Unnecessary Baggage??

 I admit, I have the tendency to have difficulty letting things go. Some objects simply seem as though they might come in handy in the future. However, about ninety-eight percent of the time, I end up forgetting I ever even had the object in the first place. Everyone has prized possessions that they could never give up. For most young adults, more than half of the objects on the list would be technological. I would have to agree with most of those people because unfortunately we are all hooked on this modern world of electronics and its advancements. The truth is, that as a society, we keep too many unnecessary and useless things in our lives. They keep us from moving forward with our lives. In a sense these things that we hang so tightly to give us stress and anxiety, though we may not notice it. I have countless amounts of objects that I could get rid of, instead of stashing them away somewhere in a box. I would have to admit that I clothes in my closet with tags on them for as long as I can remember. The honest truth is that in todays world, people buy thing that they may never need. They keep objects that no longer have meaning for them. Sometimes we need to realize that getting rid of these "weights" that keep us down, will end up leaving us with a happier and healthier life.

Environmental Blog

"'Ooho,' Tiny Edible Water Blob, Could Be A Major Solution To Plastic Bottle Waste"

-The Huffington Post

March 29, 2014

One of the many problems this world acquires is pollution. A group of Spanish design students may have a solution that can help diminish this issue. It involves the production of a water bottle, that one can actually eat. Designers Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, Guillaume Couche and Pierre Paslier call their creation "Ooho," a gelatinous blob that is a membrane that encapsulates water like a bladder. When one is thirsty, one simply punctures the membrane and drinks it. The gooey membrane, made from brown algae and calcium chloride is edible, hygienic and biodegradable. 

"Ooho" is formed through a process called "spherification," a method first used in 1946 and still used by some chefs in modern cuisine. Water is frozen into ice before being encapsulated to ease the process and prevent the water from mixing with the membrane ingredients. Ooho is the first container of its type designed specifically to for replacing water bottles. 

One immediate use for these membranes are during sporting events such as running or jogging. Runners usually hydrate themselves by picking up disposable cups of water as they run by spectators handing out water. The disposable cups may come in handy at the time, however lead to litter and pollution. Ooho could be used as a waste-free alternative. This membrane design was the winner of the second annual Lexus Design Award and will be featured during Milan Design Week. In other words, Ooho is on its way to the top, preventing pollution and saving the world. 

Colbert Nation

Barbie on the Cover of Sports Illustrated

On this segmant of The Colbert Report, an interesting controversial discussion takes place. On the cover of the March 2014 edition of Sports Illustrated Magazine, a quite different approach was taken. Since March is Women's History Month, it would have been appropriate to display a highly influential woman on the cover. However most readers did not expect to see Barbie posing for the cover shot. A news reporter claimed that the sole purpose of Barbie on the cover was for the "objectificaton of women." Colbert seems to grasp the concept in a more exotic way. He claims that they are achieving the exact opposite by the "womafacation of object." Using his sarcastic humor, he suggests that a plastic children's toy attracts the wrong kind of male attention. No normal man wants to pick up a swimsuit magazine, used to sexualize women, and think of their little daughters. After a press release with Sports Illustrated they stated that swimsuits are a source of empowerment for women. Colbert retaliated by humoring the fact that all female models loved the feeling of empowerment, when they are replaced by a piece of plastic. The photographer of the shot compliments the poses and the direction taking skills of the doll. As if Barbie had any other choice, then to do as they say. To help the photographer out for next year, Colbert has another "model" ready, with many distinct features, Mrs. Potatoe Head. Go figure. 

The Onion News Article

"Dog Doesn't Consider Itself Part Of Family"

-The Onion

March 14, 2104

A small family in Thomasville, Georgia has been having connection issues with their six-year-old Golden Retreiver, Pepper. The dog complains that he does not feel as though he belongs to the family. They are disconnected from each other and from him. He explains how they all seem to be taken in by the technology and cell phones, not even bothering to speak to eachother at the dinner table.  He refused to speak about his adoption six years ago, however denied being apart of the family at all. He constantly feels the need to seclude himself from the O' Donnell's in the backyard. The poor dog does not receive the attention that he thinks he deserves. The children do not even dare to play catch with Pepper. Not a single tennis ball has been thrown. Pepper, alone and disheartened can only hope for change. 

This news article, clearly fitting into the satirical category of news conveys a message through the humor. It obviously has a sarcastic element to it because of the fact that the dog is expressing its emotions through words, as if it were actually being interviewed. Overlooking the fact that dogs cannot speak the human language, there is a deeper meaning. This article shows how technology has taken over people's lives. One no longer has time to play sports outside or play fetch with their dogs.   This blog succeeded in relaying a deeper message to the people, in the form of a funny and sarcastic satire. 

Economy

Whether one realizes or not, the economy is part of our every day lives. The economic state in which people live in dictates their lives. It consists of production, distribution, trade, and consumption of goods. One may think that they have nothing to do with this, but little do they know that they live under the power of the economy. Based on the economy, people build their lives, buying houses, starting developments and buying stocks and shares. To put it in a simpler form, the prices of the clothes and shoes that I may purchase rely on economics. The groceries and gas that my parents pay for are all under the wings of economics. Peoples paychecks and wages are also affected by the economy. The economy results in processes in culture, education, technological evolution, history, social organization and political structure. All of these aspects that are vital to our lives are strings attached to the current economic state. These factors set parameters and conditions to how the economy functions. While these factors rely on the economy, the economy relies on higher standards and circumstances. Whether our countries economy is at a good or bad resting state, dictates how we as a society will go along living our lives. By stating that mere fact, it is safe to say that the economy has a remarkable role in our lives.

Business

"California positively gets a negative from Tesla on battery factory"

-Los Angeles Times

by Jerry Hirsch

The world has slowly fallen in love with the new Palo Alto electric car, Tesla Motors. The vehicle has been turning heads and emptying pockets since last year, when it first became popular. Californians bought more than a third of Teslas sold globally last year. California pollution-control policies enable Tesla to take in millions of dollars each year from selling environmental credits to their automakers. However, Tesla is not returning any love back to the Californians. On the motor company's hunt for the perfect location to build a four billion to five billion dollar battery factory that will employ six thousand five hundred people, Tesla is turning its head the other way.  The automaker is looking for land that is about five hundred to a thousand acres in Arizona, Nevada, Texas and New Mexico. Although the exact locations have not yet been decided, California is not even in the running. The company has refused to give reasons as to why. States officials are also keeping their lips sealed. The only piece of information given was that Governor Jerry Brown had presented a proposal to the company with multiple factory sites, but the automakers simply refused. Costs and politics are the two main reasons to why Tesla is not budging on its decision. Land prices and wages are more expensive than any other region they are looking for, and for that reason, they are out. 

March 9, 2014

Get Off Your Phones!!

What is this world we live in, where people cannot have a normal conversation at a dinner table because everyone is on their phones. I thought about this as I sat outside my door, on top of the long staircase below me. Taken away by my clouded brain filled with thoughts of school, worry and stress, I was unable to see what was right in front of me. There was nature and beauty surrounding me. Immediately my dog zoomed down the stairs ready to run a marathon. He was distracted by the constant song of the birds resting on the trees casting the shadows in which I was sitting under. A little spider was accompanying me while spinning a web, on the side of the railing. I ended up taking its life, but that is besides the point. As I was sitting on the warm steps with nothing to do, the cars passing by seemed as if they were trying to catch the last plane flying out of the airport. People were in an unbroken trance in their daily lives, going from point A to point B. Not one person passing by stopped to realize the beauty and simplicity around them. I realized, that when I blocked out the things that do not matter out of my head, I was quick to grasp what really did matter. The Instagram posts and  Twitter updates are not what make a person. The people and environment surrounding each and every one of us, is what shapes who we become. I came up with this idea within the thirty minutes I was sitting outside of my door, shut away from my phone and computer. I wonder what life would be if we were completely and permanently shut out from the unimportant things in life.