Equipoise Inc.

"Jobs Bill Passes in Senate With 11 Votes From Republicans" (NYT)

2010-03-17T13:33:00.000-04:00

"The Senate approved and sent to President Obama on Wednesday what Congressional Democrats hope will be the first in a series of bills spurring employment by providing tax breaks and other hiring incentives to businesses.

The Senate approved and sent to President Obama on Wednesday what Congressional Democrats hope will be the first in a series of bills spurring employment by providing tax breaks and other hiring incentives to businesses..."

"China’s Exports Rise 46%" (NYT)

2010-03-10T19:32:00.004-05:00

"China announced Wednesday that its exports climbed 46 percent in February from a year earlier. Economists said the data signaled a rebound in consumer demand from the United States and other Western markets after the financial crisis last year.

It was the third consecutive month of increases in Chinese exports and the fastest growth in three years. Orders from the United States, the European Union and Japan accounted for almost half the growth, following a pickup in demand from emerging markets in the previous two months.

Chinese imports also rose 45 percent over the previous year, led by crude oil as factories stepped up production..."

"BREAKING: GM Battery Czar Denise Gray Leaves Volt Team For California Startup" (greencarreports.com)

2010-02-26T10:40:00.002-05:00

"A key member of the small team brought together four years ago to create the 2011 Chevrolet Volt electric car is unexpectedly leaving General Motors.

Denise Gray, director of global battery systems engineering at General Motors, will leave the company on Friday, March 5, to take an unspecified position with an unidentified battery startup in California....

What led Gray to leave the only company she'd ever worked for? "The opportunity to create and build and plant seeds and mold and shape an organization," she said--just as she was able to do with the small Volt team.

And in a theme common to many professionals who've left solid jobs to join startups, she said simply, "I didn't want to look back and say, 'I could have, I should have ...' "

Her new position, a senior leadership role, will keep her squarely in advanced battery technology. She'll work with products that can be applied to electrified transport and to stationary applications, and her job will include profit-and-loss responsibility...."

"G.M. to Close Hummer After Sale Fails" (NYT)

2010-02-26T10:31:00.004-05:00

"General Motors said on Wednesday that it would shut down Hummer, the brand of big sport utility vehicles that became synonymous with the term gas guzzler, after a deal to sell it to a Chinese manufacturer fell apart.

The buyer, Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines, said in a statement that it had withdrawn its bid because it was unable to receive approval from the Chinese government, which was trying to put a new emphasis on limiting China’s dependence on imported oil and protecting the environment.

Tight financial markets also hurt the deal. When the commerce ministry did not bless the transaction, the well-capitalized Chinese banks became reluctant to lend money to Tengzhong, even though it tried to set up an overseas subsidiary to buy Hummer. That left Tengzhong trying to borrow money from Western banks that have been curtailing their lending even to established borrowers, much less a little-known company from western China..."

"Right on Cue, Tablet PCs Arrive" (Fast Company)

2009-12-18T13:17:00.002-05:00

"It's been predicted, and the CrunchPad-Joojoo fiasco almost pre-empted it, but the event is happening now: The first tablet PCs are dropping in, ahead of the stormfront that's expected in 2010. One is impressive, the other... not so much.

Notion Ink's Android Smartpad

Due to be properly unveiled at CES, Notion Ink's unnamed tablet PC has not only got a pretty face--it's a damn capable machine.

It has a 10.1-inch 1024-by-600-pixel screen, an Nvidia Tegra T20 chipset for full 1080p video capability, WiFi, tri-band 3G, Bluetooth, A-GPS, accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensors, USB and HDMI sockets, and a 3-megapixel autofocus camera. There's either a 32GB or 64GB solid state drive and an SD slot for augmented storage.

As if that weren't enough, with the tablet acting something like a super-sized, super-charged Android smartphone, that touchscreen is actually a PixelQi unit. If you don't know what that means, then you ought to: PixelQI's technology is a spin-off from the early inventions of electronic paper, and it's combined with an LCD. In other words, it's a dual-purpose screen that behaves pretty much like the e-ink display on an e-reader for daylight, long battery-life performance (and movies too, since it's faster than e-ink) or as a traditional full-color backlit LCD.

That's the device's real killer feature, placing it as a direct competitor for the growing numbers of e-readers, and a direct replacement for the netbook. Because why carry two devices around, each for a specialist purpose, when you can carry Notion Ink's machine in your bag? The all-important price is unknown, though over at SlashGear they're speculating on about $300 with carrier subsidy if you buy it with a 3G data contract...."

"Amazing Feets: 13 Cutting-Edge Kicks for Style-Obsessed Shoe-Gazers" (Fast Company)

2009-12-09T14:41:00.002-05:00

#9: "United Nude, under the creative direction of famed architect Rem Koolhaas, continues to produce some remarkable footwear experiments, such as 2009's "Lo-Res" shoe. A typical Mary Jane pump was first scanned in 3-D, and then the resolution of the scan was lowered enough to produce the faceted shape here. Finally, it was molded in flexible but durable plastic."

"Subway Architecture" (Design Boom)

2009-12-09T14:36:00.003-05:00

"london’s underground became the first subway system in the world when it began operation in 1863.
since then, underground subways have been built in almost every major city of the world. from new york
and paris to hong kong and dubai, subways are an essential part of public transportation in cities.
within these systems, architecture plays a big role in defining the environment of the subway. here is
a collection of some of the most architecturally interesting subway stations..."

Kiva!! (microloans)

2009-10-28T16:09:00.003-04:00

Made my third Kiva loan today to a woman in the Philippines who has requested a loan so that she can expand the stock in her general store. The first loan I made was for $25. The 2 previous loans were repaid in full, so each new loan I make is paid from the previous loan....an easy cycle to participant in with a relatively minor financial commitment!!

"See Where Stuff Comes From with SourceMap" (Treehugger)

2009-10-08T18:19:00.003-04:00

"You have certainly heard that buying local is "greener". You have probably also heard counter-arguments: a product made more efficiently but shipped some distance may beat out a local product. But all that talk is merely theoretical if you don't know where your stuff comes from anyhow. And in the new global economy, the "made in" tag on a product does not tell half the story. What is the discerning consumer to do?

Imagine a future in which pointing a PDA at a product bar code returns an instant readout of product source and environmental footprint to inform the buyer's decision. This future could be reality with SourceMap. Designed as a "collective tool for transparency and sustainability," SourceMap aims to be the Wiki of visualizing supply chains.

SourceMap is a project of Media Labs, a division of MIT. Developers have adapted the Google Earth geotagging capabilities to the purpose of charting the components that go into products. After two years in develpment, the site is live in beta, and a SourceMap pilot project is underway in Scotland, where businesses can input data on sourcing and supply to share with customers. SourceMap hopes to show that a marketing and social networking advantage justifies the effort of businesses to create transparent reports..."

"Forget "Shrink It and Pink It": the Femme Den Unleashed" (Fast Company)

2009-10-08T18:15:00.004-04:00

"Boobs. The Femme Den talks about them easily and often -- and about the challenges they present to designers. Backpack makers don't seem to have a clue what to do about boobs. Ditto designers of unisex hospital scrubs, famous for their gaping V-necks. "One surgeon told me there wasn't a woman at the hospital whose boobs he hadn't seen," says Femme Den member Whitney Hopkins.

A design engineer at Smart Design, Hopkins is also one of four members of the Den, an internal collective at the firm that's devoted to thinking about the bodies and brains of women and how to design -- smartly -- for them. I ask the group, which consists of Hopkins, Agnete Enga, Erica Eden, and Yvonne Lin, if that means razors and sports bras or if it means rethinking everything. "Both," they answer in unison, from a nook of Smart's loftlike Chelsea offices. Women are not a niche market, they insist ("No one likes to be targeted," sniffs Eden), but companies should also be careful not to confuse equality with sameness.

"When most people think of designing for women, they automatically think of tampons and birth control," Lin says. (It doesn't help that in industrial design, females make up just 20% of the field.) "Even when a lot of companies think that a product is for both genders, in reality they're just designing for men. Design is male-biased. Designers are working with male procedurals, probably going back to the beginning of time." Now, the Femme Den is looking to inject some femininity into those procedurals, everywhere from U.S. Army bases to Target, BP, and Nike..."

"E.ON completes world's largest wind farm in Texas" (Reuters)

2009-10-08T18:11:00.001-04:00

"E.ON Climate and Renewables said on Thursday it has built the world's biggest wind farm by completing the final phase of its Roscoe, Texas wind farm, bringing the installed capacity to 781.5 megawatts.

The more than $1 billion project, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) west of Fort Worth, surpasses the nearby 735.5 MW Horse Hollow wind farm, owned by FPL Group's NextEra Energy Resources, as the largest in the world.

"Completing the world's biggest wind farm took more than a $1 billion investment, coordination with more than 300 landowners and management of more than 500 workers," Steve Trenholm, chief executive of German-based E.ON AG's renewable unit in North America, said in a release..."

"France Backs Battery-Charging Network for Cars" (WSJ)

2009-10-08T18:02:00.001-04:00

"The French government Thursday said it plans to spend €1.5 billion (about $2.2 billion) on creating a battery-charging network for electric vehicles as part of a broader state plan to encourage the development of clean vehicle technology and battery manufacturing.

It also said it would seek financing of €900 million for its €1.5 billion plan from a state loan that's planned to be launched next year.

The government will make the installation of charging sockets obligatory in office parking lots by 2015, and new apartment blocks with parking lots will have to include charging stations starting in 2012..."

"Inventors of bra that turns into gas mask win IgNobel prize" (Telegraph UK)

2009-10-08T17:48:00.002-04:00

"...The IgNobel prizes - a play on the name of the Nobel prizes awarded every October from Stockholm and Oslo - are given out by the Harvard-based humour magazine Annals of Improbable Research and co-sponsored by the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association, the Harvard-Radcliffe Society of Physics Students and the Harvard Computer Society.

The Public Health prize went to Elena Bodnar of Hinsdale, Illinois and colleagues who designed and patented a bra that can be quickly converted into a pair of gas masks, one for the brassiere wearer and one to be given to some needy bystander..."

"16 Inventions That Boost Habitats, Humanity, Health and Happiness" (Fast Company)

2009-10-01T18:47:00.005-04:00

The Hippo Water Roller
SinkPositive (My Favorite)
Antivirus
HomeHero Fire Extinguisher
Club WATT (My Second Favorite)
EnerJar
Learning Landscape
Tack-Tiles Braille System
SkySails
Walk Score (Super cool tool....and free!)
Daily Dump
mesu
DIY Soccer Balls
Nike + iPod Sport Kit
Donation Meter Program
PubliColor (Also My Favorite)

"Introducing Guest Blogger Debbie Millman: Design Matters" (Fast Company)

2009-09-29T13:29:00.003-04:00

"Debbie Millman is president of Sterling Brands, a New York-based branding agency where, for the last 15 years, she's worked on redesigning megabrands by Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Campbell’s, Colgate, Hershey and Hasbro, including the classic Tropicana packaging that was so beloved by consumers that the company scrapped a redesign earlier this year and reverted to Sterling's iconic straw-in-the-orange (New Yorkers can hear her talk about that tonight at AIGA NY's My Dog and Pony II). She has written two books, How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer and Essential Principles of Graphic Design. And this year, Debbie was named founding chair of a new program at the School of Visual Arts that will offer a masters in branding.

Debbie is also the newest president of the AIGA, the professional association for designers, which will be holding its biennial conference in Memphis this October. She gave a rousing speech at the organization's recent gala about why exactly we should be celebrating design and designers, even in times like these. One reason: "No matter how bleak the situation into which we have been thrown by the global economy--it does offer opportunities. Designers need only invent them. By understanding our living and working context--we blow open avenues of opportunity and innovation not yet charted or explored.""...

"IBM opens a Linux innovation center in Kazakhstan" (VentureBeat)

2009-09-25T17:04:00.001-04:00

"IBM keeps pushing into emerging markets in an effort to encourage startups and technology adoption around the world. Today, it is announcing it has opened a Linux innovation center in Kazakhstan, the nation made famous by Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedy movie, Borat.

IBM is betting that places like Kazakhstan will eventually see growth as vendors spread their wares around the globe and local businesses move onto the Internet. Linux is a perfect fit as far as encouraging low-cost technology in these areas. The center will be in Astana, Kazakhstan, the capital of the country.

The center’s mission is to drive the development and adoption of open standards and open source technologies in business and government organizations in Kazakhstan, the central Asian nation that spans territory larger than Western Europe. IBM recently launched a similar effort in Africa. Big Blue also has innovation centers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Bangalore, India; Moscow and other locations, such as the Cape Town, South Africa center, which opened last week.

Part of the continuing goal is to bridge the “digital divide” and fuel future economic growth. Inna Kuznetsova, vice president of systems software, marketing and sales enablement at IBM, says the center will support regional software vendors and IBM business partners as they localize their applications. It will develop prototypes of e-government services and work on e-learning solutions as well."

"Crowdsourcing company Fluther gets some big-name backers" (VentureBeat)

2009-09-25T16:52:00.003-04:00

"Fluther, a startup that crowdsources answers for user questions, just raised $600,000 from some of Silicon Valley’s better-known investors.

They include Netscape founder Marc Andreessen of newly-formed venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, Ron Conway (who has invested in dozens of start-ups in Fluther’s space), Dave McClure and Naval Ravikant. Twitter co-founder Biz Stone is also an advisor.

Although there are already many crowdsourced question-and-answer sites, including Yahoo Answers, WikiAnswers and newer variants like Hunch and Aardvark, which digs through your social network for people to answer, Fluther says it’s different because it works in real-time and finds people across its entire network to answer your question.

The site is very intuitive. You type in a question and wait for people to respond. You can see live if someone is crafting a response, and they can see your reaction in return as you type it. Fluther says questions on the site average about 14 responses."...

"A New Search Engine for Finding Similar Web Sites" (GigaOm)

2009-09-25T16:37:00.002-04:00

"Similar-site.com is a new search engine that lets you find web sites akin to one you’re interested in by pulling up a list of sites with matching web tags. For example, if you input gigaom.com into the search box on similar-site.com, it will bring up a list of blogs including TechCrunch, ReadWriteWeb and the O’Reilly Radar, all of which share the tags “blog,” “technology” and “Web 2.0.” You can also specify tags that you want the search engine to look for, as well as delete any that you feel may be unrelated. The UI, which mimicks Google’s plain home page, is simple and intuitive."...

"Annotate the Web: Google Launches Sidewiki" (ReadWriteWeb)

2009-09-25T16:32:00.001-04:00

"Over the years, numerous companies have offered services that allowed users to annotate web pages. Now, with a new project called Sidewiki, Google is going to join the fray as well. Sidewiki, which will be distributed with a special version of the Google Toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer, allows users to publicly annotate any page on the web. Entries will then be sorted by an algorithm that filters out low-quality comments and moves the most interesting items to the top.

The sorting algorithm and Sidewiki's ability to display notes about the same topic on various sites make Sidewiki somewhat unique. Google uses a quote from a speech by President Obama as an example here. Sidewiki will recognize the quote on multiple sites and aggregate them together, no matter whether somebody commented on this quote on Little Green Footballs or Daily Kos. You can also leave a comment about the entire page, of course.

For some popular sites that haven't been annotated yet, Google will also pop up a notification that comments exist, but the sidebar will actually be filled with related blog posts, which is another feature that makes Google stand out from the competition in this field."...

"The Claim: Lack of Sleep Increases the Risk of Catching a Cold" (NYT)

2009-09-25T16:26:00.003-04:00

"As cold season approaches, many Americans stock up on their vitamin C and echinacea. But heeding the age-old advice about catching up on sleep might be more important.

Studies have demonstrated that poor sleep and susceptibility to colds go hand in hand, and scientists think it could be a reflection of the role sleep plays in maintaining the body’s defenses.

In a recent study for The Archives of Internal Medicine, scientists followed 153 men and women for two weeks, keeping track of their quality and duration of sleep. Then, during a five-day period, they quarantined the subjects and exposed them to cold viruses. Those who slept an average of fewer than seven hours a night, it turned out, were three times as likely to get sick as those who averaged at least eight hours.

Sleep and immunity, it seems, are tightly linked. Studies have found that mammals that require the most sleep also produce greater levels of disease-fighting white blood cells — but not red blood cells, even though both are produced in bone marrow and stem from the same precursor. And researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have shown that species that sleep more have greater resistance against pathogens.

“Species that have evolved longer sleep durations,” the Planck scientists wrote, “appear to be able to increase investment in their immune systems and be better protected.”

THE BOTTOM LINE Research suggests that poor sleep can increase susceptibility to colds."

"For First Time, AIDS Vaccine Shows Some Success" (NYT)

2009-09-25T16:23:00.000-04:00

"Scientists said Thursday that a new AIDS vaccine, the first ever declared to protect a significant minority of humans against the disease, would be studied to answer two fundamental questions: why it worked in some people but not in others, and why those infected despite vaccination got no benefit at all.

The vaccine — known as RV 144, a combination of two genetically engineered vaccines, neither of which had worked before in humans — was declared a qualified success after a six-year clinical trial on more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand. Those who were vaccinated became infected at a rate nearly one-third lower than the others, the sponsors said Thursday morning.

“I don’t want to use a word like ‘breakthrough,’ but I don’t think there’s any doubt that this is a very important result,” said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is one of the trial’s backers.

“For more than 20 years now, vaccine trials have essentially been failures,” Dr. Fauci said. “Now it’s like we were groping down an unlit path, and a door has been opened. We can start asking some very important questions.”

It will still, however, take years of work before a vaccine that could end the epidemic, which has killed about 25 million people, can even be contemplated.

“We often talk about whether a vaccine is even possible,” said Mitchell Warren, the executive director of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, or AVAC. “This is not the vaccine that ends the epidemic and says, ‘O.K., let’s move on to something else.’ But it’s a fabulous new step that takes us in a new direction.”"...

"Neuromarketing Hope and Hype: 5 Brands Conducting Brain Research" (Fast Company)

2009-09-21T18:33:00.004-04:00

"Even before the age of Mad Men marketers were trying to tap into the human subconscious to influence consumers to buy their products.

But over the last decade or so, as the fields of neuroscience and marketing science (as some like to call it) have evolved, the area of Neuromarketing has emerged. Today more companies are investing in the technology and studies. Neuromarketing blogs (Roger Dooley) and books (Buyology) are being accorded more attention and legitimacy. Nielsen's recent investment in researcher NeuroFocus has increased the influence and credibility of neuromarketing. However, the field is young and a bit like the wild west. And many in and out of marketing have raised concerns about the reliability and ethicality of neuromarketing.

What is Neuromarketing?

Neuromarketing is the practice of using technology to measure brain activity in consumer subjects in order to inform the development of products and communications--really to inform the brand's 4Ps. The premise is that consumer buying decisions are made in split seconds in the subconscious, emotional part of the brain and that by understanding what we like, don't like, want, fear, are bored by, etc. as indicated by our brain's reactions to brand stimuli, marketers can design products and communications to better meet "unmet" market needs, connect and drive "the buy".

...

Techniques include:
fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
SST (Steady State Topography)
EEG (Electroencephalography)
Eye Tracking
Galvanic Skin Response

So who is using neuromarketing (aside from consultants)?

Microsoft is now mining EEG data to understand users' interactions with computers including their feelings of "surprise, satisfaction and frustration."

Frito-Lay has been studying female brains to learn how to better appeal to women. Findings showed the company should avoid pitches related to "guilt" and guilt-free and play up "healthy" associations.

Google made some waves when it partnered with MediaVest on a "biometrics" study to measure the effectiveness of YouTube overlays versus pre-rolls. Result: Overlays were much more effective with subjects.

Daimler employed fMRI research to inform a campaign featuring car headlights to suggest human faces which tied to the reward center of the brain.

The Weather Channel used EEG, eye-tracking and skin response techniques to measure viewer reactions to three different promotional pitches for a popular series."

...

Collaboration and Innovation - "Netflix Awards $1 Million Prize and Starts a New Contest" (NYT)

2009-09-21T17:27:00.003-04:00

"Netflix, the movie rental company, has decided its million-dollar-prize competition was such a good investment that it is planning another one.

The company’s challenge, begun in October 2006, was both geeky and formidable: come up with a recommendation software that could do a better job accurately predicting the movies customers would like than Netflix’s in-house software, Cinematch. To qualify for the prize, entries had to be at least 10 percent better than Cinematch.

The winner, formally announced Monday morning, is a seven-person team of statisticians, machine-learning experts and computer engineers from the United States, Austria, Canada and Israel. The multinational team calls itself BellKor’s Pragmatic Chaos. The group — a merger of teams — was the longtime frontrunner in the contest, and in late June it finally surpassed the 10 percent barrier. Under the rules of the contest, that set off a 30-day period in which other teams could try to beat them.

...

The Netflix contest has been widely followed because its lessons could extend well beyond improving movie picks. The researchers from around the world were grappling with a huge data set — 100 million movie ratings — and the challenges of large-scale predictive modeling, which can be applied across the fields of science, commerce and politics.

The way teams came together, especially late in the contest, and the improved results that were achieved suggest that this kind of Internet-enabled approach, known as crowdsourcing, can be applied to complex scientific and business challenges.

That certainly seemed to be a principal lesson for the winners. The blending of different statistical and machine-learning techniques “only works well if you combine models that approach the problem differently,” said Chris Volinsky, a scientist at AT&T Research and a leader of the Bellkor team. “That’s why collaboration has been so effective, because different people approach problems differently.”

Yet the sort of sophisticated teamwork deployed in the Netflix contest, it seems, is a tricky business. Over three years, thousands of teams from 186 countries made submissions. Yet only two could breach the 10-percent hurdle. “Having these big collaborations may be great for innovation, but it’s very, very difficult,” said Greg McAlpin, a software consultant and a leader of the Ensemble. “Out of thousands, you have only two that succeeded. The big lesson for me was that most of those collaborations don’t work.”

...

The new contest is going to present the contestants with demographic and behavioral data, and they will be asked to model individuals’ “taste profiles,” the company said. The data set of more than 100 million entries will include information about renters’ ages, gender, ZIP codes, genre ratings and previously chosen movies. Unlike the first challenge, the contest will have no specific accuracy target. Instead, $500,000 will be awarded to the team in the lead after six months, and $500,000 to the leader after 18 months.

The payoff for Netflix? “Accurately predicting the movies Netflix members will love is a key component of our service,” said Neil Hunt, chief product officer."

"Blue Is the New Black" (NYT)

2009-09-21T17:17:00.002-04:00

"Women are getting unhappier, I told my friend Carl.

“How can you tell?” he deadpanned. “It’s always been whine-whine-whine.”

Why are we sadder? I persisted.

“Because you care,” he replied with a mock sneer. “You have feelings.”

Oh, that.

In the early ’70s, breaking out of the domestic cocoon, leaving their mothers’ circumscribed lives behind, young women felt exhilarated and bold.

But the more women have achieved, the more they seem aggrieved. Did the feminist revolution end up benefiting men more than women?

According to the General Social Survey, which has tracked Americans’ mood since 1972, and five other major studies around the world, women are getting gloomier and men are getting happier.

Before the ’70s, there was a gender gap in America in which women felt greater well-being. Now there’s a gender gap in which men feel better about their lives.

As Arianna Huffington points out in a blog post headlined “The Sad, Shocking Truth About How Women Are Feeling”: “It doesn’t matter what their marital status is, how much money they make, whether or not they have children, their ethnic background, or the country they live in. Women around the world are in a funk.”

...

One area of extreme distraction is kids. “Across the happiness data, the one thing in life that will make you less happy is having children,” said Betsey Stevenson, an assistant professor at Wharton who co-wrote a paper called “The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness.” “It’s true whether you’re wealthy or poor, if you have kids late or kids early. Yet I know very few people who would tell me they wish they hadn’t had kids or who would tell me they feel their kids were the destroyer of their happiness.”

...

Add this to the fact that women are hormonally more complicated and biologically more vulnerable. Women are much harder on themselves than men.

They tend to attach to other people more strongly, beat themselves up more when they lose attachments, take things more personally at work and pop far more antidepressants.

...

Men can age in an attractive way while women are expected to replicate — and Restylane — their 20s into their 60s.

Buckingham says that greater prosperity has made men happier. And they are also relieved of bearing sole responsibility for their family finances, and no longer have the pressure of having women totally dependent on them.

Men also tend to fare better romantically as time wears on. There are more widows than widowers, and men have an easier time getting younger mates.

Stevenson looks on the bright side of the dark trend, suggesting that happiness is beside the point. We’re happy to have our newfound abundance of choices, she said, even if those choices end up making us unhappier.

A paradox, indeed."

"New York Launches Public School Curriculum Based on Playing Games" (Popsci.com)

2009-09-20T22:09:00.004-04:00

"Games have long played a role in classrooms, but next month marks the launch of the first U.S. public school curriculum based entirely on game-inspired learning. Select sixth graders can look forward to playing video games such as "Little Big Planet" and "Civilization," as well as non-digital games ranging from role-playing scenarios to board games and card games.

But this goes beyond guiding your virtual settlers in "Oregon Trail" during classroom free time. The Quest to Learn (Q2L) school, based in Manhattan, hopes its guided approach can help students take on the role of explorers, mathematicians, historians, writers and evolutionary biologists.

...The 20 to 25 students in each class, each equipped with a laptop, attend four 90-minute periods each day, rather than study individual subjects.

In one sample curriculum, students create a graphic novel based on the epic Babylonian poem "Gilgamesh," record their understanding of ancient Mesopotamian culture though geographer and anthropologist journals, and play the strategic board game "Settlers of Catan." Google Earth comes into play as a tool to explore the regions of ancient Mesopotamia.

Students may also play the evolution-inspired video game "Spore," but they get equally serious time with digital tools ranging from Maya 3D modeling to Adobe Flash. If anything, Q2L students may emerge as some of the most digitally savvy pupils of their peer group..."

"Twitter Creator Gives Clues About His Next Venture" (GigaOm)

2009-09-20T22:00:00.003-04:00

"Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey during a talk today at Webster University in St. Louis outlined his next venture, which he hinted may be focused on health care and financial services, according to the Wall Street Journal. Dorsey, who is now the chairman of Twitter’s board after stepping down as CEO last year, said the city of St. Louis would play a “very large part” in his next venture, according to a local paper.

Dorsey’s interest in health care mirrors other tech companies’ plans to enter the space, including Dell, Verizon and Google. Yet tech companies excited about opportunities in health care will likely have to deal with government regulation and frustrated doctors who may have previously invested in technology for their practice but received little return. That could prove a daunting task for a nascent company like Dorsey’s.

During his speech, Dorsey said that the new venture, which is currently in stealth mode, will be focused on Twitter’s core values: immediacy, transparency and approachability."

Ford Launches Vehicle-to-Grid Software Trial for Plug-in Hybrids (earth2tech)

2009-08-19T09:30:00.002-04:00

"It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of big automakers, but in the coming rollout of plug-in vehicles intended for the mass market, software and communication between vehicles and the power grid will be a key piece of the puzzle. Today Ford, which has partnered with utilities, the Electric Power Research Institute and the Department of Energy, pulled back the curtain on a 3-year demonstration project to test out vehicle-to-grid software for plug-in hybrid vehicles...."

Bike of the future will never be stolen, has puncture-proof tyres and will play music as you ride (UK Daily Mail)

2009-08-12T09:53:00.005-04:00

"It will count calories as you pedal, play music and use a solar-powered motor when you get tired - welcome to the commuter bike of the future.

Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman was today unveiling a design that he believes will be an everyday product within 20 years. The 40-year-old said the technology was already available, it just needed the will to put it all together.

The new bike includes an inbuilt computer system incorporating an 'unbreakable' locking device that allows only the owner to open it via fingerprint recognition

A mini computer on the handlebars counts the calories the cyclist is burning by monitoring each turn of the pedals.

Spoke-less wheels make the bike more aerodynamic while the tyres will be puncture-proof with self-inflating tyres...."

Giant Particle Collider Struggles (NYT)

2009-08-04T09:42:00.001-04:00

The biggest, most expensive physics machine in the world is riddled with thousands of bad electrical connections.

Many of the magnets meant to whiz high-energy subatomic particles around a 17-mile underground racetrack have mysteriously lost their ability to operate at high energies.

Some physicists are deserting the European project, at least temporarily, to work at a smaller, rival machine across the ocean.

After 15 years and $9 billion, and a showy “switch-on” ceremony last September, the Large Hadron Collider, the giant particle accelerator outside Geneva, has to yet collide any particles at all.

Evian Dancing Babies Ad

2009-07-14T16:42:00.000-04:00

TED Talks - Aimee Mullins and Her 12 Pairs of Legs

2009-07-11T17:57:00.000-04:00

TED Talks - Demo: Stunning data visualization in the AlloSphere

2009-07-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

Quirky - Social Product Development

2009-07-03T17:41:00.001-04:00

Threadless t-shirts - "Nude No More"

2009-07-03T17:35:00.005-04:00

Crowd-submitted designs, voted on by the community. Winning designs are printed in limited quantities (1500?). Winning designer earns "up to" $2,500. Cheap business model, unique designs.

Happy Median - "I'll Meet You There"

2009-07-03T16:32:00.005-04:00

This website has a tool that finds spots (restaurants, etc.) to meet at between 2 locations. So when you and your friends can't agree on whose neighborhood to hang in, you can find a 'Happy Median' :)

Bcycle - shared bikes system

2009-07-03T16:22:00.001-04:00

DARPA; "Run for Your Life: The Pentagon's Robotic Hummingbird Takes Flight" (Fast Company)

2009-07-03T16:02:00.000-04:00

Micro Financing / KIVA Loan repaid today!

2009-03-31T09:24:00.004-04:00

I loaned $25 through KIVA last August and the loan has been repaid in full today and ready to be re-loaned out! So it took about 8 months total. The amount is repaid without interest. Honestly I don't remember exactly what she was using the money for, but it was loaned to Christine Kiwanuka's Group in Uganda for retail. The rate of default is very low for KIVA loans and I'm happy to see the full amount was returned so it can now be loaned out to someone else. Watch out Citibank!

Obama's Official Portrait - First ever digital official presidential portrait

2009-01-15T15:13:00.002-05:00

Computer puzzle may ease post-traumatic stress (Reuters)

2009-01-09T10:25:00.002-05:00

"Playing Tetris, rated one of the greatest video games of all time, immediately after traumatic events appears to reduce flashbacks that plague sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a British study.

The preliminary findings could lead to new treatments to prevent or cut flashbacks that are a hallmark of the condition, also known as PTSD, Oxford University researchers said."

U.S. projected deficit for '09

2009-01-07T22:28:00.001-05:00

I read in the elevator, yes the elevator, that the U.S. projected deficit for '09 is nearly 9% of GDP!!! Holy shrapnel, makes my finances look manageable :)

Geri X - Kiss on Both Eyelids

2009-01-05T23:43:00.003-05:00

Reminds me of KT Tunstall meets Fiona Apple

Interactive Art - Wooden Mirror (1999) by Daniel Rozin

2009-01-04T01:49:00.003-05:00

Mechanical Mirrors:
The 4 mechanical mirrors are made of various materials but share the same behavior and interaction; any person standing in front of one of these pieces is instantly reflected on its surface. The mechanical mirrors all have video cameras, motors and computers on board and produce a soothing sound as the viewer interacts with them.

Wooden Mirror - 1999
830 square pieces of wood, 830 servo motors, control electronics, video camera, computer, wood frame.
Size - W 67” x H 80” x D 10” (170cm , 203cm, 25cm).
Built in 1999, this is the first mechanical mirror I built. This piece explores the line between digital and physical, using a warm and natural material such as wood to portray the abstract notion of digital pixels.

"Survey Signals Dubai Housing Boom Has Ended" (WSJ)

2008-11-12T12:50:00.002-05:00

Even Dubai is on the real estate roller coaster:

"This city's six-year property boom appears finally to be over, with asking prices for some homes here falling as much as 19% in October from the previous month, according to a closely followed survey.

Home prices were climbing sharply as recently as the first half of this year. But over the summer and fall, tightened local lending collided with the global financial crisis to choke off easy credit. That scared away buyers, especially local and international property speculators who have helped fan years of price increases..."

Google Flu Tracker

2008-11-12T12:47:00.001-05:00

"Explore flu trends across the U.S.

We've found that certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. Google Flu Trends uses aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity in your state up to two weeks faster than traditional systems."

Do you favor a federal government bailout of the Detroit automakers?

2008-11-11T15:11:00.000-05:00

That's a tough choice....Detroit, you know I love you, but........

123People.com

2008-10-26T13:28:00.003-04:00

This has to be the most amazing/creepy internet tool I've seen in a while!
You can look up anyone by name or zip and it aggregates all of their personal and digital info! Enjoy/Beware :)

"Anti-Prop. 8 Campaign Gets A Boost From Apple" (Los Angeles Times)

2008-10-25T23:29:00.003-04:00

Cool, big business taking a stand on social issues:

"Apple Inc. said Friday that it was donating $100,000 to fight the proposed ban on same-sex marriages in California, taking a rare political stand that may win over some customers and irk others.

The computer and gadget maker joined such companies as Google Inc., Qualcomm Inc. and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in declaring opposition to Proposition 8, which would define marriage as only between a man and woman.

“We strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights – including the right to marry – should not be affected by their sexual orientation,” Apple said..."

"Russian, Plus American Tourist Return from Space" (Associated Press)

2008-10-25T22:48:00.004-04:00

"Richard Garriott, a 47-year-old computer games designer who created the Ultima game series, paid US$30 million for trip to the International Space Station. When he lifted off Oct. 12, he became the first American to follow his father into space..."

How Toxic Is Your iPod? (SCIAM)

2008-10-25T14:56:00.004-04:00

"There's a big question behind this podcast: how environmentally friendly is an iPod? The answer: this Apple is more brown than green. But it's getting greener.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has not only revealed new environmentally friendly MacBooks, he has unveiled new iPods that are the most toxin-free ever. They’ve eliminated the poison arsenic and the brain-damaging mercury—and sheathed it in a recycleable aluminum skin.

Why do we care? When you trash last year's model—or any old technology for that matter, remember the Walkman?—it often ends up in a landfill or, even worse, exported to countries like China or India. There laborers are paid a pittance to smash, crack, melt and cook the materials out of old electronics. The result is local children with lead in the blood and adults poisoned by toxic fumes..."

Bill Gates' Mystery Startup: bgC3 (PC Magainze)

2008-10-25T13:40:00.004-04:00

No one's really sure if bgC3 is just to help coordinate activities for his other organizations, or if it's some new tech/business related initiative.

"Todd Bishop, who has covered Microsoft for the last five years at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, has helped kick off his new TechFlash.com site with by revealing some details behind bgC3, a new startup apparently backed and founded by Bill Gates.
Gates, who stepped down as Microsoft's chief executive earlier this year, is apparently not quite ready to quietly spend the rest of his days fishing on Lake Washington.

"Is this Bill Gates' next big business?" Bishop writes. "A Gates insider gives an emphatic no—saying it's not a commercial venture but rather a vehicle to coordinate the software mogul's work on his business and philanthropic endeavors."...

Aetna Links Up With Microsoft's HealthVault (WSJ blog)

2008-10-22T11:28:00.002-04:00

"Aetna is taking a new step toward making patients’ health records portable.

The national insurer will begin allowing enrollees in its plans to transfer medical records to Microsoft’s year-old health record site, HealthVault. Starting next month, many Aetna members will be able to move information from their Aetna “personal health record” — an online repository of data that includes claims, diagnoses, test results and prescriptions — to HealthVault, the WSJ reports.

This is part of a broad effort among tech companies, insurers and health providers to help patients access all of their health info in one place and transfer it easily to doctors or hospitals, among others. Sites including HealthVault and Google Health, which launched earlier this year, are trying to become central points where patients’ data are available to them, for instance, when they switch from one insurer to another..."

Computers & Politicians: Who's the Mac & who's the PC?

2008-09-12T20:15:00.003-04:00

They say Mac users love their Macs, whereas PC users don't really love their PCs, they just use them and put up with them.

In presidential candidate terms, Obama is the Mac, and McCain is the PC. I know many people like each candidate, but Obama supporters seem to really like him, effectionately; whereas McCain fans simply support him. If Obama wins the election, I think people will literally be celebrating in the streets; I don't foresee the same reaction for a McCain win.

I would love to see a commercial of this, or a YouTube parody. Any takers??

Kapow!! CERN Atom smasher gets to work

2008-09-10T21:31:00.004-04:00

From Scientific American / Reuters:

"Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) started up a huge particle-smashing machine on Wednesday, aiming to re-enact the conditions of the "Big Bang" that created the universe.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the largest and most complex machine ever made and the platform for what experts say is the largest scientific experiment in human history.

Tests conducted inside the tightly-sealed chamber, buried under the Swiss-French border, could unlock the remaining secrets of modern physics and answer questions about the universe and its origins.

The 10 billion Swiss franc ($9 billion) machine's debut came as a blip on a screen in CERN's control room, with a particle beam the size of a human hair appearing in the tightly-sealed 27-km (17-mile) circular tunnel..."

*** The ring has a 27km (17-mile) circumference and is located 100 meters underground.

There are also some beautiful pictures at this site: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/08/the_large_hadron_collider.html

Some interesting U.S. waste & recycling facts

2008-09-09T10:43:00.003-04:00

"The U.S. is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609 pounds per person per year. This means that 5% of the world's people generate 40% of the world's waste.

Out of ever $10 spent buying things, $1 (10%) goes for packaging that is thrown away. Packaging represents about 65% of household trash.

On average, each one of us produces 4.4 pounds of solid waste each day. This adds up to almost a ton of trash per person, per year."

*** I see restaurant to-go containers as a significant contributor to these statistics. My friend just opened a pub and is using containers made from sugar cane fibers and corn plastic. Even the clear plastic-looking salad containers are biodegradable. They look the same as regular plastic containers, but take a second to look at your next to-go containers to see what they are actually made of. More info on these type of products from Eco Products: http://www.ecoproducts.com/food_services/food_containers/food_service_food_containers_index.htm.

The Masdar Initiative - Abu Dhabi, UAE

2008-09-09T10:34:00.002-04:00

"Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 13 January 2008 - The WWF and Masdar, The Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, today launched a “Sustainability Action Plan” to deliver the world’s greenest city – Masdar City. Located near Abu Dhabi International Airport, Masdar City will be the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city, aiming to exceed the 10 sustainability principles of “One Planet Living™”– a global initiative launched by the Worldwide Fund for Nature and environmental consultancy BioRegional.

Masdar City’s electricity will be generated by photovoltaic panels, while cooling will be provided via concentrated solar power. Water will be provided through a solar-powered desalination plant. Landscaping within the city and crops grown outside the city will be irrigated with grey water and treated waste water produced by the city’s water treatment plant.

The city is part of the Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted investment in the exploration, development and commercialisation of future energy sources and clean technology solutions. The six-square kilometre city, growing eventually to 1,500 businesses and 50,000 residents, will be home to international business and top minds in the field of sustainable and alternative energy..."

"Create Your Own Social Network for Anything": Ning!

2008-09-09T10:02:00.004-04:00

Microsoft Surface

2008-08-23T22:27:00.003-04:00

This is so cool, yes, even cooler than an iphone! The build of it reminds me of the old glasstop video games where you sat across from your opponent for some wicked Pacman battles.
YouTube also has some funny parodies on MS Surface, but I'm including an informative one that shows you some of the amazing possibilities of this device. Microsoft has many more videos on their site too.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags - Goodbye barcodes! (Scientific American)

2008-08-23T10:04:00.004-04:00

RFID tags have some very efficiency-enabling and cost-reducing uses, however they also come with a full set of privacy issues. We already use RFID tags in many of our everyday lives with drive-thru toll passes, implanted animal ID chips, door security cards, and other ways we may not even be aware of. Walmart uses them for their Supply Chain Management System and requires that their suppliers shift to this technology as well. Due to the power and volume of the Walmart retail system, their initiative will help reduce the cost of individual tags so that they become a more realistic alternative for other businesses and uses.

"Drilling for Hot Rocks: Google Sinks Cash into Advanced Geothermal Technology (Scientific American)

2008-08-23T09:53:00.005-04:00

"For $1 billion over the next 40 years, the U.S. could develop 100 gigawatts (a gigawatt equals one billion watts) of electricity generation that emits no air pollution and pumps out power to the grid even more reliably than coal-fired power plants, according to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now Google.org—the charitable wing of the search engine giant—has chipped in nearly $11 million for this renewable resource: so-called geothermal power, or tapping the Earth's heat to make electricity.

That makes Google.org the largest funder of enhanced geothermal research in the country, outspending the U.S. government. The Australian government has pledged $43.5 million for such projects and already has several in the works, as do Europe and Japan.

But no such advanced geothermal plants are online in the U.S. at present, and may not be for many years to come...

"EGS is not for tomorrow," adds Lucien Bronicki, Ormat's co-founder and chief technology officer. "You have to reduce the cost of drilling to be able to go deep. You have to improve the efficiency of the pumps so you don't lose too much electricity pumping water around."

But for Google, one of the world's largest consumers of energy for its endlessly multiplying data centers, access to a googol's worth of clean energy is quite appealing. "EGS is a very exciting opportunity," Reichert adds. "We have a long way to go to bring it to commercial reality.""

Ikea investing 50 millions Euros in green technology

2008-08-18T09:57:00.002-04:00

"...Ikea's pledge to invest €50 million ($77 million) in greentech points to a vast new market in which people would make more buying decisions that reduce their carbon footprint and allow them to use energy efficiently.

The company plans to invest in companies developing products that it could carry in its stores, including solar panels, energy-efficient lighting and water-purification kit..."

The Gina Light from BMW: "Haute Couture Carmaking for the Future" (Financial Times)

2008-08-18T09:49:00.003-04:00

"Concept cars are built to surprise, signal new directions and push accepted limits – a bit like what haute couture dresses do in the fashion world.

But even by those standards, BMW startled motoring circles in June when it published a study for a car whose outer skin is made of cloth.

Built around a flexible metal structure, the Gina Light is covered with a sheet of durable fabric that stretches to fit when the doors open or close. Two eyelid-like slits appear in the cloth when its headlights are turned on. The model provided some clues about preoccupations and plans at the world’s top-selling luxury carmaker.

A century after Henry Ford launched the Model T, revolutionising how cars were made and sold, BMW and other manufacturers are preparing themselves for a future of intensifying cost and regulatory pressures..."

"In Booming Dubai, Call It the Anti-'Credit Crunch'" (Wall Street Journal)

2008-08-17T10:49:00.001-04:00

"The booming Persian Gulf is starting to suffer from its own form of a credit and lending crisis.

As oil-fueled economic growth in the region surges, banks are finding that they don't have enough cash to meet all the demand from businesses to expand their operations.

The development means that unless banks are able to boost their deposits or develop new financial instruments, a lack of finance could provide an important brake on how quickly the region can grow....

"One of the big issues in the U.A.E. is the lack of financial instruments," says Mohsin Khan, the IMF's regional director for the Middle East and Central Asia. In particular, the fund is working to develop markets for "sukuk" bonds, a form of Islamic fund raising that can be traded without violating the Koran's prohibition on usury.

The value of sukuks issued rose to $47.10 billion in 2007 compared with about $25 billion in 2006 and $10 billion in 2005."...

Another factor adding to the crunch is the dollar's recent strength, which has driven away many foreign speculators who had bet the U.A.E. would cut its peg to the dollar, or revalue the local currency, the dirham."

Toilets at Google (Check out the buttons!)

2008-08-14T12:18:00.006-04:00

Wooden Laptop from Fujitsu

2008-08-12T15:53:00.005-04:00

"Japanese laptop vendor Fujitsu asserts its environmental awareness by releasing a wooden laptop. The "WoodShell" PC adopts cedar wood and bio-based plastics for its housing...

Fujitsu's wooden laptop is only available in Japan at the moment, and it's unclear whether the company plans to launch it globally...

The WoodShell laptop was showcased at Japan Design 2008 alongside another, more conventional-looking, but still eco-friendly laptop called the FMV BIBLO NX. The latter is built from corn-based plastic instead of the more common, petrochemical-based materials."

Solar panels on big-box U.S. retailers' roofs! Cool!! (IHT)

2008-08-12T14:55:00.009-04:00

"Retailers are typically obsessed with what to put under their roofs, not on them. Yet the biggest store chains in the United States are coming to see their immense, flat roofs as an untapped resource.

In recent months, chains including Wal-Mart Stores, Kohl's, Safeway and Whole Foods Market have installed solar panels on roofs of their stores to generate electricity on a large scale. One reason they are racing is to beat a Dec. 31 deadline to gain tax advantages for these projects. ...

American retailers are following the lead of stores in Europe, which are much further along. Store-roof projects are so numerous in parts of Germany that they can be spotted in satellite photos. Government subsidies there, however, have lasted for years.

"In Germany, there are none of the concerns you find in the United States about whether support will be around next year," said Jenny Chase, an energy analyst in London. ...

Bernard Sosnick, an analyst with Gilford Securities who has examined Wal-Mart's plans, said the day might come when people can pull their electric cars up to a store and recharge them with power from the roof or even from wind turbines in the parking lot.

"It's not as over the horizon as it might seem," he said."

"Eye Spy: U.S. Scientists Develop Eye-Shaped Camera" (Reuters)

2008-08-11T16:02:00.004-04:00

"CHICAGO (Reuters) - Borrowing one of nature's best designs, U.S. scientists have built an eye-shaped camera using standard sensor materials and say it could improve the performance of digital cameras and enhance imaging of the human body.

The device might even lead to the development of prosthetic devices including a bionic eye, they said..."

Yeah!! My Kiva loan money has all been raised!

2008-08-08T22:55:00.002-04:00

I didn't think the money would be raised so fast! I'm excited to see how the loan process will continue and what Christine's group will be able to achieve with the loan!!

Looking for a good way to spend $25? (and get it returned to you!)

2008-08-06T16:00:00.003-04:00

$1,550.00		Loan Request
$1,000.00		Raised so far
$550.00		still needed

"Christine Kiwanuka is the leader of a group of five women. She is 48 years old and is married with six children. Her eldest child is 20 years old and her youngest is 8 years old. All of her children are in school. Christine lives in a semi-urban slum on the outskirts of Kampala that is prone to flooding during the rainy season.

Christine plans on using this loan to increase her stock by purchasing wholesale and to install piped water in her home. Christine will then be able to sell more products, including water, and increase her profits. With the profits, Christine will continue to pay school fees. She hopes to eventually be able to afford to buy a motorcycle to rent out and to purchase a refrigerator to sell cold drinks..."

Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier - Poissy, France

2008-08-05T23:48:00.004-04:00

How do you dogear a Kindle?

2008-08-05T23:27:00.004-04:00

Kindle, the new electronic book! Sounds pretty cool and eliminates the need for storage and ordering of books. You can read about it on Wired, and also NPR did a (poolside) review of the handy new gadget. Priced at $359 on Amazon, I hope the price comes down to less than $200 in a year or so. By then, too, I'm hoping they can make a more durable version that can get dropped and rained on, as tends to be the lifestyle of my electronic gizmos :)

From Wired: "Since the Kindle was launched last November, it has been the subject of careful dissection, review, and speculation by countless blogs and news outlets, sparking one of techland's all-too-frequent debates: Is Amazon's new e-reader a game-changer?"...

UPDATE: "China Eases Internet Restrictions for Foreign Journalists" (International Herald Tribune)

2008-08-02T15:04:00.006-04:00

"BEIJING: The Chinese authorities, bowing to criticism from Olympic officials, foreign journalists and Western political leaders, have lifted some of the restrictions that blocked Web sites at the Main Press Center for the Summer Games, although other politically sensitive sites remained inaccessible Friday."...

Access to sites the government normally blocks expanded throughout the day Friday. The first sites unblocked included those of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Radio Free Asia and the Chinese language service of the BBC.

By early evening, reporters at the press center could read about topics that have long been taboo here: Taiwanese independence, jailed Chinese dissidents and the 1989 crackdown on protestors in Tiananmen Square.

Other sites, particularly those that mention Falun Gong, the banned spiritual movement, remained off limits...."

The WORLD Islands - Dubai, UAE

2008-08-01T13:36:00.006-04:00

If I were as rich as Michael Klein (see earlier post), I would surely buy the whole world, as in "The World" islands in Dubai, UAE! This is yet another mind-blowing project underway in the constantly evolving Emirati city of Dubai.

"It was developed by Nakheel Properties and was originally conceived by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai." (Wiki)

All of the islands have been sold and construction is well under way. They are being formed from sand dredged from the sea, which by the massive volume required, makes me wonder what will be the ecological impact of this landshift.

"Brazil Rides Wave of Growth" (International Herald Tribune)

2008-08-01T13:16:00.007-04:00

Brazil is on the rise! This article is another example of how small loans (e.g. through Kiva.org, discussed in an earlier post) can make a huge difference in people's lives by affording them the opportunity to take care of themselves and their families through working and earning a paycheck.

"FORTALEZA, Brazil: Desperate to escape her hand-to-mouth existence in one of Brazil's poorest regions, Maria Benedita Sousa used a small loan five years ago to buy two sewing machines and start her own business making women's underwear.

Today Sousa, a mother of three who started out working in a jeans factory making minimum wage, employs 25 people in a modest two-room factory that produces 55,000 pairs of cotton underpants a month. She bought and renovated a house for her family and is now thinking of buying a second car. Her daughter, who is studying to be a pharmacist, could be the first family member ever to finish college."

"...Instead, he (President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) has fueled Brazil's growth through a deft combination of respect for financial markets and targeted social programs, which are lifting millions out of poverty, said David Fleischer, a political analyst and emeritus professor at the University of Brasilia. Sousa is one such beneficiary..."

"Klein to Leave Citi with More than $42m" (Financial Times)

2008-08-01T13:02:00.005-04:00

Congratulations Mr. Klein. I'm trying to understand why/how one person deserves that much money. Wouldn't it be great if he invested a large portion of it into something beneficial to the world such as microloans (e.g. Kiva.org - see earlier post for info). Imagine having the power to drastically improve people's lives by helping entrepreneurs around the world to be successful and self-sufficient.

"Citigroup will pay Michael Klein more than $42m in cash and stock after the high-profile banker decided to leave the financial services group and pledged not to work for a rival until October of next year.

Mr Klein’s package, which Citi detailed on Friday, is one of the largest sums paid to a departing banker who was not a chief executive since the beginning of the credit crunch. It is more than that received by his former boss, Chuck Prince..."

"Advertising Slowdown Weighs on Media Groups" (Financial Times)

2008-08-01T12:51:00.007-04:00

In the current economic climate, companies are trimming their advertising budgets, which is hurting media groups that depend on this revenue stream for survival.

"Advertising weakness is spreading from newspaper and radio groups to the rest of the media and casting a shadow over a year that was supposed to benefit from the Beijing Olympics and a high-spending election season, analysts warn.

The biggest threat to the industry from big advertisers such as car dealers, banks, retailers and airlines, among others, as they tighten their belts..."

Media Ecology

2008-08-01T12:05:00.006-04:00

Relatively new branch of communications study that examines how media environments effect people's lives.

"Media ecology looks into the matter of how media of communication affect human perception, understanding, feeling, and value; and how our interaction with media facilitates or impedes our chances of survival...

Media ecology is the study of media as environments..."

"Time for a Brand New You" (Financial Times)

2008-07-31T22:24:00.008-04:00

"What do people say about you when you are not there? This may not be a question you have asked yourself before. But your successful, politically astute colleagues will probably have spent quite a lot of time thinking about their reputation, image and impact on others. So perhaps you should start thinking about it. Your career prospects depend on what They are saying about You.

This is the era of the “personal brand”. A decade ago, the management guru Tom Peters urged business people to work on “the brand called You”. Some laughed at the shameless vulgarity. Others felt it too outlandish to take seriously..."

"Kiva: We Let You Loan to the Working Poor"

2008-07-31T14:21:00.008-04:00

Make small loans to people in need around the world, get paid back, and do it all over again!!

"Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world..."

Social Capitalism: Fast Company's 2008 Social Capitalist Awards

2008-07-31T13:57:00.006-04:00

I'd never heard about Social Capitalism, so when I read about it in Fast Company magazine last week I wanted to discover what it was all about.....especially since at first glance it sounds a bit contradictory.

Definition: "Social-Capitalism as a theory challenges the idea that Socialism and Capitalism are mutually exclusive. Social-Capitalism posits that a strong social support network for the poor enhances capital output.

By decreasing poverty, capital market participation is enlarged..." (Wiki)

Unfortunately...."International Olympic Committee Agrees to Internet Blocking at the Games" (International Herald Tribune)

2008-07-31T13:54:00.004-04:00

"BEIJING: The Chinese government confirmed Wednesday what journalists arriving at the lavishly outfitted media center here had suspected: Contrary to previous assurances by Olympic and government officials, the Internet would be censored during the upcoming games.

Since the Olympic Village press center opened Friday, reporters have been unable to access scores of Web pages - politically sensitive ones that discuss Tibetan succession, Taiwanese independence, the violent crackdown of the protests in Tiananmen Square and the sites of Amnesty International, Radio Free Asia and several Hong Kong newspapers known for their freewheeling political discourse..."

"Lion that Loves Humans"...this is amazing!

2008-07-22T15:59:00.002-04:00

Get ready for some Whitney and lions....

Dynamic Architecture, in Dubai, UAE

2008-07-21T12:10:00.004-04:00

Another amazing project from Dubai! This 80-floor rotating tower is set to be completed in 2010. 90% of the tower will be built in a factory and shipped to the construction site. The entire tower will be powered from turbines and solar panels. Enough surplus electricity should be produced to power five other similar sized buildings in the vicinity. The turbines will be located between each of the rotating floors. They could generate up to 1,200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy. The solar panels will be located on the roof.

Song: "Landed", by Recloose

2008-07-21T11:39:00.002-04:00

No video, but the song is on you tube. It's got a beatbox, froggy, jazzy feel :)

Song: "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" by Saint Etienne

2008-07-21T10:56:00.002-04:00

Old-school down-tempo 90's jam.

Song: "Don't Stop", by the Brazilian Girls

2008-07-21T10:01:00.001-04:00

Funky, chill, boppy :)

Song: "What Ever Happened?", by The Strokes

2008-07-21T09:45:00.002-04:00

Rocking & rolling, but not exactly Rock 'n Roll.

Song: "C-C" (You Set the Fire in Me), by Tom Vek

2008-07-21T09:43:00.001-04:00

Frank Gehry's "Dancing House" (The Fred & Ginger Building), in Prague, Czech Republic

2008-07-20T13:27:00.004-04:00

I used to walk along the Vlatva river in Prague while I studied there in '99 for a semester, always awed and happy to see Fred & Ginger dancing in large above and next to me. It's amazing how a material as sharp and fragile as glass was constructed into a form that appears to flow and evokes the image of a swaying female dancer. If he doesn't catch her, she'll shatter.

Frank Gehry's Fisher Center @ Bard College, in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

2008-07-20T13:06:00.008-04:00

I stumbled upon Gehry's floating and folding performance center at Bard College in the Summer of '07 while driving around exploring the Hudson Valley area. The back of the building is a bit disappointing and disconnected design-wise from the more visible front and sides. It's a reverse mullet of a building: party up front, business in the back.

"Untouchable By Birth, Undaunted as a Politician" (International Herald Tribune)

2008-07-20T12:48:00.005-04:00

"LUCKNOW, India: Kumari Mayawati, a daughter of so-called untouchables and India's most maverick politician, stunned the nation last year when she won majority control of India's largest state with an inventive political coalition that fused votes from up and down the ancient Hindu caste pyramid. Now, with national elections only months away, Mayawati has emerged as the most important low-caste politician in India's history, and she is asserting herself as a rainbow coalition leader whom all Indians can trust to be their prime minister one day. How far she will rise remains to be seen. But there is no disputing her importance..."

2 Quotes from Comedian Steven Wright

2008-07-18T13:08:00.005-04:00

- "What's another word for thesaurus?"
- "When I first read the dictionary, I thought it was a poem about everything."

"Gore Seeks 100% Green Energy" (from Financial Times)

2008-07-18T10:19:00.005-04:00

"The US should aim to generate all of its electricity from zero-carbon energy sources within a decade, Al Gore, the former vice-president, urged on Thursday."

"...Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute, an environmental group, said: “We need to change the debate in this country from what we can’t do to what we can. America has led every major technological shift in the last 100 years, and we can lead the next one as well. The problem is not technology, it is political will...”

Learning how to blog

2008-07-18T10:10:00.003-04:00

I'm learning as I go, so watch for changes and please give me any tips on how to create/enhance a blog!

Dancing Matt!

2008-07-17T12:14:00.013-04:00

"There are no weekend box office charts for online videos. But if there were, near or at the very top of the list right now might well be a four-and-a-half-minute video called "Dancing," which more than four million people have viewed on YouTube, and perhaps another million on other sites, in the just over two weeks since it appeared. It's the online equivalent of a platinum hit, seeping from one computer to the next like a virus..." (from International Herald Tribune)
2008

2006

"What Makes A Viral Ad?" (from CNN)

2008-07-17T12:12:00.008-04:00

"(CNN) -- How do you create something that people want to spend more time with, and also want their groups of friends or social community to spend more time with? In this award-winning viral, a John West "spars" with a grizzly bear over a fish. The answer lies in the idea that it's "oh so viralicious," it's got to be shared -- with your friends and colleagues at the very first instance, at that second. And what will drive that is the power of that idea -- its creativity, its point of view, or sheer genius in expression." (from CNN.com)