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[ Comments Off ]Posted on December 7, 2008 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Sunday, December 7th, 2008But for the record, writing for the web does not constitute “hardcore sitting”
When financial worries and my seemingly perpetual singleness are getting me down like they have on occasion lately, I try to be thankful for what I DO have. Well, screw that. After running across the following inspiring tidbits, I think I’m gonna have to ramp it up a bit and kick some ass. For starters, check out Aaron Fotheringham, an “extreme wheelchair athlete” who calls what he does “hardcore sitting”. Last time I checked, I was fully functional, but I doubt I could pull off half the stunts he does, and the kid has Spinal Bifida! On a less extreme but still inspiring note, check out laid-off toy company executive Paul Nawrocki, who pounds the pavement in Manhattan wearing a suit and a sign in the hopes of finding work. As he puts it “When you’re out of work and you face having nothing — I mean, having no income — pride doesn’t mean anything”. Hope his shameless search pays off. And these teddy bear astronauts sparked something in me. As a kid, whenever I managed to get my hands on a helium balloon, I would attach a note in a film can asking whoever found it to write and tell me where it landed. The longest journey one of them made was two states away. Imagine how cool it was for those British kids to see photos of their balloon from the edge of space. Time to start chasing those dreams again…I always forget that thousands of things go right for me every day.
The Internet: It’s Not Just For Stupid Questions
[ 1 Comment ]Posted on December 6, 2008 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Saturday, December 6th, 2008Things to do with your hands besides dating Miss Michigan
In spite of the fact that people seem to rely on the Internet a lot to answer questions, even disturbingly basic ones like where should I live? or what should I read next? or do vaginas seal up with disuse? The fact is, the real purpose of the Internet is to waste time. One good way to do this is by using one of the millions of sites that let you upload images and text to make signs that no-one thinks are funny except you. One of the originals was Demotivators (see my Serenity poster, left), but there are many, many more. Says-It.com has everything from church sign generators to self-cutting generators. If you really “heart” someone, there’s an I heart [whatever] site. Or maybe you’d like to put yourself on the cover of Time, or customize a movie poster. Or do more personalized editing, like they offer at Pizap. But what if you don’t have web access? I recently spent a lot of time in waiting rooms with no wireless available. Not to worry! I learned you can waste time without the Internet. Imagine…with only your hands, you could stage a shadow puppet show with music (something Cartman of South Park understands very well). And here are a few things you probably shouldn’t do with your hands (and no, that doesn’t link to a “dating Miss Michigan” reference).
This Gets Under My Skin A Little
[ 2 Comments ]Posted on December 4, 2008 by admin in Lifestyle & Culture
Thursday, December 4th, 2008But it beats a stick in the eye
Please note: the following may be NSFB (Not Safe For Breakfast). As someone who has no tattoos, but has a fair number of decorative scars (some by design, some more “improvisational”) I find various kinds of body mods interesting. I find some people’s tattoos unfortunate, sort of like a bad haircut that will be with them for life, but I really admire some people’s body art, and especially find it interesting if it has a ritual meaning to the person. After all, we’re all still members of some big tribe when you get down to it. In spite of my open-mindedness, I found it a little distrubing to read that radiologists have helped identify a trend amongst teenagers that they’re calling self-embedding disorder. Although I feel I have a keen understanding of self-cutting and other forms of self-modification, I can’t quite get my mind around what feelings would lead to the behavior. And in the case of this body modding (Warning: rather gory images), I’m not sure the almost-surgical means justify the end (pictured). But I’m sure it beats a stick in the eye.
Hump Day Distractions
[ 2 Comments ]Posted on December 3, 2008 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008Wednesday Time Wasters
 Failed Today’s I.Q. Test |
Yes, it’s Wednesday. If (like me) you’re already way behind for the week, here are some pointless things to help bury you further. Did you know that the human body produces its own alcohol? You would if you watched the Q & A stream at Text118118.com, which is part of the U.K.’s most-phoned information service. The people that work there must be REALLY smart to sit at the computer and phone all day and answer random questions on such a wide range of topics. I wonder how they’d do on this (yes, another one) I.Q. test? That test is a little time-consuming, and I already know I’m not so bright. Besides, you don’t think I actually try all the things I present here, do you? I’m a little more sensory-oriented, so I found this test kind of amusing (though the first few problems are kind of dull). This one, in which you have to eliminate numbered moving boxes in sequence, is, well, kind of dumb. But fun if you’ve had enough coffee. And moving on down the I.Q. scale…if you’re feeling shat upon this week, think how statues must feel. Well, now you you can fight back by taking a shot at those that shat at you. And for those who prefer reading to mindlessly clicking on links, here’s an annoying riddle for you (the first to post the correct answer along with their I.Q. based on that test wins a cookie): A blind beggar had a brother who died. What relation was the blind beggar to the brother who died? “Brother” is not the answer.
Will Greentech Equal Greenbacks?
[ Comments Off ]Posted on December 3, 2008 by admin in Clean & Green, Technology
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008Don’t burst my energy bubble
I was talking to a friend today who was reconsidering her possible future in environmental work because of quite reasonable concerns about what may happen to the economy in the near future. I hope that in spite of (or maybe because of) these economic concerns, she and others stay focused on the idea of developing a clean & green future for America. I personally believe that our current economic woes could be the motivation to shift the paradigm and put the country back on track as a leading innovator. It seems I’m not totally crazy; Barack Obama promised during his campaign (and stayed on message in his recent radio/web address) that he intends to invest $150 billion to “build an American green energy economy” in the belief that as well as creating 5 million jobs, it is in fact the only way forward in the current energy/economic environment. It’s nice to see that there seems to be an international consensus – Brazil is committing to reducing Amazon deforestation by 70%; in Hawaii (that’s a country, isn’t it Sarah?) there are plans for an electric car network; BMW is looking for 500 lucky field testers for their Mini EV, and in the general picture, green technologies have enjoyed an astounding 1400% increase in investments since 2001. There are so many great ideas busting out (and nice sites like CleantechGreentech.com with great info on the topic) that it’s almost impossible to keep track. Some of these ideas are really simple, but game-changing. Things like Crowdsourced Green Venture Capital Funds. Anybody have a positive story about greentech economics to share?