Blogs
Problems with CO2 Cap-and-Trade
January 18, 2010 4:38 am | by by Prof. Ken Johnson Ret. | Blogs | CommentsIt is often said the Democrat Party likes to tax "anything that moves". The present Congress is preparing to add to that ". . . or releases carbon dioxide"...
To RFP or Not to RFP: that is the Question
January 15, 2010 4:22 am | by Jason Vaughn, UPS Supply Chain Solutions Vice President of High Tech Distribution/Logistics Operations | Blogs | CommentsWall Street demands synergies. The Board wants answers and your customers don’t want to feel a thing. This is the life of a supply chain professional during a merger. After the merger is finalized a supply chain professional is left with two of everything; two manufacturing structures; two sets distribution channels; two sets of every transportation lane on the planet and even two post sales service structures.
Femtocells and Backhaul Issues
January 15, 2010 3:33 am | by Rupert Baines | Blogs | CommentsOne of the questions that often gets asked around femtocells is “What about the backhaul issues?” Indeed, some people have suggested that DSL will need to be upgraded to some carrier-grade Ethernet or xPON service to solve this issue.
The future of motion-sensing technology
January 14, 2010 9:51 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | News | CommentsAmong its many virtues, Sci-Fi is very good at predicting real-world technology. The Steven Spielberg film, Minority Report, predicted two recent favorites—E-Ink and multi-touch. Ever since the latter hit theaters, scientists, researchers, engineers, and technophiles have been clamoring to reproduce the film’s futuristic touch screen technology.
The Tinker's Toolbox - Prototyping Tools Discussion
January 14, 2010 4:22 am | Podcasts | CommentsThe purpose of the Tinker's Toolbox (TTB) project is to foment passion and positivity within the electronic design engineering community by conducting an industry community project to discuss design and development tools and methodologies.
Google may sever ties with China
January 13, 2010 9:41 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsGoogle has shocked the world by ending its Chinese censorship operation. Due to numerous factors (including cyber attacks emanating from China), Google declared that it’d no longer censor search results on Google.cn. Since launching Google.cn in 2006, Google has reluctantly accommodated China’s despotic online censorship.
The best of CES 2010
January 13, 2010 6:12 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | News | CommentsAt the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, 3-D was the name of the game. Everyone showed off their shiny new 3-D tech—be it 3-D ready TV’s, 3-D movies, 3-D Blu-ray players, 3-D projectors, and even 3-D enabled netbooks. Yet there was far more to see at the Las Vegas Convention center. Read on for the veritable highlights of CES 2010.
Creating a Chemical Computer that Mimics Neurons
January 12, 2010 6:36 am | Blogs | CommentsA promising push toward a novel, biologically-inspired "chemical computer" has begun as part of an international collaboration. The "wet computer" incorporates several recently discovered properties of chemical systems that can be hijacked to engineer computing power.
Attack of the 3-Dimensional images!
January 11, 2010 6:22 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsLike the Goths sacking Rome, the 3-D invasion has arrived. No longer a kitschy gimmick, the technology has matured, and the leading consumer manufacturers are banking on it. Indeed, 3-D was the unofficial theme of CES 2010—3-D demos littered the show floor, and all the big players (with notable exceptions) unveiled 3-D products. Could 2010 be the year that 3-D finally takes off?
Scientific Facts and ClimateGate
January 11, 2010 4:14 am | by Ken Johnson | Articles | CommentsIn the world of science, it is a universally accepted premise that a ‘Scientific Fact’ is something which can be proven at any time, in any place, and by anyone with sufficient scientific knowledge. At the turn of the millennium, we started to hear about Global Warming Greenhouse Gases (GWGG).
Secure USB Flaw Exposed
January 7, 2010 10:08 am | by Kelly Jackson Higgins, DarkReading | Blogs | CommentsA newly discovered flaw in USB vendor Sandisk's secure USB technology leaves the devices vulnerable to attack and has led to the recall and patching of several secure USB drive products.
Russian Space Agency considers Armageddon-like mission
December 30, 2009 6:50 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe Russian Space Agency is considering a plan that evokes the 1998 disaster flick, Armageddon. The head of the agency, Anatoly Perminov, mentioned that Russia is assessing a mission to Apophis, a 270-meter (885-foot) asteroid. The difference between Hollywood and real life is that Apophis stands minimal chance of hitting Earth...
Fusion: the power source of the future
December 29, 2009 12:09 pm | by M. Simon | Blogs | CommentsFusion is the power source of the future, goes the old saw. And for fifty years, it has always been "fifty years in the future." That may be changing with a number of new small fusion projects in the works or doing actual experiments.
Engines of Prosperity
December 29, 2009 12:07 pm | by M. Simon | Blogs | CommentsIn my last post I discussed Forth as a language. A language that is based on a virtual machine. What if that virtual machine was turned into a real machine? Good things. For one operations can be done in parallel. Returns can be automatically initiated at the end of an instruction cycle.
Neighborhood Development Package Revisited
December 29, 2009 12:03 pm | by M. Simon | Blogs | CommentsSince I wrote Neighborhood Development Package on November 11, 2006, I have been thinking about the pieces needed to make the system work 24/7. The full article is below but let me give you a short review. My idea was to electrify a neighborhood in order to educate, communicate, and pump water.
Go Forth!
December 29, 2009 12:01 pm | by M. Simon | Blogs | CommentsLevis (the jeans people) have been suggesting that people Go Forth. http://goforth.levi.com/fortune I'd like to make a similar suggestion. Not about jeans, but about software. Go Forth.
Bug or Windshield?
December 29, 2009 11:58 am | by Alan Amling, Global Logistics and Distribution Marketing, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, www.ups.com | Blogs | CommentsAs I write this blog in early December the Dow is reaching 14 month highs, indicating a belief that the worst is behind us. While many believe there will be more bumps in the road and the unemployment picture hasn’t improved much, the tide is changing.
“Wingsuits” developed for airborne troops
December 29, 2009 11:51 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsHere’s another example of life imitating art—SPELCO (Special Parachute Equipment and Logistics Consortium) is working on a personal glider that looks straight outta Science Fiction. With its glide ratio of 5:1 and self-propulsion system, the “Gryphon” could become an invaluable tool in the future warfighter’s arsenal.
40 years later, ''The Final Frontier'' ain't what it used to be
December 29, 2009 11:01 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | Comments40 years ago, Neil Armstrong emerged from the Lunar Module Eagle, and stepped into history. He became the first human being to step foot on the moon, forever changing the scientific and engineering communities. And yet, 40 years later, the space program is a shell of its former self. Public enthusiasm is at an all-time low. How did we get to this point?
The Tin Foil Hat Brigade Strikes Again
December 29, 2009 8:30 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsIn what’s sure to encourage conspiracy nuts worldwide, Britain has released the government's complete file on the "Rendlesham Forest Incident" of December 1980. The 191-page document was released as part of a larger cache of British “UFO files” covering the years 1981-1996.
Global Warming or Global Cooling?
December 29, 2009 8:21 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsGentlemen, start your debating—according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the July average was the highest recorded ocean temperature in 128 years. July’s worldwide average of 62.6 will revive the global warming debates, inasmuch as some will cite this as evidence of climate change.
Light Bulbs and the Madness of Energy Efficiency Regulations
December 29, 2009 8:06 am | Blogs | CommentsEuropeans (like Americans) choose to buy ordinary light bulbs around 9 times out of 10 (European Commission and light industry data 2007-8). Banning what people want gives the supposed savings that are "good for them"—no point in banning what people don’t want!
Proposed bill targets “cyberbullying”
December 29, 2009 7:13 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsRep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) has introduced a bill designed to combat "cyberbullying.” And in a rare instance of bipartisan solidarity, the left and the right stand opposed. Make no bones about it—the proposed legislation is a serious assault on first amendment rights.
Climate watch: choosing Kyoto's successor
December 29, 2009 7:07 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsGlobal investments in renewable energy technology dipped 40% from 2008-09—this according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization Director, General Kandeh Yumkella. “Due to the current economic crisis we have seen almost a 40 percent decline in 2009 alone in these investments,” said Yumkella...
CEC holds hearing on TV regulations
December 29, 2009 7:01 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsBack in March, we reported on the California Energy Commission’s proposal to set a cap on the maximum active mode power usage (watts) for TV’s. All units above the maximum would be banned for sale in California—this would preclude the vast majority of Plasma, DLP, and Rear-projection TV’s.
