Homework is Crushing

Busy Jon is Busy

It was midterms last week. It would be an understatement to say that I was busy. Unfortunately I have not gotten any of the tests back yet... but I am pretty sure I did quite well on the two geography midterms I took. Sometime in the next week I think I might scan a few of the diagrams and maps I have made for projects in my Landscape Analysis course. They are pretty cool looking and I am quite proud of them.

On a random note, taking off my zip-up hoddie creates enough static electricity to force my mp3 player to shut down and then go through the rebuilding library process when started up again. This probably is not very good for the electronics in it.. oh well.

One of the topics that was discussed during Human Geography this morning was the true cost of food. We watched a video clip of Michael Pollan (wiki link) speaking during a board discussion in response to a question asking why organic food is so expensive. His counter question and subsequent answer was one that asks why conventional food costs so little when it is so bad for our health and our environment. The cheapness of conventional food comes with a large cost to our health and environment, for instance the use of chemical fertilizers have collected in river drainages and cause algae blooms to flourish. These algae blooms consume a large portion of the available oxygen in the surrounding water and prevent anything else from living. Once the oxygen is consumed, the algae dies and leaves the water unable to support other life for a period of time. He also addressed our societies lack of priorities regarding food, how on average we spend only 11% of our disposable income on food. When we could decide to spend a little more of our disposable income on healthier foods that are produced with a little more respect and regard for our environment and health.

In all I thought it was a great response to the question of why organic/healthier foods are more expensive. I wish I was able to find the video online, but my youtube searching skills fail me today.

/laters everyone.

A Walk

A bit of a preface.

It is February in Fairbanks Alaska. it is like 50* out. Almost unreal. Normal temperatures are usually below 0*.

Anyways. I went for a walk after my last class of the day. Someone remind me to wear different shoes when I decide to go for a walk next time, converse shoes are not what one would call a "proper walking shoe". Aside from my left pinkie toe wanting to reach up and slap me for the abuse I just put it through. It was a glorious walk. Warm and sunny, plenty of people to watch as i walked around the perimeter of campus. Smiled back at some random lady as I passed. Watched a bus load of Japanese Tourists wander around the University Museum. Saw the same campus shuttle pass me multiple times, saw the driver recognize me after the first few passes. Was a great little time for me to just spend 45 minuets walking around the place that is my home for the last 4 years, and will be for the next 2 years. Did I mention it was the middle of February? Rarely get the chance to enjoy such spring time weather so early, this sort of weather is normally reserved for march.

Oh well, the walk was excellent, I think I will make this a regular activity after my Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes. At least when the weather is good, I have no inclination to walk if it is not fair weather.

Check list for next walk:

-Different shoes

-Camera

-Leave book bag in car

Go take a walk, its good^__^