Archive for April, 2009
« Previous EntriesTall Replaces Sprawl in Urban Expansion
Thursday, April 30th, 2009In the opening credits of the seminal TV series, Star Trek, the opening narration begins with ‘Space… the Final Frontier.’ It is, but possibly in ways we have yet to imagine here on Earth. Urban sprawl has continued its unabated advancement mile by horizontal mile, but some are calling for a new dimension to the [...]
Making the Team
Monday, April 27th, 2009Yesterday and today likely tried the nerves of many an NCAA player as they awaited their fates during the annual NFL Draft. I’ve never played professional sports, but I do know the angst and anxiety inherent in waiting to find out if you’ve been “picked”-and, even worse, the initial feeling of helplessness when you learn [...]
The Smart Grid – Making Us More Intelligent Energy Consumers
Saturday, April 25th, 2009As we move further into the new millennium, there is a growing public awareness – and concern – over our energy reliance and usage, and the possibility of the devastating effects that reliance could have on our environment. The Internet Age has connected us to the world around us in ways we could never have [...]
Craig Venter – Synthesizing a Life on the Leading Edge
Friday, April 24th, 2009Under the title heading of Craig Venter’s Wikipedia entry is a note reading – “the neutrality of this article is disputed… please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.” This note could serve as a metaphor for Venter’s relationships with those in the scientific community, where ongoing struggles for funding create fast [...]
Adventures in Zip-Lining
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009Not too long ago I served as a “dance host” on a two-week cruise from Santiago, Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. What is a dance host? Many cruise ships hire gentlemen who are accomplished dancers to be available to dance with women. Our typical daily schedule involved being on the dance floor at six o’clock [...]
Temple Grandin’s Guided Tour of the Autistic Mind
Monday, April 20th, 2009Dr. Temple Grandin may be the most extraordinary person you’ve never heard of. As a leading expert in the field of animal science and humane livestock-handling methodology, Grandin holds a doctorate from the University of Illinois and is the published author of eight books – covering subject matter from animal welfare to social relationships to [...]
Our Counterintuitive Stumble to Happiness
Saturday, April 18th, 2009When the writers of the Declaration of Independence committed to paper the words that would inspire our fledgling nation onward, they agreed upon three ‘inalienable rights’ – ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ Noble concepts all, but difficult to define precisely. And while entire tomes have been written regarding the first two, the ‘pursuit [...]
Jamie Lerner
Thursday, April 16th, 2009Utopian visions of urban living have been around for as long as we have made the effort to live in close proximity to hundreds, tens of thousands – and now millions – of our fellow citizens. From Walt Disney’s initial concepts for EPCOT to Buckminster Fuller’s ‘Dome Enclosed City’, some of the brightest minds hoped [...]
Slow Food, Local Food, Better Food
Monday, April 13th, 2009“The chef, a woman, announced the menu: cured ham and melon, trout with almonds, and raspberry tart. The trout had just come from the stream and the raspberries from the garden. It was this immediacy that made those dishes so special.” – Alice Waters When the doors of the now-famed Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse opened [...]
Regular or Decaf?
Friday, April 10th, 2009Last month was National Caffeine Awareness Month, when the Caffeine Awareness Association encourages Americans to give up coffee. I’m proud to say, I’m ahead of the game. Why? Because I already gave up coffee altogether 25 years ago. It started 27 years ago. I was on my way to have lunch with George Benson, the [...]
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