Bending Time

I've always been facinated by studies and articles about how language frames the way a person perceives the world and structures thought-- including the way we perceive time. Here's an interesting video about how technology has begun to shape the way we process time:

Macy's APA Heritage Month Fashion Event

Come join Vivian Lee of NY1 and ME, the Macy's NY APA Heritage Month fashion expert for a little fashion show and discussion about how Asian Americans influence fashion today.

Let the Feathers Fly!

Hundreds of people armed with pillows of all types descended upon Union Square on Saturday April 3rd for International Pillow Fight Day.

If you need a fun, free way to get out some aggression, keep your eyes peeled, this is a yearly event. There were a few simple rules, like your pillow must be soft and no feather pillows (it looks like people failed to abide by that one), but otherwise it was pretty much anything goes.

I'm going to be coughing up feathers for a week.

*P.S. Leftover Pillows (Abandoned) are collected to be used as bedding at local animal shelters. (source: Village Voice)

The Story of Stuff

After September 11, 2001, President Bush encouraged Americans to do what they could to contribute not by volunteering, not by praying, but by opening their wallets to stop the economy from crashing.

Yes.

The primary American value that the leader of our country upheld as a core means of rebuilding this country was consumerism-- that should tell us a little something about ourselves as Americans. After thousands of people died at the hands of extremists who went after us in part for those very reasons, President Bush's answer was to go out and spend money. It's no wonder that other societies see America as a fat, spoiled place whose MO is to take from the rest of the world.

Most people don't realize the true impact of this American value upon the rest of the world and the planet. Do you know where your stuff comes from? Why do you need more?

The only way to change it is to get educated. Watch: The Story of Stuff.

E-Recycling: A Public Service Announcement

For years I've had a number of dead or dying electronic devices sitting in my apartment that I couldn't bring myself to add to the city dump. Most electronic devices have components that are toxic if disposed of improperly, things that can poison the soil and leak into our water supply.

I thought abut donating them to a charity organization that might refurbish and sell them in their thrift stores, but after reading about the amount of donated items that actually do end up in a dump I knew I had to find a better alternative.

I first heard about the Lower East Side Ecology Center's e-recycling program while checking out external hard drives at Tekserve on 23rd street. A few times a year, the LES Ecology Center holds e-recycling weekends where they have volunteers collect e-waste from anyone who wants to come by their designated drop off points on certain days.


After collection the LES Ecology Center breaks down the electronics and recycles or disposes of the parts properly.

Check their website: http://www.lesecologycenter.org/ for more information, dates and locations.