Treehugger: More Clinton Initiative Funds For Renewable Energy
I don't understand why the venture capital isn't lining up for this stuff. Growing oil? Solar fabric? SOLAR PAINT?! For the long term investor (think ten or twenty years) alternative energy is gonna be a gold mine. Don't get me wrong, oil isn't going away as soon as the "peak-oil" folks are doom-saying, but hell, have you taken a look at solar panels lately? For about $2k for a total system (provided you install it yourself) you could provide half to three quarters of the average American home's greedy electricity consumption. That would pay for itself in three years, and after that it's gravy, baby!
The total of 4 billion in Clinton Initiative commitments is on the same plane as the US Federal Government’s collective budgetary allocation for research into mostly coal and nuclear energy alternatives, as was also announced this week (huge pdf file at link). Besides the focus on renewability, what most distinguishes the Clinton commitment from the US Department of Energy's plan is the phrase “while getting returns on capital invested.” The Green Fund is seeding not merely money but a philosophy of pragmatism and near-term outcomes.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
BBC NEWS | Europe | Probe into 'Bin Laden death' leak
BBC NEWS Europe Probe into 'Bin Laden death' leak
I just don't know what to think about this. Even if he is dead, ultimately I don't think it means that much. He was a figurehead, a PR spin doctor for fundamentalist hatred. Someone will take his place, unfortunately. Hell, zealots love martyrs, it could even up Al-Qaeda recruitment.
In its report, French regional daily L'Est Republicain said it had obtained a copy of a DGSE foreign intelligence service report dated 21 September.
"According to a usually reliable source, the Saudi services are now convinced that Osama Bin Laden is dead," it read.
"The information gathered by the Saudis indicates that the head of al-Qaeda fell victim, while he was in Pakistan on August 23, 2006, to a very serious case of typhoid that led to a partial paralysis of his internal organs."
Mr Chirac said: "I am surprised that a confidential memo from the secret services has been published, therefore I've ordered the defence minister to start an inquiry.
"As far as the information itself is concerned, it's not confirmed in any way. Therefore I have no comment at all."
I just don't know what to think about this. Even if he is dead, ultimately I don't think it means that much. He was a figurehead, a PR spin doctor for fundamentalist hatred. Someone will take his place, unfortunately. Hell, zealots love martyrs, it could even up Al-Qaeda recruitment.
In its report, French regional daily L'Est Republicain said it had obtained a copy of a DGSE foreign intelligence service report dated 21 September.
"According to a usually reliable source, the Saudi services are now convinced that Osama Bin Laden is dead," it read.
"The information gathered by the Saudis indicates that the head of al-Qaeda fell victim, while he was in Pakistan on August 23, 2006, to a very serious case of typhoid that led to a partial paralysis of his internal organs."
Mr Chirac said: "I am surprised that a confidential memo from the secret services has been published, therefore I've ordered the defence minister to start an inquiry.
"As far as the information itself is concerned, it's not confirmed in any way. Therefore I have no comment at all."
Young voters -- a wild card in 2006 U.S. elections | Tech&Sci | Technology | Reuters.com
Young voters -- a wild card in 2006 U.S. elections Tech&Sci Technology Reuters.com
I'll say it again, we just saw the tip of the iceberg in 2004. Hell, was friendster even around then? I mean what are social networking sites, but virtual "3rd places", community commons, where a lot of the real politickin' goes on? Do you think there is a prom queen out there who doesn't have a myspace page? Who doesn't organize her campaign through texting? Dean's showing in 2004, and the "draft Clark" campaign, heh heh heh, the Dragon says you ain't seen nothin' yet.
"We have to start thinking positively and we have to stop attacking Republicans," the 21-year-old student in Minnesota said in one posting. "We just need to stand up for the Democratic Party," he says in another.
As Republicans fight to keep control of Congress, both parties hope to mobilize young voters who turned out in record numbers in the 2004 presidential election and are considered one of the wild cards in November's congressional races.
I'll say it again, we just saw the tip of the iceberg in 2004. Hell, was friendster even around then? I mean what are social networking sites, but virtual "3rd places", community commons, where a lot of the real politickin' goes on? Do you think there is a prom queen out there who doesn't have a myspace page? Who doesn't organize her campaign through texting? Dean's showing in 2004, and the "draft Clark" campaign, heh heh heh, the Dragon says you ain't seen nothin' yet.
"We have to start thinking positively and we have to stop attacking Republicans," the 21-year-old student in Minnesota said in one posting. "We just need to stand up for the Democratic Party," he says in another.
As Republicans fight to keep control of Congress, both parties hope to mobilize young voters who turned out in record numbers in the 2004 presidential election and are considered one of the wild cards in November's congressional races.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Comics and Micropayments: An Interview with Todd Allen
Confessions of an Aca/Fan: The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins: Comics and Micropayments: An Interview with Todd Allen
Comics and Micropayments, it just won't go away. Everybody wants to make some money off the internet (hey, the Dragon wouldn't mind...) and the webcomics/micropayments debate flash up every now and then like 5 year olds arguing over whether the Hulk could take Superman. This is a pretty good summation of how webcomics and micropayments have evolved since Scott McCloud got Gary Groth all in a tizzy about it, right as the dot com bubble bombed.
When McCloud spoke at MIT last week, he told me that Reinventing Comicswas designed to be a book about the future when it was published more than five years ago and it was still a book about the future now. We are just moving towards the future at a slower rate than any of us might have imagined. The success of iTunes suggests that people are willing to pay small amounts of money online to consume content they want (and thus suggests that some micropayments model might still make sense). At the same time, they are doing so through a central distribution channel which could easily become a gatekeeper locking lots of content producer out.
via /.
Comics and Micropayments, it just won't go away. Everybody wants to make some money off the internet (hey, the Dragon wouldn't mind...) and the webcomics/micropayments debate flash up every now and then like 5 year olds arguing over whether the Hulk could take Superman. This is a pretty good summation of how webcomics and micropayments have evolved since Scott McCloud got Gary Groth all in a tizzy about it, right as the dot com bubble bombed.
When McCloud spoke at MIT last week, he told me that Reinventing Comicswas designed to be a book about the future when it was published more than five years ago and it was still a book about the future now. We are just moving towards the future at a slower rate than any of us might have imagined. The success of iTunes suggests that people are willing to pay small amounts of money online to consume content they want (and thus suggests that some micropayments model might still make sense). At the same time, they are doing so through a central distribution channel which could easily become a gatekeeper locking lots of content producer out.
via /.
How to Build a Bicycle Cargo Trailer - WikiHow
How to Build a Bicycle Cargo Trailer - WikiHow
This is a pretty simple project and a pretty simple trailer, but maybe just the thing that somebody out there is wanting to do this weekend. Or maybe the springboard for something even cooler... Now, we can only hope that somebody reads the Dragon...
This is a pretty simple project and a pretty simple trailer, but maybe just the thing that somebody out there is wanting to do this weekend. Or maybe the springboard for something even cooler... Now, we can only hope that somebody reads the Dragon...
Ain't no Pope-mobile
Richard Hammond rides across water in Jeep
Richard Hammond, that infectiously squirly Brit who hosts the Carver clip I posted recently, recently sustained some serious head injuries trying to break the British landspeed record. currently listed as in stable condition, the Dragon is hoping maybe posting this near-miraculous clip will send a minor miracle or two his way.
I guess there are a lot of clips from Hammond's BBC show Top Gear on You Tube out there, so you might be seeing more of him here in coming days. Sounds like he might be a little speed obsessed, which isn't the Dragon's normal cup of tea. Heck, that's why I like scooters, a safe traffic speed feels like flying, when you're comfortably perched on 150ccs. But I gotta admit, Hammond's enthusiasm for freaky transportation makes me feel like a kid again.
thanks to Jalopnik for turning me on to this. Jalopnik seems to be keeping up pretty well with the unfolding of Hammond's condition, so check there for updates
Richard Hammond, that infectiously squirly Brit who hosts the Carver clip I posted recently, recently sustained some serious head injuries trying to break the British landspeed record. currently listed as in stable condition, the Dragon is hoping maybe posting this near-miraculous clip will send a minor miracle or two his way.
I guess there are a lot of clips from Hammond's BBC show Top Gear on You Tube out there, so you might be seeing more of him here in coming days. Sounds like he might be a little speed obsessed, which isn't the Dragon's normal cup of tea. Heck, that's why I like scooters, a safe traffic speed feels like flying, when you're comfortably perched on 150ccs. But I gotta admit, Hammond's enthusiasm for freaky transportation makes me feel like a kid again.
thanks to Jalopnik for turning me on to this. Jalopnik seems to be keeping up pretty well with the unfolding of Hammond's condition, so check there for updates
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Moonbeam
Sweet home built light vehicle based off two honda scooters. Gets 100 mpg. Think it's cool, but you could never do it? Well check the link, Jory Squib has the instructions there to tempt you.
Thanks to Treehugger
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