1990 paperback by Dorion Sagan Biospheres: Reproduction of Planet Earth (McGraw-Hill Publishing, ISBN 0-553-28883-0) does more than offer a unique view of the planet’s life support system. It also challenges the traditional view of humanity as the dominant feature of life on Earth.

Perhaps that is no less than one might expect from the offspring of astronomer Carl Sagan and biologist Lynn Margulis, whose unorthodox view of evolutionary biology sees life forms merging to produce new ones. Sagan the Younger is well known as an author of books on culture, evolution, and the philosophy of science.

Ecospheres to Biosphere 2

Among the most interesting features of the book are the mentions of still-existing institutions that are unexpectedly permanent features of the economic and technological landscape.

For example, Ecospheres Associates in Tucson, Arizona, manufactures and sells sealed glass balls filled with water containing green algae, other microscopic biota, and tiny shrimp in a symbiotic community that illustrates the principle of closed life support. It is an illustration of what Sagan calls “permanent recycling systems.” Called EcoSpheres, they come in a variety of sizes, from 4 inches in diameter to 9 inches, are priced similar to small kitchen appliances, and have “replacement windows” of up to a year. With care, they can last for many years. EcoSpheres is a NASA spin-off, the first product of US experiments to create closed ecosystems, ultimately for humans in space habitats.

“Bio-refuges,” terrestrial biospheres for individuals, families, and small groups, were a product of the defunct but not forgotten New Alchemy Institute (1969-1991). Between Apollo 11 and Biosphere 2, New Alchemy built several biological shelters that it called “arks” on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Prince Edward Island (eastern Quebec), and other locations. The Green Center in Hatchville, MA preserves the legacy of New Alchemy information.

Ocean Arcs International, founded by the same people who brought you bioshelters, created the self-sufficient ocean vessels mentioned in biospheres. His idea of ​​navigating Earth’s oceans as small marine colonies, not relying on anything non-renewable, including fossil fuels, has since morphed into a method of processing wastewater that could qualify as a technology for space colonies. .

Biosphere 2, 35 miles north of Tucson, was taking shape just as biospheres the book was almost finished. The site has become the best-known technological marvel in southern Arizona. Situated among the red rocks of the Santa Catalina Mountains, out of sight of Highway 77 and the ordinary built environment, it is said that on certain summer afternoons, under one of those ruby ​​Arizona sunsets, all visual cues are martians From the library tower of the human habitat, through a miniature ocean, rainforest, desert, savannah, and marshland, Biosphere 2 is 3.14 acres of the Earth under glass. It has operated since 2007 as a research station and educational extension project of the University of Arizona under a ten-year, $30 million grant from the Philecology Foundation.

Of mice and men

But the book has a drawback. His core philosophy is environmentalism, which is suspect for its tendency to denigrate humanity. Sagan is also at risk for this, displaying a fairly consistent anti-human pacing that is easily the most off-putting feature in the little book of his.

Every human being, says Sagan, is both a multispecies assemblage and a unit of a larger organism. The typical surface of Homo sapiens is inhabited by a microbiological community of bacteria, fungi, roundworms, pinworms, etc. Our intestines are tubes densely packed with bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms. Adding insult to injury, Lovelock’s view of Gaia, Mother Earth, which Sagan sympathetically describes, presents humans as components of the mother. It’s almost enough for one to decide to leave all the dirt and non-human DNA behind, and build strictly artificial worlds, just to prove that we can. Except we can’t, as anyone who disturbs the balance of your digestive jungle will soon discover.

In truth, however, there is something unsettling about the idea, also found here, that the Gaia hypothesis could become the basis for a new green theocracy. What power would the priests of the green religion have and for what purposes? We find some indication in the value assigned to individuals in Lovelockian philosophy as portrayed by Sagan: Individuals are of no importance. They are numbers, large amounts of essential biomass, and those numbers must be contained. All of us who do not leave the scene by means that are better left undescribed are going to be midwives in the reproduction of the original biosphere, creating isolated cocoons of life in space, or maybe not. Right there, Sagan loses his clarity of vision. He thinks maybe we should build protective pods to protect Mother Earth’s offspring from her dying body. WELL. That’s a bit weird. Also, stop criticizing men for their reproductive proclivities. I like people, at least in principle.

Sagan says that we ALL like people, and not just on principle. We like them so much that we are well on our way to becoming a superorganism made up of individual humans in the same way that our bodies are made of cells. To prevent these “cells” from reproducing wildly into “tumors” of superorganisms, Sagan thinks we’ll embrace new cultural norms like infanticide and abortion, maybe even a bit of criminality and sexual perversion. Before long, by way of demonstration of the effects of overcrowding, he makes his way to the rodent experiments of Dr. John B. Calhoun. If one takes the results at face value and allows them to be projected onto the human future, then, as Sagan points out, only bleak conclusions are possible.

Sagan would have done well to point out that the standard interpretation of Calhoun’s results is not necessarily the best one. The mouse “universes” of John Calhoun’s creation filled up over time (although they never reached more than 80% capacity). They were also closed from the beginning, making emigration impossible. Demographic biologists view emigration and death in the same light. This is because they cannot follow people once they leave a controlled area. But, as any human explorer knows, emigration and death are not the same thing. A fuller interpretation of Calhoun’s results reflects the impossibility of escape, concluding that mouse populations failed not because they were dense, but because they were trapped in an enclosure.

Such side trips down depressing rabbit holes explain why the book kind of stumbles rather than flies. It’s not until near the end that we get back to the ennobling view of Man, the Builder of Worlds, as opposed to Man trapped inside some kind of planet-sized monster in space. We pick up the thread in the Soviet Bios program from the early 1980s, which kept two humans in a full life support system independent of Earth during a simulated five-month space voyage.

biospherians

Ten years after the much larger and more capitalistic Bios, Biosphere 2 is a significant extension of the theme that Sagan tries to express. An Edward P. Bass Decisions Investments project (as Space Biospheres Ventures), it is the largest and most comprehensive simulation of the Earth ever made. The apparatus is both a technological and a biological object. Its base “technosphere” includes systems to control temperature, filter water, balance internal pressure, fight fires, and support the scientific activities of eight “biospheres.” It is also art, a self-portrait of Man at the end of the 20th century. Like the book, Biosphere 2 is more of a quest than a destination. Both are pearls, not so much because of what they say, or don’t say, or how they say it, but because of the questions they raise, above all, “Who are we?”

Decorating for the holidays can be a time-consuming and often frustrating project for those who are short on time or just don’t have that decorator’s touch. However, there is a simple, elegant and effective way to decorate your home inside and out during the Christmas season using charming Christmas wreaths.

Wreaths come in a variety of sizes and styles, and you can choose from fresh, dried, and even silk wreaths, depending on your decorating needs. While many people use Christmas wreaths on their entry pillars or front doors to warmly welcome visitors during the holiday season, there are many other places and ways you can use wreaths to add the Christmas decorating touch. suitable for your home.

Here are some ways that Christmas wreaths can be used to spread Christmas cheer throughout your home.

in the dining room

Nothing makes a holiday meal more special than having the dining room decorated for the holidays. Christmas wreaths offer a way to decorate your dining room providing a warm and homey touch without being over the top. Why not choose two identical wreaths and hang one on the wall with candles on either side and use the second as a centerpiece for the holidays? By placing a round mirror and placing the crown on the mirror and a couple of candles inside the crown, you have created a simple yet elegant centerpiece for your dining room. Nothing could be easier than that.

In the bathroom

Bathrooms can present a real challenge for Christmas decorations. You don’t want to clutter the available counter space in your bathroom with Christmas decorations, you want the room to have at least a touch of holiday cheer. A wreath placed on the door or wall is the perfect way to create a little Christmas spirit in your bathroom without making the room look cluttered. Since bathrooms tend to stay humid and warm, choosing a dry or silk holiday wreath is a good choice for this room.

over the fireplace

If your home has a fireplace, there’s no better place to display a Christmas wreath than on the mantle. If your Christmas tree is in the same room, choosing a wreath to accent your tree is a wonderful way to harmonize your Christmas décor and add a touch of glamor to your living room, family room, or any room your family is in. fireplace.

In the kitchen

Using a Christmas holiday wreath in your kitchen is not only a great way to bring the Christmas theme throughout your home, but choosing a heavily scented wreath can also help dispel some of those kitchen odors. Leaving your kitchen smelling fresh like the great outdoors and like the holidays themselves.

Part of enjoying the holiday season is taking in the sights and smells of the holidays. Christmas holiday wreaths are a great way to bring the sights and smells of Christmas into every room in your home.

The KETO COOKBOOK is a MUST for all families, caregivers, and allied professionals who need a thorough understanding of the ketogenic diet and its application to help reduce seizures in children with epilepsy and other neurological conditions.

The Keto Cookbook, co-authored by Dawn Martinez and Laura Cramp, RD, LD, CNSC, is written with the same precision and detail that the very nature of the diet dictates, reflecting the awareness, skills, and broad experience of both women.

Dawn is the mother of Charlotte, who has Dravet Syndrome, and who has responded so successfully to the Keto Diet after exhaustive and unsuccessful attempts with AEDs.

Laura is a registered dietitian at The Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC, working not only with patients and their families, but also advising medical professionals and hospital food staff on the complexities of using the ketogenic diet to treat epilepsy and reduce seizures.

The myth that this diet is unappetizing, unpleasant, boring and unattractive is over! Beautifully illustrated recipes for 96 different delicious meals and snacks are testament to this. All recipes:

– are Keto approved
– give calorie count
– provide the exact ingredients for a 4:1 ratio diet
– are further described with symbols indicating other aspects of the recipe, eg “Quick”, “Vegetarian”, “Freezes well”.

The actual diet, while very important, is just one of many aspects that keto families need to fully address and understand.

Other chapters that cover all the contingencies to make the rigorous demands of the ketogenic diet as manageable as possible include:

– Stock the pantry for emergencies presented both by unforeseen calamities of the daily schedule and by major emergencies such as blackouts, floods, snow, etc.
– keep a supply of instant snacks and frozen meals that can be consumed quickly…
– presentation of the kitchen eliminating any temptation of indiscreet fingers
– equip the kitchen with the essentials for the preparation of meals, to reduce the time without precision
– sample letters to present at airports, schools, hospitals, etc. to ease the situation

I highly recommend “Keto Cookbook” because in the world of the ketogenic diet, it would be hard to match the combined knowledge and experience of the authors, who have written accurately and professionally, but from a foundation of heartbreak and love.

It is hard to estimate the happiness it brings to the family of a child suffering from uncontrollable seizures when the Keto Diet succeeds in reducing or eliminating the seizures. From watching helplessly as your child slowly deteriorates and falls behind in their development, to seeing the success of the diet: the child re-emerging with his previously known personality, progressing in his development, regaining speech and other important milestones is a stress unimaginable replaced by unimaginable joy for those involved.

In the event that you need to take an excursion that takes you off the beaten track where people rarely go, the most ideal approach to doing so is to hire RVs and spend your vacation away from home.

Getting RVs isn’t as expensive as staying in quaint little lodges, motels, or inns, and it’s certainly a step up from exploring and sleeping in campgrounds.

Recreational vehicles offer a lot of accommodation for vacationers, especially if they are young people with a passion for adventure.

The advantages of mobile homes

Why are RVs better for adventure travel? RVs are actually small-scale houses on wheels. A fully prepared RV would be packed with luxuries that will ensure comfort for travelers. It would have a small kitchen where dinners could be prepared. It would have a TV and DVD player, and maybe a satellite TV transmitter. It would even have its own bathroom with a shower and latrine. Many RVs even have a cookout and grill stove.

Obviously, a substantial variable in how comfortable you’ll feel as you ride in your RV depends on how you’ve chosen which RV to buy. Never forget that not all RVs are the same, so when you contact a company that provides these types of vehicles, don’t hesitate to ask about the facilities provided.

what to look for

For one thing, you need to be sure of the number of tickets or beds in the vehicle and how big they really are. Some tickets are large enough for a child to rest on, while what is advertised as a double bed usually considers two individual compartments.

Another thing you need to make sure of is the civility that is accommodated in the vehicle. You’ll need a kitchen in case you expect to cook your dinners on the go. If you don’t stop at campgrounds, you’ll also need a working bathroom in the RV.

However, another reliable guideline to remember when getting an RV is that the longer your vacation, the bigger your RV should be. Larger RVs provide more comfort than smaller ones, and you’ll need that extra space to ensure that comfort on your vacation.

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s to your liking. He doesn’t want to go on vacation in an RV, which he doesn’t like and just bought it in a hurry.

You look out the small white-framed window and see the rows of lavender. The soft rays of the sun rest at the base of the horizon, as the day gives way to the beginning of twilight. Your hands remain under the warm water as you carefully rinse the last of the ceramic plates. You shake the excess water from one of your hands and open the window a little. The scent of fresh late spring air fills the room, followed by a hint of fresh lavender. Although you may not reside among the rolling hills of the intimate French countryside, you can certainly feel like you do, with your own French country kitchen.

The French country kitchen with its weathered rustic look can be the best family gathering place to start the day, take a break for lunch, or retire after a long day at work. And there aren’t many better ways to bring the family together than the aroma of delicious cuisines and an atmosphere unique to the French countryside. This is one of the reasons French country cuisine remains a chef’s dream. So how do you decorate the kitchen of your dreams?

French country cooking uses a distinct palette of warm and cool colors. Colors include soft golden yellow, weathered rust, cheerful greens, and cool blues. Some French country kitchens will emphasize warmer colors, while more traditional French country kitchens will emphasize cooler colors. Iron, charcoal, or black can be used as accent colors. Your kitchen color scheme is a great place to start brainstorming.

Natural and handmade accents are important when decorating your kitchen. This helps give the kitchen an authentic, weathered look that is characteristic of the French country style. Accents can include wooden ceiling beams, plaster-painted walls, weathered wooden window frames, and dark unfinished hardwood floors, to name a few. By maintaining a worn look, you’ll stay true to authentic French country style.

French country furniture is an important part of the French country kitchen. No kitchen would be complete without the wooden island, dining table, ladder-back chairs, and a cabinet full of china plates. If you want to put more emphasis on the worn look of your kitchen, you can buy your used furniture and save extra money. You can also buy new French-style furniture that is made to look authentic.

By following the tips above and setting your imagination free, you can live out your dream in your very own French country kitchen. Of course, do not forget the vase of lavender.

Some retirement communities are planned, others just happen. Urban planners sometimes refer to the latter as NORC – “naturally occurring retirement communities.” They have become an attractive way for seniors to successfully age in place by taking advantage of community support services and volunteer programs.

It is estimated that there are thousands of these natural retirement communities in the United States, and that approximately 27 percent of our senior citizens live in them. So what are NORCs?

AGING IN PLACE

These are communities or neighborhoods where residents have lived and aged together long enough for a natural retirement community to evolve. Residents have aged in place living in their homes for several decades, or older adults have migrated to the same community where they intend to spend the rest of their lives.

NORC is a demographic term used to describe a community that was not originally designed for seniors, but has naturally grown to have 40-65% of its residents over the age of 60. These communities were originally built for young adults and were never intended to meet the particular health and social service needs of older people.

The term NORC was first coined in the 1980s by Michael Hunt, a professor of urban planning. NORCs were originally identified in urban settings, but are now found in all geographic locations. They are typically small by design, covering a few square miles with a base of 1,000 to 3,000 people. They can be as small as a city apartment building or as large as a suburban neighborhood with single-family homes.

NORCs can be classified into three types:

• Classic NORC: This is an integrated single-age apartment building, a multi-building housing complex under common management, or multiple clustered apartment buildings.
• Neighborhood-based NORC: It is a neighborhood composed by ages of single-family and two-family homes.
• rural NORC: This is a large geographic area with a low population density, typically made up of single-family and two-family homes.

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A NORC PROGRAM

NORCs are privately developed and managed and relatively new, so there is no centralized list of programs. The best place to find information about NORCs is online. Here are some good sources to help determine if there is a model that fits your community:

• The United Hospital Fund at www.norcblueprint.org
• www.norcs.org
• Agencies on aging in many states have information about NORCs

Each NORC is different and focuses on local needs and individual communities. Funding, staffing, and services must reflect a specific community, and staffing may consist of full-time and part-time employees and numerous volunteers. NORCs may be largely supported by members who must pay $500 or more per year or seniors may pay little or nothing, with most support coming from local foundations, charitable-supported agencies, and government funds. The key requirement is a healthy mix of public and private funds.

Older people must play a central role in the development of the NORC programme. They are clients with diverse needs and interests, and residents with a rich network of relationships, knowledge and experience. Effective programs will enable older people to take on new roles in their communities as leaders and developers of projects. There is a growing realization on the part of large numbers of older people that their participation in the construction of their later lives is required. Retirement can stretch from 25 to 30 years, and without a community support system, older people are at risk of poor health and isolation.

NATURAL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

Some organizations and local governments have brought together social services, health care, transportation, and residents to develop a NORC Support Services Program (NORC-SSP). This program receives financing from contributions from the private sector; charitable donations; resident membership or activity fees; and federal, state, and local grant funding. NORC-SSPs directly serve seniors in Natural Retirement Communities and can provide:

• Social Work Case Management
• Transport
• mental health services
• Social and cultural events
• home care
• grief support
• Foods
• Home repair and maintenance
• exercise classes
• Continuing Education Programs

NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGES

There is another type of community that has evolved and can be confused with NORC; but based on the concentrated percentage of seniors that are required to be called NORC, these communities are called neighborhood villages. These communities are grassroots movements that provide services and programs for their aging population. Some villages provide services and programs only for members who pay annual membership fees, while others charge nothing for services. Some set a minimum age for membership. They all rely heavily on neighborhood volunteers. The services provided can be:

• Transport
• Social and educational programs
• Friendly visits or phone calls
• Assistance with home repairs and maintenance.

Neighborhood towns face ongoing challenges with funding, and some charge annual membership fees. Others seek financing from other sources. The first neighborhood village was organized in Boston, Massachusetts in 2001 and is called Beacon Hill Village.

AN ALTERNATIVE IDEA

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities are the new alternative to aging in the neighborhood where you raised your family and made friends for life. The options for organizing this type of community may seem overwhelming and complex, but the underlying principle is simplicity: neighbors looking out for neighbors in a close-knit community.

With nearly 90% of UK businesses having fewer than 10 employees, it should be easy to find bespoke office furniture solutions for the small office. Still, with space and budget constraints, it’s important that you get it right and end up with an office that provides everything you need for workspaces and office storage solutions.

Furnishing a small office is all about finding smart solutions and keeping it simple. One idea is to choose a furniture range that offers computer desks and office storage cabinets in the same style and material. With a modular computer desk, you can add storage space and end tables to create a workstation that fits your specific needs.

Office storage should be placed against or on a wall to maximize available floor space. Choose storage (filing cabinets and shelving) that can be fitted with doors to give an impression of order and keep items free of dust.

When the furniture is delivered, it may be convenient to move the furniture to find the best combination for the room.

If you think you need expert advice, many furniture retailers now offer an affordable design service. It could be money well spent, as your expertise can help make that valuable space work better for you and your co-workers. They will also propose design features that reflect the style and character of your company.

Other ways to save space might include using open shelving as room dividers, wall-mounted storage cabinets (a bit like kitchen cabinets), and technology-wise, investing in wireless networking, smart cable management, and more. electronic paper storage

Neglecting regular kitchen cleaning can have detrimental consequences for your family. Since the kitchen is where our food preparation takes place, avoiding cleaning the area can lead to cross-contamination food poisoning and other harmful things. As such, maintaining a hygienic kitchen environment is essential. This involves the cleaning of countertops and the cleaning of any element used in the preparation or consumption of food. Leaving cookware covered with food allows harmful bacteria to grow and spread throughout the kitchen. If you have young children, keeping your kitchen clean should be even more vital, as children can be quite curious and may be inclined to eat something that has been sitting around for quite some time collecting bacteria.

There are many products available in the market that can be used to sanitize the kitchen space. Some may be better than others, but as long as they have a sanitizing agent, they will be enough to clean your kitchen. It is suggested that you clean your kitchen at least once a day with the disinfectant of your choice. There are a host of other hygiene tips that help prevent food poisoning that should be followed in the kitchen as well. Since your hands and food act to contaminate each other, it’s important to wash them with antibacterial soap before and after handling hazardous foods. It is also necessary to use different utensils for raw and cooked foods. It’s also critical that appliances, and not just countertops and dishes, be cleaned regularly. Refrigerators should be scrubbed at least once a month, and ovens, microwaves, and other appliances should be cleaned whenever they show signs of dirt. Changing towels in the kitchen is also a must, as they become havens for bacteria when wet.

Sometimes it’s the smallest thing that makes your wife happy. This is the cardinal rule in the relationship. No matter what her wife says, she always focuses on minute details that may seem unimportant and mundane to her. That is why it is immensely necessary to love your wife in every possible way.

Researchers have discovered that the key to making your wife happy is to show her that you are her hero and that you love her in every way possible. I have put together some amazing important tips that will signify warmth, love and fidelity from you towards your wife.

1. Be their hero.

There are many unusual ways to make your wife happy. You don’t have to do much to be her hero. I don’t care what any teacher says about how to make your wife happy, because the truth is, you have to constantly win your wife’s heart over and over again by being her hero.

Actions that enhance intimacy instantly make you a hero. For example, save an animal from the tree, cook for it, remove an unacceptable guest, send her tempting emails, and surprise her with dinner reservations at a romantic restaurant.

Actions that enhance intimacy always make your wife happy. It is very easy to win her heart with small actions. Her sexual feelings are automatically turned on when you act like a hero.

2. Satisfy your legitimate sexual demands.

Most wives are terribly unhappy in their married life. They want to be loved by their husbands in every possible way. So, if he wants to make her wife happy, he must not only love her in every possible way, but also satisfy her legitimate sexual demands.

What are the legitimate sexual demands of a woman? Well, a woman demands a great sex life with her man. She loves to have sex in the hottest places. For example, she expects you to have sex with her in the kitchen, on the balcony, in the shower, etc. Also, when she constantly gives you orgasms, she feels an emotional bond with you and her love for you deepens.

In addition, it assumes that you buy her sex toys, silk thongs, flowers, body lotions, bath products, chocolates, works of art, etc.

She longs to be treated like the sexiest lady on this planet. She wants to be appreciated, loved and desired. In general, her wife needs emotional and sexual support from her to feel happy.

Outdoor kitchens are a great addition to any home. In hot climates they can be used year-round, while in cooler places they may need to be reserved for the summer months.

They can take many forms. For example, my aunt in Malaysia has an outdoor kitchen that is used all year round. It’s a basic setup consisting of a tin roof, a gas stove, and open sides that allow the wind to blow away the smoke.

Western versions usually consist of gas barbecues with covered awnings.

According to The Telegraph, outdoor kitchens are the next craze. However, before you reach for your wallet, be sure to read through this list of pros and cons to make sure an outdoor kitchen is right for you.

advantages

– They allow you to cook food outdoors, which is much more pleasant than slaving in a hot, cramped indoor kitchen.

– Different foods can be cooked, with less worry about smoke, which can cause problems indoors. For example, good steaks require hot stoves, but the smoke from these can often set off indoor fire alarms.

– Cooking foods with strong flavors can leave lingering odors in indoor kitchens. Outdoor kitchens do not have this problem and therefore require less housework.

– Outdoor cooking adds another dimension to home entertainment and is great for impressing friends and family.

– If included as part of a pool and tennis court entertainment area, they can add a dazzling feel to a property and increase its marketable value.

Cons

– In colder places, outdoor kitchens may not be practical for much of the year. Also, in hot countries, cooking outdoors without air conditioning can become quite unbearable.

– If you already have an indoor kitchen, adding another kitchen can be an unnecessary expense.

– If you have a lot of expensive kitchen utensils, storing them outside could tempt thieves, while carrying them in and out of the house between uses could become a big hassle. So if your outdoor kitchen is going to be located far away from your home, consider how often you’d actually make the effort to use it.

– Usability may be subject to weather conditions. For example, on a windy day, even a well-covered outdoor kitchen is unlikely to be usable.

– They could make you unpopular with your neighbors. If you live in a busy area, smoke from outdoor cooking could bother your neighbors, as it could get on clothes lines or force them to keep their windows closed.

An outdoor kitchen is a great idea. But make sure you really appreciate it before you commit. They can help him get more fresh air while he’s entertaining his friends, but remember to be a considerate neighbor and only place them where they won’t disturb others.