http://www.aeraenergy.com/whoweare/Ventura.htm
Last week I received a memo notice in my door knob from this company stating that there was an incident in the oil field operated by them which may impact me or some of my neighbors. There was a release of acrolein. They quickly resolved the issue however cleanup activities at the site continue. There was an investigation initiated to see what was the cause of such an incident while operations using acrolein have been suspended until the work is completed. They are working with Ventura County Environment Health officials and the fire department personnel.
This week I managed to look up what acrolein is and why there is a health concern (like my expedience?). This substance has lots of uses; since this is an oil company they use it I imagine to avoid algae growth in the oils - a biocide. It's highly mobile in the soil and air. Toxicity affects mucous membranes and the lung tissue more so. Just what I need with my asthma and allergies...more respiratory irritants!
I appreciate this companies distribution of such notice as I would imagine they are by law required to report such information to the communities. As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing!" Now if only I can get a notice from the biological fairy to tell me when menopause will hit me :)
28 November 2006
26 November 2006
The Price we Pay for Conveniences
Back in the 1960's I remember the hair dryer consisted of a huge canister thing on rollers where a coiled hose came out and hooked up to a shower cap that covers your head of hair. I know some of you youngsters out there do not remember this contraption but there was a minature size version of this on an episode of "Get Smart" (don't ask...). Now we have hand-size portable hair dryers with muffler attachments that concentrate the heat to the part of your head you want to dry.
Polaroid cameras all of a sudden were such a rage for pictures instead of waiting for film to develop. However the quality is less than desirable. 1998 was the first time I purchased a 1.3 Megapixel digital camera and everyone was puzzled on why I was holding the camera the way I did when I was taking photos....now I am behind the technical times with my old 5.0 megapixel Olympus. Instant gratification without the hassle and expense of developing the film!
I challenged myself to see how long I could live without a microwave oven when I first moved to California from Chicago. That lasted 6 years and now I cannot see myself going back to the conventional oven for making food fast.
Tape recorders was the means of recording music and playing back when I was young....now they have those I-Pods where consumers download music from websites and get riduculed for such piracy from musical artists.
America compared to Europe: we are notorious for having everything "super-sized" and with paper disposability. Bigger cars (SUV's), bigger food portions, plastic cutlery (silverware) and over-abundance of paper products. The only paper abundance that I see in Europe is their profuse reading materials that I see all generations read in public; no mass quantities of hand-held video games.
Relationships in America seem to be under the influence of conveniences also. There is a toy being advertised now that tells children's stories to kids instead of the busy parents - where is the human contact anymore? Television has always been the parent's babysitter - that's a given. Kids that act out in public are either quickly shushed by their parents or continue their tantrums based on the manner of the convenience to ignore the situation.
I question online dating at times since there is no direct person interaction when trying to meeting people for dating. The convenience of the internet has allowed us adults to place that barrier in between instead of facing each other for the real interaction.
Now there is the communication technology. It cracks me up when people in the same household email each other when they want to communicate something to each other. What ever happened to face-to-face conversations? Seeing four people walking down the street together tells me they are out together. However what tickles me is that all four of them are on their own mobile phones talking to other people instead of visiting with each other - wassup with that? A pet peeve of mine is when I visit someone and they answer the phone then give it to me to speak to the other party on the line. Why would I want to speak to a person on the phone when I am there visiting one in person? Why do they do that; should I leave for their phone calls?
The bottom line is I wonder what will happen to my life if I am retired, old and unable to enjoy such conveniences that technology has given us in this lifetime so far. We are victims of our own technology where we get penalized for piracy, air-time hours on the mobile phones, and the good old electronic identity thieves. If this is America, land of the free and brave - we are not that free compared to other countries. We are trapped with our conveniences of technology and the escape is the disposability in all aspects of our society. We are not brave enough to confront uncomfortable situations anymore. I believe that slogan came from the Independence and Civil War days where this country was starting out. Believe me, I am used to this lifestyle and it frightens me that I cannot live in another country for a long period of time; I tried that when I was in London. We are now America, land of the abundance and the greed.
Polaroid cameras all of a sudden were such a rage for pictures instead of waiting for film to develop. However the quality is less than desirable. 1998 was the first time I purchased a 1.3 Megapixel digital camera and everyone was puzzled on why I was holding the camera the way I did when I was taking photos....now I am behind the technical times with my old 5.0 megapixel Olympus. Instant gratification without the hassle and expense of developing the film!
I challenged myself to see how long I could live without a microwave oven when I first moved to California from Chicago. That lasted 6 years and now I cannot see myself going back to the conventional oven for making food fast.
Tape recorders was the means of recording music and playing back when I was young....now they have those I-Pods where consumers download music from websites and get riduculed for such piracy from musical artists.
America compared to Europe: we are notorious for having everything "super-sized" and with paper disposability. Bigger cars (SUV's), bigger food portions, plastic cutlery (silverware) and over-abundance of paper products. The only paper abundance that I see in Europe is their profuse reading materials that I see all generations read in public; no mass quantities of hand-held video games.
Relationships in America seem to be under the influence of conveniences also. There is a toy being advertised now that tells children's stories to kids instead of the busy parents - where is the human contact anymore? Television has always been the parent's babysitter - that's a given. Kids that act out in public are either quickly shushed by their parents or continue their tantrums based on the manner of the convenience to ignore the situation.
I question online dating at times since there is no direct person interaction when trying to meeting people for dating. The convenience of the internet has allowed us adults to place that barrier in between instead of facing each other for the real interaction.
Now there is the communication technology. It cracks me up when people in the same household email each other when they want to communicate something to each other. What ever happened to face-to-face conversations? Seeing four people walking down the street together tells me they are out together. However what tickles me is that all four of them are on their own mobile phones talking to other people instead of visiting with each other - wassup with that? A pet peeve of mine is when I visit someone and they answer the phone then give it to me to speak to the other party on the line. Why would I want to speak to a person on the phone when I am there visiting one in person? Why do they do that; should I leave for their phone calls?
The bottom line is I wonder what will happen to my life if I am retired, old and unable to enjoy such conveniences that technology has given us in this lifetime so far. We are victims of our own technology where we get penalized for piracy, air-time hours on the mobile phones, and the good old electronic identity thieves. If this is America, land of the free and brave - we are not that free compared to other countries. We are trapped with our conveniences of technology and the escape is the disposability in all aspects of our society. We are not brave enough to confront uncomfortable situations anymore. I believe that slogan came from the Independence and Civil War days where this country was starting out. Believe me, I am used to this lifestyle and it frightens me that I cannot live in another country for a long period of time; I tried that when I was in London. We are now America, land of the abundance and the greed.
Hay is for Horses
Ok...here is how the Ouija board and horses work on me.
About 4-5 years ago I used to join friends of mine in the Ouija board, especially at Halloween time. I love the mystery and suspense and often surprises that occur in such events. Candles lit, dim lighting and three of us women (you know who you are) holding the pointer on the board. We came in contact with several people despite how people generally think how bad this is in this world. Whenever a person was "on the board" and surrounded by horses I ALWAYS had to run for tissues because I am deathly allergic to horses anyway. (My allergy tests showed 4+++ on the horse allergen.) However whenever there was a new person that changed out the horse surrounding, my allergic reaction immediately disappears. This pattern of realization came to a head when one person named Mary on the board surrounded by 5 horses kept spelling "U-R-alergic-2 horses" as I kept sniffling and avoiding the board from being drenched with my nasal passages. 'Duh!'
Photo of this handsome horse was taken outside of a prison in New Zealand last year. We were having a staring contest as I was standing in the road.
19 November 2006
Welcome Aboard!
Hi everyone
This is my very first blog site so bear with my communication skills until I get my typing fingers in shape :)
Several friends have influenced me to open up this blog site of myself since I have traveled to many places in the world. These trips have been cruises, individual tours, arranged group tours and just plain spontaneous scheduled activity type of trips. My montra in life is to keep moving because I don't want to miss anything in terms of different cultures and of course foods!
In the past year I have lived in London traveling countries in Europe, the Mexican Riviera and New Zealand (for the second time). I also travel for work so needless to say, I have no immediate interest to travel at the moment for the mere financial recovery of home improvements. The continent I haven't been to is Africa and hoping to get on a photo safarai before I am not agile enough for the experience.
I believe in the metaphysical world; I had ghost experiences when I first arrived in London. I think once the spirit realized I wasn't going away and not afraid, he/she came to terms with me in the hotel I was staying in. When I was getting keys to my flat on Halloween night (2005), I felt an endearing pet on my chin and nobody was on the street I was walking on! That gesture to me felt that the spirit didn't want me to leave the premises. Ouja board experiences warranted my profuse allergic reaction to horses whenever someone is contacted on the board and around horses. I cannot see spirits but I feel, hear and see things move around me as evidenced of their existence.
This is my very first blog site so bear with my communication skills until I get my typing fingers in shape :)
Several friends have influenced me to open up this blog site of myself since I have traveled to many places in the world. These trips have been cruises, individual tours, arranged group tours and just plain spontaneous scheduled activity type of trips. My montra in life is to keep moving because I don't want to miss anything in terms of different cultures and of course foods!
In the past year I have lived in London traveling countries in Europe, the Mexican Riviera and New Zealand (for the second time). I also travel for work so needless to say, I have no immediate interest to travel at the moment for the mere financial recovery of home improvements. The continent I haven't been to is Africa and hoping to get on a photo safarai before I am not agile enough for the experience.
I believe in the metaphysical world; I had ghost experiences when I first arrived in London. I think once the spirit realized I wasn't going away and not afraid, he/she came to terms with me in the hotel I was staying in. When I was getting keys to my flat on Halloween night (2005), I felt an endearing pet on my chin and nobody was on the street I was walking on! That gesture to me felt that the spirit didn't want me to leave the premises. Ouja board experiences warranted my profuse allergic reaction to horses whenever someone is contacted on the board and around horses. I cannot see spirits but I feel, hear and see things move around me as evidenced of their existence.
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