NewsFlash – We Love Carnage!

Searching today’s Google Trends USA (around 11:45AM) I noticed that 5 of the top 10 most searched words are related to a NASCAR wreck that took place in Talladega.

1) carl edwards crash
4) talledega crash
6) talledega wreck
9) nascar crash
10) nascar wreck

Of only slightly less importance is the outbreak of swine flu with flu and CDC related searches taking 3 of the top 10 spots. Ranking in at number 2 overall is “morris code” – a very popular reference to “morse code” most likely motivated by Google’s celebration of Samuel Morse’s birthday. Other popular topics include football, the fate of our auto companies, cell phone plans, free chicken, and of course celebrities - with “britney spears tampon” being the 32nd most interesting thing happening in the USA today.

I sincerely hope that these search trends are not indicative of what people truly care about (with some exception for the swine flu because although we should not fear it, the sharing of information is playing a vital role in preventing/containing a pandemic).


An interesting side note: this article titles “Save the Earth: Ban NASCAR” highlights some of the eco-unfreindly attributes of America’s most popular sport.

EarthShip - My Next Appartment

The concept behind Earthships is to build environmentally sustainable and self-sufficient housing. Earthships recycle materials such as old tires, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles as building materials. Reusing materials like this saves on the energy that is required to recycle. These tires are filled with earth or clay serve as great insulators – naturally maintaining a comfortable living temperature. Partially burying the building, along with orienting it toward or away from the direction of light can maximize energy efficiency.

In addition, Earthships are often outfitted with solar panels or wind turbines for energy, and rainwater collection systems for much of the water needed. Water is recycled through various stages using plants to absorb and filter the water.

By utilizing modern advances in technology and our understanding of systems and design, we may create a way to live a better more integrated and sustainable lifestyle.

Not all 'green' homes need to be made in the Earthship design. Here is an example of another home with low

environmental impact. This Uber-Green Hobbit House

Regardless, these are ideas we need to become more familiar with as we search for solutions to the human crisis.

I personally would like to live in a home reminiscent of one on Tatooine or in Middle-Earth - where can I rent a room until i build my own?

Looking Forward to a Harmonious Existence this Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day I am posting information regarding environmental sustainability. First I will mention that every day should be Earth Day. We have a responsibility to take care of ourselves through taking care of our one and only beautiful blue and green planet. Attending the Fairleigh Dickinson University Green Day celebration just the other day opened my horizons. Most notably to the concept of permaculture, which is an approach to designing our lifestyles to be in harmony with nature – most effectively done by mimicking some of the natural systems that already exist. Permaculture and Agroforestry are both forms of agro-ecological design theory.

Here are a few links to sites with more information on permaculture:

AppleSeedPermaculture

Permaculture Institute

Gaia University

Living Mandala

For anyone in the New Jersey area particularly interested in business, Green Ventures, and sustainable business practices, FDU is offering a few seminars on these topics:

Beyond Green: Operationalizing Sustainability in a Changing Environment
May 15, 2009

2009 Green Ventures Conference “Jumpstarting the New Green Economy”
May 19-21, 2009

Institute of Sustainable Enterprise

I invite you to look through these links and do your own research into how we can make a POSITIVE difference in regards to ourselves and Mother Earth

Santayana's Spirituality: Consciousness Pure & Free

I have been reading some of George Santayana’s philosophical thoughts. I find his view of spirituality of particular interest. Without going into much detail here, I will briefly lay the framework of Santayana’s thought so as to provide context.

Santayana defines four realms; the Realms of: Essence, Matter, Truth, & Spirit. Essence is the totality of all (infinite) forms each of which is perfectly self-identical and eternal. Essences are not physical (although physicality is an essence) and are independent of time and space.

Occasionally an essence is wrenched into momentary existence out of the vague infinity. Traditionally this force is called the creative power of “God,” but Santayana argues otherwise. Instead he calls this the unintelligible force of Matter which has no ultimate reason. Existence is “an insane emphasis” and the patterns and habits of existence do not remove its arbitrariness.

The realm of Truth contains all objective facts. Anything that ever had/has/will have Essence and Matter – the fact that an essence did, does, will exist in the physical world – is Truth. Such objective truths are merely humble facts and serve only as an ideal for which we may aim.

To understand the realm of spirituality we must first understand consciousness - which is a collection of units of momentary cognitive awareness (intuition) directed at an object. This object is an essence. Because of our psyches (the human organism behind the consciousness) we cannot enjoy these aesthetic essences at face value. To truly enjoy the objects of our consciousness we must be free of convictions and belief, thus having pure intuition. In this way the spiritual life frees us from the world of organically based values.

The spirit is a novel form of being that emerges from the cognitive awareness of consciousness. The perfection of this consciousness “is to be the unattached spectator of all time and existence and the contemplator of every possibility. Such transcendence in thought of the physical is what we normally mean by spirituality... Absorption in pure intuition, even if temporary, constitutes the spiritual life. This spiritual life is thus free of values and empty of striving.”

This idea seems to me to be reminiscent of the Hindi concept of Nirvana as well as the aim of practicing Zen Buddhism.

Santayana leaves room for meaning in life, but only that meaning which we find while we are living it. “Our momentary flowering is followed by inevitable fall.”

Stuhr, John J. (Ed.). (2000). Pragmatism and Classical American Philosophy. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Our Moon goes green

Telegraph.co.uk reports that U.S. Scientists are planning to grow Brussels sprouts on the moon. This experiment will determine whether future space colonies can produce their own food supply – a vital element for any self-sustainable colony. A mini greenhouse dubbed a “Lunar Oasis”- participant in the Google Lunar X Prize - has been developed by Paragon Space Development Corporation in Arizona, and could be on the lunar surface as soon as 2012.

Brussels sprouts, a member of the brassica family, was chosen because of its quick life cycle. The most similar experiments are the successful greenhouses which produce fruits and vegetables near the South Pole. I wonder how Paragon will combat the extreme temperature variation from ‘day’ to ‘night,’ the drastically different periods of light/dark, and other peculiarities plant life has not experienced here on Earth. Without an atmosphere (or scalable substitute) to filter radiation and trap heat the plants do not stand a chance.

NASA has goals of manned missions to the moon by 2020 and manned missions to mars by 2030. If such missions are to occur, their viability rides on the ability to grow food in space and thus tremendously cut the costs of carrying rations into orbit. In addition plants and algae may be used to filter air and create oxygen for breathing. I imagine hydroponics to be one solution because it would reduce the costs of lifting soil into orbit. Many of the essential nutrients can either be found extra-terrestrially or harvested by growing colonies of phytoplankton and zooplankton for that purpose. The process would prove complicated and extremely fragile – illustrating how good we have it here on Earth.

Related Video: Moon Flowers

Related Article: Moon Flowers

Force Field Aurorae

I was looking at some of these awe-inspiring photos of aurorae and pondering the essence of this beautiful natural phenomenon. Even as I was researching on Wikipedia, I Dugg across this article highlighting the development of miniature magnetosphere for protection of space vehicles. These two topics are linked, as this technology works on the same principle as the defense system spaceship earth naturally enlists on our behalf, making life as we know it possible.

A miniature magnetosphere can be created using a simple magnet and researchers from the U.K. and Portugal are applying this principle for creating portable extra terrestrial force field to protect space travelers and vehicles alike from radiation.

Auroras (northern and southern polar lights) occur in the ionosphere when charged particles traveling along the Earth’s magnetosphere collide with the upper atmosphere. These charge particles emanate from the sun and arrive as solar wind. As the collisions occur, electrons take quantum leaps – thus transferring kinetic energy into visible light.

This spectacular display is a beautiful byproduct of the forces of this world that make our existence possible.

The level of solar wind activity can influence the color of the aurorae, but different elements emit different wavelengths:

Red & Green - atomic oxygen
Pink & Blue/Violet - molecular nitrogen/nitrogen ions
Light Blue & Green - ionic nitrogen
Purple - neutral helium
Orange (w/ rippled edges) - neon


Photos of Aurora Borealis: Telegraph.co.uk -Nothern Lights

Protective Magnetic Spaceshield : The Future Of Things

Wikipedia: Aurora

Living in Plato’s Cave

Tom Morris writes this article for the Huffington Post comparing Plato's Cave to the current financial and economic crisis.

Plato argued that we all live under the distorting influence of illusions. Plato uses the metaphor that we humans are prisoners, chained to a wall in a cave, mesmerized by the shadows we see flickering by – thinking that these shadows are reality.

This metaphor is exemplified by the events that have created and are continuing the economic recession. We are prisoners of the economy - we stare transfixed at the movements of the stock exchanges- thinking them to be the source of ultimate reality.

Tom Morris emphasizes courage and confidence, tempered with just a little caution, as essential to overcoming the fear of the illusory and avoid immobilization.

I'm in the cephalopod business...

Here is some fresh work. The squid was created by Mike, and I decided even cephalopods should have to wear a tie to work... You can't tell from these pictures, but the briefcase has an electrical outlet protruding from it. I'll get some more pics of this power peddling cuttlefish up soon

The point of entropy

Everything in this universe is chaotic, including life. Even while things seems to be headed in the direction of ultimate organizational maximization, chaotic and seemingly illogical occurrences remind us that, as seen from a existential physicist’s point of view, we are merely a sum of spontaneous and random subatomic particles that straddle the fence between matter and energy. The madness may have some as-of-yet-undiscovered method to it, like the e8 shape, but as of yet scientists have not found logical sequence in the actions of these subatomic particles, things which actually make up everything that we perceive in the material world [though not necessarily everything that is there]- and so the fact that the building blocks make no sense to us shows that life is essentially unpredictable, that the events which happen in the physical world are not teleological.

They have no path or destiny, and what beauty of it!
Think of this universe full of individual motion,
a cosmic dance of expression,
of originality and truth.

Not a pulse but rather a hum,
a constant passionate agitation,
unsynchronized existence.

Things bumping off
and mixing in
with other things
in a tangled ball of unique togetherness.

And then, there is still the point of entropy…

~A.M.

Future Energy Mix

An interesting article by Fareed Zakaria titled Free At Last deals with the prospect of an energy solution in the future. Raising efficiency is the key; there is no single solution. The revolution that must occur is not technological but “one of attitudes and ideas.” It is estimated that by the year 2050 the human population will exceed 9 billion – and we will need twice as much energy. While it may be true that we need to wean ourselves from our oil addiction, oil will still play a role in the energy mix of the future. Mr. Zakaria argues that instead we will need every available source of energy and “disciplined application of technologies that already exist.” The trick is to be able to find abundant energy at low cost (including the hidden costs to the environment or in the social or military spheres). In addition, we need to limit our waste (and the energy used to dispose of it) by making everything either biodegradable or totally recyclable.

As Humans...

As humans, especially living in industrialized society constantly surrounded and entertained by technology, we forget our connection to the natural world. American pragmatic philosophy offers some insight:

“An organism does not live in an environment; it lives by means of an environment.... The processes of living are enacted by the environment as truly as by the organism; for they are an integration.”
~ John Dewey

Further, how we view our place in the world has many implications for not only our psychological health but also holds the key to forging a sustainable relationship with the environment.

“Nature’s place in man is no less significant than man’s place in nature. Man in nature is man subjected; nature in man, recognized and used, is intelligence and art.”
~ John Dewey

Once we can see this, and really feel comfortably at home on planet Earth, we will realize:

“For what is best in ourselves appears then also outside of ourselves, and we and the universe are of the same spiritual species”
~William James

So we are an integration of the universe with the potential for consciousness and perception of intelligence and art. The Earth IS us. We are the universe. Surely we have responsibility to take care of ourself. We should not be subjected by, warring with, or even trying to outsmart the natural world; instead we must work with it.


I leave you with a related passage from the Bhagavad-Gita:

Know that both nature
and man’s spirit have no beginning,
that qualities and changes
have their origin in nature.

For its agency in producing effect,
nature is called a cause;
in the experience of joy and suffering,
man’s spirit is called a cause.

Man’s spirit is set in nature,
experiencing the qualities born of nature;
its attachment to the qualities causes
births in the wombs of good and evil.

What do you think?

This Tea is Good

4/3/09 - Morristown NJ


I sit by my computer, for I have blogs that need writing,
gazing out my window, open – rhythmic smack of fat rain – which gradually eases through intensity and seems to toggle on/off, pattering on rooftop.
Drips fall steadily from far right corner of chimney-top slab, and occasionally from middle or elsewhere.
Far side of valley is nearly obscured through opaque mist; but green field shows brightly, mist makes the layers of depth more evident. The clouds are fantastic!
Red mug filled with green tea perched in immediate foreground, steaming on sill. Interesting how the water vapor of steam and mist are the same element but with different essences... different causation

Now the rain has cleared and I sit half-lotus on mostly dry roof
Birds chirp, warble, chatter, whistle, sing, and call from every direction. A doe grazes through a leaf littered yard. The clouds are more spectacularly defined as the west-side is lit Gold & the east-sides are shades of purple and blue with thin spots showing cream. The main mass moves east-north-east while a lower faster body moves east-south-east. Incense wafts from deep within my room through the open window and makes itself known by floating over my shoulder before it dissolves. I can picture the smoke oozing from the burning cone and forming a long trail that meanders and stretches itself only to flicker from existence at the borders of my perception. eye level with the canopy of 4-story arboretum reveals the first pink and green bus of spring ready to unfurl. As the Sun peaks between clouds, outlining the trees topping western ridge, droplets suspended from branches (bearing only potential leaves, birds, and the afternoon’s water) become thousands of prisms – fluctuating through the spectrum but with a peculiar tendency for gold. A shattered mirror propped up against a neighbor’s garage takes this scene in from 1000 angles, seems to hold the images longer than I can, and reflects the reorganized scenes back... (if only someone was watching...)

The most indigo of skys are coming – this must mean rain tonight.

I sip my tea

Green tea in a red mug

and realize this entire description has played out, reflected from nearly under the surface, of the steamy/misty beverage, shimmering mirror-like literally in front of my nose

I sip
(this tea is good)

Now the trees to the east are silhouettes against blue-pink-orange-purple crayola clouded sky. Later, a vague mist will roll in – contrasting the clarity of before. The first few drops will splat with a dull thud as thunder rumbles distantly and the zen rock chimney-top slab begins its drip.

I like this season

Goldsworthy: Rivers and Tides - Working with Time

Andy Goldsworthy is a British artist who focuses in natural art. Using materials found in the landscape where he builds his pieces, Andy’s art has astounding natural and organic feel. While some if his work has durability, many of his pieces are not meant to last – as nothing ever does. In “Rivers and Tides: working with time” Goldsworthy explores the ebb and flow of time and liquidity of nature.

You can find Rivers and Tides DVD on sale @ Amazon now

“... the film follows the bohemian free spirit Goldsworthy all over the world as he demonstrates and opens up about his unique creative process. From his long-winding rock walls and icicle sculptures to his interlocking leaf chains and multicolored pools of flowers, Goldsworthy’s painstakingly intricate masterpieces are made entirely of materials found in Mother Nature – who threatens and often succeeds in destroying his art, sometimes before it is even finished.”

Follow this link to YouTube to see some Andy Goldsworthy: Rivers and Tides clips

Biomass Generation

I am doing a research project on the possibility of Biomass generators and anaerobic digestors scaled to small and medium sized businesses. I have found lots of information about large scale biomass power generation plants, but the fuel for these is often grown specifically for that purpose. I would like to research a more efficient way to transform organic waste directly into energy with minimal environmental impact.
Does anyone have any information that might be useful to my search? I would appreciate any help I can get.