Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Should we Shame-out-the-Garbage? POST A COMMENT 'Some guilt is good for you. Like the Ten Commandments, engraved on stone tablets, passed along to Moses to offer to his flock of 'guilt-filled-hearts... 'reminding them each day of the divine law, and their 'sustainable-eco-duties: (1)'Thou shalt not waste, when you should recycle (2)'Thou shalt not use Styrofoam, because it'll never disintegrate... (3) 'Thou shalt be mindful about your daily impact on the environment. (4) 'Thou shalt religiously separate your cans, bottles and newspapers in those blue recycling bins 'So these will be the commandments of the green crusaders -- (a kick ass costume is optional -- because after all, being green should still be fun). If the Batman taught us anything with his fancy moves; 'Fear is a strong motivator. It's even spilling into the workforce, also looking for more of that street cred in environmental responsibility, adapting -- "Less packaging. More beautiful" -- green mantra... Not only makes for smart $$ business, it's yet another way to outdo the competition by saying you're much more green and ethical to our planet. 'Showing up other companies, by showing your company's blood runs extra green. One quick fix, suggested in Business Week, that'll give your workplace an instant membership in that in "go green" crowd: Throw down tiny wastebaskets for non recyclable trash; making workers empty them into a central dumpster...'makes them think twice before tossing out trash. "At California’s Sonoma State University, recycling rose by 55%...'as people put cans and bottles in their proper place instead of in newly installed five-inch-tall bins." How 'bout adding a special sign: 'Would Jesus Christ Refuse To Recycle? - 'I smell an Ad Campaign (that could replace those I honk for Jesus bumper stickers). Check out this video showing that shame strategy at work (in a green hotel): Source: Business Week Labels: An Inconvenient Truth, brain-power, Business-101, economy, Energy-101, environment, Go-green, green living, mudprint.com, Trash, Trends posted by Henry Cruz at 1:15 PM Sunday, August 03, 2008 Energy-101: Here Comes the Sun! POST A COMMENT Storing solar-energy inside batteries right now is way too costly to be used in everyday usage. But, a new breakthrough is about to change all that... Basically, scientists have now figured out a Cheaper way of storing electricity from the sun-rays...'and as one expert offered, this means "you've answered everything." "The breakthrough uses a relatively simple way to use electricity to produce oxygen and hydrogen from water...When the two gases later are recombined in a fuel cell they cause a chemical reaction that spins off electrons that are forced through a circuit, reproducing the electricity." "The discovery shatters the biggest barrier to widespread use of solar power, namely that it's unavailable after dark, said Daniel Nocera, an MIT energy professor. Similar to the way plants store energy from the sun -- "The process uses nontoxic natural materials to convert sunlight into gases..." Researchers also say this could make solar power "in homes a mainstream energy option and might even make power companies obsolete, at least for residential needs." "This is the nirvana of what we've been talking about for years," Nocera told the MIT News Service. "Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon." "This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future," offered another MIT expert. ''It opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production." Ultimately, this breakthrough would aid us in getting off of our dependence of Foreign Oil. So...I'm sure we'll all be watching this story carefully. Here's a great primer video --(with MIT's Nocera) -- offering a break down of how this actually works: Source: ABC News Labels: Business-101, economy, Education, emissions, Energy-101, environment, fuel economy, hybrid, ideas, MIT Research, News Trends, Oil Prices, science 101, smaller carbon footprint, Solar Power, Trends posted by Henry Cruz at 4:30 PM Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Digging for Happiness POST A COMMENT I've been trying to keep up with reading one book a week - although, it usually turns into two books a month. This week it's about the trappings of fame, from Playwright Theresa Rebeck -(known for her black comedy)... In her first novel: Three Girls and Their Brother — 'which has been described as "a fizzy satire of celeb-obsessed NYC about flame-haired teenage sisters who get photographed for The New Yorker and soon become megastars...." The book has annoying-first-person points of view from four-of-the-most-annoying self-absorbed teenagers imaginable -- think Paris Hilton but void of any humanity; or a really bad episode of that aw full CW show "Gossip Girl." The story starts off with a picture of three sisters and an article in the New Yorker declaring them the “It Girls of the Twentieth Century” - It has very little description and almost all dialogue...so, it moves very very fast if you can get past the annoying characters that is. The only thing that saves this book is the writer's bits of humor...I mean these Three girls pretty much live in this empty-bubble of blah and then get seduced by "fame"...and still remain dead inside. It's one thing to look at tabloid pictures of Paris Hilton being famous for no reason at....'but can you imagine living in her head for more than a minute? But, like the rest of us slobs these characters keep-on digging for happiness...albeit, in a shallow, brainless kinda way. ** Speaking of digging for happiness: Here are a few happiness tips - (from Hesketh Pearson’s The Smith of Smiths): ** In a letter dated 1820, Smith wrote to an unhappy friend...and offers tips for cheering up 1st. Live as well as you dare. 2nd. Go into the shower-bath with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold, 75 or 80 degrees. 3rd. Amusing books. 4th. Short views of human life—not further than dinner or tea. 5th. Be as busy as you can. 6th. See as much as you can of those friends who respect and like you. 7th. And of those acquaintances who amuse you. 8th. Make no secret of low spirits to you friends, but talk of them freely—they are always worse for dignified concealment. 9th. Attend to the effects tea and coffee produce upon you. 10th. Compare your lot with that of other people. I like think we can find happiness -- outside of fame -- and keeping busy, comparing your lot with that of others seem like good tips for a muggy summer day. Source: The Happiness Project Labels: The Happiness Project, Trends, what I'm reading posted by Henry Cruz at 3:01 PM Sunday, July 27, 2008 Oil Addict: 'rough & costly road ahead POST A COMMENT 'Flashback-Hello-2-the...1970s - when folks called for the 55 mph Speed Limit to conserve on Oil. As fuel costs trickle-down into other areas...that idea for new energy alternatives don't sound so bad. As the Washington Post points out -- two recent factors suggest even rougher roads ahead: 1. That recent announcement from Mexico that it will cut it's crude output by 15 percent... 2. Also news from India's Tata Motors -- "to begin producing a new $2,500 "people's car" called the Nano in the fall. The company hopes that by making automobiles affordable for people in India..." Run the numbers, "supply and demand," will continue to drive world oil prices...and drivers will not see "gas prices retreat to the levels they enjoyed for much of the last generation." Also...while "The high price of oil has sparked recent efforts by technology experts...to come up with ways to wean the world economy off its addiction..." "Developing countries like China and India, however, are in no hurry to embrace this new vision. They want to join the ranks of economic powerhouses and question why they should be forced to temper their aspirations..." Hear that sound? -- It's those huge-SUV makers...'going outta business. Now, if we can only find a decent car battery; 'cause that electric car sounds real good right 'bout now. Source: Washington Post Labels: An Inconvenient Truth, Business-101, economy, emissions, environment, hybrid, Oil Prices, Trends posted by Henry Cruz at 12:49 PM Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Grandma * gone * WILD? POST A COMMENT I watched recently Tina Feys' 30 Rock on the subject of Cougars (40-something women who date much younger men)...'not sure what she would make of Grannies with "boy toys" -- as depicted in the movie Vers Le Sud - which shows true stories of Granny's-sex-tourism...(ya'll can read all about it here) The old-bitties are Blaming it on the "beautiful young man with the most incredible, fit body, begging" to go to bed with them -- but the article also points out... It's usually very cash and carry: "Poverty is rife. Then, over the past ten years, planeloads of mature single British women have started arriving, their handbags full of cash. They're fit, good-looking men and it didn't take them long to realise that there are rich pickings here." -- Bringing new meaning to wrinkled-joys. Source: Daily Mail (UK) Speaking of Tina Fey...this flick looks pretty good: Labels: Culture, economy, Trends posted by Henry Cruz at 5:29 PM Thursday, April 17, 2008 Getting your hands dirty...online POST A COMMENT Talking Books Today, so here's a 'little known' interesting Fact: Did you know...Best Selling Sci-Fi Author Kurt Vonnegut once managed a SAAB dealership, go figure. I don't manage a dealership - (not yet at least - sounds like a "Dirty Job"), but, I have been writing a few hours each day, and apparently with all the bloggers who have gotten book deals....it's become sorta a trend to write your books online. Let me back up, I'm also reading this week, a really funny book, Christopher Moore's "A Dirty Job" - (because, we all know you need fuel for that creative fire, and the number one rule for writing: read, read read...hoping something sticks and good stuff comes back up). If you're out there writing novels a 'sudo' trend is doing a online collab, check this out: Calling all writers! The LA Times presents "Birds of Pardise." One of their writers, Steve Lopez wrote the first chapter, and he'll write the last. But the stuff in between is being written by the "readers" (and hopefully writers who can put two sentences together...all happening online) -- So, check it out here. It could be your big break on getting your work seen, and being the next Kurt Vonnegut (or the even funnier Christopher Moore)...speaking of writing, here's a short vid with George Lucas who talks about his own daily writing habits, sounds a lot like my own: Labels: novels, Trends, what I'm reading, writing posted by Henry Cruz at 2:03 PM Sunday, September 30, 2007 MILAN: black women missing from the runway? POST A COMMENT Interesting article talking about the very blond fashion runway trend (Source Washington Post): "At the Jil Sander show, for example, the models were so homogeneous that they were virtual clones: overwhelmingly tall, thin, pale and with hair ranging from platinum blond to honey blond to the occasional warm brunette....one wonders whether anyone at Jil Sander has noticed that brown people actually exist." The article entitled "White is the New White" talks about the racial divide -- (or exclusion of blacks) -- among fashion houses: "Similar whiteouts occurred on the runways of Prada and Marni in Milan and at Calvin Klein in New York. The explanation for these choices always comes down to aesthetics, which is a designer's prerogative. The models have been chosen because they fit easily into the samples. Because they have a certain look. Because they convey a single, uninterrupted message on the runway. Because they do not distract from the clothes." So should a black girl complain that she doesn't get to sashay in expensive clothes before an audience... -- the author puts it this way: "We put beauty on a pedestal as something admirable, desirable and valuable. Beauty -- unfairly or not -- has its privileges. And by defining which people are beautiful and which people are simply invisible, the fashion industry helps determine how much cultural currency someone has at his or her disposal." -- 'guess, based on this article, black women have very little cultural clout...'somebody should start a new culturally diverse line called: Invisible. Labels: Fashion, Trends posted by Henry Cruz at 2:04 PM     ARCHIVES October 2005 . November 2005 . December 2005 . August 2007 . September 2007 . October 2007 . November 2007 . December 2007 . March 2008 . April 2008 . May 2008 . June 2008 . July 2008 . August 2008 .