sparrow

A day for raising awareness of the presence of technology in so many people's lives and which encourages people to "unplug" when they can (maybe by going outside and doing something in nature?)

This topic interests me for helping those who have visual impairment or blindness, as well as being prepared for the possibility of having such a condition when older myself, as well as the interesting experience of computing blindfolded.
 
Any better distros you'd recommend for blind computer usage?

There's a guy that travels around on foot with mules and apparently brings attention to how this used to be a commonly accepted right to travel on a lot of roads, and now they're trying to restrict access to cars only in certain places without creating travel routes for people on foot, by horse, by bicycle, and so on, so he's filed a lawsuit over it to bring attention to the issue.
 
Whatever is to be made of it, he's engaged in an interesting experiment of travel and living outside nomadically.

How this works: An organization tries to contact a citizen to pick up a certain amount of money, and they don't within a certain time period, so since it's legally not their money they hand it over to "unclaimed property" departments in each state (could be a paycheck, stock dividends, money left over in an account, etc.)
 
How to possibly find monies or how I did it: find your state website on
https://unclaimed.org/search/
 
My state allows free searches, I thought I heard some people say they had to pay or something?
 
Look up people by last name (can be your last name, can look up friends and family and tell them, etc.)
 
If you find someone you know, let them know
 
I don't know how they file, I guess just follow instructions on site, then I assume they'll mail you a check?
 
Good luck and let us know if you find anything

(Posted for President's Day 2023)
 
(Note: I have a scanned copy of this prayer and copied / pasted from a site and tried to manually check it for any changes or errors; you can find a version and double check yourself if you'd like)
 
> We pray Thee, O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name.
 
> We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, N.N., the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of His Church; our own bishop, N.N. (or archbishop); all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation.
 
> We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality.
 
> Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.
 
> We pray for his excellency, the Governor of this State, for the members of the Assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.
 
> We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.
 
> Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

As a personal disclaimer, I don't know which games are good, or which might contain objectionable material, but I thought discussion about "open" and "free" games might be good
 
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/List_of_games

Book link: https://archive.org/details/ALivingWage/page/n13/mode/2up
 
I haven't read this book yet but it sounds like an interesting title on the concept of securing living (and family) wages in society, ideally voluntarily but I think the author might argue for the government to intervene to do so (and was referenced in an article on the topic, I think as one of perhaps the first books talking about this from this theological perspective).
 
One of the four serious sins that "cry out to heaven for vengeance" is "defrauding workers of their wages": https://infogalactic.com/info/Sins_that_cry_to_heaven
 
This is obviously a problem as an individual worker needs to be able to earn a living to survive, and likewise the breadwinner(s) of a family need to be able to earn a living "family wage" in order for their family to survive.
 
I was curious where people think that wage injustice exists today and what might be done to remedy the problem.

Do you have personal tips on how to clean electronics?
 
Should you rubbing alcohol to clean sensitive electronic parts?
 
Do you have compressed air or an electric compressed air duster or recommendations on tools to acquire?
 
What other tips would it be valuable for people to know?

To me this just seems like a "brand" of homeschooling, sometimes with less structure.
 
I think students can be given a lot of educational materials or curriculum to choose from and parents or teachers or tutors might be able to help them mix and match different educational resources together.
 
A framework could be provided and they could choose how they interface with it; I guess with traditional homeschool in contrast, maybe the thought is the framework is more fixed? Or with some "unschoolers" there seems to be no framework at all. This might be a view between these two poles of too much or too little framework given?
 
How then do you think "unschooling" principles would translate to the work world? I was reminded that the "antiwork" movement might think "unschooling" to be like "antiwork applied to schooling", but I'm not sure the opposite would be true, that antiwork would be like "unschooling applied to work". Would that rather look like some other kind of work reform or improvement?

What's people's opinion on "aromatherapy"? Are certain scents supposed to be good for disease or to promote health?
 
I guess my view is in favor of a mild support of the theory that certain scents may create health, but perhaps more than this that I think smells may be good for an aethetic value and promote a "quality of life".
 
I have noticed a few times for example, while I might have audio-visual stimulation on a computer inside, that when I go outside I might additionally encounter such fresh air "smells" that seem to yield feelings of health, well-being, and which also stimulate the recall of certain memories associated with the smells.
 
I think I remember expecting that "smell-o-vision" would become a part of computers at some point, or of some automated way for computers to let off certain smells. I thought movie theaters might incorporate the sense of smell more at some point. I'm sure some obscure gadgets like this exist or could be a DIY project, and some places exist that do this in a theater, but it doesn't seem to have had the widespread adoption that I might have thought would have happened.
 
But anyway, any opinions on utilizing the sense of smell for health and wellness?

Do you filter your water, or don't think you need to, or what's your take on water filters?
 
Here's one list of possible "sustainable" filters: https://ethicalunicorn.com/2019/07/19/a-list-of-the-best-plastic-free-water-filters/

This came up in research on observing silence mentally and physically.
 
Niksen I think of as a kind of "mindless" rest while being awake.
 
I've noticed sleep doesn't accomplish the same thing, as I can carry tension with myself during sleep and wake up still agitated.
 
I've noticed light mental activity like reading, browsing social media, or watching a film, may not accomplish the same thing, as they can keep the mind in an active state which can also keep the body "on edge" (while the body may be resting in comparison with greater physical exertion like exercise).
 
Some people are promoting concentration and focus exercises from the eastern religions, like mindfulness and meditation for relaxation - I was trying to avoid that for religious reasons, but noticed niksen seems to be even different than some kind of concentration exercise as it is not really concentrating on anything.
 
When I was younger I think moments of niksen or "zoning out" were more common, but then at some point you start to want to make use of more moments when awake, and think that sleep can rest you - this is where things got off track for me personally, I used "rest time" as some kind of time that would keep my mind active, and thought sleep should be sufficient rest, so it would just carry over tension.
 
Even while taking a break in the sun or on a walk, I might think I should be mentally praying or thinking about something, which would agitate the restfulness of the activity, but I thought if I didn't think that I was then "wasting time" since I could rest during sleep. What I've found through "niksen" is a seeming need to not be thinking of anything, to not focus on anything, possibly to not be making much use of the body (or lightly exercising?), to get a kind of rest that's "niksen".
 
I've seen niksen described as: "mindless relaxation", staring off into space, "doing nothing with a purpose", not being lazy but resting and recharging, allowing the mind to wander but not engaging the thoughts, "putting your brain on low power mode", taking a time out, a kind of decompression, and an imitation of animals who often take a lot of time doing nothing.
 
Does anyone get a feel for this concept or have any thoughts on clarifying it or tips on observing it?

> All writers on the spiritual life uniformly recommend, nay, command under penalty of total failure, the practice of silence. And yet, despite this there is perhaps no rule for spiritual advancement more inveighed against, by those who have not even mastered its rudiments, than that of silence. Even under the old Dispensation its value was known, taught, and practised. Holy Scripture warns us of the perils of the tongue, as "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). Nor is this advice less insisted on in the New Testament; witness: "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man" (St. James 3:2 sq.). The same doctrine is inculcated in innumerable other places of the inspired writings. The pagans themselves understood the dangers arising from unguarded speech. Pythagoras imposed a strict rule of silence on his disciples; the vestal virgins also were bound to severe silence for long years. Many similar examples could be quoted.
 
> Silence may be viewed from a threefold standpoint:
 
> 1. As an aid to the practice of good, for we keep silence with man, in order the better to speak with God, because an unguarded tongue dissipates the soul, rendering the mind almost, if not quite, incapable of prayer. The mere abstaining from speech, without this purpose, would be that "idle silence" which St. Ambrose so strongly condemns.
 
> 2. As a preventative of evil. Senica, quoted by Thomas à Kempis complains that "As often as I have been amongst men, I have returned less a man" (Imitation, Book I, c. 20).
 
> 3. The practice of silence involves much self-denial and restraint, and is therefore a wholesome penance, and as such is needed by all.
 
> From the foregoing it will be readily understood why all founders of religious orders and congregations, even those devoted to the service of the poor, the infirm, the ignorant, and other external works, have insisted on this, more or less severely according to the nature of their occupations, as one of the essential rules of their institutes. It was St. Benedict who first laid down the clearest and most strict laws regarding the observance of silence. In all monasteries, of every order, there are special places, called the "Regular Places" (church, refectory, dormitory etc.) and particular times, especially the night hours, termed the "Great Silence", wherein speaking is more strictly prohibited. Outside these places and times there are usually accorded "recreations" during which conversation is permitted, governed by rules of charity and moderation, though useless and idle words are universally forbidden in all times and places. Of course in active orders the members speak according to the needs of their various duties. It was perhaps the Cistercian Order alone that admitted no relaxation from the strict rule of silence, which severity is still maintained amongst the Reformed Cistercians (Trappists) though all other contemplative Orders (Carthusians, Carmelites, Camaldolese etc.) are much more strict on this point than those engaged in active works. In order to avoid the necessity of speaking, many orders (Cistercians, Dominicans, Discalced Carmelites etc.) have a certain number of signs, by means of which the religious may have a limited communication with each other for the necessities that are unavoidable.
 
Source: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13790a.htm

> A hot water bottle (or hottie[1]) is a container filled with hot water and sealed with a stopper, used to provide warmth, typically whilst in bed, but also for the application of heat to a specific part of the body.
 
(repost of sorts, this came up again in conversation)
 
I thought I've read people suggest doing something like this to stay warm while camping
 
found idea at / credit to Low Tech Magazine but their article has immodest pics so wasn't gonna link it

> On June 30, 1948, President Harry Truman signed a bill proclaiming February 1 as National Freedom Day. It is not a federal holiday; government offices and banks are open for business.
 
> National Freedom Day is a United States observance on February 1 honoring the signing by Abraham Lincoln of a joint House and Senate resolution that later became the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. President Lincoln signed the Amendment outlawing slavery on February 1, 1865, although it was not ratified by the states until later.