A nice story about when and why cars are not as bad as you think, but you should still take public transport, or bike, or foot, especially if you live in town. And for quick reference here are the basic stats: The average car emits something like 180g per passenger kilometre. You may be surprised …
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Author:astraea
OpenSuse 11.2
Linux For open minds.
Google has acquired Gizmo5
Gizmo5 is another (a better?) VOIP, like Skype. The official announcement is here. It’s probably a good thing for Michael Robertson, the entrepreneur who started Gizmo5 and Lindows/Linspire. Hopefully it will take some of the pressure off him. A shame it had to be the big one. Apart from the issues raised by google-watch, it …
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Virtual shopping extinguishes community.
I like shopping on-line – it’s quick, easy and cost effective. And I’ve tried the self-service checkout, when the teller queue is long or slow. But the push by big grocers to move exclusively to self-service is another nail in the coffin of communities. Most of us prefer to buy food from a person, we …
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Teenage obesity contributes to degradation of nervous system
Recent research suggests that obesity in teenagers increases the chance of developing multiple sclerosis. Obesity is the result of eating too much food, and unhealthy food, food that is high in fats and sugars. Often these foods enjoyed by teenagers also contain additives. Multiple sclerosis, apparently, is evidenced by demyelination of the nervous system – …
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The problem with carbon trading
While I appreciate the positive aspect of carbon trading – that it draws attention to the problem of overconsumption of energy, in particular fossil fuels – it is a distraction from focussing on the real problem of changing the way we do things. A new report of carbon trading articulates the increasing risks of focussing …
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Are you (or your children) a junkie, for junk food?
Scientific research shows that junk food is addictive. We have recognised that for a long time and that’s why our children don’t get too much access to it. It’s not just the branded burger bars, but all those brands with massive advertising like cola, crisps/chips, sweets. Consumers are brainwashed into a sense of appreciation although …
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Many walls still need to be brought down.
An open world is the solution to many of the problems humanity has created for itself, from economic instability to ecological instability, from hunger to pollution, from torture to poverty. On the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, JP Lehmann reflects on the many challenges we must all face up to today: The …
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Extinction threat to humans growing.
The headline might be more dramatic than the original: “Species’ extinction threat grows”. But it’s more to the point. If they are dying faster, nature is changing faster. Humans can not adapt to an environment much different from the one we inhabit, especially in terms of temperature, moisture, oxygen. But mostly, we’ll just run out …
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Curry for cancer, arthritis and dementia
It seems that tumeric can fight cancer, as well as arthritis and dementia. Tests by cancer researchers show that a compound curcumin tumeric kills off gullet cancer cells in the lab. Dr McKenna said “Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous …
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