The Shining Silver Lining

Find your way along the road

2011-07-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

VERSE ONE: (Ben)

And I'ma find my way through the darkness of the storm,
make sure my heart is always strong, and I'ma keep pushing on...
In the twilight I find my memories are sunny,
vivid with a richness unrelated to the money,
pictures of my life, some sad, some funny,
but I'll tell you that my hindsight ain't always 20/20,
I tell it like I see it but I know I'm probably biased,
but I'm tryin' to stop the hopelessness growing up inside us,
at times I feel I'll never get my music to the people,
but it doesn't mean I'll change the way I am to get a single
on the charts, it's sad the way they desecrate the art,
and decorate the hatred, and don't respect the sacred,
I reflect on what's created, we need some restoration,
but for now I'll just be patient and enjoy how my day's spent,
with my family, friends and folk, makin' music,
I'm meant to do this, got some hope and I intend to use it,
I'll never lose it, I'ma keep it alive,
and keep your heads movin' and your hearts beatin' inside.
CHORUS: (Bambu and Ben)
Take it slow, move along,
breathe it in, keep trying,
let it go, keep reminding yourself
you're not alone,
just forget all the pain,
make a wish, keep trying,
you know you're gonna find your way
along the road. (2x)

VERSE 2: (Bambu)

Yo I've walked across the landscape one step at a time,
as the scenery changed it stimulated my mind,
I continued to build and design, a new word, a new line,
and every rhyme started flowing with substance,
connected the dots, spread it around the circumference
of the circle of life, learn the cycle of the seasons,
made a choice, good or bad, for whatever reason,
I'm still breathing so it's safe to say I'm alright,
(you're alright), but please believe me,
it wasn't an easy fight, and it's far from over,
that's what I've learned as I've grown older,
they stop throwin' stones and start tossin' these boulders,
(and they never miss) aimin' to leave a chip on my shoulder,
but it strengthened my resistance, fueled my persistence,
enhanced my vision so I could see them from a distance,
plan my path, watch the grass for the snakes,
no matter how hard they attack I won't break.

(CHORUS)

BRIDGE: (Ben)

When Ben was barely 10 years old,
he got this feelin' up in his soul:
"Nobody's gonna' change what's inside my brain,
there might be some pain, but I'll find my way."
Better not believe everything you're told,
they'll deceive you, leave you hangin' cold,
many people slip by like the time of day,
I'ma try and survive, try and find my way.

(CHORUS)

Sings like an angel and plays...the plastic cup?

2011-07-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

Pretty dope.

Bouncing back from tragedy...

2011-07-07T21:06:00.000-07:00

What an inspiration, Adam Starr lost his leg to cancer and is back in the gym doing flips!!

Courtesy of The Daily What

2011-03-14T15:56:00.001-07:00

2011-02-23T18:33:00.001-08:00

CE Live with Captain Mudfish

2010-05-28T01:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Belated Mothers Day

2010-05-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day Proclamation

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts,
Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says: "Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God.
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

-Julia Ward Howe, 1870

Sent in by Carol Schreiner

Evolution

2010-05-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

I have heard a couple messages about growing and evolving that I would like to share...first I kept hearing this gatorade commercial, and it blew my wig back.

Here is the commercial mix, which I feel showcases the songs "evolution" you can really hear it open up:

Here is the full version, which unfolds subtly:

This Jenna Summer Smith lyric has been in my head recently and I feel it fits here

"...some say it can't be done, and I say they're the ones we're waiting on..."

Playing For Change Episode #28

2010-05-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

Happy B'Earth Day Mama!!!!!!!!!

2010-04-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

Let me start off with a great Earth Day jam from my all time favorite Ben Hameen. This comes from the LOA, Live On Arrival, days.

Check out this beautiful video of our planet...

Louis Armstrong- What a Wonderful World

Jamiroquai-Corner of the Earth

Xavier Rudd- Messages

Don't Forget to Look Up!!!

2010-04-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

Thank you pandora.com. I started a station for Damian Marley and this was the fourth song that popped up.

Logorama

2010-04-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

"I don't want to set the world on fire, I just want to start a flame in your heart"
Perfect lyrics for the end of this poignant film. I hope that this short video starts a flame in many hearts for years to come...

Logorama from Marc Altshuler - Human Music on Vimeo.

Traumatized Vets Say Service Dogs Help Them to Live

2010-04-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

Just weeks after Chris Goehner, 25, an Iraq war veteran, got a dog, he was able to cut anxiety medications.

By JANIE LORBER

The New York Times

STEPHEN CROWLEY / NYT

A prisoner plays with a psychiatric service dog at a corrections facility in Warwick, N.Y., which has an inmate program to raise and train the dogs.

WASHINGTON — Weeks after Chris Goehner, 25, an Iraq war veteran, got a dog, he was able to cut in half the dose of anxiety and sleep medications he took for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The night terrors and suicidal thoughts that kept him awake for days on end ceased.

Aaron Ellis, 29, another Iraq veteran with the stress disorder, scrapped his medications entirely soon after getting a dog — and set foot in a grocery store for the first time in three years.

The dogs to whom they credit their improved health are not just pets. They are psychiatric service dogs trained to help traumatized veterans leave the battlefield behind as they reintegrate into society.

Because of stories like these, the federal government, not usually at the forefront of alternative medical treatments, is spending several million dollars to study whether research supports anecdotal reports the dogs might speed recovery from the psychological wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In dozens of interviews, veterans and their therapists reported drastic reductions in PTSD symptoms and in reliance on medication after receiving a service dog.

Veterans rely on their dogs to gauge the safety of their surroundings, allowing them to venture into public places without constantly scanning for snipers, hidden bombs and other dangers lurking in the minds of those with the disorder.

In August, Jacob Hyde got his service dog, Mya, from Puppies Behind Bars, a program based in New York state that uses prisoners to raise and train dogs for lives of service. The organization has placed 23 dogs with veterans with PTSD in the past two years, training them to obey 87 commands.

"If I didn't have legs, I would have to crawl around," said Hyde, 25. "If I didn't have Mya, I wouldn't be able to leave the house."

If Hyde says "block," the dog will stand perpendicularly in front of him to keep other people at a distance. If he asks Mya to "get his back," the dog will sit facing backward by his side.

The dogs are trained to jolt a soldier from a flashback, dial 911 on a phone and sense a panic attack before it starts. Perhaps most important, the veterans' sense of responsibility, optimism and self-awareness is renewed by caring for the dogs.

The dogs help soldiers understand "what's happening as it's happening, what to do about it, and then doing it," said Joan Esnayra, a geneticist whose research team has received $300,000 from the Defense Department to study the issue. "You can use your dog kind of like a mirror to reflect back your emotional tenor."

The dog is also often the first visible manifestation of a former soldier's disability. Because people are curious about the animal, the veteran gets an opportunity to talk about his condition and his war experiences, discussions that can contribute to recovery.

More broadly, the dogs help increase public awareness of PTSD, which the Veterans Affairs Department said affects about one quarter of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with whom it has worked.

Under a bill written by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., veterans with PTSD will get service dogs in a pilot program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Training a psychiatric service dog and pairing it with a client costs more than $20,000. The government already helps provide dogs to soldiers who lost their sight or were severely wounded in combat, but had never considered placing dogs for emotional damage.

The End of Cancer?

2010-03-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

Look close. You may be staring at the end of cancer. Those tiny black dots are nanobots delivering a lethal blow to a cancerous cell, effectively killing it. The first trial on humans has been a success, with no side-effects:

It sneaks in, evades the immune system, delivers the siRNA, and the disassembled components exit out.

Those are the words of Mark Davis, head of the research team that created the nanobot anti-cancer army at the California Institute of Technology. According to a study to be published in Nature, Davis' team has discovered a clean, safe way to deliver RNAi sequences to cancerous cells. RNAi (Ribonucleic acid interference) is a technique that attacks specific genes in malign cells, disabling functions inside and killing them.

Check out the rest of this article I pulled from Gizmodo.com.

Exotic... Croatia?

2010-03-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this amazing shot of Plitvice Lakes National Park today and thought it must be in a tropical paradise. Boy was I surprised to find out this is in Croatia.

Video Mosaic

2010-03-08T01:18:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most creative things I've ever seen!

Save The World and Get Free Music

2010-03-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

The Time for Action is Now.

For the first time ever, a climate change-related bill has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, it's up to the U.S. Senate to vote on similar legislation. That's why it's never been more important for elected officials to hear from citizens on this issue. With that in mind, HeadCount and the NRDC Action Fund have teamed up with Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Phish, Jack Johnson and many other top acts to offer a free "Best of Bonnaroo" download compilation (see track list on right). To download "Best of Bonnaroo," just send an original or pre-written email with a few clicks. It's simple, free and a great way to make your voice heard. Download "Best of Bonnaroo."

Click here to get to started

The Crux Of It!

2010-02-28T22:12:00.001-08:00

100 Ways to Serve Others

2010-02-23T15:27:00.000-08:00

Stumbled onto this great list today and I dig it soo much, I had to repost it.

1. Smile
This is a great habit to develop to start each and every day and to practice whenever you have the chance. The great thing is that smiling at others is easy and takes nothing but a little effort. Nearly everyone responds to a smile and it makes you and the other person feel better immediately.

2. Hold or Get the Door for Someone
Simple things are a great way to serve others and these little things can really make a great difference. Stop and hold the door for someone whenever you get a chance you hold the door and let someone go in front of you. This sends a strong message and you can really bump it up by combining this with #1, a great smile with the door offer.

3. Help someone get where they want to be
I mean when it comes to transportation or as a physical destination. There are always friends, colleagues and family needing a ride somewhere or a pickup form a trip, vacation or event. Perhaps it’s to be a designated driver for a group of friends. Simply offer to help get there where they want to be.

Click Here to see the rest of this list.

New Music From Collective Efforts

2010-02-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

My favorite group has just released their fourth album which is their best to date. They are warming up this socially freezing world with amazing music that is guaranteed to move you. I have been listening to it almost non stop since I got my hands on a copy and it gets better with every listen because I pick up on more things I've missed. This is sure to go down as a classic and if you don't have it yet... you need to add this to your music collection. Click here to get to the new album, t-shirts, hoodies or the last two albums.

Treasure Map to Happiness

2010-02-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

Recycled Home...

2010-02-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

These people have decided to create something unique, built entirely from recycled materials...

(read and see more HERE, not sure why the grammar is so bad, maybe it was translated from a foreign language...)

Avalanche

2010-02-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

I recently rediscovered The Avalanches while bumbling around youtube. Their sound is crazy, it took me a little while to get into it. I think the videos are a real work of art and what kept me tuned in long enough to appreciate their music.

New wind power tops all other sources in 2009

2010-02-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

I pulled this story from the Ecologist website, click the highlight below for the full story.

Ecologist

4th February, 2010
Wind and solar technology made up over half of Europe’s new electricity generating capacity in 2009, as the number of new coal and nuclear facilities fell

More wind capacity was installed in Europe during 2009 than any other electricity-generating technology, according to statistics released today by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

Wind accounted for 39 per cent of increased European energy capacity, ahead of gas (26 per cent) and solar (16 per cent). In contrast, the nuclear and coal power sectors decommissioned more megawatts of capacity than they installed in 2009, with a total of 1,393 MW of nuclear and 3,200 MW of coal decommissioned.

Playing For Change

2010-02-04T12:24:00.001-08:00

Click here for the latest release from Playing for Change, musicians across the globe who unite to bring peace through music. I have done a couple of posts on this blog about this project. This is the first piece I've heard that wasn't in english and I'm really digging it. Check out their website Playing For Change and support the movement.

Georgia Bill Would Protect Youth from Aggressive Military Recruiting

2010-02-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

(APN) ATLANTA--On January 28, 2010, state legislators, and advocates from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Southeast Region, and other groups held a press conference at the State Capitol to introduce a resolution to protect Georgia children from abusive military recruiting.

The legislation, HR 1219, was authored by State Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield, who represents District 85 in DeKalb County. Ten co-sponsors have signed on to the House resolution, including State Reps. Alisha Thomas Morgan, Michelle Henson, Karla Drenner, Kathy Ashe, and Simone Bell.

State Sen. Nan Orrock has introduced a companion resolution, SR 955, in the State Senate. Co-sponsors include State Sens. Gloria Butler, Horacena Tate, Valencia Seay, Vincent Fort, and Ed Harbison.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act, passed by US Congress in 2001, requires schools--among other things--to disclose 11th and 12th grade students' records to military recruiters or lose their federal funding. Peace activists sometimes refer to this act as "No Child Left Un-Recruited."

"As a parent, it is necessary that school children aren't contacted by military recruiters without the parents' knowledge and consent," State Rep. Benfield told Atlanta Progressive News.

"To join the Armed Services is a major life-changing decision that requires parental involvement. Our school system needs to be more uniform and pro-active to give parents information up-front, regarding opt-out forms that prohibit schools from disclosing students' records to military recruiters," Benfield said.

Check out the rest of this great report on Atlanta Progressive News

Hero of the Day- Dillon Vaughn Maurer

2010-02-03T21:43:00.001-08:00

Big ups to my roomie, Dillon Vaughn Maurer aka Dial on aka Dillonias, for working hard on his musical and culinary skills. Looks like all that work is starting to pay off. This year he dropped a new album "Studies in Hunger" with Paten Locke on the beats and featuring Dave West of De La Soul fam, Akrobatic, Stacy Epps, Cool Calm Pete, H2O of Mass Influence, Lady Daisey of Smile Rays, Willie Evans Jr, and a personal shout out from J Dilla's Uncle Herm and Chuck D of Public Enemy. Dillon is currently working on a live cooking show with the same name as his website, DillonAteThat for Willie Ev's site TheNerdySouth.com

Let's start with "Hot Mess"

Here he is with "Spin" featuring Atlanta legend H2O and Paten Locke on vocals

"Stay Relative"

If you don't already have "Studies in Hunger" please support this man by going to DillonMaurer.net and coping the album, that is all for now. Thank you.

Throwback Music

2010-02-03T20:49:00.001-08:00

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings who put on one of the best live shows I've ever seen. She is a ball of energy reminiscent of James Brown and if you like any of the music on Amy Winehouse albums you can thank her backing band, The Dap Kings. These guys would be perfect for a Quintin Tarantino soundtrack. Here is their hit single "100 days."

I've been hearing about Michael Buble, picture an accent over the e, for quite some time now. I finally got around to checking him out tonight after hearing glowing reviews about his performance on SNL from my friend Sunshine. She described him as modern Sinatra, but much more fun. It's obvious this guy is having a great time performing.

And here they are together, Michael Buble, once again picture the accent.... there you go, with Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings.

Fund Established For Rebuilding Of Fire Damaged Our Way Cafe

2010-02-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

Story pulled from The Champion Newspaper, thanks for the heads up Janis

The popular Avondale Estates eatery Our Way Café suffered substantial damage from a fire that destroyed most of the back part of the establishment.

Co-owned by Eva Marie Rosewall and Jody McFerren, Our Way was originally located in the former Towne Cinema building in downtown Avondale Estates in 1987. In 1992, the restaurant moved to the corner of Candler and East College Avenue in Decatur and in 2001 relocated to its current Avondale Estates location in the Twin Oaks Shopping Center.

The fire started around 10 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23, while the building was vacant. Rosewall said that even though the dining area appears to have suffered little obvious damage that the entire space will have to be cleaned to remove soot and the charred smell.

Rosewall said that she does not have a projected time to reopen but will be using the help of restaurant employees in the cleanup effort. She also expressed “a huge amount of gratitude to the DeKalb County fire department and Avondale Estates police department for their immediate response and to the employees of Avondale Pizza Café for their help.”

A fund to aid in the rebuilding of Our Way has been established at Decatur First Bank. Those wishing to contribute are asked to endorse checks to Our Way Café Recovery Fund and to include Attn: Ann Berg in the memo line of the check. Contributions may be dropped off at the bank or mailed to: Decatur First Bank, ATTN: Ann Berg, Our Way Recovery Fund, 1120 Commerce Drive, Decatur, GA 30030.

Written By: John Hewitt

Peru Backs Massive Amazon Protected Area

2010-02-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

Found this great news on WWF.

Lima, Peru: The Peruvian National Protected Areas Service has decided to allocate funds to help protect a large swath of the Amazon this year, which is home to several endangered species and indigenous groups.

The Protected Areas Service pledged to allocate USD 280,000 for surveillance activities in the massive area – encompassing a region larger than El Salvador – formed by the Alto Purus National Park and the Purus Communal Reserve. The protected area was officially created in 2004 in part through the support of WWF.

The area spreads across some of the most pristine forests in the southwestern Amazon and shelters jaguars, pink dolphins, arapaimas and other endangered species. It is also home to at least eight ethnic groups, including an unknown number of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation.

For years, activities such as illegal logging – mainly for mahogany – and poaching damaged these unique forests and disturbed the indigenous communities.

“This represents a major success for all Peruvians regarding the government’s commitment to the conservation of the Peruvian Amazon and will aid to build long term conservation strategies for roughly 3 million hectares of some of the richest forests in the world,” said Biologist Jorge Herrera, Director of WWF´s Amazon Headwaters Initiative (AHI) who has been working in the area for more than five years.

“The recently announced government support will not only help sustain a team of more than 20 park guards, and the heads of the reserve and park, but will also promote capacity building strategies,” said Herrera. “This will enable WWF to focus on other complementary actions and ensure that from now on, Purus is safer than ever before.”

Since 2004, WWF Peru – with funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation -has supported control and surveillance activities carried out by the park and reserve authorities, equipping and helping them implement seven strategic control posts and form an efficient park guard team, made up of experienced technicians and local indigenous peoples with broad knowledge of the rivers and forests which they now protect

Capitalism and Cows

2010-01-31T11:06:00.001-08:00

TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM -- You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income.

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when the cow drops dead.

FRENCH CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows.

A JAPANESE CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create clever cow cartoon images called Cowkimon(tm) and market them world-wide.

A GERMAN CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.

A BRITISH CORPORATION -- You have two cows. Both are mad.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION -- You have two cows, but you don't know where they are. You break for lunch.

A RUSSIAN CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 12 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.

A SWISS CORPORATION -- You have 5000 cows, none of which belong to you. You charge others for storing them.

A HINDU CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You worship them.

A CHINESE CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim full employment, high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the numbers.

AN ARKANSAS CORPORATION -- You have two cows. That one on the left is kinda cute.

ENRON CORPORATION -- You have two cows. You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows. The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company. The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more. Sell one cow to buy a new president of the United States, leaving you with nine cows. No balance sheet provided with the release. The public buys your bull.

ARTHUR ANDERSON, LLC -- You have 2 cows. You shred all documents that Enron has any cows, take 2 cows from Enron for payment for consulting the cows, and attest that Enron has 9 cows.

May B Wurth A Tri

2010-01-31T11:01:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Howard Zinn

2010-01-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

Howard Zinn, one of my personal heroes, died yesterday at the age of 87. I would like to focus on celebrating his life as opposed to mourning his passing. This pioneer was one of the trail blazers in peaceful civil disobedience, he organized students in the south during the civil rights movement and students in Boston during the Vietnam war. He is probably best known for authoring the book "A Peoples History of The United States" which I consider a must read! Once again, thank you Howard for everything you did to make this world a better place for all.

Here is an amazing series of six videos with Howard Zinn and Woody Harrelson.

Carpe Diem

2010-01-24T23:55:00.001-08:00

Atlanta Activists In Action!

2010-01-24T23:20:00.000-08:00

I pulled this story from an email sent to me by Atlanta Progressive News, which is a constant source of news that can't be found on major news networks.

(APN) Peace Activists Turn Backs on Gen. Petraeus at GA Tech

By Gloria Tatum, Special to The Atlanta Progressive News (January 24, 2010)

(APN) ATLANTA -- On January 19, 2010, thirteen Atlanta activists from Veterans for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition (GPJC), and Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace stood in silence and turned their backs on US General David Petraeus before being removed from the 1,100-person Ferst Theater on the Georgia Tech campus.

The activists wore t-shirts with messages like War is Not the Answer, Money for Jobs Not War, No to Endless War and Occupation, Veterans for Peace, and End the War - Yes We Can!

The activists included Randy Aronov, Bernice Bass; Doris Benit; Mike Burke; Pamela Chubbuck; David Epstein; Reid Jenkins; Ann Mauney; Betsy Miklethun; Dot Shaw; George Sossenko; and the present writer--Gloria Tatum.

Mauney, of GPJC, contradicted Petraeus's public relations message that the US is winning in the occupations of Iraq or Afghanistan.

"There is no military solution to the Afghanistan conflict, and... Gen. Petraeus, as a chief strategist for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and occupations, carries responsibilities for bankrupt US war policies," Mauney said during the protest.

"General Petraeus, the man from CENTCOM at MacDill AFB in St. Petersburg, definitely had the glint of a fifth star in his eyes and he reinforced that by telling a giant whopper about how the invasion of Afghanistan was launched after 9/11 because that's where the terrorists were from," Burke, a veteran of the US Invasion of Vietnam, wrote in an email obtained by Atlanta Progressive News.

In fact, the US government's own investigation into 9/11 contradicts Petraeus's assertion by concluding that the majority of terrorists who attacked the US were from Saudi Arabia, not Afghanistan.

Petraeus then began his question and answer session with the rows of clean-cut Tech students and academics who were far more interested in the economics of occupation than a pull-out date.

Outside the Ferst Center, other opponents of endless war and occupation held a press conference and anti-war rally.

"Ever since the escalation in Afghanistan was announced, there has been a sharp upsurge in terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the US," Dianne Mathiowetz, International Action Center Atlanta, said in a statement.

"Isn't it obvious that these endless wars just create endless terrorism?" Mathiowetz asked. "Why is General Petraeus only taking questions from Tech students? Is he afraid of questions from spouses and other loved ones of those who are dying in these endless wars, or from taxpayers who are paying for the war?"

Bob Goodman of the GPJC--as well as an APN contributor--composed and passed out 500 flyers to people waiting in line at the Ferst Center, with the questions advocates would have asked General Petraeus if given the opportunity.

Wisdom from the Zen Calendar

2010-01-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

"The best mind-altering drug is truth."

Lily Tomlin

"You're only as young as the last time you changed your mind."

Timothy Leary

Don't Worry Be Happy Now

2010-01-19T22:01:00.001-08:00

Happy MLK Day

2010-01-18T16:34:00.000-08:00

To those who love in the face of hate.

Sounds Like Sunday

2010-01-17T13:44:00.001-08:00

This guy and Jamie Liddel seem to have their own genre going, I'm calling it electric oldies. Might have to do an entire post on this guy he has so many great songs.

This is the coolest Dick Dale cover I've ever seen, the burning trumpet adds to the show.

Icelandic blues with a hint of twang.

Dyno Jamz has a cool laid back sound and the horn section stands out.

Electro Funk set to video art.

Hero Of The Day

2010-01-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

Three Cheers for the late Henry Liu, who developed an environmentally safe brick made from the waste produced from coal-fired power plants.

The following was taken from an article on the Mother Nature Network.

The importance of the technology he pioneered cannot be understated. Each year, nearly 45 million tons of leftover fly ash — toxic byproduct from burning coal — is recklessly disposed of in landfills and ash ponds, contaminating the environment and putting people's health at risk. The problem can be particularly bad in countries with developing industries. In India alone, fly ash landfill covers an area of 40,000 acres.

But where others saw pollution, Liu saw possibility. He invented a commercially viable, green manufacturing process by which the fly ash could be turned into bricks. Liu's bricks look, feel, and function exactly like standard clay bricks often used on houses, banks, or other buildings, with one exception — fly ash bricks actually conserve energy, cost less to manufacture, and don't contribute to air pollution or global warming like the manufacturing of clay bricks can.

In other words, not only did Liu find a use for what was otherwise hazardous waste, he transformed that waste into a building material that was beneficial to the environment.

The green bricks have already been licensed for production in 11 countries, including the world's biggest coal polluters: China, India and the United States. Furthermore, Liu predicted that in 10 years, half of the all bricks manufactured and used each year will be fly ash bricks.

For most people, patenting and developing one revolutionary technology to solve the world's environmental problems is more than exemplary, but fly ash bricks were only one of Liu's several big projects.

For instance, in 2001 he set up his own business called the Freight Pipeline Company. With the aim of lessening noise and air pollution, decongesting highways, and reducing accidents, the company has developed what it calls capsule pipeline technology. The visionary project seeks to reshape how freight is transported around the country. Instead of using trucks or trains or ocean freighters, Lui promoted moving it through large underground pipelines powered by an electromagnetic pump.

Lui's accomplishments after the age of 60 could fill the ambitions of people half his age, and his legacy, company and drive continue to be an inspiration to his family, colleagues and community. Tragically, shortly after being nominated for his Purpose Prize, Henry Lui passed away in 2009 just as his latest ideas were coming to fruition.

"Most other men of my age are enjoying their retirement lives," said Liu before his death. "I enjoy, on the other hand, continued work. Both kinds of life bring enjoyment, but I believe that my encore career life is more fulfilling."

"He's always wanted to change the world. Success to my dad isn't about making money. It's about leaving the world a better place," said Lui's son Jeffrey, who plans to honor his father's legacy by continuing his important work.

Bad Sign

2010-01-14T22:13:00.000-08:00

Politics Explained

2010-01-14T18:04:00.001-08:00

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

Drunken Monkey Style

2010-01-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

May...

2010-01-14T15:58:00.000-08:00

May you always make the right moves.

May your cup runneth over with love.

May you always find shelter from any storm.

May you remain good looking and looking good!

May you find the perfect diet for your soul.

May you find perfect balance in the company you keep.

May you have as much fun as you can before someone makes you stop.

May the worst thing that happens to you come in slobberry pink and furry tan.

May you manage to MAKE time for siesta.

May all the new folks you meet be interesting and kind.

May your accessories always harmonize with your natural beauty!

Should your mouth ever be bigger than your stomach, may you have a chewing good time!

May you always know when to walk away and know when to run.

And may your friends always bring you joy!

For more great pics check out lets be friends

Seven Blunders of the World

2010-01-14T15:04:00.000-08:00

1) Wealth without work

2) Pleasure without conscience

3) Knowledge without character

4) Commerce without morality

5) Science without humanity

6) Worship without sacrifice

7) Politics without principle

Mahatma Gandhi

Inspiration Move Me Lightly

2010-01-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

Let's make life better for the youngsters. Production by Exile, who hits another track out of the park. If you heard the new album from Blu you already know.

2010 Year of the Tiger

2010-01-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

Mantra for 2010:

I am ready for something bigger, better and far more wonderful then anything I have ever experienced before.

Thanks Sunshine

Symptoms of Peace

2010-01-14T14:17:00.000-08:00

1) A tendency to think and act deliberately, rather than from fears based on past experiences

2) An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment

3) A loss of interest in judging others

4) A loss of interest in judging self

5) A loss of interest in conflict

6) A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others

7) A loss of ability to worry

8) Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation

9) Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature

10) Frequent attacks of smiling through the heart

11) Increasing susceptibility to kindness offered, and the uncontrollable urge to reciprocate

12) An increasing tendency to allow things to unfold rather than resisting and manipulating

Author Unknown
(but still very much appreciated)

Metaphorical Rainbows

2009-12-23T13:05:00.001-08:00

Wisdom from the Zen Calendar

2009-12-23T11:32:00.000-08:00

"The mirror of the Mind brightly shining, unobstructed, passes through everything in the universe."

-Yung Chia

LOA - Summertime...

2009-12-13T16:55:00.001-08:00

Speaking of Gershwin, my old group Live On Arrival did an original rendition of Summertime on the second album, Presentation. I uploaded it on Grooveshark so you can check out it out below:

Gerswhin Sunday

2009-12-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

"My time is today."
George Gershwin

Some of his classics performed by some classy artists:

Random Wisdom Found

2009-11-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

Life is too short
to wake up in the morning
with regrets. So, love the
people who treat you right,
forgive the ones who don't
If you get a chance, take it.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said it'd be easy,
they just promised
it would be worth it!

Mos Def

2009-11-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

I was just breezing around you tube tonight. Started with mos def freestyles and stumbled upon some powerful spoken word from def poetry. Here are some of my favorites:

Mos Def always shining!

WOW!!!!! Talib tearing down walls between religions.

Black Ice breaks it down.

Can't leave out Saul.

2009-11-12T12:45:00.001-08:00

be careful out there, this guy is still on the loose, and call me tommy i dont have your new number i forgot to save it

Shunryu Suzuki

2009-10-25T19:10:00.001-07:00

"Just to be alive is enough."

"Each of you is perfect the way you are.... and you can use a little improvement."

-Shunryu Suzuki

The Message

2009-10-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

I heard this song again recently and I knew I had to post it. This is the only video of "the message" I could find. It starts off with "sex in a pan" which is a cool instrumental but if you are not feeling it, just skip the first minute and a half. Bela Fleck and The Flecktones are all very talented however Victor Wooten is widely thought of as the best base player alive. In this track he raps as well, who'd a thunk it? Great song for peace, equality and universal love.

Here is an example of his genius. Notice how he plays amazing grace using harmonics and he tunes and retunes as he plays. Sick!

A battle between Wooten brothers.

K9 Super Hero!

2009-10-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

I saw this a couple years ago and it blew my mind!

Dillon Does "The Week In Rap"

2009-10-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

My roommate Dillon Maurer informing the people through music.

An Irish Blessing

2009-10-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

Work like you don't need the money,

Love like you've never been hurt,

Dance like nobody's watching,

Sing like nobody's listening,

Live like it's heaven on earth.

Four Tet

2009-10-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

It takes a second for this one to get going but then it takes off.

This was the first song of theirs I heard and sure enough everything is alright.

I just think this video is cool.

Worth The Wait!

2009-10-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

So it has been a while since I've posted anything, life can be... well you fill in the blank. Back in action! Thanks to Mr. Bill for sending in this video. It is worth watching all the way through for the end. Disclaimer: this is not a religious site, I will post peace and compassion in any form. This guy explains a lot in a little bit of time. Peace is possible, in fact I think it's inevitable.

Let it Shine for Me!

2009-09-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

SOS!

2009-09-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

Atlanta was blessed to be the last stop of a tour for Sol. illaquists of Sound! These guys always bring the good energy. Last weeks show at 529 in East Atlanta was no exception. Thank you guys for spreading awareness and positive vibrations!

Mother Nature Network

2009-09-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this website for some really cool and uplifting environmental news!

Dubconscious

2009-09-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite bands, Dubconscious, came up in conversation recently. I couldn't believe that I hadn't done a post on these guys yet. Dubconscious is a reggae/dub band out of Athens dedicated to spreading peace and awareness. Word on the street is that at least one band member, Adrian, has opened a new indoor/outdoor music venue in Athens. After having brought Bononbo to the Variety Playhouse I'm looking forward to some major positive music to be vibrating out of Athens for a long time to come. They are playing on Thursday night September 3rd at the Variety Playhouse with legend, Lee Scratch Perry.

Twice Blessed!

2009-09-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

One down and one to go Atlanta. Collective Efforts played one of their cleanest sounding shows last week, much respect to the sound crew. The group took one of their new singles, "so cold" to the next level and it's still sending shivers down my spine. Luckily for those of you who missed it, they are playing again this Saturday at Smith's Olde Bar with Psyche Origami.

Great News for Troy Davis

2009-08-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Finally, Monday August 17th the Supreme Court issued an order mandating a new evidentiary hearing, meaning that Troy has another chance to prove his innocence. For those of you not hip to the case, here is a breakdown:
Troy Davis was accused and convicted of murdering a Savannah police officer in 1991. There was no physical evidence and since his trial 7 0f the 9 witnesses have recanted their testimony saying that it was forced by the police. The two witnesses who have not recanted their testimonies, are the main suspect in the case and his friend. Even people who advocate the death penalty have been calling for Troy to get another trial.

The beautiful world of sand and light...

2009-08-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Debe for introducing me to sand animation, which is an art form that unfortunately receives little or no attention in the US...

Kseniya Simonova is a beautiful 24 year-old Ukranian artist, and can sand-paint like no one I've ever seen. She was featured on a show called Ukraine's Got Talent, and is absolutely amazing...check it out.

If you like this stuff, just search for "sand animation" on youtube, there are many artists, from all over the world. Good stuff...

Respect Seeed

2009-08-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

Wow who knew Germans were putting down the funky reggae? This video always gives me a smile.

Light up the Darkness

2009-08-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow
You may succeed with another blow,
Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Author Unknown

I Have a Dream

2009-08-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

Week of Wonderful Wet Weather!

2009-07-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Is this really Atlanta in late July? This week has provided a wonderful contrast to our average warmest month. Furthermore, Mother Earth saw fit to bless Atlanta with some much needed hydration this morning. Looks like a wet week ahead with scattered thundershowers for the next ten days. Let us appreciate the rain and hope for scattered sun!

Transglobal Underground

2009-07-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Faces of Wisdom

2009-07-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."
-- Albert Einstein

"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the
level of thinking that created them"
-- Albert Einstein

"It is good to realize that if love and peace can prevail on earth, and if we can teach our children to honor nature's gifts, the joys and beauties of the outdoors will be here forever."
-- Jimmy Carter

"Everyone has a right to peaceful coexistence, the basic personal freedoms, the alleviation of suffering, and the opportunity to lead a productive life..."
-- Jimmy Carter

Remembering Dilla

2009-07-21T17:26:00.001-07:00

Up, Up and Away!

2009-07-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Magenn Air Rotor System, Mars, is the world’s first high altitude wind turbine. The advantage of this design is that it can reach heights of between 600 and 1,000 feet, capturing wind speeds greater than 28 metres a second, thus enhancing its operational performance.

Sustained by helium, Mars rotates on a horizontal axis, which generates the Magnus Effect. This provides additional lift, which allows it to keep its position in a controlled and restricted location.

Ideal for rural and remote areas, the device’s mobile nature permits it to be rapidly deployed, deflated and relocated without the need for towers and cranes. The turbine can also respond to changing wind patterns, which makes it ideal for disaster situations, such as earthquakes.

Full story on positivenews.org

You are Brilliant and the Earth is Hiring

2009-07-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

Paul Hawken is an entrepreneur, visionary environmental activist, and founder of Wiser Earth. In early May Paul delivered a commencement address at the University of Portland, OR. Below are excerpts from his speech.

There is invisible writing on the back of the diploma you will receive, and in case you didn't bring lemon juice to decode it, I can tell you what it says: you are brilliant, and the earth is hiring. The earth couldn't afford to send recruiters or limos to your school. It sent you rain, sunsets, ripe cherries, night blooming jasmine, and that unbelievably cute person you are dating. Take the hint. And here's the deal: Forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don't be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done.

When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren't pessimistic, you don't understand the data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren't optimistic, you haven't got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world.

You join a multitude of caring people. No one knows how many groups and organizations are working on the most salient issues of our day: climate change, poverty, deforestation, peace, water, hunger, conservation, human rights, and more.

This is the largest movement the world has ever seen. Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse concentrations of power. It is made up of teachers, children, peasants, businesspeople, rappers, organic farmers, nuns, artists, government workers, fisher folk, engineers, students, incorrigible writers, weeping Muslims, concerned mothers, poets, doctors without borders, grieving Christians, street musicians, the President of the United States of America, and as the writer David James Duncan would say, the Creator, the One who loves us all in such a huge way.

The living world is not "out there" somewhere, but in your heart. What do we know about life? In the words of biologist Janine Benyus, life creates the conditions that are conducive to life. I can think of no better motto for a future economy.

We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. Whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold suffering. Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich.

You are graduating to the most amazing, stupefying challenge ever bequested to any generation. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn't ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hope only makes sense when it doesn't make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it.

Small Ways to Make a Big Difference

2009-07-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes going green can seem overwhelming. There are so many ways in which we affect our planet on a daily basis. There are some many toxins to avoid and so much help needed to make our world healthier. Where to begin?

CNN published a list of small things you can do to make a difference. Try to integrate a few of these pointers every day. You won’t know what hit you!

Workshop

1. Unplug your power tools. Figure out which cordless tools (like drill/drivers) get the most use, then unplug the chargers on all the rest. Most cordless tools have nickel cadmium (NiCad) batteries, which will hold some charge for up to a year. They lose 15 to 20 percent of their juice each month, but only take a couple of hours to power up again. Newer tools with lithium ion batteries lose just 2 to 5 percent of their charge each month, so they’ll be ready to go even if you haven’t charged them in ages.

2. Spread sawdust on your floor. Take the superfine shavings captured by your dust collection system, wet them down, then push them around with a stiff broom to sweep your concrete garage or workshop floor. The mix is as good as a power-guzzling shop vac at picking up dust but doesn’t swirl it into the air.

3. Up the wattage on lights. Where you still use incandescent bulbs (with dimmers or three-ways) on multiple fixtures in a room, try consolidating. One 100-watt incandescent emits more light than two 60-watt bulbs combined but requires 17 percent less power. The 100-watter also uses the same energy as four 25-watt bulbs, but pumps out twice as much light. Just be sure your bulbs don’t exceed the maximum wattage recommendation for each fixture. This Old House: Energy-saving bulbs

4. Eat your leftover take-out. Then save the plastic containers it came in–which can’t be recycled in most municipal waste systems–and use them to organize your nails, screws, and leftover paints. Not only does their tight seal help preserve solvents, but the see-through containers stack neatly and display contents clearly. For added strength, double up the thin ones.

5. Save used paint thinner. After cleaning oil-based finishes from brushes and tools, allow the dirty solvent to sit overnight. The sludge will settle to the bottom of the jar, leaving a layer of clear thinner on top. Carefully decant the clear thinner into a clean jar, and reseal it for future use. Be sure to dispose of the leftover sludge at a hazardous-waste-disposal site–never down a sink drain or into a street gutter.

6. Mix it up in the garage. Combine all those cans of leftover white paint that inevitably collect after you decorate the house and use them to paint the garage or workshop. (Make sure only to mix latex with latex and oils with oils.) You’ll keep the stuff out of the trash, and by adding the semi-glosses to the flats and eggshells, you’ll end up with a sheen that’s easy to clean.

7. Turn things on their heads. Store paint cans upside down so the solvents–which separate and rise to the top–get trapped under the bottom of the can. Not only will paint last longer, but solvents won’t be able to slowly seep out through the lid this way.

8. Take charge of your charges. Invest in an inexpensive battery tester, then set up a “battery center” where you can store new cells, check used ones for power, and set aside those that have burned out and have to be recycled. A designated collection spot will deter you from throwing bad batteries in the garbage. Once or twice a year, you just take the pile to your town’s recycling center.

Kitchen

9. Take your fridge’s temperature. Stick an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of your refrigerator, or between frozen goods in the freezer, overnight. Your fridge temp should be between 37 and 40 degrees F (no more, to keep bacteria at bay); your freezer between zero and 5 degrees. If either compartment is too cold, adjust the setting, since keeping them just 10 degrees colder than necessary can boost your energy consumption by up to 25 percent.

10. Freeze your assets. Slip a dollar bill between the rubber gasket on your freezer and fridge doors and the frame, then close the door and tug on the buck. Notice any resistance? If not, the seal’s not tight enough and cold air is probably leaking out, making your fridge work harder to stay cool. Try this on all four sides of the door.

If necessary, call the manufacturer’s service department to find out how to replace the gasket.

11. Throw a dinner party. And clear out that second fridge or freezer in the garage or basement. Then banish the appliance to the recycling center. Getting rid of either one can save you more than $200 a year, especially if it’s an old, inefficient model. This Old House: House-part recycling centers

12. Invite your biggest buddy over. Ask him to help you move your fridge out of direct sunlight or away from the range. The heat from either will force a refrigerator compressor to gobble up more energy than necessary. A fridge uses up to 2.5 percent more power for each degree the surrounding temperature is above 70 degrees. So moving it out of a 90-degree spot can save you as much as $70 a year. If you can’t move it, at least block any sunny window with curtains and put as big a buffer as you can between it and the range.

13. Use the dishwasher. Doing a full load in your machine is far more efficient than washing the same number of dishes by hand. This is especially true if you have an Energy Star dishwasher, which requires an average of 4 gallons of water per load, compared with the 24 gallons it takes to do them in the sink. Using one will save you 5,000 gallons of water, $40 in utility costs, and 230 hours of your time each year.

Bathroom

14. Turn your toilet tank blue. Or green or red. Pour food coloring into the water in the tank, wait two hours, then check to see if any color has seeped into the bowl. If it has, your tank’s flapper is leaking, either from mineral buildup or worn parts. After you flush the dye away so it doesn’t stain, head to the hardware store for a replacement flapper assembly (then go to thisoldhouse.com for instructions on how to install it). Toilet leaks waste up to a gallon of water per minute. That’s more than 43,000 gallons a month.

15. Run the shower. Place a 1-gallon bucket under the running water, then see how long it takes for it to fill up. If it’s less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with one that sprays 1.5 gallons per minute. That could save as much as 14,600 gallons of water a year–especially if you limit your showers to 10 minutes. It will also save you $22 on your annual water bill, and $150 per year on water heating.

16. Go from scalding to just hot. Turn your water heater’s temperature setting down from the standard 140 degrees F to 120 degrees. Not only will this save you some bucks, it’ll also slow down mineral buildup and corrosion, prolonging the life of your tank. Since a new water heater costs about $900 installed, each additional year of use saves you money as well.

17. End the water torture. One drip per second from a leaky faucet or pipe can waste up to 5 gallons of water a day–and 1,800 gallons a year. While you won’t notice much of an increase on your water bill (around $3 annually), if an overlooked leak soaks through your kitchen floor, you could wind up with a $1,000 repair job–money that could have been saved by simply replacing a 50-cent washer.

Entries

18. Wipe your feet. Equip your exterior doors with a series of mats–or one long “walk-off” mat–so everyone enters with clean shoes. As long as there’s room for five steps on the mats, you’ll drastically reduce the amount of grime tracked in. That means fewer pathogens that cause disease and less chemical cleanup. It will also mean improved indoor air quality, since dirt embedded in a carpet can become airborne when it’s tromped on or agitated by a vacuum.

Basement/laundry

19. Reach behind your clothes washer. Turn down the hot water tap for the washing machine so less goes into the warm-water cycle. Perspiration and most other dirt dislodge best at body temperature, so you don’t need water that’s warmer than 100 degrees. Since most washers simply open both the hot and cold taps to make “warm” water, it may take longer to fill the machine. But you’ll save about $40 annually on your water-heating bill.

20. Spend more time in the basement. Make sure furnace filters in forced-air systems are clean. Dirty furnace filters restrict airflow and increase energy use. Cleaning them, or swapping them out each month during the winter, can save you up to 5 percent on your heating costs. Also schedule an annual checkup before the heat comes on to see that the furnace is properly calibrated.

Living areas

21. Listen to your mother. And put on a sweater. That way you can turn down your thermostat this winter. Adjust it by just one degree for eight hours a day, and you could save 1 percent on your monthly heating bills. Do it for 24 hours and save 3 percent. Try setting the temp at 70 degrees during the day and 62 at night during winter (and 78 or higher come summer). Heating and air-conditioning account for nearly half the energy used in our homes, so every little bit less you use makes a dent.

22. Worship the sun. Or at least use it to your advantage. Open blinds or drapes to let in natural solar heat on cold days, then close them once the sun sets, and you can reduce your heating bills by 10 percent. You can also cut your cooling costs by up to 33 percent in the summer by blocking out sunlight with exterior blinds, shutters, or awnings. To keep rooms bright, paint or paper with light or reflective colors.

Originally this is from CNN but I found it on Only Positive News

Solar panel maker is out of this world

2009-07-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

By Alexander Haislip

SAN FRANCISCO (Private Equity Week) - Solar panels in space. It sounds more like science fiction than a business, but one early stage company has raised money from investors to launch solar panels into space and use high-powered radio waves to beam back energy to earth...

Because space solar arrays are not affected by cloud cover and other atmosphere impurities and can be positioned in a high orbit to receive the sun's light 24 hours a day, the technology is considered eight to 10 times more efficient than terrestrial solar arrays, according to PG&E.

check out the full story at Reuters.com

Wish

2009-07-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

Senate Sides With Obama, Removes F-22 Money

2009-07-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

AP, July 21, 2009 · The Senate voted Tuesday to halt production of the Air Force's missile-eluding F-22 Raptor fighter jets in a high-stakes, veto-laden showdown over President Barack Obama's efforts to shift defense spending to a next generation of smaller, single-engine F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

The 58-40 vote reflected an all-out lobbying campaign by the Obama administration, which had to overcome resistance from lawmakers confronted with the losses of defense-related jobs if the F-22 program is terminated.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it was "probably the most impactful amendment that I have seen in this body on almost any issue." He said it was "about whether we will stop doing business as usual, and that is continuing to fund weapons systems that are no longer needed."

The vote removed $1.75 billion set aside in a $680 billion defense policy bill to build seven more F-22 Raptors, adding to the 187 stealth technology fighters already being built.

story continues on NPR.com

I'm Feeling Fine

2009-07-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

Looking for Silver Linings

2009-07-20T09:39:00.000-07:00

Courtesy is a silver lining around the dark clouds of civilization; it is the best part of refinement and in many ways, an art of heroic beauty in the vast gallery of man's cruelty and baseness.
Bryant H. McGill

A Letter from Alice

2009-07-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt,and a hat, working on the lawn mower, and Mom in a housedress, dish-towel in her hand. It was the time of "fixing" things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, re-newing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more .

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So.... while we have it... it's best we love it... and care for it.... and fix it when it's broken..... and heal it when it's sick.

This is true... for friendships... and old cars... and children with bad report cards... Dogs and cats with bad hips... And aging parents... And grandparents... We keep them close, because they are worth it.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special... And so, we keep them close in our hearts.

Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Dreams

2009-07-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

"The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up."

Paul Valery

Bonobo Comes to Atlanta

2009-07-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

Bonobo (live band), the Pink Floyd of hip hop, comes to the Variety Playhouse Saturday night. British producer/DJ/multi instrumentalist Simon Green blends classic and innovative sounds creating ethereal music.

My favorite "Walk in the Sky"

Can algae save the world - again?

2009-07-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

PLYMOUTH, England (Reuters) - Can algae save the world again? The microscopic green plants cleaned up the earth's atmosphere millions of years ago and scientists hope they can do it now by helping remove greenhouse gases and create new oil reserves.

In the distant past, algae helped turn the earth's then inhospitable atmosphere into one that could support modern life through photosynthesis, which plants use to turn carbon dioxide and sunlight into sugars and oxygen.

Some of the algae sank to sea or lake beds and slowly became oil. "All we're doing is turning the clock back," says Steve Skill, a biochemist at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.

This story continues on ENN the Environmental News Network, great website. Click Here

Thank you Robyn

Just Be Yourself

2009-07-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier.

The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

Margret Young

Young Girl Survives Plane Crash!

2009-07-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

AP, July 1, 2009 · A bruised teenage girl who is the only known survivor of a Yemeni jet crash clung to wreckage for more than 13 hours before rescuers found her floating in the Indian Ocean, a French official said Wednesday.

"It is a true miracle. She is a courageous young girl," Alain Joyandet, France's minister for international cooperation, said at the hospital. "She held onto a piece of the plane from 1:30 a.m to 3 p.m." He said she was strong enough to signal a passing boat, which rescued her.

Hear the Birds Singing?

2009-06-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Beautiful rendition of a classic calypso song with birds joining the chorus at the end!

From Green Roofs to Green Walls

2009-06-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Walk past the southern face of the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, and you will be greeted by a massive wall of brilliant green foliage -- an 8,600 square feet plant installation by the designer Patrick Blanc, featuring more than 170 different species.

The mass of leaves and flowers seems to be swallowing the building -- and provides a proud symbol of resurgent nature in this busy, downtown district.

The amazing spectacle is one of the largest in a growing number of "plant walls" or "vertical gardens" that are taking root across the world, as architects search for environmentally friendly ways to create beautiful buildings.

Some visionaries even believe that soon we could be harvesting our food from the places where we live and work....

to see the rest of this story click here

I'm really excited to see what happens with the Paris Experiment.

Thanks to my roommate Dillon for this find!

Update Troy Davis

2009-06-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

SCOTUS just contacted Troy's attorneys: there will be NO DECISION (which also means no execution date) until their court reconvenes in September.

posted on facebook
by Lynn Hopkins who is in the picture above!

Thanks you Lynn

Global Warming Victory

2009-06-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Thomas,

Last Friday evening, the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the first-ever bill designed to unleash clean energy opportunities, create millions of jobs and combat global warming.

Al Gore called this showdown "the most important environmental vote of this generation." And President Obama promised that a Yes vote would "open the door to a better future."

Still, the bill's passage defied expectations. Back in January, few people believed that six months into a new session and a new administration -- and in the midst of an economic meltdown -- we could pass transformative clean energy legislation in the House.

Well, we did it! And we did it because millions of people like you made their voices heard on Capitol Hill. You fought alongside the NRDC Action Fund because you know that this is America's single best chance to defuse the climate crisis and create a greener, more prosperous future.

House leaders Nancy Pelosi, Henry Waxman, and Ed Markey deserve a great deal of credit for this success. This was no easy fight. The bill touched off regional differences and challenged Big Oil's and Big Coal's stranglehold on America's energy supply.

Waxman, the chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, had to corral many opposing interests to create a bill that would get out of committee and survive the bumpy journey through the Senate and on to the White House. One of the keys to this bill's success was that Americans from all walks of life urged their lawmakers to back climate action.

I saw it for myself. In the past year, I traveled the country to help build momentum for national climate legislation, and the people I talked to -- from clean energy entrepreneurs in Cleveland to labor organizers in Chicago, from national security experts in Georgia to religious leaders in New York -- all believe that building a clean, sustainable energy future will unleash enormous opportunities for America.

I know you agree. And that's important because we're going to need you to make your voice heard again and again in the months ahead. We'll be fighting to make this bill even stronger -- and advance it through the Senate and on to the president's desk. And we need to do all that before the international climate negotiations begin in December in Copenhagen.

The fight in the Senate will be challenging. But just as we defied expectations in the House, we can defy them in the Senate -- especially if we have your strong support.

In the coming weeks, the NRDC Action Fund will be turning all its attention to this final push. The House's historic passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act just gave our efforts powerful momentum.

Sincerely,
Frances
Frances Beinecke
President
NRDC Action Fund

In Memory of MJ

2009-06-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

People gathered at the Liverpool station for a mass moonwalk in honor of Mike!

Dwele put this together on the spot as a tribute to Mike! Amazes me to watch someone build a song one layer at a time by themselves.

Got the Dwele video off of Senor Kaos's site, The Kaos Effect. Gracious Senor.

MTV Got One Right!

2009-06-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird updates the traditions of small-group swing, German leider, and New Orleans jazz, mixing gypsy, folk, and rock elements into his distinctive style.

A Universal Message of Peace!

2009-06-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

Mason Jennings and Jack Johnson make a wonderful point. I'm sharing this one because LOVE is the only religion I know, and this is in the spirit of keeping this site secular. Looks like it might be time to stop fighting over names and dogma! Maybe then we can stop fighting over invisible lines.

The Bird Whisperer!

2009-06-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Today's hero is a friend of mine who I haven't seen in many moons. Cheers Erin, keep up the good work!

Erin Leach I rescued this little guy from drowning at the Fellini's Pizza in Buckhead today. He fell in the fountain and swam in circles until he was tired and appeared to be in some kind of trouble. Once I rescued him he sat with me for the duration of the meal. People were clapping and the kitchen staff even came out to see the bird whisperer! When I put him down he stayed by my side until we were about to leave. Fun stuff!

Food for Thought

2009-06-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

Gaia

The Gaia hypothesis is an ecological hypothesis proposing that the biosphere and the physical components of the Earth (atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere) are closely integrated to form a complex interacting system that maintains the climatic and biogeochemical conditions on Earth in a preferred homeostasis. Originally proposed by James Lovelock as the earth feedback hypothesis,[1] it was named—at the suggestion of his neighbor William Golding—the Gaia Hypothesis, after the Greek supreme goddess of Earth.[2] The hypothesis is frequently described as viewing the Earth as a single organism. Lovelock and other supporters of the idea now regard it as a scientific theory, not merely a hypothesis, since they believe it has passed predictive tests.

-Wikipedia

Playing For Change Update!

2009-06-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Playing for Change has a new video!