Random Blog Visit 8:
A Good Idea Ahead of Its Time?

Recently I had the opportunity to ask Jim Anderson, technology entreprenuer and founder of StandardID if there was one thing concerning his business that he wished he could do over again. He told me that there was one product that he wished he could reintroduce to the market, because it was too far ahead of its time; the market wasn't ready for it.

Pay by Touch seems to have suffered the same fate.

My Hometown's Mayor Gets Award from EPA

Mayor Matt Driscoll received a leadership certificate for environmental stewardship from the Environmental Protection Agency, but I'm so proud to say that my good friend, Carolyn King was in part responsible for the efforts that earned that award. Details.

Carolyn also highly recommends visiting Sustainable Thompkins.

What Can I Do Without?

This is the question that Juneau residents were forced to answer when their electricity supply was severly curtailed due to an avalanche last spring. The story recently broadcast on NPR sproves that people can react positively in the face of adversity. Unfortunately now with power restored, usage has begun to increase again. Perhaps rising energy costs may motivate the citizens of Juneau back to conserving again.

Guest Posting on Out of the Past
Last Sunday I attended Capitolfest, a classic film festival held at the Capitol Theatre in Rome, N.Y. You can read my guest posting on Out of the Past: A Classic Flim Blog.

Take the Energy Quiz

How savvy are you when it comes to understanding America's energy usage? Take the quiz.

Solving Big Problems with Small Actions

I'm a bit upset over John McCain's belittling of Barack Obama's suggestion of keeping your automobile tires inflated to the proper air pressure as a means to save energy. This is not directly related to global warming, either. It speaks volumes about the two men running for President and their concepts concerning efforts to change our nation.

OK, keeping your automobile tires inflated won't do much to save energy, if you're the only one with properly inflated tires. But what happens when you keep your tires properly inflated, and so does everyone in your neighborhood, and everyone in your city, and everyone in your state? Can you start to see the big picture? I believe, and I think that Barack Obama does as well, that we can solve big problems with small actions-- IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER. A quote from Barack Obama's web site reads,"I'm asking you to believe not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours." McCain on the other hand, doesn't seem to see the value in small sacrifices. No, he'd rather maindate a solution from a large oil company.

I continue to see the United States as a nation of individual citizens not mega-corporations, and if we're going to solve the massive problems ahead of us, then we'll need to take the responsibilty to solve these problems. We'll also require a leader who gets this idea, and has the force of personality to encourage each and everyone of us to get involved. It's still our country let's work together, and take it back!

My New Office

My husband and I spent a large chunk of our vacation last week reorganizing our home office. It was in dire need of an upgrade/upheaval. Not that I haven't been productive in my graduate studies, but at least now I can be both productive and comfortable! The chair pictured here is on its way out. I've got a new ergonomic one on order. I'm hoping it will arrive by the weekend. Also not pictured is a new bookshelf that my wonderful husbnad assembled for me during the Fourth of July weekend.

Now the office is almost ready for our newest arrival -- a brand new iMac! Once that's installed I'll never leave the office!

Random Blog Visit 7

Alisa Terry's Happy Place features information pertaining to attachment parenting and natural family living, with an off beat humorous bent. But Alisa's tone gets downright serious when bringing attention to potential dangers to her children (and yours), covering topics like vaccine safety and the use of sugar derived from genetically engineered sugar beets.

Alisa's blog is not solely dedicated to parenting. She writes about poetry and human rights as well. Escape to My Happy Place is very well written and organized. While Alisa is passionate about her family and attachment parenting, she doesn't mandate it for everyone. It works for her family, so she wants to get the word out to others so that they may consider it as an option worth giving some serious thought to.