It's Too Hot to Have Babies!

World Magazine (featured in the November edition) uncovers an article debasing procreation because of carbon emissions. Apparently, Holdren (scientist, and author) has decided to speak up about worldwide population issues. The Climate Change Conference, that is to be taking place in December of this year, has population control on their docket for a solution to global warming. Insanity if you ask me. Advocates of this theory are saying that having an "extra child" is causing additional unneeded, (and apparently world-ruining) carbon emissions. According to a study from the University of Oregon, "every child adds about 9,441 metric tons of carbon dioxide to the "carbon legacy" of the average female." Even if this carbon footprint issue was a problem (which I think is hogwash), these statistics are assuming that people aren't capable of ever solving the "problem," and also they are assuming that greenhouse gases are going to remain constant, which science has already disproved. The article goes on to disprove this idea that population is causing this "global warming" phenomenon. For example, Russia, Japan, and China alike have all drastically decreased in population size. But it's causing problems for these countries because the shrinking population of youth is significantly smaller than the population of the elderly (which the youth will be supporting). Japan's government is even "offering parents 3,300 for each new child each year until the child turns 15." As for me, if population control becomes restrictive in this country, which it won't, BUT if it does, I'm moving to Japan to collect my 19,800 a year. Maybe I'll get more bang for my buck there too since the Japanese yen is currently worth more than the American dollar... but that's a story for another blog. ;)

"I Go Back"

I'm frequently told that I have somewhat of a schizophrenic personality. On the one hand I'm a city girl and on the other, a country girl. But when it comes to my musical selections there is no denying that my country aura comes out. Although I sometimes listen to the latest pop hit or an oldie, I just can't help loving country music. There's just something about nearly every song that I can relate to, and if not that I can at least tap along to or have a good time with. Country music tells a story. A story that normal people can relate to, unlike what some of the genre's my generation tend to listen to nowadays. Country music has changed a lot though and now has many subgenre's within itself. Another reason I love country music is because it is so diverse. Tuning into a country station, you may hear a serious song one minute and a fun song the next, but it all comes back to the story that the artist is trying to convey, which for me makes it so wonderful!

Country music first started to become popular around the 1920's. In 1925 the world famous Grand Ole Opry opened it's doors to the public. This past winter I visited the Grand Ole Opry, I went mainly to see Taylor Swift but was pleasantly surprised by the numerous artists who expressed themselves on the stage that night, young and old alike. I had never realized how popular and famous the Grand Ole Opry was until some time after my visit there. The Grand Ole Opry is just one of the ways that country music has filtered through our world and has made a name for itself. I know a lot of people don't particularly care for country music but for me the lyrics of a country song take me back somewhere I once was or somewhere I want to go.