Friday, October 30, 2015

Cambridge chemists make super-battery breakthrough - FT.com#axzz3q2b8oA7z#axzz3q2b8oA7z

In addition to the lead Tesla have taken with cars and off grid batteries this could be a major addition so is one to watch in the next 5 yrs:




"Chemistry professor Clare Grey and her team have overcome technical challenges in the development of lithium-air batteries — the only cells theoretically capable of giving electric cars the range of petrol and diesel vehicles without having to carry excessively bulky and heavy battery packs.
"




Cambridge chemists make super-battery breakthrough - FT.com#axzz3q2b8oA7z#axzz3q2b8oA7z

Thursday, October 29, 2015

China scraps one-child policy - FT.com

Excellent news!




China scraps one-child policy - FT.com




Progress comes from people and peoples choices, both in one big population and in the bigger total population http://www.gapminder.org/videos/religions-and-babies/ as shown so well towards the end of Hans Roslings video here and many others on www.gapminder.org


Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Macaulay, Southey's Colloquies on Society | Library of Economics and Liberty







Having read "Whats Next" by Chris Patten and also "The 6 killer apps of the west" Niall Ferguson
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Civilization-Killer-Apps-Western-Power/dp/0141044586  I have especially enjoyed reading "The wealth and poverty of nations" by Landes that Im reading now!


One quote especially that I sought out on the web:






SC.95
"If we were to prophesy that in the year 1930 a population of fifty millions, better fed, clad, and lodged than the English of our time, will cover these islands, that Sussex and Huntingdonshire will be wealthier than the wealthiest parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire now ......that machines constructed on principles yet undiscovered, will be in every house..... many people would think us insane. "
Macaulay, Thomas Babington, Lord
(1800-1859)


Makes the point so well about technology and social predictions or not!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Watch: Thousands gather for 'global goals' rally on London's Millennium Bridge | London | News | London Evening Standard

Remembering this recently, I was proud to be there with my 15 yr old son and other friends and campaigners!




Watch: Thousands gather for 'global goals' rally on London's Millennium Bridge | London | News | London Evening Standard

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Understanding Media: Introduction to Elements of GAZE Theory

The Look and The Gaze, The Other and The Real, makes so much difference to me as I look at data, listen to narrative and argument and understand myself as well as understand others.




From Foucault to Lacan its so enlightening, to self and to the global issues




Understanding Media: Introduction to Elements of GAZE Theory

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Tesla Autopilot: hands-off driving will be miles better - FT.com

Having driven one and gone from 0-60 in 3 seconds and seen it comfortably accelerate at 70 to 90 tesla has one hell of a performance car and even before this update it was clear how the sensors involved in the cruse control were going to be part of the sw update or download that will make it able to autopilot.




Tesla Autopilot: hands-off driving will be miles better - FT.com




Tesla again, never fails to impress!!

One day all cars will be not only like this but affordable for all!!

Michael Green: SPI and SDG from C- to A* 15 years to run at the goal!

An update from sept 2015 > http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_green_how_we_can_make_the_world_a_better_place_by_2030 following on from Michael Green: What the Social Progress Index can reveal about your country | TED Talk | TED.com

Monday, October 12, 2015

Nobel prize for economics 2015 Angus Deaton!

On development and poverty, somewhere from Jeff Sachs to William Easterly this man wins the 2015 Nobel prize for economics !




In 2013, Mr Deaton published “The Great Escape”, a survey of wealth, wellbeing and inequality since the early 19th century.




Some excellent charts in the video:




#axzz3oLIYvSWI




http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1c2b99e4-70ce-11e5-ad6d-f4ed76f0900a.html#axzz3oLIYvSWI


Wednesday, October 07, 2015

GAS and Oil prices re:Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands: volcanoes and recent earthquakes - interactive map / VolcanoDiscovery

#DutchEarthquake #DutchGas




Royal dutch shell yesterday were saying through their CEO that Oil prices may spike due to the reaction of falling demand from china and OPEC keeping pumping, which with claw backs in investment around the industry will destabalise and ultimately force up prices. So demand goes down and price go up, whos making the market!




Now with Holland an important Gas market, the reality of earthquakes is likely to send further shocks through the market.




Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands: volcanoes and recent earthquakes - interactive map / VolcanoDiscovery




Lets see how many weeks of months it takes to feel this!

Monday, October 05, 2015

US school shooting and debate on gun laws and lobby

Its been interesting to read the threads from the US about why guns and gun regulation is or isn't the problem or answer.


It lead me to check out some numbers:


An interesting set of stats to ponder. The USA with a population of 318M is about 6 times the size of the UK at 64M. The number of deaths of police officers in the USA (120-160pa) is about 30 to 50 times larger than the UK (0-3pa). In fact the UK has only had 6 deaths since 2010 while the USA has had 500 so the ratio is even larger. If you look at the number of police officers shot it is disproportionately large. UK police officers do not carry guns and are rarely shot. The number of US police killed by guns is very significant. The USA has a problem with guns that problem will only start to be reduced when the number of guns are reduced. Just look how many are shot even though they have guns > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_police_officers_killed_in_the_line_of_duty  compared to > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_police_officers_killed_in_the_line_of_duty  AND these are the deaths, I bet the stats for shot but not killed are worse. I cant think why American people dont insist that gun laws are changed. Most people in the US dont have a gun and dont carry it with them, why should anyone other than someone who wants to use it carry one. An amnesty over a longish time horizon for pragmatic reasons would be a good start. Surely? Those stats must make the police very nervous and distrusting of the people they serve.



Friday, October 02, 2015

Warren Buffett urges young tech titans to give big and early -

Warren Buffett urges young tech titans to give big and early - FT.com




And the GOLDEN AGE OF AGE - Bill Gates:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/wiping-out-malaria-in-a-generation/2015/09/28/7e281310-6607-11e5-8325-a42b5a459b1e_story.html




Philanthropy is only a small part of a bigger picture and how it gets aligned to the real #GlobalGoals and supports local issues at a global level is IMHO important. Alongside ODA, Aid, Voluntary efforts, donation, effective altriusm and so much more if it is evidenced based both on the input or income and outcome side then over time we can all measure what works. Results happen in unexpected ways, some planned and predicted, others less so, unexpected and serendipitously. The whole melting pot of small and large projects, individual and collective efforts has to be considered and studied bottom up and top down by citizens, communities, business and organisations and govts, NGO's and Charities. Holding each other to account for past progress or lack of it, holding eash other to account for future progress and action not coat-tailing predictive outcomes. Finding the data, the research, the agreed priorities through many sources like www.givewell.org to http://www.globalgoals.org/ Everyone doing their bit is what makes the world a better place for more people than ever before and will get us closer to the 2030 goals. http://www.globalgoals.org/




Adds up to more hope for #action2015 and #GlobalGoals #SDG's along with what Tim Berners-Lee and Prof Jeff Sachs and all the others have to say on 2015 progress to 2030!





Thursday, October 01, 2015

Freevolt™ - Perpetual Power™ - Low Energy IoT

Freevolt and White Space could form a new grid for internet lite far and wide, power and signal for free where there is none, sensors and devices in the internet of things.




Freevolt™ - Perpetual Power™ - Low Energy IoT




Ive posted on white space a few times over the years if you search!