#40: Public Transportation

Those of you who know me know that I'm a big advocate for public tranportation. There is good public transportation is many places such as London, Paris, Chicago, New York City, Peru, and Ecuador. This should be a more widespread thing. I know it costs money in taxes to put together public transportation in a city, but it costs way less to use public tranportation than to pay for a car, car insurance, car maintenance, parking, gas, etc. More people should be inclined to use public transit, and if every city had really good public transit, then maybe people would be more inclined to use it. It's not only a good idea for monetary reasons, but it's way better for the environment.

I went to a public meeting for the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board, and one concern they had was that politicians are trying to cut funding to MARTA. At the meeting, I received a flyer with a list of great benefits from utilizing public transportation:
1. Saving your family up to $820 a month, nearly $10,000 per year, on transportation costs.
2. Easing traffic congestion on our roads.
3. Keeping our roads safer - Riding a bus is 91 times safer than car travel.
4. Reducing gas consumption and dependence on foreign oil.
5. Improving the air we breathe by reducing car pollution.
6. Stimulating our economy - Every $1 invested in public transportation generates $4 in economic returns.

So what's the problem? Why aren't we investing in public transit? It's because people want taxes to be as low as possible, and lots of people in charge of giving different programs funding believe that people won't ride public transit even if we create a good system. They fear all the money and hard work will go to waste. Well, if that's true, which it might be, then we really need to change the way we think. We need to stop being high maintenance Americans and start making things better, for the sake of the environment, the economy, our own health, our money, our safety, and our future. Another reason some people oppose public transportation is because they believe the government should be involved in the public's lives as little as possible. I believe this too - as long as nothing is infringing on the rights and safety of others. Well, we have all kinds of serious issues right now, including environmental issues, economic issues, traffic issues, air quality issues, monetary issues, etc. These are some serious problems that could easily be solved by putting money in the right places, and I think this is the right place to invest our money.

This is a map of the London Tube... It extends several hours outside the city and takes passengers very far. Also, as is evident, there are tons of entrances to the Tube, and there are lots or trains running all the time, all over the place.

In contrast to the London Tube, this is a map of MARTA in Atlanta. Obviously, it doesn't hold a candle to London's fantastic public transportation system. We need to change this, all over the world.

#39: Could It Be? A Real Life Jurassic Park!

So I know I already talked about the possibilities of recreating dinosaurs in my note “Dodger Logic #25: Mommy, Can I Have a Pet Dinosaur?” And I know I already talked about the possibilities of cloning in my note “Dodger Logic #24: Does That Sheep Have Three Heads???” However, scientists have learned more about dinosaurs since I posted those notes, and there’s more to expound upon on these subjects. First off, we know dinosaurs and birds are closely related, but just how much? Finding this out may lead to the actual possibility of recreating, or cloning, a modern day dinosaur, even if it is not exactly the same as the dinosaurs from the past. That is really close, right? It’s probably the closest we could ever get, and it would be really neat. This note discusses how this idea has some credibility and potential.

Here are some links between dinosaurs and birds: Modern birds, like chickens, have only 5-8 vertebrae in their tails. Dinosaurs had somewhere around 35 vertebrae in their tails. When we look at chicken embryos, they have tails with 16 vertebrae before they fully develop and lose most of their vertebrae. This is around the same number of vertebra found in Archaeopteryx, the transitional animal between dinosaurs and birds. (However, some people have recently argued that it might be a different bird-like dinosaur that is the transitional animal between dinosaurs and birds, but scientists aren’t sure about this. This is brand new information, so we’ll stand by what scientists have believed up until this theory was proposed, especially since this is the information I got about this subject in the documentary I watched about this.) Also, one mutated chicken was found to have teeth, which means chickens have the genes to make teeth. However, in most chickens, that gene is turned off, since most chickens do not have teeth. But in some mutated chickens, that gene is turned on, meaning that that gene still exists in chickens from their ancestors. When animals carry a gene, that gene remains in its descendants, even if the gene is turned off, and the descendants don’t usually show that gene. The teeth we found in this mutated chicken are just like teeth found in some carnivorous dinosaurs. These teeth were found to be curved like those of dinosaurs, suggesting that dinosaurs are the ancestors of chickens. Finally, some dinosaurs contained two hands, each with three fingers. When we take a closer look at birds, they too have two hands with three fingers, even though they are difficult to see. The dinosaurs’ hands were used for grabbing, and bird hands are highly modified for flight. However, this is a link between dinosaurs and birds. There are also some behavioral links between the two. For instance, dinosaurs and birds were/are both social, flocked, scavenged, cared for their young, and tended to their eggs. There are more links, but these are the major ones.

Now, here is the process by which we could potentially use birds to clone a modern day dinosaur: Emus have scaly feet like dinosaurs, they are large like dinosaurs, and they have feathers similar to those found on velociraptors in China. For these reasons, emus would be a perfect bird to use in order to clone modern day dinosaurs. They could potentially be "turned into" dinosaurs, in theory. It may be possible to genetically turn on the genes in emu embryos that still exist in them from their dinosaur ancestors but have been turned off. That way, the emus are born with teeth, scaly skin, etc. In this way, we create our own modern day dinosaur! And who knows what could come of it if we did this. I mean, they would go through their own evolution, and a speciation event could occur down the line, bringing about other new dinosaur-like animals. Or they could interbreed with other birds to create new species of birds. Who knows what could come of it?

Pros and cons of doing this: As for the pros, we would learn a lot about dinosaurs and birds, besides the fact that it would just be really cool to create a dinosaur. It would certainly be a huge leap for the people who accomplished the task. It would also be great for our economy and tourism, since we would, for sure, put these animals on show, and people would come from all over the world to see them, (and they'd pay lots of money.) As for the cons, I don’t think it’s ever right to put animals on show, because it’s not fair to them. Also, it would be like playing God, which would displease a lot of people. Also, we could end up putting ourselves into a situation where creating one dinosaur leads to the evolution of more dinosaurs, and then the dinosaurs overtake the world again. (This is obviously something dramatic that could happen a long time in the future after a lot of speciation events and/or interbreeding occurred.) We could potentially be putting a lot of people in danger, and maybe even the entire human race. It's possible something like what happened in Jurassic Park could occur, even though the documentary said no one is looking to make a park like in the movie. However, there's no way we, as a race, would create dinosaurs and not try to make money off of it. Everything in nature occurs for a reason, and any change in the way things work could create a butterfly effect that could change life as we know it, maybe for the better, but maybe for the worse. If we created dinosaurs, we'd have to feed them. What would they eat? It seems like the dinosaurs we're trying to create are carnivores, so they would eat other animals, which could completely disrupt all kinds of ecosystems, causing many different species of current animals to go extinct, and this includes the human race. I think everything I wrote about in my "Cons" section is enough of an explanation for my stance on whether or not it's a good idea to genetically engineer dinosaurs. While it's a really neat idea, and I'd love to live to see a real dinosaur, and while I'm usually on the side of science and education, I think the potential cons heavily outweigh the potential pros. It's just too much to risk, besides the fact that playing with nature (or God, depending on what you believe) is never a good idea. In the words of Jurassic Park’s Dr. Ian Malcolm, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn't stop to think about whether or not they should." (This was referenced in this documentary, which made me very happy, because I love that quote.) So it goes to show that even paleontologists, paleobotanists, and other scientists may not think genetically engineering dinosaurs is a good idea, no matter how interesting the idea may be.

If you’re interested in this topic and learning more about it, there is way more information and better descriptions in the documentary where I got all this information. It’s on YouTube in 5 different parts, but parts 3 and 4 are the most interesting ones. The documentary is called “Dinosaur to Bird Evolution.” You guys should check it out in your spare time. It’s very interesting!

This is an emu, which is very tall, like an ostrich. It has been compared to dinosaurs so much that it may be the first bird we try to "turn into" a dinosaur.

This is something like what Velociraptors looked like when they ruled the world. Emus resemble these guys and other kinds of raptors in many ways, physically and characteristically. Emus have been compared to raptors, and if we were to "turn" an emu into a dinosaur, they would likely resemble raptors.

This is a projected image of what an emu would looked like if we turned on its gene to produce teeth. To me, these teeth don't exactly look like carnivorous dinosaur teeth, but you get the idea. Scary little buggers, aren't they?

The first picture is of a 3 fingered dinosaur hand. The second and third pictures are of a 3 fingered bird hand. This shows one similarity between dinosaurs and birds that is difficult to see without x-rays and skeletons.

This is a chick embryo. See all the vertebrae? This is another characteristic that links birds to dinosaurs.

I don't know if this is a photoshopped picture or not, but this gives you an idea of what the mutated chicken with teeth that was found probably looked like. Dinosaurs had teeth curved backwards, similar to these.

A Jurassic Park jeep taking some scientists through a tour of the park before the park was supposed to open for tourists to see the dinosaurs on show, and for the park to do what? MAKE MONEY. This is what happened in the movie, and it would happen in reality too if we cloned dinosaurs!

A T-Rex chasing Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park. This is an example of what we DON'T want to happen in the future.

#38: The Sweet Auburn Market/Municipal Market

I just wanted to expound on two of my notes, "Dodger Logic #34: Quick and Easy Environmental Tips" and "Dodger Logic #16: Don't Be a Vegetarian; Instead, Change the System." I also want to introduce to you guys something that I've just recently fallen in love with: fresh markets. I love the Sweet Auburn Market (newly named the Municipal Market) here in Atlanta. These markets are all over the place, even in big cities. You just have to look them up and find them. The Sweet Auburn Market, in particular, is right in the heart of downtown Atlanta, right on GSU campus. So if you're a GSU student, and particularly if you live in the dorms, it's very accessible. It's right down the road from the Commons and the Lofts.

It's an interesting and fun place to go, because there are all kinds of units. There's a seafood unit, a couple meat units, a couple fruit units, and a couple vegetable units. My favorites are the seafood and fruit units. The seafood unit has all kinds of fish, shrimp, and crab. The catfish is amazing! And, of course, everything is fresh. The fruit and vegetable units have every kind of fruit/vegetable you can think of. And the meat unit...Holy cow, I can't think of a meat they don't have. They have normal meats, along with pig ears, frog legs, cow hooves, etc. I mean they truly have everything. And they cut your meat any way you like it. You can make anything boneless and skinless. The seafood unit is the same way. EVERYTHING you buy at fresh markets is fresh and local and delicious. There are also all kinds of shops. There's a burger joint, a seafood restaurant, a really great fresh fruit and vegetable juice/smoothie place that I absolutely love. I buy their juice and smoothies about 3 times a week. It's all made from fresh fruit and vegetables with no added sugar. It's naturally sweet and delicious, and it's so healthy. They juice the fruits and vegetables right in front of you. There's also a flower shop, a pharmacy, and even a homemade praline shop. The only thing this place doesn't have is milk, which is weird. I'm sure other fresh markets have milk, though. They even have cheese in the meat unit - all different kinds of cheddar. Delicious. :)

If you are not convinced, check out the list of good reasons to buy your food at fresh markets below. But for extra background information, you should definitely check out my "Dodger Logic #16" note that I talked about in the first sentence of this note. Ok here's the list:
1. They are cheaper! The myth is that they are more expensive, but that's not true. I don't know how that rumor got started.
2. Their food comes from farms, so the food is always fresh, local, and in season. Buying local and in-season food is an economy booster, which we all know we need right now...
3. Their food is healthier! It doesn't have to be sent from one country to another, because it is local, so it doesn't need to be pumped full of chemicals and preservatives in order to stay fresh for later consumption. Since it's local, it's naturally fresh. Also, the chickens from the farms where fresh markets get their meat are not pumped full of hormones. They are grown naturally, which is, of course, healthier. Your daughter won't have a C cup by the time she's 10 years old. XD
4. Fresh markets get their meat from farms, not mass meat production industries. If you know anything about me, you know I'm against mass meat production industries, especially Tyson. They are bad for the environment, animals, and workers. They emit all kinds of harmful gases into the atmosphere, they are abusive to animals during their lives and deaths, and they are abusive towards their employees. For specific accounts of these events, and for more details, again I refer you to my "Dodger Logic #16" note. The point is, farms don't cater to the mass meat production industry. They don't release harmful fumes into the atmosphere. Also, they don't have a reputation of being abusive towards their employees, especially since farms usually don't have employees; they usually are family-owned. Also, they are raise their animals on their farms, just like animals are supposed to be raised. They feed their animals the food that animals are supposed to eat, like grass. Since the animals are on a farm, they are allowed to move around as they please and eat the natural food around them, like they are supposed to. Also, like I mentioned above, the animals aren't pumped full of hormones, like in meat industries. They are grown naturally. They have good lives, and they are killed humanely. All of this is the most important part about fresh markets, in my view. Check 'em out! They're worth it.

Anyway, even if you're not interested in all the benefits that fresh markets have to offer, you should still check out one in your area. They're fun to go to, and I always feel good when I leave. And why not try one out? You have nothing to lose and a ton to gain!

Ok, I always like comic relief, and I've recommended this video before, but check it out! It's called Grocery Store Wars. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVrIyEu6h_E.

This is the Municipal Market (Sweet Auburn Market) in Downtown Atlanta.

Mass meat production industry...Stay away! Look at all that pollution.

This is a map of the Georgia State University campus in Downtown Atlanta. Number 35 is the University Lofts Dorms. Coca Cola Place is where the Municipal Market is, by the Hughes Spalding Children's Hospital.

#37: Surrogate Bodies

First I'm going to give you guys a plot summary of the movies Avatar and Surrogates. Then I'm going to take ideas of surrogate bodies from the movies and apply them to real life. Maybe we can take something scientific from these movies and make them real, on a small scale, of course. They both have to do with people living in surrogate bodies, either for protection from the real world, or because their real-world bodies don't work anymore. If we could use this idea to create artificial bodies for us to run around in whenever we need them, we could start a revolution. I'm going to discuss how this could help us, and then I'm going to explain how it could hurt us and ask the forever popular question I ask in all my notes: Should we do it? And then, of course, I'm going to offer a little more insight into what the writers of Avatar were probably alluding to when they wrote the movie, contrary to one popular belief. This will be brief, but stick around to read that as well. It's pretty interesting.

Avatar Plot Summary:
So there's more to the story than I'm going to explain. I'm only going to explain the part that pertains to this note, so as to keep it as short and simple as possible. The humans in the movie find this completely new world full of this different species that are very much like humans. They have blue skin, they're very lean, and they're way taller than humans. They are brilliant like humans, and they have their own religion and lifestyle. But they are like animals, in that they have very natural survival instincts. They hunt for their food, they are very strong and street-smart, they eat what is available in the environment, they house themselves in the environment, and they utilize the animals and environmental resources around them to their benefit. One could compare them to Native Americans. The humans in the movie decide go on a military mission to the planet Pandora, which is 4.3 lightyears from earth. So, in order to transport themselves there, they use a science lab, where they can create avatars on the planet, and then the humans that decide to take on the mission can sleep in an incubator-looking machine and transport themselves into the bodies of the avatars. I know, it sounds crazy, and that type thing isn't physically possible, at least not with the technology we have right now. But the point is the avatars. Pay close attention to that. The main character in the movie is a paraplegic marine named Jake Sully. In the beginning of the movie, what he's most excited about is being transported into a new body that is fully able to walk. Pay attention to that point too.

Surrogate Plot Summary:
The government creates a bunch of robot surrogate bodies, and people buy them and keep their real bodies in incubator-like machines, while they walze around in their surrogate bodies. This is done to keep their real bodies from getting hurt, crippled, blinded, killed, etc. Also, it's a way for them to create new bodies if they don't like their real bodies. If their real bodies are fat, ugly, crippled, etc., then they can run around in a new body of their choosing. This is done in the same way it is done in "Avatar": by transmitting brain waves from one's real body through the incubator-like machine into the surrogate body. That way, the person is essentially living his/her life in the real world, just in a different body. It's like a brain transplant, but it's not permanent.

Brain transplants might be the solution to what I'm about to suggest, but assuming that won't work, because I really don't see how it would, we'll just go ahead and discuss the cooler option. Surrogate bodies. What if we created surrogate bodies and did with them what they do in Avatar and Surrogates? I know it sounds crazy and impossible, but there may be some kind of technology we have than can pull off something to this effect. I know it doesn't seem like we could do it on another planet, like what happens in "Avatar," at least not with the technology we have right now. But maybe we could do it here on earth, like in "Surrogates." And even if we couldn't somehow send ourselves to another body altogether, maybe it seems more possible to create an alternate reality. You know, like those virtual reality rides. We could live our lives in a virtual reality, in a virtual body. It would have same effect, I would think.

And this could potentially be a great idea. Think about it. If we don't like our bodies or faces, we can just create a body with the attributes we choose for ourselves. This is kind of ridiculous, if you ask me, at least for most of us. But what if you screwed up in life? What if you got to the point where you weigh like 1,000 pounds, and it just seems out of the realm of possibility to turn your life around? What if you were so ugly and distorted, from birth or a fire or whatever, that people stare at you every time they see you? What if you are a little person, only 2 feet tall, and have trouble living a normal life? What if you are 90 years old and can barely walk or see or hear? What if you are blind/deaf or can't talk? What if you are crippled, like the main character in "Avatar?" What if you have extreme problems that modern technology and medicine can't fix? What if you have some kind of disease all over your skin or inside your body that keeps you from being able to live your life normally? Guess what, you can create a surrogate body that is attractive and has no trouble moving around. It makes you appear normal - beautiful, the correct size, the correct shape, without flaws, without disease. It has no trouble walking or seeing or hearing. Now you can live your life to the fullest. You can now live a normal life, which you could never have lived in the body you were born in that failed you. This would solve so many problems for so many people.

Here's another idea. Using a surrogate body would keep your body away from harm. If you're surrogate body was destroyed, you would still have your real body, and you could create another surrogate body if you wanted. Assuming your body stays safe inside your incubator-type machine, you are indestructible. You don't have to worry about getting scraped up or breaking your bones. You don't have to worry as much about being murdered or attacked. And think about it. If people realize they're only going to destroy or harm a surrogate, rather than kill or harm the person, they probably will be less inclined to do anything. Crime would probably decrease. The only thing you'd have to worry about would be keeping your real body safe, especially when you're not in it. But there are all kinds of ways to lock things up.

Now think about it this way. This could be great for the military. They could put tons of people in surrogate bodies and send them off to war. (This is assuming we're not using the virtual reality idea, but actually somehow sending ourselves to another body. Then again, maybe something like this would, somehow be possible in a virtual reality...I'm not sure how that would work.) Anyway, if we were to do this, more people would be willing to fight, because they wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt or dying. And then we would have a huge army of surrogates, and we'd be indestructible. It would only get ridiculous if every country took on surrogates. Assuming only the United States uses them, we're indestructible.

There are only three issues I can imagine happening with the surrogate bodies. First, with indestructibility comes power. If we believe we're all-powerful, things could get messy. No one would mess with us. We could potentially become supreme ruler over all countries, and we know communism is not the answer. We don't want to control the world. And it wouldn't be fair to send tons of indestructible bodies to another country to fight a NORMAL number of NORMAL people. That just wouldn't be a fair shot, but if fair is not what you're looking for, then I guess that argument's out. But seriously, take it from any movie ever made that entails one supreme ruler over everything. Take it from any movie that has an entity that is so strong and powerful that no one compares. It never ends well. It's great in theory, but maybe it's not such a good idea in reality.

My second problem with the idea of surrogates is that, while yes, people would probably be reluctant to try to murder someone while he/she is in his/her surrogate body, since he/she is not going to die anyway, crime may still be an issue - just in a different way. Surrogates would be property of other people, so if someone got mad at someone else, he/she could just destroy or harm the surrogate body of the other person. Or maybe the surrogate bodies would become so precious that people might try stealing surrogate bodies. So then you have the problem of property theft. The good thing about the surrogate bodies, though, at least in my theory, is that you can get away from any bad situation you're in by switching over to your real body at any moment. You could even never go back to your surrogate body and just create a new one or stay in your real body. So if someone tried to kidnap your surrogate body, you could just go back to your real body right away. At least, that's how it works in my theory.

The last problem I have with the surrogate body idea is this: What if everyone died at the age of 130, because they kept their real bodies safe and healthy their whole lives? This means everyone would live long, and we'd have a high birthrate and low deathrate. That means the human population would go out the roof. And we all know why having a high population of people on earth is a bad thing. If you don't think so, just read my note "Dodger Logic #17: Seven Billion and Counting." It poses a very compelling argument as to why a large, uncontrollably growing population is a very bad thing.

So should we do this? Should we try to come up with a way to create surrogate bodies for ourselves? Is it morally right? Could it be considered defying God if we did it? Could it be just the kind of growing technology that I always say we should stray away from, because it is rotting our minds? There are definitely risks, but are the risks considerably less than the benefits? Let me know. Give me some feedback on your opinion. And, of course, we are all to assume this would work if we gave it a shot. Who knows what we could do? We've created machines that can fly in the air. Why couldn't we come up with something to the effect of surrogate bodies?

Ok, as my final word for this note, I'd like to talk about one common belief as to what the writers of Avatar were alluding to when they created the movie. Someone wrote an article awhile back on how the writers of Avatar were being racist, because the whole movie was about a civilization of colored people (since they were blue) who had to be rescued by white people. Ok, to me this was obviously a ridiculous assumption, and it wasn't the intended message. The story is about the blue people civilization called the Na'vi that are attacked by humans, because the humans want the precious material that lies beneath the ground on the Na'vi's planet. This material can't be found on earth, and it's worth a lot of money. Well, guess what this sounds like to me? In my plot summary of Avatar, I compared the Na'vi to Native Americans. Well, doesn't this sound like the story of Christopher Columbus? Columbus attacked and invaded the land that the Native Americans inhabited, just because he wanted the gold he thought he would find on their territory. He tortured those poor Indians, forced them to be his slaves, uprooted them from their homeland, tore them away from their family and friends, and ultimately murdered them. That's the parallel I believe the writers of "Avatar" were alluding to. They were trying to show how ridiculous and horrible a situation like that is. It wasn't a racist movie against black people who need to be saved by white people. No, it was a comparison of the horror that humans inflicted on other humans, out of greed. Ok, so chew on that for a bit, and leave me some comments. Thanks. :)

From Surrogates, the movie.

A surrogate body from the movie Surrogates. They are essentially robots with human souls in them, but they are very human-like.

These are the 2 main characters in the movie Avatar. The male is a human inside an avatar, and the female is actually the real deal. She is apart of the Na'vi civlization on her planet, 4.3 lightyears away from earth. I think, if we create surrogate bodies for ourselves, that we should create them to look just like the avatars in this movie!

#36: Some Wise Words From Gandhi and Some Assumed Criticisms Of Rosemary Radford Ruether

This is a paper I wrote for my Religions class. I was supposed to summarize some writings by Gandhi and contrast them to what I would believe to be the beliefs of a popular Religions theorist, based on his/her own writings. So I chose to contrast Gandhi's "The Gita and Satyagraha" with Rosemary Radford Ruether's "Gaia and God: An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing." Granted, I didn't do so well on the second part of the assignment. Honestly, I'm not worried about that at this point, because my point in writing this note is to explain some of Gandhi's views. Maybe you guys will respect Gandhi even more after reading this, since these are some really great ideas. And maybe you guys will think more highly of Hinduism after you read this as well, since we all know Gandhi was Hindu and based his arguments on the Hindu book The Baghavad Gita. Anyway, I think his views on all of the following topics are great, but I'm particularly interested in his ideas on nonviolence, since they are very similar to the ideas of nonviolence of Walter Wink, which I included in one of my earlier notes "Dodger Logic #28: This Means War." Anyway, here are the wise words of Gandhi, summarized by yours truly:

The Hindu religion, as understood through Hindu writings and texts, has certain guidelines to which many orthodox followers adhere. However, as in all religions, one may interpret the Hindu religion in countless ways, which Mahatma Gandhi, a former political and ideological leader of India, attempts to explain in his writings “The Gita and Satyagraha.” The basis of Gandhi’s arguments stems from the Baghavad Gita, a Hindu scripture that is part of the Mahabharata, a larger ancient Sanskrit epic. According to Gandhi, six elements for becoming one with God and, thus, freeing oneself from the cycle of reincarnation, exist: truth, non-possession, fearlessness, tolerance, humility, and the doctrine of the sword. By contrast, Rosemary Radford Ruether, an “ecofeminist” and theologian concerned with the environment and hierarchy in society, would have her own critiques for Gandhi’s wise words.

According to Gandhi, “truth is the sole reason for our existence” (Gandhi). Most people believe truth is to refrain from telling lies. However, truth is more than that; it is “truth in thought, truth in speech, and truth in action” (Gandhi). When one realizes this, he gains all the knowledge he needs. And the way to realize this is by complete devotion to God (bhakti, in Hindi) and indifference to every other aspect of life, even if it means self-suffering (tapas) or even death, because it leads to eternal life in the end.
Intentionally surrendering all worldly possessions and “wants,” is essentially the idea of the non-possession or poverty element (Gandhi). “This alone promotes real happiness and contentment, and increases the capacity for service” (Gandhi). Everything one knows is not knowledge, but ignorance, which one needs to cast away, in order to escape from the discontentment that, inevitably, comes along with it.

The most important element is fearlessness, because everything builds off of this one essential piece of the puzzle. Fearlessness does not come from yielding weaponry, but from ridding oneself from all external fears (fear of death, as an example.) However, one should always remain fearful of one’s internal fears (passion and anger, as examples.) Since everything belongs to God, including the body itself, then there is no need for fear. When one surrenders himself to God, as His servant, one’s fears will deteriorate, and one will finally be at peace.

Since every person has imperfections, every person’s view of religion, no matter which religion, is imperfect. Although one is devoted to one’s own faith, one must have tolerance for other faiths. Since every religion stems from the same morals and fundamentals, one must not only be indifferent toward other faiths, but take from other faiths the good that they have to offer, because no one faith is completely correct in all aspects.

One can only achieve humility when it goes unnoticed, as “unborn humility can never remain unhidden, and yet the possessor is unaware of its existence” (Gandhi). Achieving humility will make the possessor realize that, in the grand scheme of things, he/she is insignificant. Being a completely devoted servant of God can only come from humility, and humility translates into service for humanity.

One common misconception is that there is only a belief in either violence or nonviolence. However, middle ground does, indeed, exist. According to Gandhi, the doctrine of the sword is the belief in the use of violence only for defensive purposes (defense of another person and defense of honor, for example.) In addition, nonviolence is not “meek submission to the will of the evil-doer, but it means the pitting of one’s whole soul against the will of the tyrant” (Gandhi).  Gandhi desires for one to realize that, while nonviolence is superior to violence, and while forgiveness is superior to punishment, violence is superior to cowardice.
If Rosemary Radforth Ruether were to read Gandhi’s writings, she would agree with some of his views; however, she would have plenty of her own critiques as well. To start, Ruether is a Christian, which differs from Gandhi’s Hindu beliefs. However, as a Christian, Ruether would agree with the importance of truth; complete devotion to God (although, a different one;) voluntary service to others; humility; and the idea that “God is the one who possesses the earth as his creation” (Ruether). She would consider these “blueprints for society,” as they shape who people in a society are and how they treat their counterparts (Ruether). However, after reading Gandhi’s “The Gita and Satyagraha,” Ruether would have one main focus for her critiques: Gandhi’s view on nonviolence.

Whether Ruether would agree that nonviolence trumps violence is not as important as her agreement with Gandhi’s view of what nonviolence truly is. Ruether would agree that one should stand up for one’s beliefs, never surrender to a tyrant, and overcome the evil-doer. However, in this case, the tyrant would be a society’s sexists and the environmentally ignorant, and the person who needs to exercise Gandhi’s idea of nonviolence would be the oppressed (women and the environment.) Ruether would encourage women to stand up for their rights, and everyone to stand up for the environment. This would be her idea of nonviolence, as it pertains to Gandhi’s meaning of the word. Ruether would take Gandhi’s view one step farther, paving the way for all kinds of different oppressed groups of people to rise against the tyrant, whoever their personal tyrant may be.

Works Cited

Gandhi, Mahatma. The Gita and Satyagraha. 45-55. Print.

Ruether, Rosemary Radford Gaia and God: An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing, San
Francisco: Harper, 1992.

Now, after reading my paper, I have just one comment to make about Gandhi and his beliefs. I feel like everything he said in the particular book I read from is subjective. His beliefs need to be more specific, because there's no fine line drawn there, so his beliefs only go as far as the interpreter, because you could interpret what he says in tons of different ways. Who is to say that you have dropped all the fears you're supposed to drop? Who is to say which ones are to be considered good fears and which ones we are supposed to drop? Who is to say that I have given up my worldly possessions, assuming what he means by that is not that I need to get rid of them all, but that my possessions need to become meaningless and replaceable in my own mind? But everything he says is something to take into account. They are good ideas that can ultimately humble us all. Yayyyy for Gandhi.

The famous, wise Gandhi...Kind of a creepy lookin' bugger, but he sure did know what he was talking about.

#35: A Woman's Best Friend or an Outlet for Torture?

If you haven't seen the Leonardo Dicaprio movie Blood Diamond, I highly recommend you do. It's really good, and it is very informative about what goes on some places in Africa, and I'm sure, all over the world. While the country in the movie, Sierra Leone, is at peace now, the crisis I'm about to describe and is the story line for the movie is still a problem in various places in Africa.

Before buying diamonds, you should definitely do your research and find out where those diamonds came from, or you might find yourself unknowingly buying conflict diamonds. What are conflict diamonds? In various places in Africa, reporters and law enforcement officers have found rebel groups who force people into digging up and cleaning diamonds for the sole purpose of being smuggled and sold to people like us, who buy them for our wives to sport on their fingers. These people are not paid; they are slaves. They work in very poor conditions, are separated from their families, are turned into violent rebels who carry machine guns and kill whoever crosses their paths, etc. There have been wars and genocides involved with conflict diamonds. There have been child soldiers, who have been brainwashed and given machine guns to use on other people, including their own families. This is an insane, serious business...Something that people die over and are tortured over.

There's all kind of research you can do over this topic, but honestly, just watch "Blood Diamond." It will answer all of your questions and open your eyes. It doesn't hold back, trust me. It's intense and very explicit and truthful.

After watching the movie, do your research on the diamond you want to buy before you buy it! Make sure there was never a conflict involved with it. Honestly, the best way to avoid the situation is to forego diamonds. Just don't buy them. They're too expensive anyway. I'm sure you can find something else that's just as special and beautiful (and hopefully a lot cheaper) to use as a symbol of your undying love and devotion to your partner. Trust me, you don't want the symbol of your love for you partner to be a diamond that was involved with thousands of deaths, tortured souls, enslaved innocents, child soldiers, and wars/genocides. That's not a very meaningful symbol of love, if you ask me. Quite the opposite.

It's so sad that when I googled images of "conflict diamonds," this picture, along with others just like it, came up.

A sarcastic graphic design I made against forcing children to be soldiers in Africa.

The gruesome truth: What you're wearing around your neck may have tortured another woman who is just like you. The picture says "What is the price for these diamonds?" in French.

The movie I was referring to above.

#34: Green Tips

Do you want to help save the environment? Even if you don't, I have some really quick and easy tips that would make a world of difference if everyone employed them. They're simple, especially if you make them into habits. Check them out! They'll not only help the environment, but they'll SAVE YOU MONEY too!

Before I make my list, I'm going to refute an argument that someone posed once. He said that everything comes from nature, because everything is made from natural products. I mean, think about it. If it doesn't come from nature, where does it come from? All we had in the beginning was nature. And anything that comes from nature will turn back into nature over time. It will biodegrade. This is true, more or less. However, styrofoam NEVER biodegrades, so you should never use anything that is made from styrofoam. I'm sure there are other products that never biodegrade as well. Furthermore, MOST products, including FOOD, will NEVER biodegrade if they're in a landfill. As for things that do biodegrade, yes, they will turn back into nature EVENTUALLY. That's great and all, but it takes up to 450 years for plastic to biodegrade, and other kinds of products don't fall too far behind (http://www.thechicecologist.com/2009/10/how-long-does-it-take-to-biodegrade/.) So during this 450 years of biodegradation, litter makes our planet ugly and unclean, and it poses a threat to people and wildlife. Remember diseases come from unclean environments. So the next time you take the stance that everything that comes from nature will return to nature in the end, think twice about it, do your research, and get the facts. Ok, now here's my list of some quick, easy things you can do to help the environment AND save money:

1. When you're brushing your teeth, turn off the water until you rinse.
2. When you leave a room, no matter what, turn out the light, and turn off the tv. And, definitely, when you leave your house, turn out all the lights and the tv.
3. When there's sufficient sunlight, don't turn on your lights. (If you're buying a house, go for the house with tons of windows that let in a ton of sunlight.)
4. Unplug everything when you're not using it, especially if it's an appliance that you don't use often. Even when you're not using these appliances, if they're plugged into the wall, they're sucking up electricity. This uses unnecessary energy AND costs you money. If you're not going to unplug your appliances when you're not using them, at least turn them off. This will save some energy and money as well.
5. Replace incandescent lightbulbs with compact florescent bulbs (CFLs.) They save approximately 75% in electricity costs, are better for the environment, and last much longer. I've heard they can last somewhere around 7 years, but don't quote me on that part.
6. Don't use aluminum foil. It's destructive to the environment, and it's not necessary to use when cooking!
7. Save your leftovers! If enough people stop wasting so much food, the demand for food will go down, so not as much will be produced, which means you'll save the lives of animals and stop using up so much energy for food production. Also, another bonus (at least for me and other critics of the mass meat production industry) is that you'll keep the mass meat production industry from going overboard, so they'll stop producing so much meat and causing so much destruction for animals, workers, and the environment. (For more information and details on this topic, read my blog about the meat industry. It's called "Dodger Logic #16: Don't Be a Vegetarian; Instead Change the System." It's about how we shouldn't have to become vegetarians/vegans to make a difference. We should push our governments to get rid of the mass meat production industry instead.
8. Stop drinking out of plastic, paper, and styrofoam cups/bottles! If you want to drink a water bottle, buy a reusable bottle, and just re-fill it and wash it. If you like to constantly buy drinks at popular drink establishments, such as Smoothie King and Starbucks, have them fill up your water bottle with your drink. It's the same with plastic silverware too, but that's not as common as plastic and paper cups. If you remember what I said earlier, you know that styrofoam NEVER biodegrades. So you should never use anything that is made from styrofoam. The Clean Air Council says that "every year, Americans throw away enough paper and plastic cups, forks, and spoons to circle the equator 300 times." Five cities in the United States have already banned styrofoam foodware, and two cities have banned polystyrene foodware. If they're being banned, you know there's a problem with them.
9. If you buy 6-pack coke or beer bottles, cut the plastic ring around each bottle, and recycle them! Those kill and maim tons of animals every year, and there's no point in that at all. Ben Smith wrote an article called "Solutions to the Plastic Six-Pack Ring Problem," in which he explained that it's easy to simply buy cokes and beer packaged in paper, rather than in six-pack rings. It's even better to buy individually packaged cokes and beer, and then to carry them home in a reusable bag. For more information on Smith's article, see this website: http://voices.yahoo.com/solutions-plastic-sixpack-ring-6709170.html.
10. That brings me to my next point. Instead of constantly using tons of plastic bags when grocery shopping, buy reusable bags, and take them to the store with you! It doesn't get any easier than that. The Clean Air Council says that "every year, Americans use approximately 1 billion shopping bags, creating 300,000 tons of landfill waste." Those are some scary numbers. If you use plastic bags, reuse and recycle them.
11. Reduce, reuse, and RECYCLE!!! It's not hard to get ahold of a recycling bin, and taking it out is no different than taking out the trash. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that "the United States produces approximately 220 million tons of garbage each year. This is equivalent to burying more than 82,000 football fields six feet deep in compacted garbage." There are no statistics on this for the entire planet yet, but the United States makes up about 4% of the world's population, so based on how much trash people in the United States create, you can only imagine how much trash is created by the entire world's population. If you simply reuse products as much as possible and reduce as much waste as possible and, of course, RECYCLE, you'll make a world of difference. We should also push all of our governments to recycle. For instance, there is not recycling unit in Hamilton, Georgia. This should be illegal. We should also push our governments to force establishments, such as restaurants, to recycle. Recycling should be a norm. It seems to be more of a norm in the state of Washington, for instance, so why not everywhere else?
12. Buy local food that is in season. There are all kinds of fresh markets that sell local, in-season food, even in big cities. If you live in downtown Atlanta, or more particularly, on GSU campus, there's a fresh market called the Municipal Market in between the Lofts Dorms and the University Commons Dorms. It's a 5-minute walk from either of these locations. You may know it by its former name, the Sweet Auburn Market. I still call it that. If you buy food that is local, you'll cut back on a ton of processing, mailing, and preservatives used to keep food from going bad, to package it, and to send it to another country. If you buy food that is in season, you're doing the same thing, because if something isn't in season, it has to be processed and shipped from a place where it is in season. Also, these fresh markets receive their meat from local farms, so you know the animals you eat come from farms, where they were raised right and killed properly. Also, you know there were no meat industry workers abused, since it's just farmowners that handle the meat. Also, farms don't emit harmful fumes into the atmosphere that meat industries do. Bonus: Buying local food boosts the economy, it's healthier, and it's CHEAPER! Yes, myth busted. The Sweet Auburn Market has saved me a ton of money on food and transportation. I buy about 99% of my food there. There's a million reasons to buy from fresh markets, rather than from grocery stores.
13. When you're at the grocery store, or hopefully a fresh market, buy organic foods, cage-free chicken that was fed an all-vegetarian diet, eggs from cage-free chickens that were fed all-vegetarian diets, and wild-caught fish. Also, if beef, pork, and other meats are labeled, make sure you buy the ones that were treated well when they were alive. You can find out which companies have a good repuation by going online and doing your research. STAY AWAY FROM TYSON. They are absolutely horrible to their animals, workers, and the environment. You can read about that in my aforementioned meat industry blog as well. Perdue is good, because they offer cage-free chicken that were fed an all-vegetarian diet. Simple Truth's eggs are good too, because they're organic, and they come from cage-free chicken. They're also very healthy. They are chalk full of vitamins, minerals, etc. And organic isn't always more expensive, like people think it is. Simple Truth's eggs are more expensive, though. But that's when you have to ask youself which is more important: helping to save the earth/caring for animals or not caring about anything at all.
14. Take a bath, instead of a shower. This uses less water. Or keep your shower to a minimum.
15. Cut out as many disposable products in your life as possible. Instead of paper towels, use regular towels, wash them, and reuse them. Some people do this with toilet paper too, but that can get gross...
16. Don't wash your dishes by hand. Do it in a dishwasher. This actually uses less water. Make sure, though, to use an energy efficient dishwasher, if possible.
17. Make sure all your appliances are energy efficient, such as Energy Star appliances.
18. Buy a car that is gas efficient. No gas guzzlers! (Of course, it's optimal if you live in a city where you don't need a car, but I realize this isn't possible for most Americans.) I'd say buy a hybrid, but those are only good for the environment after they are manufactured, but manufacturing processes for hybrid cars actually destroy the environment, so hybrids are only actually good if you want to save money. But there's been talk about electric-powered cars coming soon, which could be awesome. I know a lot of cities now have electric-powered buses, which is also something to push your government for.
19. Buy American products! This saves on mail. It also boosts the economy and creates more jobs here in America. :)
20. Reuse your towels after showering/bathing. That way you don't have to wash as much as often. Besides, you are completely, 100% clean when you get out of the shower. Wash it every few uses, though. You don't want it to get gross!
21. Take your air conditioning or heating down a few degrees. It will make a world of a difference, but you won't FEEL the difference. Use fans for air conditioning if that's enough. That way it's not constantly running. You can unplug it when you're not using it.
22. Ride in your car with the windows down, rather than using air conditioning, if it's not too hot outside. This saves on gas too. As a Georgian, I know this is not possible most of the year. But sometimes it is. And in some places, it's possible year-round.
23. I can't stress this enough. DO NOT LITTER!!!
24. We should push our governments for good public transportation. Utilize that transportation if your city provides it. It can be very convenient and cheap if it's designed correctly, like the public transportation in London, for example. I know MARTA in Atlanta is absolutely horrible, but use it if you can, and push your city government for a better system. If you insist on driving yourself, try to use as little gas as possible. Riding bikes and walking are good for you!
25. If possible, use glass instead of plastic/paper. It takes less time to biodegrade and is easy to recycle. It's essentially only melted sand!
26. You can actually landscape your yard with trees, shrubs, and vines in such ways that you use less air conditioning and heating. This saves energy AND money. For instance, you can plant trees to shade your home and end up naturally cooling your home by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit! This will absolutely help you out if your air conditioning unit happens to fail one day! But it can potentially help you out everyday. As long as you utilize the correct plants for your region and use the correct size plants, you can really make a difference. Check out the following website for more details: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-631.html.
27. If it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down! For those of you who don't know what this means, leave pee in the toilet bowl (and put the lid down obviously) until you go #2. Then flush it. This is a good water-saver. However, I realize it's gross, and not a lot of people do it. I only do it at night, and then I flush everything during the day.
28. Use reusable diapers for your babies. Dirty diapers make up an INCREDIBLE amount of our trash in landfills, so if you just buy those washable diapers and use those as much as possible, you could really save on some diaper trash.
29. Don't take in wild animals as pets! Only take in animals that need to be taken care of (A.K.A. domesticated animals.) These are dogs and cats. All other animals should be left in the wild. It can be dangerous to take in wild animals, and it's cruel to keep them locked up in cages and tanks all day every day, when they should have the entire forest/ocean/whatever to live in.
30. Push for your city to have more trashcans on the streets. You should also push for them to put a recycling bin next to each street trashcan, and maybe even for them to supply more recycling bins than trashcans on the street.
31. If your city does not recycle, write to your government officials about starting a recycling unit in your town. I know that Hamilton, Georgia does not recycle, and that is just sad. It should be illegal to not have a recycling unit. Recycling should be way more of a norm than throwing away trash. It is the norm to recycle in other parts of the United States, mostly in the northern states. And even other countries are huge about recycling, such as many places in Europe. It is taboo to not recycle in Washington, for example. Why don't we bring that way of thinking to every other place in this world?

32. Save on paper as much as possible. Print and write double-sided, and always recycle your paper.

33. Do not buy a house in a neighborhood that has been clear-cut.

34. Do like Chattanooga is now doing, and push your government to put forth efforts to turn your city into a walkable city. Atlanta, for instance, is not a city that you can live in and not own a car. (At least, it's not easy to. Trust me, I've done it.) That's where are the traffic comes from, and no one likes traffic or the pollution that comes from it.

35. Chattanooga is also creating farms that will be funded to provide food for restaurants. This gets rid of all the problems we have with the mass meat production industry and pumps a ton of money back into the economy, because everyone is eating local food that is in season.

36. Grow your own garden in your backyard! I have several friends who do this.
37. When the time comes, make sure everyone knows you want to be cremated, rather than buried. Cremation does emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but it's way better than the noxious gases your rotting corpse will emit through the ground and into the air. You could even do something like be buried in a Burial Pod like Capsula Mundi, which will turn you into a tree when you die (http://canyouactually.com/bye-bye-coffins-these-organic-burial-pods-will-turn-you-into-a-tree-when-you-die/.) It sounds pretty environmentally friendly, but I'm not really sure about the plastic used to make the capsule, nor am I certain that the body wouldn't release noxious gases into the tree, rather than nutrients. Also, there have been some criticisms about how practical this is, but it's worth looking into.

If you're really interested in this topic, check out John Javna's book 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth. You should also check out Green America's profile for tips on things you should never buy, or at least that you should keep to a minimum, because they're THAT bad for the planet
(http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/unshopping/neverbuy.cfm.) Here's another site with some great, quick & easy tips for green living: http://organic4greenlivings.com/more-green-living-tips/. If you're more interested in reading articles, I have a few of those too. This is a good article on the environment, how we are destroying it, and how we can potentially turn our ways around: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/opinion/focusing-science-on-the-damage-of-fossil-fuel.html?_r=0. Here's a great article on climate change by my favorite New York Times op-ed columnist, Nicholas Kristof: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/opinion/kristof-will-climate-get-some-respect-now.html?_r=0. Help me save the earth, guys! Also, if you want some comic relief, check out this video called Grocery Store Wars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVrIyEu6h_E.

Everyone has a different idea of how long it takes for all of these items to decompose, but there is a general consensus on most things, so this is just a guide to give you a roundabout idea.

So many people starve in other countries, a lot of which are children. Save money on food, and send the money you save to people who really need it!

This is in Oklahoma, and there are many more places like this. Keep the earth clean and beautiful! It's the only one we have. This plastic takes 450 years to biodegrade!

A turtle that was permanently distorted by a 6-pack ring.

This is a map of the Georgia State University campus in Downtown Atlanta. Number 35 is the University Lofts Dorms. Coca Cola Place is where the Municipal Market is, by the Hughes Spalding Children's Hospital, if anyone is interested in checking that out.

This dead bird was cut open, and you can see all the litter by humans that this bird consumed when he was alive. This is what killed this poor guy. He ate too much plastic, which his body couldn't digest or asborb any nutrients from, so his stomach filled up with all this crap, and then he couldn't fit anything else in his stomach, so he starved to death. This also causes diseases and infections inside such animals. The website, http://pollutedwaters.wordpress.com/causes-of-water-pollution/dumping/, claims that "about 80% of ocean debris comes from land-based sources. The litter in the ocean is 60%-80% plastics, which take up to 400 years to degrade." If you're not convinced from this picture, think about how this affects you. When you eat animals that ate human litter, you're eating the bacteria that comes from all that litter that your meat ate when it was alive.

Humans need to learn from animals.

Creative bag advertisement. TRUTH.

#33: 14 Things You Can Do Instead of Getting Married and Having Kids

For the majority of the time that the USA has been a country, women were viewed as baby-makers and house-maids. We were always expected to stay home with the kids and never hold down a job or have a say in anything that goes on in this country. That's always been our husbands' job to handle. But in recent years, women have found their voice. We have risen up and made it clear that we are on this planet for more purposes than just to get married, reproduce, clean up after everyone else, cook for our families, be eye candy for men, and provide sexual pleasure for our men. So why do so many people still insist that we fulfill these duties? I'm sure this all started back when it was necessary for people to populate the world for the purposes of human survival, but that is not something we need anymore, so why do we still act like we do? The "American Dream" is a dying social norm, but it is not dead quite yet; there is still plenty of opposition to its death.

People expect me to get married. They expect me to have children. If I say I want to do something different, people argue with me that I'll change my mind, or that I'm missing out, or that I'll have no one to take care of me when I'm old. It's all about scare tactics and guilt trips. Why people care what I do with my life and my uterus is beyond me. I just hate how social norms push people into doing things they don't want to do. Some people get married and have kids because they don't know what else to do with their lives; they're bored. Some people do it because societal expectations or people in their lives push them to do it. I just don't think this is a good enough reason to make a lifetime commitment that I'm not prepared to make.

When a man abuses/neglects his child, people always jump to say that man should've never reproduced. When a woman is forced to carry a child she doesn't want or can't afford to full-term, and then she decides to murder it once it is born, people always jump to say she should've never had the child if she didn't want it so badly. When a man can't keep his pants on and runs around on his wife all the time, people always immediately jump to the conclusion that this just should never be married if he can't treat his wife well. But if these people had every said they didn't want to have kids or be married before all of this happened, everyone would've said things like "You'll never have meaning or purpose in your life" and "You're so selfish." I'm not condoning the people in these situations (child abusers/neglecters, baby murderers, or cheating spouses,) but I am saying that society is hypocritical.

The "American Dream" of getting married and having kids as soon as possible is dying anyway. The world is incredibly overpopulated, so it's not like there's a dire need for people to reproduce anymore. Women are finding their worth in this world by holding jobs, and jobs high up on the ladder, at that. About 50% of marriages end in divorce, and many other marriages are unhappy ones. People are realizing that marriage is just a piece of paper that holds no meaning without love, commitment, and respect. Gay people are discriminated against and constantly battling for their right to get married. This "American Dream" concept is corrupt, and it's dying anyway.

Don't misunderstand me. I'm not in any way downing people who choose a conventional way of life. If you feel like the "American Dream" of getting married and having kids is what will fulfill your life, then by all means, have at it. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. I'm just saying that is not the life that is meant for everyone, and it's time that we start supporting and accepting people who deviate from the norm, rather than chastising them and making them feel bad when they don't follow the crowd. It's time to respect different people's path through life, rather than challenge it. And if you feel stuck and don't know what to do with your life, or if you don't think the "American Dream" is for you, then I want you to think about other ways to live a fulfilling life, which may be a better fit for you if you're unsure. So without further ado, here are 14 things you can do instead of getting married and having kids:

1. Travel - This is my ultimate goal in life. I want to travel the world. You can do so many things on your travels, whether it's holding jobs in other countries, volunteering, studying, or just sight-seeing.

2. Work on your career - A lot of people, particularly women, have trouble balancing their education and a job with having kids. We are the ones who have to take the hit to our bodies and need to stay home from work while we recover. Also, most of the time, it is the woman's job to stay home with the infant until it is old enough to go to daycare. And even as the child grows up, it is almost always the woman's responsibility to handle most of the child's care. As a result, many women's education and careers have to take a backseat when the kids come along. If you'd rather get multiple degrees, work your way up the corporate ladder, and do something important in your career, then this is a great option for you.

3. Get another degree - There is no limit to how much education or how many different kinds of degrees a person can get. If you want to be knowledgable, make it happen.

4. Volunteer - If your goal is to make a difference in the world, then you could volunteer in an animal shelter, a soup kitchen, or a battered women's shelter.

5. Adopt/foster shelter pets - There are so many unloved and unwanted pets in the world, and they need a home. Maybe you don't want kids, but animals could be your calling.

6. Adopt/foster children - Maybe you don't want to have kids of your own, but it's your calling to offer unloved and unwanted children a home.

7. Get involved in your community - Maybe there are some governmental policies you want to change in your community, so get involved in a political party or movement. Maybe you have a strange interest or hobby and would like to meet other people with those same interests. Well, join a group of people with the same interests! Maybe you are very devout in your religion, and that gives your life meaning. Well, join a church/synagogue/mosque.

8. Get up and move to a new location - Maybe you've always wanted to live abroad or simply in a different city. Well, do it. Maybe you want to do it repeatedly, every time you start getting bored. Do it.

9. Join the military - It's often hard for military personnel to hold down a family, but maybe you've always wanted to serve your country. This is a very noble thing to spend your life doing.

10. Get a second job - Maybe you like to work. A lot of people are, simply put, workaholics and feel fulfilled when they are constantly working, even if they're not specifically working on a career. Some people are good at what they do, or they simply enjoy it, so if that's you, then go for it!

11. Learn a new language - Broaden your horizons. Challenge your mind. Whether it's Mandarin Chinese or American Sign Language, if this is a goal of yours, you can do it!

12. Get in shape - There are a lot of people who dedicate their lives to becoming and remaining fit. It's a lifestyle that requires constant work and dedication. It requires change in eating and excerising habits, and you can even join competitions and sports teams. I have two female friends who enjoy body building. They join in competitions, and both of them have gone very far with it.

13. Learn a new trade - Whether you want to get into the arts by learning to paint, learn to play a new instrument, join a dance class, get certified to sky-dive on your own, or pick up cooking, there is always something new you can learn, a new trade you can emerse yourself in, or a new hobby that is just waiting to be picked up.

14. Write up a bucket list, and then work toward accomplishing those goals - This can be anything. The list can include everything above if you want it to.

And if you want to have kids, but you don't want to get married, then fine. If you want to have a child but don't want to be tied down by a spouse, then you can be a single parent if you think you can make that work. If you want a partner in life, but you believe in your mutual commitment to each other, rather than a piece of paper that magically binds you forever, then be with your partner without marrying him. Make your own "American Dream."

And if you don't want a family, then don't ever let someone tell you that you're selfish for that. It's ok to be selfish when it comes to your happiness. You're not harming anyone else; you're ensuring that you fulfill the one life you have to live and can never get back if you ruin it. Don't let people scare you into thinking no one will take care of you when you're old if you don't have kids. Truth be told, having kids is NOT a guarantee that you will be taken care of when you're old. Don't let people convince you that you'll be missing out on the greatest achievement in life if you don't have kids. That is THEIR greatest achievement, not yours. And if you don't feel like it would fulfill you to have kids, then it probably wouldn't. None of the reasons people chastise you or try to guilt trip you for not wanting kids are good reasons to creat another life form. The only good reason to have kids is if you truly and fully want them.

You can do anything you want to do. If you want to have a family, then do it. But if that's not for you, don't feel like that's your only option in life, or that that's what you are expected to do. You are in control of what you do with your life. And if you want to have a family and do one or more of the things on this list, do it.