September 2010

Spirit

Notes from Off the Grid – a poem

…..There are cabins here,built from driftwood and salvaged glass……

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Land

Foreclosures grinding to a halt – for now

One of America’s leading banks says it will freeze foreclosures in 23 States because of dishonest paperwork

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Energy

Bloom Box rolls out second wave

Bloom Energy has maintained a low profile since its highly orchestrated news conference, chaired by John Doerr,  raising the curtain on its fuel cell technology this year.

Now Adobe Systems announced it has chosen Bloom Energy’s technology to power its corporate headquarters in downtown San Jose, making it Bloom’s largest single-site installation to date.

Adobe installed 20 vertically shaped wind turbines, made by Windspire Energy of Reno, at its headquarters in January. But with 2,500 employees and about a million square feet of office space, the company is eager to do even more to reduce its energy footprint.

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Events

Low-tech Biomimetics – wag the dog

How a clothing company invented a better moutaineering jacket by learning from a damp dog.

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Community

Don’t be a Survival Tourist

 

 

Five years ago Dan and Shayna Cohen took early retirement to live off the grid in the wilderness of Catron County, New Mexico.   They are looking for like-minded people to join them on their 40 acre ranch which can be seen at www.placeofrefuge2012.com. They wrote this heads up about “Survivalist Tourists”.

We’ve met more posers or what my son likes to call “survival tourists” than anything else.  By this we mean those who know something bad is about to happen and think that if they do a few mundane tasks, it will be a panacea for all their worries.

Most spend money on the strangest things, like a solar cooker and have no storage foods, or buy a diesel 4X4 that cost as much as a house and have nothing else other than a rusty .22 calibre rifle and a tactical rifle sling.
 
We  believe that people do things like this because it’s a way of doing something that does not require them to take their foot off home plate.
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People

Solar Flare could kill the Grid

One of the biggest dangers to the grid is bothering the British Secretary of Defense Liam Fox. Today he warns that the electricity grid, financial networks and transport infrastructure could be paralyzed by a solar flare.

Fox is no fringe lunatic. He used to be a medical practioner.

There is a growing threat of electromagnetic disruption to the underpinnings of modern life, the Defense Secretary told a meeting of scientists and security advisers today.

Dr. Fox said he wants to address the “vulnerabilities” in the nation’s hi-tech infrastructure.

“As the nature of our technology becomes more complex, the threat becomes more widespread as well,” he says.

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PG&E was paid to repair San Bruno gas line, never spent the money

It is not clear if the money was handed over, but the following year PG&E came back asking for a further $5m for the same work

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Events

Ex-Pres Clinton turns Meat to Veggie Lover

The recent declaration by former US President Bill Clinton that he is slowly turning  vegetarian awed the crowd.

In an interview, the former president admits that he is now on a  vegan diet, although sometimes, he still eats fish.

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The meals on the bus go round and round

The growing trend for bustaurants

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Events

World’s first pedal-powered Sub

Step.hane Rousson madce the world’s first pedal powered air ship. Now he’s made the world’s first pedal powered sub marine

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For millions, nowhere to turn

With 15 percent of all household loans are already past-due or in foreclosure, off-grid living is the only solution for many Americans.

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Super-efficient solar cells

The much-hyped cells from Sanyo were announced months ago but are only now available to consumers

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