The Environmental Challege

              Global warming and greenhouse emission has been a large part of the public awareness movement since Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient truth.”  Though many people argue that the movie paints a skewed picture of the current condition of the carbon emissions situation, a majority of people no longer deny the that greenhouse gases are playing a major role in changing the ecological landscape of the planet.  From rockslides due to deforestation to the bleaching (death of the algae) of coral reefs due to the increased ocean temperature, many people do not realize that the coral reef is actually a $172 billion business. That means that the destruction of this important natural wonder would be a major blow to the Oceanic reason.

                Awareness moved to the forefront of the environmental movement.  Sack’s believes that the amount of CO_2 in the environment would be doubled by the end of the 21^st century.  However, how can people control something that is simply a consequence of their existence?  For instance, just by living people increase the CO_2 levels in the atmosphere.  Also, many people believe that at our current state complete reliance on renewable energy simply is not realistic.  The second article posted talks about a wind farm being created in Britain that would be able to provide enough electricity to handle the electrical demands for 20,000 homes.  Many people would argue that wind farms are just not sensible because even with the farms, on days with a lack of wind a power plant would be needed to run them.  However, that understanding fails to acknowledge that the purpose is to lessen the dependence on nonrenewable resources, so that they last longer and pollute less.  

When life gives you raspberries...make raspberry ice tea? Part 2

Ron Artest

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Ron-Artest-s-championship-ring-is-for-sale-inqu?urn=nba-268518

Ron Artest...what can I really say about the guy.  No more than 6 years ago I would have said he was some hot tempered maniac, that should probably have been kicked out of the NBA.  Now believe that he is one of the most stand up athletes that I have seen in a long time.  My hat comes off to him.  For 11 years Artest has struggled in the league to finally win that long sought after NBA Championship ring, and thanks to his contributions on the Los Angeles Lakers, he finally made it.  No player was more excited to win that championship on the Lakers team than Ron Artest.  So what does he say when the microphone comes to him..."shout out to my hood"...wow...what else could could I say.  After that moment though, he continued to surprise me, taking his off-season time to go and talk at different schools about the struggles that he had gone through.  And now, Artest declares that he will put his championship ring up for auction and give the proceeds to a charity, in order to get more psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists in the schools to help the children.  I think the part about this that makes this story so great is that he is not even just giving away his money, he is selling an item, that he put his blood sweat and tears into earning.  An 11 year journey all accumulated on that one moment, and that one single item, and he is willing to give that up in order to help others.  Ron Artest certainly has come a long way.  From the Pacers v. Pistons brawl in 2004, to the domestic abuse arrest in 2007, which got him kicked off of the Sacramento Kings, Artest has truly grown.  Artest realized the impact that good therapy, and--dear I say--some prescription drugs have had upon his life, and how much better he is for it.

When life gives you raspberries...make raspberry ice tea?

Life altering moments


T.I.


http://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/t_i_/biography.html

There are points in every individuals life that could forever change the course of their existence.  The change can be either good or bad.  In most cases the individual has no idea of what will come out of it.  A person must just simply do what they feel right and hope for the best.  Every person who has "made it", has some story of the moment when they knew that their dreams will come true, and the know the moments that decided everything.  Clifford Harris (T.I.) took his destiny into his own hands, and fought his way to success.

Despite the fame and success the question remains, what are you going to do with it?  In the music industry a rapper named Clifford Harris Jr, commonly known as T.I. became a world renowned rapper and "actor".  In his youth he had been caught up in the life of drug dealing, running in and out of jail on a regular basis.  At the age of 9 he had begun rapping.  Then one day he got a break, when his great-grandfather, and executive at Artista Records signed his to a label. From there his career took off.  Now he is a multimillionaire.  However, two years ago his glamorous life took a turn for the ugly, when he was pulled over with a stash of illegal guns in the truck of his car.  He was able to put up a 3 million dollar bail and luckily was able to get out of jail with probation and community service.  Which led to a reality show called, "Road to Redemption", where he attempted to reach the lives of young children, by going into the schools and talking about his experience, and encouraging them to do the same.  Though personally I could not bring myself to watch the show without a nauseating feeling, he was able to complete his community service in the allotted year.  Stopping the story at this point, his life seems to have turned out for the better, and he himself seemed to have grown as a person through his experiences.  However, in the summer of 2010, the rapper was pulled over again, this time with his wife and drugs in the car.  So far it is unknown what will become of the rapper, but whatever it is, I do not believe he will be as lucky as last time.

The stories of success shows just how far that hard work and a little bit of luck can get you.  T.I. out worked his competition to reach where he is today.  However, sometimes like in the case of T.I. a person cannot seem to escape the problems of their past.  Though he seemed to have everything going for him, he risked it all, for what in hindsight would seem silly.  After being arrested in 2008, be sent out an album, in which he explained himself, saying that the guns were for protecting his family, but honestly that excuse was pathetic in itself.  T.I. is a person that perhaps did not learn form his past experiences, or maybe it is just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.