I'd recommend looking over her site, but then I would see you for the next 12 hours. Pretty original, considering what's out there (hey, I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a right-click addict).
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sustainable humor...
From Eluvium.
I'd recommend looking over her site, but then I would see you for the next 12 hours. Pretty original, considering what's out there (hey, I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a right-click addict).
I'd recommend looking over her site, but then I would see you for the next 12 hours. Pretty original, considering what's out there (hey, I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a right-click addict).
Monday, March 10, 2008
From meatballs to pool halls...
You've got to admit, pool tables are an obnoxious void of space.
Nothing screams I'm holding on to my bachelordom or I had a tax return to blow more than a big felted monster in a living room/basement/garage conversion.
But alas, they're fun.
It's the kind of "extra" you never want to have, but it never hurts to know somebody that has one. Unless they're moving, of course, because we all know that there's not enough beer and pizza in the world to help someone move slate. Same goes for sleeper sofas. Same goes for California King mattresses.
And aesthetically, while there are quite a few tables on the market that could (possibly) add some beauty to a modern room, like this luxury table featured on Trendir...
...or this impeccably restored Brunswick Monarch from Billiard Restoration...
...most, however, come up short.
But even if you had a Monarch or a Tresserra planted next to your wet bar, 99.5% of the time, when not in use, you'd still be stuck with a big felt carpet-weight crushing your cashmere (actually even if I could afford this table, I could never justify buying cashmere carpet).
So what's a pool player to do?
Move a Fusion Table in to your loft...
...or dining room...
...enjoy your meal and then slide back the top to reveal...
...an evening of fun.
The best part? It turns back to a table when you're finished. No more slate eyesores.
Check out Fusion Tables for more.
Nothing screams I'm holding on to my bachelordom or I had a tax return to blow more than a big felted monster in a living room/basement/garage conversion.
But alas, they're fun.
It's the kind of "extra" you never want to have, but it never hurts to know somebody that has one. Unless they're moving, of course, because we all know that there's not enough beer and pizza in the world to help someone move slate. Same goes for sleeper sofas. Same goes for California King mattresses.
And aesthetically, while there are quite a few tables on the market that could (possibly) add some beauty to a modern room, like this luxury table featured on Trendir...
...or this impeccably restored Brunswick Monarch from Billiard Restoration... ...most, however, come up short.But even if you had a Monarch or a Tresserra planted next to your wet bar, 99.5% of the time, when not in use, you'd still be stuck with a big felt carpet-weight crushing your cashmere (actually even if I could afford this table, I could never justify buying cashmere carpet).
So what's a pool player to do?
Move a Fusion Table in to your loft...
...or dining room... ...enjoy your meal and then slide back the top to reveal...
...an evening of fun.The best part? It turns back to a table when you're finished. No more slate eyesores.
Check out Fusion Tables for more.
Friday, March 7, 2008
How much do you need?
I've blogged about Tiny Homes before, but the Tumbleweed website deserves a mention. I was floored!
We build tiny, portable houses here in Sonoma County then roll them off to buyers everywhere...We also sell plans for these houses and larger designs as big as 770 square feet.
The houses and their owners are a breed all their own. They really make you question how much you want vs. how much you need. Averaging about 100 square feet, Tumbleweed homes provide the inhabitant a way to live as minimally as possible, utilizing low-output appliances in a small space to minimize impact.
There are two parts of me that are supremely jealous: the six year-old boy yearning for the ultimate treehouse, and the 19 year-old college student subsisting happily on a ramen/salsa diet in a 10' x 10' dorm room. Check them out...
But what I don't understand is why they always seem to be parked/planted on a snow-peaked mountainside in a remote area. Maybe I'm a tad bit claustrophobic, or maybe I'm sick and tired of winter, but I would DEFINITELY want to be in a region that I could relax comfortably outdoors as often as possible...like Baja? While it's obvious that some of these homes would appeal to the environmentalist/hunter/outdoorsmen, there's a niche market of people like me that would happily plant one of these on the coast and pack it full of Milagro and Sex Wax.
Walk on through and let me know what you think...
How much do you want?
How much do you need?
I know that I would need a much bigger oven, but the house --in a warm climate with surf, sun and drink-- would more than suffice.
They're about $30,000-$50,000. I'll take three (does that defeat the purpose?).
We build tiny, portable houses here in Sonoma County then roll them off to buyers everywhere...We also sell plans for these houses and larger designs as big as 770 square feet.
The houses and their owners are a breed all their own. They really make you question how much you want vs. how much you need. Averaging about 100 square feet, Tumbleweed homes provide the inhabitant a way to live as minimally as possible, utilizing low-output appliances in a small space to minimize impact.
There are two parts of me that are supremely jealous: the six year-old boy yearning for the ultimate treehouse, and the 19 year-old college student subsisting happily on a ramen/salsa diet in a 10' x 10' dorm room. Check them out...
But what I don't understand is why they always seem to be parked/planted on a snow-peaked mountainside in a remote area. Maybe I'm a tad bit claustrophobic, or maybe I'm sick and tired of winter, but I would DEFINITELY want to be in a region that I could relax comfortably outdoors as often as possible...like Baja? While it's obvious that some of these homes would appeal to the environmentalist/hunter/outdoorsmen, there's a niche market of people like me that would happily plant one of these on the coast and pack it full of Milagro and Sex Wax.Walk on through and let me know what you think...
How much do you want?
How much do you need?
I know that I would need a much bigger oven, but the house --in a warm climate with surf, sun and drink-- would more than suffice.
They're about $30,000-$50,000. I'll take three (does that defeat the purpose?).
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Insanity...
Brilliant insanity, mind you...
I recently surfed across the German website, Convertible City. I found myself in awe.
I would write about it, but I invite you to peruse their list of projects on your own. From the wonderful floating Rucksack House...
...to the playful Braunschweig city theater...
...to the engineers that thought up the pool on the Spree...
Wonderful. Truly wonderful.
I recently surfed across the German website, Convertible City. I found myself in awe.
I would write about it, but I invite you to peruse their list of projects on your own. From the wonderful floating Rucksack House...
...to the playful Braunschweig city theater...
...to the engineers that thought up the pool on the Spree...
Wonderful. Truly wonderful.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Leave your message after the beep...
From MSNBC News:
Google Gives All SF Homeless Free Voicemail
KNTV-TV
updated 11:19 a.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Google has made an announcement that could help hundreds of homeless people in San Francisco get back on their feet.
Every single homeless person in the city will be given a life-long phone number and voicemail, should they choose to accept it, NBC11's Lisa Bernard said.
Google is partnering with San Francisco to provide the service to homeless individuals and to shelters and agencies so they can distribute the numbers to their clients.
The announcement was made at a Project Homeless Connect event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Wednesday.
A homeless person will be able to call in for his or her messages from any phone.
The move by the city and the company would allow someone to be able to fill out a job application, which asks for a call back number.
It will allow clinics to share test results.
Mayor Gavin Newsom and Google said they want to empower people.
"How do you communicate as a homeless individual? " Newsom asked. "How do you expect your life to turn around if you can't even get information or if someone can't even get in touch with you?"
"It just seems exactly like any other voice mail," said Craig Walker, senior project manager of Google. "There's no stigma attached to it that 'hey this is a temporary thing' or 'this is an 800 number.' It's really just a local number owned by the user."
One man who used to be homeless said the right message can raise the spirit.
"Having your family, friends and loved ones being able to say 'here I'm thinking about you, I love you, I want you to know you're mine, and I miss you,' can have a monumental change in one's behavior."
"Providing phone and messaging capabilities and access to vital health care is an extraordinary step forward in the city's commitment to a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of this vulnerable community," Newsom said.
"We're firm believers in the power of technology to improve the daily lives of individuals and communities as a whole, and we recognize that access to phone and voicemail services is one way that Google can help San Francisco's homeless stay connected with family, friends, social workers, health care providers, and potential employers," Walker said.
Walker said the program was ready to start right away.
***
Unfortunately, if the program works, they'll need cell phones to access those voicemail accounts.
AT&T announced this year that it will abandon its pay phone business, selling all of its 65,000 pay phones. It be only a small dent in the million-plus pay phone market, but admittedly, the industry is in obviously rapid decline.
Regardless, Google continues to give me hopeful willies with their pet projects. Some are a little outlandish, like using balloons to catapult their wifi program:
Jerry Knoblach wants to bring wireless service to millions of rural Americans. His plan: Beam it down from balloons hovering at the edge of space.
This isn't just hot air. His company, Space Data Corp., already launches 10 balloons a day across the Southern U.S., providing specialized telecom services to truckers and oil companies. His balloons soar 20 miles into the stratosphere, each carrying a shoebox-size payload of electronics that acts like a mini cellphone "tower" covering thousands of square miles below.
Cheap, disposable hydrogen-filled balloons carrying miniature versions of cellphone towers may soon provide service to rural, sparsely populated areas. WSJ's Amol Sharma visits Space Data, a company that makes the specialized balloons.
His idea has caught the eye of Google Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. The Internet giant -- which is now pushing into wireless services -- has considered contracting with Space Data or even buying the firm, according to one person...
***
Others will be all too helpful (see: life-saving):
Google Goes to the Doc's Office
The search giant's pilot program with the Cleveland Clinic is aimed at giving patients and doctors better access to electronic medical records
The U.S. health-care system is the most costly in the world. Yet it's also remarkably antiquated. The medical records of as many as 90% of patients are hidden away in old-fashioned filing cabinets in doctors' offices. Prescriptions are scribbled on paper. Most Americans need to fill out separate medical histories for each specialist they visit. "We are trained, like Pavlov's dogs, to repeat the same information 17 times," says Scott Wallace, chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Health Information Technology, a not-for-profit alliance of health care providers, information technology vendors, and health and technology associations. The result: mistakes, duplicated tests, botched diagnoses, and billions of dollars in unnecessary costs and lost productivity...
***
I wouldn't be dissapointed to receive a Google paycheck. Alas, it's been reported that Google receives over 20,000 resumes per week (1,000,000+ per year) and employee turnover is next to zero.
It's little wonder why there's so much interest.
Google Gives All SF Homeless Free Voicemail
KNTV-TV
updated 11:19 a.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Google has made an announcement that could help hundreds of homeless people in San Francisco get back on their feet.
Every single homeless person in the city will be given a life-long phone number and voicemail, should they choose to accept it, NBC11's Lisa Bernard said.
Google is partnering with San Francisco to provide the service to homeless individuals and to shelters and agencies so they can distribute the numbers to their clients.
The announcement was made at a Project Homeless Connect event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Wednesday.
A homeless person will be able to call in for his or her messages from any phone.
The move by the city and the company would allow someone to be able to fill out a job application, which asks for a call back number.
It will allow clinics to share test results.
Mayor Gavin Newsom and Google said they want to empower people.
"How do you communicate as a homeless individual? " Newsom asked. "How do you expect your life to turn around if you can't even get information or if someone can't even get in touch with you?"
"It just seems exactly like any other voice mail," said Craig Walker, senior project manager of Google. "There's no stigma attached to it that 'hey this is a temporary thing' or 'this is an 800 number.' It's really just a local number owned by the user."
One man who used to be homeless said the right message can raise the spirit.
"Having your family, friends and loved ones being able to say 'here I'm thinking about you, I love you, I want you to know you're mine, and I miss you,' can have a monumental change in one's behavior."
"Providing phone and messaging capabilities and access to vital health care is an extraordinary step forward in the city's commitment to a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of this vulnerable community," Newsom said.
"We're firm believers in the power of technology to improve the daily lives of individuals and communities as a whole, and we recognize that access to phone and voicemail services is one way that Google can help San Francisco's homeless stay connected with family, friends, social workers, health care providers, and potential employers," Walker said.
Walker said the program was ready to start right away.
***
Unfortunately, if the program works, they'll need cell phones to access those voicemail accounts.
AT&T announced this year that it will abandon its pay phone business, selling all of its 65,000 pay phones. It be only a small dent in the million-plus pay phone market, but admittedly, the industry is in obviously rapid decline.
Regardless, Google continues to give me hopeful willies with their pet projects. Some are a little outlandish, like using balloons to catapult their wifi program:
Jerry Knoblach wants to bring wireless service to millions of rural Americans. His plan: Beam it down from balloons hovering at the edge of space.
This isn't just hot air. His company, Space Data Corp., already launches 10 balloons a day across the Southern U.S., providing specialized telecom services to truckers and oil companies. His balloons soar 20 miles into the stratosphere, each carrying a shoebox-size payload of electronics that acts like a mini cellphone "tower" covering thousands of square miles below.
Cheap, disposable hydrogen-filled balloons carrying miniature versions of cellphone towers may soon provide service to rural, sparsely populated areas. WSJ's Amol Sharma visits Space Data, a company that makes the specialized balloons.
His idea has caught the eye of Google Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. The Internet giant -- which is now pushing into wireless services -- has considered contracting with Space Data or even buying the firm, according to one person...
***
Others will be all too helpful (see: life-saving):
Google Goes to the Doc's Office
The search giant's pilot program with the Cleveland Clinic is aimed at giving patients and doctors better access to electronic medical records
The U.S. health-care system is the most costly in the world. Yet it's also remarkably antiquated. The medical records of as many as 90% of patients are hidden away in old-fashioned filing cabinets in doctors' offices. Prescriptions are scribbled on paper. Most Americans need to fill out separate medical histories for each specialist they visit. "We are trained, like Pavlov's dogs, to repeat the same information 17 times," says Scott Wallace, chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Health Information Technology, a not-for-profit alliance of health care providers, information technology vendors, and health and technology associations. The result: mistakes, duplicated tests, botched diagnoses, and billions of dollars in unnecessary costs and lost productivity...
***
I wouldn't be dissapointed to receive a Google paycheck. Alas, it's been reported that Google receives over 20,000 resumes per week (1,000,000+ per year) and employee turnover is next to zero.
It's little wonder why there's so much interest.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
WWKCS: Where Would Kevin Costner Stay?
Water World, Berlin!
Claustrophobic? Hydrophobic? Acrophobic? Ichthyophobic?
Have I got a hotel for you!?!?!
The Radisson SAS Hotel in Germany is, well, actually quite pretty. By American Radisson standards (see: Midwest US Radisson Standards), it's not surrounded by the archetypal Applemacaroni Pablo Grilles, nor is it slathered with man made retention ponds and cheap shrubbery, subsiding wholly on the surrounding goose poo.
It's, in fact, located in the middle of Berlin, sits directly across the room from the beautiful Berlin Cathedral...
...and contains an aquarium that would make the Caspian Sea jealous.
Behold!
The AquaDom!
From the ground-up.
From the up-ground.
From the terrace to the up-ground.
From the oh-my-God-I'm-in-the-evil-villain-spot-from-a-Bond-movie position.
Photos: Under CC License from Flickr user jeeeeeandlo.
It is, in fact, the largest cylindrical aquarium on the planet (our planet).
25 meters x 11 meters = 900,000 liters salt water! That's (in Midwest terms) 450,000 2-liters of Mountain Dew!
And before you go and pat the Radisson people on the back, check out the Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. portfolio. They made this wishing well, but are by no means a rookie in Water World. They're not afraid of the large-scale (see: Dubai) fish ponds, so this is by no means new to them. Then again, you need to congratulate the SAS folks for agreeing to a vision like this. You thought by a house with a pool was a major investment!
Let me be your concierge...see for yourself:
From their Website:
One of the most exciting hotels in Berlin Mitte, the 5 star Radisson SAS Hotel features the world's largest cylindrical aquarium with 2,500 tropical fish. The AquaDom is 25 metres high and situated in the hotel lobby.
Claustrophobic? Hydrophobic? Acrophobic? Ichthyophobic?
Have I got a hotel for you!?!?!
The Radisson SAS Hotel in Germany is, well, actually quite pretty. By American Radisson standards (see: Midwest US Radisson Standards), it's not surrounded by the archetypal Applemacaroni Pablo Grilles, nor is it slathered with man made retention ponds and cheap shrubbery, subsiding wholly on the surrounding goose poo.
It's, in fact, located in the middle of Berlin, sits directly across the room from the beautiful Berlin Cathedral...
...and contains an aquarium that would make the Caspian Sea jealous.Behold!
The AquaDom!
From the ground-up.
From the up-ground.From the terrace to the up-ground.From the oh-my-God-I'm-in-the-evil-villain-spot-from-a-Bond-movie position.Photos: Under CC License from Flickr user jeeeeeandlo.It is, in fact, the largest cylindrical aquarium on the planet (our planet).
25 meters x 11 meters = 900,000 liters salt water! That's (in Midwest terms) 450,000 2-liters of Mountain Dew!
And before you go and pat the Radisson people on the back, check out the Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. portfolio. They made this wishing well, but are by no means a rookie in Water World. They're not afraid of the large-scale (see: Dubai) fish ponds, so this is by no means new to them. Then again, you need to congratulate the SAS folks for agreeing to a vision like this. You thought by a house with a pool was a major investment!
Let me be your concierge...see for yourself:
From their Website:
One of the most exciting hotels in Berlin Mitte, the 5 star Radisson SAS Hotel features the world's largest cylindrical aquarium with 2,500 tropical fish. The AquaDom is 25 metres high and situated in the hotel lobby.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Gulf Coast Goodness: Part II...
In my previous post, I was (beyond) pleased to bring you some Gulf Coast goodness. A simple, unexpected search had me down in the dumps and I, consequently, felt it important to acknowledge some good in the world.
So while I wanted to continue the thread, further tipping my hat at the thousands of people that continue to pull light from the clouded confines of the coastal South, I re-read my post and have since concluded it's crap. I think I'm going to revert back to my odds-and-ends posting. I'm thinking too much without saying anything.
But I digress...
Here's some great organizations, followed by a brief summary of their work:
100 Homes in 100 Days
An Affordable Housing Initiative leading an effort to rebuild 100 homes in 100 calendar days, in order to address the issue of insufficient housing in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Hands On Gulf Coast
A disaster response project of the Hands On Network that focuses on an array of volunteer projects. They are working to rebuild and revitalize coastal Mississippi through the deliberate involvement of volunteers in community-based projects that empower residents to create a more promising future for their communities.
Hands On Gulf Coast Blog
Engineers Without Borders
A wonderfully involved organization (similar in structure to Doctors Without Borders, et al.)that designs and implements engineering projects in developing communities around the world. Projects like their Capdau School Playground project, as well as their Rebuilding After Katrina Using Local Resources, tend to fall by the media wayside due to their faceless nature, but need to be recognized.
Americorps is by far one of the largest orgnaizations servicing Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas. Don't believe me?
Americorps have provided more than 16,000 people of all ages and backgrounds are helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through 304 national service projects across Mississippi; with an additional 24,000 people and 262 national service projects in Louisiana, more than 100,000 people and 332 national service projects in Texas, 21,000+ people working on 111 national service projects throughout Alabama, and 82,000 people working on 213 projects in Florida.
243,000 people + 1222 projects = the Corporation for National and Community Service providing upwards of $110,500,000 to support Gulf Coast communities through national service initiatives.
Wow.
The Restaurant Opportunities Center of New Orleans
3500 Canal St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70113, United States
Phone: 504-931-0369
The Restaurant Opportunities Center of New Orleans is a member based organization dedicated to improving work conditions and raising industry standards for all people working in New Orleans’ restaurants. They survey and interview the city’s restaurant workers in order to educate the public and fight for improved industry standards.
The Edible Schoolyard NOLA
With undoubtedly the prettiest logo of them all, ESY NOLA aims to create and sustain an expansive organic garden on the public school campus of Samuel J. Green Charter School in New Orleans. The Edible Schoolyard is integrating organic gardening and fresh seasonal cooking into the school’s curriculum, culture and food programs. It involves students in all aspects of farming the garden—along with preparing, serving and eating the food—as a means of awakening their senses and encouraging awareness and appreciation of the transformative values of nourishment, community, and stewardship of the land.
So while I wanted to continue the thread, further tipping my hat at the thousands of people that continue to pull light from the clouded confines of the coastal South, I re-read my post and have since concluded it's crap. I think I'm going to revert back to my odds-and-ends posting. I'm thinking too much without saying anything.
But I digress...
Here's some great organizations, followed by a brief summary of their work:
100 Homes in 100 DaysAn Affordable Housing Initiative leading an effort to rebuild 100 homes in 100 calendar days, in order to address the issue of insufficient housing in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Hands On Gulf CoastA disaster response project of the Hands On Network that focuses on an array of volunteer projects. They are working to rebuild and revitalize coastal Mississippi through the deliberate involvement of volunteers in community-based projects that empower residents to create a more promising future for their communities.
Hands On Gulf Coast Blog
Engineers Without BordersA wonderfully involved organization (similar in structure to Doctors Without Borders, et al.)that designs and implements engineering projects in developing communities around the world. Projects like their Capdau School Playground project, as well as their Rebuilding After Katrina Using Local Resources, tend to fall by the media wayside due to their faceless nature, but need to be recognized.
Americorps is by far one of the largest orgnaizations servicing Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas. Don't believe me?Americorps have provided more than 16,000 people of all ages and backgrounds are helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through 304 national service projects across Mississippi; with an additional 24,000 people and 262 national service projects in Louisiana, more than 100,000 people and 332 national service projects in Texas, 21,000+ people working on 111 national service projects throughout Alabama, and 82,000 people working on 213 projects in Florida.
243,000 people + 1222 projects = the Corporation for National and Community Service providing upwards of $110,500,000 to support Gulf Coast communities through national service initiatives.
Wow.
The Restaurant Opportunities Center of New Orleans3500 Canal St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70113, United States
Phone: 504-931-0369
The Restaurant Opportunities Center of New Orleans is a member based organization dedicated to improving work conditions and raising industry standards for all people working in New Orleans’ restaurants. They survey and interview the city’s restaurant workers in order to educate the public and fight for improved industry standards.
The Edible Schoolyard NOLAWith undoubtedly the prettiest logo of them all, ESY NOLA aims to create and sustain an expansive organic garden on the public school campus of Samuel J. Green Charter School in New Orleans. The Edible Schoolyard is integrating organic gardening and fresh seasonal cooking into the school’s curriculum, culture and food programs. It involves students in all aspects of farming the garden—along with preparing, serving and eating the food—as a means of awakening their senses and encouraging awareness and appreciation of the transformative values of nourishment, community, and stewardship of the land.
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