Natalie MacMaster and Thomas Dolby

“The next 20 years are not going to be anything like the past 20 years”.

Either way, make time to watch the following series of videos from Chris Martenson. He is not an economist or a politician. His training is in science, research and finance. I believe most of us can learn a great deal from his Crash Course, represented in these videos. His repeated statement above, rings true in my ears, as I have had the gut feeling for several years, but not the data to put it into words.

Chapter 20: What Should I Do?

Playing For Change | Song Around The World “Stand By Me”
from Concord Music Group on Vimeo

From the award-winning documentary, “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music”, comes the first of many “songs around the world” being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it traveled the globe. This video and “Don’t Worry” are available now at iTunes. Other songs such as “One Love” will be released as digital downloads soon; followed by the film soundtrack and DVD in stores on 4.28.09.

Playing For Change Website – the Movement to help build schools, connect students, and inspire communities in need through music.

by DoubleGrande@flickr

“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”

-Winnie the Pooh, Philosopher

I have reached the conclusion that the primary purpose of content on Fox News is to bait conservatives until they switch to the next inexorable commercial break. I challenge anyone to switch to a Fox News channel on cable TV or satellite radio and not catch them either teasing a juicy headline promised for after the next commercial break or on a commercial break, most of which seem to last for ten or more minutes.

I have switched to the BBC for actual news.

Author Michael Crichton dead at 66 (AP Article)

The Andromeda Strain (1969) was the first science fiction story I ever read and it was the book that got me hooked on the genre. Crichton, who was very smart and very tall, would have been about 27 when he wrote it. His penchant for the cautionary tale kept me a fan ever since.

The verse on this card, marking a half century on this planet and riding a big Honda to work everyday, really touched me:

Just think of the year ahead
as a journey. It’s an old, curvy road
that’s seen a lot of travelers,
but never anyone quite like you.

So hop on.
Put a few miles behind you.
See all there is to see,
and don’t forget to stop for pie.

As long as you keep
your tank full of wonder
and your mirror full of memories,
it should be one sweet trip!