Jon Levin
Make Your Computer Carbon Neutral
May 24th, 2007
If you’re like me, you use your computer every day. It’s a great tool. Without it, maybe you wouldn’t have a job. But using your computer burns energy, and for most of us that means adding to global warming. An organization called Care2 has created a “toolbar” you can add to your web browser, and every day you use it, they will make a donation to save 25 square feet of Amazonian Rainforest which would otherwise be chopped down and burned up. That 5′ x 5′ patch of rainforest is just enough to recapture the carbon dioxide emitted by generating the electricity needed for you to surf the internet, send that email, tweak that spreadsheet, process those words, shop those photos, edit that video, pimp your myspace, etc. And while it’s not the same as gaining 25 square feet of NEW trees, it’s an important start. Download the Care2 toolbar here.
Drone
April 24th, 2007
There’s a new sound meditation event starting up in New York City, called Drone. It is an evening of participatory, ambient/meditative music open to anyone. The first event is happening this Friday, April 27th at sundown (around 8:30pm) and is taking place at the Rubulad party space in Brooklyn. There’s no charge, but voluntary donations will be accepted for use of the space. Hope to see you there! ~Om~
Affordable Solar is Here!
April 24th, 2007
Found on Newslok World: Did you know that the energy that reaches Earth in the form of sunlight in one hour is more than that used by all human activities in one year?
A new technology promises to harness more solar energy at fraction of the cost.
After more than 10 years of work, scientists at New Zealand’s Massey University’s Nanomaterials Research Centre have developed a range of colored dyes for use in dye-sensitized solar cells.
The green-hued dyes are actually synthetic chlorophyll derived from the light-harvesting pigment plants use for photosynthesis.
Solar cells containing these green dyes promise to generate electricity from sunlight at a 10th of the cost of current silicon-based photovoltaic solar cells.
Apart from solar cells, researchers say users can apply these dyes to tinted windows to generate electricity.
The new dye-coated solar cells can even trap solar energy in low-light/cloudy conditions.
Moreover, the new dye-sensitive solar cells are environment-friendly as they are made of titanium dioxide. The manufacture of silicon–based solar cells involves heavy usage of energy and materials.
Researchers also plan to incorporate these green dyes into roofing materials, wall panels and many other fixtures that get routine solar exposure.
Information for the more technically minded can be found here.
Music of the Sphere
March 29th, 2007
Was at a party recently where I met a man named Ayo, who runs a great record store in the village called MultiKulti, and who has his own broadband radio station called Globalista Radio. Every day of the week concentrates on a different region of the Planet. And it’s all amazing. Why always listen to the same old crap from the same old sources when there are unbelievable kick-ass beats coming out of Senegal, or incredible harmonies from Bulgaria? The whole world is your home. All people are your people. And they all make great fucking music.
Moving Paintings
January 18th, 2007
This past weekend, I was at a party where I saw a pretty incredible computer graphics installation, and met its creator. He’s a guy named Scott Draves who has made an open-source screensaver called electric sheep, named for the Philip K. Dick short story “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” which was the inspiration for the film Blade Runner. The stuff is almost shockingly beautiful and you can download a version of it for free. It helps if you have a fast connection. Check it out here.
Star Stuff
January 16th, 2007
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty fascinated by Astrology. I am not well-versed in it, but I do know when a horoscope I read rings uncannily true for me. Our own Patricia Bingman’s horoscopes often fall into that category, so I figured she’d be a great person to ask all sorts of questions I had. She graciously took the time to satisfy my curiosity.
What first drew you to study Astrology?
Reading my horoscopes in newspapers and magazines. Then when I was 19 a woman at work gave me a book by Linda Goodman, “Star Signs” and it changed my life.
When and how did you realize you had intuitive “gifts”?
Probably as a child I sensed different dimensions and could “read” people easily. Over the years it has developed more and more. After I “moved out into the world” at 19, I really began to embrace it. I also think that the more a person surrounds themselves with aspects that are like them, the more pronounced they become.
Read the rest of this entry »
Socialism 101
January 11th, 2007
A guy named Paddy Joe Shannon has written and presented an excellent primer which can be downloaded as a BitTorrent file from socialist-tv.com, or watched in its entirety on youtube. To do the latter, go to youtube and search for “Capitalism and Other Kids’ Stuff“. Several videos will come up. Since youtube only allows you to upload 10 minutes of video at a time, this roughly 50-minute piece is in 5 chunks, clearly marked. When you have the time, watch through them all in order. Inspiring.
Speedology
January 9th, 2007
If you don’t know who Speed Levitch is, he was the one walking with Wiley Wiggins on the Brooklyn Bridge in “Waking Life”. Read Timothy “Speed” Levitch’s myspace blog. Then become his myspace friend. Maybe his outerspace friend. You’ll be glad you did.
How to Smoke Salvia
January 4th, 2007
Have you ever tried to smoke Salvia Divinorum and found the experience lacking? You heard all sorts of amazing reports of phantasmagoric audiovisual hallucinations, but all you did was cough and feel a little spacey? Maybe you suspected that stuff you bought over the internet wasn’t the real deal, or that Salvia Divinorum itself is a hoax or maybe just doesn’t work for you. Well… you probably just smoked it wrong. Here’s how to smoke it properly.
Brainwaves
December 28th, 2006
To learn about controlling your mind with a machine, click here. To learn about controlling a machine with your mind, click here. To learn about building a machine with a mind, click here. To learn about putting your mind into a machine, click here.