Tuesday, January 26, 2016

It's All About Energy

I think the topic of energy is fascinating. I'm amazed at how energy is always being exchanged and converted through billions of interactions around us every day. I'm the furthest thing from a scientist, but I do recall learning about kinetic and potential, or stored, energy. These can include chemical, electrical, magnetic, radiant, thermal, mechanical, nuclear, and other energy forms. I also remember learning the first law of thermodynamics which states that energy can not be created or destroyed, but it can be changed from one form to another.

It's easy to see large scale energy interactions like water freezing or being converted to steam, but some people fail to acknowledge the finer energy interactions in our lives that are not always visible to the naked eye. Everything we do involves energy interactions. This includes our thoughts, the words we speak, the music we listen to, media we watch, and the food we eat.

I used to be much more closed minded about body energy and dismissed it as a touchy-feely topic but, as I have aged, I have become more sensitive to that kind of energy. Whether or not you believe in chakras, meridians, auras, etc., it is hard to deny that we are always absorbing or giving off vibrations to or from our environment and others. Have you ever come across someone you just didn't seem to click with because you felt they gave off "bad vibes"? Have you been attracted to others easily due to their pleasant personalities?

The environments we submerge ourselves in can produce either positive or negative energy interactions. Examples of positive exchanges of energy include thinking pleasant thoughts or recalling good memories, giving and receiving kind greetings or compliments, enjoying music you like, a hug, or a massage. Negative energy exchanges include things like getting a sunburn, incurring injuries, dealing with criticism and contention, verbal assaults, or experiencing physical trauma.
What kind of energy do you surrounded yourself with? What kind of energy do you transmit to others? Are you a person who criticizes, complains, and harasses others or one who edifies, enlightens, and encourages? We can choose to surround ourselves with either positive or negative energy. When it comes to living and interacting with other people, my 1st scientific law of productive energy can be summed up as "Don't be a jerk and be nice to others." You are welcome world. I guess I'd better get ready for a Nobel Prize nomination.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Hoverboard Clarification

Since Christmas I've heard quite a buzz about hoverboards in the news. Most of the news stories about these popular Christmas gifts involve people getting hurt from nasty falls and some cheaper models had even exploded or caught on fire. That is a big concern for the public but not nearly as alarming as the fact that people are actually calling these devices "hoverboards".

Alleged hoverboard

I'm a little embarrassed to confess that when I heard all the talk in the news about hoverboards I thought "finally technology is coming around". I assumed these devices would be super expensive and big and bulky and noisy if they were actually going to allow a person to balance on them while they literally flew a foot or two off the ground.

THIS is a hoverboard
Eventually I realized that what people were referring to as hoverboards were actually a bunch of short, wide skateboards with only two wheels. A hoverboard should be a board that levitates and actually hovers above the ground, not just a small Segway that has been amputated at the shins.

I didn't realize it until now but I have a hovercraft. It hovers just as good as all the new hoverboards but mine can actually hold 12 people! The new advances in technology are amazing....and so is society's ability to redefine words.
High Capacity Hoverboard
In the future please refer to these popular transportation gadgets as "two wheeled rolling balance platforms" so you don't spread false hope to the world. Thank you.