GOOD NEWS #31 - #35 - Weather Protection, Cooling the Planet, Nanowires at Work, eBooks Getting Better, Moving Water
Hello everyone,
Five more "good news" ideas! If you're new to this blog, check out my first two posts, they will introduce you to what you'll find here. 1st post 2nd post
ALSO, on March 31, I'm joining my long-time colleague, Debbe Kennedy, at the Global Dialogue Center ONLINE Conference Center for a conversation on INNOVATING in HARD TIMES as part of Debbe's Economic Conversation Series. If you would like to join us ONLINE, here are the links to learn more about our conversation and details to register to attend. There are no fees.
See web-based invitation to the MARCH 31 Dialogue
Scroll down to see my good news ideas #31 through #35... Joel Barker 
-- Joel
futurist, filmmaker, author
www.innovationattheverge.com
WEATHER PROTECTION
#31 - A New Anti-Hurricane Material
Protecting your windows from flying objects is a big deal in hurricane country which includes two of America's most populous states. New fabric has
been developed from the same stuff that is used for bulletproof vests that can hang in front of windows as a kind of hurricane curtain. Two-by-fours that were shot at half-inch plywood and went right through, yet they could not penetrate the fabric.
Not only is it very strong and easy to deploy, it is also translucent so 80% of the sunlight comes through. If the power goes out, you can still have light during the day.
http://www.popsci.com/bown/2008/article/2008-11/curtains-can-handle-hurricane
http://www.stormarest.com/Storm%20Curtain%20Rel%202-13.pdf
GLOBAL WARMING
#32 - Growing Crops to Cool the Planet
United Kingdom researchers are looking at a surprising new way to cool off Earth as part of the response to global warming. Andy Ridgwell's team at the University of Bristol have identified what crops could be modified so that their leaves would reflect more sunlight back into outer space. It turns out it has significant effect, especially in the termperate zones where most people live and where most farmland is. It could drop temperatures by as much as 2 degrees Celsius during the summer. The best part of this idea is that is comes automatically with the planting of the crops.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126925.200-reflective-crops-could-keep-us-cool.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/15/climatechange-scienceofclimatechange
NANOSTUFF #33 - Nanowires as Testing Kits for Disease
Nanomaterials are creating a new paradigm for solving all sorts of problems. Penn State researchers have figured out how to align nanowires so that they can be used as testing kits
for all sorts of things--in particular identification of diseases. Using electrical charges in really clever ways, Christine Keating and her colleagues were able to draw specially coated nano wires into specific locations on a testing tray. 99% of the wires went where they were supposed to which is more than enough to build a successful testing system.
This approach is revolutionary because of the level of control and alignment of nano materials. The process could be used to create a cheap testing device for many diseases simultaneously and in a matter of seconds. And it also shows the way for aligning nanowires for other uses. If you want a careful description of how this all works, go to the New Scientist URL given below.
INFORMATION#34 - eBooks Keep Getting Better
Amazon.com has come out with their second generation ebook, the Kindle. It is selling very well and suggests that we are about to move to another technology breakthrough in education and information access. Because the Kindle can tap into the 3G telephone network around the country, it can wirelessly and at no connection cost, download new books, newspapers, magazines, etc. almost anywhere. The Sony eBook has not yet adopted this important capability.
Where is this heading? Well, for starters, it is getting people to read on a new medium--the ebook screen. Second, it lowers the costs of buying a book to $9.99 for a new best seller, instead of $25-$30, typical of a hard cover. It also allows you to access your newspaper (as a result, maybe eBooks will be the saviors of daily newspapers since there is no paper cost or delivery cost. )
As the price comes down and a color screen becomes available, eBooks will begin to replace textbooks for all schools. Keep in mind that by the time a students has finished 12 grades, the textbook cost can be over $1000 for that student. And those textbooks go out of date faster every year. With eBooks, the textbook can be updated every fall at minimal costs to the publisher. For the rest of us, the Kindle and the other ebooks permit us to be more environmentally thoughtful by buying electrons instead of paper. Wouldn't it be interesting to see what kind of price school systems could get if they ordered 10 million at a time?
Google: Kindle, eBook
URLS:
http://mashable.com/2009/02/09/new-kindle/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00154JDAI/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=3098353217&ref=pd_sl_41di7k8jq1_b
If you want to take a look at the Sony eBook: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644523779&XID=O:kindle:corp_reader08_gglsrch
ENERGY
#35 - Wiggle Power from Moving Water
The movement of water, ocean waves, rivers flowing, has always been a potentially huge source of sustainable energy. But, much of that water moves slowly, especially in the ocean making it unharvestable by standard means. A new energy harvesting machine that goes by the initials, VIVACE, has been developed by University of Michigan engineer, Michael Bernitsas, that creates whirlpools in the slow currents and then captures the power of the whirling water. Because of its simple design, it is easy to deploy and causes minimal damage to the environment.
Google: VIVACE energy, Michael Bernitsas
URLS:
WWW.NS.UMICH..EDU
http://www.vortexhydroenergy.com/ NOTE: This site has cool videos!
JOEL BARKER RESOURCES...
Visit the Joel Barker COLLECTION at the Global Dialogue Center
Joel Barker's Good News Blog
and Joel Barker's Innovation at the Verge Blog
at the Global Dialogue Center
Durability relates to the ability of the asset to withstand wear and tear for the most part of its useful or economic life. Durable goods are better assets for use as collateral than non-durables. The useful or economic life of an asset should be longer than the tenor of the facility for which it is used as collateral. This is to ensure that the collateral will still be in useful condition and hence saleable from after the maturity of loan. Hence it can still be sold in the event that the borrower could not pay, at maturity of the loan. The craft of credit creation
Posted by: Cosplay Costumes | 01/02/2013 at 12:53 AM
Like that you are doing a positive blog. We sure do need that. You also need to be on Twitter to get the "Good News" out there!!!
---Julie Arnsdorf - friend of Barry
Took a chance and searched the blogs. Surprise - you were there! The new hot topic is Twitter. Be sure to catch and read Julie's blog since I don't have one. LOL.
Posted by: Barry Kassler & Julie Arnsdorf | 03/12/2009 at 01:35 PM