Tag Archive for: Water

h2o mp3: A Pipe Dream and a Promise – Finale

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Such drama these past weeks for Las Vegas water watchers!* But what’s a good drama without a driving soundtrack?

It will surely be soon that we see the straight-to-DVD epic Mulroy’s List. Or better yet…the new reality series on Bravo, Launch my (Pipe)Line! Either way, we propose backing it with this 2009 track by Detroit rapper Finale, A Pipe Dream and a Promise.

Lyrics

My mother, my grandma, my grandfather
My brother, my sister, my girl
landlord, the bands and my compadres,
I promised the world the world that.
You only come up short (?) ere’time

My chase ain’t over, no,
I can’t take over, no,
I owe ya
Though I know it in my soul I’m not the only one I should owe,
You matter.
Rapper, that’s the ‘proach you go killin’ one on one for.

Play the track

[audio:http://thirstyinsuburbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/finale-a_pipe_dream_and_a_promise.mp3]

Download A Pipe Dream and a Promise – Finale
Low-fi 64kbps file for sampling.
Like it? Support the people who make music.on Buy this track at Amazon.com.

*For the best-of-the-best reading on the unfolding drama surrounding Las Vegas water, see: Emily Green at Chance of Rain, Waterwired, Aquafornia, and Circle of Blue.

I Put A Spell On You! This Water Drop is Carved in Stone

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You might wear your heart on your sleeve, but I’m going to wear my water drop on my neck! Check out this unique charm, given to me by my daughter.

It is a blue chalcedony, a mineral sometimes associated with the water element. To those who believe in the mysterious power of crystals, this one is power-packed with some good vibes including (according to dkwcrystals.talktalk.net:

A Creative Stone. Thought to alleviate hostilities, irritability and melancholy. Helping to create and enhance generosity, responsiveness and receptivity. Also said to help open the mind to assimilate new ideas and acceptance of new situations.

So if you see me wearing this, take advantage of the fact that I’ll likely be in a great mood and primed for donations or investments, no matter how hare-brained the the idea or cause might be! (Hmmm, maybe the daughter has some hidden agenda here!)

Pet Poop Risk Assessment. Seriously.

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Pet poop pollutes! So it makes sense that there have been increased efforts of late to educate the public on BMPPPs (Best Management Pet Poop Practices.)

Some campaigns are creative, some are forgettable, but this one is just unbelievable!  Courtesy of Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, is HAPPI-Home Flyer 16: Pet Waste Management. (In their defense: this is dated August 2000 and they might well be shocked to learn that it is floating around live on the World Wide Web in 2010.)

After some general background information, nasty facts about crap, and a list of do’s and don’ts comes the real meat of the document, the part that’s going to CHANGE OUR BAD BEHAVIOR: a worksheet to complete your very own Pet Poop Risk Assessment Analysis and Action Plan.

ASSESSING YOUR RISKS

Complete the risk assessment table on page 2 to determine the water pollution risks from your pets’ wastes. For each category, choose the set of practices that best fits your situation. Then, at the bottom of page 2, develop an action plan to minimize water pollution hazard.

So how crappy are our pet practices? Let’s find out, as I share my completed Risk Assessment and Action Plan with all of you! (Click the image for a larger view.)

Nag About Water Savings the Modern, Twitter Way

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I’m old fashioned, I guess… my method of encouraging conservation around the house involves nag, nag and nag some more. I’ve seen the light though via Jason Garland (jgarland79water on Twitter). His spiffy new water meter keeps careful tabs on water use, then sends out a seemingly never-ending series of tweets about it!

If a high annoyance level will motivate us to change our behavior, this ought to do the trick! Jason’s twitterfeed now boasts nearly 4,500 tweets, every single one of which reminds him of his daily and monthly totals.

Below, see Jason’s You Tube video showing the tweet-happy meter…which looks to me pretty similar to the old-style bill-mailing variety!

According to his You Tube page, his equipment source was http://www.watermeters.com/)

Rainy Days and Mondays

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They always get me down! OK, not ALWAYS, but here’s a tool you’ll like if ambient nature sounds and “white noise” helps you focus and relax. The one-trick-pony website RainyMood.com does nothing but play a quality sound loop of a gentle rain, with the occasional thunder roll and bird chirps in the background. I’m feeling better already!

While you’re contemplating your virtual downpour, you might also load up this beautiful rain-themed desktop wallpaper complete with February calendar. This will help you focus on the coming weekend!

(Click the image for a 1680×1050 wallpaper, or go here and scroll down for other sizes.)

Barcelona Water Tower Brings On The Bling

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Attention civic boosters, if your town’s pride-and-joy water tower is decorated with a flat, plain-Jane painted logo or mascot, imagine how something like this could help you hit the big time! Your town’s tower could display a sparkling digital media extravaganza worthy of a glamorous international destination like Barcelona in Spain!

(Don’t fret over funding…a couple of bogus studies by “experts” will easily project millions in expected new development and tourism bucks. Taxpayers LOVE this stuff!)

Just observe the awesomeness of the new media facade on Barcelona’s water tower built by the Cologne-based company ag4 Media Facade GmbH and completed at the end of November 2009. All kidding aside, I really DO believe in the power of art to communicate and this creative display links water infrastructure and media architecture to produce a stunning visual reminder of vital water issues.

From www.dexigner.com,

The “Fontsanta Balance Tower” is part of the newly constructed pumping station built by the Spanish water supply company ATLL and conceals a water reservoir that ensures a constant water pressure balance in Barcelona.

ag4 has created a media skin for the water reservoir. Dynamic visual media blend with the impressive architecture of the building. The light choreography, created by ag4 in close collaboration the architects ruisánchez arquitectes and ATLL, explores the various themes concerning the sustainable management and use of water reserves while simultaneously emphasizing the form and function of the building.

Water Joke: Go Fish With The Blondes

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Three blondes were sitting on a riverbank patiently holding their fishing poles with the lines in the water when the game warden came up behind them, and said “Excuse me, ladies, I’d like to see your fishing licenses.”

“We don’t have any.” replied the first blonde

“Well, if you’re going to fish here, you need fishing licenses.”

“But officer,” replied the second blonde, “we aren’t fishing. We all have magnets at the end of our lines because we’re trying to find jewelry and valuables in the river bottom!”

The warden lifted up all the lines and, sure enough, there were magnets tied on the end of each line. “Well, I don’t know of any law against it,” said the warden. “You can take whatever you find.” And with that, he left.

As soon as he was out of sight, the three blondes started laughing hysterically. “What a dumb cop!” the second blonde said to the other two, “doesn’t he know that there are steelhead trout in this river?!

Art Lovers: Urine for An Unusual Sight

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Art you can use…if you dare! The most interesting thing about this 2005 installation is that it was a fully functional facility, “open to both sexes.” Thanks to Brian Banks for alerting us to American Standard by Vancouver, Canada artist Reece Terris. (Matchmaking opportunity! Reece, there may be a perfect-fit project waiting for you in Toronto!)

From the artist’s website www.reeceterris.com,

American Standard is an installation that featured fifteen functional urinals arranged in a pyramid formation on the wall of the men’s washroom in the Alexander Centre studio at Simon Fraser University.  Transforming the facility into a public indoor fountain, water overflowed from the uppermost urinal and splashed its way down through the formation creating a deluge of water flooding the sunken floor. Visitors enter the space via tiled stepping stones, providing access directly to the sink and preexisting toilet, leaving the facility fully functional and open to both sexes.

At the same page, don’t miss the embedded video which includes the installation in action; this does the work far better justice than these still photos.)

Polluters, Ye Shall Feel My Wrath

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Some of our brethern (and “cistern”) have had their faith tested…not in their religious beliefs, but in the safety of their local water supply. From Yahoo News,

MOSCOW – More than 100 Russian Orthodox believers have been hospitalized after drinking holy water during Epiphany celebrations in the eastern city of Irkutsk, an official said Monday.

A total of 117 people, including 48 children, were in the hospital complaining of acute intestinal pain after drinking water from wells in and around a local church last week, said Vladimir Salovarov, a spokesman for the Irkutsk Investigative Committee.

Salovarov said 204 people required some medical treatment after consuming the water, the source of which was a stagnant lake. He said, however, that it was too early to say what caused the illness.

Many Russians consider any water obtained on Epiphany — which they celebrate on Jan. 19 — to be holy.

The water is typically bottled for consumption later. Tap water in most of Russia is undrinkable.

Water Hill Grammar Lesson

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The week we’ve already shown you that spelling matters and today we bring you Water Hill to demonstrate the importance of grammar. Enjoy bottled water from a brand that touts quality control in the past tense. I believe I’ll pass! Via engrish.com, originally spotted in Koh Samui, Thailand.