Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Longing for Rain
Hot and Humid….this is how the Mediterranean climate is classified, with long hours of scorching sun and a sticky skin feeling. A grey cloud is nowhere to be seen…and moreover a drop of rain is only something to long for!
I wonder how people managed to live on our island some 100 years ago without Air Conditioners, Fans etc. Ah well, maybe they had a cooler summer!...Is all this heat a result of Global Warming? … yeah that’s the buzz word at the moment… blame it on Global Warming…
People have been warned on the effects of air pollution for ages now. It is only lately that countries are putting in some real effort to take care of being more energy efficient… and for sure it’s not because of care for the environment but only because energy is coming at a really high price.
We got so addicted to “free” energy that we find it hard to live without now! It’s taken so for granted that we can control climate and lighting and travel to desired destinations whenever we please that it’s getting harder now that energy is no longer “free”.
Just look at the skies and try to see a star…Ok you’ll manage to see more than a dozen for sure but will surely miss a couple of other thousands… So much light pollution that I wonder how efficient we really are after all. We’re reflecting so much wasted energy back to space! Light is only a tiny bit compared to heat losses. Don’t want to go into the merits of engineering. There is so much that can be done…but yes… that costs money. And no one would like to spend more money than necessary to live a comfy life. Technically it’s not cost effective! There is a saying which says that “Nature is capable of taking care of itself”… I fear the worst… Extinction of the present human being… hehe might be a joke but worth giving it a couple of minutes thought!… and for our poor world… that would be a cost effective solution ;)
Anyway, back to our micro scale. Wish you all a productive week.
I wonder how people managed to live on our island some 100 years ago without Air Conditioners, Fans etc. Ah well, maybe they had a cooler summer!...Is all this heat a result of Global Warming? … yeah that’s the buzz word at the moment… blame it on Global Warming…
People have been warned on the effects of air pollution for ages now. It is only lately that countries are putting in some real effort to take care of being more energy efficient… and for sure it’s not because of care for the environment but only because energy is coming at a really high price.
We got so addicted to “free” energy that we find it hard to live without now! It’s taken so for granted that we can control climate and lighting and travel to desired destinations whenever we please that it’s getting harder now that energy is no longer “free”.
Just look at the skies and try to see a star…Ok you’ll manage to see more than a dozen for sure but will surely miss a couple of other thousands… So much light pollution that I wonder how efficient we really are after all. We’re reflecting so much wasted energy back to space! Light is only a tiny bit compared to heat losses. Don’t want to go into the merits of engineering. There is so much that can be done…but yes… that costs money. And no one would like to spend more money than necessary to live a comfy life. Technically it’s not cost effective! There is a saying which says that “Nature is capable of taking care of itself”… I fear the worst… Extinction of the present human being… hehe might be a joke but worth giving it a couple of minutes thought!… and for our poor world… that would be a cost effective solution ;)
Anyway, back to our micro scale. Wish you all a productive week.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Summer heat plays its tricks
The effects of scorching summer can be felt by everyone in our tiny island. Blinding light, unbearable heat and dryness and highly irritating flies and mosquitoes make living conditions far from ideal…but well, on the whole summer is nice and people like it for the sea and holidays. So, you can easily see bunches of people gathering their whole family and friends and packing themselves on the beaches, to cool off a bit. There is nothing nicer than a BBQ with friends….unless your neighboring BBQ people are hindering you… as what was supposed to be the most pleasant evening might easily turn into hell...
Technology is meant to make our lives more comfortable but yet… I still find it hard to go for a BBQ and enjoy a calm night with cool sea breeze when there are half a dozen generators revving to generate electricity for artificial lighting and loud music…
Respect is something which does not exist in certain people’s dictionaries. Egoism is one trait which people can easily live without. “I’m fine….so others should be fine too… if they’re not…bad luck for them!”
And what can be said about hot headed people? Some people just can’t control their temper and moreover less capable of holding a decent argument. Again the summer heat does not help in this and a couple of extra beers just make the perfect combination for a time bomb. Just notice the way some people drive, handle unexpected situations and talk to others. Don’t want to be judgmental but it is hard not to notice these scenarios. They happen far too frequently and could easily get you in trouble. One could be going his own way just to find some “stupid” (sorry for the word…but no better decent word comes to mind) person who will turn your day into a nightmare.
Again, will not go into the merit of what is right or wrong, there is the law for that. Common sense is a rare commodity to a certain sector of society, but the following quote gives enough food for thought!
“When you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper, and when you are in the wrong, you cannot afford to lose it.” M K Gandhi
Technology is meant to make our lives more comfortable but yet… I still find it hard to go for a BBQ and enjoy a calm night with cool sea breeze when there are half a dozen generators revving to generate electricity for artificial lighting and loud music…
Respect is something which does not exist in certain people’s dictionaries. Egoism is one trait which people can easily live without. “I’m fine….so others should be fine too… if they’re not…bad luck for them!”
And what can be said about hot headed people? Some people just can’t control their temper and moreover less capable of holding a decent argument. Again the summer heat does not help in this and a couple of extra beers just make the perfect combination for a time bomb. Just notice the way some people drive, handle unexpected situations and talk to others. Don’t want to be judgmental but it is hard not to notice these scenarios. They happen far too frequently and could easily get you in trouble. One could be going his own way just to find some “stupid” (sorry for the word…but no better decent word comes to mind) person who will turn your day into a nightmare.
Again, will not go into the merit of what is right or wrong, there is the law for that. Common sense is a rare commodity to a certain sector of society, but the following quote gives enough food for thought!
“When you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper, and when you are in the wrong, you cannot afford to lose it.” M K Gandhi
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