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POPSTouch Screen Back in 1998/99, myself and a co-worker were brainstorming on computing ideas. We came up with an idea for a computer screen that would act like a kiosk of sorts, for the elderly. Realizing that there was a need to keep in touch and up to date with technology, it 'felt right' to bring something like touch screen for the elderly or those that could not type, into age (pun intended). Our idea was to set up these kiosk style monitors in senior assisted/non-assisted homes; on campus clubhouses, etc so anyone could send email and play a few games. Easy stuff that would not be intimidating or difficult to learn. Idea blown away when presented to our employer as not 'marketable enough.' About 3 weeks ago, I walked into Sam's Club; the computer section. A round table was set up with HP Touchscreen monitors. Curios, I walked over to inspect and could not get close enough except to watch. Persons much older than myself standing around the table, playing games by touching the scre
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POPSEnergy crisis is postponed as new gas rescues the world
"The common wisdom was that unconventional gas was too difficult, too expensive and too demanding," he said, according to Petroleum Economist. "This has changed. If we ever doubted that gas was the fuel of the future – in many ways there's the answer." The breakthrough has been to combine 3-D seismic imaging with new technologies to free "tight gas" by smashing rocks, known as hydro-fracturing or "fracking" in the trade. The US is leading the charge. Operations in Pennsylvania and Texas have already been sufficient to cut US imports of liquefied natural gas (LGN) from Trinidad and Qatar to almost nil, with knock-on effects for the global gas market – and crude oil. It is one reason why spot prices for some LNG deliveries have dropped to 50pc of pipeline contracts. We may soon be looking at an era when gas, wind and solar power, combined with a smarter grid and a switch to electric cars returns the country to near energy self-sufficiency.
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POPSStunning underwater shots captured by world's top female cave diver and her team
Crawling through underwater caves from Antarctica to Mexico and Florida to Bermuda, it is a good thing that Jill Heinerth is not claustrophobic It also helps that Ms Heinerth, 44, is acknowledged as the world's top female cave diver Holding the world record for distance travelled in underwater caves as well as being the first person to cave dive in an Antarctic iceberg, Ms Heinerth has been at the top of her game for 20 years An expert at crossing pitch-black freezing tunnels, full time cave photographer Ms Heinerth carries up to 300 pounds of equipment with her on each expedition Using technology more advanced than average scuba diving gear, the Florida based adventure cave diver makes use of electric heated wetsuits and unique carbon dioxide recycling aqua-lungs 'The images of me with my team from Antarctica still bring back the excitement of that unique expedition,' says Ms Heinerth, who lives in the much warmer climate of High Springs in Florida.
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POPSEndless Oil Kutcherov's technique involves dividing the world into a fine-meshed grid that maps cracks (or migration channels) under the Earth's crust, through which the hydrocarbons can bubble up to the surface. His advice: Drill where the cracks meet. Doing this, he predicts, will dramatically reduce the likelihood of dry wells. Kutcherov expects the success rate of drillers to more than triple, from 20% to 70%, saving billions in exploration costs while opening up vast new areas of the planet --most of which has never been deemed to have promise -- to exploration. Good news for oil-dependent humans, I guess. Not so good for the environment and climate change.
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POPSBeneath New-York Go to the source for the experience. If you are a New-Yorker (or not:) this glimpse into the past is quite interesting. A map from 1782 depicts where streams once flowed and hills once stood. Compare the map with the street grid of present day Manhattan.
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POPSKurt Vonnegut explains drama Continued from clip: “But because we grew up surrounded by big dramatic story arcs in books and movies, we think are lives are supposed to be filled with huge ups and downs! So people pretend there is drama where there is none.” That's why people invent fights. That's why we're drawn to sports. That's why we act like everything that happens to us is such a big deal. We're trying to make our life into a fairy tale.
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POPSCap and Trade Equals Fraud and Tax In a cap and trade system, the government deems a certain level of pollution acceptable as long as the polluter pays a tax. That's like saying that it's acceptable for someone to throw trash on your lawn so long as he has bought a government permit. Even worse, he can throw even more trash on your lawn if he buys additional permits from someone who refrains from throwing trash on your lawn. In effect, cap and trade legalizes pollution. True environmentalists -- those of us who are concerned about things such as clean air and water -- should oppose schemes like H.R. 2454. H.R. 2454 is not designed to clean up the environment. It is designed to generate more revenue for the government and to give the government more power over the economy, our lives, and our freedom. And it does so at the expense of the environment.
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