(newsletter) Plush Vader, Altoids Bread, Fix a Broken Ethernet Plug
Posted by fungus amungus on 17 September, 2009
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Archive for September 17th, 2009
White House Unveils Landmark Fuel Economy and Emissions Standards
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
Organic foods are now ”mainstream’, says USDA
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
Arizona Project Uses Algae to Turn Coal Pollution Into Biofuel
Posted by Nick Chambers on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ science ]
Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest electricity provider, has secured $70.5 million in stimulus funds to expand an innovative project that turns carbon dioxide emissions from a coal power plant into biofuel using algae. While part of the funds will be used to scale up the algae processing portion, some of the funds will also be used to investigate the potential benefits of turning the coal into a gas prior to burning it for power.
The concept of creating two products — electricity and fuel — from the same process is known as cogeneration. In this case, the cogeneration also helps to reduce environmental pollution. It’s an idea that has been gathering support as a way to make coal less polluting while finding an additional revenue source to pay for the pollution control itself. In fact, a while back I reported on a similar pilot project in Oregon.
South Africa launches first-time fishing alliance
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Economy, Environment ]
Croatia and Hungary to establish Europe´s largest river protected area – 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Environment ]
Croatia and Hungary to establish Europe´s largest river protected area – 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain
Doctors warn on climate failure
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
Killer Whales Die Without King Salmon
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Environment ]
Himalayan glaciers ‘grew’ during warmer period
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Environment ]
Global Warming Could Cool N. America
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Environment ]
Italy finds wreck of toxic waste ship sunk by mafia
Posted by KC on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Economy, Environment ]
Iranian Students Design Plug-In EV In 14 Months
Posted by Christopher DeMorro on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
If you’re looking for alternative fuel vehicles, the Middle East is likely the last place you’ll look. The place is just about swimming in crude oil. But a team of Iranian students and graduates have designed the plug-in EV you see here, called “Qasedak-e Nasir” or Dandelion of Nasir.
While it is hardly a game changer, this quirky little EV could mean big things for a country where there are about 15 people per 1 car.
Mission One Electric Motorcycle Sets AMA Land Speed Record
Posted by Christopher DeMorro on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
The Mission One electric superbike set a land speed record of 150 MPH at the Bonneville Salt Flats for electric bikes on the 1st of September. This record sets the Mission Motors electric motorcycle apart from the herd, proving both the viability and performance capabilities of electric motorbikes. With individual runs as high as 161 MPH, the Mission One achieved speeds faster than 70% of the entrants at the annual BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials.
Another Eco-Supercar: The Steenstra Styletto
Posted by Christopher DeMorro on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
Alternative-fuel supercars really seem to be picking up steam. Hybrid Lamborghinis? Electric Gullwings? All very cool stuff, but the field is quickly becoming crowded by competitors to the eco-supercar crown. A new California-based company called Steenstra GCM has announced the Styletto, “the first 200-mph-plus super sports car to be built in California” according to the press release.
GreenSun solar panels: direct sunlight optional
Posted by Leslie Shapiro on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
It been pretty much understood that solar panels need sunlight. Direct sunlight, that is, and lots of it. GreenSun Energy has developed panels that just need bright light, but they don’t have to have the light shining directly on them. When light hits the panels, it’s diffused to solar receptors in the edges of the panels.
Using jewel-toned plates, the solar concentrators capture from a wide spectrum of light. Even on a cloudy day, they’ll produce electricity, although less than on a sunny day with direct light. They’re even cheaper than traditional panels, since they don’t use as much silicon as standard panels.
Think of all the placement opportunities. Northern locales, shady lots, and Seattle – rejoice.
Pentax K-x DSLR about to paint the world red
Posted by Addy Dugdale on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
After details of its new camera were leaked onto the web yesterday, Pentax has ‘fessed up about its new DSLR. The K-x is $650-worth of DSLR, with a 12.4 megapixel CMOS censor, 4.7 fps continual shooting, 720p HD video at 24 fps, and comes with an 18-55 mm lens. Throw in image sensor cleaning, 11 selectable auto-focus point and a PRIME II imaging engine, and you’ll be staying home to save your shekels before the K-x hits the shops in October.
With a 2.7-inch LCD screen, and ISO sensitivity that ranges from 100 to 12,800, the 1.13-pound camera will be available in four colors: black; white; and limited-edition versions in red and navy. And if none of those are your shades, then move to Japan and customize the body yourself — 20 body and nine grip colors are available. Pink and yeller, anyone?
Digital Photography Review Via Engadget
HP DreamScreen: Not your grandma’s digital picture frame
Posted by Charlie White on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
HP just dreamed up a fancy batch of digital picture frames, and it’s calling them DreamScreens. Connected to the world via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, these swank-looking screens are all decked out in shiny piano black with flush widescreen fronts. They’re essentially souped-up, extra large 800×480 digital picture frames — the DreamScreen 100 ($250) has a 10.2-inch screen and the DreamScreen 130 ($300) has a 13.3-inch screen.
The specs place them at the higher end of connected digital picture frames; in what HP calls “a new category of connected screens.” The 15:9 units are both packing 2GB of built-in memory, and if that’s not enough, you can hook up a USB drive or flash card for more space. Because they’re connected to the Internet, they’ll let you stream music using Pandora, our favorite free customized music streaming service. Beyond that, HP rolls out a new service for the DreamScreen it calls SmartRadio, aggregating more than 10,000 Internet radio stations for your listening pleasure.
DreamScreen can play video, audio, and photos (see the specs after the jump for file formats). If you get tired of looking at your own photos, look at everyone else’s on Facebook or Snapfish. Aiming to please, there’s an alarm clock inside that’ll be more than happy to show you a five-day forecast at a glance. It’s not a touchscreen, and that’s good — you wouldn’t want to get your greasy fingerprints all over this beauty, but it is controlled by a remote control or touch controls that are only visible when you touch the frame. Yeah, this is one fancy picture frame. The DreamScreen 100 is available today, but you’ll have to wait until October 11 for the bigger model 130.
Key specs, after the jump.
Bullet Car: Volkswagen introduces the L1 concept car
Posted by Adario Strange on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
The Frankfurt Motor Show will play host to the latest round of concept car teasers this season and the latest stunner is the Volkswagen L1. Somehow this amazing concept vehicle simultaneously screams muscle car “and” protective family car cocoon.
Shaped like a bullet, and shown off in what appears to be gun-metal silver, the L1′s body is composed of lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum which allows it to achieve an amazing 189 miles per gallon. Outfitted with a diesel-electric hybrid engine, and capable of a top speed of 99 miles per hour, the company hopes to get the car into the hands of the public within three years.
Via Aving
The Return of Buzz Lightyear
Posted by NASA Image of the Day on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
Disney’s space ranger Buzz Lightyear returned from space on Sept. 11, aboard space shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission after 15 months aboard the International Space Station. His time on the orbiting laboratory will celebrated in a ticker-tape parade together with his space station crewmates and former Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin on Oct. 2, at Walt Disney World in Florida. While on the space station, Buzz supported NASA’s education outreach program– STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)–by creating a series of fun educational online outreach programs. Following his return, Disney is partnering with NASA to create a new online educational game and an online mission patch competition for school kids across America. NASA will fly the winning patch in space. In addition, NASA plans to announce on Oct. 2, 2009, the details of a new exciting educational competition that will give students the opportunity to design an experiment for the astronauts on the space station. Image Credit: NASA
From Sea to Shining Sea on 25 Gallons of Algae – Success!
Posted by Susan Kraemer on 17 September, 2009
This item was filled under [ Technology ]
Imagine driving from San Francisco to New York City in a plug-in hybrid Prius that uses algae for fuel.
At the beginning of this month the first ever algae-powered plug-in set off on a ten day coast to coast demo from California to show that a plug-in hybrid can be fueled with green crude.
The algae fuel for the plug-in Prius was supplied by Sapphire Energy. They are developing an algae fuel completely compatible with current gas pumps and pipeline infrastructure.
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