As I am writing this blog assignment, I am looking out the window next to my computer; it’s already seven thirty at night, and still the sun is shining brightly out the window. Today is by far the warmest day all year, and summer fever is running rampant around the school. All the girls wearing their summer skirts and sandals, the guys taking off shirts to study for a final exam or finish their last projects of the semester out in the sun or under the shade of a tree. It’s hard to believe that the year is really over. I am still trying to decide what classes, if any, I would like to take during the summer semester. Unfortunately most of the classes I need to take are not being offered during the summer semester; it’s quite frustrating to say the least! I think I have a bone to pick with my department head about that… It’s fairly difficult to stay in school full time if there aren’t any classes to take.

1.

Oh, how the sun is shining through the window where I sit; the fever of summer frenzy is running a contagious rampage through the halls, classrooms, and green fields of Red Rocks Community College. Remarkably, it’s nearly quarter till eight in the evening! I still can’t decide what classes I am going to take this summer; the naughty voice of summer fever whispering in my ear that I should take none at all. Across the way a group of guys play soccer and hacky sack, and close by a group of girls in their summer skirts and sandals watch enviously, deciding who will have the courage to go and ask for a phone number before their chance fades away into the summer heat. I can’t decide what to do; there aren’t even classes that I need this summer! Maybe if I went outside and played some hacky sack it would help me decide.

2.

Did you see that? That little cute little blonde in the leather miniskirt that just walked by the window? I might be the only one, but it seems to me that I’ve caught some sort of virus. I was thinking about going to the doctor, but a close friend of mine says its summer fever and that at the end of spring semester at Red Rocks Community College everyone catches it. I’m trying to decide what classes I should take, but it’s nearly impossible when you are so sick; not to mention that my choices are so limited because of the lack of classes offered by my department. The sun is hitting my monitor so brightly I can’t even see the registration screen anyway; which is hard to believe since it is going to be ten o’clock at night in almost two hours! I’m going to march right upstairs to my department administrator and give him a piece of my mind… Or maybe not, since it appears that I might be able to go play some soccer with the group I see right outside my window. Should I go, or should I do the responsible thing and finish my homework and school registration?

I’ve made up my mind; I’m going to finish registering for classes and finish my blog assignment. My good conscious tells me it’s the right thing to do. The classmate in front of me is wildly texting her friends about tonight’s events, my classmate to the right checking her email in anticipation of her ticket confirmation for the concert this weekend. Can it be true? Is everyone else in the room caught the same sickness? Can no one focus on what they are supposed to be doing when the sun still shines so brightly at eight o’clock in the evening? My mind begins to wander as I ponder all these things, my fingers pounding at my homework, my mind not sure what words my pounding fingers sing. There she is again, that curious little blonde. Oh how I wish I could just get up and leave this place, but again my good conscious screams for me to stay in place. The seconds pass by with an ever creeping pace, until finally my smiling teachers face announces the end of this grueling race. We’ve finished, we’re done! Hooray for God’s good grace!

3.

“Chirp, Chirp”. Although the window is solid glass, I can hear the bird’s happy words as I sit here in class. Not only is he happy, but is he as excited for the sun to be shining at seven thirty at night as I am? Surely so, for I would imagine if beings as complex as human beings can be enthralled and exhilarated by the flowering of plants, the sprouting buds of fruit trees, the explosion of green, the feeling of freedom created by not having to wear five layers of winter clothing, then surely the bird must be exhilarated too. We’re getting close now, the time is almost here. Wait! Is that her? The one I’ve had my eye on all semester? Should I jump out of my chair, ditch the end of this class and run to talk to her? Surely my teacher would not appreciate that, but then again it probably wouldn’t matter. There is only twenty minutes left in class, and I would assume that I would only miss goodbyes; something I have never liked anyway. With reluctance, my good nature kicks in, and with sadness I watch her fade away into a blur of grass and sunlight as the glare on the window blends her into the summer heat. I guess I better register for my summer classes; maybe she will be there too and I’ll have one more chance to ask her out before she leaves again.

In English I had the privilege of reading some of the greater works in literary essays; some highly thought provoking. At one point, some of the topics were so intense that I literally had to get up and leave class for about five minutes so I could relax. How interesting it can be when fundamental issues like evolution, communism, socialism, and more are discussed in an English class. I did get a chance to reflect fairly heavily on why my reactions to the topic content got me so heated, and I believe I learned a valuable lesson about patience and optimism. I do hope that my teacher isn’t mad at me. I’ve enjoyed his outlook on literature and the way he runs an effective and always tightly crammed curriculum into the three hours per week that we as a class get to spend together.

As I am writing this blog assignment, I am looking out the window next to my computer; It’s already seven thirty at night, and still the sun is shining brightly out the window. Today is by far the warmest day all year, and summer fever is running rampant around the school. All the girls wearing their summer skirts and sandals, the guys taking off shirts to study for a final exam or finish their last projects of the semester out in the sun or under the shade of a tree. It’s hard to believe that the year is really over. I am still trying to decide what classes, if any, that I would like to take during the summer semester. Unfortunately most of the classes I need to take are not being offered during the summer semester; its quite frustrating to say the least! I think I have a bone to pick with my department head about that… It’s fairly difficult to stay in school full time if there aren’t any classes to take.

I learned there is not a whole lot of woman in my department, mostly plumbers, electricians, pipe fitters, etc. Needless to say I am not here just for the girls, but I am not going to lie and say that they aren’t a huge perk of going to college at the ripe old age of 26. It makes me wonder if that is true of the renewable energy profession as a whole, or if the school just hasn’t targeted a female student body for degrees/certificates in that area. I mean come on, who wouldn’t want to hang out in the sun and save the planet? I think because the department is so new, the amount of female students in the department will increase as it becomes more widely know that there is an actual associates degree in solar, solar thermal, and wind technologies. I personally am excited to get all three degrees as there is only about a sixteen credit difference between each one. As this semester is coming to a close in several days I am realizing how much work I might really have in front of me if I do complete all three degree programs (not to mention my web design certificate on top of everything else).

English 121

5/7/09

The Past and Present of Fire; How Energy Caused Affluenza

It is no surprise that mankind has reached a point of disconnect with his higher nature; his sovereignty and independence gladly traded for the pursuit of material goods. He speeds through each day with greater and greater intensity, shamelessly capitalizing on his fellow man, the environment, and oddly enough on himself most of all. In this struggling world economy, what factors have contributed to the “Go-Go McDonald’s” mentality of modern society? Have advancements in the use of energy been the sole source of modern progress? Will more responsible energy use be the key to starting an understanding of simple living, sustainability, and greener lifestyles?

In first world countries there is a word in the English lexicon which summarizes the frenzy of consumerism which has gripped the modern world; “Affluenza – Extreme materialism which is the impetus for accumulating wealth and for over-consumption of goods; also, feelings of guilt and isolation from the dysfunctional pursuit of wealth and goods. Affluenza is a social disease caused by consumerism, commercialism, and rampant materialism and its antidote is simple living.” (1)

To some this may seem like something new, but indeed history has shown that the quest to steer away from consumerism may very well have been one of the principle reasons this country was even founded. In the late seventeen-hundreds and early eighteen-hundreds England and Europe’s ruling elite lived lavish and rampantly materialistic lifestyles at the expense of the poor and working class. Through high taxation, sales of luxury goods, and many other means, the ruling class lived lives that some would compare in modern times to that of American life compared to the refugee camps of Somalia.

In early America, simple living was considered Patriotic. The idea of participating in local co-ops, supporting local businesses, and living within your means was the American way. Most imports were from England or Europe, and so one of America’s first ways of demonstrating our desire to be free was to burn incoming merchant ships filled with items whose sales would fund the consumeristic and lavish lifestyle of foreign ruling powers; the Boston Tea Party being just one such example. Laws were passed by the Puritan leadership and others actually outlawing lavish dress, however these rules were applied unfairly: If you were rich, you could wear whatever you wanted.

After the revolution, American capitalism quickly helped to fade away the connection between lavish consumerism and independence from England and Europe. As we began to develop our use of energy technologies, the industrial revolution was born. Our industrial might allowed us to consume manufactured goods at a pace unseen before. More production equaled more energy use. As we would find later in time with electrical items “compound energies” to make goods equaled “compound energies” to use the goods created.

In the late eighteen-hundreds, the simple life movement was started again by the transcendentalists; the most famous being Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau went to an isolated cabin by a lake for years to discover exactly how little one truly needed to find happiness in this world. A return to nature; or as some would say now “Thoreau went green”. As Bertrand Russell said “It is preoccupation with possessions more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.’(2) Many followed in their footsteps, and it seemed that America might truly have a chance towards the sovereign lifestyle our forefathers had dreamed of as they sailed far away from the Affluenzic shores of England and Europe.

The depression in nineteen-thirty-three brought America to its knees. The new deal was to spend, spend, spend; and spend we did. Soon the television, microwave, washer, dryer, refrigerator, multiple vehicles, and on and on became necessities rather than luxuries. The rights movements gave even more income to American families, and yet we seemed to have less time, less money, less happiness, and more debt.

With the growing unease of the American disconnect from values, love, and our involvement in the Vietnam War a new movement was born. These modern transcendentalists were called hippies. These nature loving simple living advocates were much like Thoreau or Emerson but were influenced by the pop culture which energy had allowed television and radio to provide. The movement had a definite impression on America’s culture; however the inevitable wheels of commercialism kept our society on a rapid pace toward complete and total Affluenza.

So has our dependency on energy to fuel the rapid commercialism and consumerism placed our current economy in the situation it is in today? Would we be seeing global warming, war, and financial market collapse around the globe if our thirst for material items wasn’t so dependent on energy to fuel it? If so, are there ways that we can create energy to meet the demand of our appetites while also creating more income, happiness, and sustainable lifestyles for our culture?

Presently, for every ton of trash thrown away in the United States, 20 tons of trash is created to produce it. If the world lived the same way that America does, at present population it would take four earths to accommodate it. If America and the World’s Affluenzic state are indeed primarily fueled by energy, it’s important to look at our sources of modern energy.

Since ancient times the Sun has been a driving force in human culture, not only from a spiritual sense, but to our very survival. Our understanding of fire gave us warmth and light, as well as the ability to cook and forge metals. According to ThinkQuest.org, “The sun creates the equivalent of 100 billion 1-megaton nuclear explosions each second.”(3)

Only a tiny fraction of this energy ever reaches the Earth, but just that small amount has been keeping this planet energized since the beginning of our existence. When looking at any form of modern energy one can trace its source back to the sun. Fossil fuels like oil come from decomposed plants, which of course would never have grown without photosynthesis from the sun. Wind is even caused by the temperature differences of sunlight hitting different parts of the Earth at different times.

For over five thousand years humans have “worshipped” the sun (fire). In Egyptian times the Sun God Ra was considered the first king of Egypt. In Mesopotamia Shamash, and in Greece Apollo and Helios. The sun has also influenced many religions of the world from Roman religion to Hinduism, Buddhism, the Druids of England, the Incas of Peru, the Aztecs of Mexico, and most Native American tribes.

Since the sun (fire) has so dramatically affected our culture, lives, and very existence up until this point, one could assume that it will dramatically shape our future. As the population climbs toward 9 Billion by 2050, our never ending thirst for more and more energy will cause humanity to search for solutions to our energy needs.

According to the New York Times in an article titled “All energy roads lead to the sun” energy researcher Dr. Nocera said that in energy terms right now we are a “12.8 trillion watt light bulb”. (4) It is estimated that by the year 2050 we will need 30 trillion watts. The sun bathes the Earth in 800 terawatts of energy continuously, of which we only need 18.

So why is it that our society has put so little effort into harnessing this type of energy? Some would argue that corporations have suppressed sun harnessing technologies in order to promote the sale of coal, oil, and gas. As we know, energy is big business. Individual energy production would allow people to power their lives and homes without having to pay utility and energy companies for the lifestyle that so dramatically is fueled by energy consumption.

Solar panels, or solar modules, can create energy directly by converting sunlight into electricity. They were first developed in the 1950s for use on U.S. space satellites. Solar cells are typically made from silicon wafers that have been coated on one side with phosphorous, and coated on the other side with Boron. When sunlight hits the cell, an electron imbalance is created between the front and back of the cell. It is this movement of electrons through the silicon wafer which creates electricity.

Although solar panels are the most effective way to turn sunlight directly into energy there are many downsides as well. Currently the average cost of a system for a typical home is around thirty thousand dollars. On average the system will pay for itself in around seventeen years, and the panels will last typically forty to fifty years. It is easy to see why most people have not installed them on their homes.

Another problem with solar panels is the availability of Boron. It is an extremely scarce resource on the planet. There is a lot of research currently being done on other combinations of chemicals and metals to create the same result; however the first design from the 1950s remains the standard for solar panel manufacturing.

We now find ourselves as individuals and as a society facing some serious questions. Is our rampant consumerism fueled by energy? If it is indeed the source of our problems, what can we do to turn a negative into a positive? Will the use of renewable energy make us all more conscious of how much energy we as individuals truly consume, both from our own homes and vehicles, but also the energy used to create the material items which we so freely use?

All around the modern world more and more people are deciding to live sustainable lifestyles, whether it’s more family time, choosing to pursue a career that they are more passionate about for less pay, deciding to use renewable energies, or even just reducing waste and unnecessary spending. To understand why people are doing this, one must look not only at our modern “mentality” but look long into the past as well.

I believe becoming more aware of our individual energy requirements and being responsible for our own production would lead to an incredible shift in American and world conscious. I also believe that as the sun has shaped our past, and that the sun will also shape our future. Learning to capitalize on a resource that is more reliable and abundant than any other would surely seem like the wise thing to do. There is one thing that we know to be true, no matter what happens each day; the sun will rise, and the sun will set – each and every day of our lives. If I was a betting man, that’s one bet I would make with my life.

As Robin Green said “Ladies and gentlemen, today we’re here to honor electricity, the charge that charges everything from those electrons snapping in our brain to our father the sun. What’s the sun? It’s kind of like a brain. Electromagnetic fields, solar flares sparking back and forth from those nerve cells. We’re all one, folks, giant blobs of electricity – all of us. Positive & negative, electromagnetic fields just circling each other. Positive, negative, north, south, male and female. Looking for that electric moment.”(5) 

References

1. Webster’s New Millennium™ Dictionary of English – “Affluenza”
2. “Bertrand Russell.” Quotes.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2009. 7 May. 2009. http://www.quotes.net/quote/7515
3. Http://www.thinkquest.org/C004471/tep/en/how_it_works/the_sun.html
4. New York Times “All energy roads lead to the sun” – 3/27/2008
5. “Robin Green.” Quotes.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2009. 7 May. 2009. http://www.quotes.net/quote/20436

Water moves continually through a cycle of evaporation or transpiration (evapotranspiration), precipitation, and runoff, usually reaching the sea. Winds carry water vapor over land at the same rate as runoff into the sea. Over land, evaporation and transpiration contribute to the precipitation over land.

Clean, fresh drinking water is essential to human and other life. Access to safe drinking water has improved steadily and substantially over the last decades in almost every part of the world. However, some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing water-based vulnerability, a situation which has been called a water crisis by the United Nations. Water plays an important role in the world economy, as it functions as a solvent for a wide variety of chemical substances and facilitates industrial cooling and transportation. Approximately 70 percent of freshwater is consumed by agriculture.
Water is the chemical substance with chemical formula H2O: one molecule of water has two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a single oxygen atom.

The major chemical and physical properties of water are:

* Water is a tasteless, odorless liquid at standard temperature and pressure. The color of water and ice is, intrinsically, a very light blue hue, although water appears colorless in small quantities. Ice also appears colorless, and water vapor is essentially invisible as a gas.

* Water is transparent, and thus aquatic plants can live within the water because sunlight can reach them. Only strong UV light is slightly absorbed.

* Since oxygen has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen, water is a polar molecule. The oxygen has a slight negative charge while the hydrogens have a slight positive charge giving the article a strong effective dipole moment. The interactions between the different dipoles of each molecule cause a net attraction force associated with water’s high amount of surface tension.

* Another very important force that causes the water molecules to stick to one another is the hydrogen bond.

* The boiling point of water (and all other liquids) is directly related to the barometric pressure. For example, on the top of Mt. Everest water boils at about 68 °C (154 °F), compared to 100 °C (212 °F) at sea level. Conversely, water deep in the ocean near geothermal vents can reach temperatures of hundreds of degrees and remain liquid.

* Water has a high surface tension caused by the weak interactions, (Van Der Waals Force) between water molecules because it is polar. The apparent elasticity caused by surface tension drives the capillary waves.

* Water also has high adhesion properties because of its polar nature.

* Capillary action refers to the tendency of water to move up a narrow tube against the force of gravity. This property is relied upon by all vascular plants, such as trees.

* Water is a very strong solvent, referred to as the universal solvent, dissolving many types of substances. Substances that will mix well and dissolve in water, e.g. salts, sugars, acids, alkalis, and some gases: especially oxygen, carbon dioxide (carbonation), are known as “hydrophilic” (water-loving) substances, while those that do not mix well with water (e.g. fats and oils), are known as “hydrophobic” (water-fearing) substances.

* All the major components in cells (proteins, DNA and polysaccharides) are also dissolved in water.

* Pure water has a low electrical conductivity, but this increases significantly upon solvation of a small amount of ionic material such as sodium chloride.

* Water has the second highest specific heat capacity of any known chemical compound, after ammonia, as well as a high heat of vaporization (40.65 kJ mol−1), both of which are a result of the extensive hydrogen bonding between its molecules. These two unusual properties allow water to moderate Earth’s climate by buffering large fluctuations in temperature.

* The maximum density of water is at 3.98 °C (39.16 °F). Water becomes even less dense upon freezing, expanding 9%. This causes an unusual phenomenon: ice floats upon water, and so water organisms can live inside a partly frozen pond because the water on the bottom has a temperature of around 4 °C (39 °F).

* Water is miscible with many liquids, for example ethanol, in all proportions, forming a single homogeneous liquid. On the other hand, water and most oils are immiscible usually forming layers according to increasing density from the top. As a gas, water vapor is completely miscible with air.

* Water forms an azeotrope with many other solvents.

* Water can be split by electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen.

* As an oxide of hydrogen, water is formed when hydrogen or hydrogen-containing compounds burn or react with oxygen or oxygen-containing compounds. Water is not a fuel, it is an end-product of the combustion of hydrogen. The energy required to split water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis or any other means is greater than the energy released when the hydrogen and oxygen recombine.

* Elements which are more electropositive than hydrogen such as lithium, sodium, calcium, potassium and caesium displace hydrogen from water, forming hydroxides. Being a flammable gas, the hydrogen given off is dangerous and the reaction of water with the more electropositive of these elements is violently explosive.

From a biological standpoint, water has many distinct properties that are critical for the proliferation of life that set it apart from other substances. It carries out this role by allowing organic compounds to react in ways that ultimately allow replication. All known forms of life depend on water. Water is vital both as a solvent in which many of the body’s solutes dissolve and as an essential part of many metabolic processes within the body. Metabolism is the sum total of anabolism and catabolism. In anabolism, water is removed from molecules (through energy requiring enzymatic chemical reactions) in order to grow larger molecules (e.g. starches, triglycerides and proteins for storage of fuels and information). In catabolism, water is used to break bonds in order to generate smaller molecules (e.g. glucose, fatty acids and amino acids to be used for fuels for energy use or other purposes). Water is thus essential and central to these metabolic processes. Therefore, without water, these metabolic processes would cease to exist, leaving us to muse about what processes would be in its place, such as gas absorption, dust collection, etc.

Water together with carbon dioxide (CO2), form oxygen and organic compounds, which can be respired to water and (CO2).

Water is also central to photosynthesis and respiration. Photosynthetic cells use the sun’s energy to split off water’s hydrogen from oxygen. Hydrogen is combined with CO2 (absorbed from air or water) to form glucose and release oxygen. All living cells use such fuels and oxidize the hydrogen and carbon to capture the sun’s energy and reform water and CO2 in the process (cellular respiration).

Water is also central to acid-base neutrality and enzyme function. An acid, a hydrogen ion (H+, that is, a proton) donor, can be neutralized by a base, a proton acceptor such as hydroxide ion (OH−) to form water. Water is considered to be neutral, with a pH (the negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration) of 7. Acids have pH values less than 7 while bases have values greater than 7. Stomach acid (HCl) is useful to digestion. However, its corrosive effect on the esophagus during reflux can temporarily be neutralized by ingestion of a base such as aluminum hydroxide to produce the neutral molecules water and the salt aluminum chloride. Human biochemistry that involves enzymes usually performs optimally around a biologically neutral pH of 7.4.

For example a cell of Escherichia coli contains 70% of water, a human body 60–70%, plant body up to 90% and the body of an adult jellyfish is made up of 94–98% water.

Wind speeds have various names associated with their average strength, such as breeze, gale, storm, hurricane, and typhoon. Wind gusts exceed the minimum value over the observed time frame. Winds which sharply increase and last for a minute are termed squalls. While wind is often a standalone weather phenomenon, it can also occur as part of a storm system, most notably in a cyclone. Winds can shape landforms, via a variety of aeolian processes. Wind occurs on a range of scales, from local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting tens of minutes, to global winds resulting from the difference in absorption of solar energy between the climate zones on Earth. The two major driving factors of large scale atmospheric circulation are the differential heating between the equator and the poles, which causes the jet stream, and the rotation of the planet (Coriolis effect) which causes the circular motion of air around areas of high and low pressure.

In human civilization, wind has inspired mythology, changed the course of history, expanded the range of transport and warfare, and provided a power source for mechanical work, electricity, and recreation. Wind has been used to steer sailing ships across vast oceans. By air, hot air balloons use the wind to take short trips. Airships have historically been used for longer trips, but nowadays are used for a variety of monitoring efforts such as during public sporting events and drug trafficking efforts. Areas of wind shear caused by various weather phenomena can lead to dangerous situations for airplanes. Nature uses wind to help disperse seeds from various plants, in order to enable the survival of those plant species. Dust from large deserts can be moved large distances from their source region by the prevailing winds.

The first scientific description of wind was from the seventeenth-century Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli,

“… winds are produced by differences of air temperature, and hence density, between two regions of the earth.”

Forces which drive wind or affect it are the pressure gradient force, the coriolis force, buoyancy forces, and friction forces. When a difference in density exists between two adjacent air masses, the air tends to flow from the regions of higher to lower pressure. On a rotating planet, flows will be acted upon by the Coriolis force, in regions sufficiently far from the equator and sufficiently high above the surface. Surface friction with land causes winds to blow more inward into low pressure areas.

The two major driving factors of small room or large scale global winds are the differential heating between the equator and the poles (difference in absorption of solar energy between these climate zones), and the rotation of the planet. It is the differential heating between the poles and the equator that lead to the development of the jet stream.

Winds defined by an equilibrium of physical forces are used in the decomposition and analysis of wind profiles. They are useful for simplifying the atmospheric equations of motion and for making qualitative arguments about the horizontal and vertical distribution of moving you winds. Geostrophic wind is the wind component that is a result of the balance between Coriolis force and pressure gradient force. It flows parallel to isobars and approximates the flow above the atmospheric boundary layer in the midlatitudes if frictional effects are low. The Thermal wind is not actually a wind but a wind difference between two levels; only exists in an atmosphere with horizontal temperature gradients, i.e. baroclinicity. Ageostrophic wind is the difference between actual and geostrophic wind, or the wind component which is responsible for air “filling up” cyclones over time. The Gradient wind is similar to the geostrophic wind but also includes centrifugal force (or centripetal acceleration).

Ancient religions…

As a natural force, the wind was often personified as one or more wind gods or as an expression of the supernatural in many cultures. There are many different gods of wind in different religions. Vayu is the Hindu God of Wind. The Greek wind gods include Boreas, Notus, Eurus, and Zephyrus. Aeolus, in varying interpretations the ruler or keeper of the four winds, has also been described as Astraeus, the god of dusk who fathered the four winds with Eos, goddess of dawn. The Ancient Greeks also observed the seasonal change of the winds, as evidenced by the Tower of the Winds in Athens. Venti are the Roman gods of the winds. Fūjin, the Japanese wind god and one of the eldest Shinto gods. According to legend, he was present at the creation of the world and first let the winds out of his bag to clear the world of mist. In Norse mythology, Njord is the god of the wind. There are also four dvärgar (Norse dwarves), named Norðri, Suðri, Austri and Vestri, and probably the four stags of Yggdrasil, personify the four winds, and parallel the four Greek wind gods. Stribog is the name of the Slavic god of winds, sky and air. He is said to be the ancestor (grandfather) of the winds of the eight directions.

Bible

The winds are discussed in the Bible:

Winds – blowing from the four quarters of heaven (Jer. 49:36; Ezek. 37:9; Dan. 8:8; Zech. 2:6). The east wind was parching (Ezek. 17:10; 19:12), and is sometimes mentioned as simply denoting a strong wind (Job 27:21; Isa. 27:8). This wind prevails in Israel from February to June, as the west wind (Luke 12:54) does from November to February. The south was a hot wind (Job 37:17; Luke 12:55). It swept over the Arabian peninsula. The rush of invaders is figuratively spoken of as a whirlwind (Isa. 21:1); a commotion among the nations of the world as a striving of the four winds (Dan. 7:2). The winds are subject to the divine power (Ps. 18:10; 135:7). [58]

History

Kamikaze (神風) is a Japanese word, usually translated as divine wind, believed to be a gift from the gods. The term is first known to have been used as the name of a pair or series of typhoons that are said to have saved Japan from two Mongol fleets under Kublai Khan that attacked Japan in 1274 and again in 1281. Protestant Wind is a name for the storm that deterred the Spanish Armada from an invasion of England in 1588, or the favourable winds that enabled William of Orange to invade England in 1688.

I do, however, believe that the well meant ideals of Marx or Engels would surely become twisted by the corruption and greed that is inevitable in the fallible hearts of men. Socialism is very much the same in many ways, and I believe that at one point the two were almost interchangeable. It is argued by many that the current administration has a very socialist agenda in regards to things like health care. Socialists and communists mainly share the belief that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital, creates an unequal society, and does not provide equal opportunities for everyone in society.

I beleive capitalism is the American way. Our ability to establish our own destiny in the escelons of society is what being an American is all about. We have seen, however, that capitalism can definitely have its disadvantages. When unregulated it seems that profits become the bottom line irregardless of who might get hurt in the process; whether it be the environment, local communities, the small business owner, or the family farm.

When unregulated, often monopolies are formed by large businesses and corporations which prevent the true nature of free market capitalism from taking place. In certain areas, the little guy doesn’t have the resources, manpower, or fiscal bankroll to compete in a market already dominated by big business. A perfect example of this might be Wall-Mart. They have the best prices, but they take from small businesses and support products not made in the United States. This creates less jobs, less promotion of our own countries production of goods, and often leads to jobs being sent overseas.

Without some regulation by the Government, total free market capitalism definitely has some some big downfalls. Should the government stay out of free market affairs, or is it necesssary to police the sometimes chaotic and ruthless nature of a free market? I think the answer is a little of both.

Reflections of an Only Child…

The red desert sand crumbled under my yellow Labrador’s enormous paws as I rode on his back down the many dog trails to the nearest neighbor’s house nearly a quarter mile from home. At only three years old, I would venture on these journeys with my only sibling; “Shiner”. In the quiet and sparsely populated Spanish towns of the New Mexico desert, one had to be quite creative and adventurous to keep entertained; this being especially true for an only child. It made me very independent, adventurous, spontaneous, and believe it or not extremely social. My need to have social interactions with others developed a very keen understanding of how to make friends.

Most of the people in town were my parents age or older, and although there were some children my age, most of my interactions until about age five were with adults. My parents often like to tell stories of deep intellectual conversations with friends when I would be listening and jump in to share some very profound idea or comment that a “typical” four year old had no business sharing. Often the conversation would come to a grinding halt, as those involved would stop to comment or reflect on how intrinsically odd my comments truly were. I often think that my development of vocabulary is as much from talking with adults as it is from reading.

As living in New Mexico had made me adventurous and independent, living in Florida truly gave me my love of water and the ocean; a true “water baby” as they say. My extreme and avid love for SCUBA diving, although not experienced in Florida, can be traced back these early years of endless days discovering sea shells, playing Frisbee against the ocean breeze, and body surfing the waves of Florida’s west coast. After those years in Florida, we came to Colorado as my Mother and her entire family is from the Arvada area.

My parents separated in first grade, and my father returned to Florida. Thus, several times per year, and always every summer, I would travel by air as an “unaccompanied minor”. I travelled a lot with my family, but I believe my love of travel and jumping on an airplane can be traced back those early days moving back and forth between Mom and Dad. There is nothing greater than deciding with a friend on the spur of the moment to hit the road or the skies and go on an adventure; much like jumping on Shiner’s back to head down a dusty New Mexico trail.

In Junior High, and twice in High School, I had the opportunity to attend Sea Camp in San Diego, California. Based near the Scripps Institute in La Jolla, the camp offered an incredible insight into the world of marine biology. On each trip, we got to spend 5 days on a “live aboard” vessel. This is where I got to SCUBA dive for the very first time off the coast of the Mariettas Islands; formerly a test site for the U.S. military. Exploring the endless kelp fields, traversing the walls of vast ocean cliffs, and staring into the eyes of fish that weighed more than ten times my own weight fill my memories with delight. Since that time I have had the opportunity to dive in many places around the world, and look forward to diving for the rest of my life.

I am very thankful to my family for all the traveling and outdoor activities they participated in with me at such an early age. Grandma and Grandpa had a condo in Winter Park, Colorado, and had me skiing about as early as humanly possible. As soon as they let me off the training ropes, I’m told I only had one problem; stopping. It’s been that way ever since, and I enjoy skiing with a passion almost as high as my love of SCUBA diving. I will never forget how each morning to wake us up for a long day of skiing, my grandfather would burst into the room and yell “Shoosh-Boomers of the world – ARISE!” As silly as it was, I look forward to someday carrying on the tradition with my children and grandchildren.

My entrepreneurial spirit was greatly shaped by my Mother and her tireless efforts to succeed with her small businesses as I grew up. Very early I learned the value of persistence, determination, creativity, passion, and dedication. Immediately I began to develop my own “businesses”; snow shoveling routes, yard maintenance, and on and on. Eventually I began to develop actual business plans and business development strategies. At age eleven I was featured in the New York Times for loans I took to implement a dial up Internet service from my bedroom (just like AOL). I had 14 phone lines running into my room, with a direct connection to the Internet, charging a monthly fee from my users. I am so thankful to have had the privilege of watching a single mother persist until her entrepreneurial dreams came true.

With a passion for business and marketing, in High School I became president of the schools marketing club called DECA. I enjoyed marketing with a passion, especially looking at ads or commercials to analyze and determine if they were effective marketing messages. I got to compete in many competitions, including attending the regional event held at the Broadmoore hotel in Colorado Springs. This greatly advanced my already undying thirst for marketing, sales, and business.

During High School I had many different sales jobs. My first gig was selling security systems for ADT. We would work trade shows or events to generate leads and appointments, but also “door knock” to generate sales. I learned many lessons during this time, the most important of them being leverage. Leverage is the concept of either making lots of money with very little time, or making money off of other people’s efforts at the same time you are earning money (or both). This concept is the cornerstone of my decisions to this day, and has served me extremely well in the world of business.

I went on to many other kinds of gigs, all the way from telemarketing sales to in home water treatment system sales and installations. My most successful business experience that impacted my life started at a graduation party from High School in 2001. I was walking to my car to get my cell phone when a hard a ridiculous audio system thumping from down the way. As I looked up to see what kind of car it was, a brand new lifted Jeep Grand Cherokee with all the extras and gleaming rims pulled up behind me. Noticing the sticker which indicated it was new that day, commented to the driver that he had a very nice car and inquired where he had purchased it.

With a gleaming and proud smile, he said “My company bought it for me.”

Needless to say, I obviously said “Sweet! Are they hiring?”

Of course he said they were, and not understanding the sales nature of the business yet, I gladly accepted his invitation to a “hiring event”. I later came to understand that it was more like an “opportunity meeting” for me to invest in the company and start my own business doing exactly what he was doing. I had seen many of these programs before, but I knew immediately that there was something truly special about this deal; it was unique, the technology was patented, and the company had all the right ingredients for success. So, I got all the necessary funds in place, and began to rock and roll with my new business: healing not only physical illness but “financial brokyitis” as well. Immediately I began to see quite measurable results not only with my own physical health but also in my personal finances.

As I traveled the United States distributing these amazing technologies, I learned many valuable lessons. The first and foremost was how backwards our medical system is in this country. Even when I had diabetics dropping their insulin (including my own Mother), cancer patients with tumors vanishing completely, MS patients of twenty or more years jumping out their wheel chairs in weeks or even days, full blown AIDS patients testing with a zero viral load, not to any person could I say more than “This will help your cells work better.”

I began to develop my understanding of the powers that be, and the trail of money that keeps these powers in place. I lovingly call this business of keeping people sick the “Pharma-Petro-Medical-Industrial Complex”. It does not mean that if you work in these industries that you are a bad person, it just means that fundamentally you are involved in what I consider to be a highly corrupt system of organized monopolies. The best example is the FDA’s treatment of non pharmaceutical substances. Does anyone think that if they truly had a cure for cancer (which I’m certain they are aware of), they would cure you for a nominal fee? Or, would they rather TREAT the symptoms of that disease for a profit every day for the rest of your life until you die? What people don’t understand is that the pharmaceuticals as publically traded companies actually have an obligation to their shareholders by law to ensure that their “treatments”, which are more profitable, remain the standard instead of alternative or natural substances which could cure you for a nominal fee.

The best example of the FDA’s mentality is the story of vitamin C. We have known for hundreds of years that scurvy was a deficiency in Vitamin C. James Cook of the English Navy proved this by bringing limes with him on his sailing ships. The sailors ate one lime per day and not a single sailor was affected with scurvy from that day forward. Thus, that is why they call the English Navy the “Limeys”. Even so, to this day, it is illegal in the United States to claim that vitamin C will cure scurvy. It is also illegal to claim that water will cure dehydration.

So, with this lesson learned, I became very good at educating people about their health and how to solve their medical problems simply and naturally. It gave me great insight and knowledge into the art of healing, and how to be persistent, caring, nurturing, and understanding. Being involved in the sales and marketing side of this industry I also attended personal development and training courses all around the country; learning everything from how to break through limiting beliefs, to setting your “financial thermometer” higher and higher.

When I would seek out business contacts, I would look for only the best. I began to feed off people who said “you can’t get that person”, or “you’ll never be able to get in touch with them”. Because of my persistence I made some very high level connections in all walks of life. From sports celebrities, to famous researchers, doctors, musicians, actors, media moguls, marketing giants, and more: I made connections that will last me a lifetime.

Recently I returned to Red Rocks Community college to get a degree in Renewable Energy. I think this decision was directly related to my Mom’s involvement in the “sustainability” movement throughout my life. I am excited to take my love for the environment combined with my love of marketing and sales to help make a difference in the world today. I am so thankful for all the different things or events which have gotten me to the point in life where I am today; sitting here writing this essay.

I liked it when you would try to impress me. You cleaned your room before I came over, but now you just leave everything all trashed. Whenever we go out, I see you staring at other girls. It really hurts me when you do that; like I’m not standing right there to see you do it.

I know you talk about me with your friends. I don’t know what you say, but I know how boys are. Always talking dirty when they think no one is listening. I know you say that I’m everything you want, but why then do I see you looking at other girls?

You  used to write me letters and emails, now it seems like I can’t even get you to call me. I feel like I’m the one who puts in all the effort. Will you please just try a little harder to be sensitive to my feelings?

An often overlooked issue in Linguistics is the change in language style between different situations. If I wanted thank a friend  in a text message I would text “thx ttys”, where as if I wanted to thank someone formally a well written note would be much more appropriate. ”Dear Mr. Jones…Thank you so much…”

We definitely talk to our siblings, lovers, friends, co-workers or family in different ways. I would definitely not yell “sup homie”, or “whats up playa” to my Grandfather. “Give me some skin” and “holla at ya boy” are yet even more examples of a change in language to meet the situation that you are in at any given moment.

I am definitely guilty of changing my tone of voice when speaking to a woman that I like. Close friends of mine will know just by hearing a few words that I am interested in whoever is on the other end of the line. I also have a tendency to be very soft spoken, where as when I’m speaking in public, or hosting a conference call, my voice is very loud and clear.

Most of the people in town were my parents age or older, and although there were some children my age, most of my interactions until about age five were with adults. My parents often like to tell stories of deep intellectual conversations with friends when I would be listening and jump in to share some very profound idea or comment that a “typical” four year old had no business sharing. Often the conversation would come to a grinding halt, as those involved would stop to comment or reflect on how intrinsically odd it truly was. I often think that my development of vocabulary was as much from talking with adults as it is from reading.

As living in New Mexico had made me adventurous and independent, living in Florida truly gave me my love of water and the ocean; a true “water baby” as they say. My extreme and avid love for SCUBA diving, although not experienced in Florida, I believe can be traced back these early years and the endless days discovering sea shells, playing frisbee against the ocean breeze, and body surfing the waves of Florida’s west coast. After those years in Florida, we came to Colorado as my Mother and her entire family are from the Arvada area.

My parents separated in first grade, my father returning to Florida. Thus, several times per year, and always every summer, I would travel by air as an “unaccompanied minor”. I travelled allot with my family, but I believe my love of travel and jumping on an airplane can be traced back those early days moving back and forth between Mom and Dad. There is nothing greater than deciding with a friend on the spur of the moment to hit the road or the skies and go on an adventure, much like jumping on Shiner’s back to head down a dusty trail.

My entrepreneurial spirit was greatly shaped by my Mother and her tireless efforts to succeed with her small businesses as I was growing up. Very early I learned the value of persistence, determination, creativity, passion, and dedication. Immediately I began to develop my own “businesses”; snow shoveling routes, yard maintenance, and on and on. Eventually I began to develop actual business plans and business development strategies. At age eleven I was featured in the New York Times for loans I took to implement a dial up Internet service from my bedroom (just like AOL). I had 14 phone lines running into my room, with a direct connection to the Internet, charging a monthly fee from my users. I am so thankful to have had the privilege of watching a single mother persist until her entrepreneurial dreams came true.