Can You Bamboo?

I am already drooling over my next laptop purchase. I generally end up buying a new laptop every 2-3 years just because I use them constantly running a business or six at home. I reach the limits of how much it can do and still keep up with my programs and needs. But don't worry, I always pass on any old ones that are no longer being used to a friend or family member. Never, never, never do they just get dumped. People who aren't running such big memory-devouring programs end up being able to used them for many more years after I'm done with them.

While I'm totally loving my current one (at least once I figured out how to turn off the weird touchpad tricks Toshiba puts in their proprietary software), I am actually dreaming of my next laptop. I don't usually do that. For me, it's figuring out when I absolutely have to upgrade and waiting as long as I can to find the best deal out there. I never buy cutting edge technology because you pay too much for it and then have to suffer through manufacturers working out the bugs in the new stuff. I wait 6 months to a year and buy cutting edge technology once it's no longer cutting edge, but still will do what I need it to do to keep up with the workload I require of it.

But now I've seen the wave of the future and it is bamboo. I'm so ready to replace yesterday's plastic casings with the warm tones of bamboo. Maybe it's all those past lives I spent in China, or maybe it's because I really love stuff made from natural materials. Whatever it is, I've found my next love, even if I have to be patient for a year or two while I wait for them to test it out on the market and give it time until the innovative becomes commonplace. In the meantime, I've included a link so you can check out the forthcoming ASUS bamboo laptop.


http://event.asus.com/notebook/bamboo/index2.html

Editor of AGNADL

The Greening of Everyday Technology

While some people were buying up the colorful array of laptops that flooded the market in 2008, I yawned. A pink laptop. How nice, if you're into pink. I thought the blue ones looked pretty smart, since I'm a fan of that color, but it still wouldn't make me go out of my way to buy a laptop of a different color. Plastic is plastic no matter what the shade. I'm not a big fan of plastic. The stuff just doesn't biodegrade--ever. I don't know why we don't find some way to strengthen it, while making it less brittle and build our houses out of it, roofs and all. Seems like that would make house repairs a thing of the past. But no, the things we want to last forever are made of materials that biodegrade eventually--usually way sooner than we like. If we made our houses out of Legos(tm), then when the next big storm came along and blew an ancient tree onto our roof, causing part of it to collapse, we could just snap off and replace the broken pieces with new Legos(tm). But alas, this is not what we do. We make things that we are not likely to use for more than ten years max out of plastic that will then NEVER EVER biodegrade. So the monitors, CPUs, keyboards, mice(?), and laptops continue to stack up at the dump and sanitation workers have to worry about keeping the toxic innards of these gizmos and widgets out of the landfills. It is ILLEGAL, by the way, to dump computers, printers, monitors, etc. into your regular trash. They have lead and other toxic stuff in them.

Fortunately more companies are starting to provide recycling services for outdated and broken computers and their peripherals. If your old computer equipment still works, some community organization or business may be able to help you find a nonprofit or school who could use it. It may take a little effort on your part, but it's a great way to give back to the community and it costs nothing except a little of your time. If your equipment is broken, then you can take it to places like Office Depot or Staples to recycle it for a really small fee: $5-15 per "Tech Recycling Box" at Office Depot or $10 per item at Staples. Either way it's a great way to get rid of your broken computer stuff. Most places that sell ink cartridges take your old empties for free.

Hint: If you have a bunch of little stuff to recycle, go to Office Depot and get a "Tech Recycling Box," but if you just have a couple of big items, it works to go to Staples and pay the per item fee, which is $10. Dell computer recycling at Staples is free.

http://www.officedepot.com/promo.do?file=/promo/pages/0928_recycling.jsp
http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/ecoeasy/index.html?storeId=10001&cm_ven=Glamour&cm_ite=ecoeasy

Best Buy offers free recycling of small items, such as cell phones and their batteries. A lot of other places offer various kinds of technology recycling, some at certain times of the year. See the link below for more ways to recycle the stuff that is illegal to toss in the trash.

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm#mftr

That lets us know how to deal with the old stuff. What about new stuff that is coming on the market? Check out the next posting at this blog to read a reprint of an article I posted at another one of my blogs. It's easier just to reprint it than to say it over again. Let's just say, I'm recycling that blog.

Editor of AGNADL

Honest Workers Turn in Found Money

Whoever was in charge of sending the old safe from Germany's Postbank to the scrapyard forgot to do one minor thing before they got rid of it. They forgot to empty it. Workers at a Berlin steel plant found the equivalent of about $128,500 inside. But instead of pocketing the discarded cash, the workers gave the money back to the bank. Apparently the money was inadvertently left in the safe when the branch office moved in December, but the safe didn't go with it.

That's one big "oops!"

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE50T56C20090130


Editor of AGNADL

Children and Parents of the U.S. Celebrate!

Late night, the Senate passed a bill to support the State Children's Health Insurance Program, by a vote of 66-32. This bill will provide health care to eleven million children. The President is expected to sign the bill into law. This is indeed good news for children and their parents who desperately need access to affordable health care. President Bush vetoed similar bills twice, so this is a big change in the stance of our government.

For more information on the bill the Senate just passed, go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30health.html?_r=1

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Signed into Law by President

It will be interesting to see the repercussions of the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Act that was signed into law today by President Obama. For two decades Lilly Ledbetter was paid less to do the same job as her male peers. When she sued her employer, Goodyear, and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court, she lost 5-4. That was in 2007. The message that was sent by the highest law in the land was that wage discrimination was okay. Now that Congress has passed this bill and our new President has signed it into law, employers will have to revisit wage discrimination practices, since they can now be held accountability for it.

While Lilly Ledbetter will not be compensated for the years and years of unequal pay, she has won a huge victory, not only for herself, but for all workers across the nation who are being discriminated against on their paychecks. This is an important message now being sent to employers. Let's hope it results in some unexpected wage leveling.


http://www.nwlc.org/details.cfm?id=3452§ion=newsroom

It's Elemental, My Dear

We know now that we can live longer if we have clean air to breathe (see today's article: "Breathe Better, Live Longer"). I should hope that we also know that we need clean water to drink. Looking at this planet from space, you'd think that sufficient water would never be an issue on planet Earth. Yet even though most of the surface of this planet consists of water, only about 3% of it is drinkable. That puts an entirely different perspective on this precious elemental part of survival.



With all this cleaner air we're breathing now, why don't we use some of it to produce clean water? Anyone who has studied survival methods can tell you how to make your own water from air through the process of collecting condensation from a homemade water still. If you don't know how to do this, I recommend that you take a look at any survival skills reference manual or do a search online. A quick search yielded several informative articles. Here's just one of them for further research, if you're interested.



http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-to-make-a-solar-water-survival-still/



Once you understand this basic principle, you'll see why it might be nice if we don't wait until we're desperate for water to start producing it from air. It's a bit of a job that requires some time and effort. Way more effort than walking over to the faucet and turning it on. But in areas where water shortages are a regular occurrence, we could apply some of this nifty science to create supplies of drinkable water from the air before it is needed.



From emagazine.com, I learned about a company that is working on a solution to the shortage of potable water. It is called Element Four. The product they've developed is called the Watermill, which applies these basic scientific principles not only to produce water from air, but also to purify the water after it is generated.



To learn more about this company, I link you to the original emagazine.com article I read.





http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4493



I did a Google search and learned about some other companies that are using innovative ideas to do similar elemental things, including providing water for the troops who are still hanging out in the Iraqi desert, waiting for democracy to take hold and working their tails off trying to rebuild a nation damaged by the "war on terror." It's okay if you don't want to read all these nerdy, scientific articles, but they're there if you're interested. If you want to read even more, I suggest you Google the words: "make water from air" and then stand back and be amazed at how much information is at your fingertips as a result of a few keystrokes.



http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/10/71898



http://www.alternate-energy-sources.com/water-from-air.html







Editor of AGNADL

NFL Superbowl Goes Green

Sports fans who are also environmentally-conscious are going to love this note from emagazine.com. The National Football League actually has its own tree-planting team that works hard to minimize the carbon footprint of the Superbowl. Their Environmental Program also focuses on reducing food, packaging, and decoration wastes. What's even more amazing than the fact that the NFL is actually doing this, is the fact that it didn't just start this year. This will be the fifth year this program has engaged in strenuous greening activities. I have to wonder why we didn't hear more about it before. Is it because the GREEN message is getting louder and more popular? Whatever it is, I think it very good news for the planet and yes, also for our lungs and our longevity, as we just learned in the previous article. The Environmental Program of the NFL has been busy planting trees in Tampa, Florida, prior to Superbowl Sunday, initiating a dozen different tree-planting projects in and around the city.

To read about additional NFL efforts at greening the Superbowl, head to emagazine.com:

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4537

Editor of AGNADL

Breathe Better, Live Longer

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you're breathing cleaner air, then you're likely to live longer than if you're breathing filthy air. But it is nice to know that this has been confirmed by the experts. I came across this news tidbit in a couple different email newsletters I receive, but I've also linked the original study so you can go straight to the source on this one. Essentially the good news is that a federally funded research project has shown that improved air quality is connected to longer lifespans. It's nice to know that good old fashioned common sense is sometimes proven by scientists to be accurate.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/360/4/376

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4539

Editor of AGNADL

Woman Gives Birth in L.A. to Live Octuplets

There are so many ways to present this news, most of which involve my eyes wide open in surprise with the words, "Oh my gosh!" coming out of my mouth in a little dialog balloon. Let me just get a running start on this one. Bear with me. (Deep breath). Okay, WOW! That's a lot of babies. (Pause for a moment of celebration that all came through the caesarean birth alive and well). Wow, that's a LOT of babies! (Pause for a moment of laughter at the joy of this miracle). Wow, that's STILL a lot of babies. The eight babies were born nine weeks premature and two of them needed help to breathe, but otherwise the hospital reported that they were all lively and kicking. (Pause for a prayer for their continued good health and for the continued sanity of the parents, whoever they are). The name of the mother was not released for reasons of privacy, which I suspect she will not be able to maintain for long. Wow, that's REALLY a lot of babies. I babysat full-time for my three infant nephews nearly three decades ago. There was a set of twins and a brother who was ten months older, so it was not unlike caring for triplets. That was a handful, let me tell you. Wow, that's really a lot of BABIES!

Okay, okay...grand finale... Welcome to the world, little people! I wish you well on your journey. I wish your parents/caretakers/medical staff, etc. much patience and hearts full of compassion for so many needs requiring immediate attention simultaneously. Memorize this mantra, people: "This is a blessing and a miracle." You're gonna need it. (Chuckle knowingly). Wow! Lots and lots of babies there.

Everyone, welcome these little beings into the world with me. I'd love to show you photos of them, but nothing has been released yet. All I can offer are links to the articles posting this most amazing news item. Wow! That's a whole lot of babies!

Stop whatever else you're doing right now and say a word of thanks for all these little ones who have opted to enter the world en masse. Since it takes a village to raise a child, I suspect these children will need the entire nation's combined goodwill and help until they join this emerging new world as adults.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7852623.stm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/27/2475340.htm?section=world

Editor of AGNADL

President Obama Continues to Right the Wrongs

More good news on the political and environmental front. President Obama is taking steps to turn back some of the climate policies set in place under the Bush administration. He's trying to make it possible for states to set pollution limits for their own states. He told the EPA to reconsider California's request, which had been denied under President Bush, to allow the state to impose more stringent limitations on vehicle carbon dioxide emissions. Leading the way towards towards cleaner air and a greener environment, California's plan has motivated possibly as many as 18 other states to consider more strict clean air standards in their states as well. This is good news for the environment as well as for the states who are being proactive in making positive changes in the quality of life in their jurisdictions.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE50P4C020090126?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE50P58T20090126?virtualBrandChannel=10112

Editor of AGNADL

Empire State Building Decked Out in Celebration for Chinese New Year

I love it that the Empire State Building is going to be decorated in red and yellow lights to celebrate the Year of the Earth Ox, which begins on Monday, January 26th, the Chinese New Year. These colors and the Year of the Earth Ox are symbols in Chinese Astrology of happiness and wealth. The Earth Ox indicates that the prosperous times will be a result of its hard work and fortitude. For more information about the significance of the Year of the Earth Ox, check out the links below:

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--empirestatebuildi0123jan23,0,173802.story

http://www.usbridalguide.com/special/chinesehoroscopes/Ox.htm

http://slicesofmylifebethmitchum.blogspot.com/2009/01/year-of-earth-ox.html

Editor of AGNADL

Senate Passes the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Thursday, January 22, 2009, the US Senate passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act by a vote of 61 to 36. This is an important victory for women in particular because in 2007, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against Lilly Ledbetter in the case of Lilly Ledbetter vs. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.
This ruling left women without legal standing to fight against pay discrimination. President Obama has already pledged to sign the bill into law.

Included are two links to the National Women's Law Center, where you can find out more about the passage of this very important bill.

http://www.nwlc.org/details.cfm?id=3441§ion=newsroom

http://www.nwlc.org/fairpay/senatevote012209.html

There's also a link for you to find out how your senators voted:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00014

I'd like to thank Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell publicly for their "yea" votes from my part of the world.

Editor of AGNADL

Satellite Launched to Help the Environment

Friday 23 January, 2009 (JST)
Japan successfully launched the world's first satellite to be used exclusively to track Greenhouse gases. The aim of GOSAT (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite) is to collect gas emissions data around the world for use by scientists in helping to protect our wonderful world.

For more information view:
http://www.space-travel.com/Launch_Pad.html

Even the Wolves are Howling as the New Day Dawns

President Obama must have one seriously smoking pen. The nonprofit group, Earthjustice, reports that another of former President George W. Bush's last-minute efforts to circumvent the legal system has been blocked. The northern gray wolves have won a reprieve from being stripped of their protected status under the Endangered Species Act until the Obama administration can review the ruling that would have left them open to immediate delisting.

According to Earthjustice: "Under the Emanuel memo, the wolf delisting rule will be withdrawn. This rule was extremely controversial and was rushed through even though a federal district court had declared the wolf delisting illegal in July. It defied the law which prohibits a state by state listing when the wolves do not respect state boundaries."

Thank you, Mr. President, for halting this in time to take reasonable, legal action in the light of day where everyone can see what action is being taken.

For more details, link to: http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2009/obama-stops-bush-s-last-minute-regulations.html

Editor of AGNADL

More Good News on the Political Front

While I don't want this blog to focus on political good news, I have a feeling there will be a lot of political good news coming our way in the days, weeks, months, and at least four years to come. I hardly need to explain why. Here's the next step in reformatting the United States' standing in the global community:

President Obama has issued a directive to shut down Guantanamo within a year. There is much work to be done on this front, but he has called for an end to the injustice done there and in other secret prisons. Thank you, Mr. President, for offering us more good news and reason for hope.

Here's a link for more details:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22gitmo.html

Editor of AGNADL

Never Too Old to Call "Do Over!"

I had to laugh when I read that the Chief Justice led President Obama in Round Two of the Presidential Oath today. According to the New York Times article I read, the second oath took place this evening in the Map Room of the White House and took less than a half a minute. Well worth the small time investment to head off any accusations that President Obama isn't just an "almost" President.

Yesterday the two men stumbled over the placement of the word faithfully and already the political machinations were spinning an argument about the validity of an oath where a word is omitted and then reinserted in a different place. It was a case of better safe than sorry. There were, of course, witnesses present at this second attempt to get the wording of the President oath correct.

It was noted that Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. said, “Are you ready to take the oath?” To which President Obama replied, “I am. And we’re going to do it very slowly.”

You gotta love it. When at first you don't succeed... Do over! Just like when we were kids.

Link below for the original New York Times article:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/21/oath-is-administered-once-again/?partner=rss&emc=rss&src=ig

--Editor of AGNADL

Good News for Utah’s Redrock Wilderness

I got an email from Robert Redford (yes, THE Robert Redford) on Inauguration Day, informing me that a federal judge blocked the Bush Administration from executing a last-minute lease sale of 110,000 acres of Utah's Redrock Wilderness to oil and gas companies. I don't know if you've ever visited this part of the United States, but it's absolutely gorgeous terrain and well worth protecting. This is a huge victory for all of us, since it involved public lands that should be held in trust for succeeding generations.

Mr. Redford is a trustee for NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). The NRDC and other environmental groups asked for a temporary restraining order against this final endeavor by the Bush Administration and were rewarded for the efforts when Judge Ricardo M. Urbina granted the restraining order, saying "...the development of energy resources...is far outweighed by the public interest in avoiding irreparable damage to public lands and the environment." Apparently the case will be heard later this year, but the government is not going to be allowed to cash the checks that had already been issued for our nation's precious wilderness.

Thank you, Mr. Redford, and everyone who supported the blocking of this sneaky sell-off of our national resources. Let's all support future efforts to protect Utah's Redrock Wilderness. Here's a link to help you get started.

NRDC Save the Biogems

For more information about the attempted Bush auction and the subsequent restraining order, click here.

---Editor of AGNADL

Obama Takes the Presidential Oath (sort of)

What better way to start a "good news" blog than with the swearing in of a US President, who ran under a campaign of change and hope for a better future? What we, as a nation, can accomplish now with President Obama at the helm of the government is virtually unlimited. He can't do it alone. He is only human after all. Heck, he couldn't even make it through the oath without tripping over his tongue and getting twisted up in the incorrect ordering of the words fed to him by the Chief Justice, who was supposed to be leading him in the oath. Maybe it was embarrassing to him, but it showed the world that he is not infallible, nor is the Chief Justice. But the President seems to have an open heart and a clear vision that we can turn our country around and make it a great nation once again, a respected nation, a leader among leaders in a world that is hungry for change. There is a greater sense of accountability than ever before. Under our last administration we entered a war under a shadow of fear. Those fears, we found out later, were in large part unfounded. President Obama, in his inaugural address states clearly and pointedly, "We have chosen hope over fear."

By far, my favorite sentence of his inaugural speech was this: "To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you build, not what you destroy." So we begin here to build a website of good news only.

--Editor of AGNADL