Solar Home Competition Puts a New Spin on Energy-Efficient Style: “Twenty college and university teams from around the world recently competed in the Solar Decathlon on the National Mall in Washington D.C. with one mission: To design and build a modern, energy-efficient, solar-powered house.”
(Read Original Article - Via NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Podcast | PBS.)
Editor: OK this has nothing to do with privacy, but I wanted to let those of you located in the New York City area know that a charity I work with is having a benefit on Thursday September 27,2007. It is being held at The Capitale (in Manhattan) Come join us and help some children.
Save the Date: Thursday, September 27,2007
Sunflower’s Global Fund - Sunflower Children Heroes Benefit
Presenting Sponsor: Paul Touradji, Touradji Capital Managementc
Special Guests: Helena Houdova, Model & Founder of Sunflower Children and Russell Simmons, Chairman & CEO, Rush Communications
Place: Capitale New York, 130 Bowery, New York, NY
Attire Cocktail
Tickets On Sale NOW!100% of all public contributions directly benefit a Sunflower child. This policy is made possible through the generosity of private benefactors who directly fund Sunflower Children’s administrative, fund-raising and staffing expenses.
Sunflower Children is a humanitarian aid organization providing survival and development care for the forgotten children of the world. Sunflower’s efforts encompass medical, nutritional, psychological, educational, adoption and other humanitarian support that nurtures survival, health, growth and hope for orphaned, disabled, abandoned, refugee and impoverished children.
An Earth Without People — [ environment ]: Scientific American: “It%u2019s a common fantasy to imagine that you%u2019re the last person left alive on earth. But what if all human beings were suddenly whisked off the planet? That premise is the starting point for The World without Us, a new book by science writer Alan Weisman, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Arizona. In this extended thought experiment, Weisman does not specify exactly what finishes off Homo sapiens; instead he simply assumes the abrupt disappearance of our species and projects the sequence of events that would most likely occur in the years, decades and centuries afterward.
According to Weisman, large parts of our physical infrastructure would begin to crumble almost immediately. Without street cleaners and road crews, our grand boulevards and superhighways would start to crack and buckle in a matter of months. Over the following decades many houses and office buildings would collapse, but some ordinary items would resist decay for an extraordinarily long time. Stainless-steel pots, for example, could last for millennia, especially if they were buried in the weed-covered mounds that used to be our kitchens. And certain common plastics might remain intact for hundreds of thousands of years; they would not break down until microbes evolved the ability to consume them.Scientific American editor Steve Mirsky recently interviewed Weisman to find out why he wrote the book and what lessons can be drawn from his research. Some excerpts from that interview appear on the following pages.”
(Read Original Article - Via Scientific American .)
Let me say right up front that I have not accepted the Jesus Phone as my personal Lord and Savior. The iPhone might turn out to be insanely great. It might become the best-selling mobile phone ever. Or it might not.
Either way, the iPhones arrival and the attendant frenzy mark the beginning of a new phase in the mobile phone world a phase based on the radical notion that its possible to make a pocket-sized device that is a pretty good phone and a pretty good networked computer at the same time.
From a purely technical standpoint, this isnt surprising at all. Phones are basically computers, and we know how to cram a decent computer into a small, low-power package. The engineering isnt trivial but we know it can be done. Apple might have modestly better engineering, and significantly better human-factors design, but what theyre doing has been technically possible all along.
Yet somehow it hasnt happened, because the mobile carriers dont want it to happen. They have clung to their walled garden models, offering limited, captive services rather than allowing easy development of Internet applications for mobile devices. An open system would provide more benefit overall, but most of that benefit would accrue to consumers. The carriers would rather get a big share of a small pie, than a small share of a big pie.
In most markets, competition keeps this kind of thing from happening, by forcing producers to account for consumer preferences. You would expect competition to have forced the mobile networks open by now, whether the carriers liked it or not. But this hasnt happened yet. The carriers have managed to keep control by locking customers in to long contracts and erecting barriers to the entry of new devices and applications. The system seemed to be stuck in an unstable equilibrium. All we needed was some kind of shock, to get the ball rolling downhill.
Only a company with marketing muscle, design mojo, and a world-historic Reality Distortion Field could provide the needed bump. Apple decided to try, in the hope of selling zillions of the new, more capable devices. The real significance of the iPhone, whether it succeeds or fails in the market, is that it will trigger the transition to more open networks. Once people see that a pretty good phone can be a pretty good mobile computer, they wont settle for less anymore; and mobile networks will be pried open.
Whether or not the Jesus Phone achieves worldly success, it will succeed in its own way by convincing people that the world can be different.
“
(Read Original Article - Via Freedom to Tinker.)
Apple - Mac - QuickTime - WWDC 2007 Keynote: “Watch Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveil and demo Leopard features in his World Wide Developer Conference keynote address from San Francisco’s Moscone West. See the video-on-demand (VOD) event right here, exclusively in QuickTime and MPEG-4.”
Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park | Amusement Park: “Victorian Gardens first opened its gates to the general public in the summer of 2003. The idea to house an amusement park on Wollman ice skating rink was inspired by a small group of industry veterans, who saw an incredible opportunity to utilize the 50,000 square foot facility not only in the winter, but all year long. After negotiations with the Conservancy, Parks Department and the Trump Organization, these private investors established Central Amusement International (CAI), and plans to design Victorian Gardens commenced. CAI executives turned to Zamperla, the industry leader in ride manufacturing, to help make their vision a reality. “
(Read Original Article - Via .)
John Kenyon - What Every Nonprofit Needs to Know About Technology: “Managing technology is no longer optional, it is a critical piece of any nonprofit’s business plan. In this talk, information technology consultant John Kenyon gives invaluable guidance on the planning needed for small and medium sized organizations to get the most out of their tech investment. Using a work systems framework, Kenyon explores the choices needed to minimize risks and strike the right balance between people, data and technology.”
(Read Original Article - Via Social Innovation Conversations.)
Paul Lamb - Nonprofits of the Future: ” Technology is changing the game for organizations in the social space. In this interview with John Powers, nonprofit technology consultant Paul Lamb explores how the web is already transforming nonprofits and NGOs. Lamb looks ahead to the potential that ubiquitous, mobile computing, virtual worlds, user generated content, and social networking have to up-end traditional constraints and to open new doors. Although the pace of change can be daunting, venturing into the tech frontier can increase effectiveness and help smaller nonprofits take destiny into their own hands.
(Via IT Conversations.)
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! - Wiktionary
Translations
* Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees en ‘n voorspoedige Nuwejaar
* Arabic: عيد ميلاد سعيد (Eid Milad Saeed)
* Armenian: (Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand)
* Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
* Basque: Eguberri on
* Belarusian: Сзцзаслівыцг Каліадау (Szczaslivych Kaliadau)
* Bosnian: Sretni praznici, Srećni praznici
* Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
* Bulgarian: Честита Коледа (Chestita Koleda), Честито Рождество Христово (Chestito Rozhdestvo Hristovo)
* Catalan: Bon Nadal i Feliç Any Nou
* Chinese: 聖誕快樂, 圣诞快乐Mandarin: (shèng dàn kuài lè)
Cantonese: (Sing Daan Fai Lok)* Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
* Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
* Croatian: Sretni praznici
* Czech: Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok
* Danish: Glaedelig Jul
* Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
* Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
* Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
* Finnish: Hauskaa joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta
* French: Joyeux Noël et bonne année
* Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier
* German: Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr
* Georgian: (gilosavt khrist shobas)
* Greek: Καλά Χριστούγεννα (Kalá Christoúyenna)
* Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hauoli Makahiki ho
* Hebrew: חג מולד שמח (khag molad same’akh)
* Hindi: शुब णय बरस (Shub Naya Baras)
* Hungarian: Kellemes Karácsonyi ünnepeket
* Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
* Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
* Irish: Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
* Italian: Buon Natale e felice Anno Nuovo
* Japanese: クリスマスオメデト (kurisumasu omedeto), シンネンオメデト (shinnen omedeto)
* Korean: 숭탄축하 (sungtanchukha)* Latvian: Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus un laimīgu Jauno gadu
* Lithuanian: Linksmų Kalėdų
* Luxembourgish: Schei Chreschtdeeg an e gudde Rutsch an d’neit Joer
* Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
* Maori: Meri Kirihimete
* Malay: Selamat Hari Krismas
* Marathi: (Shub Naya Varsh)
* Norwegian: God Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar
* Persian: (Noel mobarak baad), (Noel Mobarak)
* Polish: Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia i szczęśliwego Nowego Roku
* Portuguese:Europe: Boas Festas
Brazil: Bom Natal e Feliz Ano Novo* Romanian: Craciun Fericit
* Russian: С Рождеством Христовым и с Новым годом (S Rozhdestvóm Khristóvym i s Nóvym gódom)
* Samoan: Maunia Le Kilisimasi ma Le Tausaga Fou
* Scots: Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur
* Serbian:Cyrillic: Срећни празници
Roman: Srećni praznici* Slovak: Vesele Vianoce
* Sinhala: (Subha nath thalak Vewa) (Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa)
* Slovak: (Vesele Vianoce a stastlivy Novy Rok)
* Slovene: (Vesele Bozicne Screcno Novo Leto)
* Spanish: Feliz Navidad y próspero Año Nuevo
* Swedish: God Jul och Gott Nytt År
* Tagalog: (Maligayamg Pasko) (Masaganang Bagong Taon)
* Tamil: (Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal)
* Thai: สวัสดีปีใหม่ (sàwàtdee peemài)
* Turkish: Noeliniz ve yeni yılınız kutlu olsun
* Ukrainian: Щасливого Різдва Христового (Schaslyvoho Rizdva Khrystovoho)
* Urdu: نايا سال مبارک هو (naya saal mubarak ho)
* Vietnamese: Chúc Mừng Giáng Sinh
* Welsh: Nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda
* Yoruba: E ku odun keresimesi
Retrieved from “http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Merry_Christmas_and_a_Happy_New_Year%21″
Czech Supermodels & Czech Top Fashion Designers joined forces to provide vital support to disadvantaged children around the world. The first Czech Fashion Show in NYC Presenting its best Czech designers: Libena Rochova, Monika Drapalova, Denisa Nova, Hana Zarubova
Guest of Honor: Miss World 2006 Tatana Kucharova
Purchase tickets online by clicking here
or call +1.212.288.0830 ext. 100
Tickets: $500 - Primary Seating and Afterparty,
$200 - General seating, $100 - Standing room only
Cocktail Attire
Milk Studios (www.MilkStudios.com),
450 West 15th Street (Corner of 10th Ave), New York, NY 10011
Organized by the Czech Center New York,
info@CzechCenter.com, +1.212.288.0830 ext. 100
