w h o a r . c o . n z

“… Will they play Bach?

Or Offenbach?

What about something by the Pet Shop Boys?

New Yorkers Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed will outdo Spencer Tunick’s naked photo shoot by staging one of the strangest events to be seen at the Sydney Opera House as part of their Vivid Live festival next month.

Music for Dogs - a high-frequency concert that aims to captivate canines while being inaudible to their owners -

- takes over the northern boardwalk on June 5.

It has been inspired by the music that Anderson, a legendary performance artist who is curating the festival with her rock legend husband …

… has been playing to her beloved rat terrier, Lollabelle, for 11 years.

“She likes things with a lot of smoothness but with beats in them,'’ Anderson said from her Manhattan loft. ‘

‘Things with voices and lots of complicated high-end stuff.

Chk-chk-chk-chk-chk … that kind of stuff.”

go to source/story>>>Sydney’s walkies on the wild side - oddstuff | Stuff.co.nz

“…Shampoos on the market can have “wack” chemicals in them, as Grist’s Umbra Fiske puts it …

… linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental issues.

Sounds like it might not be the best thing to be putting on your skin.

So why not make your own?

All you’ll need is organic apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and water…”

go to source/story>>>How To Make Your Own Shampoo (VIDEO)

“…Every month, Utne Reader presents free, downloadable music gleaned from current and upcoming releases on independent labels …”

go to source/story>>>Utne Reader Music Sampler May 2010

“…Healthful cooking doesn’t have to be expensive cooking.

In this week’s Recipes for Health series, Martha Rose Shulman provides five nutritious meals that won’t break the bank.

To create these inexpensive meals, Ms. Shulman relies on pantry staples like pasta and rice, adding beans and peas for extra nutritional value.

Vegetables like onions, cabbage and carrots are also great for those on a budget, are easy to find and can stay fresh in the refrigerator for an extended period, she explains.

Here are five cost-conscious ways to eat healthfully…”

go to source/story>>>Healthful eating on a dime (all-vegan recipes from the NY Times) - Vegsource.com

“..Forget expensive machinery, the best way to purify water could be hiding in a cactus.

It turns out that an extract from the prickly pear cactus is effective at removing sediment and bacteria from dirty water.

Many water purification methods introduced into the developing world are quickly abandoned as people don’t know how to use and maintain them, says Norma Alcantar at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

So she and her colleagues decided to investigate the prickly pear cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica ..

.. which 19th-century Mexican communities used as a water purifier.

The cactus is found across the globe.

The team extracted the cactus’s mucilage - the thick gum the plant uses to store water.

They then mixed this with water to which they had added high levels of either sediment or the bacterium Bacillus cereus.

Alcantar found that the mucilage acted as a flocculant, causing the sediment particles to join together and settle to the bottom of the water samples.

The gum also caused the bacteria to combine and settle ..

.. allowing 98 per cent of bacteria to be filtered from the water (Environmental Science and Technology, DOI: 10.1021/es9030744).

They now intend to test it on natural water..”

go to source/story>>Cactus gum could make clean water cheap for millions - tech - 27 April 2010 - New Scientist

“..Our library contains 1,300 publications—a feast of magazines, journals, alt-weeklies, newsletters, and zines—

– and every year, we honor the stars in our Utne Independent Press Awards.

We’ll announce this year’s winners on Sunday, April 25 at the MPA’s Independent Magazine Group conference in Washington, D.C. and post them online the following Monday.

We’re crazy about these publications, and we’d love it for all of our readers to get to know them better, too.

So, every weekday until the conference, we’ll be posting mini-introductions to our complete list of 2010 nominees.

The following eight magazines are our 2010 nominees in the category of science/technology coverage.

California , published at UC Berkeley, is as eclectic as its community.

The quarterly opens with sneak peeks at research in motion.. such as cyborg spy beetles and the science of humor.

The features that follow challenge conventional wisdom and tap iconoclastic characters .. to bring high-minded theories down to earth..”

go to source/story>>Eight Ways to Get Your Geek On

“..Kiwi teenage sensation Sarah Mason upset world champion Steph Gilmore to set up an all-Kiwi quarterfinal against Paige Hareb in the Dream Tour women’s surfing event in Taranaki today.

After Hareb had been clinical in disposing of her 2010 nemesis, Australian Rebecca Woods, in the third heat of the morning ..

.. Mason left it late to blitz Gilmore in tricky conditions New Plymouth’s Fitzroy Beach.

The 15-year-old was well behind after Gilmore had posted an early ride of 8.33 .. and then backed that up with a 5.33 to give her a commanding lead.

Mason, who won two leadup events at the TSB Bank Women’s Surfing Festival .. then hooked up a solid 6.93 with five minutes left.

With time almost up she produced a 7.10 to cause the biggest upset of the year.

Gilmore had looked untouchable as she won the opening two world tour tournaments in Australia.

But she met her match in the form of the Kiwi grommet..”

go to source/story>>Kiwi teen eliminates world surfing champion | Stuff.co.nz

“..In my last Green State column, I wrote about Agriculture 2.0.

The conference, held in Silicon Valley recently, brought together venture capitalists and sustainable ag startups in an effort to jump start a market for the regional distribution of fresh food.

This week I take a closer look at some of the companies that tried to catch the ear and checkbooks of the high-profile investors who packed that confab at the Four Seasons in Palo Alto.

One of the more intriguing ideas came from startups thinking outside the agribusiness box by developing urban farms in a box.

Literally.

Take AeroFarms.

The New York company builds aeroponic farms that fit inside containers — soil and sun not required.

The containers, which can be stacked on top of each other in warehouses and old buildings ..

.. have the potential to transform blocks of abandoned structures in places like Detroit or Newark .. into agri-lofts tended by urban farmers.

“This puts buildings back into play with a technology that would do something productive and employ people,” Ed Harwood, AeroFarms’ founder and chief executive, told prospective investors at the conference.

Aerofarms bin.

Here’s how it works: Leafy greens — say, arugula or lettuce — are planted in a cloth bed and irrigated with a nutrient-infused mist that is applied directly to the plants.

Light is provided by LED lamps, which are more energy efficient than conventional lighting .. and can be placed closer to the beds.

The LED lamps also provide pest control, says Harwood ..

.. because they can be set to emit certain wavelengths that disrupt insects’ breeding..”

(and..)

“..one standard container can grow the equivalent of an acre’s worth of crops..”

go to source/story>>Sustainable urban farming ideas that think inside the box | Grist

“..It’s called the Universal World House, or the Wall AG, and although it may not look like much, this eco-friendly, earthquake-proof and easy-to-assemble home could be the answer for affordable shelter in impoverished and war-torn countries.

It might also be a glimmer of hope for millions of people in need of shelter in America.

Created by Swiss designer Gerd Niemöller, the Universal World House comes with built-in plumbing, 8 single and double built-in beds, shelves, tables and an open veranda.

The inside walls are designed with honeycomb air vacuums that act as insulation and support for the entire home structure.

The coolest part: the home is made from a material called Swisscell, which is composed of recycled paper and cardboard ..

.. and altogether it weighs less than 1,800 pounds (the equivalent to a VW Golf)!

Oh, and it’s also rain resistant..”

go to source/story>>Recycled Paper Prefab Home Offers Shelter for Refugees and the Homeless | Greenopolis

“..Plus Minus Design, a team of innovative designers in the UK which look to have done some design work for the Solar Aid charity around the Solar Orb [PDF] ..

.. now have another solar design idea unleashed centered around their new Plus Minus Solar mission of being “dedicated to the design and development of innovative humanitarian products for the developing world.”

This one, being shown on one of the designer’s Flickr accounts, is called the Solar Pebble.

The Solar Pebble, as picked up on by Yanko Design, “is a solar powered lamp targeted for use in rural Africa, as a humanitarian product, and at home in the UK as the perfect gift.”

Designer Tom Weales, through his Flickr feed, seems to see the Solar Pebble idea as an eco and health friendly alternative to the fact ..

.. that “in the world’s poorest regions including sub-Saharan Africa, reliance on kerosene burning lanterns kills one person every 20 seconds.”

The LED Solar Pebble, as it is designed, looks to change that.

Features of the Solar Pebble include being powered by batteries that are charged via an integrated solar panel..

..being able to charge mobile devices like cell phones, a ratchet handle that “allows the product to be carried and angled when standing or suspended” ..

.. and the ability to strap it to a backpack for daytime charging..”

go to source/story>>Solar Pebble Offers Eco-Friendly Lighting For Rural Africa, Urban London | EarthTechling

“..When Surya, the orangutan, meets a hound dog by the river .. the two carry on like long lost friends..”

(this is a must-watch…

..and if it dosen’t put a grin on yr face the size of a house..something is very wrong..)

(recommended/must-watch..)

(hat-tip:..michael/the ‘change’-dude..)

go to source/story>>The Orangutan and the Hound - AOL Video
When Surya, the orangutan, meets a hound dog by the river, the two carry on like long lost friends

“.. After three baby squirrels lost their tree-home to a chain saw, they found a foster mum in a 4-year-old toy poodle named Pixie.

Dog owner Gail Latta said she tried unsuccessfully to feed the squirrels canned milk.

Then the North Carolina woman turned to Pixie, who had recently had her own pups.

They had been sold, but Pixie could still nurse.

Pixie treated the foster squirrels like her own babies.

After two weeks, the squirrels were old enough to be weaned, and they had to go.

Latta said she learned she might be violating state regulations by keeping wildlife in her home.

Latta said Pixie seemed a little upset when the squirrels were sent Saturday to an animal rehabilitation specialist..”

go to source/story>>Dog that nursed squirrels is doing OK - oddstuff | Stuff.co.nz

“..The golden age of Rocksteady in Jamaica was a brief two-year window from 1966-68 when jumped-up ska gave way to something more laid-back, cool and bass-heavy.

It was only a short time before reggae would take over but some timeless tracks, including Dawn Penn’s version of (You Don’t Love Me) No No No and Rivers of Babylon - which went on to be world famous thanks to Boney M’s disco hit - came out of this Rocksteady time.

This album is the soundtrack to the documentary Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae which screens at the World Cinema Showcase.

The film follows reggae greats, from vocalists such as Penn, Judy Mowatt, Ken Boothe and U-Roy, to band leader and guitarist Ernest Ranglin, as they record versions of the era’s big hits and put on a live show.

Very much like the Buena Vista Social Club.

On the album, the highlight is the brand new version of No No No by Penn which is righteous and delightful all wrapped up into one ..

.. from the heavy opening rumble and skank through to her sweet and soulful chorus.

A triumph of a song.

As is U-Roy’s take on Stop That Train .. with his commanding rap a stunning contrast to the soul-gospel backing singers.

Familiar oldies like Rivers of Babylon and Tide Is High (the latter made famous by Blondie) get a modern-day yet authentic reworking; ..

.. and on a more low-key level, Love Me Today has a singalong garage party groove similar to the style of New Zealand’s Tigi Ness..”

(mm..!!..’no,no.no’..i love that song..!..)

go to source/story>>Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae - Entertainment - NZ Herald News

“..What’s a CSA, you ask?

Something quite special.

What is it?

CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture.”

In short, it’s a way for consumers to buy into an agricultural enterprise, receive fresh, natural food seasonally and support our local food system.

Most CSAs are farms, and involve vegetables herbs, fruits and flowers, although other types – meat, fish – are popping up all the time, here and in other parts of the country.

We are fortunate to have a healthy crop of CSAs here in Bucks County too.

All told, about seven, including one poultry farm CSA.

And most use organic, or nearly organic, methods of farming.

How does it work?

I’ll use a CSA farm as an example, since that’s most common.

You buy a “share” per season (usually late May through mid-November), which entitles your household to a weekly portion of produce, grown on that farm.

Many CSAs offer half-shares, too, which is what Mark and I have since we are only two adults.

We pick up every other week.

Some people go in with other family members or friends and buy a share together.

Most CSAs also ask that each household volunteer a certain number of hours per season but it’s quite reasonable.

Our CSA, Anchor Run Farm in Wrightstown, asks full share members to put in 8 hours over the course of the season, half-share members only 4 hours.

Tasks vary from helping with the garlic harvest (an” all hands on deck” type event) to weeding and other necessary farming maintenance.

At Anchor Run, we pick up every other week (because we are half-share members) which involves going to the farm on a Monday or Thursday ..

.. filling our bags with the vegetables picked that week, and doing some “pick-your-own” of other vegetables or fruits.

The farmers tell us how much we can pick, trying to make sure there will be enough to go around for all members.

Some CSAs have you pick all your own vegetables.

Some, like Blooming Glen, bring a box of your weekly allotment to a distribution point..”

go to source/story>>Bucks County Taste » Blog Archive » CSAs: It’s like having your own farm

“..Act I was co-founding Facebook while at Harvard with this roommate Mark Zuckerberg.

Act II was taking a leave from the social networking behemoth and joining Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, where the fresh-faced Southerner from Hickory, N.C. became part of an A-list new media team.

There, he served as the architect of My.BarackObama.com — or MyBO, the most successful network of volunteers and grassroots army that American presidential campaigning had ever seen.

And Act III?

“I knew I wanted to do something at the nexus of what I call global development and technology,” Hughes told HuffPost Tech in a phone interview yesterday.

“By global development, I’m talking about a broad umbrella — health care, agriculture, education.

I just knew I wanted to do something in that space .. and I spent the last year traveling” (in countries such has Kenya and Senegal, which he fell in love with) “and talking to people” (like Jeff Sachs, the prominent economist at Columbia University who’s been named one of the “100 Most Influential People In The World” by Time magazine — twice).

Hughes added:” I spent the past year researching, studying, learning everything I could in the space.”

Today, he announced the “soft launch” of Jumo — which, in the African language of Yoruba, translates to “together in concert.”

Think of the site as philanthropy, volunteerism and social networking all rolled into one.

It’s a platform that will connect people and organizations around the world ..

.. and Hughes is arguably the most well-known tech entrepreneur to enter the still evolving global space.

Currently just a few pages, the site will launch fully in the fall, sometime between September and October.

In an e-mail blast early this morning, Hughes wrote:

‘.. just wanted to let you know about my new startup called Jumo.

We’re announcing today that we’re building an online platform to connect individuals and organizations working to change the world.

We believe we can leverage the participatory web to foster long-term engagement with the issues and organizations that are relevant to each individual.

Jumo has the potential to unlock a great deal of time, skills, and financial resources previously unavailable to organizations around the world.

When you get a second, take a look.

We’ll be launching the site with full capabilities this fall, but I wanted to let you know that we’re officially getting underway.

If you know anyone who may be interested in working with us, please send them our jobs page to get in contact with us.

Talk to you soon,

Chris

P.S. I’d love for you to forward this email to friends, become our fan on Facebook , and let your friends on Twitter know.

The more people that know about what we’re doing, the stronger the team we’ll be able to build..”

go to source/story>>Jose Antonio Vargas: Chris Hughes’s Act III — Jumo.com, A Social Platform For Global Volunteerism

“.. The idea is so simple: ..

.. Trees produce more food than people can eat.

Most of the fruit goes to waste.

Get the food and donate it to those in need.

Randy Stannard issues a warning to first-time harvesters: Participate in a community fruit-gleaning event, and suddenly, fruit trees will seem to surround you.

You’ll notice only the fruit trees in your neighborhood.

There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of them, just waiting for their bounty to be picked.

And you won’t feel content until every last edible piece of produce sits in your bucket..”

go to source/story>>Urban Harvesters Scavenge Backyards to Feed the Hungry | | AlterNet

“..My horoscope this week says that now is the perfect time to relocate, or at least de-clutter.

I know it’s nonsense, but I can’t help wishing there was a genuine way to predict the future.

Perhaps there is.

One self-styled “predictioneer” believes he has found the answer.

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita is a professor of politics at New York University .. and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California.

In his new book, The Predictioneer (The Predictioneer’s Game in the US), he describes a computer model based on game theory which he - and others -

- claim can predict the future with remarkable accuracy.

Over the past 30 years, Bueno de Mesquita has made thousands of predictions about hundreds of issues from geopolitics to personal problems.

Overall, he claims, his hit rate is about 90 per cent.

So how does he do it?..”

go to source/story>>The predictioneer: Using games to see the future - science-in-society - 17 March 2010 - New Scientist

“..Animal rights activists in the UK have instead recently adopted a legal tactic aimed at publicly exposing all researchers who experiment on live animals.

The approach can be just as unsettling for researchers involved as the more flamboyant methods, however.

The tactic exploits freedom of information (FOI) legislation to force universities to disclose previously confidential information about what research is being done on animals, and by whom.

According to the British Guardian newspaper, the tactic has been pioneered by Luke Steele of Stop Animal Experiments in Bradford, UK ..

.. an activist who has dispatched FOI requests to all UK universities.

Researchers quoted in The Guardian say they’re intimidated by the tactic ..

.. fearing that exposure of their experiments, however legal and ethically justified, would make them targets for extremists.

The development marks the latest switch of tactics by anti-vivisectionists..”

go to source/story>>Short Sharp Science: Animal activists’ unsettling bid for freedom

“.. The patient was only slightly injured when he limped into a hospital in the northwest New Mexico city of Farmington.

The only problem was, he was a dog.

When the automatic doors at San Juan Regional Medical Centre’s emergency room slid open Saturday night, the pooch walked in, blood on his nose and paw, and a puncture hole in one leg, according to The Daily Times newspaper.

Animal control officer Robin Loev responded to a call from the hospital and suspects the puncture wound was from the bite of another dog.

Loev says the German shepherd mix appeared to be intelligent and calm -

- and knew enough to go to the right place.

The animal was taken to the Farmington Animal Shelter and claimed by its owner..”

go to source/story>>Injured dog checks himself into hospital | Stuff.co.nz

“..Lower internet prices and unlimited downloads for home connections are predicted to be the result of a new high-speed link planned between New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

The project would build a $900 million, 13,000km high-speed link within three years.

The “Pacific Fibre” project is backed by some of New Zealand’s best-known businessmen, including high-flyers Sam Morgan, Sir Stephen Tindall and Rod Drury.

It would provide a broadband connection with five times the capacity of the current connection, part-owned by Telecom.

“Businesses love very high resolution multi-party video conferencing while grandparents expect to be able to Skype video their grandchildren - and that, too, will be in HD [high definition] or better,” said another Pacific Fibre founder, Mark Rushworth.

“But mostly we want to unleash that creative talent New Zealand has, and be on a level footing with the rest of the world.”

go to source/story>>$900m plan to open NZ internet tap - Business - NZ Herald News

(i need..no..!..must have..!..a z-pen..!)

“..Z-Pen

A pen with the powers to transform scruffy handwriting into tidy computer text.

Inside the pen is a transmitter that beams all your scribblings and doodles from meetings to a USB drive ..

.. that you can later link up to a computer at your convenience.

Price: £99.99..”

(i have possibly the most scrawly-handwriting of anyone i know..but tonight i will sleep..and dream of a z-pen..

and while you are there..i also need/must have..an Aeron chair.

“..A gadget in itself, the Aeron office chair has earned a place in the Museum of Modern Art.

But its cult following is only the beginning.

Engineered to respond to your body’s movement .. the chair supports your lower spine and boosts circulation.
Price: £895.”

and..an Optoma Pico PK-101 projector..

“..Not much larger than a pack of playing cards .. this little projector will allow you to watch big-screen movies on the go..”

ta muchly..!

y’see..i need to sit in the chair..while using the pen..to review the movies i am watching using the projector..

so..as you can see..it all makes perfect sense..

..and..of course..all components are ‘essential’..

..eh..?..)

go to source/story>>Z-Pen A pen with the powers to transform scruffy handwriting into tidy comput…

“..Everyone likes a bit of pampering now and again - and sharks and manta rays are no exception.

The feared ocean fish congregate in reef “salons” to be groomed by smaller fish, researchers have discovered.

And instead of being eaten during the cleaning sessions, the smaller fish derive nutrition as they remove dead and diseased tissue, mucus, scales and parasites from their “clients”.

Marine scientists at James Cook University in Townsville set up cameras on the Great Barrier Reef and the Osprey Reef, off Cairns.

Over five months they observed sharks and rays gathering frequently for a “clean, wax and polish”.

Sometimes the sessions would last several hours .. as the smaller fish swarmed continuously over the predators..”

go to source/story>>Sharks queue at underwater beauty salon - World - NZ Herald News

“..Even the most conscientiously crafted news story can leave out information that might have changed your opinion.

Some may even do so deliberately.

A prototype web service changes that, by sourcing additional quotes, figures and other information to augment any given online news article.

Unlike existing news aggregators or “related stories” features, the new service, called Tell Me More, presents only fresh details ..

.. without repeating information in the original story.

“You see it and you immediately want to play with it,” says Daniel Sinker, who teaches online journalism at Columbia College Chicago and has no ties to the software.

“It does exactly what an active news consumer wants the internet to do: ..

.. it brings you new ideas and perspectives .. and it brings them to you quickly..”

go to source/story>>Finding the facts that online news leaves out - tech - 02 March 2010 - New Scientist

“..A skipper hoping to become the first to sail round the world using solar power said his catamaran could carve a wake for pollution-free shipping as he unveiled the record-breaking yacht Thursday.

“This is a unique feeling to see in front of me today a boat which I so often dreamed about,” said Raphael Domjan as the covers came off the $24 million boat, the world’s biggest solar-powered vessel.

PlanetSolar, a 100-by-50-foot white catamaran, has been designed to reach a top speed of around 15 knots, equivalent to 15 miles per hour, and can hold up to 50 passengers. It is topped by 5,380 square feet of black solar panels, with a bright white cockpit sticking up in the center.

Constructed at the Knierim Yacht Club in Kiel in northern Germany, its state-of-the-art design also means it will be able to slice smoothly through the waves even in choppy waters..”

go to source/story>>World’s biggest solar-powered boat unveiled | Grist

(this is a book promo…but it sounds good..)

“..Created by a Parsons design graduate who’s obsessed with navigating the intersection of art and technology ..

.. here are 62 ingenious projects that are irresistibly geek-chic.

An iMac Terrarium—how cool is that?

A laptop Digital Photo Frame.

The impressively green Scanner Compost Bin.

Plus a power strip Bird Feeder, Walkman Soap Dish, My First Squiggle Bot, Qwerty Hair Tie..abd..

.. Flat-screen Ant Farm..”

(heh..!..ya gotta love that ..!..eh..?..)

go to source/story>>62 Projects to Make with a Dead Computer: Main Description: $14.95: Workman Publishing

this is good news..!

it is in newmarket..

(here is the message i received:..’

please spread the word..)

“..Hey there,

I had a message that ‘Wise Cicada’ on Crowhurst St, Newmarket is having a big celebration on the 28/02 - where they are launching their vege, vegan and raw food cafe.

From 10-4PM

10AM - Commmunity Breakfast

1PM - Live Music

3PM - Arts and Tarts

Not sure if this is something that you want to promote but it could go on the website?

Cheers..”

(yes..!..yes it could..!..)

“..Unfortunately most of us stopped playing with Legos as we got older - unfortunately because Legos are undeniably awesome.

But fortunately the artists behind these amazing creations and sculptures never let the Legos go.

They kept building .. and in the process created the kinds of awesome things kids could only dream of.

So thank you great Lego artists.

We .. and our five year-old selves .. are very impressed..”

go to source/story>>The 17 Most Awesome Lego Creations Of All Time (PHOTOS)

“..Today, Color of Change and StopBeck.com announced that the United Kingdom has forcefully rejected Fox News host Glenn Beck.

In fact, the UK broadcast of his show “was forced to run without any advertisements” for five days in a row as of yesterday.

Additionally, 103 companies have agreed to stop their ads from appearing on his program.

Some of the latest defections include Allstate Insurance, Anheuser-Busch, Idaho Potato Commission, Marriott International, Volkswagen, and Western Union.

Some of their comments:

– “We in no way want to promote the hateful rhetoric of Mr. Glenn Beck, and therefore take this matter very seriously,” said Dino Balzano, director of advertising at Concord Music Group, parent company of Hear Music ..

.. in an email to ColorOfChange.org..”

go to source/story>>Glenn Beck Loses 103 Sponsors as His UK Broadcast Runs 5 Days With No Ads « SpeakEasy

“..Behind a generation’s iconic images..”

(there is some very cool stuff in this one..)

recommended-look..)

go to source/story>>Who Shot Rock & Roll | Who Shot Rock & Roll | Mother Jones

“..Writing for Toronto’s Spacing, Joe Clement shares a genuine community-building super story: ..

.. the organic transformation of the city street he grew up on into a robust gardening district.

Clement himself got the ball rolling.

As a young gardener who quickly “outgrew” his parents’ yard, he began asking neighbors if he could help them convert their front lawns into cultivated spaces.

What happened over the next 20 years ought to inspire novice and pro gardeners alike—anyone planning on putting seeds in soil this spring:

Slowly but surely more and more neighbors began relinquishing their prized turfs in exchange for a garden ..

.. and that’s when something very interesting began to happen.

The neighbors began interacting with each other beyond the perfunctory hello and goodbye while coming and leaving.

The gardens were acting as social facilitators, bringing people out of their homes to tend to their yards and discuss gardening tips and strategies for expansion or plant sharing.

These conversations continued and expanded into broader social interactions.

Soon neighbours were helping each other tear up their lawns, till the soil, and reconfigure their yards for both flower and produce production.

Many of the not-yet-converted yards began sprouting carrots and corn and eggplant along with the foxgloves and dahlias..”

(recommended-read..)

go to source/story>>An Organic Community Transformation

“..Invented more than five decades ago, the modern shipping container is the linchpin in our global distribution network of products.

In the containers go toys from China, textiles from India, grain from America, and cars from Germany.

In go electronics, chocolate, and cheese.

While a number of resourceful people have converted shipping containers into make-shift shelters at the margin of society for years ..

.. architects and green designers are also increasingly turning to the strong, cheap boxes as source building blocks.

Shipping containers can be readily modified with a range of creature comforts ..

.. and can be connected and stacked to create modular, efficient spaces for a fraction of the cost, labor, and resources of more conventional materials.

Discover some of the exciting possibilities of shipping container architecture ..

.. from disaster relief shelters to luxury condos, vacation homes, and off-the-grid adventurers.

See what makes them green .. as well as cutting edge..”

( i was recently talking with a person who detailed the plans he has for the six shipping containers he has just purchased..

..at a cost of $3,100 each…delivered..

..said plans were/are impressive…

..and as he noted..

..there is a world-wide glut of shipping containers..

..(something to do with the collapsing economies..i think..)

so their use as a building block makes perfect sense..

..and..people living in 17 ft caravans think/dream of 30 ft containers…(’..mmm!!..thirty feet..!’)

(recommended-read..)

go to source/story>>Twelve amazing shipping container houses | Yahoo! Green

“..If you had to bet on which aging musical icon was going to stage a major comeback, the smart money would not be on Gil Scott-Heron.

His status as a pioneer is undisputed in the world of hip-hop, where his politically charged anthems (”The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” “Angel Dust”) remain heavily sampled.

But his personal life has been, to put it gently, turbulent.

Twice in the past decade, he’s done stints at Rikers Island, stemming from an arrest for possession of cocaine.

Rumors of addiction and failing health have swirled among fans .. and more than a dozen years have passed since his last record.

All of which makes the sudden resurgence of the 60-year-old singer that much more astonishing.

His forthcoming LP, “I’m New Here,” was produced by Richard Russell, owner of the British label XL Records, and a man renowned for his work with the White Stripes, Thom Yorke and Vampire Weekend.

Jude Rogers, of the Guardian Newspaper, was so dazzled by the disc that he proclaimed it one of the decade’s best — just a few weeks into the decade.

British DJ Zane Lowe debuted the first single, a chilling cover of Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil,” as his Hottest Record in the World..”

go to source/story>>All Salon - Salon.com

there is some seriously ‘cool’ stuff in this collection of pics/concepts..

go to source/story>>Future Phones: The 17 Coolest Concept Cell Phones (PHOTOS)

“.. When Spider-Man began scaling buildings, his “web-shooters” were considered nothing more than a fantasy, the creation of an imaginative comic book writer.

Not any more.

Scientists have come up with a device that could soon allow humans to walk on walls.

The palm-size contraption, made of layers of metal and silicon wafers, is no thicker than a credit card.

To make the device sticky, a film of water, held in the bottom layer, is pushed through tiny holes in the middle layers to the surface by an electric pump.

The droplets on the surface then acts as a bridge that sticks the device to another surface.

Sally Gras, of the University of Melbourne, said the adhesion comes from strong forces interacting between the water droplets and the other surface.

The most exciting thing about the device was that the stickiness could be switched on and off, she said..”

(y’know..!..there are times the woes of the world can ‘get to’ you..

..then someone comes along and invents spidey-feet..

..and the world seems somehow..better..

..eh..?..)

go to source/story>>Scientists invent spectacular Spider-Feet | Stuff.co.nz

“.. A Peace Corps volunteer’s project in Guatemala salvaged trash from several villages to construct an entirely new schoolhouse.

You’d never know it just from looking, but the new bright orange schoolhouse in Granados, Guatemala has walls built with used plastic bottles—

- and so much other plastic waste that the team who built it had to go to neighboring villages to collect waste ..

.. because they used up all the trash in their own.

Peace Corps volunteer Laura Kutner was inspired to start the project because of the plastic trash that she noticed everywhere in Guatemala ..

.. and because schools had classrooms with no walls.

So she borrowed the idea of using bottles as a construction material from Pura Vida..

.. and with materials and labor from local businesses as well as help from Hug it Forward ..

.. they set to work..”

go to source/story>>6,000 Plastic Bottles + Some Dedicated Villagers = New Schoolhouse in Guatemala : Planet Green

“.. Kiwi short film The Six Dollar Fifty Man has won a top prize at the Sundance International Film Festival in Utah.

The film, by Wellington film-makers Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland, won the International Jury Prize for short-film-making last night.

After its recent selection for the Berlin International Film Festival, the film won the top award at Flickerfest 2010, the Australian short film festival.

Beating a record 1500 entries, Albiston and Sutherland’s film won the Cooper Award for best short film at Flickerfest in Sydney, Australasia’s only Academy Awards-accredited short-film festival.

Albiston’s wife, Amy Bardsley, who is also co-owner of the film’s production company Sticky Pictures, said the couple’s three children were crowded around the computer watching the Sundance ceremony last night.

“It would’ve been nice to have been there, but it was exciting to watch it live and see their daddy on the screen.”

The Six Dollar Fifty Man tells the story of a young boy’s retreat into a world of make-believe to escape from a playground bully.

It is one of three Kiwi short films chosen for the Generation section of the 60th Berlin International Film Festival next month.

The short film has accomplished the rare feat of being selected for all three of the top film festivals in the world –

– Cannes, Sundance and Berlin.

The pair are now working on a third draft of a feature-length film called Shopping..”

go to source/story>>Kiwi film short but sweet at Sundance | Stuff.co.nz

two awww!-stories .. in one day..?..

go to source/story>>Cutest Sleeping Animals Ever (PHOTOS)

(it involves a bassett hound..and a very small kitten..

all together now..!

‘aww!!!..so cute..!’..)

go to source/story>>Jezebelle’s love knows no bounds | Stuff.co.nz

“..With recent stories of animals rescues in the news, Planet 100 decided to take a look back at the top five animal superhero stories of the decade.

From a pot-bellied pig to a psychic beluga, the stories are all endearing ..

.. but couldn’t be more different..”

go to source/story>>Planet Green’s Top 5 Amazing Animal Rescues (VIDEO)

“..Residential solar leases offer a no-money-down, low-monthly plan that makes solar electricity cheaper than the stuff we get by wire —

–and you don’t have to buy the panels.

Say hello to the thing that could save our sun-splashed suburban lifestyle: ..

.. affordable residential solar power that puts roof-top solar panels within reach of the most cash-strapped America consumer.

This breakthrough is not a result of technological innovation, but a new financing scheme cooked up on Wall Street called a “residential solar lease,” a no-money-down, low-monthly plan that has made solar electricity cheaper than the stuff we get by wire.

It’s an old approach to a new source of energy .. and it is taking California by storm.

“Go solar for $0 down.

Now you can afford to go solar without the high initial cost of installing a system.

Instead of buying the equipment, you simply lease it,” boasts the Web site of SolarCity, a well-financed Silicon Valley start-up that has been pioneering the residential solar lease.

A solar lease is a fairly simple arrangement that is not unlike a car lease.

Instead of dishing out tens of thousands of dollars upfront to buy and install a rooftop solar array ..

.. homeowners simply borrow one for a low monthly fee.

Like a car lease, customers sign a contract that locks them in for a specified period of time ..

.. with the option of extending their lease or buying the panels at the end of the contract.

It makes sense when you consider that a typical homeowner would have to cough up between $20,000 and $50,000 to buy and install a solar panel system.

A solar lease, on the other hand, would only cost them somewhere around $100 a month..”

go to source/story>>Solar Power Is Now an Option for Even the Most Cash-Strapped Suburbanites | | AlterNet