this blog is a visual notebook of inspirations for a group of bandit bloggers. we post things we see and like. our lives don’t revolve around singular topics and neither does our blog. sorry! nothing is in-or-out of context here. enjoy xx
classic human evolution diagram: what scientist believed to be true until now… new research finding by the university of columbia begs to differ
the revised evolution diagram
the understanding until now was that humans evolved… all of them. but new research, based on the most recent 2015 presidential elections and debates in the US, shows that modern man today, walks amongst his prehistoric cousins. racism, hate, war mongering, superstition, religion, bigotry, gay-dom, fear of the new and lack of compassion are all well and alive in our modern society. perhaps if we can come to understand this phenomena, we can help our mentally challenged cousins gain some of the modern mans knowledge. by ak
this is the 3rd time we are embedding this film and it keeps getting taken down (!) you may want to search it on youtube if and when this 3rd copy is taken down again
although “bitter lake”, a film by adam curtis, was produced by the BBC, the content of the film was rather too much for its audience to publicly promote. therefore the film remained in the back logs of their press efforts, and therefore seldom seen.
here is your chance to delve into the history of afganistan, the taliban, and the role saudi arabia and north america played in their faiths. its the story of how the islamic state (IS) was created and why. how fixing one problem, like the spread of communism, could cause to spearhead another one, like the spread of an extremist sect of wahabism (a version of islam created by the saudi elite).
this was achieved by exporting, funding and supporting this ideology to afganistan and beyond. it was done at a time when an evil entity was supported to bring down yet another enemy. of course today we are left to manage the monster we helped create. a good film to see for anyone interested in world affairs, beyond what fox news has to offer. by ac
ok i know we all smoke… occasionally, and we all drink like tomorrow is our last. but still… that is no reason to use deodorants, or even worse, sleep each night on our mattress at home (bear with me). i mean yes, we all do stupid silly things, but that is because we chose to, knowingly. we heard the news, read about the risks, researched the possibilities and then, and only then, we went on a shark feeding dive in tahiti. what we hate is that we are risking being poisoned, with out our knowledge, and with out a single mind altering benefit to write about, while we fill the pockets of the chemical industry giants. this has gotta stop. but we must start somewhere. here are 6 things you should not do…
1- BPA’s in canned food:
how to avoid: majority of canned goods use BPA in their lining, this synthetic hormone has been linked to various forms of cancer, as well as reproductive problems and heart disease. look for BPA free cans and avoid plastics that are marked with “PC” or recycling label #7. read the back of the can.
2- PVC’s in anything plastic that goes into your mouth:
how to avoid: they are in those clear ice coffee cups (shit i drink 4 a day!) plastic food containers (topper-ware), plastic utensils, children’s toys and plastic wrap and anything made from PVC. this baby encourages the death of testicular cells in men and is linked to hormonal changes, birth defects related to the male reproductive system and thyroid abnormalities, but nothing else.
3- PBDE’s (flame retardants) are in your mattress, sofa, curtains, stereo:
how to avoid: it’s virtually impossible to avoid PBDE’s entirely, they are used as a flame retardant and many attempts to ban them have been crushed by the industry lobby. they cause permanent learning and memory impairment (which explains the young intern syndrome of today), delayed puberty onset, and decreased sperm count. each night you go to bed, or sit on your sofa, you are being exposed to them through your bodies largest organ, your skin… but it helps to use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to catch the dust that comes off of them. i wonder if even my fancy horse hair bed has this shit sprayed on it?
4- mercury is found in your lovely seafood dish:
how to avoid: cut down on your tuna, especially your fancy tuna (as that is the worse), if you must eat tuna (bluefin tuna status: endangered species) eat the cheap canned tuna (BPA free can) because they use the younger tuna (bad for the species, but better for you) or the less fatty parts of bigger tuna which contain the least mercury as mercury is stored in the fat of the tuna (and then yours) and the fat of the fish that the big tuna eat. mercury builds up in your body (like radiation) and exposure leads to brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system diseases. yum! make mine seared.
5- aluminum and parabens found in antiperspirants and creams:
how to avoid: get hand and body lotions that are paraben free. absolutely avoid all common deodorant like “dry idea”, “ban” (i mean the god-damn name warns you on the label, how stupid are we?) “degree”, etc. try a brand that does not list anything aluminum+(blah, blah) note that you will stink for the first few weeks but then you’ll be surprised as to how less stinky you become after that. that is because “antiperspirants” literally block your sweat glands and do not allow sweat to exit. now where do you think all that sweat goes? that is all the toxins that have been building up, finally coming out. imagine if you finally pooped after, say 18 years, its not gonna be a pleasant sight. aluminum is responsible for increased risk of breast cancer especially if you shave before applying. but also alzheimer… which i already have. parabens simply cause breast cancer but at least you will remember why you got cancer to begin with.
6- pesticides (organophosphate) found in your average fruit and vegetables:
how to avoid: grow your own shit if you live in woodstock, otherwise buy organic produce whenever possible and use the EWG guide to find out which nonorganic produce contains the least amount of pesticide residue. but what are organophosphate pesticides? ok gotta love this; “these pesticides were originally developed by nazi germany during WWII for use in chemical warfare, using the same chemistry, we now spray them on our crops.” you gotta love capitalism. they are linked to impaired brain development, fertility and thyroid function.
*** disclaimer: drinking and smoking are not fine. they are bad. if you are not already a drunk, or a nicotine addict, do not start. it sucks. also, never believe 100% of what you read anywhere, but especially here. please use this as a starting point to research and learn more about the shit we are being fed, and take action with your purchasing power for our future and the earth future. for beginners you can also watch the “human experiment” movie with mister sean penn on the horn.
end fact: you probably know the EU has strict policies on chemicals. but did you know china has a stricter public exposure to chemical policy than the US? that is actually true. they sell shit to us that they cant sell in china! not their fault, but ours. by dd
web developer tal ater warned of a chrome exploit that would allow an unscrupulous website to listen in to your computer’s microphone while you speak and use your camera at any time. google supposedly dismissed the issue, but if you’re wondering what the whole shabang means for you, here’s the lowdown:
once you give a site permission to use your microphone or camera, chrome assumes that site will have permission to do so at any time in the future. that means every instance of that site, every page on that site, also has access to your camera and microphone, meaning a sketchy site owner could throw up a pop-under window in the background that’s listening in to everything you say, or worse, listening and set to trigger some action (like recording) when you say specific words or phrases.
this was reported to google back in september. for their part, google doesn’t see it as a problem, and say, ‘in order for the issue to be a real threat, not only do you have to visit a site that would want to record your speech, you’d have to grant it access to your microphone, and then you’d have to not notice a pop-under window from that site lingering in the background. plus, you’d also have to not notice the visual cue (a red dot in the omnibar) that indicates the microphone is active.’ even so, google’s engineers did respond to this report, did come up with a fix that addressed the issue, but—and this is the confusing part— didn’t push that fix.
this is why firefox has always been my favorite. by lb
at ts, we are always looking for the next unique place to introduce you to. we are excited to introduce our readers to one of our new favorite blogs/sources, mood of living. a norwegian friend of ours has penned a fine piece about a hidden hotel and natural oasis, the juvet hotel.
“nestled in a valley close to norway’s most stunning fjord “geiranger”, you can find juvet, norway’s first landscape hotel featuring unique architectural design. in a local farmyard, this west coast treasure has seven detached guest rooms that at first appear shy as the minimalistic chalets stand in harmony with the nordic trees. yet, the panoramic signature windows of the rooms invite the massive mountains, fresh waterfalls, and distinct characteristics of the seasons into your indoor environment.
experience the finest of luxury and natural simplicity as the beauty of the surrounding nature awakens your senses. while the fresh air renews your lungs, indulge in local foods served in the rustic barn and pamper yourself in the spa. through outdoor activities offered by the heart-warming owners, enjoy the outstanding views painted by nature while skiing, rafting, hiking and more. the rivers that weave through the mountains of norway provide some of the purest water in the world. locals say that taking a dip in the cold mountain river is good for your heart, and simply brushing your teeth in it’s waters will boost your wellness and give you a sensation out of the ordinary. juvet’s magnificence continuously shines throughout the year, but for you summer travelers, remember to venture to the neighbor’s strawberry fields–they are the best in the world!”- charlotte søia rustand
it was this month’s february 2015 issue of cosmopolitan, which is being sold in a plastic bag, that taught me something i was not seeing elsewhere. regularly plastered on the front is a sexified celebrity with loud colors and text about all the sex columns within, but for one month, cosmopolitan took its turn with bringing news to the forefront, in a very emotional and arresting way. i praise cosmopolitan magazine and the karma nirvana fund for this.
i stared…and then i read. i read for hours about what this cover meant. (see links below)
the cover depicts shafilea ahmed, a british girl who lost her life by the hands of her parents, and their religion. she was suffocated to death by her mother and father while her siblings watched. this is what is known as an honor killing.
an honor killing is the murder of a member of a family member by other members of the family in their belief that the family member has brought dishonor upon the family name and/or religion. common reasons for dishonor are refusing an arranged marriage, being in a relationship that goes against family desires, sexual activity outside of marriage, seeking a divorce, being a victim of rape, homosexuality, or as minor as dressing inappropriately. some family members are even forced to commit suicide in front of their family members.
honor killings/ honor murders are an epidemic around the world. “according to the united nations, some 5,000 women are murdered by family members in honor killings every year.” – cnn
within certain religions, honor killings are seemingly ‘ok’ by unwritten law. “although islam and muslim codes of law are often used to justify the use of stoning as a punishment for adultery, there is actually no reference to stoning in the koran.” – policy.mic furthermore, “there is nothing in the quran that justifies honor killings. there is nothing that says you should kill for the honor of the family,” said taj hargey, director of the muslim educational centre of oxford in england.” – cnn
“but one vocal british campaigner against honor violence points out that not all the crimes are perpetrated by muslims…. “significant cases are happening within south asian communities, be it pakistani, indian, sikh, muslim, kurdish, iranian, middle eastern communities,”” – irshad manji, the author of “allah, liberty and love: courage to reconcile faith and freedom,”
nazir afzal of britain’s crown prosecution service voiced his poignant view that “at the end of the day, murder is murder. there is no faith on earth, no community on earth that justifies this,”- cnn
my heart goes out to the women and girls of these communities, families, and sometimes religions that face this horrible, unjust punishment. i am not writing about my opinion here. i am simply trying to spread the word that this is happening. this piece is neither an anti-religious piece, nor is it to bring negativity towards certain religions. i have traveled the world and i am proud to say that i respect and am tolerant of other cultures and their religions beliefs, however, i will never be tolerant of any action that harms humanity. above all, we have to have respect for life. writting this, i feel very blessed to come from a community where i am not punished for how i express myself as a woman, and i wish this and more for my peers around the world. in time, i believe that time will teach and time will heal. by kgb
charlie hebdo: the publisher killed for publishing cartoons
ahmed merabet: the french officer killed protecting the bureau
bad people do bad things. good people do good things by pointing it out. lets not let bad people take advantage of innocent lives lost to pursue their racist views. that’s when bad people win and good people lose… and let’s not forget this. by ts
friday zebra facts… just because: no animal has a more distinctive coat than the zebra. each animal’s stripes are as unique as fingerprints—no two are exactly alike—although each of the three species of zebras has its own general pattern. do you know why do zebras have stripes at all? scientists aren’t sure, but many theories center on their utility as some form of camouflage. the patterns may make it difficult for predators to identify a single animal from a running herd and distort distance at dawn and dusk not mention completely disorient a predator that attempts to hone-in on one is a running mess of B&W stripes. or that B&W is so in this season. or they may dissuade insects that recognize only large areas of single-colored fur or act as a kind of natural sunscreen. because of their uniqueness, stripes may also help zebras recognize one another. by xy
a quick day trip to cold spring, ny. complete with a nice 4 hour hike, lunch along the trail, a priceless burger at whistling willie’s, and a photo journey. perfect fall day getaway. by nwa
we have to admit we do love these old little birds, made of reclaimed wood from chairs and tables and cabinets in norway. its the brain child of the anti grand people from norway. they are no longer available, but what cute gifts they would make, and we wouldn’t have minded having a few ourselves. by uh
sometime between now and mid autumn, make your way out of the city and spend sometime with nature. get some fresh air and a good natural workout.
head up from grand central on the metro-north to the cold spring stop in the hudson valley and hike breakneck trail. it is both rewarding with it’s views and it’s challenges. the ‘trail’ is not for the weary. not for those who are scared of heights, not for those who are not limber, not for those who will wimp out. this one is serious but fun.
bring plenty of water, a camera or at least your phone, some protein and fruits to snack on (plenty of places to do a beautiful picnic even.) wear good sneakers with traction or hiking footwear with good thick socks. wear sunscreen and bug repellent. sunglasses optional but on a sunny day a good, secure pair will prevent a nice eyeball sunburn ( thats a real thing.) bring a small first aid kit in-case of any scrapes from the rock faces you’re about to beast. bring someone who is going to love it as much as you.
some stats:
the scenery- unreal and picturesque on a clear day
difficulty- 10 out of 10
highlights- insane views, incredibly steep trail, rock scrambling
distance- 3.7 – 4.0 mile loop
approximate roundtrip time- 4 hours
total ascent- 1,442 feet
my personal experience: i came off that trail feeling entirely accomplished, healthy, and clear minded. then i had a beer to reward myself for kicking my ass that hard on a sunday.
good luck and if you get around to discovering this hike, please share your experience in our comments section of this post!
a visual collective outlet of inspiration
