Saturday, May 30, 2009

Compost por los casitas

Portland has a governmental organization called Metro, they do planning, run the zoo, and coordinate waste disposal (they do other stuff, I don't quite know all of it). Because they pay for Portland's trash to be hauled out to eastern Oregon so they have green waste bins and recycling to pare down the amount that has to be hauled out, to further reduce waste that encourage people to set up worm bin composting in their homes and apartments.

This is one example, but you can take a small plastic container, drill some holes in it and you're good.


You need special worms called red wigglers, these guys like to climb all over in compost piles and break down the food waste while normal worms just like to stay in the soil. There can be ways that the bin starts to attract fruit flies and smells bad, but there are ways to fix those problems. Many people on craigslist sell their extra red wrigglers.

The benefits are that you can get rid of the green food waste instead of throwing it away while producing a soil amendment for your house plants, garden, or neighborhood garden.

Metro's worm bin composting website

I have also just learned about compost tea this is where you take some compost and you steep it out in the sun. Traditional European formula: Steep 1 part compost in 3 : 9 parts water, with optional additions of a handful of basalt-meal or granite-dust and seaweed powder, and stand at room temperature ( 20 - 25C°) for 3 – 24 days, with frequent stirring. Sieve through cheesecloth or a fine mesh screen. From Wikipedia on the subject.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Don Quixote Book Report

I joined a book club whose focus is reading and discussing the classics. And, I have enjoyed it immensely because we are reading works that have been influential in literature, the stage, and film. A prime example is Don Quixote. Written in the early 1600's by Miguel Cervantes, an interesting fellow with an adventurous background and a very learned man who interspersed citations and quotes within the book relating to classic mythology and chivalric books popular at the time. The ~1,000 page book is divided into two parts with two significantly different tones, I liked both parts, but lots of people tend like the second half. There is an interesting history to the book and what's funny is another author tried to continue the first part of the book without Cervantes' permission and in the second part published after the first Cervantes poked fun at this other author.

After reading the book and really thinking about how America needs more people that dedicate at least part of their lives to chivalric ideals I wrote an email to President Obama to that affect, I know it's probably bonkers, but I think it's a valid opinion because so many people are just out there for themselves and don't do anything to help society. What would the country look like if more people volunteered a few hours a week.

Below you'll find a video for the song Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal, it's fun to dance to!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Star Trek

David Letterman's Top Ten Things You Won't Hear in a Star Trek movie:

Presented by Leonard Nimoy.

2. Live long, prosper and keep hangin' and bangin'!

1. I find the choice of your hair piece highly illogical.

God I love them both!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Swine Flu - How It Was Spread!




Here's how the the Swine Flu better known as the H1-N1 Virus was transmitted to humans.