Saturday, May 28, 2005
Verse of the Day
“ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ”- Romans 12:15 Today's very à-propos passage is from the New International Version.
crematorium cornucopia...
Not quite what anyone of you had in mind for the start of the week-end... hmm?
What can I say - I got up on the wrong side of the bed, with the phone ringing, and the prospect of another rainy day (on top of the ringing aggravation) has me grumpy already... *lol* So THAT would be my excuse for being so gloomy TODAY...
Green Acres°°° star Eddie Albert passed away... many thought he had already passed away years ago... he was 99.
Strangely enough, at about the same time, ''a group of Ernest Hemingway scholars in Havana, Cuba this week for a symposium were shocked to discover that the novelist's Havana estate is falling apart.''
And announcements were made, also at about the same time, concerning the memorial for another giant in his own right/own field... Hunter S. Thompson...
Hmm... ANYWAY...
Either all of these items have something in common or this is another acute bout with apophenia for me here...!!! Nothing major - carry on! *LOL*
What can I say - I got up on the wrong side of the bed, with the phone ringing, and the prospect of another rainy day (on top of the ringing aggravation) has me grumpy already... *lol* So THAT would be my excuse for being so gloomy TODAY...
Green Acres°°° star Eddie Albert passed away... many thought he had already passed away years ago... he was 99.
Strangely enough, at about the same time, ''a group of Ernest Hemingway scholars in Havana, Cuba this week for a symposium were shocked to discover that the novelist's Havana estate is falling apart.''
And announcements were made, also at about the same time, concerning the memorial for another giant in his own right/own field... Hunter S. Thompson...
Of the three amigos there
(I say that; I think they never met!)
Eddie is clearly my favorite:
Hmm... ANYWAY...
Either all of these items have something in common or this is another acute bout with apophenia for me here...!!! Nothing major - carry on! *LOL*
Labels: Luminous Connections
Friday, May 27, 2005
Phishing twist relies on bogus blogs
Freaky Friday material right here, folks... or should I say/type/write... ''phreaky phriday phishing'' *lol*
It appears that even something as innocent as a blog can in fact (phact?) be a ''malicious virus writer's attempt to phish'' - and you are the prized catch he's after!!! Yikes. If, in this day and age, one is not safe even in the supposed-to-be innocuous surroundings of a BLOG... where can one be truly 100% safe anymore?!?
Online or offline...! Huh? HUH? *lol*
Rest assured though, faithful readers, that on the luminous blog there is nothing phishy going on - at all... ever! No phishing allowed on luminous land - except that of souls mayhaps...! ;)
It appears that even something as innocent as a blog can in fact (phact?) be a ''malicious virus writer's attempt to phish'' - and you are the prized catch he's after!!! Yikes. If, in this day and age, one is not safe even in the supposed-to-be innocuous surroundings of a BLOG... where can one be truly 100% safe anymore?!?
Online or offline...! Huh? HUH? *lol*
Rest assured though, faithful readers, that on the luminous blog there is nothing phishy going on - at all... ever! No phishing allowed on luminous land - except that of souls mayhaps...! ;)
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Quote of the Day
Faith that the thing can be done is essential to any great achievement.
- Thomas N. Carruther
- Thomas N. Carruther
Patriarchs can get canned - what about Popes then...?
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Irineos I at least got to wave to the crowd during the Palm Sunday Mass one last time at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, traditionally believed to be the burial place of Jesus Christ, in Jerusalem's Old City last April 24... The Greek Orthodox Church Synod, the church's highest decision-making body in the Holy Land, dismissed Patriarch Irineos I this past friday over his alleged role in a suspect land deal that angered Palestinian Christians, church officials said... and alleged! Hmm... makes one wonder if our new Pope Benedict can get ditched too, if he were ever to be found not... kosher? *lol*
Over the course of papal history, of course, quite a few pontifical bits of... weirdness were to be found. Well worth investigating/googling/asking jeeves all about it... but I haven't the time ofr it right now! *lol*
All of Orthodoxy's patriarchal figures have reunited this week to decide on what to do NEXT... if impeaching a patriarch is feasible, I guess Dubya can get ditched too one of these days... hopefully... eh? *LOL* We can always hope! :)
Over the course of papal history, of course, quite a few pontifical bits of... weirdness were to be found. Well worth investigating/googling/asking jeeves all about it... but I haven't the time ofr it right now! *lol*
All of Orthodoxy's patriarchal figures have reunited this week to decide on what to do NEXT... if impeaching a patriarch is feasible, I guess Dubya can get ditched too one of these days... hopefully... eh? *LOL* We can always hope! :)
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
wednesday weirdness version 3.0
This week on... wednesday weirdness!
In Seoul, it is just like the Sixties - all over again! (Hey - you gotta have Seoul! lol).
Bogota, meanwhile, bans bad-mouthing - so there! (You foul-mouthed brats out there better shut your damn mouth...!!! lol).
Moscow (or the neighboring village of your choice) sees a lake vanish into thin air! (Wow - shades of Shmalayan's lame Village...! lol).
Police lands in jail for turning a deaf ear! (Justice - at last!).
Plus - robotic medics... free bus rides if you're THIS high... and Wendy's finger mystery solved! (No - it isn't Wendy's... nor is it THE finger... lol).
In Seoul, it is just like the Sixties - all over again! (Hey - you gotta have Seoul! lol).
Bogota, meanwhile, bans bad-mouthing - so there! (You foul-mouthed brats out there better shut your damn mouth...!!! lol).
Moscow (or the neighboring village of your choice) sees a lake vanish into thin air! (Wow - shades of Shmalayan's lame Village...! lol).
Police lands in jail for turning a deaf ear! (Justice - at last!).
Plus - robotic medics... free bus rides if you're THIS high... and Wendy's finger mystery solved! (No - it isn't Wendy's... nor is it THE finger... lol).
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
two for tuesdays; the DeVill and the convicted Cardinal
A man with DeVil in his name rises the echelons in politics... while a clergyman (or man of the cloth, if you prefer) gets the book thrown at him in a court of earthly flawed law... hmpfff! Why isn't this surprising at all...?
Quote of the Day
''No pleasure philosophy, no sensuality, no place nor power, no material success can for a moment give such inner satisfaction as the sense of living for good purposes, for maintenance of integrity, for the preservation of self-approval.'' - Minot Simons
Verse of the Day
“ Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ”- Romans 12:10
Today's passage is from the New International Version.
Today's passage is from the New International Version.
Monday, May 23, 2005
radiohead...?!? we could easily butt heads over this for a loooong time now...
Radiohead's seminal album 'OK Computer' was voted the ''greatest album of all time'' recently by a panel of so-called experts - as is always the case - the usual suspects hence! Hmm... while it is true that we live in the computer age and that Radiohead has produced some gems (maybe not all on THAT album though)... are they really ''numero uno'' - really?!? I was glad to see many of my faves on the top 100 list - such as The Who, Pixies and Patti Smith - but, again... no Rush... no Genesis?!? Several one-shot wonders - but no Cranberries or P.J. Harvey or Liz Phair? It ain't fair to Phair! *LOL*
Just my two bucks worth (whereas other peeps would say two cents) - carry on...!
Just my two bucks worth (whereas other peeps would say two cents) - carry on...!
Labels: music
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Verses of the Week-end
“ [Divisions in the Church ] I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. ”- 1 Corinthians 1:10
“ You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. ”- Galatians 5:13
Today's passages are from the New International Version.
“ You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. ”- Galatians 5:13
Today's passages are from the New International Version.
Statistics Sundays 5 - I'm alive... check! Now to look into my transportation needs...
In the United States, the transportation sector produces nearly one-third of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Only electricity generation produces more greenhouse gases on an annual basis What does this tell us about our transportation habits? It is clear that our personal transportation choices do have an impact on global climate change. Most of the transportation emissions come from personal vehicles. We should look for ways to reduce personal vehicle use. We can take public transit, bike, walk, or even carpool!
Alternative fuels can be made from soybeans, corn, and even vegetable oil.
Scientists are investigating natural materials as possible alternative to fossil fuel sources. Ethanol is made from corn and biodiesel can be made from soybeans or vegetable oil. When these plants are growing, they remove carbon dioxide from the air. They also release less carbon dioxide (as compared to conventional fuels) when burned. What is the downside for these fuels? For ethanol especially, the fuel production is an energy intensive process. The farmers use fossil fuels to produce the fertilizer/pesticides that they apply to the crops and to run the farm machinery. More efficient production methods are decreasing the fuel use. Also chemical free farming methods, combined with farm machinery powered by alternative fuels, reduce the greenhouse gas emission associated with ethanol production.
Scientists agree that humans are responsible for increasing temperatures that add to the effect of global warming.
For many years, the idea of global warming was hotly debated. Only recently has the scientific community come to a consensus about global warming—thanks to the work of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading scientific committee that investigates global warming. The panel concluded in their 2001 report that average surface temperatures are increasing and that humans are causing the warming trends.
Alternative fuel technologies are NOT the only way to reduce greenhouse gas emission from transportation.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation requires a two-step approach:
Improving technology and fuel efficiency
Increasing the use of public transportation
Alternative fuel technologies and fuels provide a lot of possibilities for reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs). They are aimed at improving fuel efficiency in personal automobiles and in public transportation vehicles such as buses and trolleys.
These technologies can become even more effective when used in public transit fleets. Public transit is already more efficient than personal vehicles and release fewer GHG per mile traveled by each passenger. By getting more people to take transit and to drive less, greater GHG reductions can be achieved. ***
Making smart decisions in the way we develop our landscape can help make using alternative modes of transportation easier. One method for doing this is for municipalities to invest in “Transit-Oriented Development” (TOD). TOD helps to create communities that provide easy access to a wide variety of transportation alternatives. This type of planned development ensures that homes, shops, schools, and businesses are located near each other. This type of development makes it easier for people to walk or bike to work, school, or the store—methods of transportation that are both good for your health and the health of the environment!
Public transportation, incredibly enough, is NOT any less popular than before.
Between 1995 and 2000, transit ridership increased 21%. What is responsible for this? City planners are recognizing that planning and transportation go hand-in-hand. Through Transit-Oriented Development, city officials are creating neighborhoods that encourage people to take transit. More and more people in cities are also turning to public transit because it is cheaper and more convenient than owning a car.
What does this mean? This is great news for the environment. The more people who take transit, the less people driving on the road! Fewer cars on the road means reduced congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
To continue to encourage the use of public transportation, policy makers should make sure to design transit systems that are usable and convenient. Limiting parking spaces in downtown areas, creating car free zones, and providing incentives to carpool also encourage the use of more efficient transportation systems.
Even small changes in transportation habits can have a large impact on climate change. If we use transit for 5% of our daily trips, we can prevent 35 million tons of carbon dioxide (www.eesi.org) from being released. Can you replace one car trip with a transit trip, or by walking, biking, or carpooling this week? It’s that easy.
Only electricity generation produces more greenhouse gases on an annual basis What does this tell us about our transportation habits? It is clear that our personal transportation choices do have an impact on global climate change. Most of the transportation emissions come from personal vehicles. We should look for ways to reduce personal vehicle use. We can take public transit, bike, walk, or even carpool!
Alternative fuels can be made from soybeans, corn, and even vegetable oil.
Scientists are investigating natural materials as possible alternative to fossil fuel sources. Ethanol is made from corn and biodiesel can be made from soybeans or vegetable oil. When these plants are growing, they remove carbon dioxide from the air. They also release less carbon dioxide (as compared to conventional fuels) when burned. What is the downside for these fuels? For ethanol especially, the fuel production is an energy intensive process. The farmers use fossil fuels to produce the fertilizer/pesticides that they apply to the crops and to run the farm machinery. More efficient production methods are decreasing the fuel use. Also chemical free farming methods, combined with farm machinery powered by alternative fuels, reduce the greenhouse gas emission associated with ethanol production.
Scientists agree that humans are responsible for increasing temperatures that add to the effect of global warming.
For many years, the idea of global warming was hotly debated. Only recently has the scientific community come to a consensus about global warming—thanks to the work of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading scientific committee that investigates global warming. The panel concluded in their 2001 report that average surface temperatures are increasing and that humans are causing the warming trends.
Alternative fuel technologies are NOT the only way to reduce greenhouse gas emission from transportation.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation requires a two-step approach:
Improving technology and fuel efficiency
Increasing the use of public transportation
Alternative fuel technologies and fuels provide a lot of possibilities for reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs). They are aimed at improving fuel efficiency in personal automobiles and in public transportation vehicles such as buses and trolleys.
These technologies can become even more effective when used in public transit fleets. Public transit is already more efficient than personal vehicles and release fewer GHG per mile traveled by each passenger. By getting more people to take transit and to drive less, greater GHG reductions can be achieved. ***
Making smart decisions in the way we develop our landscape can help make using alternative modes of transportation easier. One method for doing this is for municipalities to invest in “Transit-Oriented Development” (TOD). TOD helps to create communities that provide easy access to a wide variety of transportation alternatives. This type of planned development ensures that homes, shops, schools, and businesses are located near each other. This type of development makes it easier for people to walk or bike to work, school, or the store—methods of transportation that are both good for your health and the health of the environment!
Public transportation, incredibly enough, is NOT any less popular than before.
Between 1995 and 2000, transit ridership increased 21%. What is responsible for this? City planners are recognizing that planning and transportation go hand-in-hand. Through Transit-Oriented Development, city officials are creating neighborhoods that encourage people to take transit. More and more people in cities are also turning to public transit because it is cheaper and more convenient than owning a car.
What does this mean? This is great news for the environment. The more people who take transit, the less people driving on the road! Fewer cars on the road means reduced congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
To continue to encourage the use of public transportation, policy makers should make sure to design transit systems that are usable and convenient. Limiting parking spaces in downtown areas, creating car free zones, and providing incentives to carpool also encourage the use of more efficient transportation systems.
Even small changes in transportation habits can have a large impact on climate change. If we use transit for 5% of our daily trips, we can prevent 35 million tons of carbon dioxide (www.eesi.org) from being released. Can you replace one car trip with a transit trip, or by walking, biking, or carpooling this week? It’s that easy.
