A Good Life

What does it mean to have a good life?  Do you define a good life as financial success; a life that is free of major conflict or struggles; maybe a life where you get to live out your dream-like lifestyle; and perhaps a good life is determined for you by your charitable deeds.  Whatever your definition(s) may be, it is certainly more complex now than any time in history. But why?

As society continues to progress, it has a tendency to accelerate the pace of activities; the internet, global communication (including social networks), productivity requirements, intellectual competitiveness, physical and health improvements; all are contributing factors to social dynamics that might influence what a good life is composed of.

But here is another perspective, perhaps a good life begins very early.  Perhaps a good life is based on our ability to learn and do what is right.  As we age we are influenced by our parents, people closest to us; then peers, in school, our neighborhood; teenage years expose us to larger social groups, work environments and extra curricular activities.   It is how we receive and process information in these groups that informs our behavior- perhaps not solely (as we are hard wired differently), but certainly in a way that can lead to a good life.

As I look back and reflect on my own upbringing, I think about the people who I have a strong appreciation for, as I attempt to emulate their positive attributes.  My reflections also force me to think about misdeeds, cruel or unkind things I might have said or done.  At times it allowed me to fit in to certain group, as the group dynamics took their toll on the victim of our jokes or remarks.  Seemingly harmless, but the long term effects are what concern me most.  I realize this now as I continue to mature (hopefully until the day I die) - I call that learning.  And periodically when we learn more about ourselves, we get the opportunity to go back in time and make amends with such misdeeds from our past.  It is my belief that this makes us better people.  It is a different way to build character through struggle- our internal struggle.  It is not about having regret, but about the affect of not completing our life's circle; when you do something that is not in harmony with the circle, a piece gets removed until you figure out how to get it back so you can be complete.

Liberating myself from past behaviors grants me more freedom to enjoy what I consider to be a good life; I am a sailor, cyclist, runner, hiker, reader, writer and friend.  For me, these are the components that make up a good life now.  Caring about people, how my actions affect their life, and how my actions affect the planet is yet another aspect of a good life.

I have a certain peace about me, like never before- I call it happiness.  So here is my pitch, be happy-- every day of your life, strive for it.  Teach people around you about being happy and what you do to maintain happiness.  I made a list a long time ago that I still use and share.  Make a list of 10 things that make you happy, promise yourself you will do and acknowledge one each day.  Having done at least one of those things; I believe you will spend the rest of your life being happy.  This is a good life, this is my theme song- Good Life enjoy

Relationships Don't Always Go Green

This article is more personal (man, woman, and green) in nature so if you are looking for a technical stimulant, you'll want to take a pass on this one.

Not too long ago I met someone new, in an attempt to explore building a relationship with someone.  She is an amazing individual with a list of accomplishments and a sense of independence and determination that would rival any over achiever.  I am honored to share a part of my life with her.

As most new relationships go, we had a conversation about attributes we appreciated about one and other as well as expectations.  Within this context, she expressed concern about her personal lifestyle and not wanting to be pressured to change.  This came on the heels of a statement about my commitment to sustainability as my lifestyle relates to it.  My lifestyle by far exceeds her level of commitment to sustainability, which forced her to share that such a chasm could very well be too much of a hurdle to overcome.

It is very early in the relationship so there is no real level of commitment at this point, this can also be known as the discovery period.  You learn about the other persons habits, lifestyle etc. and determine if going forward makes sense.  The other good thing about these tougher conversations is that you are not too engulfed in the relationship that you can't see daylight on the other side because all that seems to matter is how caught up you are in the moment of emotions, like you wound up and twisted in a potpourri of your favorite chocolates.  It is great that our more sensible/ mature side has prevailed.

My response to her concern was simple; as a grown woman, I don't expect her to change her lifestyle rather I believe my lifestyle habits might encourage her to change her own after seeing the ease of sustainable adaptations.

I do what is good for me and the environment; my hope is that my behaviors and lifestyle choices will influence people in a way that encourages them to make significant changes- of their own volition.  Such changes will likely have a more profound impact not only on the environment, but will also systematically foster changes in people who are not as committed, to shifting lifestyle impact on climate change.  So while I don't expect her to change her lifestyle, I do expect that my choices will encourage her to make lifestyle changes.

My lifestyle choices have evolved over time.  Because of my circumstances or personal choices; making the adaptations have been profoundly easier for me than such changes might be for virtually all other people.  This does not make me a super hero (except perhaps in my own mind), but stands to explain how I have positioned myself for success relative to environmental sustainability issues and that I can continue to do so- a priority in my life.  Just as one must position themselves for financial success by strategically positioning specific actions and objectives, so have I done with sustainability.  Each day I grow better at what I am capable of doing because of my intentions.

Where does this leave our relationship, I cannot say with certainty, but choosing to broach the conversation positions each of us to make well informed decisions going forward and it will not be a hurdle that was stands in the way of our pursuit of happiness.

Climate Change News: Dying Aspen

Climate Change News: Dying Aspen

What The 99 Wants...? Deliberate trajectory ?

The Struggle within the We Are The 99 (The 99) is merely speckling the landscape of big financial interest having celebrated their two month anniversary (Nov. 17th 2011).  But with each advancement their efforts seem be derailed due to the overwhelming strength of the financial institutions and politics.  The concentration of wealth may be the concern, but a well thought out counter proposal must be developed if they are to succeed.

It is not hard to face the fact that we live in a quasi-capitalist society (true capitalism would not provide subsidies industry); nowhere is that more true and evident, than in the United States, during times such as these.  And with each argument, government seems to respond with further questionable act of decision-making (or lack there of), when concerning groups associated with social justice concerns such as The 99.

• Between 1976 and 2008, the pretax income for the top 1% of the U.S. population went from 8.9 to 20 percent of the nation's income.  This tells us that tax and revenue policies have continued to work in favor of the most wealthy. (Quarterly Journal of Economics, 118(1), 2008)

The 99 is in need of a specific objective with a road map of how to reach that objective as a set of proposals or demands.  Such a proposal should be methodical and well reasoned that gets the concerned population closer to transforming the status quo for the people they represent.  The current reality might start out... we know where we are, we are learning where we want to go, we have an idea about how to get there; this is our proposal...

This proposal should have some expertise(able minded people) behind it, that represents well reasoned research addressing specific issues; one example might be how much are you asking from the corporate giants or greed agents/ white collar capitalists (whatever your perspective might be); what do you expect that ask to achieve, how will it redistributed?  Also what are the implications and turn around time for the desired affect?  Identify what is standing in the way and why you believe it is movable.  This is only a small example of what should be happening.  Instead what seems to be occurring is The 99 is losing steam.

 What is wrong?

• Disparity between wealth and poverty on a perpetual  path of disproportionate growth
• Opportunities for elevation out of poverty increasingly distant
• Families and individuals unable to maintenance and prevent poor health
• Lack of job security
• Inability to secure prosperous housing
• Poor academic environment
• Deteriorating communities

These inequities foster the flames that create much of the fire in the relationship between the  extremely wealthy individuals, and other 99 segment of the population.  There are multiple examples of where an equitable society has proven to make a difference.  Not all of them are in the most obvious places, but The 99 should begin to assemble those pieces together and transform their argument into a statement of purpose, if they plan on being agents of change rather than advocates.

Change is most likely to occur when something is really wrong, an assembly of people work to change what is wrong and a plan is developed to make what is wrong obsolete by presenting a better alternative.

Global Pollution and Prevention News: Chevrolet Carbon Story 4 Rockingham County Landfill

Global Pollution and Prevention News: Chevrolet Carbon Story 4 Rockingham County Landfill

sustainability news: Global CO2 Emissions Reach All-Time High, Rising More Than 5% in 2010 to Close Out Past 20 Years

sustainability news: Global CO2 Emissions Reach All-Time High, Rising More Than 5% in 2010 to Close Out Past 20 Years

Unexpected Changes to a Greener Planet

Deliberations, sometimes they get in the way of getting done what we believe in.  Consideration for this, consideration for that; what will they think; WHAT IF!!!  Eeeeak!

Stop... breathe, and do what you believe in.  This is a much simpler statement than the what our genetic coding suggest we go through for decision-making but there is more than a speck of truth in it.  There is so much activity in sustainability and climate change often it feels like someone else is or can do whatever is on your mind- not so.  Each person acts as another potential persuasive vehicle to advance work tremendously important to protecting the planet.  Even if its been said, say it again, add a twist.  We must constantly strive to balance protecting the natural resources accessible to us and the way we use them.  There are millions of people, billions for that matter, waiting for someone with the right tone, approach or message that will resonate with them enough to take active steps to contribute to making a different in the many areas that make up sustainability and preservation.

After a brief hiatus, returning to this work is paramount for me; there is so much work to be done and I cannot count on what everyone else will do so I will continue to do my part and be more diligent in doing so.  Expect more articles from me more frequently, that share important advances in technology, resources, activities and changes in climate related matters.  I don't have all the answers but I feel reinvigorated after returning from Asia and having gone through a certain cleansing for myself.  I found what I needed to regroup and continue with what I believe in.

The world is a beautiful place; I want to fulfill my role in it and preserve it for as long as possible.  My goal is to help inspire others to do the same by sharing my knowledge and determination to do the same.  What you don't find here (looking4answers) you will find here ( at green elements).

Recently I spoke with my ex-wife who shared with me some amazing progress I never thought I would hear come from her lips; I Love her she is an amazing woman.  This evening she told me all of the steps she was taking to be a more active participant in climate consciousness.  Throughout the entire conversation I was smiling to myself realizing how important it is to continue the work.  You see, we don't always know when what we share with others will have the desired affect, but we can't allow that to slow us down or prevent us from doing the work.  What did she share? 1) She is walking our son to school 2) she is (as well as my son) designating a separate disposal for recycling and trash- and my son is keeping her on her toes; 3) she has replaced all the lighting in her home with CFL; 4) she has taken a conscious step to reducing the highly processed food and nearly eliminated soda from her/ their diet.  YAHOOW-OOOOOh!  Nothing could make me happier relative to what changes she is making regarding climate change.

I want to remind everyone that CFL can be extremely dangerous so follow the necessary precautions when handling them.  I have provided a link here >> What should I do if I break a bulb?  .  LED is really the best lighting technology but pricing is still an issue.

Unexpected Changes To a Greener Planet

Deliberations, sometimes they get in the way of getting done what we believe in.  Consideration for this, consideration for that; what will they think; WHAT IF!!!  Eeeeak!

Stop... breathe, and do what you believe in.  This is a much simpler statement than the what our genetic coding suggest we go through for decision-making but there is more than a speck of truth in it.  There is so much activity in sustainability and climate change often it feels like someone else is or can do whatever is on your mind- not so.  Each person acts as another potential persuasive vehicle to advance work tremendously important to protecting the planet.  Even if its been said, say it again, add a twist.  We must constantly strive to balance protecting the natural resources accessible to us and the way we use them.  There are millions of people, billions for that matter, waiting for someone with the right tone, approach or message that will resonate with them enough to take active steps to contribute to making a different in the many areas that make up sustainability and preservation.

After a brief hiatus, returning to this work is paramount for me; there is so much work to be done and I cannot count on what everyone else will do so I will continue to do my part and be more diligent in doing so.  Expect more articles from me more frequently, that share important advances in technology, resources, activities and changes in climate related matters.  I don't have all the answers but I feel reinvigorated after returning from Asia and having gone through a certain cleansing for myself.  I found what I needed to regroup and continue with what I believe in.

The world is a beautiful place; I want to fulfill my role in it and preserve it for as long as possible.  My goal is to help inspire others to do the same by sharing my knowledge and determination to do the same.  What you don't find here (looking4answers) you will find here ( at green elements).

Recently I spoke with my ex-wife who shared with me some amazing progress I never thought I would hear come from her lips; I Love her she is an amazing woman.  This evening she told me all of the steps she was taking to be a more active participant in climate consciousness.  Throughout the entire conversation I was smiling to myself realizing how important it is to continue the work.  You see, we don't always know when what we share with others will have the desired affect, but we can't allow that to slow us down or prevent us from doing the work.  What did she share? 1) She is walking our son to school 2) she is (as well as my son) designating a separate disposal for recycling and trash- and my son is keeping her on her toes; 3) she has replaced all the lighting in her home with CFL; 4) she has taken a conscious step to reducing the highly processed food and nearly eliminated soda from her/ their diet.  YAHOOW-OOOOOh!  Nothing could make me happier relative to what changes she is making regarding climate change.

I want to remind everyone that CFL can be extremely dangerous so follow the necessary precautions when handling them.  I have provided a link here >> What should I do if I break a bulb?  .  LED is really the best lighting technology but pricing is still an issue.

Understanding More About Body Chemistry

by Scotland Willis

  

Balance is something we strive for in our life.  We see it in how we try to manage work and our 

personal life; balance between consumption and preserving the environment; balancing disruptions and getting tasks done; and in our personal health versus stress.  The list is extensive.  By and large balance is a very difficult goal to achieve; this assertion could be made anywhere in the world.

So here is something to consider about balance you may not have thought of; 1) the most important balance in our body is pH balance; while that may sound simple, achieving it is like trying to balance yourself on a tightrope (ok perhaps not that difficult but it might seem that way) but certainly as challenging to achieve balance in other areas of our life; 2) alkaline and acids make up these two very important chemical that represent this balance, which also influence many other activities that occur in our body.

A bit more understanding migh make you more conscious about your eating decisions and thereby resulting in a happier healthier you.

So why is this make up so important?  Let's not   focus on things like kidney, liver and blood disease, to avoid talking about this from a medical perspective- though they are legitimately related to the matter at hand.  Rather I would like to share important factors to understand which will make the importance of acids and alkaline a little easier to digest.

 Most foods (especially processed foods) have high levels of sugar or high fructose.  The result is that most of our diet is made up of sugary acids that means that we have a alkaline deficit much more often than not in our body, across the majority of our U.S. population.  Alkaline foods mean more green foods and raw veggies (which don't appeal to most peoples taste buds the way sugary sweets do).  It's time to change that.

Keep this in mind increasing your alkaline intake will result in more energy, healthier bone structure and a wide range of health benefits including lower blood sugar levels, less chances of heart disease and the other major threats to human health.  For children it can mean improved neurological performance.

Understanding the Scale

The pH scale reflect whether the pH in your body is acidic or alkaline.  The scale ranges from 1 to 14.  A pH of 7 is considered neutral; above 7 is considered alkaline below 7 is considered acidic.  Seven then is the ideal balance for humans.  Because we have a diet that is so heavily influenced by sugars, achieving the balance (i.e., consuming more raw or alkaline foods) is a real challenge.

Less important to understand but good to know is this:  a pH of 4 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 5 and 100 times (10 times 10) more acidic than a pH of 6. The same holds true for pH values above 7, each of which is ten times more alkaline—another way to say basic—than the next lower whole value. For example, a pH of 10 is ten times more alkaline than a pH of 9 (epa).  Sounds impressive but the simlicity if each level of increase refelcts an acidic increase of ten times that.  The same would be true for alkaline, except most people don't have alkaline saturated diets. 

People and Plant Benefits

And here is something else you probably did not know; your plants require a similar pH balance to that of humans. Depending on what region of the world your food is from will also influence whether that food requires more alkaline or acid in its uptake.  Beets for example do best in a alkaline environment(pH) around 7-8; while grass  are slightly acidic or close to neutral between 6.5 to 7.  Basically plant life also thrives in close to this balance of 7.  

All of this makes sense if you consider a couple of different points: 1) we consume a lot of plant life (or we should)  so we should attempt to maintain a similar balance 2) we are evolved from single cellular organism that thrived on plant life (if you subscribe to the scientific theory) as such, our biological system  should have similar requirements.

 Maintaining a better pH balance means a better quality of life.  Eating more alkaline and raw vegetables, fewer sugary and processed foods (which includes milk) will reduce the negative affects of an acidic body.  

If you are a gardner, seek to balance your soil as well (there are devices to monitor this).  I use to have a 100 gallon ( 378 liters)  salt water aquarium at one point; maintaining the pH balance was critical to the fish survival, so it is no surprise the level of importance pH has on the body for me.

From healthy bones to healthy blood, pH affects everything about you and your bodily function.

Please work harder to stay healthy by balancing what you eat and likely adding more alkaline type food to your diet, while consuming less sugary and processed foods.

Alkaline foods: flax seed or oil, brown rice, millet, soaked almonds, tomato slices, fresh avocado, natural vegetable soups or pressed vegetable juices (not canned likely to have sugar) and beets. For a comprehensive list email me

Alkaline foods: flax seed or oil, brown rice, millet, soaked almonds, tomato slices, fresh avocado, natural vegetable soups or pressed vegetable juices (not canned likely to have sugar) and beets.  For a comprehensive list email me

Pipelines and Priorities

On November 10 Reuters reported on the US government's decision to postpone Keystone XL's (Canada to Texas) oil pipeline which many environmentalists argue that one of the most damaging effects would be in the Nebraska tar sands ecosystem area, as a direct result from the project.


While there are arguments on both sides, the concern for the government and investors is the approximate $7 billion cost to the project and how any delay would disrupt the progress and possibly force parties to scrap the project. Countering this argument is not difficult to do. 


We were spending approximately $720 million a day according to 2007 research done by Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph E Stiglitz. The National Priorities Project research, states that *budget spending in Iraq and Afghanistan amounted to $797.3 billion and 459.8 billion respectively in the 2011 FY. Thus it is a difficult sell, that a mere $7 billion would force governments or corporations to scrap the Keystone XL project; given there appetite for the black gold.


Why should this project be delayed? Based on US consumption of oil that is a tough one to answer.  How many US residents are prepared to make significant reductions in their consumption of oil and oil/petroleum based products– in this economy, not many is the likely answer.


Reason for Pause
The Department of Energy in May 2011 conference stated that they recorded the highest levels of CO2 emissions ever; yet another indicator to be concerned about is the fact that seven the 7 billionth human was born on October 31st.  Each of these indicators tells us indifferent ways, that exploitation of nonrenewable energy sources (petroleum, coal, and nuclear) will be in greater demand if we extrapolate these records.


Further slowing the pace of the Keystone XL project will allow more time to review the riffs of the project from an economic standpoint.  Externality costs are the unmentioned cost to things like the environment; they look less from the revenue-generating perspective and more at the human and eco-welfare perspective.  


Perhaps a truly progressive idea would be to initiate a campaign similar to a campaign against smoking.  It  would pre-use the projected cost of the environmental impact (after a reliable assessment); allocate those funds for the campaign, and educate people about the cost these externalities (i.e., the environment as well as human health).


If we look back at the advent of fossil fuels as a source of energy for human consumption, it seemed like a really good idea; at the time developing societies required faster moving parts to grow.  Lack of such growth meant in some cases (and still does) either you grow or are conquered.  The difference in knowledge today however is that we can anticipate certain factors; we have a better understanding of the impacts.  The infrastructure and mindsets in the past, did not have the capacity to think forward in these terms.  Thomas Edison (quote below), was an exception.  Today is quite different; we know more about the limited resources and about what certain numbers mean.  Being proactive through conservation and preservation would serve well, the quality of life to all living things.


It is easier to not to say who is right and who is wrong, but what is the best decision to make from were we are going forward.  The best minds in the world always seem to have sound reasoning on their side.




*Chris Helman: Senior War Analyst at National Priorities Project; over a decade of war analysis and research.
* We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy — sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.

• In conversation with Henry Ford and w:Harvey Firestone (1931); as quoted in Uncommon Friends : Life with Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Alexis Carrel & Charles Lindbergh (1987) by James Newton, p. 31

Exploring Southeast Asia

Phuket sunset

by Scotland Willis

Having returned from Southeast Asia and arriving back in the United States, I can check of yet another adventure from my bucket list.  For those of my readers unfamiliar with a bucket list; it is a list of things you would like to do before the end of one's life.

For a long time a visit to Asia has been on my list; though three weeks is hardly enough time to experience the full greatness of this geographic area, it was a healthy introduction of what to expect upon my return at some point in time.

My activities ranged from visiting 6-8 Temples per day in Siam Reap (Northern Cambodia) to biking down the enormous mountainous region that surrounds much of Southeast Asia.  I manage to witness the devastating damage the record flooding had in Thailand.  My arrival into Siam Reap was preceded by rivers of water passing through nearly every street; in fact, our tuk-tuk was knee high in water the evening of our arrival, but by morning it was virtually impossible to tell. Despite that there was a record storm in Thailand, good fortune seemed to be on my side; I was either behind every major storm or in front of every storm in Southeast Asia.

I traveled alone which was both comforting and lonely at times; what made the journey amazing was the people I met along the way.  I believe this is what traveling is all about; for if I were the only person on Earth and I had the ability to travel the world but no one to speak with, I could fully embrace the exploration of it but would miss the human contact.  What does this add to our journey?

Monks practicing martial arts

First I believe it helps bring the world to us versus going out to see it.  The advantage in this is that it expands our thinking and curiosity about what is still beyond the horizon- it helps our imagination expand itself.  We may not always be able to reach all these magnificent destinations in a given time frame, but the encounters we have along the way can help us prioritize how we add new destinations to our ever expanding list.  The second major advantage of meeting new people along the way is developing an inside scoop on what's up in a region they might have recently visited.  Also people we meet with and have a good vibe/ chemistry with, are more likely to share similar points of interests which can help bypass some of the more mundane processes or less attractive aspects of our travel and destinations.  One example is my journey from Phnom Pehn to Siam Reap via tour bus; all I knew was that I wanted to go to Siam Reap; I had my tour book with me (which I found in a box of books on the street in Boston that someone was throwing out), and looked up a couple of key sights.  After a relative uncomfortable ride (BUT MOST INTERESTING!  More on this momentarily), I disembarked into the darkness in Siam Reap and immediately started seeking out someone who might have a bit more information or even different information than myself.

Great decision!  I bumped into Lou' (who is a fantastic woman from Melbourne Australia) and said simply "Are you headed into town..." and "Do you mind if I ride with you (we were taking a tuk-tuk).  Her response was "Sure!"  And away we went.  We ended up spending the next four days together exploring Siam Reap because of our like mindedness and curiosity about each other.

You have to have a certain amount of courage and trust while traveling; there are some wonderful people out there that can really transform your traveling experience and it just doesn't make sense to travel abroad if you don't at least attempt to break your normal habits.  The world is an enormously curious place and we are gifted with the ability to explore it; hopefully we add to the value to the place we travel as we pass through it, and don't suck the life out of it.  Ask yourself what you are doing to give back in some way as you pass through.

I could not have scripted (planned), a better visit if I had tried- it was absolutely perfect!  I returned to the U.S. feeling like there was a place on top of the world and I was right there.  It was truly the adventure of a life time.

Face to face and Social Networks

Today's perception of social networks has evolved in large part due to the advent of the Internet.  One on one meetings and encounters are occurring less frequently as technology evolves to facilitate business meetings, satellite conferences, virtual office, Facebook, even Google's maps, where you get a ground level view of almost any street in every major and not so minor city.  The Internet and now the Cloud, is the keeper of social relationships.  Shut the system down and a virtual or literal paralysis ensues.



link
So where does that leave the up-close-and-personal, relationships.  Even the intimate dating services are finding more effective ways for people to size other people up before considering whether or not that is the right person for them; to take it a step further, the reality television also makes assumptions about how to pair people under false pretenses to some degree.  But there are multiple positions to consider in the web of social networks.

One aspect of the networks is how they are bringing people together, flash mobs, social rebellion, research and fact finding (such Julian Assange founder of WikiLeaks), forming a more effective force against other organized forces; those forces may be government, business leaders, or simply young adults using technology to have what they consider fun.  While incidents in London represent more anarchy and dissidents than development of social networks, they nonetheless play an important role in history and the continued evolution of social networks.  And while academia does not consider Wikipedia a valid sources for citing references for authoritativeness in documentation, they are using a system similar to that of major corporations-- and Wikipedia is the epitome of what social networks have the potential to achieve.

But another view of social networks is more conventional and extends back as far as we can trace the elements of human and other animal nature- or all living organisms.  Social networks of this sort have allowed various living organisms to survive millions of years; they have thrived and evolved as a result of their organization and communication around their habits.  Such behaviors have allowed them to reproduce and increase their population over time.  Another attribute of the more conventional method of social networking is the important of capturing the nuances in ones expressions, variations in their voice, and body movements as the mind reads and interprets all of these actions; that ability makes our brains faster than IBM's BlueGeen/ L.  (360 teraflops).  The reason this is significant is that as humans, we need stimulation and interpret multiple environments like no other mechanism in the world.  People need people, despite the amazing accomplishments of technology.

Though I am active on twitter, facebook, blogging etc., there is no substitute for friends coming over for a glass of wine; nothing like the smell of new born breath, the air at 14,000 feet from a Colorado mountain top or the memories of traveling down long dirt roads to visit our great grand parent's farm; and the miracle of first time experiences like scuba diving.  If technology replaced all of those function with a virtual experience, all the Google maps in the world would not serve as a viable substitute.  That being said, the following is also true.  The combination of technology and the human experience takes us to a whole other level.


Technology has granted me the benefit of Couch Surfing, as a result, I can enjoy my human experience in different parts of the world with other like minded people; Meetup serve a similar purpose, allowing me to partake in various activities that I might otherwise do alone with people who share a similar interest in (wine tasting, playing music, hiking mountains, the list is endless-- really!).  And crowd sourcing is the technological advancement that helps these ideas and networks spread and take root in society.


Wikipedia is both a solid social network with multiple expert contributors making entries as well as a exemplary example of new-to-the-scene, crowd sourcing.  doc not have been   In some instances the assembly of such groups helps to create a better sense of solidarity.

If I had to choose at this point in my live I will always select the pleasure of having the human experience but knowing that I can indulge in both brings me great happiness!  And anyone who knows me knows that I live to be happy.

My happy parting advice to all of my readers: whether you find more happiness in conventional social networks or virtual networks, identify 10 things that make you happy, promise yourself that you will do at least one of them each day; and you will be happy for the rest of your life.

Networks and Economic Struggles?

Online the Economist wrote, "The IMF has cut its forecasts for economic growth in its twice-yearly World Economic Outlook. It expects world GDP to increase by 4% in 2011"  .  The research suggest that growth rates have been revised from .1 of a percent to .9 of a percent in different countries.

Evidence of this hard to accept reality, hit home when someone very important in my life, informed me that they would be filing for bankruptcy.  Sometimes the seemingly most unfortunate choices are the best choices, if in such a troubling predicament.  But what has this to do with networks?

After speaking with this friend, she informed me that she went to the federal tax collection agency and stated that the very first question they asked was if she had any affiliation with any social network.  Really!  Since when is who I socialize with or what group I am connected with related to my reconciliation with my back taxes?  As far as I am concerned federal agencies including our political leaders and revenue collection services could just as easily be investigated for malfeasance.  Why? Simply because the wealthy are paying a smaller percentage of taxes than ever before.  At one point in the U.S. the tax rate for the wealthy was nearly 90%. Today with tax loopholes and write-offs, the expense for the wealthy is significantly reduce.  And they pay (at least in the U.S.) is 15% on capital gains.  In contrast, more than 15% of the U.S. population is at or below the poverty level ((2010 U.S. Census), granted that our poverty level is still well above undeveloped nations).

Essentially if you are poor, you are required to reveal more and more about yourself, losing control of your privacy, than if you are wealthy.  However I do not like to use scare tactics to address an issue.  Both Fox and MSNBC hosts of various programs do plenty of shouting and finger-pointing-- attempting to drive fear, while also providing some useful information.  But fear should not be the driver behind making tough choices.

Networks play an important role in our society.  From Palestine to Libya, from Sudan to the United States, from Japan to the Caribbean; social networks help us learn more about what is happening in the world around us.  Maintaining that privacy is critical to feeling a sense of security.  Despite that exploitation of online organization like Facebook and others, networking gives us a sense of interconnectedness.

The fact that I can touch people in Estonia, Japan, Africa, the British Isles, and different parts of South America, from my blog indicates that technology is not really separating us (as was once thought with personal electronic musical devices and mobile telephones).  I respect the confidentiality that my followers deserve, and expect to some degree- I would imagine.  At the same time ( and I don't want to sway back and forth here) I understand the importance of security from violent acts, in any form; from groups that want to act out maliciously, to individuals who bring harm to innocent members of society.  So monitoring is important.  What do I hope for then and where do I stand?

It would be great if the public were more involved in the decision-making.  Just like successful corporations, the government could crowd-source top decisions to come up with truly democratic decisions.  Granted that not everyone has access to technology, but there could potentially be ways to address that as well by looking at algorithms perhaps.

With all of the challenges we face as individuals, it is important that we continue to monitory decisions that are affecting our lives- especially with the advent of so much political turmoil in effect.  When chaos is in play, it is easy to look for answers from people who are purporting to be experts and leaders who are suppose to be performing on our behalf.  This is in no way a request that there be any type of civil disorder, rather that we maintain a watchful eye on policy changes that circumvent the people process.  There was an excellent piece on National Public Radio (npr[ a U.S. broadcast), about how susceptible we are to opinions, when we are seeking answers or disorder is present.  Don't panic, do your research, and use your voice by being active in what actions by anyone (friends, politicians, or experts) influence your life.  Doing so will help curtail the negative impact regulations have on open social networks.

ps happy birthday Jim Henson

Life without Microsoft-- Linux

Choices.  Academic, personal, social, there are so many choices.  Combine choices with fear; and you can go into a type of psychological paralysis in making simple decisions about any of the above categories.  In fact, choices are not necessarily the difficult task, but the fear of making choices is.  More unfortunate is that fear (when managed methodically) can control how we behave, react and live.  From the fear of terrorist attacks to choosing not to use certain operating systems; we sink in our courage to stand up to what is unjust or perhaps we fail to stand up because we want to be as comfortable as possible.  Tonight is different; though it can be said, for me every day is different.  Not one to follow the normal crest on the wave, I dumped Microsoft this evening with the help of a new and very good friend.

I took up the Linux system; and if you are not familiar with Linux, make it a point to learn about it.  While I will say that the process is rather time consuming (largely due to my slow internet connection), learning and observing the process of upgrading my operating system (OS) from MS to Linux was the best decision I every made from a technology perspective.  But other decisions led up to that which cannot be ignored.

I took time off from graduate school to work on writing my book.  Other things came up and leading to this summer being one of the best I have had in my entire life.  People I met, places I have and am going, decisions I've made, have all played a role in the shedding of MS to Linux.  I am a firm believer in the power of subatomic particles developing an organic attraction to other subatomic particles in a way that brings people and systems together that would otherwise not occur; it influences our decision-making in many ways to respond to the nature of those subatomic particles that behave in similar ways.  It is the very conversation that lead to a conversation with my physicist friend who also installed my new operating system.  Were it not for these deep conversation there is a strong possibility I would never have had the opportunity to install Linux on my computer.

Not that it is critical to know, but Linux is much less susceptible to viruses, less resource consuming, more efficient and as simple to navigate as the system I was previously using.  In fact, I have more space on my hard drive, more efficient use of my hard drive and more choices for how I use my computer than every before.

Granted that I have a physicist willing to take the time to walk me through the installation and set up of Linux, but I would be willing to share the experience and the process for installing Linux over the more traditional OS any time.

I no longer have a fear of whether or not the system will work; fear of losing my programs or documents because the majority of people are using another OS; I have taking the confidence of my decision-making up a notch, because quite simply, I am not one to follow the pack. 

We have all choices to make; don't be blinded by the system set up to keep you in fear or create patterns that prevent you from exploring; whether that means exploring life, cultures, science, or different technology.



One translation of Ubuntu, I am what I am because of who we are (from Wikipedia).  This is the source of the Linux OS which I installed.  Open source is an important framework from which the Internet was modeled as well as the networks it sustains, some elements have reemerged as a result of the Internet.  As new systems emerge, it is important to exercise the liberation of the social network of the Internet which more resembles society at large.  Moreover it resembles what somewhat reflects the nature of the Earth, that everyone take ownership of and is able to participate in the development and maintenance of it.

It is my belief that the human experience is suppose to be general, but develop an expertise; better yet, be a great generalist with expertise in multiple areas- you will increase you intellectual capital.  I am as grateful for my beginning education in epidemiology and environmental engineering as I am to have Linux as an alternative to the other OS; for without either, I would not have be able to be where I am today.  Knowledge is power, and my epi experience has granted me insights into life I never would have known. 

I continue to be as happy about life and my experience in it as I can possibly be.  I am free for fear regardless of what tomorrow brings; I am embracing the moment...right...now.

If you have the opportunity to installing a new OS such as Linux, do it.  I can't promise you will be as happy as I am, but then you will have to make your own choices-- won't you.

Good fortune to all!

Trip of a Life Time- Around the World

Traveling is one of the true amenities of the human experiences.  If you are an environmentalist there are things that you constantly think about relative to your carbon foot print.  I have friends and family all over the world and own a dilemma; how to I enjoy the company of these friends and people I cherish, while maintaining my sense of responsibility to protecting the environment?

Over the past five years I have made many changes in my lifestyle.  I sold two cars and a motorcycle; developed an acute awareness for my waste habits, including recycling, and composting to produce my own food (effectively reducing the distance food has to travel to get to my table and the environmental costs associated with producing that food).  I use a waterfall system to wash my dishes by hand; I turn my hot water tank down to a temperature I can bare (warm) in the Summer; I don't leave water running when brushing my teeth or taking a shower (meaning, I turn the water off while I am soaping my body); I use a rain barrel to water my house plants and in the winter, I use the water running in the shower for my plants (because it takes time to heat up- why waste usable cold water?); I buy used clothes because I know how much water it take to produce a pair of jeans; and I pick up furniture being thrown out by others to furnish my home as I think about how long it might otherwise sit in the landfill as waste.

Despite all these things and more, I still have reservation about doing extensive traveling.  So how do I reconcile these concerns?  My hope is that I will learn more things along the way that will make a bigger difference in my life; enable me to make a bigger difference in the lives of others, so that my overall impact is reduced because of the net benefit.  Obviously I hope to share some of my experience and research to persuade others to practice environmentally sound habits.

It is challenging to see that some of the worst habits are right here at home in the United States.  Perhaps there are some positive lessons in the economic downturn we are currently experiencing.  Slowing our consumption rate is a really good starting point.  We could begin to reconcile our fuel usage and establish a national campaign on conservation that is relentless with clear objectives that achieve specific milestones- that would be data worth tracking.

I would like to say that I will just do my part, but the planet is much too important to me to not be diligent in persuading others, while consistently raising the bar for myself about acting more responsibly relative to being climate conscious.

How do I justify making this journey I believe to be an important next step in my life?  My answer may not be the correct one, which I will reserve until I collect more responses from my readers and friends, but I will begin by telling you the impact I have is on my mind every waking moment; at night I dream about a better world.

Crowdsourcing and Collective Intelligence

by Scotland Willis

As I continue to work on my book "Peering Into the Future"; it is impossible to avoid the events that are unfolding like the advancements in technology itself.  It could be that social networks are advancing so rapidly because the ability to participate in change events are multiplying exponentially.  Crowdsourcing and peer to peer (p2p) networks are very much related.  How people communicate, socialize and accomplish tasks is an intricate network of interconnectedness of nodes and ties that help demonstrate how crowdsourcing is occurring.

Crowdsourcing, by Jeff Howe, of Wired Magazine, explores the power or crowdsourcing and its relationship to business, and how the business model is changing.  Several excellent observations and empirical data capture the essence of what is occurring in crowdsourcing. His investigation into experts who exploited the early stages of what evolved into what is now known as crowdsourcing, is compelling.  There are some important connections which I will mention here, that in some way relate to the work of business leaders in the computer field.  My additions then might reflect the model of Ned Gulley and his work at MATLAB.  I see what exists, have insights that might improve the observation, and will present it here.

One observation we can make about human learning, is that what we produce is based on what we have experienced or been exposed to in the past; a kind of next step linkage if you will.

I'm not as interested in TopCoders, as much as I am in the social science of it; as a visitor and myself were having dialogue about sub atomic particles to help rationalize the orthodox and unorthodox view of scientist perspective about attracting of such particles, as a means to examine complex social networks, what really interests me is the evolution of social behaviors.  With that, my observation into crowdsourcing.

In the chapter titled The Most Universal Quality, there was a comparison that stood out for me; the issue being addressed was the importance of experiential diversity.  Howe made a point to delineate between political diversity and that which he was conveying; for this reason I identify his form of diversity as experiential diversity.  In experiential diversity, we contribute to crowdsourcing by being enabled by our experience to influence outcomes outside of what might be considered our traditional realm of expertise for a specific project, which would require perhaps years of education and training, i.e., our social/ academic/ experiential exposure-- one might even identify it as psychological diversity (the different modalities of cognition in among a large group).  We become experts at being who we are, and that attribute can have a profound affect on a project being crowdsourced.  Thus there are multiple ways to contribute to a project 1) technical expertise and 2) organic experience that provides a new element to traditional thinking.

Diversity does not stand alone as an attribute in crowdsourcing, in fact in Howe's book, one argument is that attributes are not the key in crowdsourcing.  I would argue that attributes absolutely are a key in crowdsourcing; along with attributes is experiential exposure.  The two make up a primary component to how crowdsourcing will continue to function and prosper going forward.  My skills as well as my experience will have a more profound affect than either one standing alone- you cannot exempt one any more than you can exempt man from being human.  Experience and attributes work hand in hand.

Note: If you have additional thought about peer to peer networks or crowdsourcing, I invite you to dialogue or email me with additional insights.

Blazing Desert

Temperatures in Phoenix, Arizona the other day set another record, reaching 116 degrees.  Sweltering heat keeps most residents inside, visitors may venture out briefly, only to retreat to a better climate controlled environment.

For the few people who do get out; it is with a sense of purpose.  During my visit to Phoenix recently, I reconnected with a friend who is extremely athletic, she is well traveled, has climbed numerous mountains including the Rockies, hiking the White Mountains in the Northeast, and even some of the world highest mountains.  Her energetic spirit motivated me to step up my game.

Thursday morning I got up to hike one of the local mountains, the sweltering heat I spoke of earlier, was upon me, and it was only 7:15 a.m.  Moving at a pretty good clip, I topped the small mountain in about 24 minutes.  From here you can see most of Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, parts of Mesa and upward beyond northern Phoenix.  Visibility about 50 miles.  I had just arrived the night before around 10:15 p.m. and did not sleep well that night; I also did not eat that morning before I left for the hike but I did not want to wait too long and allow the heat to intensify (good think too- on this record day).  I don't think about much as I make my ascent on Squaw Peak, there are multiple areas to be mindful of due to the dryness.  The dirt in some areas can seem like ice.  Though I brought water with me, the relief was minimal.  Looking outward beyond multiple horizons, I do my best not to pause, (to restart is just too draining)  but merely slow my pace, and make a momentary observation.

Nearing my destination, I capture the reason why I put myself through this draining exercise.  Those of us who partake in such events, against reasonable odds, and down right grueling conditions, are part of a unique assembly of individuals; not all are at the same level, but are driven by the end game.  Sometimes the end game is satisfaction of the achievement, other times it is being able to remove ourselves from the mainstream population that we feel does not reflect the soul of who we are; some of us are running away or towards something we have not yet identified; and at times we just need to escape.

As I continue to produce photos for a photo installation (art show), I am working towards, I find that today I was making my journey to to enjoy; enjoy all of the things I mentioned above, to let go and embrace what I might experience in the end, or perhaps somewhere in the middle.  By the end, I got exactly what I needed, something undefined, without boarders and restrictions-- a continued sense of inner peace.

As I continue to learn new things about Arizona, more importantly, experience new friendship, my perspective continues to evolve.  I see something more beautiful here, each time I arrive.  Nothing can disrupt the balance I am achieving at this time; it is a good space to be in.

Zen at 304

What is Zen, and how do you achieve it?

Zen is not something you pursue, Zen is an enigma yet ubiquitous, it will find when it is time for you (i.e. the current [flow] in which things occur).

It is a point at which you arrive in your own life; you learn to understand that nothing has dominion over you, not even nothing. Zen is about peace, balance, but not to achieve those things- it is more like being those things.

Allow yourself to be in the joy of your struggle; if you believe something to be so and it is not, accept it not being so; you are not wrong; it is only that what was to be, was different that what might have been so.

When you arrive you will see it is more a state of being rather than any form of attainment-- this is the what is around you; you become an observatory where each of your actions reveals a new layer of understanding.  You stop with yourself, and in each moment you, accept/ reject, and uncalibrate what has been ordered in your life.  There is no order in Zen, in some respects, one should not follow Zen, the mere act of doing so rejects Zen.

Enjoy Life; Balance all things; Come into yourself; Breathe the gift of the human experience; Allow expectations to escape- un-expect; Fear is nothing and what is, is everything- but do not want for it.  Detach and allow yourself to be unconsumed by all things- then observe them.

Everyone should know Balance

by Scotland Willis

Balance

Balance is something we strive for in our life.  We see it in how we try to manage work and our 

personal life; balance between consumption and preserving the environment; balancing disruptions and getting tasks done; and in our personal health versus stress.  The list is extensive.  By and large balance is a very difficult goal to achieve; this assertion could be made anywhere in the world.

So here is something to consider about balance you may not have thought of; 1) the most important balance in our body is pH balance; while that may sound simple, achieving it is like trying to balance yourself on a tightrope (ok perhaps not that difficult but it might seem that way) but certainly as challenging to achieve balance in other areas of our life; 2) alkaline and acids make up these two very important chemical that represent this balance, which also influence many other activities that occur in our body.

A bit more understanding migh make you more conscious about your eating decisions and thereby resulting in a happier healthier you.

So why is this make up so important?  Let's not   focus on things like kidney, liver and blood disease, to avoid talking about thsi from a medical perspective- though they are legitimately related to the matter at hand.  Rather I would like to share important factors to understand which will make the importance of acids and alkaline a little easier to digest.

 Most foods (especially processed foods) have high levels of sugar or high fructose.  The result is that most of our diet is made up of sugary acids that means that we have a alkaline deficit much more often than not in our body, across the majority of our U.S. population.  Alkaline foods mean more green foods and raw veggies (which don't appeal to most peoples taste buds the way sugary sweets do).  It's time to change that.

Keep this in mind increasing your alkaline intake will result in more energy, healthier bone structure and a wide range of health benefits including lower blood sugar levels, less chances of heart disease and the other major threats to human health.  For children it can mean improved neurological performance.

Understanding the Scale

The pH scale reflect whether the pH in your body is acidic or alkaline.  The scale ranges from 1 to 14.  A pH of 7 is considered neutral; above 7 is considered alkaline below 7 is considered acidic.  Seven then is the ideal balance for humans.  Because we have a diet that is so heavily influenced by sugars, achieving the balance (i.e., consuming more raw or alkaline foods) is a real challenge.

Less important to understand but good to know is this:  a pH of 4 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 5 and 100 times (10 times 10) more acidic than a pH of 6. The same holds true for pH values above 7, each of which is ten times more alkaline—another way to say basic—than the next lower whole value. For example, a pH of 10 is ten times more alkaline than a pH of 9 (epa).  Sounds impressive but the simlicity if each level of increase refelcts an acidic increase of ten times that.  The same would be true for alkaline, except most people don't have alkaline saturated diets. 

People and Plant Benefits

And here is something else you probably did not know; your plants require a similar pH balance to that of humans. Depending on what region of the world your food is from will also influence whether that food requires more alkaline or acid in its uptake.  Beets for example do best in a alkaline environment(pH) around 7-8; while grass  are slightly acidic or close to neutral between 6.5 to 7.  Basically plant life also thrives in close to this balance of 7.  

All of this makes sense if you consider a couple of different points: 1) we consume a lot of plant life (or we should)  so we should attempt to maintain a similar balance 2) we are evolved from single cellular organism that thrived on plant life (if you subscribe to the scientific theory) as such, our biological system  should have similar requirements.

 Maintaining a better pH balance means a better quality of life.  Eating more alkaline and raw vegetables, fewer sugary and processed foods (which includes milk) will reduce the negative affects of an acidic body.  

If you are a gardner, seek to balance your soil as well (there are devices to monitor this).  I use to have a 100 gallon ( 378 liters)  salt water aquarium at one point; maintaining the pH balance was critical to the fish survival, so it is no surprise the level of importance pH has on the body for me.

From healthy bones to healthy blood, pH affects everything about you and your bodily function.

Please work harder to stay healthy by balancing what you eat and likely adding more alkaline type food to your diet, while consuming less sugary and processed foods.

Alkaline foods: flax seed or oil, brown rice, millet, soaked almonds, tomato slices, fresh avocado, natural vegetable soups or pressed vegetable juices (not canned likely to have sugar) and beets. For a comprehensive list email me

Alkaline foods: flax seed or oil, brown rice, millet, soaked almonds, tomato slices, fresh avocado, natural vegetable soups or pressed vegetable juices (not canned likely to have sugar) and beets.  For a comprehensive list email me