My Latest Time Sucker

Recently I after much feet dragging along with a myriad of privacy concerns, I finally joined Facebook. One of my biggest issues with it being, "Oh no, not another online time sucker." Surprisingly after setting up my account, I've limited my Facebook time to about 10 minutes in the morning, 5 to 10 minutes at lunch and around an extra 15 minutes on the weekend.

So while Facebook turned out not to be a time sucker at all, what turned out to be a huge time sucker is playlist.com. I found the site while spending time on The Golden Age of Hollywood, I've noticed that several members had embedded playlists on their personal blogs. I decided to check it out. Three hours later I had created 3 playlists and a fourth one I added a few days ago. I knew that there were sites where you could tailor your music streams, but never realized how much fun they were. You add a couple of songs and then start thinking of a couple more you need to add. Next thing you know it's midnight!

According to playlist.com:

"Our purpose is to help you find and enjoy music legally throughout the web in the same way that other search engines help you find webpages, images, and other media, but we also add a social /community twist. We make it easy for you to create playlists, share your playlists with friends, and browse playlists of others. We connect you with the coolest music on the web, and we connect people who are passionate about music."

The application is still in beta, and the selection is somewhat limited, but the most popular songs seem to be avialable. For instance I could only find a half dozen songs by Peter Gabriel. (But then I believe that Gabriel is launching his own media site, so that could explain the scarcity of his music.) Also you can only search by artist name or title of song or album. There is no search by genre function. You can, however, search other members playlists and if you find a member who shares your musical taste you can become one of their followers. A big plus with playlist.com is the sharing ability, similar to YouTube, the site allows you to generate code that you can paste into your site. The one drawback at this point is that there is no sharing capability with Facebook.

Well, here's my favorites playlist. I have three more to listen to if you're interested. Enjoy!

Green TV

Okay I know I'm a day late for Saint Patrick's Day, but isnt' any day is a good day to go green? Pardon the pun, but I've just been turned onto GreenTV. Green TV is like You Tube for people who want to learn more about saving our planet. Green TV, the brainchild of Lori and John Lake, features videos and blogs devoted to promoting sustainability. Green TV produces their own videos, but members are also encouraged to submit. Video topics range from building green homes in Johannesburg, South Africa to the Aptera2 elecrtic car.

If you think having a name like GreenTV means that the site is only devoted only to videos you'd be greatly mistaken. GreenTV features a wealth of energy saving information, a calendar of green events, blogs, and a tremendous amount of help if you're interested in becoming a Eco-Entrepreneur.

Here's a sample of one of GreenTV's offerings:



Check back soon, I plan to post more videos from Green TV in the coming weeks.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Your Shamrock Says You Are Alert

You have a logical mind, and you pay a lot of attention to details. You are very organized. Sometimes you find thinking creatively to be a challenge. You prefer to deal with the facts at hand. You don't really consider yourself a lucky person. In your view, people create their own luck. You are traditional, easy going, and appreciative of the simple things in life.

The Shamrock Personality Test

Time For Another Stupid Quiz

It's spring break, with no class assignments due this week I figured I could afford to waste some time with another stupid. This one was called "Which character from 'The Office' are you?" I was a bit surprised that I ended up as Jan, and not Pam.

Your Result

The Over-Achiever You may or may not be the boss, but you're in charge, or you like to think that you're in charge. When it comes to working with others, you can have a short fuse. You like things to be perfect, and will go to great lengths to accomplish this. Beware of getting drunk on your own power though, or else you might find yourself without a job.

Office Personality Quiz » QuizRocket.com's fun quizzes!

Orange Goes GREEN

Two teams of Syracuse University students submitted videos they had created promoting sustainability as part of NBC Universal's Green Week (Nov. 16-23, 2008). The video was below, produced by Kelsey Higgs and Ryan Kelly, was chosen to run on the NBC Sports web site.


More Details >>

Shop Without Guilt!


myEarth360.com is a nifty shopping site where all products offered are environmentally sustainable. Can you believe that the cute clutch pictured below is crafted from recycled truck innertubes?! You can also find accessories from Brazil made from food and candy wrappers, and many beautiful examples of Sea Glass Jewelry.The site also features reusable tote bags, a large assortment of BPA-free beverage bottles, green dog stuff and much more!

PLUS, a portion of the proceeds go to fund NEEF, the National Environmental Education Foundation. According to NEEF's site the organization supports a "network of health professionals, weathercasters, land managers and teachers. Our programs reach hundreds of thousands of households and translate into direct actions, saving millions of dollars as well as reducing energy use, protecting nature, and improving the health of thousands of children."

Don't forget to visit the myEarth360 blog! Why not show your loved ones that you how much care with an "eco-chic"sustainable gift from myEarth360?

Note: I am not being compensated in any way by myEarth360. I just want to spread the news about a web site that promotes sustainability.

Free E-Book on Global Warming Solutions

Retired Syracuse University professor Oliver Clubb has posted his most recent book online. "Global Warming Solutions: A Concerned Citizen's Guide to Climate Protection," is not only paperless, but it can be downloaded free!

If you are in the Central New York area, and are interested, a book release reception will be held at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 1-2 p.m in Room 110 of Moon Library; refreshments will be served. The Department of Environmental Studies is sponsoring the event. Details >>

Thank you very much, Dr. Clubb!

I was memed by Raquelle to list my favorite twenty actors. You can read the list of my top twenty favorite actresses on The Golden Age of Hollywood.

1. Gregory Peck

2. Paul Newman.

3. Cary Grant

4. Lon Cheney, Sr.

5. Lew Ayres

6. Jack Lemmon

7. Charles Farrell

8. Harold Lloyd

9. Jack Carson

10. Anthony Quinn

11. Humphrey Bogart

12. Burt Lancaster

13.Kirk Douglas

The Defiant Ones: 15. Tony Curtis & 16. Sidney Poitier

17. Sterling Hayden

18. Richard Widmark

Wrestling Buddies: 19. Alan Bates & 20. Oliver Reed

Yet another Stupid Quiz

Although I think this quiz, is pretty appropriate since I have such an interest in film. I have to say I'm a little disappointed, I was hoping my life would have been directed by Billy Wilder.

Your result for The Director Who Films Your Life Test...

Sofia Coppola

Your film will be 70% romantic, 21% comedy, 33% complex plot, and a $ 27 million budget.

With few films under her belt (The Virgin Suicides, Lost In Translation, Marie Antoinette) as a writer/director, she's already highly respected and connected -- her dad, Francis, directed all The Godfather movies and Apocolypse Now. Sofia's good at making the romantic drama that is your life with poignant sullen moments of introspection. You saw how she stylishly handled Marie Antoinette's life, no? And who didn't have at least a lump in the throat at the end of Lost In Translation? She's already won one Academy Award for her writing, now she'll be the first woman to receive one for directing -- YOUR FILM!

Take The Director Who Films Your Life Test at HelloQuizzy

Calling All New Yorkers!
In 1982, the New York State Legislature passed the Returnable Contaner Act (RCA), better known as the bottle bill. Since that time the bill has resulted in reducing litter by 70%, and in the recycling of 90 million bottles. Non--carbonated beverages, such as water and sport drinks , however, are not covered under the bottle bill. A "Bigger Better Bottle Bill" has been introduced in both houses of the New York State legislature. If you live in New York State, and share my concern for the environment, please take a moment to contact your legislator and ask them to support this very important piece of legislation.

Find your New York State representatives here:

New York State Assembly Members List

New York State Senators List

E-mail List of New York State Senators


For more info:

Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency

Container Recycling Institute

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Water Bottle Fact Sheet (PDF)

Search Goes Green

I recently started using an Internet search engine that saves 0.1 m² (0.11 yd²) of rainforest with each search you do. The website delivers the same search result as Google, is free and makes your internet searches green!
The address of the "green search engine" is: http://www.forestle.org/

So far Forestle already has saved 72,673.9 m² (79,476.2 yd²) of rainforest!

Read more about Forestle on ars technica.

One More Day!!!!

I can't believe that we've finally arrived at Bush's last full day in office. Words just can't express how thrilled I am that tomorrow the United States will have a new president. I'd be thrilled just to have anyone other than Bush, but to have a person as intelligent and articulate as Barack Obama as our next President is tremedous!

Happy New Year!

It's January 1, 2009, and you know what that means? Only 19 more days of suffering through the Bush Administration!!!

I spent today visiting the Obama transition site. Here's the agenda for the environmental issues.

I'd like to wish everyone all the best for the coming year. If we all work together we can make America stronger!