Stress!

Wow the last few days have been a ride and a half! Supremely busy at work and I've had virtually no time on the home computer to update my blog!

I really hope to get back into posting new updates etc. in the very near future (or as soon as my work projects are done!)

Take it easy folks!

Busy!

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last few days, I've been busy with some side projects I'm working on. I will post some more infographics this weekend!

Also when anyone has the time, take a look at ACTA (which is like SOPA/PIPA, but worldwide)!
It's really scary stuff and I just want people to be aware of what's happening to our Internet... without our consent!

Stretching

Now for some handy tips for those who like to exercise!

Here are some great examples of stretches you can perform when preparing for a work-out and also when finishing up a work-out.

It's always good to warm your muscles up before any strenuous activity because without preparing yourself to perform a certain action one can cause some serious harm to your body. It's also handy post-exercise to have 'cool-down' stretches to prevent your muscles from getting too stiff. Stretching is a good way to 'cool-down' as it can aid in removing excess lactic acid (which builds up in your body when performing anaerobic exercise).

Stretching is usually instinctual in most animals, however most people these days just don't seem to perform it that much. Mostly due to our sedentary lifestyles (which I am most certainly guilty of!)

Anyway, check it out!

This is another large image so it may be beneficial to open it in a new tab.

Howdy

Hey folks, sorry haven't been posting recently. I'm in the process of moving house so things have been rather busy around here! Rest assured I will be back posting some more informative infographics in the very near future!

I hope to be back posting this afternoon or sometime tomorrow.

Take care out there in cyberspace!

That can't be good...

So.
Mega Upload is gone.
This is kinda worrying what the government can do to any random website if they even so much as suspect there is 'infringing material' present. But how can they be so certain? They don't have to be, they can do what they want.

These will be an interesting next few months/years, I think we may have to fight for our rights to the internet and not bow into any government pressure. We have to make them realize that people power is the only way to run a democracy, not be the lapdogs to powerful corporations.

Anyway, enough ranting. It's been a hectic few days in cyberspace and I just had to get it off my chest. I feel really passionate about these issues and I can only hope that I pass that onto my readers!

More infographics to come!

SOPA/PIPA

Now for a post which I am sure is pretty common these days on the internet... the dreaded SOPA & PIPA.

With these 2 pieces of legislation, the US could effectively shut down the Internet as we know it! It's a sad day when the abuse of power and political corruption can endanger that which we hold dear. I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone here that if these bills pass it's essentially the end of this website because I'm sure someone, somewhere on here has posted some minute piece of copyrighted material which could lead to this entire domain being pulled down in an effort to 'stop' piracy. Which we all know it a joke!

Piracy isn't the problem these days, but rather it's the antiquated methods of content distribution that these media conglomerates insist on using, even though there are proven better and more efficient ways to reach customers without having to resort to outlandish prices and poorly thought out lobbying.

So I urge all US people reading this blog to take a stand against their unjust government and help stop the SOPA/PIPA, before it takes away what we all hold so dear!

[end rant]

There are numerous sites performing 'black-outs' so keep your eyes peeled for this and let your voice be heard!


Back to the infographs tomorrow!

DIY Stove Top

Another day, another infographic.
This time it's a DIY stove top for those homeless people among us (I highly doubt there are any :P).

This is a nice, simple design that can be whipped up in a matter of a few minutes or about an hour. I've yet to try this one, but from what I can see it should work!

The instructions are pretty straightforward so feel free to give it a shot!

This is a large image so you may have to open it in another tab.
Alternatively try this link.

Weather Forecasting (without gadgets!)

Hello friends, a new infograph for the day!
Today's infograph is about how you can forecast the weather just with the 2 eyes and ears in your head! This is sort of a follow on from yesterdays post about self-sustaining agriculture, because in order to plant crops successfully one must be able to determine the best time to plant and when the weather will permit it!

Weather forecasting (Wiki) in a nutshell is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. In the past humans used to rely on instruments that measured barometric pressure, however these days we have advanced computer simulations that take into account many factors in the atmosphere. Because of the incredible calculations and the chaotic nature of the Earth's atmosphere, these forecasts do carry with them a high level of error and should only be trusted within a day or 2 of the forecast.

So if you are in the wilderness and you are planning a hike for the day, or even a relaxing fishing trip there are a few things you should take into account before setting off:

• Look at the clouds
• Smell the air
• Feel the winds strength and direction
• Listen to the animals

There are many more tips and tricks so be sure to read this really cool (if I do say so myself!) infograph! EDIT: This image looks to be smaller than I remember, so please right-click and open it in a new tab if you wish to view it in a larger resolution.

Sustainable agriculture

Now onto a topic that I am pretty passionate about; sustainable agriculture.
This is something that I feel most of the people in today's world have no idea what it is nor why it will be so important in the next few years/decades.

It's a widely known fact that oil is a finite resource on this planet and the era of cheap and easily accessible food/water/electricity will be coming to an end around the same time as the oil runs out. Don't fret though! There are plenty of methods available to help alleviate this when the time comes.

Below is an infographic I have come across that is fairly easy to assemble and is very beneficial for the environment!

In addition to this system we can implement, there are some other considerations needed for sustainable agriculture:

First and foremost is availability to water. As we all know, crops need water to survive (and so do we!), so we must be smart when tapping a water supply and not use more than can be replenished over weeks/months/years. This way we never run out of water and never run the risk of losing our crops etc.

Another important aspect is stopping soil erosion. This is becoming a big problem in a lot of places around the world that practice large scale factory farming which drains the soil of its nutrients. This can be worked around by using a bit of smarts and replenishing the soil with decaying organic matter (ie. composting) which will be absorbed into the soil thus replenishing all the vital ingredients for happy plants (and humans)!

For further reading check out the Wiki article.

Well I'm back!

Finally managed to get my PC back up and running so I can contribute to this blog!

In continuation with my infographic posts, I have come across another one of great interest to myself (and perhaps many others)! This one in particular is about Seasonal Food.

From the Wiki article on Seasonal food, here is a description of what is meant by the following infographic:

Seasonality of food refers to the times of year when a given type food is at its peak, either in terms of harvest or its flavour. This is usually the time when the item is the cheapest and the freshest on the market. The food's peak time in terms of harvest usually coincides with when its flavour is at its best.

A little history on seasonal food (also from the Wiki):

Seasonal food was practiced since ancient civilisations as people ate what nature produced which varied according to seasons.

In 8th century, however, the choice of what to eat in every season became a conscious social event. Cordoba Calendar, a historical record written in mid 10th century, provided unique detailed information about the eating habits of Spain under the Muslim rule. Typical winter meals were based on rich vegetables such as Seakale beet, cauliflower, turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery, coriander, peas, broad beans, lentils, chickpeas, olives, hard wheat (burghol), couscous, pasta, walnut, almonds, pistachio, and pine kerneis. These were usually taken with meat based diet included lamb, camel and trotters, while fruity desserts consisted of dried figs, dates, raisins, and prunes, accompanied with drinks from syrups violet, jasmine, aloes, medicament spices, fruit pastilles and gums.

In contrast, summer diet consisted of green beans, radish, lettuces, chicories, aubergine, carrots, cucumber, gherkins, watercress, marrow, courgettes, and rice. The meat accompanied these vegetables consisted mainly of poultry, ostrich and beef products. Fruity deserts included fruits such as lemon, lime quinces, nectarines, mulberry, cherries, plums, apricot, grapes, pomegranates, watermelon, pears, apple, and melon. Meanwhile, the drinks involved syrups and jams. Fruit pastels, lemon, rose, jasmine, ginger and fennel.

In Autumn, meals included cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, celery, gourd, wheat, barley, millet, turnips, parsnips, onions, acorns, pulses, and olive oil. Drinks incorporated aromatic herbs and flower distillations of essential oils.

In Spring, meals consisted of onions, gourd, spinach roquette salad, asparagus, lettuces, marrow, fennel, artichokes, fresh broad beans, lemons, cardoons, truffles, peas, wild artichokes, beetroot, basil, mint, sweet marjoram, saffron, green barley, pigeons, lamb and dairy products. Drinks involved lemon and mint syrup, distillation of orange blossom, rose and other herbs for winter.

I find that this infographic is a great display of what is best to eat in each particular season. It's both eye-catching and easy to read and understand. Hope you can make use of it!

Just a quickie...

My computer broke the other night so I must apologize for the lack of updates! I'm in the process of installing all my programs again, but alas work is interfering and that sure isn't helping!

More updates and infographs to come soon!
Take care folks!

Came across this today

I found this amazing infographic that contains a whole slew of insightful and eye-catching information on 'Color Theory' (of all things). Pretty handy for graphic designers (and animators?)

But first, a brief outline of what Color Theory actually is (thanks Wikipedia!)

Wikipedia defines Color Theory as:
 a body of practical guidance to color mixing and the visual impacts of specific color combination. There are also definitions (or categories) of colors based on the color wheel: primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Although color theory principles first appeared in the writings of Leone Battista Alberti (c.1435) and the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (c.1490), a tradition of "colory theory" began in the 18th century, initially within a partisan controversy around Isaac Newton's theory of color (Opticks, 1704) and the nature of so-called primary colors. From there it developed as an independent artistic tradition with only superficial reference to colorimetry and vision science.

Insomniaaaaaa

Can't sleep. Again.

No idea how I'm going to change my sleeping pattern up with the way things are going at work. I work on a shift-based roster so some weeks I have really early starts, then later weeks have really late starts. This messes with my sleeping patterns, so I need to find some remedies to this...

Maybe less internet usage?

Musings before bed.

Another weekend is over, and I had better prepare my things for work. Can't say that I'm looking forward to it though.

But here are some words that I try to live by when starting a new working week:

“Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength that you think that they have.”

Memories...

I've always wondered why kids these days just don't seem to be as well behaved as the generation before. I think it's got something to do with the types of TV shows and movies that are around today. Just take a look at some of the great moments in the history of 90's media.

Enter, stage left.

First time starting a blog, a bit late on the bandwagon I know. I hope to keep this updated fairly frequently with just random thoughts that pop into my head.

Leaving you with an image of a true hero, Ron Swanson.