Human Trafficking...I am so glad I am an educated American!

http://www.fbi.gov/page2/april10/trafficking_041610.html

Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.  I am thrilled to be an educated American.  I am fortunate that I am not living in a shack unable to read and I don't need to sell or send my daughter to a foreign country so she has a promise of a better life..... the hope of a new exciting American life squashed as she is turned into a modern day slave.  Don't turn your back.  If you see it, report it.... Love you SH

7 Disruptive Foods Changing the Way We Eat

7 Disruptive Foods Changing the Way We Eat

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A sick side note:  Do you think they have done the actuarial work on if this was successful, what it would do to the global population?  It's effect on the environment.  I guess you wouldn't have to recycle packaging, reduce waste etc....less H20 consumption....Hmmm?  Do you still use the bathroom?  What happens to your teeth long term?  Do you have to use a mouth excerciser?  Random musings....On a nicer note:  At least people would't go hungry.  Hungry is not a nice feeling....

The 50 Most Stressful Colleges in the US.

http://http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-04-04/the-50-most-stressful-colleges/#gallery=1470;page=51

Carefully consider you child's choice for college. What type of child is she/he? Can they withstand intense competitiveness and all of the intense pressures when leaving home or will they end up homeless pushing shopping carts because they "lost it" either from drugs (trying to cope) or underlying mental illness like... many of the math/engineering/physics majors at UC Berkeley (where I went to school) or even worse committing suicide from the 3rd floor rotunda at MIT (which has an incredibly high suicide rate).  You may think you have prepared your child for the best of the best, however, I urge you to think again based on your child not on the ranking of the school academically, or because it is your alma mater, you want to brag to people at the country club that your kid goes to an IVY or Top 10 in world report....They can do that for Grad School where they will be most likely better adapted to handle the intense pressure after 4 years. 

 I have known so many students that have gone from a 4.0+/g.p.a. AP student in high school to getting there first A- or lower (if graded on the curve and you have two future nobel laureates in your class that are killing the curve) and it is absolutely devistating to them.  For so many different reasons (I won't go into, I do have to work LOL) but psycologically it can blow them so hard it ruins them.  There self esteem which was once high is now shattered and they begin the spiral of self doubt....  

Instead of seeking professional help (although available at some schools, Im not talking academic counselors, I'm talking Psychiatrists or Mental Health Counselors, would be considered weak) or talking to their parents which they now think they are most certainly going to disappoint because they received a lower grade they either, keep trying, give up, drink or do drugs trying to self medicate, or have some underlying mental issue that makes them completely snap (which is why I am writing this)  I saw too many students at UC Berkeley, push shopping carts, live on the street because they just couldnt handle the stress.  

One in particular Rawr Man could tell you any baseball statistic in the time since base ball has been played.  Another was a brilliant physics doctorate student when I got there he was 50ish wearing a dress, sleeping in the bushes and if you sat near enough (if you could stand the smell) you would hear the most fascinating discussions occuring between a group of homeless men that you never thought you would hear.  Particle physics, Newton, all with huge gesticulations.  They would get drunk when they could go on for hours, sometimes incoherent, then maybe fight.   It wasn't over a girl or something dumb...it was over a difference in an equation or theory.

Can you imagine if we had a place that made them feel safe enough to discuss what they were discussing in the streets, dirty with dresses and smelly but in an environment that was OK with their mental illness what we could actually study and listen too?  I am sure that with all their craziness there is still much underlying brilliance to be had, it just needs a conduit so that it can get out and be noticed....

I sure hope that your children are in the proper environment to learn without that much stress.  I hope that I can help my kids choose wisely.  I'm not sure that is possible, one already wants to go  to summer camp at MIT for robotics.....at 9.  

Ok I am done with my rant at the moment.....

The Hazards Lurking at Home

The Hazards Lurking at Home

We are now finding that "Better Living through Chemistry (an old tag line from a Dow commercial) is not in fact the best for the rather sensitive human body. The huge leaps that we have made in science in the last 100 or so years obviously hasn't been studied thoroughly enough. Have we looked at all outcomes studied of those technologies, chemicals, etc in regards to earth and the humans and the ecosystems that dwell on it. I think not. Whether you choose to err on the safe side (I try my best) or completely ignore it as hog wash is your choice. However, I really hope that since I have done the best that I could with my kids that they will grow up with less incidences of the after affects of exposure....Ramble for the day.

World’s Most Stunning Data Centers - Geek Pron or Eye Candy

http://ow.ly/1sAcB

Random thoughts:

So nice so clean....I wonder what kind of alternative energy if any they are using:-)  At least the one's with LED lighting are reducing heat (thus reducing the cooling needs)  I'm also a big believer in Fiber running through trays....1. Reduces the amount of heat that is produced by copper 2. Copper is at an all time high, We have lots of sand on this earth...reduce costs 3. Reduce the footprint needed, a tiny pipe can carry enough fiber to rid you of 3ft deep of copper.  4.  Are they efficiently using the aisles.   I really like the Group: The Green Data Center Alliance  I particularly like Eaton and a few other manufacturers they seem to really get it....Ah random musings...

I'm going outside!

Finally sitting down long enough to breathe

I've finally stopped traveling for the moment....allowing my brain to settle down a bit.  Now I can reflect on the time since my last post and hopefully provide some good cannon fodder for my friends to comment about :-)

Time to write...before the next leap off the edge into the abyss we call life....suck it up for all its worth cause you only have ONE!   

The Energizer Bunny just discovered a new alternative for producing mass quantities of energy with no carbon footprint or toxic by product from manufacturing! YEA! Now if I can get this guys business plan into shape and find him the first 10mm we can start a true GREEN ENERGY REVOLUTION!!!!! I got my excel spreadsheets fired up and am ready to ROLL! Take no prisoners!

Funny Conversations: Em

In the files of: Favorite things my friends say:

My Friend Em looking over her tea cup....looks up at me dead in the eye and states:

"Perhaps I will write my book about myself when I am 60 and in need of attention" :-)

I of course after deeply staring into my tea cup, introspective and inhaling the steam of the tea, slowly look back up, give her a crooked smile and raised eyebrow and state: 

"Perhaps I will attempt to write a book about my travels now....volume 2 about myself in entirety to be released upon my death" I will be at rest and still make people laugh long after I am dead.   

To which we both start giggling...

And then.....

She calls me on it:

"CHICKEN"

The only thing I could reply with was:

YEP.....

Sites That Rock!~Shared Electron

Innovative, Cool, Collaberation! A Place to share!

!Shared Electron!

"I built a doomsday machine and all I got was this lousy t-shirt"

NICA Rocks! Way to go Matt!

I love hanging with my friends.

I want to thank Fritz for hanging with me for diner last night and mostly because he is an extraordinary inspiration.

Matt created the first Mountain Bike League in the US specifically for High School kids! He started by creating the Northern California High School Mountain Bike League in 2001 Then came SOCAL, and the rest is now the NATIONALS!

Well done my friend!

We have come a long way from my first triathalon with you 18 years ago. A long colorful journey from DVC, UCB and we keep riding forward!

See the dream and make it happen! YEA Team!

http://www.nationalmtb.org/

NICA

Source: www.nationalmtb.org

The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is the National Governing Body for grades 9-12 interscholastic mountain biking. NICA provides leadership, governance and program support to promote the development of Interscholastic Mountain Biking Leagues throughout the United States.

Why BRC?

The Temple

A Salute to Veterans 2009

A moment of respect for all former, current and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our flag to still fly free... Thank you! Freedom is not free!

Samois

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samois-sur-Seine

My first trip to FRANCE (other than a layover at CDG)

Truth be told: Astonishingly enough in all my travels throughout the world. I have never been to France. Figured when I was old and tired I would go to France instead of trying to take on all of the third world countries (before they become second and first world leaders) Watching how an emerging market and nation socially, economically and environmentally develops....watching history unfold and being a part of it has always been more interesting to me than experiencing something that hasn't changed for centuries....Until I was accepted at www.insead.edu for an executive program in France. This forced me to go to France much earlier than I had intended. I have an amazing new respect for things that haven't changed and have stayed the same. There is something to be said pour le'change de resistance'!

I have traveled all over Europe but always for business or to visit people I love: England, Germany, Switzerland (ok that was for skiing), Belgium, Luxumbourg, Italy, etc. But never, France, Spain or Portugal. I figured I would leave that for when I was finished trying to make the world a safer and better place.

I will tell you, if you stay in Paris (of which I have not been too yet other than the airport again), My belief (perhaps soon to be proven wrong is:)Paris is a city, just like most others. Everyone is cranky doesn't have patience and is trying to make there way in the world. The leaders of the nation reside there so politics is always on the top of the stack. Kind of like university towns. The young and idealistic are the majority and proceed to protest everything from calling McDonalds , Le McDonalds to the importance of a call against France in a game ruled by FIFA.

However, my initial indoctrination to France is in the country. In the middle of the forest! But, upon my arrival, I must say the first thing when I walked off the plane that I noticed was that all the baggage trucks were electrically powered and recharged! Unlike the US which still utilizes small stinky petro fueled carts. Rock On! Kudo's to the green movement.

I arrived in the country and went to a small village named Samois sur seine. On the river. I stopped at the bakery picked up a baguette (whole grain with flax) a bottle of sparkling water, a chunk of fresh raw milk brie and proceeded to walk down to the river through the village of 2100 people (most likely during the summer)admiring the gardens, the amazing smells, the dogs, the swans, the sun, the trees....the chimes of the clock tower. I was quite sure I was in heaven. I ate on a bench and watched the wild life and people and giggled like a school girl. It was amazing.........

The Denver Airport Delay

Chose to live, laugh, love and learn because this is all it is....if only for this one moment in time.

(The people around me are extremely upset (yelling at the poor ticket agents who obviously haven't remembered to bring their weather control devices for your personal convenience) because the plane is delayed for 2 hours (weather not silly stuff especially when you think of the plane lost in the ocean coming from Brazil this week)

Inconvenient yes (I would really like to see my kids) but life extinguishing I think not...) A deep breath and thought for all those who have much greater trials than being stuck at an airport with free wifi, access to food, shelter, and electricity!)

Ahhhh it's all good.

Quote of the Day: Attitude

Attitude
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gifted ability, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in certain way, we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing that we can do is play on the one string that we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is ten percent what happens to us and ninety percent how we react to it.
And so it is with you…we are in charge of our Attitudes.

- Charles R. Swindoll quotes (American Writer and Clergyman, b.1934)


Thank you Lyle for reminding me that I shouldn't be such a social introvert for the wrong reasons:-)