Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Synthetic Biology: A Revolutionary Technology

  
     Humanity is undergoing a technological revolution the likes of which has never been recorded in history. It is true that humanity has more to accomplish as well. There is no limit to what the human race can accomplish. It is only a matter of time before another paradigm shift is introduced to humanity which will enable the process of progress to accelerate even further.

A new science is emerging as scientists learn more about how the genomes of organisms operate. Instead of mastering the binary-code that is the basis of the technological revolution, scientists are learning how to master DNA. DNA is what the building blocks of life are made of. According to the forensic science expert, Professor Ian Shaw, "DNA is an enormous, complex molecule found in the nuclei of all cells in the body. It carries the genetic code and is responsible for passing information on from one generation to another."(1) Individual sections of DNA code for specific proteins. Proteins are required to build and repair body tissue. Proteins have other crucial functions in the body as well. Enzymes and hormones are proteins. Without DNA, which is the foundation of protein synthesis, humans would never exist on Earth.


Since DNA is such an important molecule, scientists in the field of synthetic biology have been working to unlock the potential of DNA for use in society. In May 2010, scientists were able to create the first bacteria strain from man-made DNA. According to Dan Vergano of USA TODAY, "The long-anticipated advance, reported in the Journal Science, is a $40 million milestone in the nascent field of 'synthetic biology' and points towards a future of designer microbes manufacturing fuels, chemicals and materials." (2) By manipulating DNA, scientists are able to essentially program organisms such as bacteria. In the future, scientists definitely will be able to program organisms to manufacture alternative fuels that will replace the fossil-fuels that is polluting the air everyone on Earth breaths.

     Speaking of alternative fuels, the study team that worked to create the first bacteria strain hopes to repeat its success in algae as a step to producing chemicals from engineered microbes. "This is not life from scratch" because  "[they] are taking advantage of 3 billion years of evolution to transplant a genome into a cell." (2) The possibilities that the engineering of DNA introduces is endless. It is only a matter of time that the field of synthetic biology leaves a large mark on human history.


Sources

(1)  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/408202.stm

(2)  http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2010-05-21-genome21_ST_N.htm

Monday, November 8, 2010

Human Rights


In different places around the world, there are many different levels of human rights. Some places are better off then others. We should all look out for our fellow brothers and sisters around the world. Many people mistreated for their race, color, religion or culture. Human rights are rights and freedoms to which every human being is entitled to. "Bahá'u'lláh teaches that an equal standard of human rights must be recognized and adopted. In the estimation of God all men are equal; there is no distinction or preferment for any soul in the dominion of His justice and equity." - Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - 'Abdu'l-Baha Section, pp. 240-241

Here's a video on Bahá'í Human Rights.


The Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuJ_x_EpKyc



The People With No Camel


And now, here is a video about something that many people know very little about. This video is about the extraordinary. It is nothing but extraordinary and heartfelt by millions of people across the globe.

The People With No Camel is a piece of history. It has an importance that the rest of humanity will only realize in due time. Knowledge is a gift bestowed only on those who are willing to know.

A Video That Everyone Can Relate To

Click on This to Watch the Movie



Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Negative Effects of C02 and a Simple Solution

The world has constantly been under numerous threats, natural disasters, war, or simple prejudices. One of the most ignored and important issues today is the continuous problem of the excessive amount of C02 in our ecosystem. Although our ecosystem needs this molecule for numerous reasons, we must remember that anything in excess will destroy the world. In other words, moderation is key in all interactions. For example, if a man were to consume 1 oz. of water in one sitting then his body would accept this beverage, however if this same man were to consume his own body weight or even half of his body weight of water then the man would most likely pass away. The same can be said of our ecosystem, for although we need C02 an excessive of amount of it will only hurt us.

Due to human activities in the past 150 years we have been experiencing a large amount of C02 released into the air. In the 1850’s the concentration of C02 in our air was approximately 280 ppm and in 1998 is currently 364 ppm. The increase in carbon dioxide is largely due to the increase in the number of environmentally irresponsible factories, dirty power plants, and cars on the road. As humans, the larger our population becomes, the larger the demand for products becomes; and as a result of this, the amount of fossil fuels being used must increase to meet this demand. Currently 22% of the world’s C02 is from man and only increasing day by day.

Although carbon dioxide may consist of a large portion of the percentage of air in our atmosphere it still can affect us negatively in numerous ways. The world must realize that even though C02 assists with photosynthesis of plants to make sugars and other aspects of life; there is also a point where carbon dioxide can be in excess. Studies have shown how plants will fail to photosynthesize properly, when CO2 is in excess, which is likely to happen with our large emission of CO2. Mankind still has to achieve a moderate level of C02 emissions, or the world will eventually suffer from an excess amount of CO2 in our ecosystem.

Some of the negative effects of C02 are those of global warming. It is largely due to the fact that many scientists say that climate change is merely part of a universal cycle that is caused by miscellaneous things such as solar cycles and revolutionary patterns of the earth around the sun. Many people from various backgrounds try to keep discrediting the theory and automatically omitting it as a possible outcome. The greenhouse effect is a theory which in fact actually helps mankind in a sense because it warms the Earth by trapping sunlight (heat) in the greenhouse gasses (C02, hydrogen) and preventing an ice age from occurring. However, since there is no moderation in the way humankind releases these emissions, all of humanity must suffer through a disaster bound to be heading our way, for although hydrogen is one of the greenhouse gasses, C02 contributes 50% — 60% of global warming. In turn, global warming is suspected of causing an increase in storm activity, melting of the ice caps, and other environmental problems.

As mankind advances, the entire world must realize that unless moderation of the C02 in the atmosphere is achieved, there will be countless disasters to come. Although they are not currently manifested, there can be no denying that an excess of C02 will eventually harm our current ways of life. Although the effects of CO2 may not seem apparent currently, once an extreme concentration of C02 exists in the atmosphere, it will harm us all. Therefore, let's put away the notion that there is no alternative to fossil fuels. Instead, let's act moderately not only in our amount of C02 being emitted, but also in the way we act and think. By living life in moderation, it is creating not only a healthy world but also a peaceful humanity.

Monday, August 9, 2010

What Do You Think?


Today, we are living in a world that demands new strategies to survive. Energy is a very big topic worldwide. Please share your ideas about what the world should do to solve its problems.

For example, should we use farm-grown energy like ethanol? Should we continue to search our planet for more oil?

Should we invest in more-elaborate alternative energies like solar, wind, and geothermal energies?

We want your input. Please comment below this post.





Monday, August 2, 2010

Wolfram|Alpha - The Computational Knowledge Engine

So many innovations have sprung from the Internet and the World Wide Web. From email to social networking sites to blogs like this one, the web has significantly strengthened communications around the world while spreading information. Just over a year old, Wolfram|Alpha, another web innovation, has already revolutionized access to computational knowledge.

What is Wolfram|Alpha? W|A is not, as some call it, a search engine. Steven Wolfram, creator of W|A, calls it a computational knowledge engine, as it does not just puke back sites that may have answers, such as Google. Backed by twenty years of research, W|A utilizes a database of curated data from expert sources and trillions of algorithms to directly give you the answers. The main goal of W|A is "to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone" and "to collect and curate all objective data; implement every known model, method, and algorithm; and make it possible to compute whatever can be computed about anything."

The numerous categories that W|A separates its data is impressive as well. Categories include mathematics, statistics and data analysis, physics, chemistry, engineering, web and computer systems, units and measures, dates and times, socioeconomic data, health and medicine, culture and media, and people and history.

W|A's potential is perhaps the most exciting of all. Popular Science magazine identified W|A as the "Best of What's New" Grand Award winner of 2009, while W|A had only existed for eight months. In some schools around the world, W|A is being used by students and teachers alike to enhance academic learning. But W|A, as well as computational sciences in general, is still in its infancy. In 50 years, W|A will not only have much more data and algorithms. W|A could be a common tool of everyday life, used by schools, businesses, government, and perhaps even the majority of internet users. One way W|A has already begun to do that by enabling web developers to create widgets that only perform specific calculations and add them to their website.

All in all, W|A may play in the future an enormous role in not only computing answers to questions but also in educating and putting professional knowledge into the hands of people of every race, ethnicity, religion, class, and country.












Part 1: An Intro to Wolfram|Alpha by Stephen Wolfram








Part 2: An Intro to Wolfram|Alpha by Stephen Wolfram



Friday, July 23, 2010

The Ruhi Books

The members of Bahá'í Point have now made it possible for people around the world to access, view, download, and share the Ruhi Books online. The Bahá'í Point Group has also offered to help facilitate Ruhi Book Study Circles. 


Please Click on the page in this blog that is designated for the Ruhi Books. You will be able to access the Ruhi Books from there. Also, clicking on the picture of Ruhi Book 1 at the bottom of this post would suffice.


What Are Study Circles?




The term study circle has become common terminology in the Bahá'í Faith to describe a specific type of gathering for the study of the Bahá'í teachings, with an emphasis on "promoting the well-being of humanity."[1]
Study circles are a form of distance learning designed to systematically bring education about spiritual concepts to the grassroots level. Because they are intended to be sustainable and reproducible on a large scale, study circles shy away from formally taught classes, opting instead for participatory methods. They are usually led by a tutor whose role is not to act as an expert but rather to facilitate the rhythm and pace of the study circle. In this way, attendees of study circles are expected to become active participants in their own learning process.
Another foundational principle of study circles is a heavy emphasis on the Bahá'í writings as a means of finding unity of vision and action by focusing on the essentials of Bahá'í belief.
At the present time, the most common curriculum used in study circles is one that was originally developed at the Ruhi Institute in Colombia but is now used in Bahá'í communities all over the world. Because of its origin, most Bahá'ís refer to this curriculum as the Ruhi sequence or Ruhi materials. Additional courses used by study circles vary from country to country and include the "Fundamental Verities" and "Core Curriculum" materials developed in the United States, among others.

Notes

  1. ^ The introduction to 'Reflections on the Life of the Spirit' states that the Institute's purpose is "to use the courses as means of serving the Cause and promoting the well-being of humanity." (p. 1)

References

  • Ruhi Foundation (reprinted 2003), written at Colombia, Book 7: Walking Together on a Path of Service, Ruhi Institute, West Palm Beach, Florida: Palabra Publications, ISBN 1890101079

Author's note: The description above was copied from Wikipedia.

CLICK ON ME!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Artificial Intelligence

Computers these days are getting smaller, yet their power is increasing at an exponential rate. However, as technological aspects of life improve, the grasp of materialism tightens on the hearts of mankind. Artificial intelligence, in particular is a growing scientific field and obsession. It has been predicted by artificial intelligence scientists that within only a few decades, computers will have surpassed the processing power and cognitive capabilities of human beings many times over. Some have said that before this century is finished, a single computer will have the processing power of nine trillion human brains!

Now, this may be exaggerated and a bit overly optimistic. Nevertheless, the prospect is quite possible and brings some intriguing questions to mind. Will computers or robots ever have consciousness? If so, should they be granted the same rights as humans? Could the human race be eventually taken over by ingenious, self-aware machines? Indirect answers to these questions can all be found in Some Answered Questions by 'Abdul-Baha. When demonstrating the proofs and evidences of the existence of God, 'Abdul-Baha states that:

"It is certain and indisputable that the creator of man is not like man because a powerless creature cannot create another being. The maker, the creator, has to possess all perfections in order that he may create.

Can the creation be perfect and the creator imperfect? Can a picture be a masterpiece and the painter imperfect in his art? For it is his art and his creation. Moreover, the picture cannot be like the painter; otherwise, the painting would have created itself. However perfect the picture may be, in comparison with the painter it is in the utmost degree of imperfection."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 3)

Humans are obviously not perfect in any way, let alone all ways. Thus, man is incapable of creating an artificial intelligence that possesses consciousness and self-awareness. Moreover, machines do not have free will like humans. All machines are limited by their physical design and their programming, their hardware and their software. They do and will unhesitatingly comply with all reasonable orders given to them if programmed properly and as long as viruses don't interfere. Unlike humans, machines don't take the time to consider if an act is morally right or not. Machines, somewhat like animals, can't go against their programming or instincts, although animals are capable of some voluntary actions. A major distinction in the Baha'i Faith between human beings and animals is that humans have souls, can know and love God, and can control their instincts. 'Abdul-Baha asserts:

"But when you look at Nature itself, you see that it has no intelligence, no will. For instance, the nature of fire is to burn; it burns without will or intelligence. The nature of water is fluidity; it flows without will or intelligence. The nature of the sun is radiance; it shines without will or intelligence. The nature of vapor is to ascend; it ascends without will or intelligence. Thus it is clear that the natural movements of all things are compelled; there are no voluntary movements except those of animals and, above all, those of man. Man is able to resist and to oppose Nature because he discovers the constitution of things, and through this he commands the forces of Nature; all the inventions he has made are due to his discovery of the constitution of things. For example, he invented the telegraph, which is the means of communication between the East and the West. It is evident, then, that man rules over Nature."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 3)

There are people who channel the majority of their attention, time, and money towards attempting in vain to create an inorganic life-form that can rival humans in all aspects. It will be interesting to see how close man can come to making an intelligent, conscious entity that surpasses even himself in humanity's present condition. Robots can undoubtedly be valuable in doing labor and calculations. In the future, numerous computers may be used to operate houses, cars, and numerous other things, yet hostile takeovers by machines will remain in the realms of science fiction. Overall, no matter how much potential machines may have, our resources should be completely devoted to relieving the world's ailments and uniting the human race, rather than trying to construct an artificial race.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Update on Oil Spill


Recently, numerous proposals have been given to stop the oil spill, however the common disunion between our members of government continues to impede the progress of the oil spills clean up. However, when the lives of millions our at stake from the rise of prices of seafood to the death of innocent people from contaminated waters, we must stand united against such a foul foe.

Obama’s administration has attempted to fix the problem by hiring some experts on the environmental disaster. Among his workers are Ken Salazar, Steven Chu, Carol M. Browner, Ray Mabus, and Michael R. Bromwich. Although people have been brought to attempt to solve the problem, no solution or real effort has been aroused to solve this issue. Constantly the news reports of the disastrous oil spill and efforts being considered to end such a catastrophe, but the danger has not been stopped which will eventually pose a threat to all of life in the world.
BP has been one of the few to make an effort to resolve this issue, but keep in mind that because they had started the problem, it is their responsibility to solve it. Currently, BP has lost 86 billion dollars in attempts to solve the oil spill disaster, considering that the explosion of their rig had caused the undersea well to be blown. However, BP says that they will handle the remaining damage claims in 30 to 45 days, by this time the oil spill would be too deadly to prevent any irreversible damage. Some tar balls have been seen recently on Florida beaches, as an example of the nearing danger that approaches even the United States.
Now BP has made a statement saying that in the future they will take and receive people who make various claims within 30 to 60 days. Although this may seem dim, progress has been made because in the past this was not allowed. Also through this disaster we have proven that nations can stand for the greater good. Twenty-two other nations, including Britain, have offered us various machines to clean up the spill. However, these offers all come with price tags that would further the United State’s debt. Although humanity has made some progress in somewhat unifying to solve a world problem, mankind must realize that in order for us to continue to thrive, humanity must not be caught on material wealth, and should strive to assist each other without any conditions.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Bahá'í Outline of Education

In today’s current society education is most often mistaken with instruction. The purpose of instruction is to transfer knowledge from one person to another, much like children and their teachers at school. When one is properly educated this individual will truly understand himself and the world around him. The lesson being taught to the child will also have a profound effect on the child, and make him or her more useful to mankind. The Bahai view upon the purpose of education is that every individual should be considered as a treasure house in which God has deposited jewels that should be manifested through the process of education, thereby benefiting mankind.
Unfortunately, numerous universities do not delve within a child’s mind and attempt to discover the potential within. The most frequent thing done is that if a child cannot learn the material it is presented then he or she will be left behind. The children who eventually are left behind become neglected and therefore left in a wilderness of ignorance. Numerous types of these children will eventually participate in unscrupulous actions and other various wrongdoings due to their lack of true education.
However, each child has a true potential to be manifested through proper education. For example, there was once a king of India who had four sons and wished for his sons to have private tutoring in subjects such as philosophy, mythology, and other subjects for that time period. The teacher had given them a sentence to memorize and write one hundred times for the first lesson and the sentence was “Don’t ever grow impatient, no matter the circumstances, and keep smiling.” After the first lesson one of the four boys reported to the teacher that he had not yet learned the phrase, but the teacher did not wait and continued to teach the other students.
After some months had passed, the king and some ministers had attended class with the four boys. The teacher first explained and said that, “These three boys have advanced very much. They have memorized so many books and homework, but alas, your majesty, this one has not yet learned the first sentence I have given him.” The kind and one of his ministers had rebuked him for his ignorance and lack of success. However, the child had kept on smiling and patiently listening while they yelled at him. His teacher had then discovered that this child was the one who had truly learned and had said, “Your majesty, he is the one who has learned. The others only have memorized.” Thereby, exemplifying the importance of proper education and not instruction in today’s society.
Although the path to true education may not be a viable option currently. The difference between instruction and education must be known for humanity to truly prosper. The children of this century each have numerous qualities waiting to be manifested, but only through the proper education process and not pure memorization. Hopefully, the world will recognize each child’s potential and properly educate each child so that they may be beneficial to the prosperity of humanity.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

The Oil Spill Sends A Call For Change


With an oil spill that has been sending oil into the ocean for over a month, a severe threat is presented to the marine life, the local economy, and the future of the oil industry. With such a disaster like the oil spill, the destiny of the world hangs in the balance. The formation of methane ''ice crystals'' (formally known as a methane hydrate) along with the inaccessibility of the oil pipe has created a virtual disaster for BP in its efforts to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The demise of BP can be possible with the propable legal actions to ensue.
The legal problems that BP faces is only a glimpse of the waning oil industry. The need for a global change in the reliance on oil, particularly in the USA, is an issue to be dealt with. The increase in the production of alternative fuels is a necessity to drive the world in a new direction. The picture below stands as a testimony to the horrors of this oil spill and those to occur in the future.

(This photo is courtesy of NewsWeek)

The world must realize that sacrificing the world's natural resources is not worth the short term energy gains from oil. The peoples of the world must realize that the short term gains are not worth the long term losses. Sometimes, the best choices are not the easiest to carry out. In this case, it is clearly visible that offshore drilling is not the remedy to an addiction on oil. More people are using more energy everyday. If the energy capacity of the world needs to grow to meet demand, proper actions must be carried out. A revision in the energy infrastructure of the world is neccessary. The future starts today.

This disaster in the Gulf of Mexico might not be in vain. The possibilities of change are apparent. As a global community, everyone can learn from their mistakes and work together to create a better world. This oil spill is a wake-up call to the world. The world can learn from all of the aspects of the oil spill, and avoid another. The future belongs to everyone, and it is the responsibility of all to ensure a good one.

A Word of Wisdom
O SON OF MAN!

My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it. -Baha'u'llah (From the Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah)

Oil Location Forecast

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Electric Cars Being Made On A Larger Scale

Finally, the Launch Date for the Chevy Volt has been announced.

It starts selling in California by November 2010, only months away from now.


Why is it so important?

The car seen above is revolutionary. The Nissan Leaf may be a great all-electric car with a range of 100 miles, but the Chevy Volt offers something else. The Chevy Volt performs more than the Nissan Leaf can with the ability to still use gasoline. With an initial electric range of 40 miles, the Chevy Volt can utilize power from fossil fuels and charge its battery when the battery runs out. That extends its life to cover a lot more than 100 miles.

In summary, the production of these kinds of cars is setting the stage for a new future which includes a need to upgrade the energy grid to support electric cars. Eventually, mass transit will become more developed in areas previously without it. Progress is very good. People are now  going to work for tomorrow.

Let us all hope that this is a start to a larger wave of more efficient transportation.

With an oil spill threatening the lives of many in the Gulf of Mexico, people can see that producing more oil is not the answer to their problems. If the world can harness alternative fuels, everyone will be happier... except for oil companies that don't want to start producing alternative fuels.

Below are links to the web sites that give more information on both cars:


Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Alternatives to consumer culture focus of new Baha'i document | Bahai Faith | Baha'i Faith

Alternatives to consumer culture focus of new Baha'i document | Bahai Faith | Baha'i Faith

Today, it is well-known that a consumer culture is dominating the world stage. Businesses compete with one another to exploit people everyday to come and buy their product. Many can argue that this highly competitive atmosphere is just business as usual. On the other hand, a rift is forming between producers and consumers. Producers are producing more while consumers are consuming more until they can no longer.

There is one question: can prosperity be achieved solely through the accumulation of wealth or belongings?

The International Baha'i Community is addressing this issue. Click on the link above below the title of this article to find out more.




Monday, March 1, 2010

Persecution of Baha'is in Iran

Throughout the past century, the Bahai’s of Iran have been continually persecuted for their religious beliefs, and supposed treachery against the Islamic faith. The clergymen of Iran have continuously manifested their hate for the Bahais not only through persecution, but also through verbal abuses, beatings, and occasionally death. The Bahai community in Iran is roughly made up of about 300,000 people, making it the largest the religious minority in that country. Due to the past hatred towards the Bahais from the clergymen and the large amount of them in the country, the Bahais are currently being targeted for the reason of the rebellions in Iran.
            Unfortunately, seven prominent Bahais have been currently taken to prison, in hopes of crushing the spirits of the Bahais in Iran. However, this is not the first display of hostility towards the Bahais in Iran. For example, in June 1983, the Iranian authorities had arrested ten Bahai women and girls. The charge put against them was teaching about the Bahai faith to children every Sunday of the week. These unfortunate women were subjected to intense physical and mental pain, in an attempt to convince them to recant their faith. However, the women and children had withstood the torture and refused to recant their faith, resulting in the execution of these poor souls.
            Currently sixty Bahais are imprisoned in Iran, including the seven inspirational individuals already put in jail. These seven individuals had been waiting patiently for their first court hearing for about two years, and their first court hearing was on January 12, 2010. These seven individuals are Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. The preceding individuals were in charge of the social and spiritual necessities of the Bahais residing in Iran.
The seven leaders had been accused of propaganda activities against Islam, espionage, cooperation with Israel, sending of secret documents outside the country, establishment of an illegal administration, acting against the security of the country, and the corruption of the earth. All seven defendants had rightfully denied all accusations set against them. The second hearing had come on a later date on February 7, 2010, which had dealt mainly with procedural matters. The third hearing will come on April 10, 2010, which s earlier than had been originally announced.
Contrary to popular belief, the rights of these Bahais have been severely ignored. Unfortunately, most the world is waiting for the troubles of the Bahais to come to an end, much like the Jews during the Holocaust. A numerous amount of people are currently unaware of the situation in Iran, concerned with their own trivial problems. Hopefully, the injustices in Iran will come to a rightful end, and the unfair court trials shall cease immediately.

         Picture Of The Seven Members 




Sunday, February 7, 2010

An Alternate Fuel Discovered By A Man Trying To Cure Cancer



Dear Friend,
I found a video of a guy who, while trying to create a cure for cancer for his wife, also discovers an incredible alternative fuel source from salt water - I thought it was amazing. The link to the video is right below this paragraph.
Hope you like it, talk to you later,
Eric Berg, DC


Sunday, January 31, 2010

A Full Circle

     Nature. From the beginning, humanity has relied upon nature for it's sustenance. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, humanity has denied the environment the rights it has had before humans existed. To maintain natural equilibrium, our world's climate will act in ways some people consider unnatural. Remember, the environment will do whatever it can to maintain eqilibrium whether humans exist or not.
    
     Today, the peoples of the world are beginning to realize that the very practices humans had when they were in equilibrium with nature is once again necessary. The global civilization humans have created is going full circle by embracing nature and adopting sustainable practices.Terra Plancha is a marvelous invention by the ancient Amazonian civilizations to aid them to survive in environments
where the soil is poor for agriculture. To this day, scientists cannot fathom how artificial soil as rich as Terra plancha was created. That old practice scientists are trying to discover will lead to the rebirth of a dying Amazon Forest. As subsistence farmers stop burning it down for more land to farm, they will be able to settle in one place and utilize that necessary agricultural tool.

Today, scientists are trying to recreate a revolutionary agricultural practice that will once again equip farmers to farm in sustainable ways where the equilibrium, that is so necessary between nature and humans, will be maintained. Not only will Brazilian farmers utilize previously unusable farmland, but so many desperate countries around the world can utilize the art of making and distributing Terra Plancha over infertile ground.
    
     In terms of architecture and other forms of engineering, practices are being adopted that copies the already successful ways of nature.
To the left is the famous Baha'i Temple in Santiago, Chile. It has won many awards for its revolutionary design and has been labeled the "Temple of Light." This magnificent building that is under construction incorporates many aspects from nature. The natural beauty and the design of this building is phenomenal. The location of this temple will be in the mountains providing a meditational atmosphere for the temple itself and the gardens that surround it. The power and influence that such a building will have on the people who visit it will be far greater than most of the myriad of sacred spots around the world.

     Last, governments are starting to plan and build "green" buildings that will not only save money and resources, but it will maintain the important balance between innovation and nature. Humanity is entering uncharted waters as it will enter an increasingly warmer world, as the overall trend shows. Despite the flux of extreme weather with floods, droughts, heat waves, and cold spells; it should be remembered that this living Earth is only trying to maintain equilibrium. Humanity has invented many new things and we now posses the technology to literally change the world- an ability that no generation before this one can rival.
    
     On question remains. Are we ending our journey on this planet, or are we starting a new one that permeates with a new spirit? That  question remains to be answered by the people that live on this planet- one decision at a time.
O YE THAT ARE LYING AS DEAD ON THE COUCH OF HEEDLESSNESS!

Ages have past and your precious lives are will-nigh ended, yet not a single breath of purity hath reached Our court of holiness from you. Though immersed in the ocean of misbelief, yet with your lips ye profess the one true faith of God. Him whom I abhor ye have loved, and of My foe ye have made a friend. Notwithstanding, ye walk on My earth complacent and self-satisfied, heedless that My earth is weary of you and everything within it shunneth you. Were ye but to open your eyes, ye would, in truth, prefer a myriad griefs unto this joy, and would count death itself better than this life. 

-Baha'u'llah


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Future of Farming: building infrastructure at the grass-roots

Building infrastructure at the grass-roots is very important for the future of society as a whole. A strong tree always has strong roots.

The goal of this post is to inform everyone about the need for a formation of a well-ordered system in which every community has its own resources and a sustainable infrastructure.

Now, it must be known that communities of all sizes (whether it be local or global) relies on the necessary resources such as food, water, shelter, and energy. Energy can be in the form of human power, animal power, or electricity. To be plain, if every home and every building is equipped with self-sustaining technologies such as energy producers (solar panels or wind turbines), water collectors, and crops; then so much problems are solved.

The farmers must traverse vast expanses of land to acquire their crops from their fields. Trucks and and more energy are commissioned to ensure that food gets to people that could be on the other side of the planet. So much money is wasted to acquire the food.

Likewise, energy is a costly process of mining/acquiring/ drilling, transporting, and burning the fuel. What's worse is that most of that energy created is lost as heat. Water is a very valuable resource, too. Whether it is drought or not, water is constantly used by people that rely on it daily. What they don't realize is that they could harvest that precious resource on what can be called "a rainy day." That source of water used today should be a last resort. Alternative sources should be used because they answer many of the tough problems presented to people today.

Consider the following, drain water runoff is the worst form of pollutants that enter the ocean. The Mississippi watershed is a great example of an enormous drain that is polluted. There is something called a dead zone along the parameters of the watershed. That means that there are little or no signs of life in that area. A dive into the dark, murky, and dirty water will show that what once was a sea bed is now full of silt. That is a very sad fact. Things like that can be stopped by simply collecting the water from the drain and saving it for when it is needed. The Dutch have already developed a system in one of their communities in which they can filter their drain water for re-use.

For agriculture, a sky farm is the solution. Whether it is a metropolis or a tiny village, it can come in handy. A sky farm is simply a sky-scraper in which agriculture is performed to produce enough food for the inhabitants in the surrounding area. Many of these huge edifices must be built because of several dire reasons. Global warming is not the half of it. With the excess chemicals mankind has put in the air, an extreme environment has been created which is unreliable for farming. Consider the droughts, floods, heat waves, and the recent Florida cold spell. The future of the human race depends on a stable supply of necessary resources. Food is indespensible.

With the deterioration of the environment, an environment that once was must be re-created to ensure steady crop production. The world needs to be ready to adapt before it is too late. With the introduction of sky farms, well, it is just one part of a solution.

Look at the First Post Below all of the others to Begin

Alláh-u-Abhá - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alláh-u-Abhá - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Alláh-u-Abhá (Arabic: الله أبها, Alláh-u-Abhá; lit.God is Most Glorious‎) is a greeting that Bahá'ís use when they meet each other.[1] Abhá is a superlative of the word Bahá',[2] and a form of the Greatest Name.[1] Bahá'ís are asked to repeat the phrase Alláh-u-Abhá 95 times per day, as described by Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, his book of laws.[3]"

The First Point: An Introduction

'Allah'u'abha'!

For those that don't know what 'Allah'u'abha' means, it has been posted right after this post. I, John Pilz, am the creator of this site. In addition, I have many plans for this site. Through it, I will post many things like:
  • Free Videos
  • My Songs which are also free - Very useful for any kind of devotions, or just listening
  • Interesting Essays
  • Other Miscellaneous things which I may come up with

The goal of this site is to be a place where people can get free interesting and new information. I personally hope the resources and other stuff on this site will be beneficial to all who visit it.

The goal of A Bahá'í Point is to catalyze the 'Revolution of the Intellect' that is taking place around the world.


Knowledge is only one point.