El descubrimiento de un calendario maya más antiguo 'aplaza' el fin del mundo – RT
Parece que 2012 no va a ser el fin Hay que posponer la fiesta
Jose's posterous
Paul Hawken at The New School, March 2012 #eco #sustainability
via vimeo.com
Paul Hawken is a truly visionary thought and action leader. He is among the great contributors to the global effort to re-imagine our place in nature and how we may live balanced and creative lives together. In this talk, Paul discusses the interlocking global environmental, financial, and human crises we face and the ways we can respond.
Paul is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and author who has dedicated his life to sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. He is author of seven books including The Next Economy, The Ecology of Commerce, and Blessed Unrest. He visited The New School at Commonweal in March 2012. Questions moderated by Michael Lerner, Commonweal President and Founder.
They Are Taking Our Rights Away, Again | Common Dreams
Viviette Applewhite, 93, worked as a welder during WW2, marched with Martin Luther King in Georgia, and voted in almost every election since JFK's. But like many older black citizens, she has no birth certificate or driver's license - which means, under Pennsylvania's harsh new voter photo ID law, she can't vote. She can fight, though. She's the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit being filed by the ACLU and NAACP against the law.
"It stinks - they are taking our rigts away."
via commondreams.org
" Citizen united " , Voter ID laws , ..... Looks like the 1% is trying to influence the vote ...... again
10 Awesome Online Classes You Can Take For Free
Back in August, we told you about a free course on artificial intelligence being offered by Stanford University, and co-taught by two world-renowned AI experts. The class officially started today, so if you managed to register for it on time, then good on you.
But if you didn't manage to register for the course in time, fear not. There are literally hundreds of free courses online — offered by some of the most prestigious universities in the world — that don't require registration. We've picked out 10 that we think you'll find particularly interesting, and included course descriptions and links to where you can watch or download them free of charge.
10. Darwin's Legacy
Institution: Stanford
Taught By: Team taught; guest lecturers include leading scholars in fields ranging from anthropology, to religion, to literature, to biology.
Available Via: YouTube | iTunes U Video
Course Description: "Light will be thrown..." With these modest words, Charles Darwin launched a sweeping new theory of life in his epic book, On the Origin of Species (1859). The theory opened eyes and minds around the world to a radical new understanding of the flora and fauna of the planet. Here, Darwin showed for the first time that no supernatural processes are necessary to explain the profusion of living beings on earth, that all organisms past and present are related in a historical branching pattern of descent, and that human beings fall into place quite naturally in the web of all life. Now, 150 years later and 200 years after Darwins birth, we celebrate the amazingly productive vision and reach of his theory. In this Fall Quarter course, we will meet weekly with leading Darwin scholars from around the country to learn about Darwins far-reaching legacy in fields as diverse as anthropology, religion, medicine, psychology, philosophy, literature, and biology. With such a broad reach across the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, no wonder the theory of evolution by natural selection has been called the single best idea, ever.
9. Astrobiology and Space Exploration
Institution: Stanford
Taught By: Lynn Rotschild & guest lecturers the likes of SETI Senior Astronomer Seth Shostak
Available Via: YouTube | iTunes U Video
Course Description: Astrobiology asks: Where do we come from? Are we alone? Where are we going? This course gives an overview of the excitement of astrobiology and space exploration, from the origin of our own biofriendly universe to questions of the future of mankind both on Earth and beyond.8. Descriptive Introduction to Physics
Institution: UC Berkeley
Taught By: Steven Edward Boggs
Available Via: iTunes U Video
Course Description: The most interesting and important topics in physics, stressing conceptual understanding rather than math, with applications to current events. Topics covered may vary and may include energy and conservation, radioactivity, nuclear physics, the Theory of Relativity, lasers, explosions, earthquakes, superconductors, and quantum physics.
7. Astronomy 001
Institution: Penn State University
Taught By: Scott Miller, Mercedes Richards and Stephen Redman
Available Via: YouTube | iTunes U Video
Course Description: Astronomy 001, Section 005 is a web-based course, complete with online presentations, interactive media, and video demonstrations. This course covers everything from mankind's first understanding of the heavens out to other planets, galaxies, and the edge of the known Universe!6. Earth and Planetary Sciences
Institution: UC Berkeley
Taught By: Richard Allen
Available Via: YouTube | iTunes U Video
Course Description: Introduction to earthquakes, their causes and effects. General discussion of basic principles and methods of seismology and geological tectonics, distribution of earthquakes in space and time, effects of earthquakes, and earthquake hazard and risk, with particular emphasis on the situation in California.5. Frontiers of Biomedical Engineering
Institution: Yale
Taught By: W. Mark Saltzman
Available Via: YouTube | iTunes U Video
Course Description: The course covers basic concepts of biomedical engineering and their connection with the spectrum of human activity. It serves as an introduction to the fundamental science and engineering on which biomedical engineering is based. Case studies of drugs and medical products illustrate the product development-product testing cycle, patent protection, and FDA approval. It is designed for science and non-science majors.
4. Cognitive Science
Institution: UC Berkeley
Taught By: Richard Ivry
Available Via: iTunes U video
Course Description: This course will examine research investigating the neurological basis of cognition. Material covered will include the study of brain-injured patients, neurophysiological research in animals, and the study of normal cognitive processes in humans with non-invasive behavioral and physiological techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).3. Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics
Institution: Yale
Taught By: Charles Bailyn
Available Via: YouTube | iTunes U Video
Course Description: This course focuses on three particularly interesting areas of astronomy that are advancing very rapidly: Extra-Solar Planets, Black Holes, and Dark Energy. Particular attention is paid to current projects that promise to improve our understanding significantly over the next few years. The course explores not just what is known, but what is currently not known, and how astronomers are going about trying to find out.2. Science, Magic and Religion
Institution: UCLA
Taught By: Courtenay Raia
Available Via: YouTube | iTunes U Video
Course Description: Professor Courtenay Raia lectures on science and religion as historical phenomena that have evolved over time. Examines the earlier mind-set before 1700 when into science fitted elements that came eventually to be seen as magical. The course also question how Western cosmologies became "disenchanted." Magical tradition transformed into modern mysticisms is also examined as well as the political implications of these movements. Includes discussion concerning science in totalitarian settings as well as "big science" during the Cold War.
1. Animal Behavior
Institution: MIT
Taught By: Gerland Schneider
Available Via: iTunes U Audio
Course Description: Most of the major categories of adaptive behavior can be seen in all animals. This course begins with the evolution of behavior, the driver of nervous system evolution, reviewed using concepts developed in ethology, sociobiology, other comparative studies, and in studies of brain evolution. The roles of various types of plasticity are considered, as well as foraging and feeding, defensive and aggressive behavior, courtship and reproduction, migration and navigation, social activities and communication, with contributions of inherited patterns and cognitive abilities. Both field and laboratory based studies are reviewed; and finally, human behavior is considered within the context of primate studies.Top image via Kirsty Pargeter/Shutterstock; animalwallpapers.net; Reistlin Magere/Shutterstock
Astrobio image via Stanford's Astrobiology Webpage; Observatory via holbox/Shutterstock; Cog Neuroscience via; animal behavior via
via io9.com
Never too late to learn
8 Gorgeous Nature Blogs for Earth Day — #EarthDay
Earth Day (HQ) - YouTube
via youtube.com
Save Yasuni National Park | Earth Day Network
Established in 1979 and declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1989, the Yasuni National Park covers an area of 962,000 hectares in the basin of the upper Napo River in the western Amazon region. There are at least 2,274 species of trees and shrubs, and in a single hectare have been found up to 655 species, this is more than the total number of tree species in the United States, Canada and Mexico combined.
There are 593 species of birds, 80 species of bats, 150 species of amphibians, 120 species of reptiles, and more than 4,000 species of vascular plants. They have estimated that the insect population could be as high as 100,000 species. The Yasuni National Park is likely the most biologically diverse spot on the planet.
The Park is also known for its indigenous population. The Amazonian Quichua or Napurunas people, the Waorani people, and two groups in voluntary isolation, the Tagaeri and Taromenane all reside here. The Waorani people occupy most of the Yasuni National Park. Their reputation as brave and fierce warriors is widely known.
The Park is essential to the protection of all the cultures and species that dwell within. Yet, the Yasuni National Park faces many threats to its preservation. The impact of oil wells within the Park, the opening of roads for oil exploration, and the installation of oil wells have been damaging. Other threats include illegal timber extraction and climate change. Even with these threats a historic opportunity has arisen to secure this natural wonder for generations to come.
The chance of a lifetime
In 2007, with the discovery of large oil deposits in the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini field (ITT field) located northeast of the Park, President Rafael Correa presented before the United Nations the decision to keep oil at ITT field underground indefinitely, if the international community cooperates with Ecuador providing at least half of the profits that the State would receive in the case of exporting oil.Ecuador is committed to maintain indefinitely untapped the 846 million barrels of oil reserves in the ITT field, located in the Park. The international community will participate with a financial contribution, creating a capital fund to be administered by an international trust, with the participation of the State, Ecuadorian civil society, and contributors.
via earthday.org
Reframing climate change science to include indigenous and local knowledge - Dr Tero Mustonen - YouTube
via youtube.com
Global Day of Action: Occupy Our Food Supply ...Feb 27... Save the day
Food justice advocates rise up to confront corporate control of our food system
An alliance of Occupy groups, environmental and food justice organizations have called for a global day of action on February 27 to resist corporate control of our food system and to work towards a healthy food supply for all.
Occupy Our Food Supply is a call facilitated by Rainforest Action Network and is supported by over 60 Occupy groups and over 30 organizations including Family Farm Defenders, National Family Farms Coalition and Pesticide Action Network.
Ashley Schaeffer, Rainforest Agribusiness campaigner with Rainforest Action Network says of the day of action:
"Occupy our Food Supply is a day to reclaim our most basic life support system – our food – from corporate control. It is an unprecedented day of solidarity to create local, just solutions that steer our society away from the stranglehold of industrial food giants like Cargill and Monsanto,”
Occupy Our Food Supply supporter Vandana Shiva says:
"Our food system has been hijacked by corporate giants from the Seed to the table. Seeds controlled by Monsanto, agribusiness trade controlled by Cargill, processing controlled by Pepsi and Philip Morris, retail controlled by Walmart - is a recipe for Food Dictatorship. We must Occupy the Food system to create Food Democracy."
Occupy Wall Street’s Sustainability and Food Justice Committees also issued a letter in support of the day of action:
“On Monday, February 27th, 2012, OWS Food Justice, OWS Sustainability, Oakland Food Justice & the worldwide Occupy Movement invite you to join the Global Day of Action to Occupy the Food Supply. We challenge the corporate food regime that has prioritized profit over health and sustainability. We seek to create healthy local food systems. We stand in Solidarity with Indigenous communities, and communities around the world, that are struggling with hunger, exploitation, and unfair labor practices.”
“On this day, in New York City, community gardeners, activists, labor unions, farmers, food workers, and citizens of the NYC metro area, will gather at Zuccotti Park at noon, for a Seed Exchange, to raise awareness about the corporate control of our food system and celebrate the local food communities in the metro area.”
Vandana Shiva: "We must Occupy the Food system to create Food Democracy."
"When our food is at risk, we are all at risk."
In an op-ed on the Huffington Post today, Farm Aid president Willie Nelson and sustainable food advocate Anna Lappé, supporters of the day of action, emphasize that the consolidation of our food supply is harming the environment, food safety and farmers:
Our food is under threat. It is felt by every family farmer who has lost their land and livelihood, every parent who can't find affordable or healthy ingredients in their neighborhood, every person worried about foodborne illnesses thanks to lobbyist-weakened food safety laws, every farmworker who faces toxic pesticides in the fields as part of a day's work.
When our food is at risk we are all at risk.
Over the last thirty years, we have witnessed a massive consolidation of our food system. Never have so few corporations been responsible for more of our food chain. Of the 40,000 food items in a typical U.S. grocery store, more than half are now brought to us by just 10 corporations. Today, three companies process more than 70 percent of all U.S. beef, Tyson, Cargill and JBS. More than 90 percent of soybean seeds and 80 percent of corn seeds used in the United States are sold by just one company: Monsanto. Four companies are responsible for up to 90 percent of the global trade in grain. And one in four food dollars is spent at Walmart.
What does this matter for those of us who eat? Corporate control of our food system has led to the loss of millions of family farmers, the destruction of soil fertility, the pollution of our water, and health epidemics including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even certain forms of cancer. More and more, the choices that determine the food on our shelves are made by corporations concerned less with protecting our health, our environment, or our jobs than with profit margins and executive bonuses.
This consolidation also fuels the influence of concentrated economic power in politics: Last year alone, the biggest food companies spent tens of millions lobbying on Capitol Hill with more than $37 million used in the fight against junk food marketing guidelines for kids.
The Occupy Our Food Supply website indicates that the action is Inspired by the theme of CREATE/RESIST, and that in addition to confronting the corporation control of our food supply, we must work towards solutions to make healthy food accessible to everyone. It invites people to share their fair food solutions on their Facebook page and on Twitter using the #F27 hashtag.
* * *
Eric Holt-Giménez, Institute for Food and Development Policy/Food First Executive Director,writes that while the demand to fix the food system seems reasonable, it does not address the "inequitable foundations of the global food system."
The goal of food justice activists is a sustainable and equitable food system. Their strategy is to actively construct this alternative. Tactics include community gardens, CSAs, organic farming, etc. The problem is that this combination of strategy and tactics only addresses individual and institutional inequities in the food system, leaving the structure of the corporate food regime intact. The food justice movement has no strategy to address the inter-institutional (i.e. structural) ways that inequity is produced in the food system. By openly protesting the excesses of capitalism, Occupy does address this structure. This is why the convergence of Occupy and the food justice movement is so potentially powerful -- and why it is feared. The political alignment of these movements, however, is no small challenge
