Technology Review: TR10: Cloud Programming

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/25089/?ref=rss

Technology Review: TR10: Solar Fuel

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/25077/

Apple iPad Kneeboard

High Tech Products for Professional Pilots   Knee Boards DX Pro DX Pro Tandem Home Introducing the NewTech Board iPro Kneeboard     The first and only kneeboard designed specifically for the Apple iPad. This precision design features all-metal construction, engineered and balanced to the tight tolerances that pilots expect. You get full viewing access to charts on your iPad while also having a firm writing surface. That's two important uses in the footprint of one kneeboard. The iPro is specially designed for protection. It touches none of the buttons on your iPad, yet shields them from accidents. Inside, flush riveting and padding ensure that the your iPad receives maximum protection at all times. And still, maximum usability.  Price: $149.95                            Like all Tech Board Kneeboards, these are hand-made, one at a time. Each is carefully crafted and precision built so that you get the finest quality available. We'll get it to you as fast as we can, but please allow up to three weeks for U.S. delivery.       (c) 2010 by Atlanta Flight, Inc. All Rights Reserved. More Great Products for Pilots

An encore played on iPad

Here I was assuming I could put all the music and stuff I have to carry around on the iPad. Looks like I'll have more than a music reader.

When to buy a new mac

My macbook was acting up, but I fixed it. Still, it's sending me warnings.

I think, all things being equal, I'd like to plan for an iPad GPS for portable and an iMac for home, but it's been a while since the iMacs have been upgraded, so hopefully the trusty macbook will hang on for about half a year.

insurance covers

Two videos for Sunday morning

I LOVE having a computer as my morning newspaper!

Here's a video that we watched, knowing Natalie has been seriously thinking about math. The video reminded me of a number of things I'd forgotten, links and such.



Then I was going to quit, but impulsively clicked on this one.




Surprise!
This video mirrors and echos Ursula LeGuin's "Always Coming Home," which I've been reading. I wish all the people who are so (justifiably) angry right now could learn to factor in the [what we don't know/the ultimate gift of the universe/UP] and just go on and create from the possibilities in front of us. If we look for destruction, we fill find it. If we focus on the ugly, bad, we will find it, and, mesmerized, create more of the same. Being willing and able to drift and choosing to look up is the gift.

There's more dock in my yard than spinach in the garden. Good wrapped around some hummus.

Print an envelope with a topo map of your address on the inside

This is neat! Google always thinks I'm walking down the road, not at my house, but, hey, lots of time I am!

Something I've been thinking about since 5th grade. A snippet by Chomsky

Click the link above to get context in the full article.

Reading Joe Stack's manifesto and a great deal more like it, I find myself recovering childhood memories and much more that I did not then understand. The Weimar Republic was the peak of western civilization in the sciences and the arts, also regarded as a model of democracy. Through the 1920s, the traditional liberal and conservative parties entered into inexorable decline, well before the process was intensified by the Great Depression. The coalition that elected General Hindenburg in 1925 was not very different from the mass base that swept Hitler into office eight years later, compelling the aristocratic Hindenburg to select as chancellor the "little corporal" he despised. As late as 1928, the Nazis had less than 3 percent of the vote. Two years later, the most respectable Berlin press was lamenting the sight of the many millions in this "highly civilized country" who had "given their vote to the commonest, hollowest and crudest charlatanism." The public was becoming disgusted with the incessant wrangling of Weimar politics, the service of the traditional parties to powerful interests and their failure to deal with popular grievances. They were drawn to forces dedicated to upholding the greatness of the nation and defending it against invented threats in a revitalized, armed and unified state, marching to a glorious future, led by the charismatic figure who was carrying out "the will of eternal Providence, the Creator of the universe," as he orated to the mesmerized masses. By May 1933, the Nazis had largely destroyed not only the traditional ruling parties, but even the huge working-class parties, the Social Democrats and Communists, along with their very powerful associations. The Nazis declared May Day 1933 to be a workers holiday, something the left parties had never been able to achieve. Many working people took part in the enormous patriotic demonstrations, with more than a million people at the heart of Red Berlin, joining farmers, artisans, shopkeepers, paramilitary forces, Christian organizations, athletic and riflery clubs, and the rest of the coalition that was taking shape as the center collapsed. By the onset of the war, perhaps 90 percent of Germans were marching with the brown shirts.

Just some food for thought. The concept is good, the presentation a little garish, but complete.

As seen on Oprah, The New York Times, and CNN ... Recommended by Greg Johnson the Founder of the Small House Society An open letter to people who want affordable housing ... and the simple, carefree life a smaller home offers ... "Advice to People Who Want to Build a Small Home for Less Than 20 Grand" Discover 22 Brilliant Small Home Plans that Really Work, Regardless Where You Live - Designed by One of the Leading Pioneers of the Small House Movement ... Requires Just 14 Tools ... Most of Which You Already Own! Try it 100% Risk-Free Now you can go from this ....              to this ... How soon would you like to go from stressed and frustrated to happy, relaxed and free? If you've dreamed of breaking away from the pack ... owning a home without a heart-stopping mortgage bill, and having the freedom to save for your retirement and live a simpler, more green life, ... then this will be the most exciting message you'll ever read. Here's why: Today in America, 1 in 5 homeowners owe more money than what their home is worth! Many people are literally walking away from their homes because of this tragedy. But that's only part of the story! According to RealtyTrac, over 2.8 million homes were foreclosed in 2009. Just think, all those months of making the house note, paying steep utility bills, property taxes, and maintenance - up in smoke. Don't you deserve better than this? People were sold a bill of goods that they need more home than they can afford and now their finances, relationships and lives are in chaos. Leave Your Cares Behind And Live the Sweet Life by Owning a Small Home! Many end up begging friends and family to help them out and many are barely surviving. Why should you play this deadly game of survival if you really don't have to? And did you know that the average price of a used home in America today, is a whopping $244,000? That's 20 ... to ... 30 years of being stuck with payments, sky-high utilities, creeping property taxes, neighborhood fees and regulations! Look at this: Mortgage payments almost always cut into 30% to 40% of your income ... and that of course doesn't include taxes, insurance, or maintenance costs. With so much of your money going into your home, you're missing out on money for investments, travel, continued education, more time with kids, or time to pursue your hobbies. You only live once ... is it really worth it to strap this burden onto your back? It's a high-stakes, high-risk game of keeping up with the Joneses ... that puts your retirement ... your survival ... your happiness ... and your freedom to really live life on the chopping block! Isn't the American dream really about feeling financially secure, owning a home and being happy? Being shackled with debt till the grave doesn't sound like the American dream to me. Do you realize that most people will not have any real money to retire on? It's true. Look at these sobering retirement statistics: Take any 100 people at the start of their working careers and follow them for 40 years until they reach retirement age, and here's what you'll find, according to the Social Security Administration: only 1 will be wealthy; 4 will be financially secure; 5 will continue working, not because they want to but because they have to; 36 will be dead; and 54 will be dead broke - dependent on their meager Social Security checks, relatives, friends, even charity for a minimum standard of living. That's 5% successful, 95% unsuccessful. Which group do you plan on being in? But that's only the beginning because social security is for all intents and purposes - BROKE! That said, depending on social security to get you by will be sketchy at best. That's why it's vital you take action now to make lifestyle changes so you won't be a burden on your children or find yourself wondering where your next meal will come in your twilight years. Saves YOU Money and Saves the Environment too! But there are environmental issues to consider as well. The average American home consumes about 75% of an acre of forest and produces about 7 tons of construction waste! And ... it emits 18 tons of greenhouse gases every year! Compare that to one of my small home plans which were made with only 4,800 pounds of building materials each, and less than 100 pounds went to the landfill. Plus ... each produced less than 900 pounds of greenhouse gases during a typical Iowa winter! What's more, a tiny home can fit into a parking space, which is wonderful if you wish to pick up and move. That's something you cannot do with a sprawling suburban home. A small home ranges from 65 square feet to 840 square feet, and you can move as desired; the plumbing and electricity set up of my designs allows you to do this. You can enjoy the adventure of traveling the country, by settling in various spots across the country. In fact, I've traveled from Canada to Mexico, and from San Francisco to New York with my small homes. Can you do that with your current home? Picture the freedom of being able to pick up and move as you wish. Once you get tired of an area, you can simply move - with a small home it's now possible! But there's a catch. You cannot build a tiny house legally or in many zones - unless you know the legal, loopholes that let you do it. I'm one of the few people who show you how. 10 Years of Living in a Small Home ... And it is Heaven on Earth! Hello, my name is Jay Shafer. You probably have many questions about how to build a small house and if this is really even a good idea. I think it's always a good idea to find out a little about someone before you do business with them. So let me show you why you should listen to me ...   I have lived in 3 different small houses or as I like to call them, Tumbleweed houses ... over the past 10 years. My small house designs and ideas have been featured in many places such as Oprah, CNN, the cover of Natural Home Magazine and the front page of Yahoo. I lecture across the nation on small house living and design. And all of my home designs are tried and true which means we know they're livable and workable. I have traveled as far as 7,000 miles across the country in one of my tiny houses. To my knowledge, no one else has been doing it longer and no one else teaches workable designs.   No wonder Greg Johnson, the founder of the Small House Society swears by my plans. Due to my lectures and media appearances, the idea of living in small homes that are transportable is fast becoming mainstream. As such so many people have requested that I write a book that would teach anyone how to do it. I have done exactly that. Introducing my book, The Small House Book. There is nothing anywhere like it. Some of What You'll Discover in Your Copy of The Small House Book You will learn all the ins and outs - everything you need to turn your wish of affordable housing without the baggage into reality through my book, The Small House Book How to build a small home for just 20 grand! Flip through the pages of this full color book that's loaded with pictures and you'll see that I have divided my houses into two sizes. First you'll see the tiny houses, which are homes that range from 65 square feet to 140 square feet. And small houses that range from 250 square feet to 840 square feet. You'll see 22 beautiful home plans ... plans you won't find anywhere else that are truly tested and proven to work in real world conditions   You'll discover why you really don't need to own a plot of land to own one of these small homes. Over the past 3 years, I have moved my home 4 times and I have lived on a private estate by a lake, in the Redwoods, in a field and in an apple orchard. One woman I know has her home at a national park. The types of building materials you'll need   You'll get my 7 critical organizing principles and 42 design elements to create a very efficient little home. You'll discover the exact 14 tools (many of which you probably already own) that you'll need to start your home. You'll find out how to efficiently heat your home so you stay warm even in areas that are prone to snow storms. You'll find out how to efficiently cool your home so you'll feel fine even in the dog days of summer in Southern states. You'll find out how to set up plumbing that really works. You'll discover how to set up a sanitary and convenient compost toilet that's odorless. You'll discover how to get water running into your home. You'll see how to set up comfortable sleeping arrangements. How to set up a terrific little kitchen where you can cook great meals, just as well as anybody in an oversized kitchen. Step-by-step instructions for attaching a house to a trailer - pictures included. What you need to know about setting up appliances. What you need to know about solar power. How to properly power your home. How you can fit a family into a small home. Plus much, much more! The bottom line though is this: There isn't a speck of fluff, silly theory or useless "filler" content in my book. This is information that has been tested and proven to work in the real world. And it's all so easy, too. Just like following a recipe. You start with step one and follow along, taking the tools you need right out of the book as you go. And before you know it, you'll have a beautiful small home you'll absolutely treasure. But maybe you're the only one on board so far with the idea of living in a small home. Maybe your wife or husband doesn't like the idea or doesn't entirely understand the advantages. Show him or her a copy of my book and watch as their opinion begins to shift. I clearly explain why it totally makes sense, and the pictures and plans in my book do the talking for you. Here's another big reason why owning a small home makes sense ... Imagine Paying as Little as $65 Per Year in Utilities! Plus ... it's important to realize the small house movement has absolutely exploded in popularity - it's gone international! And if that doesn't shine a light on the advantages of living in a small home, then look at this: The resale value of American houses of 2,500 square feet or more appreciated 57 percent between 1980 and 2000, while houses of 1,2000 or less appreciated 78 percent! (Elizabeth Rhodes, Seattle times, 2001) Small houses appreciated $37 more per square foot! To date, over 2,500 people own this book and the response has been absolutely incredible. Here's what people have to say about The Small House Book: "I just ordered the new book, it arrived within a couple of days, and it is stunning! Even if a person wasn't interested in tiny houses, the art and layout and photographs and color is enough to intrigue anyone! My son said, 'the houses look so inviting.' I thought that was a great observation, great work, thank you." -Tanja "I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the growing small house movement. Great photos, great discussions, and great house plans. It's well-written and a good read, too! Join the movement!" - K.A. Handyside, Detroit, MI "This book is fantastic! It has great ideas for building small spaces that are comfortable and fit your needs, and the pictures are beautiful. I especially love the author's thoughts on the benefits of simplicity in our lives." - Jennifer M. Goff "The price is $36.95 and worth every penny in my humble opinion. I have my own personal copy right now in front of me and can't put it down." -Kent Griswold, TinyHouseBlog.com Media Rave Reviews Over "The Small House Book" "A visionary designer ..." - Catherine Halley, Domino Magazine "... guru of the small house movement." - John Blackstone, CBS Sunday "... instant curb appeal." - Bethany Little, New York Times "... one hundred square feet of bliss." - Thelma Gutierrez, CNN "... built to last." - Craig LaMoult, Chicago Tribune "... astounding ..." - Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Winfrey Show "Move-in-ready gems ..." - Denise Gee, Better Homes & Gardens "... extraordinary attention to detail." - Hannah Bloch, New York Times Let's suppose you picked up a copy of "The Small House Book" and you loved the plan on page 164. And you built this home. Can you imagine the thrill of not having a $244,000 home to pay off? Picture never having to pay $500 or more every month in utility bills! Instead ... you can reduce that to just $65 per year in utilities! Think about how great it will be relaxing in your new home, without the burdens of the world on your shoulders ... yes it can soon be yours. You would at last feel FREE! The headaches, the stress, the rampant consumerism of life would be gone and finally you could really live life and feel happy. But to do it yourself would cost you thousands of dollars in trial and error. Instead, you avoid the mistakes and do it right the first time for just $36.95 - your one-time investment in my book, The Small House Book. As you'll soon see, it's a full color, comprehensive, very detailed, very specific book that shows how absolutely anyone can get started! For less than the price of a dinner out for two, you can soon be on your way to a new, simpler, more wonderful life, but it's your choice. Take No Risk - Generous "30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee" It's entirely up to you to decide if The Small House Book is right for you. That's why I'm giving you a generous 30 days to decide for yourself if the plans and information presented exceed your expectations. If you're not 100% delighted, or you later decide this isn't your cup of tea, simply return the unmarked book and I'll refund every penny you paid for my book ... promptly and courteously. It doesn't get much fairer than that. So don't put this off, there's nothing to think about. That's because you can try my book with complete confidence knowing that if it isn't right for you or later you decide not to build a small home, then you won't owe a single penny. You're in complete control here. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Some people have made the mistake of searching bookstores for The Small House Book. My book is NOT available in stores - it's only available through this special offer. The information and blueprints in The Small House Book are NOT available anywhere else. So don't delay another moment, grab your copy today. Let's summarize again what you're getting: 22 tested and proven home plans Plans for homes ranging from 65 sq feet to 140 sq feet. Plans for homes ranging from 250 sq feet to 840 sq feet. 42 design elements + 7 critical organizing principles How to do it for less than $20 grand. Everything from plumbing, to power is completely explained Travel and location issues completely explained Legal loopholes for building a small house explained And more! Here's How to Order The Small House Book It's easy to get your personal copy of The Small House Book. Have your credit card handy and click the "Order Your Book Now" button below to place your order. It's safer to use your credit card here than at a 5-star restaurant. After you place your order, you'll immediately receive an emailed receipt of your order and The Small House Book will be mailed to your address. Please expect 1 week for delivery. As an added bonus, I'll pay the shipping for you anywhere in the US! ADD TO CART To the good life, Jay Shafer Tumbleweed Tiny House Company P.S. The Small House Book is yours to preview for 30 days without risking a single penny. Try it, then decide it you want to keep it, isn't that fair? P.P.S. Here's the exciting part: All of the trial and error ... all of the guesswork ... all of the waste ... all of the mistakes are taken out of the equation. This means when you own my book, The Small House Book, you will be starting from a position of success. I can't guarantee it'll be smooth sailing all the way, but it'll certainly make your goal of owning a wonderful small home as easy as it possibly gets. I poured my heart and soul and 7 months of writing to create a book that gives you absolutely everything - yes, everything -- you need, at your fingertips to join the thousands of people who've awakened and are taking control of their lives. It truly doesn't get any easier than this. So order right now ... you'll be glad you did. Thank you. ADD TO CART Who is Jay Shafer? Jay Shafer is leading a movement that is changing the way America views housing. His revolutionary approach to house design has stirred international dialogue. In his, The Small House Book, Shafer explains why smaller dwellings make good sense and how superior design can be achieved with less space. He has continued to share his philosophy by creating Tumbleweed Tiny House Company through such venues as Fine Homebuilding, The Wall Street Journal, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and at the University of Iowa's School of Art, where he served as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Drawing for more than a decade. Professor Shafer currently lives in a 95 square foot home of his own creation and his personally built over a dozen small homes to date.

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Air Campers organization

This looks like a good source of people to know and places to go.

Apple and friends

Why Do They Want to Do Us Harm? [Part One] -- In These Times

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/5711/why_do_they_want_to_do_us_harm_part_one

Ten years ago, this question was at the front of our minds, at least
for roughly half of Americans. As a society, we don't seem to be
asking it any more, much less answering it.

The link above provides some thoughtprovoking water to prime the pump
where it has run dry.

Thank goodness for all of the people (especially the younger set) who
have NOT forgotten the question and who live carefully and
constructively to make new patterns for the rest of us.

Poem by Ursula K. LeGuin

I don't care if I am possible.
What are the bridges between us?
Wind, the rainbow,
mist, still air.

We must learn to step on the rainbow.
(Even Old Jealousy
called it a covenant.)

We must learn how to walk on the wind.
What links us (O my sister soul)
Is the abyss between us.

We must learn the fog path.
What parts us (O my brother flesh)
is our kinship of one house.
We must learn to trust thin air.

Poem by a student

From the garden!

First real meal straight from the garden--potato kale onion soup.
(Milk and salt and pepper notwithstanding.)