Feb 4, 2012

Top 15 free movies sites

1. Hulu - Hulu is the first place I go online when I want to find quality, free, full length movies. They've got a good selection of movies here, and they are all easy to find with good organization.
2. Free Movie theatre - This theatre makes it very easy for you to view free full length movies on the Web - just click to their film section and you're pretty much all set. Nicely organized by category and each movie is in very high quality.
3. AviewTo - Watch Free Movies Online. You can watch free online movies from our newest online movie website or watch Free Movies Online without downloading.
4. Your Free Movie Downloads - Your Free Movie Downloads, where download movies are always free, receive unlimited free movie downloads from our collection of over 100,000 free movie downloads that grows in size everyday. Download movies of any genre for free. Browse our movie selction and start downloaded the newest releases, the latest box office hits, movie classics and most recent TV series. Download as many free movie downloads as you want and as many at one time as you want.
5. FreeTube - Freetube is quite different from the rest of the sites profiled in this list. Instead of individual movies, Freetube offers streaming channels from which you can watch a free full length movie: it's just not certain what you're going to get! Channels offered are The Movie Channel, Free Classics, the Mystery Channel, and quite a few more. All movies are in reasonably good quality; my only beef is that there should be some kind of viewing schedule available.
6. 10 Star Movies - - 10StarMovies enables you to Watch Movies without any software download and by streaming video files online for free. Registration is optional. Large collection of Online Movies, Celebrity Profiles, documentaries, download movies and more... This website is not related to watch-movies.net in any way.
7. Documentary Log - Free documentaries online. Watch the best documentaries at documentary-log.com. Anthropology, Astronomy, Space, Biography, Biology, Cosmology, History, Lifestyle, Society, Mystery, Nature, Conspiracy
8. Movie square - Moviesquare.net is absolutly legal and contain only links to other sites on the Internet : ( rapidshare.com, megaupload.com, megashare(s), mega, dailymotion.com, myspace.com, ouou.com, stage6.com, tudou.com, veoh.com, youku.com, youtube.com and others.. ) We do not host or upload any video, films, media files ( avi, mov, flv, mpg, mpeg, divx, dvd rip, mp3, mp4, torrent, ipod,psp), moviesquare.net is not responsible for the accuracy, compliance, copyright, legality, decency, or any other aspect of the content of other linked sites.
9. TubePlus - Watch all the latest tv shows and blockbuster movies for free as well as a huge archive of past cinema and your favorite series only on tubeplus the world's biggest video streaming website.
10. Ran Gu - Ran gu is a truly fascinating repository of all sorts of really high quality free full length movies; daily updated blog about telugu movies, hindi movies, bollywood, tollywood, cricket, tv shows, india, previously known as 123onlinemovies, you can find anything from here.
11. QuickSilverScreen - QuickSilverScreen, watch free movies and free online movies, watch movies free online, stream movies online for free on quicksilverscreen.im
12. MoMoMesh - MomoMesh is a online mvoies soruce where you can watch online free movies and sownload. There are also simpole steps where you can easily watch and download movies/files.
13. Watch This Free - WatchThisFREE.com lets you watch free movies online. The best selection of FREE online Movies available anywhere. 1000s of streaming Movies at your fingertips. Watch them online or download them tonight.
14. Bollywood moives - Watch online latest Bollywood movies on A2ZbollywoodMovies.com because this is the best site to watch online Bollywood Indian Hindi movies 100% FREE!!
15. Internet Archive: Moving Image Archive - The Internet Archive is a truly fascinating repository of all sorts of really high quality free full length movies; you can find anything from historical films to open source movies here.

Back to Eden Film - View Free Online!

Source: http://backtoedenfilm.com/ - for free viewing

BACK TO EDEN shares the story of one man’s lifelong journey, walking with God and learning how to get back to the simple, productive methods of sustainable provision that were given to man in the garden of Eden. The organic growing system that has resulted from Paul Gautschi’s incredible experiences has garnered the interest of visitors from around the world. However, never until now have Paul’s methods been documented and shared like this!

As a part of our mission to freely give and freely receive, the makers of BACK TO EDEN have agreed to stream the full feature film online for free. For viewers who support this film and who want to help other people see it, please share backtoedenfilm.com, buy copies of the full feature film to give to others or host a screening in your community.

THE LAST DYMAXION: Buckminster Fuller's Dream Restored... by Noel Murphy — Kickstarter




Noel Murphy is raising funds for THE LAST DYMAXION: Buckminster Fuller'sDream Restored ...

podcast 104 rocket mass heaters with ernie and erica | | permaculture podcast by paul wheatonpermaculture podcast by paul wheaton

SourceLink: http://www.richsoil.com/permaculture/782-podcast-104-rocket-mass-heaters-with-ernie-and-erica/

Length 2:51

download ernie and erica podcast

Buy Ernie and Erica’s detailed plans

Paul Wheaton talks with Ernie and Erica Wisner about rocket mass heaters. They talk about the boom-squish podcast Paul did with Caleb Larson on heating water with a rocket mass heater. They talk about heating coils, and the importance of a tall and vertical heat riser. Ernie talks about all of the testing he has done on his own time, and his frustration with people “innovating” stupidly and incorrectly calling what they make a “rocket mass heater.” It is important people read the abundant information available on the wood burning stoves forum before burning Ernie and Erica out on asking already asked questions, and get a good, safe foundation of things before building one yourself. Paul talks about legionella bacteria. They have building plans on the way for their double chamber cob oven, which will be good documentation for people trying to follow building code. Ernie and Erica will be doing workshops at Yestermorrow (Vermont, September), The Newforest Institute (Maine, September/October), and they encourage people in the northeast and Great Lakes region to contact them about doing other workshops or builds, (as well as in Montana and Nevada as they will be in Reno in both March and June). Paul mentions how 11 days of Sepp Holzer and the PDC beforehand are currently filled but have waiting lists. Ernie and Erica respond to listener questions. What’s the smallest rocket mass heater andlargest rocket mass heater that are safe? 6″-10″ (largest feasible). Ernie can make an 8″ system that will be able to heat a 5000 sq foot house. Ernie says, if you don’t want back-smoke: build it right. They talk about cleaning and easy maintenance. They talk aboutburning pine or damp wood. They talk about how safe rocket mass heaters are for pets and little kids. Rumford fire places are a smart use of radiant heat, that you can watch and enjoy. The idea of an RMH IS to have a prolonged chimney fire on purpose. They talk about converting using existing chimneys. They talk about rocket cookstoves. They talk about catalytic converters. Paul talks about his portable rocket mass heater. They talk about optimizing how rockety the heater gets, and the barrel. Ernie and Erica talk about possible experiments they would do if they had the budget. Erica talks about the need for rocket mass heaters in the world, and their passion for them. Paul talks about war and fossil fuels. Erica talks about passive solar being ideal, like Paul’s wofati. Erica shares inspector stories, and ways to pass code with your rocket mass heater. Paul talks about playing by the rules vs. not playing by the rules. Discussing the podcast.

Related Links:

What Is A Rumford Fireplace?





Full Article: http://www.rumford.com/articleWhat.html
by Jim Buckley

Rumford fireplaces are tall and shallow to reflect more heat, and they have streamlined throats to eliminate turbulence and carry away the smoke with little loss of heated room air.

Rumford fireplaces were common from 1796, when Count Rumford first wrote about them, until about 1850. Jefferson had them built at Monticello, and Thoreau listed them among the modern conveniences that everyone took for granted. There are still many original Rumford fireplaces - often buried behind newer renovations-throughout the country.

Count Rumford, for whom the fireplace is named, was born Benjamin Thompson in Woburn, Massachusetts in 1753 and, because he was a loyalist, he left (abruptly) with the British in 1776. He spent much of his life as an employee of the Bavarian government where he received his title, "Count of the Holy Roman Empire." Rumford is known primarily for the work he did on the nature of heat.

Back in England, Rumford applied his knowledge of heat to the improvement of fireplaces. He made them smaller and shallower with widely angled covings so they would radiate better. And he streamlined the throat, or in his words "rounded off the breast" so as to "remove those local hindrances which forcibly prevent the smoke from following its natural tendency to go up the chimney..."

Rumford wrote two papers detailing his improvements on fireplaces in 1796 and in1798.* He was well known and widely read in his lifetime and almost immediately in the 1790s his "Rumford fireplace" became state-of-the-art worldwide.

Today, with the extensive restoration of old and historic houses and the renewed popularity of early American and classical architecture in new construction, Rumford fireplaces are enjoying a comeback. Rumford fireplaces are generally appreciated for their tall classic elegance and their heating efficiency.
____________

*Most recently Rumford's two essays on fireplaces have been published in The Collected Works of Count Rumford; Vol. 2; Sanborn Brown, ed.; Harvard Univ. Press; 1969; available in most libraries or through Inter-Library Loan or On Line Version

Related links:
http://www.ernieanderica.info/firescience
Rumford fireplace - Wikipedia
Rumford fireplaces and how they are made - Benjamin Rumford - Google eBook
http://www.kingsmaterial.com/
http://www.rumford.com/contents.html
http://rumfordfireplaces.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-rumfords-work_2007.html

Feb 3, 2012

'Money Buys Results in Congress' - YouTube


2:57 Summary

The Biochar Miracle Permaculture Research Institute


Two great videos at The Biochar Miracle! ...Monte

Divine Injustice Permaculture Research Institute

Alternatives to Political Systems, Society — by George Monbiot February 1, 2012
Drone warfare can be used to thwart democratic movements, anywhere.

by George Monbiot: journalist, author, academic and environmental and political activist, United Kingdom

The ancient Greeks, unlike the Jews or the Christians, invested their gods with human failings. Divine judgement, they believed, was neither flawless nor dispassionate; it was warped by lust, vengeance and self-interest. In the hands of Zeus, the thunderbolt was both an instrument of justice and a weapon of jealousy and revenge(1).

Those now dispensing judgement from on high are not gods, though they must feel like it. The people striking mortals down with drones are doubtless as capable as anyone else of self-deception, denial and cognitive illusions. More so perhaps, as the eminent fictions of the Bush years and the growing delusions of the current president suggest.

Barack Obama began last week’s State of the Union address by claiming that the troops who had fought the Iraq war had “made the United States safer and more respected around the world.”(2) Like Bush, like the gods, he has begun to create the world he wants to inhabit.

These power-damaged people have been granted the chance to fulfil one of humankind’s abiding fantasies: to vapourise their enemies, as if with a curse or a prayer, effortlessly and from a safe distance. That these powers are already being abused is suggested by the mendacity of those who are deploying them. The CIA, running the undeclared and unacknowledged drone war in Pakistan, insists that there have been no recent civilian casualties(3). So does Obama’s chief counter-terrorism adviser, John Brennan(4). It is a blatant whitewash.

As a report last year by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism showed, of some 2,300 people killed by US drone strikes in Pakistan from 2004 until August 2011, between 392 and 781 appear to have been civilians; 175 were children(5). In the period about which the CIA and Brennan made their claims, at least 45 civilians have been killed. As soon as an agency claims “we never make mistakes”, you know that it has lost its moorings, as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn suggested in his story of that title. Feeling no obligation to apologise or explain, count bodies or answer for its crimes, it becomes a danger to humanity.

It may be true, as the US air force says, that because a drone can circle and study a target for hours before it strikes, its missiles are less likely to kill civilians than those launched from a piloted plane(6). (The USAF has yet to explain how it reconciles this with its boast that drones “greatly shorten decision time”(7)). But it must also be true that the easier and less risky a deployment is, the more likely it is to happen.

This danger is acknowledged in a remarkably candid assessment published by the UK’s ministry of defence, which also deploys drones, and has also used them to kill civilians(8). It maintains that the undeclared air war in Pakistan and Yemen “is totally a function of the existence of an unmanned capability – it is unlikely a similar scale of force would be used if this capability were not available.”(9) Citing Carl von Clausewitz, it warns that the brutality of war seldom escalates to its absolute form partly because of the risk faced by one’s own forces. Without risk, there’s less restraint. The unmanned craft allow governments can fight a coward’s war, a god’s war, harming only the unnamed.

The danger is likely to escalate as drone warfare becomes more automated and the lines of accountability less clear. Last week the US navy unveiled a drone that can land on an aircraft carrier without even a remote pilot. The Los Angeles Times warned that “it could usher in an era when death and destruction can be dealt by machines operating semi-independently.”(10) The British assessment suggests that within a few years drones assisted by artificial intelligence could make their own decisions about whom to kill and whom to spare(11). Sorry sir, computer says yes.

“Some would say one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist,” George HW Bush opined when he was vice-president. “I reject this notion. The philosophical differences are stark and fundamental.”(12) Perhaps they are; but no US administration has convincingly defined them or consistently recognised them. In Latin America, south east Asia, Africa and the Middle East successive presidents have thwarted freedom and assisted state terrorism. Drones grant governments new opportunities to snuff out opposition of any kind, terrorist or democrat. The US might already be making use of them.

In October last year, a 16 year-old called Tariq Aziz was travelling through North Waziristan in Pakistan with his 12 year-old cousin, Waheed Khan. Their car was hit by a missile from a US drone(13). As always, their deaths made them guilty: if we killed them, they must be terrorists. But they weren’t. Tariq was about to start work with the human rights group Reprieve, taking pictures of the aftermath of drone strikes. A mistake? Possibly. But it is also possible that he was murdered out of self-interest. If you have such powers, if you are not held to account by Congress, the media or the American people, why not use them?

The danger to democracy, not just in Pakistan but one day perhaps everywhere, should be evident. Yet, as fatalistic as the ancient Greeks, we drift into this with scarcely a murmur of debate, leaving the gods to decide.

References:
http://www.theoi.com/Heros/Salmoneus.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/24/remarks-president-state-union-address
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/world/asia/12drones.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/world/asia/12drones.html
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/most-complete-picture-yet-of-cia-drone-strikes/
Colonel David M. Sullivan, cited inhttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/world/asia/12drones.html
United States Air Force, 2009. Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan 2009-2047.http://www.globalsecurity.org/jhtml/jframe.html#http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/usaf/usaf-uas-flight-plan_2009-2047.pdf
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/05/afghanistan-raf-drone-civilian-deaths
Ministry of Defence, 30th March 2011. Joint Doctrine Note 2/11. The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Joint Doctrine Note 2/11 (JDN 2/11). http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F9335CB2-73FC-4761-A428-DB7DF4BEC02C/0/20110505JDN_211_UAS_v2U.pdf
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/26/business/la-fi-auto-drone-20120126
Ministry of Defence, as above.
http://bit.ly/z3WHRT
http://reprieve.org.uk/press/2011_11_06_Tariq_CIA_drone_Waziristan/
========================
Something to ponder?… What if other countries had drones and use on us? … How would we feel? act? Power usually corrupts…! Technology can be used for good and bad and that sometimes is a matter of perspective… My bottom line thought is that this beats starting ground wars… sending in troops… but those carrying out actions are responsible for mistakes and should be legally accountable… My concern is where does this lead… When are we going to spend a more balanced amount of money on solutions to living with billions of humans and the rest of Nature’s species on Mother earth?

Comment by Monte — February 2, 2012 @ 2:06 pm

FORA.tv - The Next 50 Years: Will Tech Solve Humanity’s Problems?


The Next 50 Years: Will Tech Solve Humanity’s Problems? from Intel Corp. on FORA.tv
  • Can we have a decentralized "building blocks" type society / world culture? What will the effect of technology be?
  • Some smart technology guys predict yes, but discuss that there will be a struggle with "Centralized Controller's" versus " Do It Yourself's" 
  • Predictions for technological improvements, kinda amazed me. 
  • I'm for decentralized DIY "building blocks" type society that helps prevent wars and allows for local individual independence. Still there is a need for a transparent government with integrity, that benefits all, answering to the grassroots.
           Monte

2011 Winning Solution | The Buckminster Fuller Challenge


2011 Winning Solution- Blue Ventures from Buckminster Fuller Institute on Vimeo.

2011 Winning Solution

"Blue Ventures integrates the regeneration of the environment, on which people depend, with the stabilization of population and resources. With continued success this could carry through multiple generations as the ‘norm’ which is key to lasting sustainability and I see no reason to confine their overall strategy to marine environments.”

Allan Savory, 2011 Challenge Juror

Blue Ventures works with local communities to conserve threatened marine environments. Our highly acclaimed integrated conservation programmes work with some of the world’s poorest coastal communities to develop conservation and alternative income initiatives to protect biodiversity and coastal livelihoods. The results of our work help us propose new ideas to benefit coastal communities everywhere.

Related:

Inhabitat Gets Electric Fever at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show - YouTube


Uploaded by inhabitat on Jan 18, 2012

Inhabitat hit the scene at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan to get a sneak peak at the coolest electric cars and hybrid vehicles coming out in 2012. Watch the video for a sneak peak at the sexy Lexus LF-LC hybrid sports car, the brand new plug-in hybrid electric Ford Fusion Energi, Volkswagen's green take on the VW Beetle, the new Hybrid Jetta and the Smart For-Us electric pickup truck. Jill Fehrenbacher get's the lowdown on the coolest features and the inside info on which of these cars will make it to a showroom floor near you. Video by Brit Liggett.

Allan Savory - Buckminster Fuller Institute Announces 2010 BFI Challenge Winner | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

Full Article: 2010-challenge-winner
Related Article: Biologist Allan Savory Wins Buckminster Fuller Challenge 
Allan Savory - Wikipedia
This project demonstrates how to reverse desertification of the world’s savannas and grasslands, thereby contributing enormously to mitigating climate change, biomass burning, drought, flood, drying of rivers and underground waters, disappearing wildlife, massive poverty, social breakdown, violence and genocide.
ENTRY APPLICATION: PDF
WEBSITE: Africa Center for Holistic Management
FEATURE VIDEO: Lecture at Trinity College,Dublin (1hr)
BLOG ENTRY
The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) is an organization after Inhabitat’s own heart. It was formed by the visionary eco architect/designer’s family in 1983 to champion Buckminster Fuller’s amazing legacy and provide the design world — and the rest of humanity, for that matter — with the tools we need to solve the world’s most pressing problems. Buckminster Fuller was a “full systems thinker” — he was a renaissance man who foresaw the problems we are facing now decades before anyone else, and came up with innovative, thoughtful ways to solve humanity’s most pressing problems around energy, shelter and natural resources. Sadly, this amazing man is no longer with us, but The Buckminster Fuller Institute marches forward in his name with a handful of thought-provoking programs for designers. Their flagship initiative is the Buckminster Fuller Challenge design competition to provide solutions to complicated social/environmental problems. Inhabitat covered the BFI Challenge finalists back in April, and we are thrilled to announce the winner of the competition here in our latest video! Watch our video profile (above) to learn about BFI, Bucky’s legacy, and the inspiring winner of last year’s $100,000 prize.

Along with the Buckminster Fuller Challenge, BFI has a number of programs that champion Bucky’s comprehensive anticipatory design science model. They hold lectures, seminars, workshops and hands on training programs as a part of their Design Science Education initiative. The largest program is the Design Science lab, a 7-10 day immersion in the study of design science. They hold Prototype labs where artists, designers, engineers and thinkers come together to physically build structures that re-contextualize Bucky’s ideas.

They also have an immense library of artifacts and information from Bucky’s life and beyond. This is split into two parts – the Study Center is located in Brooklyn and is a wide reaching library of information from Buckminster Fuller’s own research. The Idea Index is a comprehensive list and researchable database of all of the entries to the Buckminster Fuller Challenge over the last few years — the Idea Index is available online. The Buckminster Fuller Institute is championing the legacy of one of Inhabitat’s favorite thinkers while pushing contemporary designers and engineers to follow in his footsteps by looking at the big picture.

+ The Buckminster Fuller Institute

+ Donate to The Buckminster Fuller Institute

+ Visit Members Project from American Express and TakePart

Related:

Feb 2, 2012

English → Hungarian Buckminster Fuller lyrics - Nerina Pallot lyrics translations


Uploaded by AWayAway96 on Jan 3, 2012
Nerina Pallot - Buckminster Fuller - Buckminster Fuller EP
http://lyricstranslate.com
English

Buckminster Fuller
Last night I dreamt of him:
Buckminster Fuller
Force that drives the flower brings
Grace to caterpillars
Slowly creeping
Drunk with meaning
Things unseen are not unmade

And I am just a little thing
Made like all others
Humble as a bumble bee
My heart set on the moon
Full force feeling
Here is meaning
Things unseen are not unmade

How was it, how is it, how was this great world grown?
Things unseen are already there

Slowly creeping
Drunk with meaning
Things unseen are not unmade

"Who makes all my crap?" - Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory | This American Life

Source Link: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/454/mr-daisey-and-the-apple-factory


Mike Daisey was a self-described "worshipper in the cult of Mac." Then he saw some photos from a new iPhone, taken by workers at the factory where it was made. Mike wondered: Who makes all my crap? He traveled to China to find out.
==============
If you have time, I highly recommend this podcast: 
http://podcast.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/454.mp3
  • Podcast and related links gave me an answer that I was not that comfortable with... 
  • We in the US went through our 100 years of   Industrialization with the good and the bad... 
  • Workers in China are going through their Industrialization period with good and the bad we should be aware of... 
  • Opinion : US Multinational Companies should conduct business with Integrity
  • One person, Mike Daisey, might help that greatly! 
  • Shows the power of "individual actions" ... they can make a difference ... and help change the world to be better... 
Regards and respect to all,
Monte Hines

Related Links:
http://gizmodo.com/5678732/exclusive-look-where-the-workers-who-made-your-iphone-sleep-at-night
http://gizmodo.com/5679706/exclusive-look-living-at-foxconn
http://performingartsconvention.org/artists/id=572
http://boingboing.net/2012/01/23/mr-daisey-and-the-apple-facto.html

Feb 1, 2012

The Wonder and Beauty of Nature... Always something to learn...Coral Reef Surgeon Fish: Evolving to Compete Through Mimicry - YouTube


Uploaded by ForaTv on Feb 1, 2012

The Wonder Beauty of Nature... Always something to learn...  Monte

Complete video at:http://fora.tv/2012/01/24/Diversity_and_Evolution_of_Coral_Reef_Fishes

Luiz Rocha, Assistant Curator and Follett Chair of Ichthyology at the California Academy of Sciences, highlights the evolutionary advantage of the surgeon fish. The surgeon's genes allow them to mimic angelfish, entitling them to greater resources in the coral reef. 

Image credit: Norbert Potensky via Wikimedia Commons ----- Dr. Luiz Rocha, Assistant Curator, Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences. 

Join us to welcome new curator on the ichthyology team, Dr. Luiz Rocha. Dr. Rocha's research interests center on the evolution, biogeography, and ecology of coral reef fishes. His overarching goal is to understand what drives the extremely high biodiversity found in tropical reefs. He has embarked on numerous expeditions around the world, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Polynesia, Micronesia, the Caribbean, South America, and Africa. His field work in Sao Tome was covered by National Geographic in 2008, and he appeared in a Science Channel documentary in 2009 discussing the effects of radiation at Bikini Atoll. - The California Academy of Sciences

Family Farmers Get Their Day In Court Against Monsanto


By Leah Baines

On January 31st, family farmers will begin the first stage of a court case filed against agro-business powerhouse, Monsanto. The goal of the case, Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) vs. Monsanto, is to protect the 300,000 organic and non-GMO American farmers from the genetic trespass of Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds, which contaminate organic crops and often leave farmers vulnerable to harmful patent infringement lawsuits.
On January 31st, American family farmers will fight for their right to grow organic crops with fear of genetic trespassing against Monsanto. (Image credit: Food Democracy Now!)

Monsanto currently controls the genetics of nearly 90 percent of 5 major commodity crops including corn, soybeans, cotton, canola and sugar beets. Many farmers who do not use Monsanto seeds have had to stop growing their own crops in order to avoid genetic contamination from those used in fields nearby. According to OSGATA, Monsanto has “created an atmosphere of fear in rural America and driven dozens of farmers into bankruptcy.”

Food Democracy Now!, an organization working towards building a sustainable food system, says that Monsanto has filed 144 lawsuits against farmers, and settled out of court for undisclosed amounts of money for an additional 700 cases. These lawsuits leave farmers broke and unable to afford the legal costs associated with fighting Monsanto for something beyond their control in the first place.

Click here to learn how you can support these farmers. If you live New York City, you can attend OSGATA’s Citizen’s Assembly on the day of the trial to show farmers that you care about their right to grow crops without fear and the threat of injustice.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup


Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Rate/Review | Read Reviews (3,024)


Sounds Goods... must be with over 3000 reviews... Monte

Plant Information Online

Use Plant Information Online to discover sources in 1074 North American nurseries for 104779 plants, find 357757 citations to 161488 plants in science and garden literature, link to selected websites for images and regional information about 19131 plants, and access information on 2631 North American seed and nursery firms.

Plant Information Online is a free service of the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Cornell Chronicle: Diets Ag Footprint - Diet may be most efficient if it includes dairy and a little meat - Cornell research

Full Story: Cornell Chronicle: Diets Ag footprint

Diet for small planet may be most efficient if it includes dairy and a little meat, Cornell researchers report
By Susan Lang

A low-fat vegetarian diet is very efficient in terms of how much land is needed to support it. But adding some dairy products and a limited amount of meat may actually increase this efficiency, Cornell researchers suggest.


Illustration by Steve Rokitka/University Communications

Even though a moderate-fat plant-based diet with a little meat and dairy (red footprint) uses more land than the all-vegetarian diet (far left footprint), it feeds more people (is more efficient) because it uses more pasture land, which is widely available.

This deduction stems from the findings of their new study, which concludes that if everyone in New York state followed a low-fat vegetarian diet, the state could directly support almost 50 percent more people, or about 32 percent of its population, agriculturally. With today's high-meat, high-dairy diet, the state is able to support directly only 22 percent of its population, say the researchers.

The study, published in the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, is the first to examine the land requirements of complete diets. The researchers compared 42 diets with the same number of calories and a core of grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products (using only foods that can be produced in New York state), but with varying amounts of meat (from none to 13.4 ounces daily) and fat (from 20 to 45 percent of calories) to determine each diet's "agricultural land footprint."

They found a fivefold difference between the two extremes.

"A person following a low-fat vegetarian diet, for example, will need less than half (0.44) an acre per person per year to produce their food," said Christian Peters, M.S. '02, Ph.D. '07, a Cornell postdoctoral associate in crop and soil sciences and lead author of the research. "A high-fat diet with a lot of meat, on the other hand, needs 2.11 acres."

"Surprisingly, however, a vegetarian diet is not necessarily the most efficient in terms of land use," said Peters.

The reason is that fruits, vegetables and grains must be grown on high-quality cropland, he explained. Meat and dairy products from ruminant animals are supported by lower quality, but more widely available, land that can support pasture and hay. A large pool of such land is available in New York state because for sustainable use, most farmland requires a crop rotation with such perennial crops as pasture and hay.

Chris Peters honored for foodshed work

Peters

Chris Peters, the lead author of the study on New York's agricultural footprint, has been honored for related work on local "foodsheds," as well as his teaching and outreach, with the 2007 Gerald O. Mott Scholarship for Meritorious Graduate Students in Crop Science. The award will be presented Nov. 6 at the American Society of Agronomy, Crops Science Society of America and Soils Science Society of America's International annual meetings in New Orleans.

Thus, although vegetarian diets in New York state may require less land per person, they use more high-valued land. "It appears that while meat increases land-use requirements, diets including modest amounts of meat can feed more people than some higher fat vegetarian diets," said Peters.

"The key to conserving land and other resources with our diets is to limit the amount of meat we eat and for farmers to rely more on grazing and forages to feed their livestock," said Jennifer Wilkins, senior extension associate in nutritional sciences who specializes in the connection between local food systems and health and co-authored the study with Gary Fick, Cornell professor of crop and soil sciences. "Consumers need to be aware that foods differ not only in their nutrient content but in the amount of resources required to produce, process, package and transport them."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American ate approximately 5.8 ounces of meat and eggs a day in 2005.

"In order to reach the efficiency in land use of moderate-fat, vegetarian diets, our study suggests that New Yorkers would need to limit their annual meat and egg intake to about 2 cooked ounces a day," Peters said.

The research was supported in part by the National Research Initiative of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.
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Ep. 11 - Foodsheds, Festivals, and Collegetown Eats
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We're back after an extended break and we've been busy during our time off - check out the new look for our website! Not only did we change the layout, we also updated our logo and we're planning to add more changes in the weeks to come. We'd love to know what you think!
In this episode of the Eating Ithaca podcast, our guest is Cornell scientist Chris Peters, who has been researching the way land is used in New York State for food production. He talked with us about his findings and what they mean for the Ithaca region.
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sustainable food - people per acre of food - Video


Uploaded by paulwheaton12 on Jan 31, 2012

http://permies.com

How many acres does it take to sustainably feed one person when there are no other inputs. No manure, no compost, no animal feed, no fertilizers ....

Helen Atthowe shares her experiences of growing enough food to cover 75% of her own food needs plus enough to sell at the farmers market. Based on years of experience, she attempts to estimate how many acres she would need to feed herself if she has to grow her own fertilizers. Helen's perspective is dominantly rural.

Norris Thomlinson and Tulsey Latoski have carefully measured the production of food from their urban lot. They have optimized the food production a lot, and have some ideas on how to optimize it more. The also compare their initial expectations to the results they experienced. 

Relevant threads at permies:

Jan 31, 2012

Agriculture Versus Permaculture: Saving Humanity and the Earth | One Community

Posted by Pioneer_Dave on Saturday, January 28, 2012
onecommunityranch.org - permaculture-saving-humanity-and-the-earth/


Toby Hemenway is a teacher, consultant and lecturer on permaculture and ecological design. Toby is also a professor at Portland State University, a Scholar-in-Residence at Pacific University, and a biologist consultant for the Biomimicry Guild. In this lecture Toby explains how Agriculture has not actually helped mankind but instead has hindered our progress as well as causing a negative impact on our Earth. Agriculture destroys our eco system by wiping away the lusciousness of our land and forests by depleting nutrients and destroying the topsoil by over growing huge amounts of food in designated areas. The land then requires massive amounts of fertilizer which now comes mainly from petroleum based products.

Hemenway shows that since the introduction of agriculture the human life span has decreased while degenerative diseases and even famines have increased. People are just less healthy than pre agriculture time. Since the introduction of agriculture eating cooked foods has increased causing babies to be weaned from their mothers sooner which allows them to become pregnant again sooner since they are no longer nursing. This explains the higher population in agriculture times that requires even more food to be grown to feed them all.

Toby says the Solution to the problems caused by agriculture is Permaculture, which is horticulture. Permaculture creates a horticultural society which is sustainable. This means small-scale gardens of mixed crops not farms, and hoes versus plows. While agriculture destroys land and cuts back forests, horticulture and permaculture encourages ecosystems to function. They require a lot less labor, encourage wildlife to thrive, and Toby has also noticed a more spiritual approach that honors the Earth with horticulture versus conventional agriculture that, from the Earth’s perspective, could be characterized as a much more “greedy” approach.

Toby’s Key Permaculture Advantages over Agriculture:

● Permaculture encourages ecosystems to function and supports the health of land and forests 
● Permaculture decreases degenerative diseases and epidemics 
● Human Lifespan decreases when going from Permaculture to Agriculture 
● Agriculture requires much more labor than Permaculture 
● ”Agriculture will destroy humanity while Permaculture will save it”

Toby believes that if we keep doing what we have been doing we dont have even a century left before we destroy ourselves. Horticulturists on the other hand have a long track record and can be sustainable. Permaculture works with nature not against it and even turns waste into beautiful gardens. Toby ends the talk by giving examples of many horticultural tribes that lived and prospered for thousands of years before being wiped out by agriculture.

Eating, Skinning, and Dressing Squirrels


Uploaded by WOODLANDSTV on Dec 29, 2011
http://www.woodlands.co.uk/ Our 100th film! Before skinning and cooking it, Sean Collins describes the destructive nature of the grey squirrel and its effect on the native red squirrel. He also describes their effect on tree bark. In the next film he goes about skinning the squirrel

Uploaded by WOODLANDSTV on Dec 29, 2011
http://www.woodlands.co.uk/ Skinning a squirrel with tips on knives to use, hygiene, and preventing damage to the internal organs. Survival expert Sean Collins prepares a squirrel for cooking.

Uploaded by WOODLANDSTV on Jan 31, 2012
http://www.woodlands.co.uk/ How to gut a squirrel. Gutting a squirrel by Sean Collins. Firstly Sean pinches the skin on the belly of the squirrel to make an incision. He then cuts back towards the reproductive organs and removes the testicles . Sean also discusses how to examine the internal organs for signs of disease or ill health in the animal. After checking the liver and kidneys he removes the digestive tract, followed by the heart and lungs, and removal of the head. Finally he discusses hyqiene prior to cooking.

Nice English YouTube Videos... Never too late to learn something... destructive nature of the grey squirrel and its effect on the native red squirrel. Also discusses adverse effect on tree bark... Monte

John Reed on Big Banks' Power and Influence | Moyers & Company | BillMoyers.com


John Reed on Big Banks' Power and Influence from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.
by Bill Moyers

Bill Moyers talks with former Citigroup Chairman John Reed to explore a momentous instance: how the mid-90’s merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group – and a friendly Presidential pen — brought down the Glass-Steagall Act, a crucial firewall between banks and investment firms which had protected consumers from financial calamity since the aftermath of the Great Depression. In effect, says Moyers, they put the watchdog to sleep.

There’s no clearer example of the collusion between government and corporate finance than the Citicorp-Travelers merger, which — thanks to the removal of Glass-Steagall — enabled the formation of the financial behemoth known as Citigroup. But even behemoths are vulnerable; when the meltdown hit, the bank cut more than 50,000 jobs, and the taxpayers shelled out more than $45 billion to save it.

Now, John Reed regrets his role in the affair, and says lifting the Glass Steagall protections was a mistake. Given the 2008 meltdown, he’s surprised Wall Street still has so much power over Washington lawmakers.

“I’m quite surprised the political establishment would listen to groups that have been so discredited,” Reed tells Moyers. “It wasn’t that there was one or two or institutions that, you know, got carried away and did stupid things. It was, we all did… And then the whole system came down.”

The Secret of El Dorado (The discovery of Biochar) - YouTube


Uploaded by ClimateProgressWorld on Jan 30, 2012

The Secret of El Dorado - programme summary
In 1542, the Spanish Conquistador, Francisco de Orellana ventured along the Rio Negro, one of the Amazon Basin's great rivers. Hunting a hidden city of gold, his expedition found a network of farms, villages and even huge walled cities. At least that is what he told an eager audience on his return to Spain.http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2002/eldorado.shtml

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported Biochar as a key technology for reaching low carbon dioxide atmospheric concentration targets. The negative emissions that can be produced by Bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) has been estimated by the Royal Society to be equivalent to a 50 to 150 ppm decrease in global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Annual net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide could be reduced by a maximum of 1.8 Pg CO2-C equivalent (CO2-Ce) per year (12% of current anthropogenic CO2-Ce emissions; 1 Pg=1 Gt), and total net emissions over the course of a century by 130 Pg CO2-Ce, without endangering food security, habitat or soil conservation. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar

Biochar Earth Network
http://biochar.be

Climate Progress Network
http://climateprogress.net

How Can Ordinary People Fight Citizens United? | Ask Bill | BillMoyers.com

January 20, 2012
How Can Ordinary People Fight Citizens United?
Question From: lwkaiser

Ask Bill: How can ordinary people help to overturn or nullify the Citizen United Decision? from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.

BILL MOYERS: Many of you have asked what you can do to fight back. Here are some thoughts. First, take yourself seriously as an agent of change. The Office of Citizen remains the most important in the country.

Second, remember, there’s strength in numbers. Find others like you in your neighborhood, apartment building, community – and act together. The old African proverb is still true, “If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together.”

They’re proving this, for example, in Missoula, Montana. Last November, by a majority of 75 percent people voted to call on the state legislature and congress to approve an amendment to the United States Constitution. It says it loud and clear, “Corporations are not human beings and do not have the same rights as citizens.” That same month, voters in Boulder, Colorado, approved a similar measure by a similar big margin. And two counties in Wisconsin have voted by whopping majorities to call for, quote, "An end to corporate personhood…" and "The legal status of money as speech."

Don’t worry if you’re called naíve. Don't worry about cynics who mock you or fatalists who declare that a constitutional amendment is impossible. That’s nonsense. We’ve amended the constitution 27 times in our history. Back in 1971, the amendment to lower the voting age to 18 was the quickest to be ratified in U.S history, four months following its passage by Congress. And after 13 years without a drink, in 1933, Americans okayed the amendment to repeal prohibition faster than a saloon’s swinging door.

So look around for organizations you can join or contact for information. There’s a national coalition already at work named Move to Amend it’s called and a group leading the fight called FreeSpeechforPeople.org. And see you here next time.

Related Links:

Jan 30, 2012

Field & Forest Mushrooms, Proud to be part of this rotting world!

Go to Field & Forest Mushrooms



Welcome to Field & Forest Products
Interested in growing mushrooms? Field & Forest Products can help you get started. We offer superior spawn, tools, technical information, and good ole’ advice for almost every situation. Whether you are a market grower or hobbiest, our aim is that you enjoy growing mushrooms successfully. New to mushroom growing? Begin by exploring the links below. Also, workshops are offered for training, hands-on experience and taste testing.

What Mushroom Should I Grow?










Based on Species: Choose based on the type you like...more

Level of Difficulty: Select based on how easy it is to grow ...more

Substrate Type: Select based on material to grow on ...more

For updates on seminars and workshops in 2012, visit Field and Forest Products on Facebook or click here!


Shiitake Are you interested in growing mushrooms? We are the source for shiitake mushroom spawn for natural log and organic gardens since 1983.


Oyster Are you interested in growing mushrooms? We are the source for Oyster mushroom spawn for natural log and organic gardens since 1983.


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Hugelkultur Can Create Irrigation-Free Garden Beds


BY DAVID GALLOWAY
JAN 29, 2012 7:00 AM
Llifehacker.com-hugelkultur-can-create-irrigation+free-garden-beds

Hugelkultur Can Create Irrigation-Free Garden Beds

If your yard is big enough that you might have a felled tree from time to time due to lightning or winter storms, you may wonder how you can put the wood to good use. Most people who don't regularly heat with wood just post an ad on Craigslist for free wood if someone picks it up. Instead consider using the wood to form the backbone of a type of gardening bed known as Hugelkultur, that is, burying wood in your garden bed to gain many benefits including eliminating irrigation.

Permaculture site Rich Soil promotes the many benefits of Hugelkultur:

Hugelkultur is nothing more than making raised garden beds filled with rotten wood. This makes for raised garden beds loaded with organic material, nutrients, air pockets for the roots of what you plant, etc. As the years pass, the deep soil of your raised garden bed becomes incredibly rich and loaded with soil life. As the wood shrinks, it makes more tiny air pockets - so your hugelkultur becomes sort of self tilling. The first few years, the composting process will slightly warm your soil giving you a slightly longer growing season. The woody matter helps to keep nutrient excess from passing into the ground water - and then refeeding that to your garden plants later. Plus, by holding SO much water, hugelkultur could be part of a system forgrowing garden crops in the desert with no irrigation.

You can use freshly cut wood as well as rotten wood, but keep in mind that newer wood will consume nitrogen as it composts, which could bother some plants. As the wood decomposes it will leach the nitrogen back into the soil, so you will actually see a gain in nitrogen over time, but in the first few years you may have to add supplemental nitrogen if you use freshly cut wood in you Hugelkultur bed.

If you're interested in learning more about Hugelkultur the source link below has multiple videos, lots of photos, and a much more detailed section on how the beds work.

raised garden beds: hugelkultur instead of irrigation | Rich Soil
Hines.blogspot.com - raised-garden-beds-hugelkultur

BUCKMINSTER FULLER - CBS Sunday Morning

Bucky had a message to mankind... We all need to listen, learn, and do what he told us, so sincerely, before he died... His thoughts and teachings apply ideally today... Please view, discuss, comment, take action... Monte 


Uploaded by MASTERWORKSVIDEO on Aug 6, 2009

A brief look at Buckminster Fuller and his legacy, now more relevant than ever. Includes and interview with his daughter, Allegra Fuller Snyder and his grandson, Jaime Snyder.

Message that applies today

Uploaded by MASTERWORKSVIDEO on Aug 6, 2009

Excerpt from Robert Snyder's THE WORLD OF BUCKMINSTER FULLER - Clip # 1 (80-minute documentary). DVD available at www.mastersmasterworks.com

Message that applies today

Uploaded by MASTERWORKSVIDEO on Aug 6, 2009

Excerpt from Robert Snyder's 80-minute documentary, THE WORLD OF BUCKMINSTER FULLER DVD available at  www.mastersmasterworks.com


Uploaded by MASTERWORKSVIDEO on Dec 5, 2011

From Robert Snyder's 80-minute documentary, "The World of Buckminster Fuller." (c) Masters & Masterwork Productions, Inc.  www.mastersmasterworks.com


Uploaded by MASTERWORKSVIDEO on Dec 5, 2011

From Robert Snyder's film "Basic Bucky," Chapter 11."
(c) Masters & Masterwork Productions, Inc.  www.mastersmasterworks.com

Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome - and one of the world’s worst cars

Posted by Jim - January 30, 2012

Much has been written about the celebrated architect, engineer, designer, author, free-thinker and futurist, Buckminster Fuller. But what will probably interest .id insight readers most is the role he played in influencing modern urban design, and to a much lesser degree, automotive design!



Fuller was born in 1895 in Massachusetts, USA, and after being expelled from Harvard, twice, he went on to become one of the world’s leading thinkers in many fields including design, philosophy and engineering.

In 1945 he invented the Geodesic dome, by exploiting the concept of structural materials under tension. The design soon became known to the US Army, who employed Fuller’s company, using the geodesic dome principle, to construct thousands of temporary and permanent structures to house materials and troops. Geodesic domes can be seen in many military radar installations to this day.

Earlier, in the 1930’s, Fuller’s thinking had extended to developing a motor vehicle. He envisioned a car that would feature adequate accommodation, a tight turning circle for city use and outstanding fuel efficiency. The result, called the “Dymaxion” featured 11 seats, a V8 engine mounted in the rear, front wheel drive and single-wheel rear steering. On the plus side, it could turn in its own length and make parallel parking child’s play, and make over 30 miles per gallon.


However, with strange handling dynamics brought about by the unusual layout and wobbly rear steering, it was destined to be a real challenge for any driver at speed, despite Fuller’s claims it could do 120 mph.

Only three were produced and Chrysler, who were to be involved it he project, withdrew after a test driver was killed. No more were produced and the Dymaxion disappeared.

In 2009, TIME magazine rated it “one of the worst 50 cars of all time”, criticising its inherent lack of stability.

As an aside, renowned UK architect Lord Norman Foster, himself a Buckminster Fuller devotee, recently commissioned a fully functional, driveable remake of the Dymaxion. The London City Hall (often called the beehive) is one of Foster’s landmark works. Foster’s recreation of the Dymaxion is pictured below.

Large Photo Dymaxion Car

“Dymaxion” was a term Fuller coined to combine the words “dynamic, maximum and ion, or dynamic, maximum and tension” (the jury is out on which is correct, although tension seems most likely).

It was also used when Fuller designed and built prototypes of a low cost housing concept, the Dymaxion House. The house was made primarily of aluminium and was designed to be light, transportable and very energy-efficient.


A full size example of the Dymaxion house exists today in the Henry Ford Museum, Detroit. (Pictured above)

Fuller also used the term “Dymaxion” to refer to a type of sleep he developed, which he called “Dymaxion sleep”. It consisted of sleeping just 2 hours a day in a series of short naps. Fuller himself followed this regime for some years.

Fuller died in 1983, but his many inventions and ideas continue to inspire….


Related:

An Independent Source on R. Buckminster Fuller - synchronofile.com


An Independent Source on R. Buckminster Fuller - synchronofile.com

Richard Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller (12 July 1895 – 1 July 1983) was a public speaker, author, mathematician and inventor. Fuller is best known as the popularizer of geodesic domes in architecture. He attempted to apply the most recent discoveries of science to the most basic of human needs such as shelter and transportation, without regard for precedent or profit or power, doing more with less. He called this process design science.

Fuller inspired both admiration and criticism during his life, and these have only grown since his passing. The publications of synchronofile.com are an independent resource on design science and Buckminster Fuller.

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