Thursday, September 23, 2010

Blockhead and Eggbuster - Small Ubiquitous Gizmos and Content

It all gets small and ubiquitous.

1960 console stereo 1970-1990 Component system big knobs 1990s Smaller Bookshelf speakers and so on. Then an iPod.

 IBM PC, Compaq Luggable, Laptops, Netbooks, iPads

Deconstruction of publishing. It's a LuLu

Writing, editing, publishing, and delivery of physical or electronic product already happen across a network of individuals and organizations. With publishing on demand or with electronic delivery, writers get closer to readers and disintermediation takes out the monolith. Editors won't "go away".

They'll form a needed guild.

Writers, for that matter, could peer review other writers to drive up the quality. Readers can themselves have a sample of writing and with software like Netflix, the electronic "book" can have recommendations ("You might also like...") based upon your tastes and the tastes of other readers.The iPad and Kindle represent "first pancakes" that are tasty, prove the market and will be improved by the market by Apple, Amazon, and others. Even in these early days, Amazon sold the heck out of Kindles and ebooks this season. Wait till somebody goes Gillette on the "readers", or when the thin screens drop to < $100.

Publishing stalled on console stereo.
Remember Egghead Software Stores? On demand publishing quality keeps getting better, and in five years we'll remember the good old days of that enormous iPad or Kindle and have a few thin "electronic sheets" laying around the house. Xerox PARC looked at "pads" back in the late 80s. Mark Weiser, Scientific American, covered this in 1991. Maybe RedBox adds a printer to their kiosks if you want hard copy.

With the Internet, the inventory can be infinite and benefit from the Long Tail effect. A big publisher will veer away from "Morris Dancing: A Life" but there are enough Morris Dancers to support that kind of niche, and the "book" inventory costs next to nothing. Those shoes though...

Excellent ePub observations from Joe Shuren on DRM etc. and various impediments to Next Big Things.

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Quick note on "80 Essential Blogs for the Modern-Day Marketing Student | Online Colleges"

80 Essential Blogs for the Modern-Day Marketing Student | Online Colleges

Ok. 80? Let's say 20 of these are high value, and it's chunked into B2B, General, etc.categories.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Guy Kawasaki #win, but no Seth Godin.... de gustibus.


Been a tad busy driving forward with my friend Tommy Sower's campaign for Congress. The hubris of the failing insurance lobbyist Incumbent is ineffective, but amuses my 83 year old mother. Me? I take the high ground. As Tommy says, "Home is worth fighting for".


But, back to marketing and online social media. Which the Sowers campaign groks most excellently.


Above is an example of asocial media. Christabel chewing on Dumplin on top of Good Dog Red.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A return to the land, and fresh food, in the backyards of the Delta | Grist

A return to the land, and fresh food, in the backyards of the Delta | Grist

Great simple framework, mostly low tech and high impact.

Meanwhile, in North Carolina, Cabarrus County forms up a Food Council http://www.cabarruscounty.us/News/2010/May/May28_FoodCouncil.html

Lots of good models showing up with solid effect. Let's get through the secondary research before we all go grant crazy for primary research. Google, not grants!

Another addition: http://www.ethicurean.com/2010/06/10/usda-looks-at-local/  For USDA discussion of "what is local food"

Shout out to http://www.localdirt.com/ for excellent newsflow @localdirt

Monday, May 10, 2010

Reporting from Sankalp 2010 | Blog | NextBillion.net | Development through Enterprise

Reporting from Sankalp 2010 | Blog | NextBillion.net | Development through Enterprise: "In sum, panelists concluded that the role of government is to create an enabling legal, regulatory, and policy environments, which include the removal of market distortions stemming from preferential government policies or excessive regulations."

Friday, April 30, 2010

Beyond PowerPoint: Prezi

Imagine my amusement when I see my old company "PA Consulting" at the bottom of the amazingly complicated slide.

OSLOOM Open Source Manufacture of a Jacquard Loom

Looking forward to some projects like this for food processing systems, but this is a great example of what's going to be common in ten years. Dream then build.

Cellphone Payments Offer Alternative to Cash - NYTimes.com

Cellphone Payments Offer Alternative to Cash - NYTimes.com

Good overview of mobile payment systems; would be great for Farmers Markets. I believe, though, that the Federal "food stamp" program requires a hard wired terminal or a token system.

Monday, April 05, 2010

cias.wisc.edu on Distribution Models of Local Food and Maps

Once again, Wisconsin's Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems rocks! I can't believe I missed this the first time around.

Lovely open source map of food distribution systems, and model descriptions. And supporting reports at 

Distribution Models for Local Food




View National Distribution Models in a larger map

Additional reports at "CIAS and the UW-Extension Ag Innovation Center have written a report featuring case studies of some of these distribution models: “Scaling Up:  Meeting the Demand for Local Food.”

On Job Creation—Local Fruits and Vegetables vs. Corn and Soybeans | CommonDreams.org

On Job Creation—Local Fruits and Vegetables vs. Corn and Soybeans | CommonDreams.org

Informative writing on regional economics (upper midwest) and the driving potential of local production.

From CommonDreams.org's blog:
Some key findings on the economic impacts on the region as a whole:


  • Increased fruit and vegetable production in the six states could mean $882 million in sales at the farm level, and more than 9,300 jobs. Corn and soybean production on that same acreage would support only 2,578 jobs.
  • If half of the increased production was sold in farmer-owned stores, it would require 1,405 such stores staffed by 9,652 people.
The full study new study by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.


This is consistent with findings in numerous local food studies: economic, profitable, sustainable, and not requiring extensive subsidy beyond instantiation of infrastructures (say, processing facilities). 


See also Grower To Grower from cais.wisc.edu for some of the dynamics of smaller scale farms. Big bucks from small acres. University of Illinois Extension circa 2002 found a lot of "takers" for small scale farming; some of it purpose-driven, funding college, a new boat, or to pay down a mortgage, etc. I don't have a link at hand for that one.


Photograph: Mike Glodo, Small Jonathan and Stayman Apples from Southern Illinois

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Once Upon a Honeymoon

Internet Archive: Free Download: Once Upon a Honeymoon

Color Telephones! Better than deploying rural broadband... Awesome!

Found this while doing real research. Likely more invested here by incumbent telcos than on real rural infrastructure.

The Brass Figlagee: Gene Shepherd on iTunes

The Brass Figlagee

Wonderful set of his work. Woot @BrassFigalagee

Friday, April 02, 2010

Official Google Blog: Model Your Town Competition: Cast your vote!

Official Google Blog: Model Your Town Competition: Cast your vote!

Tools for thought. More mashup potential.

"Local and Regional Foods in Community and Economic Development" from Cornell et.al.

Well crafted presentation. Concise tutorial.


Kudos to the authors, Rod Howe, Katherine Lang, Bernadette Logozar, Heidi Mouillesseaux-Kunzman, and Duncan Hilchey

My friend Dayna Conner at Food Works here in deep Southern Illinois pointed me to an upcoming webinar on Local and Regional Food Systems by Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD) that led me to that presentation. Her organization's blog is here.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The NYT highlights a key food-system gap: infrastucture | Grist

The NYT highlights a key food-system gap: infrastucture | Grist

Here in Southern Illinois, this is a biggie. Good writing.

One problem here - we need milli, not mega. Fish processing facility way overbuilt, resultant low utilization.

Guy Kawasaki writes about "good problems" = high demand for customer service because you sold more than expected.

Compare to "bad problems" = low utilization in early market.

Kudos @grist

Small Scale Fresh Food Prototyping With Rusty Bookcase + Ladybug

Good Bugs and Good Eats

But fresh, even small scale, makes the winter days brighter.

Got started late this year and have only anemic prototypes of growing tomatoes, but have achieved proof of principle.

I use a rusted out metal bookcase in a south window. That works too. It's been a safe house for the many ladybugs that pop out during the warmer days here. They've been munching some kind of pests on the plants and it seems a fair deal. (Introducing exotic species generally a very poor idea. Finally starting to see native lady bugs again).

So the bookshelf's not really a bona fide prototype, but I bought a bunch of end of season seed geraniums for a dime on the dollar which faded, then came back and made me smile throughout the winter.

Even had success with some cherry tomatoes that I started in September. They're horribly abused but I have a few green ones now. Brandywines started at same time about a foot high, and wintered over not much the worse for wear. Nice early start for spring (if something doesn't eat 'em when transplanted from the pots).

Urban food, local food, good eats. We'll get there.

More urban farming at Will Allen's www.growingpower.org/

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Jo Ann Emerson (Incumbent Insider) fear v Sowers (Smart Outsider)

Some people run on their record. Others hide from their record.
The good, no, great news is that Jo Ann Emerson's PACs will be wasting their money.


Next hoot:


This is a Missouri political bloviator's site:
 The J. Harris Company's ethics page. 


I believe it is well and truly false goods.

They apparently believe that by publishing a web page on "ethics" it makes them ethical.

I disagree. 


They are backing amazingly dim Republicans and have gone so far as to (lamely) squat on the domain of a gifted Kosovo-Iraq-West Point veteran running against a PAC'd up incumbent in Rush Limbaugh's home district (e.g., Cape Girardeau)

If you want to see the *real* campaign, please go to: http://www.sowersforcongress.com/
Give anything (the more the better, of course) but let's put a thumb in the eye of RUSH LIMBAUGH'S HOME DISTRICT.


Ok. I'll drop the caps lock. Feel better now.


Domain squatting = smell of fear.



Just for grins, send these people a howdy at the domain squatter at tommysowersforcongress,com

 Harris, James  
      The J. Harris Company
      122 East High St.
      Suite 200
      Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
      United States
      (573) 761-7875  



If y'all could give 'em a phone call from time to time, I am sure they would appreciate it. 

Leave a message that asks an earnest complex question. 


What was Jo Ann Emerson doing in Cuba? 
What was "awesome" in Scotland junket. Was there any involvement with Abramoff?
Why has the district lost so many jobs since 2000?
How many years has Jo Ann lived in the district?
Is there an ethical problem with taking insurance or pharmaceutical money and being in Congress?
How is your district better off now as opposed to 1996?
Why didn't anything happen on insurance and health care in the district since 1996.


Pile on, it's fun! The honest answers are "hammena hanmena".


Whee! Jump in!


Ask them if they are trying to confuse voters. Ask them if they are afraid by squatting on an Internet domain that rips off Tommy Sower's own.


The thing about sunlight: it scares the heck out of roaches.


I urge you all to read and tell friends to read. This election matters. Because someone tells you time after time that they care for you does not mean that they care for you.


Some people run on their record. Some hide from their record.


Fun time for all!!!!

Party On!



Ask. I'm sure it will inform you.


Thanks,
Mike

New Rural Economy from MetroFarm Online Magazine, Food Chain Radio and Via Campesina

MetroFarm Online Magazine + Via Campesina + Food Chain Radio

Good scan of new food production opportunities. I picked this up from http://www.foodchainradio.com/

Literate conversation, looking at small scale farming "close" to urban markets. This becomes sustainable.

Interview with Guest: Nettie Wiebe from Via Campesina http://www.viacampesina.org/en/ who farms in in Saskatchewan.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Fly to 3rd Avenue, Turn West


View Larger Map

Devil's Backbone, Grand Tower, Illinois


View Larger Map

Watch this space: Shared Lands

Shared Lands

Some really good things will happen with this.

Vertical Farming, Livingry Systems: windowfarms.org

our.windowfarms.org | Home

In situ solutions for local food. Paul Polak pointed me at this via Engineering for Change.

Open source design. I submitted a proposal yesterday for the Google Fiber project speaking about the reinvention of rural through open source manufacturing.

The windowfarms systems seem pretty low power; I'd be a tad careful about wall sockets myself (they have a warning about drip loops).

I got our KWH down by ~30-40% in peak months by pulling kit off the grid and improving insulation and criminally bad windows installed in the 1970s.  Even with the reduction in energy I'm warm in winter and eating well.

Really uncomfortable green technology will not be adopted by consumers other than the Deep Granola side of the conversation. Sustainable means there's a viable market that does not require ongoing subsidy.

Windows and Tomatoes and Herbs

Herb Booth. Jamie Oliver's Happy Days video has an herb booth roaring like a jungle. That'll be a tactic this fall. I've been playing with making pesto with dried basil and fresh garlic - not bad. But the idea of going over and plucking some fresh basil in January does appeal. He does a great quick pizza crust with just flour and water - I like it a lot and I can prep, mix, and have it out of the oven before I could even get to town for a (lesser) pie. If you're not familiar with Mr.Oliver, he's a socially responsible food rock star - helping teens stay out of trouble and into work see www.fifteen.net for more.  Really like his chops - a few ingredients, don't sweat it too much, and just do it. Friend the gentleman on FaceBook and read his recipes.

A mash up of Jamie Oliver from YouTube: Note the shed greenhouse at 0:19



Good Bugs and Good Eats

But fresh, even small scale, makes the winter days brighter.

Got started late this year and have only anemic prototypes of growing tomatoes, but have achieved proof of principle.

I use a rusted out metal bookcase in a south window. That works too. It's been a safe house for the many ladybugs that pop out during the warmer days here. They've been munching some kind of pests on the plants and it seems a fair deal. (Introducing exotic species generally a very poor idea. Finally starting to see native lady bugs again).

So the bookshelf's not really a bona fide prototype, but I bought a bunch of end of season seed geraniums for a dime on the dollar which faded, then came back and made me smile throughout the winter.

Even had success with some cherry tomatoes that I started in September. They're horribly abused but I have a few green ones now. Brandywines started at same time about a foot high, and wintered over not much the worse for wear. Nice early start for spring (if something doesn't eat 'em when transplanted from the pots).

Urban food, local food, good eats. We'll get there.

More urban farming at Will Allen's www.growingpower.org/

Friday, March 26, 2010

New chilli grenade packs a punch Ananova + NPR Interview

Ananova - New chilli grenade packs a punch

Try the new Extreme Pepper Spray Nachos with this.




This just in 25 March 2010: NPR has an interview with a chef who's making burgers with this. EMTs have had to go to the restaurant several times to help patrons. NPR's News Blog covers this http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/03/pepper_bomb_india_ghost.html

The podcast and transcript is here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125184572

They share also a video

Friday, March 19, 2010

Heartland Papers - policy wonking on rural development


Excellent papers on rural economy development (stop chasing smokestacks) and Mexican immigration in the Midwest (3rd rail, but data are data.....)

Read at least the executive summary of "Transforming the Rural Economy in the Midwest". 

Very consistent with good practices/emerging wonking on building sustainable local economies.


The USDA has started a new series of reports on Micropolitan areas (above) link at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Rurality/MicropolitanAreas/ and also analysis reflecting the influence of Urban areas, notable "no town no center" for the SE corner of the bootheel, for example. Link at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Rurality/UrbanInf/


Thursday, March 18, 2010

The Midwesterner: Blogging the Global Midwest

The Midwesterner: Blogging the Global Midwest

Stop chasing smokestacks.

Heartland Papers - Midwest Economic Issues

Heartland Papers

Excellent thinking about the rural economy here in the Midwest. Strong sense of regionalism. 

Issue 2 - "Past Silos and Smokestacks: Transforming the Rural Economy in the Midwest," by Mark Drabenstott, director of the Center for Regional Competitiveness at the Rural Policy Research Institute and chairman of the Territorial Development Policy Committee for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Unrequited Notes on Google Broadband

A redacted email I wrote about a week ago.

Ahoy XXXX!

I don't play in a league J

I just read the Google RFI, and they do seem pretty focussed on the town, etc. as the model for their trials. XXXXX  in Governor Quinn's office had a conference call on this last month with the Broadband Deployment task force; I do not know the outcomes. 

XXXXXXXX
NPA-NXX-XXXX

The economics of 1G via fiber really tend toward a more urban (or at least moderate density) deployment.  The complexities are not so much in the technology - bury cable for about $40K/mile or hang it for about $15K a mile - but in the negotiation and management of rights of way. 

Hence, my take is that the complexity of trying to do a state-wide deployment might push it to the bottom of the pile for Google.Getting agreement from a town's more manageable than moving across jurisdictions; legislation is antique and anticompetitive.

What might be interesting would be to understand a deployment model of a 1G wireless infrastructure hubbed from fast fiber  (or reasonably fast wireless as a backbone). Google has been big in open access advocacy (Whitespaces - unregulated bandwidth).

There might be something to go at with a conversation about connected community.  

A fast, low latency implementation could allow, for example, cultural entertainment shared amongst, say, Chicago and some of the old theaters downstate (Varsity in Carbondale, Liberty in Murphysboro) that have become 501c3 community spaces. The entertainment / community really drives the build out of networks beyond the "must do this" segments. Although the vision of high res tele medicine is laudable, the toughest technical requirements are for gaming (by far), audio, and video. "Play Halo and get your MRI data shipped for free."

1G also offers immersive environments / shared spaces of very high video resolution - 3d capable. I have friends in a group called DigItSignal that do weekly performances together from New York, Florida, Sweden, and England over the Internet. Maybe something to encourage the transport of Chicago Blues exchanged for Makanda Bluegrass? I'm thinking art/music/fun will be a differentiator. Everyone else will cite obligatory "medicine, education, yadda yadda" and that's necessary. But Google wants to learn how to, in the old Internet tradition, MAKE MONEY FAST. And that will come from entertainment / social applications.


I think it quite important to stress the emerging vision as one of a *shared* network. I say this because I've seen failure in thinking and implementation of single-purpose networks (which will suffer unsustainably low utlilization, viz, a pure medical network, or unshared infrastructure running to/from schools, etc.).

XXXX'x  point on the regional model - say a river basin - makes very good points.http://techneblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/rural-america-jobs-and-wireless.html covers experience in the Oregon with additional case studies of a West Virginia project from a few years ago. Similarly, the "beyond the state" issues for regional approaches matter greatly here in Egypt. http://techneblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/why-regional-markets-matter-driving.html points out that this part of Illinois is closer to Nashville, TN than Springfield, IL. What might be interesting is rural very high speed "thin" network provided by Google. Even <1M wireless broadband down here (via Alltel) has driven out satellite internet quite quickly; the adoption of broadband by existing dial up users likewise very rapid.

As far as downstate regional broadband efforts, XXXXXXX  would be an appropriate place to "funnel" potential alliances. I just got off the phone with XXXXXXXXXX He's at NPA-NXX-XXXXand would be happy to hear from you. He's also quite fluent in some of the practical argot of getting broadband put in "down here". I know some progress has been made in mapping broadband extant infrastructure; he'll have far more recent insight into that.

Quick Study Planning Resource

Another source http://www.newamerica.net/broadbandstimulus  consolidates additional materials in infrastructure "OTI prepared five application guides as well as a primer to funding opportunities and a strategic guidance document regarding BTOP infrastructure funding. "

With apologies for somewhat scattered editing, but I wanted to get this out quickly. I'd be happy to help.

Best,
Mike

Saturday, March 13, 2010

How Do You Make A Yugo Cool? Turn It Into A Book. : NPR

How Do You Make A Yugo Cool? Turn It Into A Book. : NPR

Nice update to http://techneblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/1969-trabant-was-fur-ein-sues-fahren.html for the Trabant.

Send in the Clowns - The Coming Spin Cycle from Incumbent Broadband Providers

New York Times reports on FCC plans for credible broadband infrastructure.

As always, read the 100+ comments which will make you want to turn the car around and go home. Believe me, facts hamper vigorous debate!

The incumbents will take on roles made famous from great traditions mixing Noh, commedia dell'arte, mystery plays, and s(l)ideshows featuring tethered services provided with consultants (Slideshow Bobs?) and lobbyists to avoid the public ever having to be informed.

Ah, the incumbents. Service providers. What Newspeak. I want common carriers with firewalls to keep them from owning content and applications. I believe in markets, innovation, and low frictional cost structures.

Here's to physics over monopoly. (And I don't think this FCC vision's close to what it needs to be, but direction positive.)

New America Foundation has a series of policy papers emphasizing intelligent spectrum management at http://wirelessfuture.newamerica.net/archives/policydocs. This is quite important for empowering rural areas, in particular, with modern broadband.

It doesn't take a carrier. Watch this space.

Cue the duckspeak.


F.C.C. Plan to Widen Internet Access in U.S. Sets Up Battle
Published: March 12, 2010
The 10-year plan would reimagine the nation’s media and technology priorities by establishing high-speed Internet as the country’s dominant communication network.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/business/media/13fcc.html
More more at http://www.fcc.gov/ on spectrum policy, consumer broadband test tools, etc.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Great Overview of Health Care from KUOW


Worth a listen: how we're getting messed around with status quo and insiders.

www.kuow.org
KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio: NPR News and Information

Arcosanti as Holiday Village

Heard a fascinating piece on NPR this morning: an Indiana developer, Leroy Troyer, wants to put a vacation destination under glass in Indiana. This has taken off in Europe. Families drive to these venues, park the car, stay for a few days and walk everywhere.

http://www.centerparcs.com/ describes "Holiday Villages" across Europe and the UK. They speak to "Short Breaks and Family Holidays". Maybe a bit Disney, but I find these places appealing, along the lines of a Dude Ranch.  These types of projects could be an interesting addition to an agro-tourism regional development model. Sort of a chunky nougat for an industry cluster. Sorry.

The Indiana project is with NPR's Morning Edition at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124593116 and the comments range from support to cynicism.

For some other projects, take a browse through http://www.buckminster.info/ for Fuller's Old Man River City (an intimate dome for 125,000 people) and http://www.arcosanti.org/ for another big vision of an urban living system from Paolo Soleri's work.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Local Food, Local Economy, Bad Governmental Policy

Why we need transformational leadership in government. Status quo is hurting families and limiting choice.Florida and California apparently dominate policy. Where are we?


My Forbidden Fruits (and Vegetables)
Published: March 1, 2008
Ultimately, it is the consumer who will pay the greatest price if the federal government continues to prevent the local food movement from expanding.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/opinion/01hedin.html

Sunday, March 07, 2010

White Lily Flour from The New York Times

Upon recommendation from my friend Mark, I got a bag of White Lily flour. It's been around as a southern brand since the early 1880ss, and was acquired by the Smuckers company a few years ago.

Results

Made amazing biscuits this morning with it. Lard *and* butter cut into the package recipe. Very nice biscuits reminding me of my Grandma's (a goal to strive for - she always used Crisco and kept the works in the fridge at home).  Will keep tweaking recipe - maybe add some baking soda and repeat.

Grandma used buttermilk. Her sister Louise always suggested clabbered milk (which can be found at http://www.ehow.com/how_2192640_make-clabbered-milk.html)
see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crème_fraiche
I've used whole milk yoghurt with decent results in biscuits; provides similarly good taste.

Also going to check on Nunn Better http://www.nunn-better.com/flour-corn.htm (Evansville, IN) and Virginia's Best which seem to have a following of their own. Likewise, soft red wheat flours with low protein.

Meanwhile, the debate about what Smucker's did when they closed the plant and moved operations is found at


Biscuit Bakers’ Treasured Mill Moves North
Published: June 18, 2008
For generations of Southern bakers, the closing of the White Lily flour mill is causing ripples of anxiety that Southern biscuits will never be the same.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/dining/18flour.html


Thursday, February 18, 2010

Fish and Salad In Situ Ville: NY Times on Aquaponics


New technology has enabled smaller scale livingry systems. (That is a Bucky Fuller word.)

Fascinating overview. Fish-Sun-Water-Plants

The New York Times discusses aquaponics as practiced in the US, with a ton of Australians in the mix. See http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/ for more on that. I just discovered the Australian site and am gleeful from the experience. The Times article mentions also Aquaponics Journal, which has doubled subscriptions every year for the last five years.


The Spotless Garden
Published: February 17, 2010
Aquaponic gardens use fish, water and no soil — and may be the future of food growing.

This technology/approach dates at least to the early 1970s - see New Alchemy Institute's innovations in bioshelters. I had mentioned New Alchemy Institute in November 2005 in the context of Sustainable Architecture at http://techneblog.blogspot.com/2005/11/sustainable-architecture.html

More New Alchemy materials at The Green Center http://www.vsb.cape.com/~nature/greencenter/ which includes reports on aquaculture, bioshelters, and agriculture.

Good stewardship + good eats.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Strawberries: High Margin Greenhouse Food

Perfect example of in-situ agriculture yielding ~ $20/pound. Systems. Systems. This is what physicists do when they change jobs: geek and eat.

Readily tweakable for other environments and economies. From Smithsonian Magazine.


High tech greenhouses in the desert, physicist. Lovely. "In 1991, a French nursery called Marionnet introduced Mara des Bois, a deep red strawberry with soft, melting flesh and a fantastically intense perfume... it fetches a premium price, and accounts for about a tenth of the nation's strawberry harvest."

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/strawberry-side.html?c=y&page=1

Monday, February 15, 2010

What Matters Most: NY Times dot earth blog

Andrew Revkin writes:
Ecoartspace, an organization that focuses on addressing environmental issues through the visual arts (the image below, from a 2009 exhibition, is by Nils-Udo), got in touch with me recently about a planned spring exhibition of small works on paper devoted to a simple question: What matters most?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food | Video on TED.com

Jamie Oliver has a record of good works. He founded Fifteen
"Fifteen is a commercial business with a purpose – a global social enterprise with young people at its heart. Fifteen has four restaurants worldwide - Amsterdam, Cornwall, London and Melbourne – all of which operate a pioneering apprenticeship scheme for young people, between the ages of 18 and 24, alongside the day-to-day running of the restaurants."
Starting working in his family's pub at an early age, he later became famous as The Naked Chef, and has a direct, wonderful approach to food and sensible nutrition. He's recently won the TED Prize.

"Sharing powerful stories from his anti-obesity project in Huntington, W. Va., TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver makes the case for an all-out assault on our ignorance of food."

Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food | Video on TED.com

Strongly recommend his books and his elan for great simply prepared food. (Pizza crust: water. flour. bash it about. EZ PZ Bob's Your Uncle.)

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Environmental Restoration in Texas from All Things Considered

Wonderful interview long on practical stewardship.

"David Bamberger converted 5,500 acres of some of the most badly damaged and overgrazed hill country in Texas into a showpiece of environmental restoration. Bamberger has been hailed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and has won the state's top voluntary land stewardship award.

A visit to Bamberger Ranch is like a trip back in time. Instead of cedar brush and barren limestone breaking the soil's surface, large hardwood trees surround grassy meadows. Wild turkey and deer wander in the open, and bobcats lurk in the hollows hunting game"

Sunday, January 31, 2010

The New Amazon iSnit

Amazon announces the new iSnit in reaction to new publishing dynamics.

I wrote a piece (private working paper) anticipating this kind of disruption in broadband media planning back in 1992:


The Amazon-Macmillan brouhaha below.

From the New York Times
Bits: Amazon Pulls Macmillan Books Over E-Book Price Disagreement
Published: January 29, 2010
Amazon removed Macmillan books from its site in a dispute over prices of e-books.
Story at http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/amazon-pulls-macmillan-books-over-e-book-price-disagreement/