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Here I go monopolizing the Resources page again!

NPR will be streaming some portions of the Newport Jazz Festival.

Full article: http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-07-30-newport-npr_N.htm

So you don't have to sift through a lengthy article:

"On Saturday and Sunday, NPR plans to webcast performances by Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Jakob Dylan, Richie Havens, the Cowboy Junkies, Steve Earle, Brandi Carlile and others. The concerts also will be broadcast live on member station WFUV-FM in New York City.
...
Select acts from the jazz festival also will be webcast, as well as be broadcast live on WBGO-FM in Newark, N.J."

(Just to make it easier, that's www.wbgo.org and www.wfuv.org-- the former has an all jazz format.)

You can find your local NRP station at www.npr.org. (wow that sounded like a commercial)

A headline I saw this morning: "Automakers reserve hybrids for NYC taxi fleet: Three major auto manufacturers are promising to reserve 300 new hybrid vehicles each month exclusively for New York City as it replaces its entire fleet of yellow cabs." The link is: http://news.ino.com/headlines/?newsid=689186282400

I was searching for a little bit more information and also found that the city agreed to new regulations on the black cars. (For those of you unfamiliar with that term, the black cars are considered "luxury personal transportation" as opposed to the yellow cabs.) Here's the link to that press release: http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/press_release_04_17_08.pdf

I still think the subways are the way to go in NYC (or any city) and they don't charge you every 10th of a mile... Interesting tidbit: The Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn is 100% solar powered. I'd like to see more of those throughout the boroughs.

I've been meaning to post these for a while but never seemed to get my act together enough to do it....

First.. in seriousness:

This is the link to NPR's Climate Connections series:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9657621

Now for fun stuff:

I've really enjoyed listening to their In Character series:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17914370

They have a Summer Books section too... I haven't found much I either haven't read or (honestly) was really interested in but for my fellow bibliophiles who may be looking for beach reads:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90589316

And finally (for pure fun...) I wonder if the Irish are envious of British "green beer": http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91143045

The story of a newly discovered uncontacted trib on the Brizal and Peru border will be reported on the news and in news papers. I found the story through MSN.com. There is an organization dedicated to protecting the 100 or more uncontacted tribes in the world. According to the article this tirbe is in danger because the logging in Peru is forcing other uncontaced tribes to move into their territory. To read more about this tribe and the efforts to save all uncontacte tribes go to http://www.survival-international.org/.

Until I saw this article I didn't realize that there were so many tribes that have not had contacted with "civilized" man. As we encroach on their territory we are forcing them to move and there is the risk of exposing them to diseases for which they have no immunity. To put it simply, if we continue destroying the areas where they live we can bring about the extinction of whole tribes.

The Department of Indian Affairs in Brazil made an effort to locate the tribe just so they could prove their existance and take steps to protect them.

It's not a reality yet but there are plans for an electric car that will be around $30k.

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/zap-announces-plans-30k-performance-elect...

The NY Times has a neat little section on eco-tourism with a bunch of interesting articles: http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/eco-tourism/overview.html

A site for locating environmentally friendly hotels was linked in one of the articles: http://environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com/ . I love their slogan: “Leave smaller footprints when you travel. Be conserving away from home.”

I am not sure if they are "positive" but they are audacious and inspiring for the way they embarrass oil companies, chemical companies etc. by impersonating corporate officers. It's a bit more than a pie in the face, and they always provide ways to learn more about the issues and contribute to worthy organizations. Here's a link to one of their escapades at a Canadian conference for oil industry execs: http://www.theyesmen.org/en/hijinks/vivoleum

Hey there- I was recently introduced to "Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens" by Douglas Tallamy, a Professor and Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. It is a great book that will hopefully inspire people to use native plants in their gardening and landscaping. If people begin to use native plants, we can begin step-by-step to restore the ecosystems of the places we live. There was an excellent interview with him on one of the best shows on NPR - Radio Times, which originates in Philly. Unfortunately it is not available everywhere, but look for it at WHYY http://www.whyy.org/91FM/radiotimes.html

The in-depth hour long interview aired on 3/4/08 and is available for listening via the Radio Times archive.

This is a wonderful organization that I first learned about on a TV program about AIDS. In Africa millions of people have HIV/AIDS and will die from it. A recent count indicated that 12 million children are now orphans as a result of the AIDS epidemic.

These figures are far from what we see in western areas such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. One of the major reasons is because the medicines needed to treat HIV/AIDS patients and prevent HIV in mother-to-child transmission cannot reach the people who need them. There is an organization called Riders for Health that provides motorcycles for people in Africa, teaches them to do daily checks on them so that they will not malfunction and then teaches them to ride the motorcycles. These riders, who are mostly public health workers, can then take medicine to villages in the bush where it is desperately needed. They also show people how to use the medicines.

The riders make regular rounds each month or week, whatever is feasible, to check on their patients. The riders also deliver mosquito nets to help prevent malaria and a variety of drugs to treat other illnesses.

You can learn more about this organization at http://www.riders.org. If you want to contribute, there is a form and they can adjust for American dollars as well as the standard pounds (this is a British organization).

Mr. Blackthorne, you might be interested to know that HRH The Princes Royal (I believe I got the title right) is the patron of the organization.

Tower of Babel is the multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, recognized by the United Nations as one of the most important Social and Human Sciences Online Periodicals. Phenomenal site!

Ref: http://www.unesco.org/shs/shsdc/journals/humanities-culture-society.html

Reiki is a gentle form of energy healing that anyone can learn. It is very uplifting and healing. It's good for you and the planet. If you would like to learn Reiki, you can do so for free with this online course:

http://www.elementenergy.com/freereikicourse

No gimmicks - it really is a free course. Thanks for sharing the Reiki energy with others.

These nifty and inexpensive bags have been created for use in lieu of plastic bags. They come in a variety of colors and designs, as well as an "organic" line made of bamboo, linen and hemp.

http://usa.envirosax.com/pages/products.php

I stumbled on this while helping my cousin with a report on eco-friendly home products.

www.thegreenguide.com

From their website:

"Originated as a print newsletter in 1994, then expanded into a web site, thegreenguide.com, in 2002, Green Guide was acquired by National Geographic Society in March 2007, as part of NGS' global commitment to inform and inspire people to care about the planet. Dubbed the “green living source for today’s conscious consumer”, the GREEN GUIDE makes living in an environmentally-aware way easy, understandable, and practical. Intended for general consumers, GREEN GUIDE (in print and on the web) shows people how to make small changes that add up to big benefits for their wallets, for their health, and, of course, for the health of the planet. Not political or activist, the GREEN GUIDE is chock-full of simple, useful, ideas, broken down into achievable steps, that make going green a gradual and affordable process rather than an all-or-nothing plunge."

Please check out my new blog about technology and the environment. Topics include e-waste (such as printer cartridges), e-cycling, alternative fuel, and eco-conundrums (such as the paper vs. plastic debate).

http://www.greentechgirl.com

for those of us who need resolutions, here are a few to try out if you want to go green. some small things you can start with.
http://green.msn.com/articles/article.aspx?aid=310&GT1=10832

happy greening!

this is an eco friendly idea you might like.... http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/12/27/green.coffins.ap/index.html with the billions of dollars they make in this industry they should give people the chance to choose how they want to go... green is good....

here is an article you might find somewhat useful in the ongoing war to go green. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,320207,00.html at least some tech companies are starting to think about wastefulness and power consumption.

http://www.parkeharrison.com/
Photography website

http://www.hermanleonard.com/
Another photography website. Also, if possible, check out the BBC/Sundance Channel documentary about Mr. Leonard and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, "Saving Jazz".

http://jazzicons.com/
I have not yet seen any of these DVD's but they are getting great reviews.

http://www.home-start.org.uk/

Home - Start is a voluntary charity that helps support families with at least one child under 5 who have or are in risk of reaching crisis point, or are at a time in thier lives where they find they need a shoulder to lean on and a friend to listen. We offer practical, emotional and other support by trained volunteers for these families so that we can help them to increase thier quality of life and build a brighter future for thier children, and the family unit as a whole.

There are appx 338 shemes across the UK, and each have to find and apply for funding yearly to be able to run and support our families. So please, if you do a lot of fundraising, or are looking to volunteer for a good cause, then please do keep us in mind as we are always in need of help to keep running and providing the service.

Please take a look at the website to get more of an idea of what we do, and if you wish to help us then great, and if you feel yourself or someone you know would benefit from the support we offer then you are able to find a local scheme through the links on the site to get advice from.

Thanks all, and hope everyone has a wonderful xmas
xx

www.projectgreengift.com

One of my clients created this program. The following a breif overview from the "How it works" section of the website:

"ProjectGreenGift.com carbon dioxide offsets are being achieved through a tree-planting program undertaken by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai (CSK) Tribes in the State of Montana. The CSK Tribes are comprised of the Bitterroot Salish, the Pend d'Oreille and the Kootenai tribes. They currently reside in the Flathead Reservation which is made up of 1.3 million acres in northwest Montana but their ancestors lived in the territory now known as western Montana, parts of Idaho, British Columbia and Wyoming.

Each recipient will receive an Environmental Remediation Certificate from Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd. (SFM) certifying that trees planted will offset your CO2 emissions for one year".

Many Americans use AAA for roadside assistance, and I used to be one of them. I had no idea that AAA was an anti-environmental lobby that was working to try to stop the Clean Air Act and block efforts to increase public transportation use.

There's a new auto club that is much more environmentally friendly. They donate 1% of profits for environmental causes and even have roadside assistance for bicyclists.

The fees are comparable and you'll feel better too:

http://www.betterworldclub.com

The Global Intelligencer is published by Cate Montana. She works with the gang who gave us What the BLEEP Do We Know? and now has The Global Intelligencer site and newsletter.

She describes the site this way: "The Global Intelligencer is one small piece of the puzzle. Its mission is to serve as an information clearinghouse for topics concerning individual, social and global transformation, making it available on a monthly basis to a maximum number of people worldwide."

http://www.theglobalintelligencer.com

I just signed an emergency petition trying to help save the climate talks going on right now, and it would be great if you could join me. The most important global warming meeting since Kyoto is happening right now in Bali. 192 countries are meeting to discuss what comes next - but they're in crisis.

Negotiators were nearing agreement on cuts by 2020--a step which the scientists say is needed to avert the worst ravages of global warming, and which will help to bring China and the developing world onboard. But then the news broke: the US, Canada and Japan rejected any mention of such cuts.

We can't let three governments hold the world to ransom, by vetoing a real solution to the climate crisis. Bali is the opportunity we've been waiting for to start working toward real climate action, and we can't let it pass by.

The campaign will be delivered direct to summit delegates, through stunts and in media advertisements, so our voices will actually be heard. But we need a lot of us, fast, to join in if we're going to make a difference. Just click on the link to add your own name now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/bali_emergency/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

Thanks!

Who could possibly leave out that wonderful gorilla named Koko? I will never forget the picture of her cuddling her first little kitten. Koko is the amazing gorilla who has learned over 1,000 signs in American Sign Language and she loves communicating with Penny. They're working with her to help them find ways to save the rapidly declining gorilla population.

You can find out more about her and her fellow gorillas at:

http://www.koko.org

Anyone who still needs to do some holiday shopping...

www.kiva.org
Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence.

www.nothingbutnets.net
Nothing But Nets is a grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. With just $10, you can send a bed net that can save a child's life.

www.treesforlife.org
Trees for Life helps people plant fruit trees in developing countries. Each tree protects the environment and provides a low-cost, self-renewing source of food for a large number of people. Since their inception in 1984, more than 2.5 million people have participated in the programs and more than 30 million trees have been planted in developing countries.

I warned you that I have a lot of sites that I check regularly! Here's another one.

The main purpose of this site is to keep track of events on the sun and let us know what to expect from there. In this age of increasing electronics and people flying through the air in numerous machines, it's more important than ever to know what might be heading our way. A giant Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) occurred several years ago and melted a transformer in Canada down to slag! It can interfere with satellite signals to your cellphone or TV and it can give you the equivalent of a number of x-rays when flying for a business meeting or if you pop up to the space station for a visit.

We're in a "season" of low solar activity in the cycle now, but it's interesting to keep track of, especially since we're more susceptible now that we're having issues with our ozone layer.

The site also keeps track of things that we see in the skies within our own atmosphere, monitors climate-tracking satellites, provides educational science materials for schools and the general public, has a wonderful database of aurora photographs, and will even help you track the space station or send you spaceweather alerts on your cellphone. It's very cool and keeps it all in very easy to understand terms.

www.spaceweather.com

I guess I should have added this to my previous posting about BOINC and SETI@home. Sorry about that.

Just go to the site listed below to see a list of projects that are currently looking for people to help process data for them. To see what each one is about, just hold your cursor over the name listed in the left column. After a second or two a brief description of that one will appear. You can find more by Googling, but these are usually good standards to start.

I confess that I'm really into the ones that want to run models on your computer instead of doing animal testing. There are some fascinating projects out there and you can help in SO MANY WAYS.

http://boinc.berkeley.edu/projects.php

This is an oldie but goody. I got into it by being one of the pioneers in the SETI@Home (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) program run through the university at Berkeley, California. I didn't really have a choice about getting involved. I was born in Roswell, New Mexico and you're pretty much required to believe in extra-terrestrial life if you're from there. When a UFO crashes in your backyard it's hard not to notice. ; >)

Anyway, SETI@Home started around a decade ago. You just signed up and got the software to help them process a portion of their tens of thousands of hours of data on your computer in the background or as a screensaver. They finish calculating and searching in less time and you contribute a little something to the endeavor.

It has been such a success as people from around the world clamor to join that other scientists decided to get in on the action. So new software called BOINC was designed to allow other science projects to use the computing power available in personal computers around the world. Now you go to the site below and it has links and directions on installing BOINC software on your computer. Then you can link to the SETI@Home project, the Rosetta Project, Climate Prediction project and many others. You can run more than one at a time. There are many different science projects that you can be a part of to help make the world a better place. BOINC runs in the background and/or as a screensaver with the parameters that YOU get to choose so it doesn't interfere with your computer use.

http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/

There are so many wonderful resources recommended by this site that I think it may take me a LONG time to get through them all!

I'm adding another of my personal regulars today. The US volcano that has been causing the most trouble in recent memory is, of course, Mount St. Helens in Washington state. The site below has two different cameras trained on the giant cone as she constantly rebuilds herself. The shot on the left is from the old, regular camera and the shot on the right is the new, HD camera. I believe I have my info right when I say that the cameras are shooting from the ridge dedicated to the USGS scientist who was killed in the 1980 blast. It's Johnston Ridge.

This afternoon both cameras appear to have shots of fog and raindrops. There have been breathtaking views of clouds around the base and an almost constant huffing and puffing as the mound in the middle rebuilds. It's really fascinating to me to have a bird's-eye view of Mother Nature at work.

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/

This is a wonderful organization that takes medicine for patients with AIDS and other diseases out into the countryside in Africa. These people would never be able to get treatment because they live so far away from any clinics. This project takes the medication to the people on motorcycles and the riders teach the people how to use the medication. Please visit this site to find out more about this amazing organization and how you can contribute if you would like to do so.

http://www.riders.org

This is a site I check early in the day because it's got webcams in an outdoor location that's several hours ahead of me. It showcases different areas of Loch Ness in Scotland. You can read updates on the site regarding sightings as well as environmental concerns about development around the loch.

One camera is on a nice paddock overlooking the loch. You can watch two cute sheep named Sheba and Mavis and anyone hanging out be it human, canine or even legendary monster. The other camera on that page has a view of Urquhart Castle and the loch. You can also access the paddock-cam and (sometimes) an underwater cam, too.

I find it relaxing to leave the first one up in a corner of my screen and enjoy the view while I'm working. It updates every minute or so. I can simply relax or I can keep an eye open for my own Nessie-sighting. I've got a few screen prints I've saved. LOL!

As I post this message, I see the cam-shots are getting a little fuzzy as the sun sets there, but they keep the site going 24 hours a day so you can watch at night to see headlights on the road. I like the "small world" feel I get from watching and you never know what you might see in the loch! ; >)

http://www.lochness.co.uk/livecam/

I confess right now: I check a LARGE number of sites every day, but I promise to only post the pick-of-the-litter here.

Another place that I enjoy is the Astronomy Picture of the Day site that NASA maintains. They put up a different picture every day that has something to do with space. Sometimes it's beautiful shots of exploding comets from Hubble's perspective, sometimes it's Rover pictures of windswept Martian landscapes and sometimes it's breathtaking images of our own blue jewel Earth from orbit. You never know what you're going to get and they always accompany the picture with a description and explanation written by a scientist who's good at stating it so everyone can understand and "enjoy the view."

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

I go to these sites every morning as part of my waking-up process. All you have to do is go to the site and CLICK in the spot they indicate to get food for rescued animals, help save rainforests, feed the hungry, get medical attention for children, help with breast cancer research, and increase literacy throughout the world. I start with the Animal Rescue Site and work my way across the tabs to click on each of the click-donation buttons every day.

They have a second way to help, too, and that's to purchase items from each site. Proceeds go to the indicated charity. I try to buy as many birthday and holiday presents through them as I can. They have many items from around the world that are unusual and fun. This way I get to donate to causes I believe in AND I also get to tell others about them by sending the gifts and passing on the info that way.

By clicking on the site below you can reach all of the charities. There are tabs across the top of the screen to access the others. You don't have to buy anything to donate, just click and the advertisers donate. If you want to give more, then you can purchase items or donate directly.

www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Small businesses struggle to recycle. Local councils in the UK collect some of it and put it into landfill. If you agree this is unacceptable, please visit this site and sign the petition http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Notolandfill

For each word you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to end world hunger - doesn't sound like much, but the vocab game is addictive and the grains add up quickly!

Here's how it works: Play the game, advertisements appear on the bottom of your screen. The money generated by these advertisements is then used to buy the rice. The rice is donated to/distributed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

Free Rice: www.freerice.com

Freerice.com claims to be a no profit site, and so far I haven't found anything to contradict that claim, so "Play and feed a hungry person". :)

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/classifieds/autos/topics/green_tech/index....

"News about hybrid technology, electric cars, and vehicles that run on alternative fuel, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times."

I stumbled on this while researching potential new transportation. (I'm fearing the diagnosis of my current car's transmission.) The articles are mainly business related but that's helpful info to have when making a case. Not all the information is positive, unfortunately, but educational to say the very least. Read with caution and care.

You'll have to register with the site for the full archive.

Washoe, the first chimpanzee to learn human sign language, just passed away a few days ago, but you can read about her life and find out more about the other chimps in her family, some of which learned sign language directly from her:

http://www.friendsofwashoe.org

This young man and his photography are a tribute to the power one person can have in the big scheme of things. He lived his life with passion and compassion.

http://www.daneldon.org

www.chrisjordan.com
Environmental photography site

www.thegreenguide.com
A National Geographic website that provides green living tips, etc.

www.freerice.com
Donates funds through the United Nations to help end world hunger

Even if you are not a surfer, you can still support the Surfrider Foundation. Surfrider is an environmental organization that works to protect our oceans and beaches. Additionally, Surfrider is one of the few organizations out there actively working to protect low-impact beach access for all (meaning: they fight developers who want to take public beaches and turn them into private playgrounds for a select affluent few).

For more information, please go to:

http://www.surfrider.org

"A Talking Picture" (Orig. Portuguese "Um Filme Falado") circa. 2003. Director: Manoel de Oliveira

I have seen this film several times over the past few years and I am touched with each viewing. Watching films in which their lessons' lingers intrugues me; this film does just that. It's a film that carries an historical and philosophical lesson and teaches us how connected we are to our past, present, and future.

I hope it enhances your thoughts on our world.

This is a wonderful resource for people who have a family member or friend who is seriously ill. There are links to inpirational stories about people who have survived and how others are coping with serious illness.

A little over a year ago my sister-in-law was diagnosed with an agressive form of bladder cancer (she has made a full recovery, 3 clean body scans). At the hospital where she was being treated someone told my brother about www.carepages.com. It is a web site where caregivers, family and friends can communicate about someone who is seriously ill. My family found it a wonderful way to find out how my sister-in-law was doing and to let them know we were there for them. It also made it easier for my brother to keep everyone informed, instead of calling family and friends with updates he posted them on the CarePage for everyone to read.

There are a variety of links to help the person who is ill as well as their caregiver, family and friends. They have links for emotional support, information about how to help and show support for the person who is ill (do's and don'ts), There are also links for specific illnesses for those who want to connect with someone who is going through the same thing they are.

The site is constantly being expanded to meed the needs of those who are ill and their caregivers as well as their family and friends.

The information below has been copied from the CarePages.

The CarePages Story

Eric and Sharon Langshur started CarePages after their newborn son, Matthew, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. To keep friends and family informed, they constructed a simple Web site that included updates, a message board and a photo gallery. That was the first CarePage and it inspired them to build a company so everyone who needed a CarePage, could have one, free. Five years later, Mathew is a happy 3rd grader, the company is growing and CarePages is touching the lives of more than one million families across the globe!

Most of the causes I support are very local so posting them really wouldn’t be of interest to many here. Instead, I’d like to encourage all of you to find and support your local animal shelter, women’s center and any organization that furthers the safety/education/general wellbeing of the children in your community.

As for resources… I’m a bit of a bookworm:

www.poemhunter.com will let you search for poetry based on poet or theme. There are all sorts of fun things in this site (provided you find poetry fun, of course).

If you’ve ever a book and wanted to find something similar, try www.whatshouldireadnext.com.

There’s also a myspace-inspired reading site called www.goodreads.com. You can network with other bibliophiles.

I’m not sure if this would be considered a commercial site since you can buy his books through it, but I’d like to suggest www.davidbouchier.com for the “Featured Essay” and “Writing Life” sections. He usually has some fun and interesting blog entries.

This home for aging pachyderms, retired from zoos, circuses, etc is nestled in the hills of Tennessee. The refuge is for African and Asian elephants, and provides lush land to roam and munch on, spring-fed ponds to drink from and splash about in, and a safe, warm environment (heated barns) for colder days and nights or whenever they desire it. "The Elephant Sanctuary" is not open to the public, but its site does have a live "Elecam" for viewing.

http://www.elephants.com/

Scott Huckabay has an interesting life story and musical journey. His message is one of healing, joy, and peace, through music.

His MySpace page (listen to Secret Portal, one of my favorites):

http://www.myspace.com/scotthuckabay

His website:

http://www.scotthuckabay.com/

Here is a collection of websites that will hopefully challenge you to wake up. This is an amazing time to be alive. Ancient Wisdom is being brought out into the open. Modern science is making new discoveries that only a decade ago would be considered science fiction - quantum physics, anyone? Stop believing and start thinking!

Science of Being

http://www.scienceofbeing.net

The Theosophical Society

http://www.theosophical.org/

Another site with a focus on the works of H.P.B., founder of The Theosophical Society

http://www.blavatsky.net/

Association for Research and Enlightenment

http://www.edgarcayce.org/

What the Bleep Do We Know!?

http://www.whatthebleep.com/

I happened upon this site a while back that was started by the author of the book (Pay it Forward) that turned movie, and thought it was an inspiring concept.
http://www.payitforwardmovement.org/groups.html
I think many of us pay it forward in various ways, but probably not often to strangers. One situation that I felt grateful for happened in December of 2006. I was heading home and going through a toll, when someone in front of me did the simple act of paying for my toll too. On top of that, the toll collector said "Bless you, and have a Merry Christmas." I don't hear holiday cheer spread all that often these days, so that coupled with the nice "pay it forward" put a smile on my face that evening. And what did I do on my way home? I paid a few other people's tolls. :)

We, as humans, are made up of between 55% to 65% water. About 70% of our planet is covered by oceans - that does not include polar ice caps, glaciers, underground aquifers & wells, rivers, lakes, etc. Science is beginning (finally) to understand the connection between mind and body. What we think, what we feel, impacts our "personal ocean" as well as our global ocean. Check out these sites for more information:

Dr Masaru Emoto's Love & Thanks to Water:

http://www.thank-water.net/english/index.htm

Overview of Dr Masaru Emoto's work and interviews:

http://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/research_emoto.htm

Healing Energy & Water by Steve Gamble:

http://www.equilibrauk.com/healingenergyandwater.htm

In some cities, mass transportation is not an option for people. So, how to reduce fuel usage?

Here's an article about a man who's determined to get the most milage out of a vehicle (including tips!)

http://autos.aol.com/article/hybrid/v2/_a/the-pursuit-of-hypermileage/20...