For the Polar Bears

I recently watched “To the Arctic” in Imax 3-D.  The story details the general plight of the polar bears, and specifically follows the journey of one particular mama polar bear and her two cubs.  It’s one of those stories that not only tugs at your heart strings, it rips them out.  Tears for sure.  It shows how global warming has dwindled the Arctic ice over the past 20 years, and this affects the polars because they use ice as their main hunting grounds, so the less ice, the less hunting, the less food.  The ice situation is so rough that one mother bear swam for 9 days straight searching for food so her family could eat.  That’s an expression of love so powerful, so beautiful that even we humans can respect and admire, but sadly that example of love is indicative of the pollutional abuse wrecked upon this our one and only earth.  After watching the film, I felt so troubled, so bothered because solving this problem seems way too daunting, it seems like a foregone conclusion.  I still feel that way, but I also don’t wanna give up, even in the face of impossibility.  Besides, I’m not alone in this struggle.  If our accumulated individual actions brought the world to this point, then maybe our collective efforts can bring the world to a better point.  Lots of little things can add up to big things, like eating less beef (because methane from cows and fertilizers used in farming contributes to the warming of the ozone), and writing government people about environmental issues (i.e. you can ask your city officials to ban plastic bags), and using more efficient means of transportation – carpooling, mass transit, bicycles, walking.  It might be too late for any of this to matter, but if a polar bear can swim for 9 days straight without giving up, then the least we can do is make some small sacrifices here and there. 

For more info check out polar bears international and this care2

Liebster Blog Award

Well, Bonnee Crawford from The Blogging of an Aspiring Writer was kind enough to nominate me for this award thingy.  There’s a few rules to the award, but I’m not gonna follow all ‘em because I like to rebel here and there.  That said, I’ll follow the rule of sharing 11 facts about myself.  So here ya go:

1.   When I was born, I weighed 10 pounds 6 ounces. 

2.   Now I stand 6 feet 2 inches, and weigh 215 pounds.

3.   I don’t know how to play any musical instrument, although I kinda wished I learned the harmonica.

4.   I’ve ridden a camel once in my life. 

5.   I listen to Beethoven’s moonlighting over and over when I study for a test.

6.   I own two fedoras, four baseball hats, and countless bandanas.

7.   I saw the smurfs movie, the one that came out last year.  I consider that a great example of patience.

8.   I’m not allergic to anything, as far as I know.

9.   I drive a 2007 Toyota yaris. 

10. I just read the Planet Hulk comic book series, and next I’m gonna read World War Hulk.

11. I recently tore my rotator cuff while lifting weights.  Hope it heals soon!

the insightfulness of Bruce Lee

(1940-1973)

Someone once asked Bruce whether or not he had a black belt, to which he responded, "I don't have any belt, whatsoever.  That is just a certificate.  Unless you can really do it - that is, defend yourself successfully in a fight - that belt doesn't mean anything.  I think it might be useful to hold your pants up, but that's about it."

came across this quote in the book Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting by Vijay Prashad.