Thinking About It

1.9 Billion Gal. Fuel Wasted: Traffic Jams

Traffic Jam & Smog
Image From : http://www.boxoid.org/?p=86

A car that is sitting still with the engine running is getting negative miles per gallon (gas is being used but the vehicle is not moving). When you take into account the effect this has nationally, American's end up wasting 1.9 billion gallons of gasoline in traffic jams every year. This costs American's over $100 Billion dollars per year. Air traffic resulting from poorly designed traffic control systems also wastes about 3 billion gallons of fuel every year. This costs Airlines over $150 billion dollars per year. These problems are not just about money either....

Image From
http://www.endofsuburbia.com/

The U.S. Department of Energy Invests In the Future of Private Vehicle Ownership

$14.2 million in funding towards projects that develop materials such as carbon-fiber composites, high-strength steel and aluminum that can be used for vehicle bodies to cut vehicle weight, which increases overall fuel economy and cut greenhouse-gas emissions. Overall, a 10-percent reduction in vehicle weight may boost fuel economy by as much as eight percent.

http://green.autoblog.com/2012/03/25/feds-will-provide-14-2-million-for-lightweighting-efforts/

Photoshopping Ethics ?

Photoshopping of Model
http://heartymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/model-photoshop.jpg

"A law passed in Israel this week requires publications to note when an image has been edited to make a model appear thinner, and also bans models deemed as underweight from appearing in advertisements. It's not yet clear how exactly this law will be enforced, as proving that a well-photoshopped image has been modified is an extremely difficult task and every image published will be edited in some way." Aaron Souppouris via http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/22/2893068/israel-photoshop-law-model-health

http://hellemanworld.blogspot.com/2011/11/wall-street-deification-of-greed.html

"Like it or not, it is our social processes - political practices, belief systems, profit-based economy, our culture-driven behavioral norms - that lead to and support hunger, war, disease and environmental damage that is ultimately bad for human health and our future."

The GOP and FOX news likes to bash Obama is an "Ignorant about Energy" : but their claims rub wrongly against the facts. Click read more to learn the truth about Obama's energy policies and actions over the last 3 years!

The lowly Black Box I gets a CPU, RAM, SSD and PS upgrade for the new year. Its all supposed to come to an end this December so why not..... whats new... read more...

The Beauty of Pollination (From TED)

This is simply stunning : all life on earth is powered by the sun / through plants / through animals that eat plants! One of the largely unseen aspects of this living system are the tiny pollinators that give humans billions of dollars worth of free labor every year pollinating the food crops we depend on for survival... learn more about how you can protect these pollinators by clicking read more...

$17 Home Depot : Lasts 30 years & Saves you more than $140

This dimmable LED bulb gives off warm, incandescent-like light, lasts 30 years, and is super-efficient (10-watt instead of 60-watt). Parts will be manufactured in America, it will create American jobs, and will save Americans money. Read more to read about why the GOP speaks out against this bulb....

LSD Trip Visualized : Source http://bit.ly/xixUvT

I have never taken LSD but I have studied the War on Drugs for 11 years and came across a number of interesting articles about the use of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of mental disorders of the obsessive compulsive spectrum and those related to traumatic experiences such as PTSD. New meta-review scientific research has shown that a single LSD trip can be as effective as conventional alcoholism treatment programs. Click read more to learn more about this subject....

Kodak Prototype : First Portable Digital Camera 1975

Directly taken from New Scientists website: click read more to learn about this awesome corporate DIY state of the art 1975 tech digital camera.....

NASA Appolo 8 Image of Earth from Lunar Orbit

NASA has been taking and making pictures of our blue planet for a long time. Read more if you want to see few of these images......

iTouch 4 and MacBook 5,1 fuse to become an iPad 2

I made my first animate GIF image today :) Read more if you want to see the sequel~

Oil vs Sunlight & Wind

Crude oil : gasoline, plastics, prescription drugs, fertilizer, pesticides, perfumes, adhesives, lubricants and paint ; so many things are made from oil and petrochemicals derived from crude oil.

Crude oil is made of plant and animal material that was buried by geological processes for millions of years. All life on earth is powered directly or indirectly by the Sun via plants and animals that eat plants. All crude oil is thus a form a stored ancient sunlight energy that was trapped in life forms that decayed under heat and pressure over long persons of time to become crude oil.

Unfortunately crude oil takes a long time to form. Right now humans are using oil at a rate that is 10's of thousands of times faster than its natural formation. Global crude oil resource for market purposes are thus a fixed resource that is being rapidly depleted. Crude oil is a finite resource.

Crude oil is valuable for all of the durable materials and chemical products that it can create through industrial organic chemistry. Crude oil is not as valuable as a fuel as it is as a chemical resource. The low cost of fuels derived from oil is the result of government bribes and externalities that do not reflect the true costs or value of oil. If oil was appropriately valued according to its broad utility as a chemical resource, a price of $300 or more per barrel would be totally reasonable.

Unfortunately global political corruption and sleazy unethical market dynamics created by oil companies results in the massive over consumption and incredible depletion rates associated with crude oil being used as a fuel resource.

Watch the film "Crude Awakening"

Right now there is around $100 trillion worth of oil remaining in the Earths crust. That is $100 trillion reasons why it will continue to be a resource controlled by corrupt unethical politics and distorted market dynamics. We as a people have a choice to change this crooked situation. We can vote for ethical clean and sustainable energy!

Sunlight and Wind are abundant clean and natural sources of energy that humans currently do not utilized at scale capable of displacing any significant amount of carbon energy sources. This situation is rapidly changing as wind and solar power become ever more affordable. Wind power is already reaching cost parity with coal power, whilst the cost of grid scale solar is decreasing at 7 to 9 % per year.

All carbon energy sources : crude oil, natural gas, coal, oil sands, ect : are finite energy resources. The combustion of these fuels are also intrinsically toxic and dirty because of the funky smog form soot and toxins released when these carbon fuels are burned for energy. Sustainable energy sources like Wind and Solar release nothing toxic into our world: it takes carbon energy to manufacture and install renewable energy resources, but once they are on online, they operate for decades produce clean sustainable renewable energy.

We need to continue investing in solar, wind and nuclear power in order to move forward with carbon energy alternatives that are abundant and sustainable. There is lot of room for improvement with renewable energy resources. Solar panels, wind turbines and nuclear power plants can all be greatly improved with innovation and technological progress. We need applied science to develop sustainable carbon energy alternatives and bold public policy to take us where no oil company controlled GOP government would ever go.

Check out the book "The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight"

With wind and solar power society moves forward ! With coal and oil society is cheated with pollution and climate change that invariably places a hidden tax on everyone via externalities:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality

Get educated and learn why Electric Vehicles are important! Learn how big oil is cheating and poisoning you, your children and our future! Learn what you can do to use less gas!

We can all make simple changes to use less oil and to become better stewards of our unique Earth. We can respect life and each other by voting yes for renewable energy and voting no to more gas and oil: drilling is just a bandaid: we need real solutions to our energy problems.

Canada's oil sands are a toxic nightmare and so is that GOP sponsored Keystone XL pipeline project that seeks to exploit these resources. We need to invest in domestic sustainable energy; not Canadian oil projects!

Vote yes for the future of America and the world by voting no for GOP oil bribery and sleazy big oil toxic status quo wall street style banks et. al. Monsanto evil!

I will relentlessly advocate for clean energy and speak against big Oil because I love other people : I love life and all living things: I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: I love God and feel strongly that I will have to answer for all of my actions. I am thus motivated to talk about these issues publicly because they have a direct and meaningful impact on the future of life, liberty and justice for all people!

~Aaron K Schwarz

iPad worth $500 ?

“$499 for a tablet computer? That is crazy” many people have said. The critical consumer goes on to conclude that many budget priced 15.6 inch laptops with 6GB of ram and a few hundred gig’s of HD space cost less than $450. They also point out that android tablets like the Kindle Fire sell for less than half the price of the entry level iPad. If these conclusions are true then why are millions of people all over the world willing to pay $499+ for an Apple iPad?

Announced today Wednesday March 7th between 10 and 11 am PST, Apple officially launches its 3rd generation tablet computer for $499. The iPad 2's price falls to $399. A new high resolution retina display, better GPU and vastly improved camera come in the new thin, beautiful tablet market leader iPad 3!

Windows Vs Ford "Funny"

At a computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the
computer industry with the auto industry and stated,

'If Ford had kept up with technology like the computer industry has,
we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.'

In response to Bill's comments, Ford issued a press release stating:

If Ford had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be
driving cars with the following characteristics:

1. For no apparent reason, your car would crash, freeze or stop working.

2.. Every time the lines on the road are repainted, you would have to
buy a new car.

3... Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You
would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows,
shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could
continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause
your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would
have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was
reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would
run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all
be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation'
warning light.

7. The airbag system would ask 'Are you sure?' before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out
and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door
handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn
how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate
in the same manner as the old car.

10. You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.

Music Mind

Hearing and Listening are Different

I love this is internet radio station because they play sounds tracks of motion pictures that are thematic, emotionally provocative and dynamic. CINEMIX @ http://91.121.71.210:8000/
http://www.cinemix.us/

The Epitome of Jones-Esque Vain Materialism and Waste

Did you ever hear a scientist say something about “ Earths Carrying Capacity” “Sustainable Population” the “Fossil Fuel Epoch” or “Energy is Wealth” ? If not, have a look......

1560 Watt 13Amp Beast
3Qt BPA Free W/ 4in Blade

For over a year I have heard about the Vitamix and BlendTec mixers. Actually, I heard of "Will it Blend" back in 2008, and watched a few youtube clips. $500 for a blender, no way! But a sale price of $329 along with a few hours of research caused me to finally invest in one. I am a daily smoothy maker and have been blending up smoothies daily for years now in a 1964 Imperial Osterizer 8speed that still works great, but it has a problem with cavitation that results in frequent frustration because of a design flaw and not enough power. This beast should solve that problem, read about why.....

Eco-friendly cooling towers emit only water vapor not smog :)

The history of commercial nuclear power has been marred by a few accidents that the global media sensationalized. Much of the opposition to nuclear power is based on irrational fear. Commercial nuclear power releases less radioactive substances into the environment than coal power. Modern nuclear power plants are carbon friendly, sustainable power sources. The spent nuclear fuel from a reactor can be recycled repetitively. There are other nuclear fuels far more abundant than uranium, like thorium that can provide society with thousands of years worth of clean, sustainable grid power......

“…some birds were never meant to be caged, their colours were too bright…”
From "The Shawshank Redemption"

People are always changing. Our brain is a dynamic adaptive information processing organ that is constantly changing based on what we do with it. There are parts of the brain that are harder to change, but even the deepest cores of a persons personality and disposition are capable of being changed. Be careful what you listen too and watch, who you interact with and what you do: you are the ever changing product of your experiences, ideas, thoughts and choices. When we see something new, we change. When we learn something new we change. When we get to know someone new we change. Everything is always changing in this world, as change is a fundamental property of life and our minds.

Can you hear me now? No, you sound different! Why?

Do you ever notice that mobile phone voice quality is terrible? Did you know that there is technology from the 1980's for high definition mobil voice, but no carriers are using it! Call your cell company and demand answers! Where is the HD voice quality? Keep reading if you want to know more about this issue.

Drive a regular gas powered car for 50 years from age 20 to age 70 and you will spend something like $275,000 on gasoline fuel. Drive an electric car powered by a solar power system and your fuel will only cost $12,000. Take a look at the info graphic.

Bicycle Commuter in New York City :)

We do not live in a sunny place like Florida... biking to work might sound crazy in Seattle right? Its not for the faint of heart, but it is good for your heart! Lets take a look at a commuting option that can save you $4K or more per year in some cases...

A Spiritual Marriage between Husband, Wife and God :)

Marriage is such a popular social institution, but in recent years it has been given a lot of bad press. Here I explore the facts about marriage. Keep reading if you want to know more about the benefits of marriage in "Tie the Knot or Not"....

Jesus a Liberal

Our Prince of Peace

Why is Jesus a Liberal?

From NASA'S Flicker Page : Planet Earth

Click to See in 8000 x 8000 Original on Flicker

NASA releases a huge high resolution 64MP image of our sublimely beautiful planet Earth. Come take a look at this image and learn something new about Earth.

Liquid Creme Brulee in 1L Boiling Flask $24/40 w/Stopper

Inspired by my lovely partner Megan Otto's grandparents, I concoct a very sweet liquor made from organic cane sugar, fresh northwest water, absolute ethanol, and Grand Marnier. I call this mixture Liquid Creme Brulee. Continue reading if you want to know how to make your own...

Have you lost someone to cancer? Do you know someone with cancer? Lets examine what causes cancer and how we can make choices to treat and prevent cancer in ourselves and in other people.

Dirt is Life

Mud, Soil, Dirt, its alive and its feeds your existence. Were you as dismissive of dirt as I once was? Lets take a look at what dirt is made of and how dirt powers the human experience.

Mr. Greenspan: The Criminal Mastermind Roams Freely
After Deregulating The Economy to the Collapse of 2008

Check This Derivative

Do you want to know what caused the global financial collapse of 2008? Check out the film "Inside Job" and continue reading if you want to know more...

Your iPhone, Clothes, and other Goods Made in Asia Were
Made, In Part, By 13 Year-Olds Working 16hr A Day for $0.70/hr
Modern Sweatshops Killing First World Economies

Outsourcing The US Economy

Exploring why so many things that we buy in the USA are made somewhere else. Lets take a look at this issue of Made in (Not America) and the serious negative long term impact this is having on white collar middle class jobs in America....

An economic virus, Wal-mart moves into an area, crushes all of its competition, concentrates and then exports the wealth to billionaire heiress Alice Walton who owns the majority of Walmart, and replaces all of the local jobs lost by their presence with poverty pay work at Wal-mart. Lets take a look at how this works...

My Bushmaster AR15 .223 or 5.56mm

Guns do not kill people, people kill people. I support the right to bear arms because I believe in freedom for law abiding citizens. Honest people with guns can protect other people. Lets examine why a normal honest law abiding person might consider keeping a firearm handy....

Beer

Brewing Pots, Heat, Water, Malted Barley, Hops, Yeast, Storage Vessels, Time, CO2, Kegs or Bottles : Trade your cash and grab a glass... lets open up a bottle of what goes into making beer.....

Three older men going for a walk: proven to enhance cognition.

Setting the record straight, here I examine the issue of staying active and how an active lifestyle can improve mood, memory function, cognitive performance and sleep quality.

2012 Concept NS4 Toyota Plug-in Hybrid via Autoblog Green

Hybrid vehicles are increasingly popular. Lets take a look at some of these vehicles, how they came into existence and at some upcoming hybrids that are really interesting.

The 2012 Tesla Model S Fully Electric Luxury Sports Car

You may have heard about electric cars like the Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt in the news lately. Lets examine why there is such a buzz surrounding electric vehicles....

Lets examine why so many people are calling for the legalization of Marijuana.

Image via : http://goo.gl/qCVmJ

You may have heard something about red wine possessing health benefits. Lets examine why these claims have been made.

http://www.thesafecig.com/

Avoiding the Death Tax of Tobacco Use

Making a case for wind power!

Image From : http://earthhappy.wordpress.com/

Pesticides in produce, hormones in milk, antibiotics in meat -- what are all these extra ingredients doing in our food?

There are now 7 known Viri that cause cancer!

Did you know that there are Viri that cause cancer? Some of these are STD's others are not.

http://www.wmnorthwest.com/comguidelines/recyclingyn.htm

You have seen those little numbered triangles on the bottoms of packages, the colorful bins in public places, so lets take a look at why we should care about recycling.

Vaccine vs Condoms : Human Population Ethics in Question

You have probably heard about foreign aid on TV on in political debates or articles. Lets examine the ethics of foreign aid. Sure it makes sense to help the poorest of people, but are we really helping them?

Photo via HRL Laboratories: Nickel Microtube Structure

100 times lighter than styrofoam, made with laser beams, photo polymers and nickel metal. Lets take a look what it is and how its made.

Autoblog Green : Prius Batteries 100% Recycled at End of Life

Pundits claimed that NiMH battery in the Prius was waste after 70,000 miles: they actually last 150K-300K miles and are totally recyclable at the end of their operational lives. Come take a look at the facts.

Alternative desktop computing with AMD and Ubuntu: Come take a look at this frugal quad core desktop build.

My neighbor has an LED lit evergreen tree that continues to shine on well into the new year. I figured I would capture this before it is taken down. Remarkably energy efficient, these here LED lights draw very little energy while producing vivid brilliant colors that pop! Imagine if all artificial lights were as efficient as light emitting diodes....

JAN 8 JAN 9 JAN 10 JAN 11

Come check out the goods and emerging technologies presented on www.TheVerge.com covering the 2012 CES (consumer electronics show)....

Not My Photo: Lost Citation: Image Search Pending

How can seeing other people through eyes of love add value and enjoyment to you experience of life? Come take a look....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvian_Man

Normally I would cite Jesus Christ, Nikola Tesla and Rob Prufer as the source of my primary inspiration. As of late however I realized I have more in common with another figure from history.

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