Summer's Gone

It's like someone turned a switch or lowered the thermostat. Instant Autumn, just like that. It was the hottest, driest summer in recorded history here (Temescal Canyon/Glen Ivy Hot Springs, CA). Glad it's over. I can start walking long distances again any time of day without worry of heatstroke.
Today we are having cool showers as a little extra benefit and tonight snow above 7000 ft.
I accept and enjoy all changes but I am attached to Fall. Happy when it arrives and sorry to see it go.
I always think clearer and seem to enjoy life more in cooler, temperate weather. That is why I enjoyed living in the English countryside. Think there maybe something true in that particular "body types" function better in certain climates. I believe I read something about this in an ayurvedic brochure or a lecture I attended. Will check it out again.
I wish your fall to be another enjoyable experience.

Bento Box (弁当箱) Diaries

After posting a photo of a bento lunch on Flickr, I became curious about the organization and design of these so "pleasing to the eye" meals. Then serendipitously "How to make Bento" appeared on the Google home page. Gotta love that Google. Who knew that there are formulae for the portions in the Bento Box as well as the proper size based on gender, height and activity level. Japanese traditions are so civilized. I definitely need to work on my portion control anyway and what could be better than making a Bento for lunch everyday. I am currently looking for some bento boxes and found several web sites offering them. More to come.

TED, ideas worth spreading

I subscribe to TED, an on-line forum with weekly talks by some of our best minds. TED is Technology, Entertainment, Design.

TED is devoted to giving millions of knowledge-seekers around the globe direct access to the world's greatest thinkers and teachers.

I received an email from TED informing me about Pangea Day, May 10, 2008 and to spread the word to friends.

Pangea Day taps the power of film to strengthen tolerance and compassion while uniting millions of people to build a better future.

So I'm spreading the word, especially to my Flickr friends who capture many wonderful views and share them. You know who you are:-). If your camera has a movie mode, get to work. Take a look at the samples on the Pangea Day link above.
Link to TED here and work your way into one of the most rewarding websites. Here is the You Tube link to the video by Jehane Noujaim, 2006 TED prizewinner.

Your neighbors know if you're wasting energy.....

that is if you live in the borough of Haringey, London.
"Spy-in-the-sky cameras are being used to identify householders who are wasting the most energy and to shame them into turning the central heating down.
Thermal images of homes have been taken by a light aircraft fitted with military spy technology to record the heat escaping from people’s houses.
Maps identifying individual homes have now been placed on the internet to encourage occupiers to reduce their wastage and carbon emissions by fitting insulation and turning the thermostat down." From the London Times and here

Favorite Quotes

I know placing someone else's quotation on a blog can be annoying and boorish, but this is one of my favorite quotes from Emerson.

It is not length of life, but depth of life. Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life. Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanks Ralph, I will.

Earthquake Map

In the right column I have added the USGS-Caltech earthquake map for Southern California. We have been experiencing small earthquakes every day since the m=4.7 on Sept. 2nd. We just had one again (9:05AM) and it frightened Pumpkin my cat, he has been acting strangely for the last few days. Maybe he senses something bigger in the futrue.

There's something to be said about zoning.

I feel sorry for this Houston (Kemah) family. Perhaps she can sell her weekend home to that interested roller coaster rider.

Soy Confused

I am having a difficult time filtering through the big business hype, science and the eastern traditional consumption of soy foods. I've read, one may possibly achieve a spiritual advantage by consuming soy. "soy is believed to interfere with zinc absorption, and zinc deficiency can cause a "spacey" feeling some may mistake for the "high" of spiritual enlightenment."
Is this soy doing my body good, or am I poisoning myself in small increments?
Several years ago I was listening to a radio infomercial by a person who touts his own line of supplements both herbal and vitamins. His sincerity about the side effects of consuming soy and how he believes that it contributed to his prostate cancer, was very convincing. This prompted me to check out some of his sources and believe me there are many others. "The soy industry is one of the world's most wealthy and powerful multi-billion dollar industries."
I eat or drink soy every day an have for years. Now what do I do?
The eastern Asian diet seems to be healthy, no? Well “a 1998 survey found that the average daily amount of soy protein consumed in Japan was about eight grams for men and seven for women - less than two teaspoons” and yet “Asians in general, have much higher rates of other(than breast) types of cancer, particularly cancer of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas and liver.” I am sure other factors come into play.
The soybean itself seems to be loaded with something called “anti-nutrients”, that is they block the normal absorption of important nutrients and elements. To be fair some of those "anti-nutrients" are processed out when making tofu and other solid foods.
The processing of the beans in aluminum vats causes the bean to leach-in huge amounts of that metal. Not a good thing. Oh, did I mention that 90 percent of soybeans grown here are genetically engineered.
I could go on with this but it is best if your check it out for yourselves. So, if you eat soy daily you might want check this, this and this.
I have made a personal decision and may return to "arroz con frijoles" for my vegetarian source of protein and a little fish now and then. As you can see by the above links, it can be confusing.
I must say that I've heard the soy bean makes great renewable biodeisel fuel, printers ink and solvents.
Final word, "soy" translates to "I am" in spanish. Soy confused
PS: I added a comment on September 22, 2007

Gated community, safe?

Gated communities are not new:
"the gating of a residential area is not a new phenomenon. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, kings and other royalty provided gated enclaves for their families and loyal followers during times of siege and pestilence. "Fortified with towers, moats, and drawbridges, they stood as formidable reminders of class distinctions" (Dillon, 1994, p. 6). In the late nineteenth century, St. Louis developed a large network of private gated streets for its beer barons, most of which still exist today. Since the real estate boom in the late 1980's, this rapidly growing phenomenon of gating off communities has become more prevalent in today's society."
Last December this happened to our neighbors. (watch newsclip,too)
Well, so much for living in a gated community.