Jesus Is Not the Reason for the Season

With growing smugness year in and year out, Christians love to tout that “Jesus is the reason for the season.”

What a clever slogan. I mean it. From a marketing perspective, the slogan is gangbusters. This makes sense to the average Christmas observer. After all, it’s baby Jesus’ birthday.

The intent of this post is not so much to try to convince you that Christmas is a sham. On the contrary, the purpose is to pique your interest and entice you to explore the customs that most of you practice at this time of the year.

That said, this post will sting to those who cherish Christmas and who cling tight their belief about the holiday.

I’d like to start this post with the smart-ass, half-true observation that the season of winter (or summer in the Southern hemisphere) happened well before the time of Jesus. Now, for the many reasons that Jesus is actually not the reason for the season.

It’s Not Jesus’ Birthday
This is the number one reason that most do not know or refuse to recognize: Jesus was not born on December 25. Although the bible doesn’t specify an exact date for Jesus’ birth, most objective scholars agree that all the clues point to a spring birth. That’s why there was no room at the inns, because it was time for the census and that required everyone to return to their place of birth in order to be counted.

It’s Saturn’s Birthday
When the Catholic church was just forming as the dominant (and for a long stretch of history, the only) form of Christianity, they chose to celebrate Jesus’ birthday on December 25 because they knew that the pagans they were attempting to convert would never give up their cherished tradition of Saturnalia.

Many Mid-Winter Holidays Aren't Christian
Celebration of the Winter Solstice is the oldest known celebration in the history of homo sapiens. Today in the United States of America, people celebrate all sorts of holidays that relate to either their religion, ancestry, or rejection of past traditions within the last two weeks of the year. Such major holidays include Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Yule, and the increasingly popular Festivus (Thanks, Frank Costanza!)

Most Christmas Traditions Come from Other Religions
The decoration of Christmas trees dates back to Wassailing, a pagan tradition of decorating one apple tree in mid-winter as a fertility rite for the entire orchard. Holly and mistletoe date back to Celtic mythology and Druidic rituals. Lights are an integral part of Chanukah. Santa Claus’ origins reach as far back as the Greek’s Basil of Caesarea. And gift giving goes back as far as Saturnalia.

Gifts: WWJD?
One last word that is meant more as a criticism of the hypocrisy that runs rampant throughout Christianity: Jesus would reject the unabashed consumerism that has come to mark Christmas. If more Christians rejected the consumerist version of Christmas and gave even half as much to the poor and downtrodden regardless of their religious beliefs as they do to friends and family, the world would be a much, much better place.

A Final Word
With or without Jesus, the winter holiday season would still exist and thrive because it is a down and opportune time. Nature can’t be cultivated at this time in most regions of the northern hemisphere. The crops have all been harvested. Cold weather has taken hold along with the long, dark days. What else is there to do but relax and revel with friends and family? Jesus is most definitely not the reason for the season. To insist he is, rejects the pluralism that makes this world so very beautiful.

What the Na'vi Could Learn from Jake Sully

After Jake Sully completes his tests and becomes a man in the Omicataya tribe, he visits the trees of the ancestors with Netiriyi.

She tells him that now that he has become a man of "The People," he has the right to choose any tree from which to make his bow. Also, he may have his choice of any woman in the village.

Netiriyi, obviously suffering a heavy heart, names some of possible candidates that Jake might consider claiming as his mate.

After some playful jibing, Jake says, "I've already chosen, but she also needs to choose me."

Just as holds true on our own planet, no culture is perfect. No culture is rock solid noble and wise. The Na'vi may have been keyed into their planet, into their mother Eywa. But when it came to this practice of the Na'vi culture, it was obvious that women were considered secondary to men.

No one should be considered property that another can claim. This was perhaps the greatest lesson that the Na'vi could learn from Jake Sully.

Sci-Fi Is Crucial to Our Salvation

"Science Fiction is an existential metaphor that allows us to express the human condition. Isaac Asimov once said, 'Individual Science Fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of Science Fiction, its essence, has become crucial to our salvation if we are to be saved at all.'"
— Herbert Duncanson as Grell the robot in a mock post-show interview conducted on the set of "Wormhole X-Treme!," a show within a show on the episode "200" of "Stargate: SG-1" Season 10.

Mother's Is Back!

Last year, I reported the sad news that Mother's was stopping production of their signature classic cookie - Frosted Circus Animals.

After trying some other brand versions of the pink-and-white cookies, I was continuously left disappointed.

This year though, I have the good fortune of reporting that they are back! That's right. Just the other day I saw them on the shelf. Life just got a little sweeter.

Join me for Blog Action Day Tomorrow - Wednesday October 15, 2008

Tomorrow is Blog Action Day, a worldwide event in which thousands of bloggers write about the same topic. This year's issue is "Poverty." Participation is easy:

1. Commit your blog at Blog Action Day. (Remember to verify your email.)
2. Grab the small piece of code they provide.
3. Write and post your poverty-related content on Wednesday. Insert the code in your post.

Consider joining the thousands of voices to help create one loud voice crying out on the issue of poverty.

Is Michelle More Inspirational than Barack?

I ran across a very interesting article about a new sculpture to hit New York. Sculptor Daniel Edwards has released his nude bust entitled "Michelle Obama's Makeover for America."

The sculpture, a tasteful and respectful nude, was created with the idea that Michelle Obama is the embodiment of America's future. The sculpture makes her look like a Nubian Queen, though, so I wonder what the artist is trying to say here about America's future.

Also, he emblazoned a waving American flag across her chest. What's confusing about the flag is that Edwards has splashed the flag over the right side of her chest, not over her heart. Maybe the images I saw are just mirrored, but if they aren't, what was the artist trying to say by not placing the flag across her heart?

Should We Respect Our Elders?

Do the elderly really deserve our respect and admiration?
I was taught this my whole life, and believe it or not, I continue to hear this sentiment. Yet, "respecting your elders" seems to contradict another saying: "Respect is something you earn."

Have the elderly earned the youth's respect?
Before I continue, I must point out that I'm not talking about a general respect that you should show all living creatures. I'm talking about looking to the elder generation for their wisdom that has come from a life full of rich experiences.

With all our current crises ranging from healthcare to global warming, though, I wonder if the elder generation deserves our unquestioning respect. I say "no," our elders let us down in almost every way, especially in terms of our environment. They are squarely responsible for the mess we're in.

Plastic shopping bags
They are slowly being banned, starting with California's recent legislation. I remember when plastic bags first hit the shopping scene. They were all the rage, and still are.

As a Blockbuster customer, I am often asked if I would like a bag for my movie(s). Every time I'm asked this question, I chuckle. I mean, who would actually request a bag for their DVD? With no one in line behind me, I decided to interview the employee:

Me: "Do many people actually ask for a bag?"
Her: "Not many. Usually only if they have a ton of movies and some candy or soda."
Me: "Hmmm, do you ever have people who want a bag for one or two movies?"
Her: "Yeah, but not many."
Me: "Is there any specific demographic associated with those who do want a bag?"
Her: "What do you mean?"
Me: "You know... like an age, gender, or race."
Her: "Why do you want to know?"
Me: "Just wondering if my suspicions are correct."
Her: "Who do you think asks the most?"
Me: (Laughing) "Ah, I asked first..."
Her: (Looking around then pointing at an elderly man in the Drama section) "Mostly people like that."
Me: "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

Just as I suspected. The very same people I'm still told to this day to respect are stuck in ecologically destructive patterns. Yet, these are the people I'm supposed to respect?

The rampant materialism, the propagation of a disposable society, these things epitomize the Depression Era and Baby Boomer generations. The Baby Boomers are slowly coming around to changing their ways, but those from the Depression Era ironically shun anything labeled as good for the Earth.

As with any demographic, there are certainly exceptions. In fact, without the radicals of past generations, we might not have progressed as far as we have. But in general, the elderly have squandered their respect quotient long ago. What wisdom do we have to gain from a culture based on rampant materialism and voracious homogeneity?

Respect the elderly? I don't think so, at least not until they start showing the youth some in return.

Some Elders We Should Respect

• Allen Ginsberg - for changing and opening up the world of poetry for all
• Noam Chomsky - for expanding our understanding of linguistics
• Ralph Nader - for championing a change in our environmental policies
• Rosa Parks - for challenging the racial status quo
• Jane Fonda - for persisting to push for global causes
• Ilona Staller - for pushing our conceptions of moral backgrounds
  

Did You Find Yourself?

"People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates." — Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz

Should the US President Have Served in the Military?

Despite calls from his supporters, McCain continues to point out that he has served in the military and Obama has not.

Does it really matter if the future president has military experience?
Look at Bush. Sure, he served in the guard, but he doesn't have any measurable experience. While our boys were getting blown to bits in Vietnam, he was having a grand time in the Gulf of Mexico flying fighter jets and going AWOL. Yet, here he is - Commander in Chief.

Then there's McCain, a five-year prisoner of war. He was a victim of terrible atrocities, and I commend him for choosing to remain a POW so that his fellow soldiers could be released instead. Yet, he is a victim. It's always a bad idea to put the victim in charge, because their decisions won't be balanced or objective. It's like the female rape victim who will forever view every male as a potential rapist.

Despite these points, there's something bigger at stake when a nation of voters demand that their president have military experience.

To vote for a presidential candidate because he or she has military experience is to say that we are a warring (vs. peaceful) nation.

Why should a peaceful nation need a soldier as their president? Look at all other nations who choose to vote in a military commander or POW as their top-elected officials. How does that typically turn out? Can you say Peron, Castro, Stalin, Mugabe, Hitler...?

The point is this:
An understanding of how you can most effectively deploy the military is more important than having served in it.

Afghanistan or Iraq - Which really poses the bigger threat? Which is home to the Taliban and al-Qaida?

Obama knows where the real danger lives? McCain is too blinded by all the oil in Iraq to see the truth - even if he won't admit it.

Why McCain Will Lose

This post may sound a bit overly optimistic, but bear with me...

Why do so many people flock to Obama? Well, it's quite simple really; Obama is running on a campaign of change and hope.

The majority of US citizens no longer want our troops fighting in the Middle East. Those who do believe we should continue fighting tend to bow to the idea that our enemies are not in Iraq, but in the hopelessly under-soldiered country of Afghanistan. (Note: Ignorant exceptions do exist.)

Stepping beyond his initial cry to pull all troops out of the Middle East, Obama has listened to military commanders and consultants and conceded that a shift in our troops to Afghanistan is needed.

In the meantime, McCain is running on a double campaign of "steady on" and mudslinging.

Yet it won't be his views on the Middle East that destroys McCain's campaign. So far, he has parroted the policies of the current Administration.
It's clear most US citizens want a clear divergence from Bush Co.

In short, McCain offers zero change. Just look at how he's running his campaign. He offers no solutions, only blame. What's worse, he spends too much time trying to smear and mock Obama's campaign efforts and not enough time solidifying his own ticket.

Voters have had enough of politics as usual. They want the candidates to tell them what they plan to change, not how their opponent's policies will result in the complete devastation of our society.

McCain needs to start focusing on his own message, to start telling us how he's going to create measurable change in our nation. So far, he's fallen far short of anything even closely resembling such a campaign.

This post was inspired by an AP article titled "McCain rejects 'audacity of hopelessness' for Iraq" and was composed using ScribeFire.

Not All Who Appear in a Harry Potter Book Are Fictional

This last May, my younger son Baylin's class put on the "Night of the Notables." Each student chose a person from history, then they were to research that person, write a brief biography, draw a picture, put together a presentation board, write a bioriddle and put together a costume they can wear that depicts that historical figure. Then, with only a couple weeks of school left, they had a night when friends and parents would come to hear their bioriddles and guess who they were. In other words, "The Night of the Notables."

Baylin chose one of the most obscure figures he could: Nicolas Flamel.

If you just said to yourself that Nicolas Flamel is fictional, or that Harry Potter has warped his brain, you can join the many parents who tried to tell my son that his choice of notables was fictional. Most of the parents who didn't believe that Flamel existed all referred to JK Rowling's seminal work.

Now, I'm not going to pretend as though Harry Potter didn't influence his knowledge of Nicolas Flamel. But, "The Sorcerer's Stone" wasn't the book that inspired his decision to report on this near-legendary figure. Nope. It was "The Alchemyst" by Michael Scott (no, not Steve Carrell's character from "The Office").

You see, many may have heard of alchemy. Many may have known that this ancient practice was indeed the predecessor to science as we know it today. What most people don't know is that, when it comes to alchemy, Nicolas Flamel is the most oft cited practitioner and scholar on the subject.

For all the doubters, all who may still be shaking their heads, go pay a visit to his grave in Paris. If that doesn't convince you, go visit his home.

To get back to the point of this post, I recommend that you read David Colbert's exploration of all the historical and mythological subjects that Rowling used to create the world of Harry Potter: "The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts." You never know. After reading the book, you might experience an even deeper level of enjoyment the next time you read a Harry Potter novel.

AP Studies Youth News Consumption

Alan at "Reflections of a Newsosaur" shares the findings of a recent study conducted by the Associated Press. For those who might not know, the AP is the world's largest newsgroup. Most of the stories you read when you occasionally pick up a newspaper are pulled from the newsgroup's wire.

With newspapers facing massive subscription losses, AP wanted to find out if young people took in their news differently. The assessment was that "Jon Stewart is the archetype of next-generation journalism." Why? Because Jon has the ability to spin negative news into palatable news using humor. Check out Alan's story, and let him know what you think about the study's results.

I found this phrase most illustrative of the whole situation:

"the Polaroid-packing team"

Did you know that Polaroid is officially outdated? That's right, as of late last year, Polaroid no longer manufactures their patented film anywhere in the world. Polaroid cites the prevalence of digital camera technology as the main reason for plummeting sales. See any parallels between Polaroid and print media?

Here's a question for you:
Where do you get most of your news, and if you don't pay attention to the news, why not?

Listen up, PETA. Eating Veggies Is Murder!

I've recently learned some pretty lousy things about PETA.

• PETA kills most of the animals they "rescue."
• PETA calls for the euthanasia of all Pitbulls and Rotweillers because they deem them dangerously aggressive.
• PETA is actually more concerned with pushing a vegan agenda than in saving the lives of animals.

I'm not going to say that PETA hasn't done some terrific things, but the last point is very hypocritical. PETA likes to run on the platform that it is important for us to honor all life, yet they promote veganism.

Studies in the seventies revealed that although plants are not able to speak to us, their "energy fields" tell us a different story. One story (not available on the web, sorry) details an experiment in which researchers strapped some monitors like the ones hospital patients get to the leaves of banana tree plant. The place they set up the experiment was in a shared office space. The two co-workers had to take on an emotional role: one loving and gentle, the other angry and threatening. The monitor responded to each of their presences in distinctly different ways.

When the kind worker entered, the plants monitor surged in a smooth and pleasant way. In fact, the plant even seemed to anticipate the kind worker's eventual arrival. When the angry worker would enter, though, the plant's readings indicated panic.

The angry worker was instructed to carry a grudge against the plant which he would frequently vocalize. One day, the angry worker got so angry at the plant, he grabbed a pair of scissors and threatened to chop down the plant altogether. The plant's readings went out the roof, climbing with each increase in the worker's anger. The kind worker stopped him, then spoke soothing words to the plant and it's panicked readings dropped back to a place of peace.

Now, these readings could be due to all sorts of variables, but it would seem as though plants do indeed possess some sort of "conscious being." With that said, how can PETA claim to want to honor all life yet live out their lives eating plants.

Now, I know, we all have to eat something. But, I guess that's my point. Life is dependent on the death of other life. That's the way of the Universe, at least on our plane of existence. It's called the circle of life. One thing must die so that another may live. It's the harsh reality of our world. Just because something doesn't have eyes or move on its own doesn't mean it isn't a living being.

Music 2.0 - A Paradigm Shift in the Music Industry?

Check out Robin Good's latest post, where he discusses Gerd Leonhard's book and concept: Music 2.0.

If you don't want to read through the copy, be sure to watch Gerd's video. I think the greatest point Gerd makes is when he says:

First we tried DRM, but nobody was admitted to make copies or to share the music, which is just a very ludicrous idea that you cannot share music, which is the essence of music.

More Mistakes Foodies Make

As a continuation of "Are Foodies Fascists?," MSN posted an article that slaps hardcore foodies in the face, not to mention all the mindless followers who like to declare: "But, it's organic!"

To read the article, click here.

Netflix and Blockbuster Save the Post Office

For the past decade, we've witnessed the Postmaster General raising the price of stamps. The United States Post Office has cited a decline in demand for good old fashioned letter service as the main reason. With less people sending snail mail, less money flows in to maintain daily operations.

Now, forget the fact that direct marketing campaigns flood our boxes with junk, or that magazine subscriptions seem to be on the rise. Then there's the rise in online shopping (and no, UPS and FedEx are not the only companies delivering the goods). However, a new trend that is hitting video stores where it hurts may just be bringing new life to the postal service: DVD mailers!

The two top services are Netflix and Blockbuster, with the former touting "over a billion movies delivered to homes" in radio ads. That equates to a lot of cash for the post office.

Are Foodies Fascists?

What Is a Foodie?
You know them, those people who fuss over every little aspect of their food consumption. No. I'm not talking about those on a diet. I'm talking about foodies. What is a foodie? Wikipedia defines foodie as...

...an informal term for a particular class of aficionado of food and drink...[particularly, they] are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news.

The Wikipedia entry doesn't fully delve into the extremes and the current trends of "foodism." It's much more elitist and bullying than merely loving food. I'll get into that soon, but first, the positive roles that foodies play.

The Upshot of Foodies
On the surface, foodies genuinely strive to be the change they see in the world. They generally choose to eat only foods that are grown according to environmentally responsible practices. Such practices include:

• Certified Organic
• Low food miles/ locally grown
• Fair Trade

All of these are truly admirable reasons to choose the foods they eat. The current agricultural and food production models are starting to see the light and adapting these practices. Higher consumer demand is the surest way to cause companies to rethink their approach. For this, foodies are commendable types.

The Downshot of Foodies
Despite their admirable choices, however, foodies are not so admirable in the way they voice their choices. Rather, it's despicable at the fascist way they promote their lifestyle. If you know a hardcore foodie, you know what I'm talking about. They consistently throw out the words "organic," "local," and "fair trade" the same way a fashionista throws out words like "Prada" and "Armani." And just like those who throw out high-cost designer names, foodies announce their eating choices with the same class-superiority as the ultra-rich who can afford to pay fifteen grand on a pair of pants. The only thing is, most of these foodies can't really afford to eat the way they do, or if they can, it's just one more example of how the rich like to flex their buying power and attempt to make those with weak wallets feel inferior.

The Tyranny of Foodies
Why am I in such a tizzy about foodies? I read a recent article in The Week that truly pissed me off. "Breaking Free of the Tyranny of Foodies" details how British cookbook author, Delia Smith, has been berated en masse by foodies the world around for her TV show, How to Cheat at Cooking. Her show is aimed at working mothers who want to cook filling and tasty meals in a hurry. Specifically, she defended poultry factories as necessary for providing an affordable source of protein to impoverished families.

Now, I'm not defending the practice of factory-style farms. I find them deplorable, but she does make a good point. As a father of two sons with large appetites, I find it hard not to accept her logic. After all, I could spend $5 on a couple pounds of factory chicken and fill their bellies, or I could opt to stretch a quarter pound of all-natural, free-range, grain-fed, certified organic chicken and listen to them cry over an empty stomach.

Maybe if I were wealthy, I'd take a different tack on this issue. I live in an extremely wealthy town. Despite the high-level of self-professed liberalism, most people have no sympathy for poor families. The common response to familial financial woes is always the same: "If you couldn't afford to have kids, you shouldn't have had them."

Original Foodies and Babies
These well-to-do/career-oriented foodies pushed child-bearing off until they had achieved their wealth, often holding off until their forties. Have these overly health-conscious couples neglected to read the statistics that it's not wise to have children after age 40, and that 35 is pushing it?

I wish I could easily find the stats, but this came down from the National Health Institute. For each year, the likelihood of carrying a child to full term decreases, complications with birth occur and an alarmingly high percentage of those children being born display a whole array of physical and mental health problems - most predominately being learning disorders and schizophrenia.

Did I just get off track here? No, not at all.

Look at the ages of most foodies; look at their lifestyles. These are the same people who were amateur gourmets who latched on to the idea of being a foodie. While they were eating only the best food and focusing on their health, they were looking down their noses at all the plebes who were nothing but a bunch of twenty-something out-of-control breeders. The plebes were seen as thoughtless, stuffing themselves and their children full of garbage because they can't afford to eat "real" food.

In the meantime, they selfishly put off childbearing until they enter their sunset years, when their bodies are least able to provide the oh-so necessary nutrients to their fetuses. I have not known one single woman who waited until age 40 or older to have a child that didn't experience a whole slough of complications throughout their pregnancies and beyond.


Young Foodies and Children
Conversely, more and more young people are turning into foodies, too. And, why shouldn't they? After all, it makes them more socially and environmentally responsible, right? I've seen these parents feeding their kids the same foodie diet as themselves, which usually means much smaller servings. They equate their children's slim figures as healthy figures, but if they're always hungry, the parents are actually starving their kids. Sure, feed kids healthy, but feed them lots. Then get them out to play. That's what kids need, lots of healthy food and exercise.

Foodie Superiority: Fact- or Fad-Based
It's the superiority of foodies that is the most alarming, though. In fact, a large portion of foodies cross the line into pure fascism. Anyone who doesn't adhere to their belief system is berated and belittled into believing that they are either idiots or monsters. The fact of "foodism," though, is that it's nothing but a fad-driven lifestyle.

Started as early as 1984 with The Official Foodie Handbook by Paul Levy, Ann Barr and Mat Sloan, foodies were just amateur gourmets. It was all about the taste and preparation of the food. Over time, though, the practice extended into knowing everything about the food you were about to eat. Foodies are actually being criticized these days for caring less about the taste of the food than its history.

Foodies Are Often Wrong
Health did make it's way in there, and it's no surprise that foodies were at the frontline when "all-natural" and "soy" made its way into the forefront as the leading ways to eat healthy. Then it was discovered that "all-natural" was typically deceptive and not true, so they put more emphasis on "organic."

Let's not forget about the soy craze of the early-mid 1990s. Soy was all the rage, and foodies were on the frontlines again. Then it was released that not only were a lot of people allergic to soy, but that soy farmers were not rotating their crops and depleting the soils of their land to meet demand. (Did you know that soy taxes soil unlike most all other crops?)

Foodies Are Self-Proclaimed Snobs
Let's not forget the hoity-toity qualities of foodies. They used to favor brands from around the world. Whether eating organic grapes from Chile or bottled water from the mountains of France, it seemed as though "foreign" was synonymous with"high quality."

Recently, my son had a cheese party and one of his guests had their parents bring some "French cheese," specifically referring to an imported cheese from France. This family is very uppity this way, heavily influenced by brands. After much to do, everyone liked the 4 ounces of soft cheese that cost them $20, but they preferred the other selections more. The cheese itself didn't impress me, as it had the same consistency and taste as Velveeta. The type of cheese in question was Port Salut.

Foodies Are Brand-Slaves
When it comes down to it, foodies are really just brand-slaves. They are exactly the same as the sheep who think that anything that comes from McDonald's, Nike, or Starbucks is the best - solely because it has that brand name. Speaking of Starbucks: Does anyone else find it ironic that the same foodies who have been denouncing the coffee giants are the same ones who helped them reach their status?

Foodies CAN Change the World
I don't think foodies are evil, just tyrannical, and not all of them are so bad. If more people cared as deeply about where their food comes from, maybe we could finally switch food production models to more healthy paradigms.

My problem with foodies is that most of them push their agenda on a platform of "I'm superior and there's something wrong with you for not being just like me." That never worked with ultra conservatives or fudamentalists; why should it work for foodies?

The Death of Daylight Savings?

In the US, we have this crazy time switch that occurs every Spring and Fall, known inaccurately as Daylight Savings Time. Each March, we “spring ahead,” setting our clocks ahead one hour shortly after the witching hour of a new week. Come October, we then “fall back” into non-DST time.

Although the human race has adjusted to the shifting daylight, the DST that most Americans have come to know more as a reason to show up late or early for work was formerly adopted in 1918. Many reasons exist for the adoption of DST, mainly related to actually reducing energy consumption and accommodating an agricultural-based society. Ben Franklin was a primary proponent for the practicing, citing high savings on the fuel used for lighting. What was it ole Ben said? “Early to bed, early to wise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”

Our world is different these days, and a recent intensive study performed by the University of California has shown that DST actually does the opposite of providing any sort of savings. In fact, the opposite is true. (To read the article, click here.)

Ever since its inception, DST has received many calls for its discontinuation. In our current society, it only makes sense to do away with DST. Think about how many people actually work a 9-5 job. Not as many as we would be led to believe. Shifts range round the clock, and the increase in international work schedules makes time of day or daylight irrelevant.

Perhaps most relevant is the current US recession (which economists can’t seem to agree upon). With the dollar already stretched to its limits, this costly and useless practice erroneously known as Daylight SAVINGS Time may finally wind up on the chopping block.

To-Do Lists

Those who frequently blog through Blogger probably already know about Sasha Cagen's blog and book, "To-Do List."

Her premise is simple: send her your to-do lists. Sasha didn't expect such a huge response to her request and soon wound up with a closet full of lists. As she looked at them, she realized that a to-do lists speaks miles about the person who creates them. With all those lists clogging up her closet space, she thought, "What a shame not to share these with the world."

The result is a blog and a book (blook?).

Here's another example of how a simple thought can transform into a great cultural project. Sasha joins the ranks of other simple innovators like Frank at PostSecret and the guys at Found and Dirty Found, who also ask for submissions.

Frank asks for people to send in artsy postcards that share a secret they've wanted to get out. His concept coincided with helping out the Suicide Hotline, which knows that just getting "it" out can save a person's life. What's resulted is a series of books and speaking tours.

The guys at Found produce a magazine featuring all the submissions they've received... usually scraps of paper that the submitter has found while out and about. Of course, a fair share of those found items tend to be of a raunchy nature, so they launched a second magazine called Dirty Found.

From Sasha to Frank to the guys at Found, these pioneers are taking simple things from everyday people and spotlighting them in ways that exemplify that people, everyday people, are who create culture.