Quote: I've yet to see a convincing argument otherwise, including from the "I help others selflessly" crowd - they do it because the act of helping others makes them happy. If helping others made them miserable, they'd stop.
I worked at a church sponsored food bank for a few years. I filled the role most others didn't want to, the interviewer. I asked existing customers how they were doing, and signed new people up. I asked everyone the same question, "How is it going?" Keep in mind most would have been waiting at least an hour in exchange for $10 worth of food. For some, time is food, not money.
Very often it wasn't going well. I would try and console and offer to pray, which I did many times (I'm a "devout" atheist...). Holding someone hands and pleading for a kid to get off drugs or survive a medical situation, or for the heat to stay on in February, would bring tears to both of our eyes.
Was it fun? No, it was hard, tiring, and depressing. No one "wanted" to interview and it took me a couple of months to both get comfortable doing it and to appreciate it.
What did I get out of it, why did I do it for several years? Because it gave me an incredible sense of humility and a true understanding of what I have in life. And it felt good to, on some minimal level, help someone feel a bit better.
Why did I stop? My wife had twins. We no longer have time to even keep the house very clean.
It wasn't that my parents didn't want me to get arrested, but that I wait to contact them until the next morning. They wanted me to learn the lessons of responsibility (in my dad's case, after the divorce, he was just being lazy, but from my perspective the situation was very similar regardless of parent).
Teenagers are dumb. A simple fact. They say dumb things, they do dumb things, they are dumb (substitute crazy if you would like). If they aren't, then they are probably medicated.
100% of the group I was in went on to be successful. And we had some good times and have plenty of private stories no one else will ever know about.
And in the end that is what matters.
Of course I wouldn't want to be a teenager in this day, what with the police state and all...
Well spoke. In high school I had carte blache to do as I wanted during the evenings and weekends as long as I got straight As in school and, if arrested, waited until the morning to call (never happened).
At the same time a close friend of mine was prevented from doing just about anything because "you need to learn responsibility."
One night, at dinner at his house, I asked his parents: "How can he learn responsibility if he isn't allowed to do anything?"
They took it well and from that point on he was able to go to the crazy parties and do the things our parents never wanted us to do... He never got arrested either.
If 5% opted out the system could come to a halt. I always ask to be manually searched and they also search my bag (large foot powder, I wear the finger shoes, they drug test it...).
Never submit to the machines. Make the people work.
And if they get close to your junk just say "Oh yeah" or groan a little. The search goes much more quickly after that.
I'm a guy by the way, I can understand a woman not wanting to do this, but they can ask for a woman to do the frisking, then it's game on.
In my mind there is nothing more incredible that the "super-macro evolution" that transformed the Earth from a dead, stormy rock into the wealth of life it is now. Terraforming at it's greatest, except it's not science fiction.
Grey has become green. Cold stone is now inhabited by millions of species. Species development (starting with phytoplankton which released oxygen to create the atmosphere) developed the planet which changed the available survival resources over time.
Word World and Sesame Street is all my kids get to watch other than an occasional Disney/Pixar movie. And no more than 2 hours a day (1 Street with breakfast, 2 World Worlds in the afternoon/evening).
Only 2.75 years old (twins), they are talking well and can read about 20 words. I also drill them on words (which they enjoy) using sets of letters or a drawing board.
Word World is very effective, over and over on the show they spell things and sound out letters and words. The Street does a bit of the same but has fun stories and more social interaction examples (diversity).
95% of children's TV is pure crap, never to enter my children's retinas.
And if one of them gets pushy about watching more, it's a timeout. Takes care of that right quick.
Oh, I learned to read from the Street as well. I fondly remember the silhouettes of people's facing sounding out words as they came together. Awesome.
I camp at a place that has pit/vault toilets, there's a several feet deep concrete circle that someone empties out occasionally (one of the worst jobs in the world if you ask me, the guy wears a full body plastic suit and a respirator).
I was thinking "venting" at the bottom (to the outside) with a screen of some sort, then a couple of feet of sand. This is the urine path.
Then a fine mesh layer on top of the sand and some arranged organic material with microbes to get things going.
How much use is necessary to keep it functional? What happens during the winter, it's cold and usage may drop to zero for months at a time?
Pros: 1. Less need for cleaning. 2. Creates compost, probably acceptable for straw fields for cow feed.
Cons, big ones 1. Cleaning it, how to separate compost from recent "droppings". 2. Is the urine an issue, into the ground, maybe 7-10 feet down? 3. What if the vent seals up and the urine collects? Nasty.
That's why I call the two party politicians Republicrats, they are basically one and the same (using moral issues to differentiate themselves, which shouldn't be part of politics in the first place). All are pro-big business, pro-war, and pro-deficit.
I'm voting Ron Paul in 2012 (write in candidate). I know he won't win, but it's about principal. I may not agree with everything he does, but he's for the Constitution, something other politicians seem to use as toilet paper.
You burn the Constitution and nobody cares. But burn a flag and "patriotism" spouts forth.
Both are highly rated on Amazon with a good number of reviews. I can't say which is better (tumbler seems easier and faster for finished product) but I've read that tumblers are faster, 6-10 weeks. If you fill all 6 cubic feet then that's three free bags of very good fertilizer.
And make sure your compost is exposed to the sun, much faster.
And keep it away from fences, I purchased a home that had a compost heap in the corner (shaded). It ate right through the fence after a couple of years (with leaves and yard waste as the only source material).
Start composting if you aren’t already, free fertilizer and less organic trash. Composters aren’t too expensive, or you could make one. Google knows how.
Look into companion planting, where two or more plants share space and assist one and other through things such as putting nitrogen in the soil.
There are also a lot of great books. I’d recommend Square Foot Gardening for low space high output gardening that is pretty easy to setup. Even if you have high quality soil already I would recommend the soil and treatments that are in the book for best results. Compost can take over after the initial setup.
I have to correct your use of “conventional yields” because the “Green Revolution” saw the introduction of agrochemicals, man made NPK used to increase food yields (along with pesticides and herbicides). This only started a few decades ago.
“Conventional” farming has always been the norm through human history and was organic.
Unless you believe that we can produce infinite amounts of chemical based fertilizer for the rest of time then one has to conclude that a return to organic farming will be forced against us at some point.
As well, the farming revolution was and still is completely dependent on fossil fuels. Again, unless you think they are infinite at some point mechanization and automation will be reduced drastically.
I would say any assumption based on infinite is critically flawed.
The actual issue is population. There are just too many people. We aren’t a rational species, so eventually traditional population controls will resolve the issue. Those are war, famine, and disease.
Humans have a propensity to convert the biosphere to their needs. Just as the rain forests in Brazil are being cut down for human needs, the forests of the US plains have already been decimated for the purpose of food production.
Anyway, just wanted to highlight what “conventional” farming is.
I'm not forgetting that. I know their profit margin on the iPhone is close to 50% which is incredible (something like 35% on the iPad).
Maybe Apple believes it gets higher quality and faster production at a substantially lower price than they would in the US?
Otherwise, why wouldn't they assemble here in the States?
I'm very happy that Chinese working conditions have been in the news (not happy about the conditions themselves). You have to realize these conditions have been their condition for some time, so what is happening represents a change to the status quo for the betterment of people.
You can't blame Apple for manufacturing and assembling in Asia, pretty much all technology companies do it and have been for quite some time. But stories like this highlight the problem and should result in at some temporary action that improves worker's lives/conditions.
At least one can hope that is the case. In the long run, I'm not optimistic.
Your inaction will not change the situation. It's not about inaction, it is about action, specifically a decision. People can usually choose the phone they purchase.
I understand company phones, you can't do much about what they give you (I'm sure you have had a Blackberry at some point...); but you could probably influence gifting (my family and friends would certainly screen such a choice with me prior to giving it to me).
For the record I have an iPhone 4 that I paid for. And I like it and will only upgrade when it eventually breaks.
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Quote: I've yet to see a convincing argument otherwise, including from the "I help others selflessly" crowd - they do it because the act of helping others makes them happy. If helping others made them miserable, they'd stop.
I worked at a church sponsored food bank for a few years. I filled the role most others didn't want to, the interviewer. I asked existing customers how they were doing, and signed new people up. I asked everyone the same question, "How is it going?" Keep in mind most would have been waiting at least an hour in exchange for $10 worth of food. For some, time is food, not money.
Very often it wasn't going well. I would try and console and offer to pray, which I did many times (I'm a "devout" atheist...). Holding someone hands and pleading for a kid to get off drugs or survive a medical situation, or for the heat to stay on in February, would bring tears to both of our eyes.
Was it fun? No, it was hard, tiring, and depressing. No one "wanted" to interview and it took me a couple of months to both get comfortable doing it and to appreciate it.
What did I get out of it, why did I do it for several years? Because it gave me an incredible sense of humility and a true understanding of what I have in life. And it felt good to, on some minimal level, help someone feel a bit better.
Why did I stop? My wife had twins. We no longer have time to even keep the house very clean.
It wasn't that my parents didn't want me to get arrested, but that I wait to contact them until the next morning. They wanted me to learn the lessons of responsibility (in my dad's case, after the divorce, he was just being lazy, but from my perspective the situation was very similar regardless of parent).
Teenagers are dumb. A simple fact. They say dumb things, they do dumb things, they are dumb (substitute crazy if you would like). If they aren't, then they are probably medicated.
100% of the group I was in went on to be successful. And we had some good times and have plenty of private stories no one else will ever know about.
And in the end that is what matters.
Of course I wouldn't want to be a teenager in this day, what with the police state and all...
Well spoke. In high school I had carte blache to do as I wanted during the evenings and weekends as long as I got straight As in school and, if arrested, waited until the morning to call (never happened).
At the same time a close friend of mine was prevented from doing just about anything because "you need to learn responsibility."
One night, at dinner at his house, I asked his parents: "How can he learn responsibility if he isn't allowed to do anything?"
They took it well and from that point on he was able to go to the crazy parties and do the things our parents never wanted us to do... He never got arrested either.
I meant "would come to a halt", not could.
And I'm seriously considering removing my pants next time I pass through airport security. Just boxers.
If 5% opted out the system could come to a halt. I always ask to be manually searched and they also search my bag (large foot powder, I wear the finger shoes, they drug test it...).
Never submit to the machines. Make the people work.
And if they get close to your junk just say "Oh yeah" or groan a little. The search goes much more quickly after that.
I'm a guy by the way, I can understand a woman not wanting to do this, but they can ask for a woman to do the frisking, then it's game on.
In my mind there is nothing more incredible that the "super-macro evolution" that transformed the Earth from a dead, stormy rock into the wealth of life it is now. Terraforming at it's greatest, except it's not science fiction.
Grey has become green. Cold stone is now inhabited by millions of species. Species development (starting with phytoplankton which released oxygen to create the atmosphere) developed the planet which changed the available survival resources over time.
What do you enjoy most about evolution?
since I've cared about what he has to say.
Consider this scenario from 1990 to 2005. You probably wouldn't have had a phone or e-mail at the beginning of that period. Or internet.
Considering the future is interesting, all ideas are welcome (except flying cars, he didn't mention the massive worldwide oil shortages either...).
Word World and Sesame Street is all my kids get to watch other than an occasional Disney/Pixar movie. And no more than 2 hours a day (1 Street with breakfast, 2 World Worlds in the afternoon/evening).
Only 2.75 years old (twins), they are talking well and can read about 20 words. I also drill them on words (which they enjoy) using sets of letters or a drawing board.
Word World is very effective, over and over on the show they spell things and sound out letters and words. The Street does a bit of the same but has fun stories and more social interaction examples (diversity).
95% of children's TV is pure crap, never to enter my children's retinas.
And if one of them gets pushy about watching more, it's a timeout. Takes care of that right quick.
Oh, I learned to read from the Street as well. I fondly remember the silhouettes of people's facing sounding out words as they came together. Awesome.
How much rocket propellant would it take to put an astronaut into a good entry path and at a speed of maybe 1,000 mph?
I ask because I'm lazy and watching the kids.
Oh, the robots can climb trees, there's an Instructable for that;
http://www.instructables.com/id/Tree-Climbing-Robot/
Soylent Google I believe.
I camp at a place that has pit/vault toilets, there's a several feet deep concrete circle that someone empties out occasionally (one of the worst jobs in the world if you ask me, the guy wears a full body plastic suit and a respirator).
I was thinking "venting" at the bottom (to the outside) with a screen of some sort, then a couple of feet of sand. This is the urine path.
Then a fine mesh layer on top of the sand and some arranged organic material with microbes to get things going.
How much use is necessary to keep it functional? What happens during the winter, it's cold and usage may drop to zero for months at a time?
Pros:
1. Less need for cleaning.
2. Creates compost, probably acceptable for straw fields for cow feed.
Cons, big ones
1. Cleaning it, how to separate compost from recent "droppings".
2. Is the urine an issue, into the ground, maybe 7-10 feet down?
3. What if the vent seals up and the urine collects? Nasty.
I like the way you think.
Your signature is probably more likely to get you put on a list. But it is a good one, he's the candidate I'm going to write in come November.
Wish I had points to mod you up, you are correct.
It's interesting that no news source has provided such a response, playing up fear instead (which is probably the point).
Well played.
Carriers are effective at controlling large areas of ocean.
The Straits of Hormuz, not so much.
That's why I call the two party politicians Republicrats, they are basically one and the same (using moral issues to differentiate themselves, which shouldn't be part of politics in the first place). All are pro-big business, pro-war, and pro-deficit.
I'm voting Ron Paul in 2012 (write in candidate). I know he won't win, but it's about principal. I may not agree with everything he does, but he's for the Constitution, something other politicians seem to use as toilet paper.
You burn the Constitution and nobody cares. But burn a flag and "patriotism" spouts forth.
Which is more important in the long run?
For more efficient composting check out some of the barrel or tumbler options.
Tumbler:
http://www.amazon.com/Woodland-Direct-Tumbling-Composter/dp/B004ZG45P6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347222366&sr=8-2&keywords=composter
Barrel:
http://www.amazon.com/Soilsaver-Classic-Composter/dp/B003959G9Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1347222366&sr=8-3&keywords=composter
Both are highly rated on Amazon with a good number of reviews. I can't say which is better (tumbler seems easier and faster for finished product) but I've read that tumblers are faster, 6-10 weeks. If you fill all 6 cubic feet then that's three free bags of very good fertilizer.
And make sure your compost is exposed to the sun, much faster.
And keep it away from fences, I purchased a home that had a compost heap in the corner (shaded). It ate right through the fence after a couple of years (with leaves and yard waste as the only source material).
Start composting if you aren’t already, free fertilizer and less organic trash. Composters aren’t too expensive, or you could make one. Google knows how.
Look into companion planting, where two or more plants share space and assist one and other through things such as putting nitrogen in the soil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting
There are also a lot of great books. I’d recommend Square Foot Gardening for low space high output gardening that is pretty easy to setup. Even if you have high quality soil already I would recommend the soil and treatments that are in the book for best results. Compost can take over after the initial setup.
http://www.amazon.com/All-New-Square-Foot-Gardening/dp/1591862027
I have to correct your use of “conventional yields” because the “Green Revolution” saw the introduction of agrochemicals, man made NPK used to increase food yields (along with pesticides and herbicides). This only started a few decades ago.
“Conventional” farming has always been the norm through human history and was organic.
Unless you believe that we can produce infinite amounts of chemical based fertilizer for the rest of time then one has to conclude that a return to organic farming will be forced against us at some point.
As well, the farming revolution was and still is completely dependent on fossil fuels. Again, unless you think they are infinite at some point mechanization and automation will be reduced drastically.
I would say any assumption based on infinite is critically flawed.
The actual issue is population. There are just too many people. We aren’t a rational species, so eventually traditional population controls will resolve the issue. Those are war, famine, and disease.
Humans have a propensity to convert the biosphere to their needs. Just as the rain forests in Brazil are being cut down for human needs, the forests of the US plains have already been decimated for the purpose of food production.
Anyway, just wanted to highlight what “conventional” farming is.
True, but defense lawyers are almost always forbidden from mentioning it and the court guidelines potential jurors receive will never mention it.
I'd love to see a lot more jury nullification, especially with regards to low level drug crimes (although those usually never see a courtroom).
I'm not forgetting that. I know their profit margin on the iPhone is close to 50% which is incredible (something like 35% on the iPad).
Maybe Apple believes it gets higher quality and faster production at a substantially lower price than they would in the US?
Otherwise, why wouldn't they assemble here in the States?
I'm very happy that Chinese working conditions have been in the news (not happy about the conditions themselves). You have to realize these conditions have been their condition for some time, so what is happening represents a change to the status quo for the betterment of people.
You can't blame Apple for manufacturing and assembling in Asia, pretty much all technology companies do it and have been for quite some time. But stories like this highlight the problem and should result in at some temporary action that improves worker's lives/conditions.
At least one can hope that is the case. In the long run, I'm not optimistic.
Your inaction will not change the situation. It's not about inaction, it is about action, specifically a decision. People can usually choose the phone they purchase. I understand company phones, you can't do much about what they give you (I'm sure you have had a Blackberry at some point...); but you could probably influence gifting (my family and friends would certainly screen such a choice with me prior to giving it to me). For the record I have an iPhone 4 that I paid for. And I like it and will only upgrade when it eventually breaks.
Different countries have different labor situations. Protest with your wallet, or lack thereof.