Here’s an article that presents a mathematical analysis of “how not to waste your vote.” Though I find it interesting, I object to the premise, i.e., that any vote for a losing candidate, or any vote for a winning candidate in excess of the number required for his victory is wasted.
This presidential election in the U.S. is a wonderful case in point, and here are a couple of points for consideration: (more…)
I’ll be out of town for a bit, first in Connecticut to deliver a talk at the International Trade Forum (here’s my presentation). Then it’s off to NYC, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas.
I’ll certainly have time to write a few posts in my travels, and I’m available by cell phone if anyone wants to reach me.
Earth isn’t getting any bigger. A limited amount of space and resources exists for what is now a population of more than 7.4 billion human beings. (more…)
Millions of individuals, groups, and companies around the world are dedicated to saving the planet. With an increasing number of businesses ‘going green’ and homeowners being educated regularly about living in more of an eco-friendly manner, it’s safe to say that all of us should be doing our bit to conserve energy and natural resources. When you’re a student, there’s never been a better time to get into good habits when it comes to being environmentally friendly. Not only does going green mean that you’ll reduce your carbon footprint, it’s also usually cheaper as you’ll be using less resources. (more…)
LED light bulbs have become quite popular with both designers and consumers of eco-friendly technologies, lately. They have basically become the norm when it comes to green home design. In some countries they’re even government mandated.
Is this justified? Well, it’s hard to really say, because they are better than the alternatives, but as with everything else, new technologies solve some problems, but they create others in the meantime. (more…)
In addition to all the practical considerations associated with the electric vehicle adoption curve, there is the “cool factor.” But that’s a little nebulous, isn’t it? The subject of “what makes something cool” has been studied exhaustively, and it’s unclear that we’re any closer to understanding it now than we were when we started. (more…)
Here’s an idea for converting ocean wave energy to electricity that a fellow in New York sent me this morning. This is near the bottom of the scale of the ideas I receive, as it:
1) Invokes a technology that probably won’t work at all
2) Certainly won’t do so cost-effectively
In Great Britain alone, eight million takeaway coffees are bought every day. That’s a lot of coffee. It’s also a lot of cups (not to mention lids and cup holders). However, it’s okay, because according to the big coffee chains, these cups are recyclable. Why wouldn’t we believe that? After all, most are labelled with the recognisable Mobius-loop symbol (three arrows in a triangle) indicating recyclability. (more…)
As I’ve mentioned, my colleague Fritz Maffry is quite certain that the tech industry will lead our civilization to a good place. I agree; in fact, that was one of the chapters in my most recent book, Bullish on Renewable Energy. I.e., one of the reasons to be bullish on clean tech generally is that the hugely successful captains of the tech sector are not going to sit around and watch this civilization destroy itself with its short-sighted greed and indifference to the well-being of future generations.
Fritz submits this concise little note: The Magic Six are now spitting distance from (combined market cap of) $2.5 trillion. (more…)
As political activists, especially those with an anti-war bent, mourn the death of Tom Hayden, it’s a good time to remember the incredible importance of strong-willed people in determining the course of history. (more…)
