Re: An Open Letter to Jeff Bezos

Ok, I have my doubts that Jeff Bezos read my letter, and I have even more doubts that this will be taken under serious consideration, but it's still pretty cool....  It is so much more intelligent and honest than the reply I got from Starbucks a few years ago when I recommended better environmental procedures...  It just goes to show that even a massive corporate entity can have procedures and policies set in place to improve the quality of a good or service-

Even if they are only paying lipservice to their customers, it is better than sending out a generic corporate-speak e-mail that basically says "thanks but no thanks".  

Dear Darren,

I'm Peg Anderson of Amazon.com's Executive Customer Relations team. Jeff Bezos received your e-mail and asked me to respond on his behalf.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on including the option to search for sellers within a specific geographic location on the Amazon Marketplace. We really value your input and are always looking for new ways to improve the services we offer. To ensure your idea's reviewed, I've shared your suggestions with our Search Experience team for their consideration when planning future improvements.

Darren, thanks again for taking the time to provide this feedback to us.

We look forward to seeing you again at Amazon.com.


Regards,

Peg Anderson
Executive Customer Relations
www.amazon.com

An open letter to Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com

Jeff,

I'd like to suggest that Amazon build in a system that suggest a person buy books from a local retailer rather than a retailer from across the country.  It would give the Amazon Marketplace a small carbon footprint, people would be buying from local merchants, and Marketplace sellers would make more money by paying less in postage.

I understand that other considerations go into buying from the Marketplace- condition of the book, reputation of the seller, etc.  but all of this could be incorporated into the design of the low carbon footprint seller suggestion system (although more catchy terminology would be best)...

Love the work you do, thanks so much!

-Darren Murtha

Self-Publishing: Why You Could Be the Next Stephen King

By Lance Ulanoff | Mashable – Thu, Mar 22, 2012

Let me tell you a secret: I published a story on Amazon. You can buy it and read it on your Kindle today. That makes me, I guess, a published author. There are lots of people like me bridging the gap between amateur writer and published author. This is the future of publishing: your story, an easy-to-use platform, and direct access to an audience that may be willing to pay.

Obviously, the simple fact that platforms like this exist -- and Amazon’s is by no means the first self-publishing platform -- is no guarantee of success. However the crucial difference between publish-and-self-distribute platforms of the past (like Lulu and Blurb) and Amazon’s is, well, that it’s Amazon. The online retailer has a potential audience of millions and millions of Kindle owners (who read Kindle books on eReaders, tablets, smartphones and PCs) just looking for the next great read. My silly little $.99 story is sitting in there waiting to be discovered.

The rules for what does and does not get published are in a state of flux. Kindle Singles, the vast majority of which, according to Amazon, are published through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform directly by authors, would normally be considered short stories. National venues, however, for those kinds of tales are relatively limited, and most people, if they’re very lucky, sell their essays to one publication for a fixed price -- there’s little chance they’ll make more than a few hundred dollars. With self-publishing ebook platforms, any story, of any length (or any quality) is fair game for the open market. You are the author and the gatekeeper.

KDP’s low-risk, no-barrier-to-entry platform is attracting all sorts of would-be star authors -- some better known than others. Recently I found, for instance, Andy Borowitz’s tale of intestinal difficulties, “An Unexpected Twist,” and actor/writer Fred Stoller’s “My Seinfeld Year,” which recounts his year writing for the classic '90s sitcom. Borowitz is something of a known quantity, so a $.99 Kindle Single from the humorist is a no-brainer. I bought both, however. Stoller’s topic was just too intriguing and I noticed that he had amassed hundreds of ratings and dozens of reviews. So even though I’d never heard of him, I paid $1.99 to instantly download and read his somewhat entertaining, behind-the-scenes tale. Clearly, I was not alone: Stoller has even been on NPR talking about the surprising success of his short story.

Self-publishing offers up the exciting possibility of an unlimited revenue stream for any story. While most self-published stories won’t -- like mine -- be downloaded at all, there is a growing list of success stories. This includes Stoller’s work and that of 31-year-old author Kerry Wilkinson, whose self-published three-book detective series sold a quarter of a million copies on Amazon. It’s the kind of heady accomplishment that’s encouraging others to take the self-service publishing leap, and more companies, which usually get a small cut of every ebook sold, to waltz into the DIY publishing arena.

Earlier this year, Apple unveiled iBooks Author. This self-publishing tool was primarily pitched as a platform for creating education tomes, but it’s also equally adept at high-quality, touch- and gesture-ready book creation. As with Amazon’s self-publishing platform, enterprising authors can add their books as free or paid offerings in iBooks.

Whether you use Amazon or Apple, these platforms tear down the traditional publisher barrier and put control firmly in the hands of you and me. I wonder how this will impact big name authors and their publisher parents. Will writers like James Patterson start self-publishing books and short stories on Amazon? Why not cut out the middleman publisher and take nearly all the profits?

One reason might be the most obvious: concerns over quality. Authors who go straight to their readers, even with the shortest story, run the risk of sloppy writing and typos. Even the most experienced writers can use the keen eye and steady hand of a pro-level editor. The Kindle singles I’ve read are usually average to mediocre.

In other words, in this DIY publishing world, only the truly talented will survive. That’s not to say that only those with editors or perfect writing will thrive. I think a hot topic or an especially good yarn can still captivate and overcome flaws. Heck, look at the Twilight series. The writing is -- well -- let’s just say it’s not my cup of tea, but the tale itself is so engaging that the series has sold millions and millions of copies. I think anything published to Amazon has that same potential.

Self-publishing is, in the end, both retro (Guttenberg Press, Thomas Paine and his pamphlets) and disruptive. Giving anyone the ability to publish professional-looking ebooks and place them on a highly trafficked web store is the great publishing equalizer. Trust me, the next Stephen King could very well be you or your neighbor.

This May we'll be exploring the future of publishing and many other digital trends at our signature conference, Mashable Connect. See below for all the details.

SIOUX PRAYER

SIOUX PRAYER

 

Grandfather Great Spirit All Over The World

The Faces Of Living Things Are Alike.

With Tenderness, They Have Come Up Out Of The Ground.

Look Upon Your Children That They May Face The Winds

And Walk The Good Road To The Day Of Quiet.

Grandfather Great Spirit

Fill Us With The Light.

Give Us The Strength To Understand And The Eyes To See.

Teach Us To Walk The Soft Earth As Relatives

To All That Live. 

Book about Comics

I finished reading Scott McCloud's book Understanding Comics today, it was a great and easy read, I learned a little about art and a lot about comics, which is good since I'm trying to write a fucking comic as we speak, maybe I should actually learn a thing or two about them first before my arrogant ass tries to make one...

Mr. Kurzweil,

Mr. Kurzweil,

Is it possible for civilization to sabotage the exponential growth of technology through over-borrowing and poor investment, driven by greedy indulgence and short-term gain?  What if this near-sighted human action, coupled with a reliance on petroleum for both energy and petrochemical products for infrastructure and growth collapses? 

What if we run out of raw materials through over-harvesting of metals, lumber, soil nutrients, and petroleum? 

I know that nano-engineered solar panels can theoretically replace fossil fuels, but what about farming, infrastructure, plastic manufacturing and chemical engineering- all of which are petroleum based. 

Will biological chemistry replace petroleum chemistry to give us products like asphalt to pave interstates, and fertilizer to grow food?  Or will nanotechnology replace the need for mass food production?

What if too much wealth is invested in inefficient mcmansions and cars, and not enough in IT, water production, food production, and sustainable resource management?  (it is quite clear that the Hummer is not a good investment in resource efficency) What if we have invested too much money in the wrong infrastructure?  What if we have invested too much money in national defense?  Can the luxury consumption and mismanagement of the present impede exponential growth? 

I understand that growth can be sustainable (the natural world is always growing, but also sustainable- although it occasionally falls out of balance and corrects itself), but we have invested a large amount of money invested in growth that is unsustainable- is it possible that some of our systems can’t be converted to sustainability?  If so, could they cause a contraction in growth?

Excuse my rambling, but the past 100 years of growth have been largely fueled by consumption of natural resources.  However, environmental destruction has also grown exponentially, and it is becoming apparent that the world is not an infinite resource, and the world is not an infinite garbage can.  Could environmental limitations limit exponential growth of humanity?  Haven’t we reached the peak of yearly natural resource consumption (since we are consuming many of them faster than they can be replenished)?  Can an exponential growth in efficency overcome all of these problems?

Does the law of diminishing returns or Jevon’s paradox (technological progress that increases the efficiency with which a resource is used, tends to increase (rather than decrease) the rate of consumption of that resource) negate exponential growth in efficency? 

Dear Ms. Angelina Jolie,

Dear Ms. Angelina Jolie,

I am inspired by your extensive humanitarian work and charitable heart, and I thought an Oscar for best actress was unquestionable after seeing A Mighty Heart- your performance was incredible.

However, after watching the movie Wanted, I was disappointed with you for choosing this particular project.  I’m not opposed to violence in movies, we live in a violent world, and there is nothing wrong with showing this on T.V. or film.  However, the violence in Wanted is part of the entertainment.  Personally, I don’t find people’s heads exploding (after being shot in the face) to be very entertaining. 

This violent “entertainment” portrays violence as “cool” and worthy of celebration.  I don’t think someone being shot in the head is worth celebrating.  I don’t think that children in Africa, in danger of becoming child soldiers, need the idea impressed upon them that violence is cool. 

Wanted is, to a certain extent, violence porn, much like the Saw franchise, or the movie Shoot Em Up. 

I feel that this celebration of violence undermines the humanitarian work which you so diligently pursue.  Please choose your film projects more carefully, with an eye towards what kind of impression you are leaving upon the minds of your viewers. 

Respectfully,

Darren Murtha

Plant Care

Ponytail Palm Plant

2) - Soil: At the time of repotting, an essential ponytail palm care tip is to remember that soil for the plant needs to be an excellent blend of sand and soil. A proper mixture for repotting will ensure the water from grouping in the region of root ball.

3) - Light: The caring of Ponytail Palm is very simple for people desiring to grow the palms indoors. In order to provide the appropriate sum of light required by the plant it is suggested to place it near a sunny window. This program of the ponytail palm care usually requires bright light.


Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/essentials-of-ponytail-palm-care-all-you-need-to-now-379047.html#ixzz0zARkY9If
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Ficus Care

Avoid overwatering your ficus! The most common mistake people make is to add more water once the leaves begin to turn yellow. This is the opposite of what you should do. Always feel the surface of the soil with your finger tip. If it feels dry to the touch one inch below the surface, it is time to water. If the soil still feels moist, withhold water for a day or two.

Provide ample humidity, especially for new plants. Mist ficus plants at least twice daily.

Make a humidity tray by filling the plant saucer with gravel. Runoff water will collect in the saucer, which has two benefits: the roots will not sit in standing water - the most common cause of root rot; and the surplus water will evaporate through the plant, providing additional humidity.

Select a site with bright, filtered light. To determine if the light is bright enough for a ficus, you should be able to see your shadow on the wall behind the area you select. Early-morning or late-afternoon sun is fine, but avoid an area that gets direct sun all day.

Find a location free from drafts. Place your ficus benjamina away from opening doors or heater vents. Also avoid large windows that change temperature throughout the day.

Fertilize your ficus monthly throughout the growing season with half-strength liquid fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer according to label directions. Withhold fertilizer in the winter months.

----------------------------------------------------

Orchid Care

Phalaenopsis like bright indirect sunlight.  They should never be exposed to strong direct sunlight or leaf burn will result.
Light for Phalaenopsis should be adjusted to provide 10-20% of full sun depending on which part of the county in which you live. If you have a light meter, it should read from 800 to 1500 F.C. (foot candles).  If a meter is unavailable, you can judge the amount of light by touching the leaves to see how warm the feel. The leaves should feel warm but not hot.
Over time, leaf color is a good indication of whether or not the plant is receiving the proper amount of light. Leaves should be medium green for the plant to bloom.  If the leaves are more yellow, move the plant to a shadier area.  If the leaves are a deep green, the area is probably too dark, and the plant may have a problem reflowering unless it is moved to a brighter location.
The ideal temperatures for Phalaenopsis are 85' F. during the day and 64' F. at night.
Phalaenopsis require air movement, especially when temperatures exceed 85' F. If the environment does not provide for air circulation, a small fan may be necessary.
Phalaenopsis do NOT like temperatures above 90' F.
The best humidity levels for Phalaenopsis range from a low of 40% to a high of 80%.  If the humidity is higher than 80%, increase air movement.
Cooler temperatures at night will help initiate flower spikes.  Do not let the plants go below 50' F. or damage could result.
Phalaenopsis have no water storage capabilities because, unlike Cattleyas, for example, they have no pseudobulbs.   Therefore, these plants should be rewatered before the media completely dries out.  Ideally, they should be kept slightly moist without staying totally saturated.
A good way to judge when it is time to rewater is when the top one to two inches of potting mix feel dry to the touch. Another test is to note the weight of the plant after watering and again before rewatering. The plant and pot will weigh less as the media dries out. Run water through from the top, allowing enough to flow so as to flush out undissolved minerals from the potting mix. Water should form a pool at the top of the plant. Let the plant drip dry through drain holes in the bottom of the pot. Then, place on a saucer if needed.
Remember to thoroughly wet the media when watering-you cannot hurt the plant by allowing too much water to enter and drain through the potting mix.
A good fertilizer strategy would be to apply every other watering.  In other words, set up a schedule of plain water, then water mixed with fertilizer, then back to plain water and so on.
Water needs will vary depending on temperature, the amount of light and humidity, and the type of media used. Be aware that over watering is the most common reason orchid plants are lost. To avoid over watering, remember to allow time for the top layer of media to dry between waterings.
Its best to water in the morning so that the leaves will be dry before nightfall.  This will cut down on incidences of disease and rot.

2 Billion Jobs to Disappear by 2030

2 Billion Jobs to Disappear by 2030

February 3rd, 2012

inShare78

A picture of me speaking at yesterday’s TEDxReset in Istanbul.

Yesterday I was honored to be one of the featured speakers at the TEDxReset Conference in Istanbul, Turkey where I predicted that over 2 billion jobs will disappear by 2030. Since my 18-minute talk was about the rapidly shifting nature of colleges and higher education, I didn’t have time to explain how and why so many jobs would be going away. Because of all of the questions I received afterwards, I will do that here.
If you haven’t been to a TEDx event, it is hard to confer the life-changing nature of something like this. Ali Ustundag and his team pulled off a wonderful event.
The day was filled with an energizing mix of musicians, inspiration, and big thinkers. During the breaks, audience members were eager to hear more and peppered the speakers with countless questions. They were also extremely eager to hear more about the future.
When I brought up the idea of 2 billion jobs disappearing (roughly 50% of all the jobs on the planet) it wasn’t intended as a doom and gloom outlook. Rather, it was intended as a wakeup call, letting the world know how quickly things are about to change, and letting academia know that much of the battle ahead will be taking place at their doorstep.
Here is a brief overview of five industries – where the jobs will be going away and the jobs that will likely replace at least some of them – over the coming decades.

No one will miss the clutter and chaos of power lines.

1.) Power Industry
Until now, the utility companies existed as a safe career path where little more than storm-related outages and an occasional rate increase would cause industry officials to raise their eyebrows.
Yet the public has become increasingly vocal about their concerns over long-term health and environmental issues relating to the current structure and disseminating methods of of the power industry, causing a number of ingenious minds to look for a better way of doing things.
Recently I was introduced to two solutions that seem predestined to start the proverbial row of dominoes to start falling. There are likely many more waiting in the wings, but these two capitalize on existing variances found in nature and are unusually elegant in the way they solve the problem of generating clean power at a low cost.
Both companies have asked me to keep quiet about their technology until they are a bit farther along, but I will at least explain the overarching ramifications.
I should emphasize that both technologies are intended to work inside the current utility company structure, so the changes will happen within the industry itself.
To begin with, these technologies will shift utilities around the world from national grids to micro grids that can be scaled from a single home to entire cities. The dirty power era will finally be over and the power lines that dangle menacingly over our neighborhoods, will begin to come down. All of them.
While the industry will go through a long-term shrinking trend, the immediate shift will cause many new jobs to be created.

Jobs Going Away

• Power generation plants will begin to close down.
• Coal plants will begin to close down.
• Many railroad and transportation workers will no longer be needed.
• Even wind farms, natural gas, and bio-fuel generators will begin to close down.
• Ethanol plants will be phased out or repurposed.
• Utility company engineers, gone.
• Line repairmen, gone.

New Jobs Created

• Manufacturing power generation units the size of ac units will go into full production.
• Installation crews will begin to work around the clock.
• The entire national grid will need to be taken down (a 20 year project). Much of it will be recycled and the recycling process alone will employ many thousands of people.
• Micro-grid operations will open in every community requiring a new breed of engineers, managers, and regulators.
• Many more.

San Francisco–based design team Mike and Maaike’s concept car, the ATNMBL (the “autonomobile”).

2.) Automobile Transportation – Going Driverless
Over the next 10 years we will see the first wave of autonomous vehicles hit the roads, with some of the first inroads made by vehicles that deliver packages, groceries, and fast-mail envelopes.
The first wave of driverless vehicles will be luxury vehicles that allow you to kick back, listen to music, have a cup of coffee, stop wherever you need to along the way, stay productive in transit with connections to the Internet, make phone calls, and even watch a movie or two, for substantially less than the cost of today’s limos.
Driverless technology will initially require a driver, but it will quickly creep into everyday use much as airbags did. First as an expensive option for luxury cars, but eventually it will become a safety feature stipulated by the government.
The greatest benefits of this kind of automation won’t be realized until the driver’s hands are off the wheel. With over 2 million people involved in car accidents every year in the U.S., it won’t take long for legislators to be convinced that driverless cars are a substantially safer and more effective option.
The privilege of driving is about to be redefined.

Jobs Going Away

• Taxi and limo drivers, gone.
• Bus drivers, gone.
• Truck drivers, gone.
• Gas stations, parking lots, traffic cops, traffic courts, gone.
• Fewer doctors and nurses will be needed to treat injuries.
• Pizza (and other food) delivery drivers, gone.
• Mail delivery drivers, gone.
• FedEx and UPS delivery jobs, gone.
• As people shift from owning their own vehicles to a transportation-on-demand system, the total number of vehicles manufactured will also begin to decline.

New Jobs Created

• Delivery dispatchers
• Traffic monitoring systems, although automated, will require a management team.
• Automated traffic designers, architects, and engineers
• Driverless “ride experience” people.
• Driverless operating system engineers.
• Emergency crews for when things go wrong.

The Free Market Government

If the free market is so great, why is it that when we turn government over to the free market (lobbyists and other corporate-government collusion) our government fails us?

Open Letter to Starbucks

I would like to recommend some changes to Starbucks Starbucks, a fair-trade and eco-oriented company, should:

1. Have recycle bins in every store for customers to use. 

2.  Also, it should be company policy for Starbucks baristas to ask customers "Do you want that in a mug for here, or to go".....although customers can request their coffee in a mug, a large number of people drink their coffee inside of Starbucks, and still use a paper or plastic cup.  This creates a large amount of unnecessary waste, waste Starbucks can avoid if by making simple and cheap changes to your stores.

.

     These actions are consistent and maybe even required by your Environmental Mission Statement.  Please consider them carefully.

Thank you,

Darren Murtha

We're Eating Gasoline

Thanks to an article about a girl who is sick from eating only chicken mcnuggets for years, and an article about Red dye 4, I found out that petrochemicals are in food

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_additive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrochemicals