Archive for March, 2007

Ecos LifeLink

One of the most brilliant inventions wea€™ve seen to date is this mobile, portable structure which provides water purification, electricity and even wireless internet access - all through the power of the wind and the sun. The Ecos LifeLink was released earlier this month by Ecosphere Energy Systems Inc (EES) at the Cleantech Venture Forum in San Francisco, CA.

via inhabitat

a more portable version is available here

Diving for ships

Divers say it’s becoming a popular hobby to journey into the thousands of schooners, steamers and other sunken ships embedded in the depths of the Great Lakes.

"It’s kind of like exploring a haunted house underwater," said Michael Haynes, who teaches diving lessons in Menomonee Falls. "You start to imagine what it was like aboard that ship. You’re touching history."

Although shipwrecks are often associated with oceans, the Great Lakes hold an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 sunken ships. About 1,000 Great Lakes shipwrecks have been identified, and about 10 new ships are discovered annually.

archaeology.about

SolarShuttle

When the boat is not in use, the SolarShuttle acts as a floating power generator, feeding surplus electricity back into the national grid. Solar energy is its one and only source of power, storing energy in batteries and working in conjunction with two silent electric motors without any help from fossil fuels or the wind. The SolarShuttle’s elegant canopy of photovoltaics generates 9 to 12 amps per hour on an overcast day like today. She can store up to 80 miles worth of energy when there is no sun and run for 20 miles in complete darkness. This emissions-free wonder carries 37 passengers and cruises silently at 5 miles an hour, saving 4900 lbs of carbon compared to a traditional diesel-powered boat.

core77

the saffron belt really exists?

Virtually all saffron is produced in a wide geographical belt extending from the Mediterranean in the west to Kashmir in the east. All continents outside this zone a€" except Antarctica a€" produce smaller amounts. Annual worldwide production amounts to some 300 tonnes, including whole threads and powder.^[6] This includes 50 tonnes of annual production of top-grade "coupe" saffron in 1991.^[7] Iran, Spain, India (Pampore region/Kashmir), Greece, Azerbaijan, Morocco, and Italy (in decreasing order of production) dominate the world saffron harvest, with Iran and Spain alone producing 80% of the world crop. According to one source, Iran accounts for 96% of world production.^[8] Despite numerous cultivation efforts in such countries as Austria, England, Germany, and Switzerland, only select locales continue the harvest in Northern and Central Europe. Among these is the small Swiss village of Mund, in the Valais canton, whose annual saffron output comes to several kilograms.^[6] Micro-scale cultivation also occurs in Australia (in Tasmania),^[9] China, Egypt, France, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Turkey (particularly in the region surrounding Safranbolu, a city that took its name from saffron), the United States (especially in California and disproportionately by Iranian Americans) and Central Africa.^[3][10]

en.wikipedia

Hitomi "Waterbus"

tokyo.metblogs

Bolivia: Taking the Coca out of Coca-Cola and Onto the Seal

Some weeks ago, some Bolivian bloggers became increasingly concerned whether the red, yellow and green of the Bolivian flag might be replaced with the rainbow-checkered flag called with the whipala. This flag is symbolic of the indigenous population in Bolivia and the Andes, and where President Evo Morales receives a large portion of his popular support. Another group that has backed Morales through thick and thin is the coca-growers. The crop, which they cultivate especially in the Chapare and Yungas regions of the country, has become more prominent in the news over the past week and may figure more prominently on the national seal.

the full story at globalvoicesonline

Worst Case Scenario - Frostbite

Global warming could, paradoxically, lead to global freezing. Don’t panic! It’s just a theory. Though, it’s always useful to be well prepared for the worst case scenario. Below -15A° C (5A° F) blood vessels close to the skin start to narrow to help preserve the core body temperature. In extreme cold or when exposed to cold for long periods, this protective strategy can reduce blood flow in some areas of the body to dangerously low levels.

thethinkingblog

foto del dia 3.20

bestofbothworlds.blogspot

iceberg lettuce safe

You have never seen anything like this - but it is one of the latest security gadgets - and it is so cool!

It is a realistic looking head of Iceberg Lettuce, and has a hidden compartment.

Thieves will never dream of looking in this head of Iceberg Lettuce for valuables!

bimbambanana via chicago.apartmenttherapy