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Ignore hatred and spread good. Why waste energy reacting to ugliness?

Wiki-Monday: Planned obsolescence

From Wikipedia: Planned obsolescence

Planned obsolescence (also built-in obsolescence in the United Kingdom) is the process of a product becoming obsolete and/or non-functional after a certain period or amount of use, approximately, as planned or designed by the manufacturer. Planned obsolescence has potential benefits for a producer because the product fails and the consumer is under pressure to purchase again, whether from the same manufacturer (the same or newer model), or from a competitor.

For an industry, planned obsolescence stimulates demand by encouraging purchasers to buy again sooner if they still want a functioning product. Built-in obsolescence is in many different products, from vehicles to light bulbs, from buildings to software. There is, however, the potential backlash of consumers who learn that the manufacturer invested money to make the product obsolete faster; such consumers might turn to a producer, if any, which offers a more durable alternative.

Planned obsolescence was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s when mass production had opened every minute aspect of the production process to exacting analysis.

One person can indeed make a difference.

As the field narrows and the three primary candidates jockey for position, an often overlooked series of issues remain open for debate (in my humble opinion).

Whether you consider Obama, Clinton or McCain as the front-runner, who is the candidate where we have heard substantive dialogue on issues such as the environment, lasting peace or leadership.

No doubt the candidates have fired missives at one another over less substantive issues such as experience, fear or labels like, “I’m the real conservative candidate” or “I’m for the middle class.” I might ask that you consider the importance of leadership, lasting peace and the environment on our lives today and that of our children.

Who is standing up and taking on the oil industry and considering true viable alternatives to fossil fuel?

Who is talking about unleashing America’s greatest strength, our ingenuity.

Who is pushing the envelope in an effort to possibly launch new industries and countless new jobs for Americans as we lead this change?

On leadership, how many books have been written and how many examples have we seen that show the true value of those skills, traits and behaviors that help form the foundation of true leadership?

Who from amongst this group is poised to step out from the back and truly tackle this job not from one of a great tactician but the individual that can rally people to the causes so critical for our country and the world?

Who will harness the power and influence the job brings to drive the real change the world seeks?

Also, what about lasting peace? No doubt the candidates have all tried to talk tough about war, security and defending freedom (whatever that means).

But again, who is the one trying to cross borders and form consensus where the dialogue moves from spending countless billions on defense and war with its’ huge impact and suffering on human life while taxing the world’s treasuries?

As most issues in life, there are no easy answers but this should not preclude us from asking the tough questions nor is this some idealistic non-reality.

Recent history shows us people like King, Mandela, Einstein, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and even Bono are simply individual citizens that in turn shaped our world.

For example, the Gates foundation (along with Buffet) has quietly become Africa’s leading provider of critical healthcare donating billions and changing the lives of people on the continent.

Einstein who brought together our thirst for knowledge and the power it can have in creating real change and awareness.

And the list goes on.

So, as the election approaches and we hear the constant drumbeat on nonsense, let us step forward and ask some of these tough questions of the candidates.

One person can indeed make a difference.

Wiki-Monday: Reuse

From Wikipedia: Reuse

Reuse can have financial and environmental benefits, either of which can be the main motivation for it. The financial motivation historically did, and in the developing world still does, lead to very high levels of reuse, but rising wages and consequent consumer demand for the convenience of disposable products made the reuse of low value items such as packaging uneconomic in richer countries, leading to the demise of many reuse schemes. Current environmental awareness is gradually changing attitudes and regulations, such as the new packaging regulations, are gradually beginning to reverse the situation.

Reuse is using an item more than once. This includes conventional reuse where the item is used again for the same function, and new-life reuse where it is used for a new function. In contrast, recycling is the breaking down of the used item into raw materials which are used to make new items.

Wiki-Monday: Sustainability

From Wikipedia: Sustainability

Sustainability is a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely.

The term, in its environmental usage, refers to the potential longevity of vital human ecological support systems, such as the planet's climatic system, systems of agriculture, industry, forestry, and fisheries, and human communities in general and the various systems on which they depend in balance with the impacts of our unsustainable or sustainable design.

In recent years an academic and public discourse has led to this use of the word sustainability in reference to how long human ecological systems can be expected to be usefully productive. In the past, complex human societies have died out, sometimes as a result of their own growth-associated impacts on ecological support systems. The implication is that modern industrial society, which continues to grow in scale and complexity, will also collapse.

The implied preference would be for systems to be productive indefinitely, or be "sustainable." For instance, "sustainable agriculture" would require agricultural systems expected to last indefinitely, "sustainable development" would be development of economic systems that last indefinitely, and so on. A side discourse relates the term sustainability to longevity of natural ecosystems and reserves (set aside for other-than-human species), but the greatest emphasis has been on human systems and anthropogenic problems, such as anthropogenic climate change, or the depletion of fossil fuel reserves.

Peace, Strength, Trust, Warmth and Life

This photo was taken in Brazil; more specifically in the Bahia region of Brazil.

It was early one morning when Keron Psillas, my dear friend and accomplished photographer wanted to get out before the sun got too hot and bright to get some shots of the horses (Lusitanos) for her upcoming book.

I tagged along to help hold some of her equipment and hopefully learn a little about photography. Keron took this shot and of course I didn't even know that she was shooting.

When I look at this picture I feel peaceful and at the same time there is such a strong feeling of strength, trust, warmth and life.

One of Keron's gifts is to involk thought through the layers and texture of the moments that she captures on camara. She is generous, open, bright and fearless; this is what continously comes through in the pictures she takes and the friendship she gives.

Wiki-Monday: Compassion

From Wikipedia: Compassion is an understanding of the emotional state of another. Not to be confused with empathy, compassion is often combined with a desire to alleviate or reduce the suffering of another or to show special kindness to those who suffer. However, compassion may lead an individual to feel empathy with another person.

Wiki-Monday: Recycling

From Wikipedia: Recycling

Recycling is the reprocessing of materials into new products. Recycling generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage, and hence greenhouse gas emissions, compared to virgin production.

Wiki-Monday: Integrity

From Wikipedia: Integrity

Integrity is the basing of one's actions on an internally consistent framework of principles. Depth of principles and adherence of each level to the next are key determining factors. One is said to have integrity to the extent that everything he does and believes is based on the same core set of values. While those values may change, it is their consistency with each other and with the person's actions that determine his integrity.

Happy Holidays!!

TIme to reflect on the past year and all of the hard work we have accomplished in bringing our recycled canvas bags and hats to market. Thank you to everyone that has given us support these past months. Dan and I really appreciate everyone's good wishes and wonderful encouragement. We can't thank you all enough.

I'll be taking a few days off to enjoy a little peace on earth....but I'll continue posting after the holidays. Until next year....