I came across an article on intensive commercial horticulture in Organic Matters. It reflects much of what we’ve learned over the past decade of organic production in Ireland (a developed economy, with subsidised industrial farming and a consumer market generally interested in cheapness and uninterested in quality or source). Two main ideas which are relevant …
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Category:7 Holonics and Life
Financial Crisis – Background, Outlook and Action
Our presentation reviewing the financial crisis has been updated. There is a little more data and a more extensive list of action items for consumers, investors and businesses. Self-help action is focussed on small and medium sized businesses. SME’s are going to bear the brunt of the downturn and be the most important factor in …
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LOHAS mind maps and videos
LOHAS 12, the twelfth annual gathering focussed on sustainable an healthy living, has recently put presentation videos and summaries online here. Particularly good are the graphic mind maps of about a dozen presentations which are linked here. Here is one of them entitled LOHAS Market Trends prepared by idea360.com:
Systems-Thinking.org
Mental Model Musings at the web-address www.systems-thinking.org offers an easy to navigate portal in to the world of systems thinking. Worth a browse for anyone in the knowledge business. To get an idea of the extent of the musings of Gene Bellinger, here are the contents: Systems Modeling & Simulation Systems Introduction to Systems Thinking …
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Japan murders 2 more murderers …
Japan has hanged two convicted murderers, bringing the total number of death penalties implemented this year to 15, thought to be the highest total in many years. It is a strange anomaly that a country with such wealth, such a high standard of living and having suffered itself as a victim has not yet removed …
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Video game youth reacts quickly, but can’t think …
Professor Michael Shayer of King’s College London looked at how 800 secondary pupils performed in problem-solving tests. Today’s 14-year-old pupils are better at quick-fire answers, but much worse at complex questions than teenagers in the 1970s. The findings reflect that children now live in an environment of text messaging, Wiis and talkback which favours instant …
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Compulsory relationship education – a step in the right direction
The UK announced that it will make sex and relationship education compulsory for all pupils aged 5 to 16. While the details are not clear, and sex education for the youngest groups is not advisable (and is not proposed), this kind of practical education is critical if people are to develop emotional intelligence and life …
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Eat slowly to improve health and get fitter.
The British Medical Journal published research that supports the contention that eating food quickly makes you fatter. The reason why is not yet confirmed but is thought to be to do with two principal mechanisms: the process of digestion – which is unable to digest food properly as it flows down the alimentary canal: starting …
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The Western diet kills you.
An extensive study reinforces what we have known for decades: the western diet high in salt, fat and sugar increases the death rate by 30%. Circulation journal reports that researchers analysed the diet of 16,000 people in 52 countries and identified three global eating patterns. The typical Western diet, high in fat, salt and meat, …
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Financial Crisis 2008 – what you can do
Here is a slide show to aid your analysis and reaction to the financial crisis. Financial Crisis 2008 – what you can do (pdf 336 kb). It outlines the situation and possible scenarios, then summarises action for consumer, investor and business manager.