Changing the World

Since the world we live in is such a precious and fragile place, we have to help protect and make it better as often as we can. Although this seems to be just an empty phrase, acting responsibly is something that each of us should do in order to bring the change. Every one of us play a vital part in helping doing that. As an example,  The Cooperative Community is one of those groups actively involved in the world changing, focusing its activity in three areas: combating climate change, tackling global poverty and inspiring young people. When it comes to combating climate change, they are amongst the world’s leading businesses, embracing everything from on-site renewable energy generation, to helping schools set up walking buses.

More specifically, The Cooperative Membership Fund is a grant scheme, which helps local communities in the UK. Thousands of clubs, community groups and local charities have benefited. The scheme is funded by generous members of the Cooperative donating some of their share of profits, which is then given away in the form of small grants. In order to qualify for a grant, projects must address a community issue, provide long term benefit to the community, support the values and principles of Cooperative, and be innovative. As stated by their representatives, the Cooperative has real values and true commitments, not just empty statements. There are some great stories happening in local communities and the Cooperative supports those stories in order to help them to happen.

As mentioned already, the Cooperative is amongst the world’s leading businesses when it comes to taking up the challenge of combating global climate change. During 2007, 99% of their electricity was sourced from renewable sources, such as wind and water power. For example, the Coldham Wind Farm in Cambridgeshire is a joint business venture owned by The Cooperative Group and Scottish Power. The electricity generated from this wind farm alone is enough to meet the equivalent electricity needs of over 9,000 homes in UK. Also, they often sent strong messages to world leaders that a safe and fair deal must be agreed to avoid dangerous levels of climate change and protect the world’s poorest. Fighting climate change is one of their investment priorities, with many of the projects such as the programme for green energy for schools or the one helping the schools to set up walking buses in order to reduce the carbon emissions by cutting down on car journeys.

In the end, if you want to find out more about how we're combating climate change and or to find out how you can get involved in climate change projects, all you have to do is to visit their website.

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Respect on the Road

AXA Respect On The Road is a campaign created in order to bring courtesy and respect back to British roads. Too many times you have the occasion to drive near angry drivers who talk disrespectful in the traffic blaming others around for situations perceived as problems. Even though some of them are harmless acting this way just for amusement, others are dangerous: horning, shouting, gesturing, and confronting other drivers, behavior which can possibly lead to violent endings.

The sad thing is that some angry drivers don't see their conduct as being bad. But if you think that this type of behavior is irresponsible, you are welcomed to share your experience as a driver on the Facebook campaign fanpage by hitting the ‘like’ button. You can visit also the dedicated website for this campaign, where you can find out the latest news on the campaign, you can share your driving experiences, you can get a quota for AXA Car Insurance, and even more.

In order to illustrate this campaign, AXA has also created two viral videos, the first  is called ‘Road Rage Kids’ and the second ‘Cab Cam’.

The first video is acted entirely by 5 year old kids who believe it's normal to behave in a completely disrespectful manner behind the wheel, attitude copied from their ignorant parents. The second video was created on the streets of London, in a black cab, giving people the chance to express their opinions about the way other people drive in or around London, as you can see also below:

I respect the road! What about you? Are you a calm or an angry driver?



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Quick Ways to Make Money?

Having in mind that I’ve spoken in my previous post about how benefic would be a nice and relaxing vacation, and also the need to put food on my family table or to pay bills, I came to the conclusion that this year, more than anytime, I need serious money. And when we speak about fast money, it’s not surprisingly that many people think that the Internet could be the answer.

There are lots of reliable possibilities that can lead to a fuller pocket, but definitely won’t make you rich. Even if you start from selling that old guitar you never play or those CDs you don't listen to anymore, the options are limited if you're short on time. But it’s not impossible! In order to make some extra money as soon as possible, take into consideration also the following possibilities: turn the old cans into cash by bringing them in to be recycled, use an options trading system, open a lemonade stand or turn your car into a moving advertisement. These are just a few quick ways of getting money, but not all of them. If you can dance, play music or tell jokes, you can become a street performer. You can also sell things you don’t need anymore online at web sites like eBay, Amazon and Craig’s list. Or you can start making cash with your blog, if you have one.

Playing with my Dog in the Backyard

Perhaps the biggest and most widely held misconception about dogs is the belief that they will be healthy and happy living only in the backyard. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Current studies in dog psychology show that dogs isolated in backyards are highly likely to develop serious behavioral problems that often result in euthanasia for the animal. And we don’t have to forget about the yard fleas, which can be very annoying when you allow your dog to enter in the house even if it is for a limited period of time.

Much like their wolf ancestors, dogs are very social. In fact, dogs are more social than humans and need to be part of human families. When you own a dog, you become the dog's pack and he wants to be with his pack. Forcing a dog to live outside with little or no human companionship is one of the most psychological damaging things a pet owner can do to a dog. This is the reason that I let my dog come inside and for which I spend a lot of time playing with my dog in the backyard. What about you?

Some Food Resolutions that I Plan for 2010

Since I’m at the beginning of a new year, I think it’s a good time to stop and reflect on, you guess it, my eating habits. And since I am trying to start a weight loss campaign thanks to the results of the rich menus from the holiday’s time (because, frankly, I want to avoid the behaviors that could lead me, in the end, to the necessity of having a liposuction), below I will share with you my basic diet resolutions for 2010.

Remove all refined foods. Refined foods can leach micronutrients from the body; contribute to risk of autoimmune disease, cancers, metabolic disorders and heart disease. So, yes! I will give them up: that bag of sugar, the vegetable oil and the bag of flour.

Enjoy more sunshine and increase the exercise frequency to four times a week. Enjoy the sunshine, because like most of the population, both children and adults, I suffer from deficient vitamin D level. And I will try also to increase my exercise frequency, even if it will be about biking, walking, running, squashing, bowling or weight training.

Follow strictly my diet. My weight level became to worry me a little in the last few months. But this is going to change, since I’m going to follow strictly my healthy diet.

No more office food. Even if it means that I have to bring my lunches from home. Sure, I said to myself; because I eat junk food only occasionally. But, occasionally is still too often.

Miscarea de rezistenta

Subscriu initiativei celor de la Jurnalul National probabil tot din dorinta de revedea in Romania educatie, bun simt, moralitate sau corectitudine...

Subscriu initiativei satul de superficialitate, ingamfare, rautate, prost gust, tupeu, incompetenta, mediocritate...

Subscriu initiativei satul sa tot resping comentariile cititorilor care scriu doar cu lol, 10x, np, omg, k, sal, pls, brb, dspr [mai trist este ca acest limbaj de messenger incepe sa-si faca simtita prezenta si in limba vorbita]...

Subscriu initiativei pentru ca Romania nu este tara manelistilor, nici a celor care ne fac de ras in Italia, Franta sau Spania, dar nici a baietilor de bani gata care pierd vremea in compania curvelor de Dorobanti...

Lipsa de…

Reintors de curand pe plaiurile mioritice de la un seminar concentrat pe acceptare [nu pe judecare], observ cu stupoare: lipsa de preocupare a binevoitorilor care ofera sfaturi gratuite doar din dorinta de a-si scoate la iveala propriile frustrari, lipsa de bun simt a doamnelor Ridzi si Udrea care mai organizeaza, din cand in cand, cate un dezmat pe bani publici si, nu in ultimul rand, lipsa de profesionalism a moderatorilor de emisiuni televizate care, pentru cateva puncte de rating in plus, le trec cu vederea invitatilor mistocareala deplasata, plina de marlanie. Rusine…

Foloseste-ti telefonul pentru o fapta buna

Cu un singur SMS trimis la 858, poti ajuta un copil cu probleme cardiace, care are nevoie de o interventie chirurgicala…

Momentan, in Romania, sunt prea putine centre in care pot fi operati si tratati copii cu astfel de probleme, iar in partea de sud a tarii nu exista nici un centru de cardiochirurgie pediatrica. La fostul spital Budimex [actualul Maria Curie] exista o aripa construita de curand, unde va functiona primul departament de chirurgie cardiaca din Bucuresti, dedicat exclusiv copiilor. Asociatia Inima Copiilor impreuna cu spitalul mentionat vor utila o sala de operatii si un salon pentru terapie intensiva postoperatorie. Dar pentru a se intampla cele de mai sus, este necesara suma de 500.000 EURO.

Poti dona si tu 2 EURO trimitand un simplu SMS la numarul 858. Desi pare un pas neinsemnat, in realitate, fiecare mesaj valoreaza mai mult decat iti poti inchipui. Eu am donat. Te astept si pe tine sa-mi spui ca ai facut la fel…

Hristos a inviat! In orice sms, oricat de ridicol sau nu ar fi

Ridicolul comunicarii? Sa trimiti la toata lista de contacte din agenda telefonului deja traditionalul [?] scurt mesaj scris, doar pentru ca asa se obisnuieste. Transformata parca intr-o competitie [de genul: tu cate ai primit?], exista mai nou un moment, in orice zi de sarbatoare, in care tot omul conformat la tendinta butoneaza de zor telefonul mobil pentru a trimite, pregatit sa si receptioneze, cat mai multe sms-uri. Si daca reusesti sa provoci, astfel, o bucurie, nu pare sa fie nici o problema. Dar daca esti bombardat cu zeci de mesaje din partea unor oameni pe care abia ii cunosti, sau daca mai detii eventual si doua sau trei telefoane mobile, nu pare sa fie tocmai in regula. Nu-i asa?

Insa in siuatia in care ne mai si indepartam putin de la semnificatia Sfintelor Sarbatori Pascale, atunci chiar nu face sens. Spre exemplu, vom lua urmatorul mesaj pe care l-am primit nu mai demult decat ieri: Ce face un cal intr-un lan de canabis? Paste fericit! Amuzant ce-i drept, dar parca nu este ce trebuie...

Oricum, eu va doresc ca lumina si caldura Pastelui sa va incalzeasca sufletele si sa va lumineze mintile. Hristos a inviat!

De ce ar trebui incurajat consumul de produse romanesti?

Am citit o chestie foarte interesanta pe site-ul produsin.ro [relansat de curand] conform careia, intr-o tara cu o populatie de aproximativ 21 milioane de oameni [ne referim la Romania, bineinteles], daca fiecare ar cheltui lunar 90 de lei pentru produse romanesti [in loc sa-i arunce pe cele produse in tari precum Italia sau Franta, ale caror firme au inregistrat vanzari record la noi in ultimii ani dar care inca nu au invatat sa faca diferenta intre romani onesti si tigani infractori] s-ar crea 680.000 de noi locuri de munca. Sa reflectam la acest aspect…

Si o prima sugestie [venita tot din partea site-ului mentionat ceva mai sus] ar fi Branza de Nasal maturata in grota naturala de la Taga, judetul Cluj, produs ce poate fi achizitionat din marea majoritate a supermarketurilor. Articolul intreg poate fi citit aici.

 Cat nefast exista in oficializarea unei relatii dintre doua persoane de acelasi sex?

Biserica versus drepturi civile? Sau traditie versus acceptarea relatiilor homosexuale?

Am citit de curand despre proiectul de lege al statului californian, prin care se interzice casatoria intre persoane de acelasi sex. Si asta dupa ce, acum ceva vreme, in acelasi stat, erau permise astfel de manifestari [ma refer, bineinteles, la legalizarea relatiilor]. Se pare ca, pana la urma, aproximativ 52%, parca, s-au manifestat impotriva casatoriilor amintite anterior, fapt ce a condus la ample manifestari ale cetatenilor americani neatrasi de persoane de sex opus, precum si la reactii masive din partea persoanelor publice [atat pro, cat si contra].

In ceea ce ma priveste, nu ma pot declara nici impotriva exprimarii libere [fie ea si sexuala], dar nici pentru sustinerea feluritelor orientari, cat de ciudate, argumentate doar de dorinta de a nu ingradi. Caci, cine stie? In lipsa acuta de afectiune, Domnul G. [evit sa folosesc un nume, cat de ipotetic ar fi, pentru a nu risca sa fiu acuzat de vre-un soi de discriminare si amendat de nu-stiu-ce organizatie non-guvernamentala si non-profit, pe deasupra] se poate gandi sa-si ia vreo caprita din ograda drept soata. Si nu mai putem comenta ca, de, daca suntem impotriva, avem orizonturi inguste…

Oricum, imi ramane doar sa militez pentru educatie sanatoasa primita de copii intr-un camin absolut normal si pentru conservarea adevaratelor valori. De orice fel. Este, pur si simplu, o parere personala!

 Am ales sa-mi placa Romania

Am ales sa-mi placa Romania! Nu pentru varietatea si bogatia atractiilor turistice, naturale, culturale sau istorice, nici pentru localizarea Romaniei la intretaierea mai multor drumuri europene unde, de-a lungul vremurilor, s-au intalnit vaste civilizatii… ci pentru simplul fapt ca este tara mea. Cu rate de inflatie si somaj ridicate, cu moneda nationala puternic devalorizata, cu o legislatie cazuta pe alocuri in ridicol, cu pusti care au schimbat drastic scara de valori, cu toate… cu bune si cu rele!