There Should Be A Law.....

Have you ever wondered how the mechanism of law making works in Congress? This chart shows you how.

See how easy it is?

Gardening Makes You Smarter

I love Scientific American. This article reports on a study that shows that exposure to certain bacteria in the soil actually increases memory, intelligence and serotonin levels while decreasing anxiety. Maybe that's why I like to garden so much.

Economics 801

Yeah, that's right. True post-graduate level stuff here. When are we going to learn that things don't necessarily scale? This 10+ minute cartoon explains research that points out that more $ doesn't necessarily equal better performance. This certainly gives weight to the notion that we should de-incentivize greed, because it's not performing as promised. Money IS NOT what people ALWAYS want.

Watch.

We Won't Find Aliens Because They're Playing XBox

This opinion piece in Seed Magazine serves up a provocative theory on civilization's progress as being a self-limiting proposition. The basic idea is that once a civilization develops technology, it inevitably uses it to seek ever more self-absorbed and narcissistic pastimes, eventually effectively abandoning real life for virtual existences. All you have to do is imagine the visors from the SyFY show "Caprica" to see the dangers of addiction inherent in such pursuits.

Do Children Pick Your Vegetables? (part two)

I applaud the efforts of anyone involved with teaching our children where food comes from and what is needed to make it grow. This effort sponsored by GOOD, LAUSD, The USDA People’s Garden Initiative, The Environmental Media Association, The National Gardening Association, The Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, The California School Garden Network, and Mia Lehrer & Associates, teaches lessons that only nature can provide.

As the article states, "A school ... garden not only helps children understand where their food comes from, it teaches ecological literacy and teamwork, nutrition and problem-solving."

We should be doing this in EVERY school.

Do Children Pick Your Vegetables?

Well, do they?

Step Right Up! Git 'Yer College Education Here!

For the longest time I have been suspicious of the quality of college education. There have been plenty of Americans going to colleges and universities, but I haven't seen much of the amazing futures promised in commencement speeches. In fact, it seems like the vast majority of college graduates exhibit the same small mindedness and lack of imagination of past generations.

Seth Godin seems to agree. In a recent blog post he decries the coming meltdown in higher education. These seem to be his major gripes (mine, too).

1. Most colleges are organized to give an average education to average students.
2. College has gotten expensive far faster than wages have gone up.
3. The definition of 'best' [school] is under siege.
4. The correlation between a typical college degree and success is suspect.
5. Accreditation isn't the solution, it's the problem.

I'd add to that, that I think colleges and universities are far more concerned about their reputations and continued growth than they are their student's educations and futures.

His solution? Get out, meet interesting and effective people. Learn things from them. Use libraries. Gap years, research internships and entrepreneurial or social ventures after (or during) high school are good ideas, too. We're sending our daughter to Costa Rica this summer.

Here's a link to Godin's post on the issue.

Cheap Homegrown Energy

One of the worries today is getting electrical power to the developing world without burning stuff (coal, oil, trash) to do it.

The folks at Catapult Design in San Francisco have one answer.  Tiny wind turbines built with materials easily found at the place where the power is needed.  Check out this video of people solving the problem.

Growing My Own

Close ups of the lettuce seeds that are growing in my garden.  Don't ask what kind they are.  They came from a packet of mixed seeds.

 Can't wait to taste the final product.  It'll be a few weeks though.

More On What To Do About Your Collapsing City

I always find it perplexing when people resist change that is inevitable and attempt to cling to something that is already gone. Many of our cities are shrinking and there is continual blow-back from some quarters that suggest that this reality be ignored and we move on with an endless growth scenario.

These two articles discuss other options. The first from Dan Kildee entitled "Bulldozing Cities" deals with the notion that shrinking your city might the appropriate response.

The second by Roberta Brandes Gratz, "Shrinking Cities: Urban Renewal Revisited?" suggests that forestalling the collapse of an urban area starts with offering opportunities that attract new small businesses and investment to the blighted area. Even though these two articles are at odds with each other, I think each contain strategic points that are complimentary.

Have a look.