Conservatives and Normals . Com - The Blog

Global Warming

Sunday, June 29th, 2008

What Can I Do About It?

We all know that global warming is going to be a huge issue for future generations. What can we do about it now? I plan on tackling environmental issues more in the future when I get more help and support from people like you, but for now here’s a few things you can do to help.

1. Recycle

Here’s the one thing everybody needs to do and have been told they need to do, yet a lot of people still aren’t doing. I only started recycling my plastics a few months ago! A friend of mine has a plastic chest of drawers that he divides his recycling into. I haven’t gotten as far as he has into the recycling, but try to start doing what I’m doing and recycle those orange juice, milk, and other plastic containers that you are just throwing into the earth right now.

2. Buy energy efficient appliances and vehicles

One passive way to help reduce your energy usage, if you can afford to of course, is to buy energy efficient appliances. I purchased an energy efficient washer and dryer and I’m using less energy and the units will pay for themselves after a few years. I also purchased a hybrid car and am getting about 45 miles/gallon right now which is pretty nice considering the cost of fuel. You’ll be helping the environment and saving money. That seems like a no-brainer to me.

3. Bring awareness to your family and friends

Here’s a tricky one. How do you get someone to change a habit without making them think that you think you are “holier than thou?” What I advise is that you don’t try to get them to change, just make them aware of what you’re doing to make the world a better place to live for future generations! If they see what you’re doing, and maybe you can slip in a mention of how easy it is, they will want to follow your lead. They will NEVER change because you tell them the way they’re doing it is wrong and they are killing the environment. Just nonchalantly mention some of the things you’re doing to help the environment and hopefully they will follow your lead or ask how they can help you some day.

That’s just three things you can do with little effort. If you have ideas of what I can do with this website in order to bring awareness or make changes, or if you would like to help in any capacity with this website or in making positive changes, please submit your ideas here.

More »

Posted in Global Warming, Personal Development, Social Issues | No Comments »

Justice

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

What is Justice and is it Individual or Social?

“I DEMAND JUSTICE!!!!” Wait a second, maybe I don’t.

Webster defines “justice” as

The maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments.

Ok, so what is “just?” Once again, my favorite dictionary “Webster’s,” defines “just” as

Having a basis in or conforming to fact or reason.

Now, what can we extrapolate from these definitions. Well, what I derive from these definitions is that if you demand justice, you demand that someone administrate and provide what is fair either by adjustment of the circumstances, punishment, or reward based on conflicting claims in a manner that is conforming to fact or reason. Does that about hit the nail on the head for you?

Now you have to ask yourself this question… Do you want “total” justice? Do you want justice based on everything you’ve done in your life? Or on the other hand, do you only want justice for a particular event that has occurred in your life. I find it funny when recidivists “demand justice” when something bad happens to them. I can imagine them sitting in jail and somebody steals their soap dish and they whine and complain and “demand justice” that their soap dish be returned to them. Don’t get me wrong, I believe it would be just for them to receive their soap dish, but one could make the argument that their soap dish being taken was part of the administration of what was just for them to begin with. I know that is kind of an absurd scenario, but hopefully I’m getting my point across at least a little bit. What we do to get ourselves in the situation we are currently in is most of the time a result of the actions we took to get where we’re at.

Now, I also know there are many people that are falsely accused or that have a string of “bad luck” and do not deserve the things that have happened to them. Trust me… I know this all too well and I’m sure many of you have had things happen to you that were not justified as well. There are many of us that have a right to “demand justice.” However, I would also argue that if you live in the United States, the majority of us have already been treated more justly than many people in nations across the globe. Were we born with more rights than other people? If you read my last post about equality, I believe in what Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

In believing in that statement, I of course believe that every human being on the globe should be treated the same and as equal to the next person, unless they lose that right through actions of their own of course.

Do you want individual or social justice. What if one were to give you justice, but in providing justice for you, would have to provide injustice for two other people? Would you consider that justice for all parties? Obviously not. Would you still want justice in that scenario? I’m sure you’d be asking, “well, what is the punishment if I accept the injustice so two people could have justice?” and “what punishment would the two people receive if I were to receive justice?” I will stop that tangent before I go too far, I just want you to think about justice as being more than “what’s in it for me?”

After discussing justice and thinking about justice as an idea rather than a right, do you consider justice as a social or as an individual idea? Myself, I consider justice as both… I know, I’m taking the easy way out! But not really. Considering justice as a function of both an individual and a social idea really complexifies (copyrighted word ) the concept of what is justice. This complexity, amongst many other things such as IQ, is a reason that I am not a judge. I would find it very difficult to discern from the conflicting sides of arguments a just decision that would be the most just for the parties involved and the effect it would have on the parties that are connected to the two primary parties involved.

Each decision a judge makes is like throwing a pebble into a pond. The pebble serves as the parties that are directly affected by the judges decision. The judge decides where into the pond to throw the pebble. However, once the decision as to where to throw the pebble has been made and the judge renders his decision and tosses the pebble, the events that follow are now out of the judges hands. It’s up to the judge to try and foresee what and whom his decision will effect in the future and make his decision based on that information and foresight. Now, when the pebble hits the pond, many other people will be effected by the decision the judge has made, or the ripple from that pebble. Is that ripple flowing across the pond doing the most justice to society as a whole, or did the pebble only provide justice to the people that were directly involved in the matter. After thinking about how difficult it would be to make those decisions all I can say is, Judges, I salute you.

More »

Tags: Politics, Social Issues
Posted in Politics, Social Issues | 3 Comments »

3 Reasons to Stop Drinking Alcohol

Friday, June 20th, 2008

Here’s 3 Reasons to Not Drink

1 - It’s Bad For Your Health!

I find it funny all of the studies that argue that drinking 1 glass of wine, or having 1 drink a day is good for your health. To me, that’s like saying having one cigarette a day is good for your health. Here’s a better idea than having a glass of wine a day in order to stay healthy, how about eating healthy and exercising? It appears to me that we need to justify our addiction to alcohol by saying it’s good for your health if drank in moderation. Guess what… so is water. The reality is this, alcohol is bad for you and it doesn’t take a genius to understand that fact.

2 - It’s Expensive

Another reason to quit is the financial aspect. If you buy one mixed drink at a restaurant you’ll pay about $4. If you eat out 3 times a week you’ve spent $12 on alcohol (assuming you had a drink with each meal of course). Multiply that by 52 weeks in a year and you’re spending $624/year on something that’s not good for your health to begin with. If you drink more than 3 drinks/week, do the math and see how much you’re wasting on this product.

3 - It Can Cause You to Do or Say Stupid Things

I hate to admit it, but yes, I’ve been “drunk” before. As a matter of fact, I used to drink a lot in my early 20’s. When I got “drunk” I thought I was funnier and more attractive to women. The truth of the matter is that I just thought I was funnier and more attractive. The reason I thought this was because the people around me were drunk too! So if I told a joke, they probably thought it was that much funnier because they were drunk, not because the joke was that much funnier. I also found myself waking up the next day thinking, “man, I wish I wouldn’t have said or did that!”

Why Only 3 Reasons?

Well, do you need more? It’s bad for your health, it’s expensive, and it causes you to do and say stupid things. I don’t know why a person would need more reasons than that unless they just wanted to make their list sound “official.” Like a top 5 or top 10 list. I don’t like making a list longer than it needs to be to make my point. If 3 reasons is all I need, than that’s all I’ll use. You may think of more reasons for yourself to stop drinking alcohol, but these are my top 3 why I think people should stop drinking. Focus on taking care of your health and making positive changes in your self and your society. If you have time, read my post “Home is Where the Heart Is,” where I talk a little bit about growing your spirituality… without “spirits.”