Daily Archives: January 25, 2009

Photo via the Bakersfield Californian

No More Business Cards, Phone Books?
The new top-level internet domain, .tel, could go a long way in creating a comprehensive online phonebook—and putting an end to tree-hogging hindrances like the Yellow Pages and embossed business cards once and for all. Even better, if it catches on, .tel will be easier to use than either: no constantly ordering more cards every time you get a

Photo via Democracy in America

A couple weeks back the British Council hosted the Greening the Arts program in New York City. Leaders in the theater, music, and art worlds were all in attendance. And while there were big events and high-profile talks, I was invited to attend one of the less publicized events: a meeting between Ben Todd, the executive director of the world’s first carbon neutral theater, the Arcola in London, and Steve Warnick and Vallejo Gantner, the executive director and artistic director re

During several discussions I’ve had with industry observers and fellow venture investors over the past few weeks, the topic of biofuels have come up, and those I’ve spoken with have mentioned “Vinod’s bad bet” on ethanol.  Their point being that Khosla Ventures and Vinod Khosla himself placed a number of different ethanol bets and then [

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Carrick McCullough, photo via Our Renewable Nation

Our Renewable Nation is possibly the most adorable project ever conceived to advocate renewable energy. It’s an eco-video project helmed by the McCullough family, who are traveling across the country in a vegetable oil powered VW Beetle. They’re visiting wind farms, solar installations, talking to companies developing sustainable technologies, and documenting all their interviews and travels on video.

Each of the v

Photo via hippyshopper

Some good news ‘mongst all these ongoing recession woes: progress continues to be made on the alternative energy front. For the first time, renewable energy sources accounted for the biggest share in the increase of US’s electrical capacity. This means that, thanks mostly to the burgeoning wind power industry, more rene

photo xamad @ flickr

Mount Kinabalu on the island of Borneo is a major center of biodiversity. The large range of elevation creates unique habitat conditions from lower to higher elevations, leading to a rich diversity of life. In 1965 three undergraduates set off to trap moths on the mountain, and unknowingly established the foundation for future studies of the impact of climate change. Forty-two years later Henry Barlow and Jeremy Holloway, two of the original three undergraduates assisted in a 2007 expedition back to the mountain, that for the first time has demonstrated c

Car Crash Art by John Chamberlain in Marfa, TX – Photo by Trevor Reichman

In one year, it is estimated that 1.2 million people are killed in auto-related accidents around the globe. That equates to slightly more than 3200 traffic deaths EVERY DAY. These mostly preventable deaths, in casualties alone, exponentially surpasses the number of casualties from higher profile, more newsworthy, less common tragedies. Yet, the horrific daily toll receives little attention by political leaders and the media

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It happens once in a while: That tiny thread holding the fine balance of nature together somehow snaps. This is what’s happening in Liberia, right now, the AP reports. Millions of crop devouring caterpillars known as “army worms” are taking over the country.

Authorities in Liberia are desperate to find a solution to the inch long creatures clogging water wells with their excrement, and devouring major crops of bananas, plantains, coffee, rice and cocoa beans. The creatures started multiplying a couple of weeks ago, and have swarmed one clinic, preventing people from accessing it, the Ministry of Agriculture said

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