The Connection Between Body and Mind

If you were given the choice to increase your capacity to learn, improve test taking ability and simply make assimilating information more of a breeze, would you want to do it? If given the option to increase mental performance, I imagine most people would choose to do so. There are actual choices people can make that can do just that. Through making intelligent choices such as maintaining a healthy diet and a regular exercise routine and regularly challenging yourself to learn new things and achieve goals, you can increase your ability to learn and increase your overall quality of life.

The learning process, and ultimately optimal brain function really begin with good nutrition. Your brain needs glucose to function. Building dendrites and synapses while you learn new things requires nourishment. Every cell in your body is constantly rebuilding its self. DNA is constantly regenerating your physical being. There are constantly chemical and hormonal reactions going on within your brain and body. All of these processes require fuel... or more specifically food. And the quality of what you eat will have an impact on the quality you get out of life in general. Eating nutrient dense, healthy foods will increase your ability to think and to learn.

Foods rich in omega fatty acids are particularly helpful to brain function. According to Daniel G. Amen M.D. author of many best-selling books on brain health “ The one hundred billion nerve cells in your brain need essential fatty acids to function... found in foods like salmon, tuna, mackerel, avocados, walnuts, and green leafy vegetables.” (Amen, 2012, p. 88) Broccoli, spinach, flax seeds and cauliflower are also excellent sources of omega fatty acids.

B vitamins are also vital to brain function. According to Aaron P. Nelson, Ph.D. “A strong link in the diet-memory connection seems to be with the B vitamins: folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12” (Nelson, 2005, p. 82). Natural sources of these important vitamins include “...whole-grain cereals, rice, nuts, milk, eggs, meats, fish, fruits, leafy green vegetables, and other foods” (Nelson, 2005, p.82). B vitamins have also been linked to reducing stress and promoting a positive attitude- helpful stuff for any student.

Eating high quality nutrient-dense food is a very important component of optimal mental function. However, eating brain and body smart foods does not need to be expensive. Bananas and frozen fruit are fairly cheap. A four dollar bag of flax seed meal will last you for weeks. Frozen spinach and other brain smart vegetables are cheaper than most fast food, and the value of the nutrition you will get for your money is pretty priceless.

Proper hydration is also integral to brain function and can aid in making learning easier. Your brain needs water to in order to process all of the stuff it is learning and assimilating. According to Dr Amen “ Even slight dehydration increases the body's stress hormones. When this happens, you get irritable, and you don't think as well. Over time, increased levels of stress hormones are associated with memory problems and obesity” (Amen, 2012, p. 78). Conversely drinking more water can make learning, studying and recalling the information you learned (like say for taking tests or writing research papers) less stressful.

What you do want to avoid are any foods that lead to hypertension, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or strokes because these conditions also result in the side effect of decreased mental performance. According to Nelson“By damaging the tiniest blood vessels, hypertension and high cholesterol diminish the supply of nutrients that the brain depends on to function” (Nelson, 2005, p.xix). Ultimately any food that interferes with good blood circulation can be detrimental to brain function. Limiting or completely avoiding refined sugar, processed wheat flour in the form of bread, pasta, tortillas, large amounts of sodium, saturated fats and trans fats, and excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol can help to optimize brain function and the learning process.

Another factor that comes into the mind/ body equation is physical activity. More and more studies are showing that regular exercise can greatly contribute to mental function. One study recently published in GeroPsych:The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry looked at the correlation between how much exercise participants normally got and their ability to focus their attention, learn and apply their new understanding. Through a controlled study that involved evaluating the regular activity levels of various adults and then teaching them a new task and having them deal with new challenges they determined that

there is increasing support for the beneficial impact of physical activity on executive functioning in general and attentional control in particular... including older adults Thus, being physically active seems to be a promising approach to maintaining cognitive performance and, with it, everyday competence and learning to a high age (Winnek et al., 2012).

Basically exercise increases your ability to control your focus and process new material you are learning. Increased ability to focus definitely can be helpful for learning, reading, studying and contemplating new material. Increased healthy physical activity also improves your ability to make use of learned information and apply it creatively in new situations.

Exercise does not just build your physical strength and your ability to focus. It can also help bulk up your brain cells in a very good way. It can actually build a stronger brain. According to Dr Amen

Exercise increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is like an antiaging wonder drug that is involved with the growth of new brain cells. Think of BDNF as a sort of Miracle-Gro for your brain. BDNF promotes learning and memory and makes your brain stronger (Amen, 2012, p. 126).

Being able to take active steps toward building a stronger, healthier brain that is more capable of learning is exciting. But, do keep in mind that you must intellectually stimulate or exercise your new brain cells to keep them strong. Like the old saying goes- if you don't use it, you'll lose it. Dr Amen goes on to explain

The increased production of BDNF you get from exercise is only temporary. The new brain cells survive for about four weeks, then die off, unless they are stimulated with mental exercise or social interaction (Amen, 2012, p. 127).

So, learning new things and challenging those new brain cells is vital to keeping them and keeping them strong. In order to keep those cells strong, you have got to use them.

Luckily there are lots of great ways to go about that. Learning new languages can help challenge several different parts of the brain simultaneously making it a particularly great way to increase ability to learn. Reading books is a great way to expand your mind. The subjects you can learn about are endless and reading is great exercise for your brain. Dance classes are great to help improve spacial intelligence. Cooking classes are great for building dendrites. Learning a new instrument can simultaneously exercise multiple parts of the brain and it s fun. Taking up meditation has many great brain building implications. Meditation helps you improve focus, reduces stress hormones, positively influence your brain waves and has many, many, many health and brain benefits.

Whatever you choose to learn, by making positive choices and exercising your brain you can improve your ability to learn and improve the quality of your life and the world around you.

References

Amen, D. (2012). Use Your Brain to Change Your Age. New York, NY: Crown.

Nelson, A. P. (2005) The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Pasinski, M. (2011) Beautiful Brain, Beautiful You. New York, NY: Hyperion.

Winnek, A., Godde, B., Reuter, E., Vieluf, S., & Voelcker-Rehage, C. (2012) The Association Between Physical Activity and Attentional Control in Younger and Older Middle-aged Adults: An ERP Study. PsycARTICLES, 25(4), 207-221. doi: 10.1024/1662-9647/a000072

“The Future of Food” more discussion of alternatives to the standard American diet

Going to Walmart is always a weird experience for me. There is something eerie about the florescent lights, the cheap white floor tiles... the racks filled with cheap garments that are made in unregulated factories in China and then shipped over here... what is the expense when we consider the pollution of our planet? ... these thoughts flicker across my mind...

and then there is the “grocery” section … the “food” …

I think about our ancestors thousands of years ago garnering fresh food which they simply plucked from the earth or a tree and devouring its fecund flesh full of enzymes and nutrients and the essence of life fresh right there on the spot... leaves and berries and fruit fragrant and warm

and then I contrast that to the boxes of “meals” I pluck from the freezer case. I flip the box over and try to decipher where this product is even manufactured... all I get is “Distributed by Blah Blah in So and So Pennsylvania...” and I shudder and set the thing back in the freezer case and ponder for a second that I have no idea from what country or even continent this processed, packaged pseudo food comes. I do not know what the regulations or conditions are in those far off factories. And then I look at the people shopping in the same isle. And they don't look healthy or vibrant or robust. And I do not want to describe how they do look, well because it is too much like some sickening science fiction and that just isn't my favorite genre.

Conversely, I do love to fantasize about a world where everyone is living their optimal potential. Where people are happy and healthy and perfectly nourished. And they are all given love and encouragement freely. And they are all here on this planet living a most fulfilling life.... yeah, that makes me feel better. I like to daydream. It's those who have dared to daydream that have been able to make this world better.

Okay, so back to our documentary “the Future of Food” … I have linked here the first 10 minutes of the documentary because that is as much of it that you can watch for free. I personally have not even seen the whole film. I watched quite a bit of it back in 2007... like and hour and a half... I was at a sort of “earth fair” that I had helped organize. And, I was excited for the showing of this film. But three quarters of the way through I got an invite from friends to go hang out and have fun on my Friday. So I left. I honestly think the 10 minutes worth of the documentary I posted here is informative enough and a good start at least. It does not show monsanto fucking over farmers. And I guess that would be worth discussing in the future, but here is some good info with which to get started. So here is the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNezTsrCY0Q

Your body is constantly regenerating itself and producing new cells. The food you are ingesting is the fuel and the material that is utilized in this process. What you are eating greatly impacts your life. It is such a symbiotic process that is constantly taking place. It is good to educate yourself about your food, where it is coming from and what it is doing for you. More to come on these topics, of course.

Wishing you everything that is beautiful in this world.

“Life Before Life” an alternative way of viewing reality

Studying the human brain is fascinating, it really is. The way we store and retrieve memories is an interesting process. The study of brain matter and the ability to regenerate brain cells is fascinating and I have enjoyed studying it. If you would like to know more about such things there are books such as “The Brain that Changes Itself” and “Use Your Brain to Change Your Age” or just take a class on psychology or neurophysiology.

But one thing that psychologists and neurophysiologists have yet to figure out and continues to be a fun discussion in these fields is Where does the seat of consciousness reside??

What part of your brain or your being is running the show? Experiencing the dance?

The frontal lobe is associated with planning and decision-making. And various parts of the brain are involved in various forms of memory. But the materialistic approach of mapping the human brain has been insufficient thus far at determining the locus of the part of you that is experiencing the experiences or cherishing the memories.

Science is fucking cool, but it is still in its infancy and it falls short sometimes.

This piece that I am writing will now shift its focus to a book. My hope is that you enjoy reading as much as I do, because there really is no other way to really experience this one. I can not link the book for free. But, it is well worth the price I paid, and I bought it new. Maybe it can be found at a library? I will link some short videos, but they do not do the thing justice. The book is “Life Before Life” by Jim B. Tucker, M. D.

It explores the similarities between many case studies of young children who claim to recall memories from previous lives.

Suspend any skepticism and consider this for a second... Imagine you have a little kid like two years old and they tell you... “hey, I used to live in Indiana, in a town called Cedar Lake and I lived on Robin Lane in a little brick house that had a swing on the oak tree in the front yard. My name was Sarah” and so you live in Illinois, you google it and find out that there is a Robin Street in Cedar Lake so you decide to take a 45 minute drive one day and there is a little brick house with a swing hanging from a lovely old oak tree... what would you think? And then imagine you take a second trip out there with your daughter and she is like “that's it!! That's it!!” and then shows you where the name Sara is carved on the oak tree. And then rather decisively and deliberately goes into the back yard, kneels by the base of a tree and pulls out a little tin box that is filled with coins and pretty rocks and a ring and says this is where she hid her treasure chest.

Well, what would you make of it? You know your two year old had no way of being told all these details.

There are events like this taking place quite often. A few people have been studying them for years. They prefer to get to the scene before the parents start researching the validity of the children's statements so as to conduct more controlled studies. And so a few controlled studies on this phenomena have been conducted.

They also look at many angles to consider every possible debunking that skeptics would consider. They do not insist that you believe in reincarnation. They simply present facts for one to consider for one's own self. And they are interesting to consider. I personally found the book well worth considering.

Here are some little links to very short videos discussing the book to get you started...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLKT5UsKoqM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6M-nXjh_9I

“Though many people in scientific fields hold views that can be just as dogmatic as those of an intensely religious person, judging from firmly held beliefs does not make for sound scientific inquiry.” -Jim B. Tucker, M.D.

So, do I personally think I know where the seat of consciousness is located? No. But I do think it is one of the funnest, most fascinating questions we can ask.

Wishing you everything that is wonderful on this fantastic Friday.

Take care and have a lovely weekend.

Larry and his Flask "call it what you will"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=903oVzMObak

Just my latest musical obsession

“The Money Masters” an alternative understanding of international banking and how it impacts our world

I find understanding and insight to be most valuable things.

I think it is important to educate one's self. No one else can improve your understanding for you. And an improved understanding is priceless.

So, what do you know about money?

Where does our money come from?

What causes inflation?

How does banking impact war, peace, prosperity and poverty?

What causes the booms and depressions we see in our economy? What if I told you this bipolar banking where they loan out a bunch of “money” in the form of credit and then suddenly dry up the money supply was sadistically intentional?

This piece on the history of banking is over three hours long and is being very thorough, and they do not even cover all of the information there is to digest on these topics. But I will post this one for now and post more in the future because you deserve the understanding and the insight.

The old link I had for this one stopped working. So here is a link that currently works. I should really back up all of these documentaries and articles one of these days, no? They really are priceless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfpO-WBz_mw

Life is your garden; dig it.

"The End of History?" and is there an alternative to the reality we have thus far created?

Fukuyama's “End of History?” suggests that “history” and the evolution of ideologies will come to an end with the culmination of all philosophy and the epitome of all possible conception of thought being liberalism.

Dictionary.com defines liberalism as:

a polotical or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual, parliamentary systems of government, nonviolent modification of political, social or economic institutions to assure unrestricted development in all spheres of human endeavor, and governmental guarantees of individual rights and civil liberties (Thankyou, Dictionary.com)

Fukuyama seems to be asserting that this ideology will prevail as the only one that works or makes any sense and that eventually we as a species might just stop questioning its legitimacy as the superior way of existing.

Fukuyama makes some interesting points with which I personally agree and/ or find to be evident/ fascinating. He asserts that ideologies are more than just superstructures that cater to and reaffirm the leading mode of subsistence. Rather, ideologies shape our view of the world and ultimately shape our actions and every last little thing that we manifest as individuals and as a human species as a whole. Ideologies shape the way we interact with one another, the way we fulfill desires, the way we even determine what is desirable. Ideas are the precursor to most actions men take and the blueprint to any structure we erect- be it physical (such as a football stadium) or conceptual (such as a form of government). “FAILURE to understand that the roots of economic behavior lie in the realm of consciousness and culture leads to the common mistake of attributing material causes to phenomena that are essentially ideal in nature.” (Fukuyama, pg4)

And, the fact that liberalism has been more supportive of economic prosperity... or, more specifically so supportive of production and consumerism..... is rather evident. And, that this consumer-driven culture is becoming popular in other nations and fueling the spread of liberal ideals is also evident. Fukuyama mentioned something of rock n roll and chain restuarants becoming popular all over the world. But, I didn't underline it because I was reading it on Microsoft Word instead of Open Office, and I don't own the right to edit on Word. And the document is so dense I can't find the passage now. But you know what I mean. Our ideals, our culture, our way of living is becoming trendy in other countries. Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats is just huge in Japan. So is Reel Big Fish- more so than here in the states (Fukuyama, pg?) And, it would seem that this point is being considered as a sort of validation for liberalism.

But, I'm honestly not completely sure if Fukuyama was being sincere. He comes across as rather serious as he dissects in detail why fascism and communism failed in the 20^th century. He goes into detail about their demise. Yes, they do not exactly work the way their proponents believed they would.

But does that mean that the path we are on now is the epitome of possible human accomplishment? I'm not saying liberalism is or is not the epitome of all possible concepts or philosophies of which we could ever possibly conceive. I do not pretend to know at this point in my silly little existence the most superior knowledge that our species could ever possibly possess. I am a girl. What do we know? But I am hardly impressed with or in awe of the results that free market capitalism and liberal idealism have fostered. Materialism is so shallow and void of any real meaning or value. It is void and empty and meaningless and wasteful. And Fukuyama's closing statement seems to echo these sentiments. That last paragraph really made the rest of the article for me. Really, the forty thousand years our species has been progressing (or not progressing or whatever we have been up to) is not that impressive in the grand scheme of things. We are rather juvenile... like when I moved out when I was eighteen and thought I was so grown up. Oh, we still have so much learning and growing to do. I would like to hope the we never stop trying to improve upon everything that we can. Is it far fetched or impossible to believe that we as a species are only in our infancy and that some other belief system that fosters enlightenment (rather than corporate servitude) could be dreamed up?

I woke up from an interesting dream one morning muttering the words “Fukuyama is being facetious.”

You can decide for yourself. Here is the famous article for you, if you please

  http://www.kropfpolisci.com/exceptionalism.fukuyama.pdf

It is interesting to ponder it.

Wishing you everything that is wonderful in this brilliantly beautiful universe.

Take care.

this one is just for fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhiWc99KrLg

“A Class Divided” an alternative way to view humanity

One of the most enlightening documentaries I have ever seen. It really makes you realize what an impact our assumptions have on the world around us. If you treat people like you believe they are brilliant, they will flourish in your presence. If you consciously make a point to believe in the absolute best in people, cherish their best qualities, love and genuinely adore them, you will bring out the best in them. They may even become capable of things of which they were not previously capable. If you do not believe me, suspend your disbelief just long enough to give this experiment a wholehearted attempt. Do not doubt it while you are attempting it. Just try the thing for a minute or two and see what you can accomplish. It is a beautiful thing.

Conversely, when you are not believing the best about people, the effects can be detrimental to their performance.

This documentary really lays bare the truth. Discrimination is an ugly thing.

When we realize we are all one, the impact on our interactions, our thinking, our facial expressions, body language and mannerisms can have a profound affect on the world around us.

We only have racial issues because some people (not we as a species, just some people) created this concept of “race” or “ethnicity” and I for one am calling bullshit. I do not believe in those racial categories like when you are asked to check a box to indicate your ethnicity. Bullishit. That is all it is . Bullshit and anachronistic cultural constructs. They are imaginary. They do not really exist except in the minds of people who believe in them. There is only one race, and that is the human race.

I do think we are closer and closer to that place where racism discussed this film is less and less applicable.

I happily anticipate a day when discussion on this topic will be completely obsolete and people will have completely forgotten the nonsense of racism.

In the meantime here is the link to the film

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html

I really wish that this film did not even need to exist, but it was made because of these cultural constructs (whether it be black and white or hutu and tutsi it is all just a bunch of imaginary crap that has caused way too much destructive bullshit) do exist even to some extent at present day. It would be nice if every illinformed person, young or old, could see this film and weigh the information unbiasedly for themselves.

Then additionally, regardless of the “race” discussion, there are valuable lessons that can be taken from this experiment that was conducted in this film. When the children were told to consider themselves more brilliant and they were treated as if they were more brilliant, their performance on varrious tasks improved relative to what it had been prior to the experiment. These results- this increase in ability, this improvement in mental function and ability- these amazing results were consistent, pronounced and continued even weeks after the experiment.

Here is what I take from that- the way we treat people, the way we think about them, it impacts the way we interact with them. It impacts the way we talk to them. It impacts or body language and our posture. It impacts our tone of voice. It impacts our facial expressions. And all this is a very integral part of the interaction. And these things can influence and impact those with whom we interact. And it can impact them profoundly for the better. We have an opportunity inherent in every interaction to make that person's life just a little better, or maybe even much better. And, in doing so we are making the world a better place.

Okay, I am done rambling now. Enjoy the film and have an awesome day.

Life is your garden; dig it.

Take care.

(There is another version of this film- well there are several. But somewhere there is one where they show pictures of the students on the different days of the experiment and how much more lovely they looked when they were being treated with elevated respect contrasted by the days they were not. The way these things impact our world is so profound.)

“the Collapse of the American Dream Explained in Animation” a little piece on an alternative view of the American banking system

I do think it is important that I address this now. It is not a simple matter. It is rather complex. Where does money come from?

To what extent does money impact your life?

To what extent does money impact the world around us?

Is this impact positive or negative?

Who controls the monetary system?

If you have never asked these questions before and never given it a moment's consideration, then it might be time that you do so. These are important questions worth consideration.

This half-hour cartoon I am posting is just the initial little introduction into a discussion of some more complex issues.

Who controls the banking system? What is the federal reserve?

This cartoon simplifies a lot of the information, and it comes in a cutesy, more easy to digest cartoon format. This is really just a tiny little appetizer. I will be serving up a more comprehensive three and a half hour documentary on the matter next Wednesday. And then there will still be more about this topic to consider after that. There will be other great documentaries on this topic to ponder. It is a topic I feel people should be informed and knowledgeable about and comfortable conversing about. It is a facet that greatly impacts our lives and the lives of many people on this planet. To just remain ignorant to it makes no sense to me. Knowledge, wisdom, understanding... these things are valuable. They are desirable. They are empowering. Unfortunately this never will get discussed by our mainstream media and it is very rarely alluded to in classrooms. But, there is information out there. Cheers to all my friends who have educated themselves. Love you!

Here is the link for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mII9NZ8MMVM

Wishing you everything that is wonderful in this immensely lovely universe.

Take care.

Two Examples of Approaches to Environmental Concerns

There are an infinite number of ways to approach an issue. Here this piece seeks to discuss two countries and the effectiveness of the approaches they have taken to lessen their detrimental impact on the ecosystem. One of the most important factors when determining whether or not policies will be effective is whether or not the objectives and initiatives address importance of the role the suprastructure, the cultural beliefs, norms and values when attempting to accomplish change.

China has been working industriously toward economic growth for decades. They have greatly increased their GPD through substantial industrialization and increase in manufacture and exports. (2) As with any industrialized nation, the Chinese have seen a major increase in pollution in correlation with their increase in industry. According to the World Bank, 16 of the 20 most polluted cities on the planet are located in China. (1) The major increase in environmental pollutants has had effects on the ecosystem. Acid rain is a problem in 40 percent of the country. Desertification is effecting more than a quarter of the country's land area. The water is so polluted that is can hardly support marine life or be used in irrigation. (2)

The impact of rampant industrialization has been destructive to the Chinese people. If one does not even consider the fact that the factory workers in China are working under less regulated conditions and are exposed to harmful and deadly chemicals in the factories which will lead to cancer, painful illnesses and premature death (3), the impact the environmental pollution is having on the wellbeing of the general population is still very substantial. The air pollution alone is responsible for thousands of premature deaths every year and is responsible for damaging the fertility in 20 to 30 percent of the male polulation. 500 million people are lacking access to safe drinking water. (2)(4) Children who are the weakest are most likely to be effected by the environmental pollution, and they are the least able to do anything about the problem and the least to blame.

The environmental impact of China's industrialization has implications beyond just China's territories and population. The energy used to fuel the production is for the most part generated using coal. (5) According to many climate change annalists and experts there is a correlation between carbon dioxide and planetary effects in climate change. If there is any possibility that there is an increased threat to the ecosystem as a result of increased emissions of Co2, which many experts are agreeing there is, regultation of Co2 should be considered of eminent importance. (6)

The Chinese government has made many references to the environmental concerns in numerous speeches and addresses over the recent years. The government occasionally implements new policies such as having days when no one is supposed to drive a car, caps on industry emissions, regulations on pollution and the closing of factories that are responsible for pollution. However, these policies are not often well enforced. The government has subsidized gas prices which increases the pollutants from automobile travel. Local officials are still more likely to be revered and rewarded for stimulating local economic growth growth than for enforcing environmental policies. Factories that are closed down often very shortly reopen in new locations.

The traditional Chinese mentality of the individual's obligation to the community coupled with the desire for economic growth has fostered a mindset in the Chinese people that will take some time and effort to alter. According to an ethnography China's Urban Villagers; Life in a Beijing Commune by Norman Chance, the most desirable position to the Chinese villager is a position working in a factory. There is this mentality that factory work is the height of progress to which to aspire. Sadly, these factories are also the most potentially harmful to the wellbeing of these Chinese villagers.

A change in priorities and mentality will have to take place on a fundamental level before any of the government regulations will be effectively implicated.

(graph depicting intensity of global air pollution) (12)

Conversely, nations that have made it a major priority to reduce their industrial pollution and reverse the negative impact of previous decades have been very successful in doing so. Rather than work in broad generalizations, the focus of this portion will be on a single nation. I began my research for this project in 2005, and now many of the sources for my research have become hard to find. In 2005 I was sitting on the floor in a library in San Diego reading out of an actual physical encyclopedia which is just how people accomplished research for projects back then. So while I can not cite the actual physical source I will paraphrase what spiked the curiosity for this project. I was studying the impact of industrialization and urbanization on the traditional Romanian diet and I came across a few paragraphs addressing how water and air pollution had increased in Romania since the country had industrialized. The exact statistics of the increased pollution and the impacts they caused were striking, but I can not exactly recall them. An even more striking bit of information was that at that time Romania was working to reduce all of their levels of pollution in order to be accepted into the European Union. This was particularly interesting because at the time I was closely working with a group to raise money to support lobbyists who would push for a cap on every company's emissions in the state of California, and here were these people on the other side of the globe doing the exact same thing kinda. I was completely intrigued, so I started following their progress.

Here is what people who are actually trying to make a difference can accomplish. Just thinking about it is soothing and generates hope. According to information garnered from the United Nations Development Programme specifically regarding Romania's environmental policies and progress, Romania became a full member of the EU in 2007. Between 1995 and now Romania has passed numerous policies and set up requirements and regulations that are enforced by an environmental protection agency at three distinctly important levels. Officials at national, regional and local levels have worked in unison to address environmental concerns. One of the most interesting factors is the emphasis the initiatives placed on generating informative literature and programs to generate individual awareness of their objectives. The program implemented cited lack of awareness and lack of understanding as something to be addressed. They considered cultural awareness an important aspect of the program. The Rio Conventions were cited and the decision to “mainstream” the concepts of the Rio Conventions along with “strengthening systemic, institutional and individual capacity to integrate Rio Conventions themes into national, regional and local decision making” were some of the objectives set forth. Other objectives that were stated by the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) included “management of resources and industrial affairs...to provide a sustainable future” and also “the development of Romanian environmental policies and the transposition of European Union legislation into Romanian laws and norms” (9) The emphasis on the integration and evolution of the suprastructure is integral to the success of the reforms Romania has achieved.

The success that Romania has had can be clearly evidenced in the reduction of carbon dioxide omissions over the last twenty years. They have actively reduced their country's omissions to less than half of what it was twenty years ago. Other EU countries have reduced their emissions to some extent, but the results achieved by Romania are some of the most impressive. The graph below represents Romania's Co2 emissions over the last twenty years as indexed to the emissions in 1990. The data is taken from a table that was generated using “Data on greenhouse gas emissions are officially reported under the United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC)” (10)

(14)

The data used to generate this graph came from a table that indexes the Co2 emissions of each of the EU's twenty-seven counties to what their Co2 emissions were in 1990. (11)

While many other countries are seeing an increase in Co2 emissions as well as other harmful pollutants, Romania has been able to generate awareness and effectively implement initiatives to improve the living environment of their populations. Through strategic and determined effort they have actively pursued a better quality of life for future generations. Through continued efforts of this nature Romania can continue to preserve their natural environment and possibly even improve the quality of air and water and preserve their rich forests and wildlife.

If there is any positively desirable position to be taken in these pressing matters of environmental preservation, it is that education will be the most effective means in actually implementing environmental initiatives. There is no more effective means than that. If we as a species wish to persist on this planet, we must change our mindset. Rampant consumerism and the sorts of ideals we have allowed corporations to impose upon our population have been nothing but detrimental to our collective wellbeing and the wellbeing of the future generations that will have to address the problems we have created while depleting the earths resources and needlessly generating waste, pollution, garbage and not much progress. It was a set of ideals that got us here. It will be a different set of ideals that will be necessary to set us on a different course and make an actual difference in our collective future. If I were to adopt a stance and suggest a course of action, I would suggest that the UN support world wide enlightened education in environmental issues and in general to ensure a better future on this planet. Nothing short of this will do the trick.

Indoctrinating future generations to value family, knowledge, fairness, justice, wisdom, enlightnment and love over cellphones, sneakers, sportscars and ipads is the best way to ensure the continued preservation and flourishing of our species.

Works Cited and Drawn From

1. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10221268
2. Jonathan Liu, Howard Viney and Diane Holt Environmental issues in China. European Business Journal. June 1^st, 2004. pages 59-69 (SCC article database)
3. http://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/program/program.html
4. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
5. Ploberger, Christian China's Multidimensional Environmental Issues a Fundamental Challenge for China's Future Development - a Critical Assessment. East Asia: An International Quarterly. 28.1 March 2011. pages 1-20 (SCC article database)

6. Richard Muller. Conversion of a Climate Change Skeptic

7. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/30/world/asia/cost-of-environmental-degradation-in-china-is-growing.html
8. Norman A. Chance China's Urban Villagers; Life in a Beijing Commune Holt 1984
9. I can no longer find this info online but my notes from my research listed “UNDP Rom CB-2 TE FINAL 30/Aug12” and I originally was able to find this rather extesive and wonderfully informative document on the UNDP website. Oddly, one of the main ideas for making sure successful endeavors of this nature were continued in Romania was to ensure that these documents would be available online for those who were looking for them. The document said that. And, now I can not find it anywhere for the life of me.
10. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Climate_change_statistics
11. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&language=en&pcode=tsdcc100&plugin=0

http://earthhabitat.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/air-pollution-hotspots-world-map/

13.http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SCIAMACHY_pollution_europe.jpg

14. Graph created by Shawn Smith and Jacqueline Coffin utilizing data produced by UNFCCC. 2013

"The Secret Life of Plants" an alternative way of viewing all matter in the universe

Who else is feeling like a more fun, funky piece on this feel good Friday?

I am.

There will be plenty of time for more serious matters to be discussed in future blog postings.

But, today, right here, right now, I feel like just basking in the wonder that is life on this little bubble of a planet floating in a vast and majestic universe... so let's do that.

So you have possibly heard about experiments that involve playing beautiful classical music to plants. If you have not, the premise is basically that you can take two plants, play classical music to one and not play classical music to the other. And even if all the other variables are identical... they both get the same amount of water, the same quality of soil, the same amount of sunlight, an so on... the one plant that listens (yes, I am saying the plant is listening, but I can get into that more later) to classical music will grow to be healthier and possibly more fruitful.

Ah, the possibilities just that could be discussed and pondered concerning the above point alone! It is lovely, isn't it? But, I will let you ponder that and press on.

What if your thoughts, you images you hold in your mind, your feelings and emotions, especially those that you held, and cherished and secretly fed...what if those thoughts produced a resonating, vibrating sound wave??? Like when you pluck a nice fat string on a bass guitar and it radiates outward at a low but fat frequency and some people can not quite pick it up, but it is rippling through the air and impacting things around it on a minuscule, molecular level. Let's just for a moment say that your deepest thoughts do do that, and let's say that the things they are impacting around them include every last little thing on this entire planet. Just for a moment consider that thought.

Okay, thanks for indulging me. I like you.

Now back to "The Secret Life of Plants"... this documentary is super ridiculous at moments like when you are watching snow melt, but I get what they are getting at. But the actual information and the studies they are discussing, when you do get to the actual substance of this documentary, will blow your mind. And it is worth considering and weighing this information for yourself. Roll it around in your head. Let it marinade. Weigh it against your intuition and your beliefs, and see what you think. It is an hour and a half, but you can forward through the parts where you are just watching flowers grow, if you please.

Here it is linked for you to watch for free, to enjoy and consider...

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-secret-life-of-plants/

just because I like you.

If this link ever does stop working, you can find this work of art elsewhere I am sure. It is worth a look. This planet is just plain mindblowing, wonderful and amazing. This life is fantastic. And, I wish you every bit of deliciousness that there is to be had.

Life is your garden; dig it

Take care.

“Diet for a New America” more lovely alternative concepts contrasting mainstream beliefs about diet and nutrition

“Diet for a New America” more lovely alternative concepts contrasting mainstream beliefs about diet and nutrition

Oh, how I love this one! It is so full and rich with information, insight and meaning. It sort of breaks down the issues surrounding the standard American diet into three catagories: personal health, the environmental factors and the altruistic issue of the ethics involved.

Many authors refer to the standard American diet as SAD. This is generally accepted as a diet that is heavy in meats, dairy, processed grains, saturated fats, processed foods, refined sugars and chemical additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG). Okay, that is just sad. These foods do not nourish the body. This sort of diet robs people of their health and their optimal potential as human beings. I personally like feeling good.

As more and more nations industrialize and more and more people are conforming to the standard American diet scientists are able to chart the correlation between a nations increase in consumption of animal products and refined, processed food and an increase in heart disease and certain types of cancer.

You can probably eat some lean meats and some dairy products in moderation and not develop a single health problem. But a diet consisting of pizza, doughnuts, cheeseburgers and milkshakes causes your arteries to become absolutely clogged with waxy, fatty gross gunk and leads to heart attacks and death. “Diet for a New America” gets pretty graphic as it illustrates this reality. But as hard as it is to watch those scenes, I do think it is a powerful thing to be truly informed.

Another important health matter addressed in this film is the myth that we need meat and dairy for protein and calcium. They go into it in more detail, but I must add here the organic spinach is an excellent source of protein, calcium, omega fatty acids and b vitamins not to mention many other vitamins, nutrients and minerals and fiber. And that is just spinach. I could go on for days about so many great plant foods. Eating a diverse array of plant foods is very nourishing. I dare say it is optimal, but I may be biased on this matter. I just want to eat organic spinach and broccoli and cucumbers and fruit and seaweed and aloe and rice and lentils like it is going out of style. I am sure one could include meat in some sort of healthy fashion, but why would I want to? I surely do not need to.

Those dietary guidelines like the four food groups that you remember from elementary school were actually set forth by the meat and dairy industries themselves. You know what? Fuck them and their profiteering and their lobbying to manipulate our FDA and our government. Fuck ‘em!

The film also documents how the meat and dairy industry is impacting our ecosystem. Basically the current methods of meat production (raising tons of crops just to feed them to live stock so we can get back a small return of meat… 80% of all the corn and 90% of all the oats and soybeans produced in America is fed to livestock) are not practical or sustainable. They are not only wasteful, but they are detrimental to the environment. We cut down forests so cattle can have a place to graze until we slaughter them and consume their flesh??? It just sounds stupid and gross to me.  The nitrates from the cow manure seep down into the drinking water and create health problems for any nearby populations… also stupid and gross. The film will cover these points better than I have.

Lastly… the ethical concerns… Okay, this is just me speaking my mind… but why is it okay to take a baby calf from its mother right after it is born, and chain it up in a box where it is not allowed to move and have it atrophy, and them kill it and consume it…. But we think that dogs and cats do not deserve this? Cows have feelings and emotions. They feel sadness and the feel fear and depression. They can also experience joy. I just think it is heartless to not give a fuck.

Okay, enough of my ranting. This film is not as dramatic as I am. In its 58 minutes it manages to convey these points and much more with far more eloquence and conviction. It is definitely something everyone who gives a care about their health and/or the wellbeing of the planet should see.  Here is a link,. but if it ever stops working for some reason, I’m sure you can find this lovely film elsewhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTvrhQIKanc

Wishing you everything that is wonderful in this infinitely beautiful universe

Take care.

“Modern Slavery” and can we please work on an alternative to this?

There are people right now being held in slavery and forced to work deadly jobs. There are living breathing people who do not even know they are slaves because they do not know what freedom is. They do not know any alternative to the reality they are living. They have never received an education. They do not know how to read or write. The only reality they know is exhausting labor. They do not receive any compensation for their labor and they have no other options.

The pictures in the short video I am linking here will convey to you so much more than my words here will. They are beyond incredible. They are upsetting. And they convey a profound truth.

Through mindless consumerism slavery is supported. When you buy gold and you do not know where it comes from, chances are you are funding this atrocity. Whenever you buy something that you do not really need and it is made in a factory in some place where you do not know if the working conditions are regulated, you don't know what you are supporting.

There are companies consciously poisoning their employees so that overprivileged people can have pointless, frivolous consumer products. These companies do this because these companies value profit over humanity. These companies do not care what their impact on the environment is. They don't care who they kill or if the products are harmful even to the consumers. Before you buy another stupid thing that you do not really need, consider what you know about the company who made it, the working conditions of the person who made it, where the resources came from- the resources used to fashion the product and the resources used in making the product such as energy. There is so much more to be said about all this, but for now I want to get back to the slaves.

If we do not make any effort to educate ourselves and live a life that does not support modern day slavery, then we are just as guilty as those who are directly committing the atrocity. Here is a link to the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TPFLHvn024

This may be my first post on modern day slavery that has appeared in this blog, but it is not the first time I have written about it and it will not be the last. I have to dig up some stuff off my shelves and find new links to share with you, but this video is a good place to start. Inform yourself about what is going on. Educate yourself. Know where the products you purchase come from. Know what you are supporting with your dollars and with the choices you make in your day to day life. Yes, you do impact the world around you every moment not just with your actions, but also with your intentions and your attitude. You are constantly impacting the world around you. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

Wishing you everything that is wonderful in this universe.

Take care.

“A Force More Powerful” a neat alternative to mindless and escalating destructive aggression

Pacifists are not necessarily weak.

It can take strength to know that someone is doing detestable things and not use violence to take action.

Pacifists like Gandhi and Martin Luther King endured persecution, torture and being imprisoned in a nonviolent fight against injustices.

It takes resolution, determination and intelligence to fight a nonviolent battle.

Strength to know you could hurt or kill your opponent... but refrain.

Pacifism has nothing to do with inaction.

Resolution to one's belief and intelligent, strategic action takes bravery and will.

I dedicate today's post to every person out there who has ever taken nonviolent action to stand up against injustices which they knew to be wrong and worth fighting.

***

Another important facet to the discussion of violence is the question “is it innate? Are humen beings innately violent?” During the 20^th century this was a hot topic among anthropologists. Some of them believed human beings were hardwired for violence and that was why we saw so much of it around us.

Some of them pointed to chimpanzees and the fact that bands of chimpanzees often wage organized warfare on other bands of chimpanzees in the wild. These anthropologists would sometimes cite genetic data that states we share very similar genetic makeup... humans and chimpanzees. Humans also share very similar genetic makeup to bonobos who have very low rates of violence and high rates of awesomeness. Human beings also share some genetic similarities to Elephants and bananas. I really do not think there is much weight to the whole genetic based argument.

Anthropologists studying rates of peace and conflict around the world found that some cultures actually have little to no violence within their societies. When we study the factors that contribute to the peacefulness of these nonviolent cultures it becomes very apparent that violence in humans is not necissarily genetic or innate. It is learned cultural behavior. Cooperation and consideration, empathy and consciousness are also behaviors that can be learned. Cultural dissemination plays the most important factor in whether or not a culture will be peaceful or violent.

If you study human development you will learn that just about all human behavior is learned by children via mirroring the examples they see around them.

***

Okay, now back to “A Force More Powerful”... this is actually a series of documentaries on all sorts of nonviolent movements that took place over the years in all sorts of countries all over the world. Oh, the things these movements have accomplished! And the admiration they have inspired! It is beautiful.

So, yeah, you can go to www.youtube.com and search “A Force More Powerful” and it will pull up more episodes for you. But, here I am posting a link for you to get you started.

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WGnFzpGKEs

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WGnFzpGKEs

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Wr-JHSnLc

There are many various nonviolent acts that one can utilize in order to enact change in the world around them. My favorite is writing. I am a fan of those like John Locke and Jonathan Swift, but we can talk about them more another time. The pen is mightier than the sword, no?

Wishing you everything that is wonderful in this miraculous universe.

Life is your garden; dig it.

Take care.

"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" -Gandhi 

“Life After Life” an alternative approach to understanding life after death

So, do you really want to know what happens to your consciousness when your physical body dies? Do you want to better understand the true nature of the soul? Do you want to understand the true meaning of life? This is not a religious piece. I am talking about indepth objective studies of near death experiences to help those of us who are currently living on this planet better understand life, death, consciousness and really living well and getting the most out of the experience we have during this lifetime. Oh the truth and the meaningfulness contained in the details of these case studies are profound.

Raymond Moody's famous book “Life Before Life” came out decades ago. He had been researching the phenomenon of the near death experience for decades before that. He was researching this phenomenon at a time when it was not well known. Many of the people whom he interviewed about their experiences had never even heard of such a thing. So they could not be biased about what they thought their experience was supposed to be like. They were not biased by cultural concepts about what near death experiences should be like. Some of them had no idea anyone else had ever experienced such a thing. Moody would find these people and ask them just to explain their experiences. He did not tell them a thing about others' experiences at first. He did not ask them leading questions. He just asked them to tell him what they had experienced, recorded the information and drew comparisons between the experiences of hundreds of people who had experienced physical death and managed to regain consciousness.

The messages these people bring back are so profound. They also bring back information that is later confirmed to be true and that could not have been obtained through hallucination or delusion. You can read the book and weigh the facts for yourself. If you live in the states, I am sure you can request it at your local library and borrow it for free. I am linking a short documentary here, so you can get some of the information and beautiful insights without having to actually take any action, go out to a library and actually read something. I enjoy reading. But if you don't, that's your thing... here you go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z56u4wMxNlg

If the link ever stops working, please know there is a documentary entitled “Life After Life” by Raymond Moody and that I wish you could see it.

The book still is worth checking out and is one of the favorites in my collection... to know that we are in a sense immortal, to know that there is more to life than this material world, to know there is actual meaning to our existence is such an incredible thing... and this is not the only piece I would like to write on this topic. There are other books on this subject I would like to address in the future. But, here is this one for now.

I truly wish you everything that is wonderful in this entire universe. I wish you love and joy and peace and wisdom.

Take care.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z56u4wMxNlg

“The Corporation” an alternative to mindless consumerism

This documentary offers insight into the inner workings of the most powerful entities that are currently controlling our lives. Let's be frank for a second. We don't live in a democracy. Voters do not elect the president. Technically it is supposedly the electoral college... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)

But I have my own theories about our government and the federal reserve...

We don't live in an aristocracy where the people are governed by the best.

We live in an oligarchy where laws are made as a result of lobbyists who serve corporations.

We are taught and conditioned by corporations. They are very practiced at manipulating the way we think and feel. They make people feel like they need smart phones and designer shoes to fit in.

These corporations control so many aspects of our existence.

You might as well educate yourself about what is actually going on around you. What are corporations doing that could be considered immoral? What are they doing that could harm you, your kids, your mom? Knowledge and insight can be empowering. I want that for you.

You can check out this documentary for free. The makers of this documentary wanted you to be able to see it for free because they care more about you than they care about profit. It would be nice if the corporations felt the same way.

Here is the link. If the link stops working, I am sure you can still find this work elsewhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y888wVY5hzw

Wishing you everything wonderful.

Take care.