization of genre fiction has long enraged me: P.D. James is not a great mystery writer; she’s a great writer, period. My English Lit degree backs me up on this one! James’ latest book, The Private Patient, was released in November 2008; I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Although more of a Worldly Wednesday kind of guy, geneticist and author Bryan Sykes has a number of great books out there that explore human genetic mysteries in lucid and fascinating detail. Look especially for The Seven Daughters of Eve; Adam’s Curse: A Future without Men; and Saxons, Vikings and Celts: The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland.
Bubba Ho-Tep, a film released in 2002, based on a Joe R. Lansdale short story, and starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis, was a revelation – a weird one, certainly, but still! It’s nominally science fiction, or fantasy, or horror, or comedy, or – something, centered on the aging Elvis Presley, stuck in an east Texas nursing home and trying to fight off a soul-sucking mummy with the aid of JFK. Who is, umm, black. If all that doesn’t scare you off, go find it!
For music, I must admit that I’ve hit that age where my brain seems to no longer have room for new stuff – certainly not for new lyrics! If you could eavesdrop on my house, you’d hear a lot of old blues (I adore Howlin’ Wolf) and, embarrassingly, 80s bands like Def Leppard. I do adore the current British group Arctic Monkeys, though. Anything I should give a listen?
Finally, I enjoy the work of Canadian artists Billy Mavreas and his brother John Mavreas, from whom I will try to get some original work to show on this site.
That’s it for now; just remember, you can never drink in too much art!
THE PASSION PLAY IN 2010
Posted by Editor in Worldwide Wednesday on March 25th, 2009
My second trip to Germany began in Munich and we “bussed” our way through Bavaria, taking in Salzburg, Austria and visiting Oberammergau, Germany.
I was fascinated by the charming paintings on the sides of the buildings, but most of all by the residents – men growing beards and women with magnificent long hair. The Passion Play was only a month away, and you could feel the excitement building. I wished we could have stayed longer as the Passion Play is held only once every ten years.
This is one of Europe’s most unique events, the fulfillment of a promise made in 1633 and faithfully preserved for centuries. A play of life and death, promised in a moment of mortal threat. In the midst of the 30 years’ war, after months of suffering and death from the plague, the townspeople swore an oath that they would perform the “Play of the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ” every ten years. 2010 will mark the 41st year’s performance.
More than 2,000 actors, singers, instrumentalists and stage technicians will portray the events Christians regard as their central source of life and hope. Obviously, the tickets for this world famous event sell fast, and one of the main tour operators who has provided tours for years, does have some tickets. It is a moving experience one will remember long afterward.
TRAVELING WITH A LAPTOP
Posted by Editor in Tech Talk Tuesday on March 24th, 2009
Years ago I almost arm-wrestled with someone at a check point in the Caribbean who wanted to put my camera (with half-used film inside) through an X-ray. I’d seen too many developed pictures turn into ghosts!
Now, it’s laptops. Mine is left at home, but there are, on the horizon, “Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bags,” (www.PathfinderLuggage.com) approved for X-ray screening, allowing you to keep laptops in your bag by going through checkpoints. These new bags are expected to be on the market before the end of the year.
A staggering 12,000 laptops go lost or missing at U. S. airports every week! Almost 70% of these are not reclaimed (per study by Dell and the Poneman Institute).
These new cases either have a separate fold-down section in a bigger case, or a stand-alone sleeve with no extra clutter. The Transportation Security Admnistration (TSA) has been working with both Pathfinder Luggage and Targus (www.targus.com), but won’t certify or approve either company.
Pathfinder prices will start agt $49.99, and Targus’ price tag will run around $39.00 for the basic model and $100.00 for a “corporate series”.
Frequent travelers may be interested in signing up for the Clear Registered Traveler program. Clear’s first year price tag is $100.00, plus the TSA vetting fee of $28.00 or $128.00 total. The company claims the card-carrying members will have access to designated airport security “fast lanes” nationwide (www.flyclear.com) with a whole less hassle.
Time will tell.
REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Posted by Editor in Mother Earth Monday on March 23rd, 2009
When I was a teenager, I read one of those “futuristic” stories of robots cleaning our homes and cars flying over our cities on elevated highways of the future.
Let’s say you want to go from Tampa to Miami. Drive to the automated highway, pay a toll, roll on to a flatbed, stop your car and then read a book or contemplate your navel as you travel over 100 mph. Arrive at the exit you want for Miami, the flatbed stops and you start your engine and are on your ‘way. No accidents, no traffic pileups and you didn’t use a drop of gas!
In the St. Petersburg Times Luis Perez wrote about St. Pete’s new city project to convert a hybrid auto into a rechargeable electric car. As he pointed out, this hybrid uses gasoline and battery power to get better mileage from the engine. The plug-in electric hybrids start the same way, but have larger long-life batteries that can be recharged from a standard outlet. Progress Energy says you can save as much as 50-75% on fueling costs vs. gasoline.
It’s a two year City project with a price tag of about $37,000. The utility will reimburse the city only $28,000, and the $9,000 balance should be recouped in future fuel savings.
Several years ago St. Pete started a “green city” initiative adopting earth-friendly policies in lighting. The door is opening wide for the future complete with public plug-in stations for batteries. Progress Energy has partnered with Ford to develop the plug-ins. The optimum distance for such technology is 40 miles per day.
The 3,500 vehicles (19 hybrids) in our city’s fleet are targeted, but there are no immediate plans to purchase more hybrids. Wonder if the automated super highway has merit any more?
THE ONLY DISABILITY IN LIFE IS A BAD ATTITUDE
Posted by Editor in Human Temple Sunday on March 22nd, 2009
A television program called The Doctor is In” was on as I sat in my doctor’s waiting room. I felt miserable, stewing in my own juice about health problems and feeling sorry for myself. Scott Hamilton, the ice skater, was a guest and I became embroiled in his life’s story The Great Eight.
He was adopted by a wonderful family, and at an early age developed a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing. Corrected by Boston’s Children’s Hospital, he began to ice skate with great confidence, uncommon speed and talent. He suceeded in competing in international rinks and finished 5th at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid. He won both the National and World Championships in 1981, capping his outstanding career with a gold medal in the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
A star in the Ice Capades (1984-1986) but, because of a change of ownership, he was abruptly dimissed. A champion in the truest sense of the word his courage and determination carried him forward. In the 1996-1997 skating season with Stars on Ice he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Twelve weeks of successful chemotherapy treatments and a successful surgery, and he triumphed over the disease. He’s now a lifetime spokesperson for the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute and the founder of the Scott Hamilton CARES initiative.
On November 12, 2007 it was announced that he had a non-cancerous benign brain tumor and underwent high-tech radiation therapy He’s still with us and continuing on with his vast charitable activities including the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The nurse called my name and, as I went through the door to the examination rooms asked how I was feeling. My reply was “Never better…” Thank you, Scott Hamilton.
I BEG YOUR PARDON…
Posted by Editor in Soapbox Saturday on March 21st, 2009
In the Apri, 2009 Town and Country magazine was Michael Korda’s article, “Good Manners in Bad Times.” My grandmother, a graduate of the famous Miss Porter’s school in Farmington, CT (founded in 1886) was considered having gone to “finishing school”. Many of my social graces were taught to me by my grandmother. When I met the late Shah of Iran unexpectedly, my manners were perfect.
The author indicated that, in our present “period of comparative poverty and economic decline” we should develop a sensitive behavior. You won’t find it mentioned in Emily Post, and I checked my 1959 Amy Vanderbilt’s “A Guide to Gracious Living” – not there. The recommended read is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby.
Greed, excess, a comment like Marie-Antoinett’s when she found that the people had no bread to eat, and suggested they “eat cake” will still get you beheaded in one way or another. Korda’s recommendations:
a) Don’t brag about your brilliant financial decisions. b) Don’t groan and weep in public. c) Don’t joke about money…never forget it’s what we use to pay bills and buy groceries. d) Take the gloom and doom attitude elsewhere. e) Don’t say, “How’s work?” The person could be unemployed. f)If you want to talk about 401(k)s, raises or bonuses do, all by yourself in a locked room. g) The funny stories about smart people doing stupid things when they think the banks are failing – forget it. h) Unless you have a great plan, don’t gather the family around for a recession talk. i) Remember, hardly anyone tells the truth about money now, before or after. j) Face reality on your own financial status. k) If you’ve still go it, don’t flaunt it.
It all comes down to being thoughtful of one another.
SON VERSUS MOTHER
Posted by Editor in Wild Friday on March 20th, 2009
I’ve always been fascinated by science fiction. My daughter shakes her head, and looks the other way. Fortunately, Charlie, my son “caught the bug” early on, and I had someone to use as an excuse to see the latest alien or Star Wars’ movies.
The conversation began when I mentioned that we’d probably find life on Mars in underground communities as deep as seven or eight levels and, since there’s evidence of water having been on Mars’ surface, it was now down below.
Sighing, Charlie said, “The reality of intellectual life underground on Mars is unlikely because any type of miniwave communiction would have been detected by now.” His concept is that an underground single or very limited cell organism may live near hot spots where water is available. “Also”, he continued, I believe unearthing these living beings, however small, could be treacherous to our society because of unknown viruses. Our bodies’ defense system wouldn’t be able to adapt to them fast enough before we became ill, and possibly died from them.”
I responded that, from the photos I’ve seen of Mars, especially the supposed canals, these are intelligent beings who have to be about our size for such construction. Further, our space vehicles carry equipment to test atmospheres or lack thereof when we arrive. Also, our astronauts wear protective clothing plus breathing apparatus and, on their return, go through decontamination.
Charlie shrugged his shoulders. “Water dwellers indicates the possible presence of phosphorus, and light enabled by underground magna flows. This would provide light for small ecosystems in the unseen caverns of Mars.” I nodded in approval, and he continued, “Think of the ultra deep sea Angler fish that uses a phosphorus-enriched antenna as bait to catch curious prey. According to NASA’s space exploration schedule, it will be 20 years before man sets foot on Mars, let alone explores water-filled caves deep beneath Mars’ undaunting surface.”
Smiling, I knew all of those sci-fi movies and books had produced a man not afraid to look into the future, and a mother who wants to live to see Mars for herself. In Charlie’s words, “Extraterrestrial life does exist, and it’s up to us to accept that and not destroy it, or ourselves, in the process.”
