Brand New Shower Technology

Members of the design team surround computers before the Kickstarter campaign went live.

Most of us are aware of California's drought situation, the drying up of lakes and water reservoirs in that area. Governor Jerry Brown has required cutbacks in water usage on an unprecedented level. So, Californians have had to explore new ways of saving water reserves.

Chief among the water usage is what water is utilized in cleaning human beings. So, sometimes cutting back has meant that people no longer can afford to take daily showers; the reduction can mean every other day showers or even twice a week showers. But the limitation always comes in how much water showers use. Do you know that the average eight minute shower uses 20 gallons of water, the majority of which goes right back down the drain?



A group of entrepreneurs and engineers have realized that shower design hasn't changed for decades. That means that the little nozzles within the shower head haven't been redesigned in ages. That's where these designers focused. The other feature in which they were interested was in ease of installation.

Utilizing computer technology, these young designers came up with a new nozzle that mists the water in such a way that users still feel surrounded by water, yet the nozzles are spraying out an enveloping mist. The new showerhead has a flattened circular shape allowing the user to be surrounded by the mist. And get this, you don't need a plumber to install it. It is easily installed by any user.

The company is going by the name of Nebia, and the showerhead is THE NEBIA. Their approach is to just allow potential project backers to take a shower with their product and note the reviews. Most users are rather impressed with the quality of their showers. Now, for the good part; the showerhead uses 70% less water than any other showerhead on the market that contains the old technology.

Two showerheads in action, along with the handheld models below them.

So, now the inventors of the new showerhead are seeking funds through a Kickstarter account. You can go read about the technology, watch some videos, and judge for yourself whether this project is worthy of support. You may even score with an early order for this new technology and get to install one of your very own. With water becoming a scarce commodity in various areas of the world, this could be one answer to conserving more water.

Some of the early design ideas for the showerhead.

Thanks to this article from Good Magazine: http://magazine.good.is/articles/nebia-showerhead-water-conservation; and the above link.

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An Extra Student At School

Leland High School student ID for Bubba.

The school bells are ringing; it's back to school time, although in many localities, school is already in session. There are those first-timers starting pre-K; there are those first days at middle school and high school. But there is one cool cat who won't be missing a beat on the first day of school.

He lives in a home in San Jose with a woman named Amber Marienthal, who adopted him in 2009. Once he spotted the two neighboring schools, Bret Harte Middle and Leland High, no one could hold him back. You see, he screams and wails at the door of his home until someone opens it and lets him out. Then it's off to school, where he waits at the door until someone opens it and he can gain entry. Because he's on his way to the best education a kitty ever had.



His name is Bubba and he acts like any other student at either school. He has a locker, just like the other students and he'll hang out and schmooze with the other students before class. Of course, more than the other students, he's likely to find he gets more head rubs than any of them. He frequently joins the other students in classes where he can always find a seat at an open desk. But, unlike the other students, if he happens to become bored in class, he can meow for attention and someone will give him a hall pass to go to another classroom.

If you must know, Bubba has perfect attendance. That's right; this gorgeous feline attends school every day. And he's no slacker either. He'll stay at school until the last team practice has ended, too. And don't think he isn't welcome as a student at either school. He has his own ID and classes willingly make room for him. He's gotten to be an internet sensation, just for his desire to get a bit of a kitty education.

It's not all studying; there are those extra perks from fellow students.

So, how did Amber find out that Bubba was going to school on a daily basis? It happened when her human son was enrolling at Leland High School. While he was getting his own ID made, he noticed another ID with a rather familiar face on it. You got it, that was Bubba's picture on that ID - and now they both attend the same school together.

Bubba is all eyes and ears in the classroom.

Thanks to this article from SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Local-high-school-mascot-Bubba-the-Cat-gets-his-6457755.php; this article from Little Things: http://school-cat.littlethings.com/bubba-the-cat-high-school-student/?utm_source=TS&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=animals: and this article from Jezebel: http://jezebel.com/bubba-the-cat-is-a-wonderful-student-1725596822.

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Becoming Vegan Explained

A major effort is still passing out pamphlets, here in Washington Square Park.

A lot of us are hearing the term "vegan" tossed around online and in the media. But what is that, why would you want to pursue that lifestyle, and how would you do it? Neal Sehgal from Parsippany, NJ, an educator, activist and multimedia artist, has some answers. He's the founder of a grassroots organization, EVOLVE FOR ANIMALS. This group does two things, educate about veganism and advocate for better treatment of animals.

Neal and Evolve For Animals started by providing leaflets, staffing tables at public events and sites, showing films, public speaking, podcasting, writing letters, and having feed-ins. Most of the activities were in live events, one-to-one contacts, with some information provided online. The focus was on the 18 to 25 year old demographic, essentially those who have a bigger stake in the direction that this planet takes.

Neal has said, "As an activist and school teacher, I firmly believe in the power of clear and comprehensive education to change hearts and minds, as I have seen it work time and time again. I believe everyone has the power to change themselves and the world around them." That is why so much of what Evolve For Animals does involves education.

Over time, the group's website has evolved into an informational and educational site. One can see how wholistic veganism is for an individual. The site actually starts as a vegan starter kit and delves into the issues of how animals are used in the meat products industries, with information about how veganism addresses this issue, along with demonstrating its environmental sustainability.

In addition, the site takes visitors through the process of making a commitment to become vegan, how to start and maintain healthy nutrition, the message you send to others by engaging in a vegan lifestyle, vegan recipes and meal patterns, and some substitutes for such ingredients as eggs. If you're wondering how becoming vegan affects animals, the site answers that question by citing examples.

Do you want to read more about being vegan? The site has recommendations about books covering the subject. Included are also topics about animals, such as whether animals are sentient, how animals are treated on industrial farms, and treatment of animals as a social justice issue. There are pamphlets that can be downloaded, too, all on a very informative website, with links to further information. 

Evolve For Animals provides a vegan taco buffet at an event for a charity for young adults aging out of foster care.

That's all in addition to what the group did before in making face-to-face contact with young adults. If you have an interest in the lifestyle and/or the issues, check it out.

Here's one of the informational tables that the group sets up at public events.

Thanks to this Pollination Project article: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/neal-sehgal-evolve-animals/ and the above link.

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It's A Proposal! What Could Go Wrong?

Happy couple, Matthew Picca and Kayla Harrity, pose by the water.

Ah! Young love; there's nothing like it. There's magic in the air, a couple in love. They've gotten serious and maybe both can now imagine a lifetime together. Then comes that magic moment when the question is popped; what could go wrong?

Kayla Harrity, age 24, and Matthew Picca, age 25, are on vacation together in Southport, NC, accompanied by members of her family. They stop by at the Old American Fish on Saturday evening for dinner; there's an extra guest, Matthew's mother.



Then, according to Kayla, "I turned around and he was getting down on one knee. As he opened the ring box, the ring fell out of the box and fell through the cracks on the deck and into the water. I didn't even get to see it before it dropped." Oh, no!

Kayla goes on, "I covered my face and began to cry because I knew my boyfriend was devastated. Matthew did not even get to say anything to me before the ring fell into the ocean." The proposal hadn't even been made yet, but the ring was lost. That galvanized several people into action; maybe they could save the day. So they got into the water, clothes and all, to start searching for the ring. And it wasn't only family members who were searching, either.

But so far, no luck. Matthew thought his phone case was waterproof, so he tried using the flashlight function. What a way to find out - the phone wasn't waterproof and now lies in ruins. But then a member of the group got an idea; what if they could get some goggles? Maybe they could find it.

So, Kayla went to customers in their restaurant and neigboring restaurants. One local resident ran home and got some goggles. Kayla continues, "After ten flashlights, and five pairs of goggles, and over 1.5 hours of searching in the water...the ring was found! Everyone at the bar was cheering. All of a sudden, everyone was chanting "Propose again! Do it again!' It was the best feeling in the world. My fiance, soaking wet, smelling like salty, fishing water, proceeded to get down on one knee and put the beautiful ring on my finger!"

The proposal finally happens, with Matthew and Kayla wetter than planned.

That evening, one proposal had become a group event, even among other guests, who did not even know the couple. There was the shared camaraderie of a group that had searched for the missing ring. And even more, the whole event became the talk of Southport. The couple took a romantic carriage ride around the town after their night at the restaurant and bar. Kayla said, "When we got back, people were still coming up asking to see the ring. They said everyone in Southport was talking about it. It was definitely a night to remember!" And as a way to thank those who helped in the ring search, the couple bought the participants a round of drinks.

The next event in their lives comes with the wedding, which they plan to hold in Southport. Matthew, just keep hold of that ring!

Family members and others get into the water, searching for the ring.

Thanks to this article from Kindness Blog: http://kindnessblog.com/2015/08/28/when-a-proposal-goes-wrong-the-soon-to-be-groom-dropped-the-engagement-ring-into-the-ocean/.

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Combining Sports With Helping Youth

Instructing young athletes is an important part of the program.

Combine two young men with youth who are starving for adult guidance and you have a new organization. The young men are Justin Guy and Mark Covington, both of whom happen to be pretty perceptive. They remember how important sports were in their lives as they were growing up, and they founded 4THQTR, INC to give some vital assistance to youth at a crossroads point in their lives.

The focus is on students who have reached their middle school years, grades 6 to 8. The reason is that many youngsters in that age group are at a point where they make crucial decisions that can help them reach their goals, or take them on a pathway to bad decisions. Some of the problems that come up in this age group include "- Losing focus in the classroom, - Experimenting with drugs & alcohol afterschool, - Gaining weight due to lack of exercise, - Failing to reach one's leadership potential."



By adding the ingredient of mentoring by a stable adult, these youth can be influenced to make more positive choices. In essence, there is a role model who leads the way and show the youth what can be made of their lives.

The organization has started with the services of both Justin and Mark as the two coaches and mentors. They are working with athletes from both Bonnie Branch and Elkridge Landing in a program that affirms an atmosphere of positive decision making, that then become stellar habits. In a way, this contact with two young men, who are role models, provides building blocks of positive assets that then become a foundation for their future lives.

Although the organization has started out modestly, both Justin and Mark also look towards the future, when they can provide even more for their young athletes. Some of their plans include a scholarship program for local youth, a community service program for high school athletes, a recognized coaching organization for young adult coaches, and a community center, from which the program can operate. We wish them all possible success as they provide services to our local athletes and continue to develop their program.

The program works with middle school football team athletes to help them make better decisions.

Thanks to information provided by their website.

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An Environmental Library And Hub

Over-fishing doesn't just deplete the fish sought for food, it also depletes predators, which keep fish numbers in control.

One young man, who grew up in Colorado, is passionate about the environment. Of course, living most of his life in Colorado's natural beauty, produces its own inspiration. That is the backdrop for Todd Lehman's commitment to environmental sustainability. He has already obtained academic credentials, with a bachelor's degree in Sustainability from the University of Utah.

Next step on the road of life was as Co-founder and Executive Director of ENVIROHUB, one of the largest ONLINE LIBRARIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION and a gathering place for environmental groups to collaborate on the most important environmental issues facing the world today.



There are three vital issues which this organization is attempting to address: the vanishing ice, the vanishing forest, and species collapse.

Already, many environmental scientists are aware of the disappearing ice pack. President Obama is scheduled to make a trip to the Arctic within Alaska, to talk with those native to the area about how the depleting ice pack is affecting them. The same thing is happening in Greenland, with melting surface water of the lakes causing parts of the ice sheet to slide into the ocean. This is something that is being monitored through EnviroHub collaboration. The group is also assisting in monitoring the Antarctic ice sheet.

In some ways, the issue of vanishing forests, especially rainforests is also affecting the rate at which species of plants and animals are vanishing. These tropical rainforests have not yet been completely tapped for all of their benefits, particularly in cleansing some of the carbons out of the atmosphere and their potential for medical and other scientific uses. Yet, the forestry industry continues its exploitation of these forests for wood products, without pondering any of the negative effects.

For instance, in Borneo, 80% of the forests have already been exploited for logging. When the trees are removed, there is no brake on water runoff and erosion starts to creep in and affect soil cover. That doesn't even account for the forest animals and plants, which needed the tree cover in order to survive.

Animals like these are affected by humanity's careless exploitation of the environment.

The issue of vanishing species, although addressed somewhat by the issues of vanishing ice and vanishing forests, is still a work in progress on EnviroHub. The site lists several organizations that are working together under the other other two topic areas.

Although the oceans may rise as ice sheets melt, that won't produce additional potable water.

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/todd-lehman-envirohub/; this article from about.me: https://about.me/toddlehman; and the above links.

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An Ordinary Visit To The Science Center

A young boy playing with Kaden Myers at the museum.

A visit to the Science Center can be something of an adventure for most kids. It's a chance to get a hands-on look at what makes the world work. Certainly most science centers have a lot of interactive exhibits to explore. It can be a joy to watch discovery happen for a child.

It can be slightly different for a child with a disability. If the child needs equipment to help him/her interact with the world, it can be harder to engage completely with interactive types of activities. Often enough other children may not realize the limitations and may look at the equipment and be put off from playing with a child who has a disability. But playing is really no different in the amount of fun, the joy of participation, for a child who needs assistance.



But Katie Myers is not deterred by the challenges that her son KADEN faces. Now 18 months old, Kaden was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a progressive disorder which leaves a child less and less able as he/she gets older, when he was seven months old. However, Kaden still retains a good deal of his abilities, although he cannot walk and gets around in a wheelchair.

Katie is determined to give her son as normal a life as possible, so a visit to the South Florida Science Center And Aquarium was on the agenda. There were quite a few pleasant moments, but really special was the time spent with Kaden by an unknown boy when they both played together with a ball track. That young boy helped Kaden see how the track worked and took his time to help Kaden put balls on the track. In fact, Katie photographed the interaction between the two children.

It was a special moment! Katie posted the photo online, hoping to find out who the young boy was, but even more to share a moment of play between an abled child and a child with a disability. More than anything, that photo is instructive to people who don't frequent the world which disabled people sometimes traverse. It's that intersection between mainstream life and physical limitations. Most people still have difficulty crossing the boundaries between those worlds in order to help those with disabilities feel part of the mainstream.

Katie and Kaden together.

So, it's almost natural that it took a child, a young boy, to reach across the divide, probably without even thinking, to play with the young boy he had just met. That is a natural acceptance, an invitation to share, an act of kindness, a thing still rare. That gives a moment to think it over, to think about reaching over, to help someone who struggles to reach. It's not so hard to do - just look at that young boy in the photo, reaching out for a special moment of play with Kaden Myers. All of us can do the same!

Katie Myers, with Kaden, getting makeup applied before a TV appearance.

Thanks to this article from WPBF News: http://www.wpbf.com/news/mom-of-disabled-child-looking-for-boy-who-was-kind-to-him/34766118.

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The First Time

Don Swift and his daughter Harper watching the rain.

Every human being goes through the first time experience. Our firsts start when we're infants and everything is brand new. This world can be a place of all types of curiosities for a first-timer. Then, as we get older, we personally experience fewer first times.

Some older folks have a bucket list - of those things they want to do at least once in life. But I very much doubt that babies have those lists. It's parents and grandparents who lead these life novices in exploration of this wonderful world. And the first times of these littlest ones can bring these first time wonders back into the lives of their adult companions.



Take baby Harper Swift, for instance. She'd already seen the rain from a safe spot inside the house. She'd not yet been outside to feel the drops on her face and little hands. So, one rainy day this summer, daddy Don introduced her to the experience, up close and personal. He also filmed the experience to share with the online world.

Don takes his little daughter in his arms and dashes outside, then back in, to the delight of his little daughter's screams of joy. Daddy as much as makes the joy in the experience, as he smiles and encourages his young one, in a very playful way. Then he shares the delight with her in words.

When daddy puts Harper down on the ground, she wants to take her own excursion, but he gently takes her hand and guides her out and back in again. It's a daddy and daughter moment, a first time shared, a moment of happiness that we can experience with this wonderful twosome. It's a dad being a dad, showing his daughter the wonders of this world of ours.

Thanks to this multimedia page from Sunny Skyz: http://www.sunnyskyz.com/happy-videos/2962/She-Seemed-Curious-So-Dad-Took-Her-Out-In-The-Rain-Her-Reaction-Is-The-Cutest-Thing-Ever; and this article from Deccan Chronicle: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150822/lifestyle-offbeat/article/watch-adorable-babys-priceless-reaction-her-first-summer-rain.

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Amusement Parks Are Better When Shared

Liam sampling the culture in Dubai.

Businessman Liam Murphy, from Bandon in Cork, Ireland, was on a week-long business trip to Dubai for a week. He was there negotiating a distributorship for a new product that his company made, and although he was making strides forward, he decided he needed a break.

So, he decided to spend a day at Ferrari World amusement park. He grabbed a cab to get there and on the way, he had a conversation with driver Shakiha, originally from India. Shakiha had been working in the Arab Emirates for fourteen years and, because he saved his money to send back to his family in India, he had never been inside the amusement park.



Usually, though, Shakiha was used to spending time in the area because he'd have to wait an average of about four hours for his passengers to return. That didn't sound exactly fair to Liam, so he bought an admission ticket for Shakiha, who got to spend the day with his passenger.

Shakiha was a brave sport about it all, too. For one thing, he had never ridden a roller coaster, and Liam persuaded him to take a ride on the one in the park, one of the world's fastest. But Shakiha's stomach was a little shaky about it, as he said to Liam, "I do not feel well sir." Other than the shaky stomach, though, the day went pretty well.

Rumor has it that both Liam and Shakiha had a good time together. Liam said, "I bought him some pizza on the way home. His family are in India and he says he sends money home each month. I felt sorry for him."

Liam take Shakiha on his first roller coaster ride.

What was Shakiha's review of his very special day? He stated, "I will pray God for you sir." It doesn't take much to treat those who offer their services with kindness. And above all, do like Liam did, recognize that person as a fellow human being.

Shakiha got to check out some of the Ferraris on display.

Thanks to this article from Good News Network: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/cab-driver-gets-unexpected-theme-park-ticket-to-ride-from-passenger/; and this article from the Irish Examiner: http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/real-life/pics-cork-man-makes-indian-taxi-drivers-day-with-wonderful-gesture-348661.html?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook.

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Healing Drums

An iconic older building at Woodbourne Center.

Here in Baltimore, we have an interesting type of therapy for youth with psychiatric disorders. At WOODBOURNE CENTER, which runs a residential treatment center for boys ages 12 to 18, one of the therapies in which the boys can participate is drumming. Drumming can be utilized as a form of therapy and has been utilized in SHAMANIC TRADITION to heal, expand consciousness, and build community.

At Woodbourne, the tradition comes from Africa, not only providing healing but helping these troubled boys to connect with ancestral tradition. Drumming facilitates meditation and is strongly connected with African-American music tradition. The program was created by Dorothy Adamson Holley, known as "Dr. Dot". At one time Dr. Dot was a clinical director at the facility, but for the past eight years, she has been returning as a clinical consultant. She runs her own company, RHYTHMIC HEALING CIRCLE - NYAME NTI HEALING ARTS THERAPY, INC, which specializes in drummetry, the combination of drumming and poetry.



Much of the therapeutic drumming provided at Woodbourne utilizes chants of love and encouragement, sort of musical affirmations. When residents repeat the chants out loud or to themselves, those chants become part of their inner conversation, and gradually replace the negative self-statements that so many of them have incorporated into the views of themselves.

When Dr. Dot decided to incorporate drumming into her therapeutic practice, it was an instant match. She said. "The decision to integrate drumming into clinical practice was a direct result of having personally experienced the healing power of the drum. African drumming offered a perfect balance to my tendency to intellectualize, to analyze, to plan, and to control. African drumming took me out of my head, into my body, and into my feelings, inviting me to release pent-up emotions and helping to restore much-needed balance. Understanding and experiencing the therapeutic benefits of drumming, I felt compelled to share this ancient, sacred art practice to clients who might also benefit from the drum's healing potential."

"Dr. Dot", Dorothy Adomson Holley

When teaching drumming at Woodbourne, Dr. Dot strives to create a safe environment where residents feel they can share their creative and emotional responses. This is important for these boys in treatment, since they find it very difficult to trust when their lives have given them very little experience in trusting others. She talks about the use of drums in treating traumatized youth, "When our experiences and emotions are allowed full creative expression, we give voice to our pains, our fears, our suffering, and our hope, opening ourselves in ways never before imagined. Giving creative voice to our experiences and emotions reduces our potential to express them in harmful, destructive ways.,,[I]t can be brought into individual and group therapy sessions to serve as a meaningful support to the treatment process."

We, in Baltimore are so lucky to have Dr. Dot, and the boys at Woodbourne are fortunate to have her interest and commitment.

Drumming therapy at Woodbourne Center.

Thanks to this article from Cornerstone, a publication from Nexus, which runs Woodbourne and other treatment centers: http://www.slideshare.net/fullscreen/nancybaldrica5/july-2015-cornerstone/3.

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Documenting Chicago's TQILGBA Community

Posters from some of the performances through JRV MAJESTY.

There are many aspects of history that aren't documented that well and which go ignored by mainstream society. Over the years, such places as the Smithsonian, and people like Studs Terkel and Alex Haley have documented oral history of various groups of people, who would not usually become part of documented history. This was partly fueled by the development of technology, which created, at the time, portable tape recorders, which enabled the spoken word to be preserved. But still there were aspects of history that were ignored.

Enter Joe Varisco, the founder and creative director of JRV MAJESTY PRODUCTIONS, which allows him to produce performances and independent projects. He lives in Chicago, where he is aware of the strong and vibrant Trans Queer Intersex Lesbian Gay Bisexual Alliance and Gender Non-Conforming (TQILGBA) communities. There are a number of pioneering and inspiring people within this community who went unknown in the wider community.



So, Mr. Varisco decided to document their voices through oral interviews preserved on his page on Soundcloud. A variety of individuals within the TQILGBA community have been recorded, 12 recordings in all, one being a discussion with 27 activists. Titled the QUEER LEXICON ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, the recordings are available for free listening, and the assistance of StoryCorps Chicago has aided in the development of this small library.

There are also several other projects with which JRV MAJESTY Productions is involved, all related to the TQILGBA community. Post-Q is a performance series of works by 10 queer artists that discusses queer life and issues in the post-queer world. There is the Chicago Queer Arts Mentorship Program, which pairs established artists with emerging artists in the TQILGBA community in a sort of incubation laboratory that inspires innovation and the creative process. Salonathon: LEX-IC-A is a monthly series of innovative performances held on Mondays at Beauty Bar Chicago and preserved on its own channel on Vimeo.

Joe Varisco, whose creativity inspires JRV MAJESTY.

As you can tell, there is quite a lot of creative energy flowing from Joe Varisco and associates at JRV MAJESTY. I encourage you to explore and learn more, keep an opinion mind, and find out more about present experiences and lives, a tremendous amount of talent, and the issues affecting the TQILGBA community, of which many of us are unaware.

Jackie Boyd, who was interviewed for the oral history project.

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/joseph-varisco-queer-lexicon-oral-history-project/; and the above links.

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