Raping the planet-one real Xmas tree at a time… December 9, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Environment, Health and Well-Being, Lifestyle, Science and Technology.1 comment so far
Yesterday I arrived to the supermarket shopping center only to find that the bike racks were almost completely shrouded by piles of chopped down trees. Not only was I miffed because it seemed like a total disrespect to bicyclists, but it made me sad for the trees and our planet.
Let’s get one thing straight here – I’m not a crazy tree-hugging radical liberal. Even though I have moments of impulsive and emotional reactions, I consider myself to be a rational and logical thinker. Having said this, my opinions about the state of our environment are based solely on scientific facts. One fact is that the effects of the harmful Co2 gases we produce are endangering our o-zone. This “poison” can be offset by plant organisms that soak it all up for us., i.e. Douglas Firs and the like.
So, doesn’t it seem counterproductive (and a little ridiculous) to chop down millions of trees just for the sake of making our houses look pretty and smell nice for one month out of the year?Look, if you want to drive a car every day of your life, fine, but at least be a little more thoughtful about your environment and offset your carbon footprint in some way.
BUY ARTIFICIAL TREES!
This is the smartest thing Hillary has said. October 27, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Campaign '08, Science and Technology.3 comments
Senator Clinton celebrated her 60th birthday last week at a huge event in Manhattan. In attendance were Elvis Costello, who sang, “Happy Birthday, Mrs. President.” Billy Crystal took the stage, stating that he had only been active in elections twice in his life; the first of which was JFK’s campaign, and the second was Bill Clinton’s.
But it was Hillary herself that gave out a knockout speech. The smartest statement she made was, “And we are going to end President Bush’s war on science.”
I could not have put it more beautifully. That one line explains EVERYTHING that is wrong with the current administration.
KUDOS TO HILLARY!
Record stores are on the endangered species list October 17, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Arts & Entertainment, Music, Science and Technology.1 comment so far
I’m sad. Real sad. One of my favorite things in the world, the record store, is becoming endangered.
I especially have an affinity to the “hole-in-the-wall” kinds that house used goods. I’ve spent hours of my life nonchalantly roaming these gems, wandering from genre to genre, and sampling all sorts of audio candy. I’ve been known to spend most of my day in a record store and coming out empty-handed. For me, record stores are less about obtaining the latest tunes, but more about being in a place where language is universal. The store’s stereo may be blasting a loud song, but it never seems to disrupt the inner stillness and calm I feel when I’m in the store. It’s a form of meditation for me.
And now, record stores are in danger of becoming extinct. With our generation’s technological push, downloading music is the new “in,” and it’s changing how the whole music industry does business.
Does this mean there won’t be anymore album art? I love unwrapping new buys and checking out the art in the liner notes. I’m sad.
[Image courtesy of flyphonic.com]
Japan’s Health and Wellness cell phone – Cool or Crazy? October 6, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Health and Well-Being, Science and Technology.add a comment
[Image courtesty of protectyourcellphone.com]
I bet Isaac Assimov never predicted this!
What if your cell phone could detect when your stress levels were out of whack and then give you a pep talk to make you feel better? What if it could detect your bad breath, your caloric intake, and your pulse? Well, that’s the latest tech idea out of Japan, proving that we really haven’t seen it all.
“The prototype Wellness mobile phone from Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. targets users with busy lives who want a hassle-free way of keeping track of their health,” according to company spokesman Noriaki Tobita.
This phone apparently has internal sensors that track all of this stuff. When you want to determine your stress level, it asks you a series of questions like, “Did you go to sleep after midnight?” or “Do you feel lethargic?” and if the user responds with too many yeses, the phone gives a high stress reading. It then shoots out a happy go lucky message like,”Don’t worry, tomorrow is another day!”
I don’t know about all of you, but I think I can get all of that information with just one glance in a mirror!
Are Millennials really Indigos? October 3, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Religion, Science and Technology, Sociology, Theories and Thoughts.1 comment so far
[ Photo courtesty of crystalinks.com]
Being agnostic, I have found peace in my own non-traditional path of spirituality. Many of my beliefs are centered around the facts about the world that have been proven through science. That being said, I do feel it is important to constantly search for new explanations for how the world works, and to not settle on one school of thought. Because of this, I have become very open to learning about metaphysics and thoughts from the New Age movement.
One theory that has come out of the New Age movement is the notion that since the late 1970s, a new generation of children have been born who are psychically sensitive and spiritually evolved. They are named Indigo Children because of the deep blue aura psychics claim to see around them. These children are now coming into adulthood, and the newer babies are being called the Chrystallines. It is thought that these individuals have an awakened consciousness, and are being born onto the planet in order to facilitate a “Golden Age” of peace.
Many call metaphysics a psuedo-science, and I can understand the label. After reading the characteristics of what make up these “special” children, I found parallels between ADD and ADHD qualities. Maybe this alleged “awareness,” is more about the influence of the society we live in and how the parents of these children are raising them.
Despite my skepticism, I think what I’ve taken out of the research is the understanding that evolution shouldn’t be limited to uncovering the secrets of our physical progression. I think it’s just as important to realize that we have spiritual and emotional evolution patterns as well. I secretly hope this theory is correct and that a true Golden Age does emerge from the hate and war-filled world we are currently inhabiting.
Do you think you are an Indigo or have a Chrystalline child? For more information visit:
http://www.mastersinstitute.org/indigo.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2005-05-31-indigo-kids_x.htm
(Remember to always think critically! Thanks to Janelle for this blog idea!)
