chuck kottke

We humans are incredibly valuable to both ourselves and the natural world, if we do things in a more cohesive, constructive, and intelligent fashion. We are more valuable than gold, more precious than diamonds, and more essential than water for our survival, as without one-another, we would find it incredibly difficult to survive. We just need to keep working on those better ways, and growing and learning. We are learning to do things better, but it takes time to coordinate and educate, and to diminish the excesses of selfishness. :Be the +positive+ force here, as without hope, we're hopeless. So, here's some good news: Solar Cell prices are set to drop!! This, added with the right incentives in the marketplace, can solve a multitude of problems. Here's a good source on the matter:PV Costs Set to Plunge for 2009/10 - Renewable Energy World ''We must be the change we wish to see"

I had been thinking that too! Brown Bear and Friends - I wonder what she sounds like in the recording?:) Anyhow, didn't U2 do a children's recording too??:P

If we think only of ourselves, what we get is Daffy Duck. Funny, but not the answer. Think for the 7th genration ahead, and live a good life too. Here's a great site to check out!::::> Design of new Mercedes-Benz bionic car inspired by fish body shape

But there's a lot of Bassists out there! (actually, I haven't a clue - good luck!;)) I confess that I'm getting out of shape spending too much time on the net!

I am confused as well. Gwyneth? Did she sing in a movie?? Is she doing a Julie Andrews Sound of Music remake??:)

Yes, those butterflies are spectacular!! I'll keep planting the milkweed and letting the caterpillars multiply in my garden - & I hope you can keep their mountain home safe in Mexico!

Food for thought: Our auto engines today are around 25% efficient. Carnot efficiency (the maximum theoretical efficiency of an engine) suggests the best we can do with internal combustion engines is around 87% efficiency. The gap is there for several reason. First, engine efficiency improves the hotter an engine operates. Present designs use water cooling to save components made of conventional materials (cast iron or aluminum), but newer designs of heat resistant materials could boost mileage by allowing the engine to run hotter. Second, the pressure of the combustion gasses is not fully utilized before exhausting, and better designs could put this lost energy to work. Third, if the heat within the cylinder is reflected back into the cylinder more effectively, then the gasses could do more work on the piston when they expand. More to the point of fuel and ecology, we would all be better off relying on carbon-neutral energy sources. Solar power coupled with newer battery technologies is becoming once again a viable option for automotive energy supplies. Using lithium, carbon nanotube, or other green battery technologies, we may soon be able to power our vehicles without petrol. The option is already there for those with the setups, and will quickly be made more available to the general buying public. But even more rational is looking at reasons for driving in the first place. Planning that include close proximity for stores and community places can negate the need for much of our driving, and high efficiency in lighting design and placement is an easy solution to the needs of lights but not lighting up the planet.

Well, let's see; I use 1/4 the electricity of the average American (high efficiency lights, outdoor lights only when needed, a newer refrigerator (which is much better, but I'd rather have one that uses 1/2 that amount of juice). I have insulated the house I live in extensively, and sealed up a great many air gaps - a heat exchanger and newer, tight-fitting doors will be the next step. One thing to keep in mind with automobiles: they require about as much energy to manufacture as they use in their expected lifetimes. And a look at vehicle weight is important, as an indicator of energy used to manufacture. Lighter, more stream-lined vehicles are the way to go; even larger vehicles need a complete reshaping to achieve the efficiencies we need to achieve to curb our energy consumption significantly. Think tear-drop or box-fish shape; lower cross-sectional area, and gradual curves in general, both fore and aft. Even an older vehicle which is reasonably light and has a low cross-sectional area can get great mileage, if driven gently and below a high rate of speed. If I can get 36 miles per gallon with a 1984 Cavalier, then anyone should be able to get 40 or better, even if they drive a new sportier model.

:cool::cool::cool:YAY Ricardo!! Save the Monarchs for Lore!!!;)

Recycling would happen more routinely if there were readily available places to take the used electronic devices or curbside pickup. Also, if the old electronic devices were given a minimum price guaranteed, then the devices would be recycled. If we ignore the problem, it won't go away automatically. We must be the change we wish to see, and sometimes that means having a government which promotes the rights things. Externalities are everyone's business.

Greetings Karin! Glad to hear you've fallen in love with their acoustic music - I too think it's excellent.;) Enjoy the concert, and bring ear muffs for your husband!:laugh3:

Is this the Animal collective?:rolleyes::laugh3:

I believe there are many motivators, both individual and collective, in any society. Bidding things out to the lowest bidder is narrow-minded and short-sighted I agree, but a formula based on redeeming social values, quality of service, and guarantees against bad-practice corporate failings. Lowest cost isn't always best - it should be a combination of qualities that gets the bid. We could have agencies do it too; I believe many are motivated by the desire to accomplish something that lasts and is good for the country and the world, as long as there are checks and balances on quality and efficiency, plus good design of the programs. True, we all are best doing what we are best at, but we cannot all be musicians, not can we all be bankers. We can understand one-another better, and yes, I would have to agree that the top bankers/money managers have lost themselves in their own hubris and schemes, pulling things that have shaken the global financial system to it's foundation. I think we have front-loaded things into the competitive mode too heavily, I have to agree. Not enough time to reflect, nor respect for reflective wisdom to take root and take precedent in our way of doing things in life. But there are many paths, and competition, if channeled into useful ways can benefit both the individual and society. It does cause a "blinder's effect" to go up on the horses running the race, however. Yes, we've screwed up ocean ecology - something I'm aware of, including the jellyfish growth explosion - but clogging the intake pipes in news to me. So much for self-limiting ocean fishing, or allowing plastics that won't decompose naturally, or allowing too much shark fishing. Top predators often are key to ecological balance. Hence, without honest governments, the will of the people and the truth is suppressed to all our detriments. MENSA isn't jelly fish, but perhaps wished to understand the interactions occurring. The life in the ocean is an indicator of pressures which cause some species to thrive while others diminish in numbers. It hasn't feeling, it just is, as everything living just is. And we must learn quickly to balance the systems we're part of, or face the results which we may not like (zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, Jellyfish in the oceans everywhere, mercury in the water and food we eat..). I'm for a quality-of-life economy, which includes all life. Revamping the economy is important, but we do need an economy, just one that's overseen by just individuals, with a broad understanding of equity, and responsive to the will of the people. An economy with a heart, courage, and a brain, as the Wizard bestowed on the three knights of OZ!:)

Hello Stephan! :) Enjoy the concert, and keep the tulips growing strong in the lowlands!!

This thread is for a discussion about the true cost of gold. The Real Price of Gold — National Geographic Magazine We face here a problem - there's been gold discovered in minable quantities not far from where I live, and it's in an ore body that goes underneath a major river. The type of mining being proposed would be open pit, then underground up to (and possibly extending beyond) the middle of the river (underneath the river, that is). Since gold is often associated with sulfide minerals, and since there's a chance of acids forming from the broken up material that could leech heavy metals or arsenates, it's a serious concern. Arguably, the tailings, low-grade ore, and waste rock could be mixed with ground limestone to neutralize any acid-generating potential, but a recent mine where this was attempted failed to fully neutralize the waste materials put back into the pit, and resulting contaminated water flowed into the nearby river. It might work if done right, but is it worth the risk? What happens when the river changes course? How dangerous would a cave-in be?? How essential is gold, copper, zinc, lead, and other metals obtained from these types of mines?? And for concentrating the gold, a process of sprinkling a cyanide compund solution onto the pile of ore, and collecting the leachate yielding gold and other metals is one proposed method on the table. This, right next to a river currently of excellent water quality. And as metals prices rise, the pressure and political payoffs mount as well. Acording to the USGS, in roughly 20 years, many of these ore bodies will be fully extracted, leaving us with less and less of these metals to concentrate - so it's not even sustainable at current consumption rates. But that's just the tip of the ice-berg. This is a global phenomenon, and where the large multi-national corporations haven't been busy, small scale miners, often using dangerous materials and employing slave labor have been busy. All for that shiny yellow metal and it's adherents in the market. One has to ask, what do we need so much gold for in the first place?? It is worth all the harm done, just for looks and hoarding? While some could be obtained from placer deposits, with little to no harm to anyone, most is not. So, consider the options, and choose better. Electronics use their fair share. Even if our PC's contain very little gold (roughly 3/100th of an ounce in each one), it adds up quickly, with the cell phones, extra laptops, printers, keyboards, cameras, u-name-it that we possess. I'd be willing to bet that each one of us has as much as 1/10th of an ounce of gold & other precious metals lolling about in those nifty modern devices - roughly 90 bucks worth; which in 5-10 years will be the equivalent of useless boat-anchors. We really need to recycle these things, because the price of the precious metals are simply underpriced for the damage done to get at them. Difficult to replace owing to their excellent conducting properties and corrosion resistance, they will undoubtedly be here for the long haul, but there's a need not currently being met to reclaim them from the best "ore" in the world - that old PC. Anyhow, that's my pitch.

All too true. But the problem is that in good times after bad times, people forget what caused the bad times. Then, the con-men step in, sell a song and a dance to the public, and think they can waltz off with their loot. They've rigged the social deal we've struck amongst ourselves - namely, they've rigged the makets to fail by their rush to be the biggest takers from the pot with their schemes, and the average citizen on planet earth pays the bills. I know the harm done, and yes Rob, I've helped homeless people - made a homeless man a house to live in, and helped with food donations - I'm not so unfamiliar with the troubles many people face. The reason our family survived the depression was from food donations (government rations), and what they grew on the farm - that's back in the day's of the 30's, but the stories remain strong with me. I've often felt the need for real compassion is lacking in our modern world, and the essential checks and balances with our government here in the US is eroded severely - I've been involved with the efforts to change all that, but it takes a shock to wake others up as well, and now we've seen the shock. We need a separation of Money and Politics so representative government works for the will of we citizens, and does not allow irrational manipulators to control the show from on high. And the economy needs to be changed to address all concerns, especially long-term thinking and efficiency, lest we dig everything and pollute with our current wasteful methods in an extraction-consumption-disposal view of our existance. I'm working on putting the ideas into practice - from houses that consume less than a 10th of their original energy, to finding ways to heat with biofuels in winter, such that very little biomass is required, and the energy is put to maximum use through electric generation, applying waste heat for home heating needs. Consider that you are not alone in your quest, Rob. -Chuck.

Amen to that! Yes, the Metric system, I'd be delighted. (my neighbors would have a fit, however..). Perhaps instead of reacting, more of a proactive approach is called for. Ending the cozy relationship between Wall Street, the Banks, and the US Government would do us all a world of good. No more campaign cash for bad practices, that's just got to end, or we will be in trouble time after time after time. (The lobbyists are there to advise, not direct legislation, and this is the real problem in the mix). Q: I'm not aware of the situation elsewhere - does the United Kingdom face similar problems? How are the two kept at arms length?

An estimate on how much gold is really in your computer: From a table of High Extractable Metals, the typical PC contains .001% gold. Since this old one here weighs about 23 pounds, running the calculations means that it contains approximately .0034 ounces of pure gold. That's .1 Gram of gold. To put this into some visual realm, think about it this way: A small paperclip weighs approximately .5 grams, so if you "clip off" about a fifth of a paperclip, this would roughly equal the mass of gold in your computer. While it's not much gold (roughly $3.00 worth on the market), the millions of PC's, cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, stereos, and countless other electronic gadgets create a huge demand for gold, and we have yet to recycle appreciable amounts of these things. How rare is gold? Well, typical gold ore contains so little of the metal, that it would take a mass of ore in a room 15 foot x 30 foot (roughly 5 meters X 10 meters), floor to ceiling filled with ore, just to get one ounce of the metal. By contrast, it would take approximately 300 computers to yield the same amount of gold. The computers also contain 9X that amount of silver, plus palladium and other precious elements, making it essential that we recycle them.Metallurgical recycling of electronic scrap.pdf (application/pdf Object)

hope I think there's still plenty of hope for the success of the Monarch Butterfly, if we apply some brain power. Maybe some better logging practices and regrowth in other regions; or a factory that pays well, and creates composite spline-glued beams from small re-growth timber to fit the needed jobs in the area - or even newer natural fiber composite beams. It's out of basic human needs that the trees are cut - but the demand is for wide lumber and beams, which can be made better (no defects) using laminated or splined pieces of smaller wood or fiber crops. Some investment would help - good paying jobs and the materials that are in demand..

Back to topic here - I found this interesting article explaining thermals, which are essential to the Monarch butterfly's ability to make the incredible 50-miles per day traveling necessary to reach central Mexico. Here's the link:THE ROTATION OF THERMALS

Sounds like a vampire movie to me! But anyhow, this is for the lovely endangered lepidoptera, so named the Monarch because of it's glorious regal wings, the color and appearance of a royal coat (similar to the one a certain Chris Martin wears, and as well as the famous Butterfly drops at the concerts) - It all ties in nicely.:)

I'm afraid to ask, so I'll just leave it at that..:laugh3:

Bloodline? I haven't a clue! I'm not much of a moviegoer, I'm afraid, Isabella.

:)You're most very welcome!

Oh noo!!! :shocked2: I feel a grave disturbance in the force...:confused:b - b- but why, Lore?? And with the Prince of Darkness, James?? (But does the dark side come with dark chocolate??:p)