The Glow makes Everything Look Blue

The Glow makes Everything Look Blue

zellal

[	website	\|	My Website	]
[	userinfo	\|	livejournal userinfo	]
[	archive	\|	journal archive	]

Thoughts on feminism	[Dec. 6th, 2009\|01:32 pm]
Man, am I glad I'm a woman, or else I'd sound totally sexist in this rant. So I'm taking a women's studies class, and there are a number of things that we discuss that are just bullshit. We saw a movie about women artists, and they drew a lot of naked women. At the end of the film, the teacher asked, "if aliens came to earth and they saw these images, and if they then saw a playboy, what would they think?" A few people raised their hands and said that if the aliens saw the paintings, they would think that women are worshiped on earth, and if they saw the playboy, they would assume that they are objectified. Excuse me, they are BOTH images of naked women. Either they both objectify women, or they both represent worship of the human form, and I am inclined towards the latter. We have criticized the burka, for the burka hides women, and it supposedly justifies rape. (The thought being that men can't control their penises, and if they were to see an ankle they would have to jump the broad.) Many say that women should expose themselves, but then freak when they see a nipple, declaring it objectification. Also of note is porn--some say it has a disproportionate amount of men taking over women, and it objectifies them. Some say that women don't want to do it, but they don't have any other choice. First, let me say that my body is, in fact, an object with which one can have sex, thus a sex object. BFD--it doesn't mean that I'm not smart, nor that I am. Looking at a naked person and appreciating their beauty is like doing the same to a shiny car--it doesn't mean the car runs well or is reliable, it just means that you are appreciating the car and the person for one of their aspects. Then, it's worth saying that yes, many, many porn stars and strippers love their job. If you wish to discuss sex slavery, that is obviously bad, and that is not even passingly similar. And, for those women who "don't have any other choice"--I have a hard time believing that, I really, really do. But if they don't have any choice, then they would certainly not want their one choice for work taken away from them. Even saying that they don't want to strip, but they have to for money, is stupid. Fuck, I don't want to write, or flip burgers, or study, or design, I don't want to WORK, but I HAVE TO for MONEY. Nearly EVERYONE does. Remember, I AM a feminist, and you should be too. I just don't think that attacking women who expose their body is a good way to express it.
Link	Leave a comment

Is our love for nature at odds with our ability to help it?	[Nov. 11th, 2009\|01:06 pm]
Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet. That's the motto of the Sierra Club. But when SUV's were first introduced to mainstream consumption, the Sierra club included them in their magazine, and wrote nothing bad of them. This is because so many Sierra Club members loved using their big SUVs, full of equipment, to go off-roading and camping with their "outdoors" cars. Eventually the Sierra Club hopped the metaphorical bandwagon and published a statement of un-support for SUVs for what they do to the environment. This raises a question: Is admiration for nature and the desire to experience it, bad for nature? There is an obvious reason that supports the other side of the argument: The writings of John Muir, who incidentally also founded the Sierra Club. When Muir visited nature, he appreciated it so much, and wrote about it's beauty so passionately, that if not for his writing style and dedication and petitioning, Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks would not be established and protected. Aside from the establishment of parks and the general respect of nature that outdoor recreation has inspired, protecting the wilderness is not that simple. For example, White nose syndrome is a fungus that has killed over a million bats in the United States. For those of us who forgot biology class, when a large portion of a member of a food web dies, it can screw up the rest of the food web pretty bad, and many regions that depended on bats to keep insects populations down are faced with swarms of produce-eating bugs. This phenomenon started on the East Coast, but there has been some incident here on the West Coast as well. How did the syndrome get here from there? Migrational patterns? Carbon Footprints? Forgetting to recycle? Nope, it's cavers who transmit the disease on their clothes when they cave around the country. This past weekend I went UCSC, a school spread out in the forest. The students here appear to have a great admiration for the forest in which they live, and the idea of living deep in nature is likely some of the inspiration for the plethora of green, sustainable, and environmentally based clubs, classes, and protests that coat the walls and trees in fliers. However, spreading buildings out over large expanses of land is worse for the environment than simply keeping contained within a city. That's one reason why Manhattan is the most sustainable per-person city in the world. We'd all be better off living in those icons of industrial civilization, skyscrapers, than a log cabin in the wild. Hikers degrade trails by treading on switchbacks, campers encroach upon wild animals homes, cavers wear down stalagtites and stalagmites. I have no plans to discontinue going outdoors. I'm just pointing out yet another paradox with which we live.
Link	Leave a comment

Really dumb things I've heard people say	[Nov. 10th, 2009\|06:53 pm]
Soooo annoying. These are actual things I've heard people say on campus. -"I love college, I think I'll take 5 years instead of 4." --Individual on financial aid. (incidentally, also my old roommate. PS, I moved.) -"Why that guy runnin' so fast, he steal somethin'?" -Teacher: "You can't do stem cell research on aborted fetuses." Student: "Yeah but a sin's a sin!" -"She said I's inconsiderate. Like...I know what that means, really I know what that means, like." -"Wait, so animals are either boy or girl?" -"What's a chordate?" -biology major -"What's 'non-demoninational'?" --a non-denominational Christian -"What's Catholicism?"--a Catholic -"What's an icthys?" --person with an icthys tattoo -"A black panther is a fierce species, I think they're related to leopards." --individual with a black panther tattoo Feel free to add any of your own.
Link	2 comments\|Leave a comment

How to be happy!	[Sep. 27th, 2009\|08:49 pm]
Here's something I think everyone would want to read. I'm not a psychologist, but I have found some great ways to make yourself happier. 1. Someone very famous (Ghandi maybe?) once said something along these lines: "There is true happiness, but not if you attach it to people or things. You can only be happy if attached to a goal." Someone else once said "happiness is empty if not shared." I'd say there's truth in both--people and things will come and go and you can't change that. Even the things and even the people that you think you can't live without, you can. Your computer, your ipod, your phone, your boyfriend, your best friend. It applies to everything However, there will always be other people to share your happiness with, and even if you are chained to no one, you will always be connected to someone. And for me...I LOVE pursuit and goals! Do you? 2. Be positive and be thankful! Look outside right now--isn't it nice out? Is the sun illuminating the world with gold, or is the sky overcast, lending a serene pallet to the landscape? If you miss something, look for something here that you would miss. The lake you used to ski may be gone, but the snowy hills may be perfect for snow-skiing. It might be challenging to be positive when we live in a world where complaining is so popular--how often have you heard someone tell you about how good their day has been, or how much they love their job? 3. Get rid of the things that make you unhappy. In the movie "The Orphan," the main character keeps white roses in remembrance of her miscarriage. Right in her house. TERRIBLE idea. I understand the idea of paying respects, but it is not a good idea to purposefully remind yourself daily of a painful part of your past. We have graveyards for a reason, but if you want to remember someone or something, keep a memory of a good time you had together. However, this could also be bad if you find yourself regretting that you no longer can achieve that good time. A more common and contemporary idea: Although facebook is for stalking your exes, if looking at their status updates gives you a pang of regret and confusion, take them off your news feed. The same goes for ex-friends. 4. There's nothing wrong with synthetic happiness! http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy.html You think you got the short end of a deal? think again! 5. Find out what makes you happy, and do it! This requires little soul-searching, but verbalize what actually makes you happy, so you know. Write it down, even--leave 'em in the comments! You'll be surprised that you may not even know how to answer. Examples could be hobbies (running, knitting, writing?), concepts (microbiology, latin roots, architecture?), vague things (impressing people, insanity, love), specific things (when people compliment your wardrobe, creating a truly unique sculpture, being kissed on the neck), or even really weird things (...goregasm?). 6. Do more than the minimum! Another famous quote: "He who loves his job will never work a day." Those are in the same category for a reason. If a teacher asks you to write an essay, don't just put it on your list of things to do/bullshit/stress about. Look at it as an opportunity to truly become knowledgeable about a subject, talk about it with your friends, and get waist-deep in it. Plus, you'll definitely do better at it. Oh, and this applies to many things. If you're with some people you don't know, say you're waiting for a job interview, and you're tired and you just want to leave, you may just look at your phone and be silent. A better idea would be to be enthusiastic and talk to them. 7. Make other people happy! :)
Link	Leave a comment

Create an Ungulate	[Sep. 17th, 2009\|11:15 pm]
http://sj-ep.deviantart.com/art/Create-an-Ungulate-v-01-137068828 I want you all to do this. :3
Link	1 comment\|Leave a comment

Things I have envisioned doing to my roommates that I am kept from doing only by the hope that I can	[Sep. 14th, 2009\|12:04 am]
change rooms tomorrow and by the fact that I know the potency of accruing enemies: Stinkbomb! Unleashed a tonsil-attacking virus so that they can't talk anymore ...called the RA locked them out by putting a chair in front of the door Somehow disabling their TV from being able to be super-loud. Why have it on full blast when you're just going to talk over it anyway? Oh, maybe just in case they magically gain the ability to use their inside voice and need encouragement to talk several decibels over anything else in earshot, they will have the insanely loud TV to talk over. Turning on my radio as loud as I can in the morning so that they will be pissed off at their inability to sleep during screaming-sirens, and understand that, GASP NEITHER CAN I. These things I have been REALLY tempted to do. They are LITERALLY having a screaming contest right now. I'd really hate to be the kind of person who complains about roommates, but I better get that GODDAMN transfer tomorrow, or a certain group of caricatures WILL be getting one of those. ...the RA one.
Link	2 comments\|Leave a comment

Misconception Time: Words	[Sep. 2nd, 2009\|10:27 pm]
Here are some words that I have heard people misusing. Some of these are very important to know, not just for speaking correctly but because many people misunderstand what these words mean and then misjudge people. Confucius say "If you don't understand words, you won't understand people." Feminist Doesn't mean: Someone who thinks women are better than men, or hates men. Does mean: Someone who believes in equality for men and women. Unique Doesn't mean: rare Does mean: Completely one-of-a-kind Pansexual Doesn't mean: Wants to fuck everything Does mean: someone who doesn't care about gender when choosing a partner Atheist Doesn't mean: Someone who doesn't believe in anything, someone who doesn't believe in anything superstitious Does mean: Someone who doesn't believe in gods. Agnostic Doesn't mean: I've heard so many wrong definitions of this. Some say it means that you believe in gods but not other superstitions and dogma. Does mean: Doesn't know if there are gods and/or doesn't think it is possible to know if there are gods. Most atheists acknowledge that they are agnostic in theory, but atheist in practice. These definitions are not "according to /my/ definitions." :P They are referenced from actual the actual dictionary and shortened. An interesting thing about words is that, as strange as it sounds, if you misuse them enough, they actually become correct words. They'll often become slang first, like the word "bug"--ants are not bugs, they are insects, but it is technically ok to call them bugs. Try not to misuse words though, until then it can cause a lot of confusion. Any other ones you want to throw in? P.S. If the word "scream" and the word "shriek" had a baby, and that baby grew up and went on steroids, and then you gave that extremely loud, muscly concept an impossibly large megaphone, then the decibels achieved by that otherworldly sound projected into the poor wind would accurately describe my roommates' voices when they get even moderately excited.
Link	2 comments\|Leave a comment

WHAT IS THIS	[Aug. 25th, 2009\|09:00 pm]
The first night that I spend in the dorm, my roommate asked me "So, how do you feel dorming with three black girls?" Uhhhhhhh how do you respond to that? "Goooooooood...?" And then she asked me again when we were all sitting together in the cafeteria. She warned me that black girls are loud. Dude, I didn't realize that meant parties EVERY NIGHT. And even when these particular individuals, my roomies, aren't partying, they SEEM TO THINK THAT THE PERSON IN THE LIVING ROOM TO WHOM THEY ARE SPEAKING IS DEAF. If I can hear your entire conversation from my room, the person sitting next to you might be dying of exploded eardrums. Also, I'd think that there would be some sort of rotation, since there are 10 people in the living room every night...shouldn't they be in there only one in 10 nights? What about the common room downstairs? Or the Community center? Anyway, my roomie understands tho, says she feels bad that I'm not included. I think she means that I don't feel confortable attending an all-black party. I suppose there's some veracity to that, but I'm not really into the "fun is defined by mass of people" scene anyway, so I don't care to make an effort. You know I'm really only into events that have substance. And maybe substances. Preferably both. Anyway, my roommate suggested moving. I think I'm into that; it seems like a better idea than the previously deviated plan of leaving some fish in the livingroom to get 'em to leave.
Link	2 comments\|Leave a comment

(no subject)	[Jul. 21st, 2009\|11:49 pm]
Many of us have a strange interest in trying to do good for the world, but we overlook a vast and crucial aspect of our regular lives that can impact the world considerably. This is Ethical Consumerism. When attempting to be an ethical consumer, one should be concerned with: -Human Rights. Although sweatshops are often not the hell-houses they are made out to be and workers are often even glad to have a job, there are many other companies for you to support that are much nicer to their employees. -Animal Rights. I know that PETA has a reputation for being crazy and over-the top, but that doesn't mean everything they say is wrong. Vegetarianism, for one, doesn't just help animals, but it helps the environment a whole shitton. Even if you don't think you can go veg, try minimizing meat for a while. Fur, as well, is bad for animals, but it can be argued that it is good for the environment. -Environment. One of the best things you can do for this is cut down your consumption entirely. Check out www.storyofstuff.com. However you should know that recycling doesn't work very well, with the exception of aluminum. That's why the first two R's are REDUCE and REUSE, before RECYCLE. (One of the R's, RETHINK has been dropped from the term, but it's still a good thing to do.) -Politcal Ethics. Human rights, for some reason, have been starting to be considered political issues, and bigotry is actually considered "just a viewpoint." So, don't support organizations that support crappy political opinions. -Product sustainability. This means no ivory (as way too many elephants are killed for it) and alternative fuel sources. However, we have yet to invent any fuel sources that work. -Locality. Although this is something of a tribalist notion, I think, the idea is to shop locally. It is always good to support small businesses, though, and I guarantee Starbucks will do just fine without you. Don't drink coffee at all though if you can help it, it stains your teeth, will rob you blind, is full of calories and chemicals.) The Hit List: Costco (Great to their employees) World of Good (people-, eco-, and animal-friendly) Freecycle.org, freemarkets, craigslist (lots of free things, good for the environment.) MyGayGo (an application that you can install on your iphone that gives 33% of the profits to LGBT charities and tells you which local businesses support gay rights, this which ones you should patronize.) PG&E (Here we don't really have a choice, but PG&E has made it abundantly clear that they support marriage equality to the fullest.) A huge giant list of gay-friendly companies: http://www.hrc.org/buyersguide2009/ Cafe Gratitude (very expensive, but this cafe is ethical in every single way.) 30644. Program that into your phone under the name "Fish sustainability." Next time you order fish, text that number with the name of the fish and they will respond letting you know if it's sustainable or not. The Shit List: Monster (Owned by a bigot. Also that stuff is terrible for you, stay away from it.) Nike (employs sweat-shop workers.) Walmart Home Depot Boyscouts/Girlscouts. (Scouting for All would be the alternatives. Boyscouts especially promote gender stereotypes, homophobia, and rejection of atheists and agnostics. The individual troops may not be as bad, but it's better not to support them anyway.) Bullfighting I really haven't even began to touch on the multitude of companies and concerns of ethical consumption, but there's a start. Any thoughts?
Link	Leave a comment

Travel Adventures III	[Jul. 11th, 2009\|10:35 pm]
One thing that I could probably see myself doing for an inapropriate amount of time is riding on the train through Europe and listening to music. I was riding through Barcelona to Granada and it the country was surprising in its beauty. Hills and buildings, people and trails, rabbits and fields. I saw one woman walking in high heels down a long dusty trail. Why was she doing that in the heat? Since many of the old buildings were made of stone and not steel or wood, they have lasted since abandonment and I love urban decay. There was a young man running through a dusty landscape bathed by a sun at a dramatic angle. I wondered if he appreciated having such a vibrant place to run, or if he wondered what it was like to suburbs. What I like most about traveling is the ability to see into people's lives just long enough to get an idea, but not long enough to get attached.
Link	Leave a comment

The Newness Rents	[Jun. 26th, 2009\|04:01 pm]
I could not for the life of me think of a better title for this. ____________ Consider verdance vying through the fence, And, homeward bound ye misbegotten malcontents Seek new, fresh fairness from the earth (which from the soul the newness rents.) And grasp desire for a nature's clarity While natives and the climate greet with sincerity A challenge of the lunar light and merc'less night. What bold (mistake) to hold moonlit temerity! Wander through to find and make your frozen bed, While through the ice chip for stone on which to lay your head. Air, clad in ice so strong may steal your breath, And lo, you sleep, blue-skinned amongst the dead.
Link	Leave a comment

Oh Herro Prease!	[Jun. 20th, 2009\|02:19 pm]
Greetings, readers! (All…six of you…) So I have a lot of ideas of things to write about, but in the interest of the public (and due to the fact that I am too ADD to stick to one subject) I am wondering if there’s anything that y’all would like to learn about. Here are some of the general (GENERAL) themes of articles that I’ve already started working on: Robots Fur Shame Transsexuals The Bible Fiction Danger Which one would you want to learn about most?
Link	Leave a comment

A Grey Distance, Part II	[Jun. 19th, 2009\|09:39 pm]
It’s ineffable, how seriously I despise them, and I latch to each of Eleven’s words as he describes the ones who put us here. Of course he’s very cryptic or else they would know the uprising that he’s planning, and thus even we have a hard time understanding his random whispers and awkward gestures. I’m not even sure that everyone’s in on it, but I’ve gathered a physical description of our imprisoners from Eleven, and he has whispered many times that the means of our salvation will be presented to us “without question.” Eleven told me how I would recognize them. They would be tall men with dark skin wearing green, red and yellow. I think I remember red and green but yellow entirely escapes me. Many other secrets he has shared with us I can’t share with you, but I know that he is the Massiah, and he has promised us justice. If not him, then whom?
Link	Leave a comment

A Grey Distance, Part I	[Jun. 17th, 2009\|10:21 pm]
I must’ve killed them a thousand times in my mind. When I had trouble sleeping I would try to think of new, creative and horrible ways to kill them, twisting their limbs off and splattering their brains against the wall. And I always had trouble sleeping. Oh, first I would ask them so many questions. I wrote a list on the wall, and I rack my brain for the answers. What could they say?: 1. Why? 2. Who sent you? 3. Are there others? 4. Any last words? There are twelve of us, and we are to call each other by our numbers, I am Two. Eleven is kind, the gentle prophet of justice. He never talks of revenge or violence, that is petty. Instead we hail a future full of deserved justice where the underdogs discover an unsung strength and conquer the oppressors. Someone, I think they were an even number, once asked how we know that we are not the evil ones. I wanted to punch her. I’m not evil because I know I’m not evil. I was not born that way and I try to do what’s best. There are two types of people, there’s us and there’s them, and if I were evil I would be with them and I wouldn’t be pondering this because evil people do not think or care about their evil status. When you’re in here, you know everyone like you know your spouse. I assume you’d know your spouse very well; I wouldn’t know from experience. But I find it weird because you’re supposed to love your spouse, but (although I know everyone has flaws) through getting to know these people, I have started to hate them all. Even Three. Originally I felt very fortunate to know someone like Three, with such common interests as I here, and he seemed almost perfect. Sure he snored a little at night, but with all his insight I was glad he was here. And could I blame him for snoring? As time went on it was clear that I could—and did—blame everyone for everything. I began cursing to myself, that really, Three should do something about that snoring, and Six is always making assumptions about my background because of the way I look. Four is so obsessed with her looks, she’s obviously doing it to make other people feel bad. Twelve is so ugly, and I'm the only one here that understands the urgency of the matter of escape. I’m really starting to think that the more you know a person, the more you hate them.
Link	Leave a comment

The List!	[Jun. 16th, 2009\|09:45 pm]
This isn't that list that I may have referred to recently, but better--This is the list of things that we could do for social events. Let me know if you have any ideas eh? Also this is only a list of things that I haven't done, there are many more cool things that I have done that are not listed. Bay Area 1. Caving 2. Monthly Freemarket in Dalores Park, Oakland 3. The three small museums in SF (LGBT, comic book, Asian Art) 4. Raging Waters 5. Tubing on the American River 6. Ghost towns 7. Golfland (minigolf) 8. Water world Los Angeles 1. Necromance 2. Natural History Museum 3. Skirball Museum 4. Griffith Park 5. Kayak (with Outdoor Adventures or the USU at CSUN. Because no way am I paying full price for that.) 6. Discovery Museum 7. Paint Dancing 8. Audiences Unlimited 9. The San Diego Zoo/ Wild Animal Park 10. Hike to the Hollywood Sign 11. Six flags (and I have four free tix right now) 12. Go to Rosalita in Mexico (they allegedly have bamf street vendors) 13. Shooting range (this is just a few blocks from CSUN) 14. Really Really Free Market 15. Budweiser Factory (I think I gotta be older tho) 16. Los Angeles Zoo 17. Visit the buddhist worship service (also only a few blocks from CSUN) 18. Camarillo Yoga on the Rocks (Hike and then yoga) 19. Sepulveda Wildlife Basin 20. The Exotic Feline Breeding Facility ($5) Wherever 1. Visit/volunteer at a jail 2. Rocky Horror 3. Construction site, nocturnally Yeah, lemme know if you want to do any of these things and are in the correct geographical location!
Link	Leave a comment

Two-Lifers, 2089	[Jun. 12th, 2009\|02:58 pm]
There is a group of mythical animal that has long since been forgotten as man has never held them in the sort of grand esteem that he holds in dragons and unicorns. These animals are peculiar, half fish and half reptile, and I often wonder what it would have been like to see one of these in reality. The stories often involve these animals being plentiful, but still an uncommon site due to their elusive nature. Usually they lived in or near ponds and other water sources, as they spent the first half of their lives in water. They would then, miraculously, sprout legs and become land-animals, returning to the water to keep themselves wet and, of course, to lay their eggs. These animals varied greatly; some had wide faces and fast tongues for catching insects (imagine their use today!), and some were long and slimy. They are sometimes seen in cultural illustrations with big eyes and astonishing bright and strange colors, from black and yellow to all the colors of the rainbow. The trademark of these creatures is their skin. It is said that they don’t drink from their mouth, but every pore on their body is like a mouth and they drink any water that they’re sitting in. As legend goes, the animals all died out when their water sources became, through various actions of man, too toxic, and they didn’t have any option but to drink the poison of their own ponds. Some who recognize this myth say that these creatures were indeed real at one point in time before their untimely demise. However it seems unlikely that such a fragile animal could ever survive on this earth, let alone in our streams, and it seems that they are but creatures for the crytozoologists.
Link	Leave a comment

Travel Adventures II	[Jun. 11th, 2009\|02:22 pm]
I wonder if all artists do this. I’m here at a rest stop, the sun hovering, huge and orange over the horizon. To my left are disgruntled carpoolers, to my right an authentic Mexican restaurant. I just ate there; it’s air-conditioned inside and the waitress knows exactly which of her customers speaks Spanish, as that is how she addresses them. The car has broken down—don’t worry, I’ll get myself out of this—and we are waiting for the mechanic’s diagnosis. For the last hour I’ve been walking around the rest stop, trying to take pictures with my ineffective camera-phone. That’s ok though, I’ll write about what I see later. I cross the street, and on one corner a man is walking slowly, I think in circles. Maybe he’s homeless, panhandling the truck-drivers and travelers who make it to this rest stop. He doesn’t bother me. The horizon is flat, monotonous, buildings and pumpjacks on one layer of it and fields on the next, followed by a road. Cars pass quietly, forming an animated landscape of sky, grass and machine. Mostly sky of course. I’ve been lots of places, really, I’ve been on planes and I’ve been hiking where the views were vast and required significant investments to reach. But I’ve also laid on the beach and looked down at the sand, a blanket, and wondered about the texture and history of these tiny items. The sand ripples around, white, brown and black grains, and despite their size I can see their shine. I wonder who designed the pattern on this blanket. I’ve walked along dried creekbeds and pretended that I was possessed by the water that’s gone for the summer. There’s no way that I could say that any view is more beautiful than this shell in my hand or this tree at my back. Every person in every car has a story, and I’ll never know what they are. Do all artists try to find beauty in everything? The car must be taken back to Los Angeles. We would be stranded, but the third carpooler has called a friend who is also driving to the Bay Area, and they are right across the street right now.
Link	Leave a comment

Travel Adventures I	[Jun. 10th, 2009\|10:34 pm]
Some may consider me reckless and stupid for chances I have taken traveling, but in spite of the risks I take and the trust I put into the hands of strangers, I am still alive, I learned about the lives of strangers, and I am where I want to be. The first time I took a bus for more than an hour, it was late at night. Dumb idea, right? Thin blonde girl on a late LA bus, not quite familiar with the system. However I had just finished working commencement so I couldn’t have gotten on the bus earlier. On the first bus, the driver and a passenger told me that I should take the Orange line to save time, and I wrote down their directions. When I got to the orange line, I got on the back of the bus so that I didn’t have to pay. Here’s a tip: You never have to pay for buses in LA, nor the underground trains, but you do have to pay for the metrolink and amtrack. When I got on the bus the only seat was one next to a tall African-American, wearing a backwards cap, an oversized white shirt, and some bling. Someone you might want to consider one to avoid at all cost. But think about it. Assuming that race and clothing choice automatically denote gang affiliation, would it even be reasonable to think that anyone, gang affiliated or otherwise, would kill or rape someone on a crowded bus, just for making polite conversation? I tool this risk and I asked where he was going. It turns out that he graduated a few years ago and is having a hard time finding a job in medical imaging. The next bus I took I sat next to an English guy, around my age. Turns out he’s been traveling on buses and other forms of transit for months, traveling the country and meeting lots of people. I wonder what he kept in his bag—imagine having your whole life in a backpacking bag—but he was busy talking about all the people he’s met in his travels. And not one tried to rape him! Now we are facebook friends and I will always now know someone in England. That is, whenever he returns. I had made it from Northridge to Santa Monica on the bus (and had not spent a cent.) Seriously quite an interesting ride.
Link	Leave a comment

Questions you would probably never have had to consider!	[Jun. 2nd, 2009\|09:08 pm]
Chew on this: If you were in jail for a life's sentence, would you try and break out? (Actually if you're good enough even a life's sentence isn't always that. One guy killed several people, and was sentenced to seven life sentences. 20 years later, he's back out on the street.* You just gotta play your cards right.) We have to read "The Soloist" for New Student Orientation Leaders. In it, Steve Lopez tries white lies, exaggerations, and bribery to try and get a homeless mad man a better life. Would you do that? How far would you go to save someone's life? Does it change your mind knowing that there are thousands of people in that situation, or does every starfish count? Is there anything really immoral about sex? If you believe in standing up for your beliefs, does that mean _everyone_ can do the same? *Last I checked he has committed no crimes.
Link	Leave a comment

So you think you're an environmentalist?

[Jun. 1st, 2009|11:37 pm]

It's misconception time!
The theme of the week is environmentalism!

1. Tall buildings and large cities are the apex of destructive forces towards the environment.
Not so good chum! Although you will see much art that invokes a sense of doom using the imagery of trees juxtaposed with that of tall buildings, as if to say that the the forest is disintegrating into tall buildings, the grey giants are our friends. Making very tall buildings may have an impact on bird populations, but it is really the normal, family-sized houses, with front lawns and swimming pools, that take up miles more than they need to in the suburbs. If you tossed out all the superfluous extra grass and guest bedrooms and stacked all these houses into one big, tall building, you would be doing mother nature a huge favor. Manhattan's got it--per person, they are the most environmentally friendly city in the world!

2. Solar Panels take more energy than they can produce
If you've heard this, it's a myth. Plain and simple. Oh, but they take more money than they'll save in energy bills, due to the high cost of installation.

3. You can save carbon by walking to the store.
Nope. In this study, I don't know how far away "the store" is supposed to be, but if it's a mile or so, you'd be better off driving. Otherwise you'll be using food calories, and then you have to replenish them using food that was driven or flown here, and grown, using gas and pesticides, or if it's meat its much worse. However I think that taking a bike is the best defense--takes a lot less energy and no gas; hooray for machines!

4. Everything with a leaf on it is environmentally friendly.
So many complanies have put leaves on their logos it doesn't even mean anything anymore. The idea is it makes you feel good about the company. Look at Kiva--that has NOTHING to do with plants at ALL.

5. Alternative fuels.
Not yet, but we're working on it!

6. Food chains
They're food webs. However it is true that if you knock one thing off the food web, it can effect the rest of the web. But it's not guaranteed to kill everything else above it in some sort of chain.

7. Recycle
Er...sorry, you're better off with Reduce and Reuse. “The so-called benefits of recycling are all but nullified by the environmental damage associated with hauling the waste to and from the recycling facilities. Coupled with the overwhelming cost of collecting, sorting and reprocessing the material… decades-old recycling initiatives are nothing short of a complete failure” (Friscolanti). “Collecting a ton of recyclable items is three times more expensive than collecting a ton of garbage because the crews pick up less material at each stop” (Tierney, 6). Certain products are indeed economically viable recyclables; recycling aluminium conserves 95% of the energy required to make primary aluminium, and doesn't change the physical properties of the metal (Volokh, 16). On the other hand certain paper towels can readily be made out of nothing but recycled content, but they aren't as soft or absorbent, and have lower strength. As a result, people who use the recycled product use more towels at a time. “Ironically, using recycled materials may not even reduce total solid-waste generation in this case” (Volokh, 16).

Anything else?

Works Cited

Friscolanti, Michael. “Activists Call Recycling Trash Waste of Time.” National Post 3 March 2003: Section A2.

Tierney, John. “Recycling Is Garbage.” New York Times. 30 June 1996: Section 6, 1-6.

Volokh, Alexander and Lyn Scarlett. “Is Recycling Good or Bad -- or Both?” Consumers' Research Magazine. 80.9 (September 1997): 14-18.

Link

Advertisement

Advertisement