Viva Las Vegas

Very good friend is heading out to that joint.

This little homage seemed appropriate:




The town can be found here:

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USDA Policy Encouraging Local Economic Growth

USDA changing policies to encourage local food production in an All Things Considered interview with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsak.

Know your farmer know your food is focusing on creating wealth in rural communities.

Note that the policy of emphasizing the economic clout of smaller scale producers on the local economy has become more of a focal point for policy: entrepreneurs matter, throughout the network that produces food.

This production network goes well beyond the farmer or rancher. It encompasses the systems and people supporting markets. Distribution companies, information technology, newly transformed landscape companies, web designers, broadband providers, retailers...

So the first law of ecology from Garrett Hardin: "You cannot do only one thing."

More of the story at: NPR.org - Farmers Markets: Fresh, Local, Government-Approved

Get People to Food to People

Transportation systems for schools have high utilization at peak times and no utilization at others.

The Gothamist reports "Real Seniors Take School Buses To Buy Fresh Food"

This has been a recurring issue for me for a couple of years now: how to use things like transportation systems more intelligently.

Other things to fix:

• Integrate scheduling for county-based transportation systems in Southern Illinois (now only 5 days a week, inter-county complexity in routes/fares/extra fees/etc.
• Examine more efficient utilization of transport (for example, to pick up or deliver food) and manage health and safety issues through "intelligent boxes"which have telltales regarding handling of foods. These could even have features to allow only a certified operator to open the box (e.g., with a little bluetooth app for the food person at either end).
• Design for multi-use (buses with removable seats, etc.)

Ok. Time to weatherstrip the front door.... chilly day here.

Oh yeah. Most of the code for this exists in open source, I'd wager. Google Apps work too.

Reporting on SIU Technology and Innovation Expo (TIE 2009)

Back on the network, just in time to cover Technology and Innovation Expo (TIE 2009) at Southern Illinois University on Friday 9 October 2009.

The event will showcase SIU research projects.

I'm sorry that it's on a Friday before a three day weekend, but looks like a solid crowd.

And who could resist "'Electronic Nose' Research at SIU"?

They opened for Jefferson Airplane, I think....

New Look For More Widgets

Finally changed the look of Techneblog to take advantage of google widgets.