Links I Clicked on Today
Beautiful Subways
I bet you never thought subways should be described as "beautiful." Well you might think differently after seeing this website. I think that a strong subway system is the key for any city to function well. I've experience three great subway systems so far: Tokyo, Barcelona, and New York. Tokyo?? Well, you don't really have to explain it. Once you go there and see, you'll be amazed. You can get practically ANYWHERE on either the train or subway. They are efficient, generally clean, and relatively inespensive. Barcelona has a great system too and it is pretty easy to use and to get places. The cost is also reasonable. New York's is definitely convenient for getting places and I believe it is relatively inexpensive as well. It might not be as clean and "welcoming" as some of the other systems, but I think New York would fall apart without it. Now in Philadelphia, we have subways. But we have one subway line that runs in a straight line directly through the middle of the city. There are also a couple lines that are subways inside the city but then go aboveground further outside the city. These two run perpendicular the first one I mentioned and are in exactly the same place. So basically, we have a subway/train system in center city philadelphia that looks like a cross. They are decent to use and relatively inexpensive, but you can't get anywhere inside the city using them! Of course, the city isn't huge so you can walk most places if you really want to, but where I lived in Center City was on the opposite side of center city as the Italian Market where I liked going. It took half an hour to walk there and there was no other way to get there other than driving. And driving is barely an option because I always had to park 4 or 5 blocks from where I lived and then 4 or 5 blocks from where I was going. It was useless. Anyway, take a look at the photos at this link.
New Renewable Energy with more than 100% efficiency??
Steorn's Website
This is absolutely mind-blowing! Is this even possible? If so, what does it mean for our future? We could have an unlimited power supply without causing global climate change, without getting oil from the middle east, without installing drill rigs in Alask, off the coast of California, etc. That sounds like a miracle! But at the the same time, I have to ask myself, what would a society with unlimited free energy do with all that power? Would we be immediately change to being good stewards of the earth and take care of it? Would it become Utopia? Or would we take the opportunity offered by all that energy and just find more ways to exploit natural resources? Everyone should watch this video and check out their website. I want to know what everyone thinks. This may be totally bogus and nothing will ever come of it, but if not ... I'm not sure how to respond.
Are you kidding me?? Bacteria-eating Viruses on our food?
Now I'm all for taking advantage of nature's own defenses rather than using man-made products, such as insecticides, etc. However, putting bacteria-eating viruses on food just seems insane! How many thousands of years have people lived without this kind of thing? This may work out because it is probably better to use viruses to kill bacteria than antibiotics (problems with antibiotics=stronger bacteria) but bacteria may evolve to be able to avoid the viruses. Or worse yet, viruses may evolve to eat HUMANS instead of bacteria? Anyone think of that? It's not likely, but you never know! Anyway, I'm not totally against it but it is a bit scary don't you think?
Tour of Green Toronto
This looks like fun! I'd love to take a tour of all the "green" spots in a city. Of course in Philly, it would be a VERY short trip. Although maybe I would be surprised!
I bet you never thought subways should be described as "beautiful." Well you might think differently after seeing this website. I think that a strong subway system is the key for any city to function well. I've experience three great subway systems so far: Tokyo, Barcelona, and New York. Tokyo?? Well, you don't really have to explain it. Once you go there and see, you'll be amazed. You can get practically ANYWHERE on either the train or subway. They are efficient, generally clean, and relatively inespensive. Barcelona has a great system too and it is pretty easy to use and to get places. The cost is also reasonable. New York's is definitely convenient for getting places and I believe it is relatively inexpensive as well. It might not be as clean and "welcoming" as some of the other systems, but I think New York would fall apart without it. Now in Philadelphia, we have subways. But we have one subway line that runs in a straight line directly through the middle of the city. There are also a couple lines that are subways inside the city but then go aboveground further outside the city. These two run perpendicular the first one I mentioned and are in exactly the same place. So basically, we have a subway/train system in center city philadelphia that looks like a cross. They are decent to use and relatively inexpensive, but you can't get anywhere inside the city using them! Of course, the city isn't huge so you can walk most places if you really want to, but where I lived in Center City was on the opposite side of center city as the Italian Market where I liked going. It took half an hour to walk there and there was no other way to get there other than driving. And driving is barely an option because I always had to park 4 or 5 blocks from where I lived and then 4 or 5 blocks from where I was going. It was useless. Anyway, take a look at the photos at this link.
New Renewable Energy with more than 100% efficiency??
Steorn's Website
This is absolutely mind-blowing! Is this even possible? If so, what does it mean for our future? We could have an unlimited power supply without causing global climate change, without getting oil from the middle east, without installing drill rigs in Alask, off the coast of California, etc. That sounds like a miracle! But at the the same time, I have to ask myself, what would a society with unlimited free energy do with all that power? Would we be immediately change to being good stewards of the earth and take care of it? Would it become Utopia? Or would we take the opportunity offered by all that energy and just find more ways to exploit natural resources? Everyone should watch this video and check out their website. I want to know what everyone thinks. This may be totally bogus and nothing will ever come of it, but if not ... I'm not sure how to respond.
Are you kidding me?? Bacteria-eating Viruses on our food?
Now I'm all for taking advantage of nature's own defenses rather than using man-made products, such as insecticides, etc. However, putting bacteria-eating viruses on food just seems insane! How many thousands of years have people lived without this kind of thing? This may work out because it is probably better to use viruses to kill bacteria than antibiotics (problems with antibiotics=stronger bacteria) but bacteria may evolve to be able to avoid the viruses. Or worse yet, viruses may evolve to eat HUMANS instead of bacteria? Anyone think of that? It's not likely, but you never know! Anyway, I'm not totally against it but it is a bit scary don't you think?
Tour of Green Toronto
This looks like fun! I'd love to take a tour of all the "green" spots in a city. Of course in Philly, it would be a VERY short trip. Although maybe I would be surprised!
posted by Andrew J at
7:31 AM
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