Ready for Life

With social media and emerging technology, public health agencies can utilize more tools than ever in a public health emergency. In this panel at South by Southwest (SXSW), social media strategists and researchers, working in the front lines of the pandemic H1N1 response, will discuss strategy, innovations and the changing relationship between citizens and government.
Presenters [...]

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While we were busy enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and counting our blessings for food and health, we may have done a bad thing. We ended up renting and watching Food, Inc.
The movie is a bit of a documentary and expose on the food industry and the largely mechanized version of food growth, production, and [...]

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I have been on a strict regimen of simplicity in diet and workout lately. The motivation is to get past the “do things better a little bit at a time.” The incremental is not working. I have been saying I will do better for months, and there is always some justification or excuse. Once the [...]

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The news today on all major news networks is about Swine Flu and the cases confirmed in Mexico, Texas, California and now possibly Kansas.
This has some nastiness potential, but it seems all government agencies including the CDC and WHO are doing all the right things for social containment. World Health Organization has declared the Swine [...]

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An open Letter from Michael Pollan on the coming food crisis and why it may be one of the most important challenges for the next presidency. It has not been a topic of the current campaigns, but the newly elected president will decide important policy regarding our food supply.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

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Organic gardening and producing your own food is quite a new movement. The United States has become an importer of food. We now import more than we produce. The cost of this will eventually be passed on to the everyday consumer.
I am working on the small backyard and raised bed garden to help supplement my [...]

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Water and mosquito eggs are the only two ingredients for a world of frustration, pain and even worse. Now, with the pesky little Culex mosquito carrying stronger and more virile strains of the West Nile Virus, bites can lead to serious illness.
A recent trip to the Houston Hurricane Preparedness Workshop and meeting the Houston Mosquite [...]

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Many people get a little spooked when they think about being tracked by satellite. Too many Martini’s and bad spy movies in your spare time? But, for those who shun the black helicopters, here is a non-implant way of letting your friends and family know you are safe when traveling or making your way through [...]

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http://nysun.com/news/food-rationing-confronts-breadbasket-world
I really don’t like posting things like this. It seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even if it is not true, media attention can make people believe there is a food shortage and cause panic buying. Self-fulfilling.
I will admit my first reaction was to rush to Costco’s and see prices and availability [...]

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It is Earth Day and worth a reminder to take care of those things around us. I retweeted a set of links today on how to reduce your carbon footprint. This has great parallels to simplifying your life and lifestyle. http://www.metroactive.com/metro/08.15.07/50-ways-to-go-green-0733.html
These ideas don’t require radical changes to every day life choices. Simple things can be [...]

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