Saving The Rainforest By Internet - Brazil Offers Free Internet to Amazon Tribes

CIO News

In an effort to protect the Amazon, the world’s largest rain forest, Brazil will provide Internet signal by satellite to 150 Amazon communities, reports CNN.com. Environment and communications ministers and the Forest People’s Network signed an agreement on Thursday. The provision of Internet access to native Indian tribes will allow them to report illegal logging and ranching, ask for help, and fortify rain forest preservation efforts. Many of these communites are only reachable by riverboat.

City and State goverments must first install telecenters with computers in selected areas, then the federal government will provide satellite connection.

The Forest People’s Network is a digital web for monitoring, protection and education.

Police Officials - New Crime Detection & Prevention Technology


Tree Hugging Rainforest Facts :)

1. Rainforests once covered 14% of the earth's land surface; now they cover a mere 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years.
2. One and one-half acres of rainforest are lost every second with tragic consequences for both developing and industrial countries.
3. Rainforests are being destroyed because the value of rainforest land is perceived as only the value of its timber by short-sighted governments, multi-national logging companies, and land owners.
4. Most rainforests are cleared by chainsaws, bulldozers and fires for its timber value and then are followed by farming and ranching operations, even by world giants like Mitsubishi Corporation, Georgia Pacific, Texaco and Unocal.
5. The Amazon Rainforest has been described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because it provides the essential environmental world service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen.
6. At least 3000 fruits are found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the Western World.
7. Currently, 121 prescription drugs currently sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. And while 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less than 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
8. Vincristine, extracted from the rainforest plant, periwinkle, is one of the world's most powerful anticancer drugs. It has dramatically increased the survival rate for acute childhood leukemia since its discovery.
9. Experts agree that by leaving the rainforests intact and harvesting it's many nuts, fruits, oil-producing plants, and medicinal plants, the rainforest has more economic value than if they were cut down to make grazing land for cattle or for timber.
10. The latest statistics show that rainforest land converted to cattle operations yields the land owner $60 per acre and if timber is harvested, the land is worth $400 per acre. However, if these renewable and sustainable resources are harvested, the land will yield the land owner $2,400 per acre.

Development of Plastic Based Chips

One of the biggest problems of cell phones & iPods is being dropped to the ground and no longer being anything more than an ugly paperweight.

The chip inside cell phones & iPods contain electrical pathways that send signals throughout the device. After a device pavement bounce these pathways are sometimes permanently disturbed making the device unusable. I say sometimes, because I’ve dropped my cell phone more than a couple of times and thankfully, they still work. However, dumb things happen and too many bounces or a dumb enough act of destruction can enable a device completely useless.

An emerging technology that is trying to solve this is problem is plastic. Plastic can absorb shock but they are not good conductors of electricity. Plastic Logic, a new company, has developed a patented technology that allows manufacturers to print plastic onto a polymer substrate. The result is a plastic-based transistor that is inexpensive and flexible.

Paulette Prins of the Delft University of Technology has extended the research of useable plastics and has rebuilt the chain in plastics to form a ladder-like structure. This new plastic can conduct electricity in a much better way which makes these chips an alternative of silicon chips.

The technology could drastically reduce production costs and consumer costs, because plastics is more stable than silicon. In addition, the plastic chips could mean that manufacturers of what is called TFT (thin-film transistor) flat-panel screens and televisions, which currently use a traditional silicon-based transistor for each pixel, would be able to switch to much cheaper chips.

Ideas Rule The World

Cingular Wireless Soon To Offer Mobile Banking Services (Would you use it?)

Cingular Wireless (being re-branded as AT&T) has taken a step toward mobile banking which would replace credit cards, checks and (and they hope) cash by signing agreements with Wachovia Corp and several other banks.

The agreements will/would allow Cingular customers to manage their banking accounts as well as pay bills electronically by using an application downloaded on their cell phones. Similar services are already available in parts of Europe and Asia. People in Japan already commonly shop with their mobile phones by waving their cell phone handset instead of swiping credit cards.

The move is part of an effort by wireless companies to boost their revenue, hold on to existing customers as well as attract new ones by convincing subscribers to use phones for better banking & spending activities.

Cingular said customers will be able to download software from privately held Firethorn Holdings LLC onto their phones. Cingular plans to include this software in new handsets in the second half of 2007 and is planning a multimillion-dollar ad campaign to get consumers to buy into the Easy Banking services.


Questions:

1) Would you upgrade your phone so that you could use mobile banking services

2) What problems could come from mobile banking? Since I’m not highly tech knowledgeable, my first suspicion is can your banking information be hijacked?

Points that people have brought up in this discussion

- What happens when the cell phone is stolen, lost or damaged?

3) Cingular (AT & T) claims that this would help consumers make better buying decisions. However, it is a known fact that banks and financial holding companies prefer consumers who hold a minimum amount of debt, so wouldn’t the new services create a larger opportunity to create more debt vs. less?

Points that people have brought up in this discussion

- 'chances are that kids borrowing their parent's cell phones will create more debt'

4) For the conspiracy sect, if you absolutely would never participate, what reasons supports not using the new services?

Unusual Search Engines

Weird and unusual technology doesn’t come in just the form of gadgets and tourist attractions. That’s what you may think of first, but weird comes in all forms. I should know, I live in Los Angeles.

Almost every day of my working life is spent researching a variety of topics. The primary of research is of course done online through search engines. When the most popular search engines don’t provide the unique results I was hoping for, I start using alternative or specialized search engines. However, until now, I had not considered searching on unusual search engines.


Gheto Search

http://www.ghetosearch.com/
“Use GhetoSearch to find web pages that most search engines will never show.”

No bullets needed

Wabba Dabba

http://www.wabbadabba.com/
“Each search (limited to 15 a day) gives you a chance at instantly winning a prize.”

Wabba is green and short. Dabba is orange and tall… I have idea how this relates to search engines.

Omnipelagos

http://www.omnipelagos.com/
“Omnipelagos finds the shortest paths between any two things. Example: Ashlee Simpson to Charles Darwin”

The in between paths made no sense to me but trying to figure out the relation from here to there was almost worth the short loss of life juice; almost.

Kool Torch

http://www.kooltorch.com/
“The KOOLest way to Search.”

I wasn’t going to list this site, but they have an option that allows you to put in a key word and click on eBay. Sorry, after the last search engiene entry this sounded like a good idea. Never mind.

Pupna

http://www.pupna.com/
“The search engine puppy that retrieves exactly what you are searching for”

As long as it doesn’t tear up my local drive, I have no problem working with bitches.

BIG

http://www.big.com/home.php
“The most readable results on the web.”

All of the text on the website is huge hence the name BIG.

Meet Spouse

http://www.meetspouse.com/
“Matrimony Portal provides a well-integrated platform for millions worldwide seeking a marriage alliance,” … and they have a search engine.

Cranky

http://www.cranky.com/
“The first age-relevant search engine”

{Confusion state stare}
After looking before their website mission declaration, I saw that this was for the age 50 and up folks.

Tall Street

http://www.tallstreet.com/
“Help the little guy”

The best way to describe the site is to say you trade the results like a stock market.

Ujiko

http://www.ujiko.com

I’m not quite sure how to describe Ujiko, but the search results cool looking… Something between a UFO and a Trivial Pursuit Game Card

Celebrity-branded search engines - I’m not imaginative enough to make this up…

Search with Meatloaf

Search with Andrew Dice Clay

Search with Kevin Federline

Use celebrity-branded search engines and you could wind a price. If I win Kevin, keep the prize and just give me the search results.

Good Luck Finder

http://goodluckfinder.com/
“Enter 2 or more things and the Spirit of Luck will choose the one that is most lucky for you”

So I didn’t know what to put for Lucky results, so I put in Jacksonville, FL & Las Vegas, NV. I haven’t been to either city and both are on my To Do List. According to Good Luck Finder, I will find good luck in Las Vegas.

Wine Jukeboxes

Technology may have replaced many human fulfilled labors as well as substituted stainless steel tanks for wooden barrels in wine making. However, technology hasn't altered the wine tasting experience in any crucial ways…until now.

The wine jukebox as it is being referred to more and more is a carousel that displays and puts wine at the disposal of customers. The wine jukebox dispenses 1/2-ounce pours at the push of a button allowing consumers to try selected wines before purchasing them.

To use the carousel, you first visit the main desk, verify your age, and request a card that resembles and works like a bank debit card. To start tasting, insert the card in one of the two ports on a machine, choose the wine you want to sample, and push a button. The machine automatically debits your card with every pour.

The wine stays fresh because as a sample is dispensed, the machine automatically injects a burst of nitrogen into the bottle. The inert, food-grade gas settles like a blanket over the surface of the remaining wine, keeping oxygen out but remaining otherwise undetectable.

If you are tempted to try an obscure wine or even just one who have never tried before, the wine jukebox type selections allow you to make better decisions in wine selections.

Shortages of Healthcare Staff Will Be Fulfilled By Robots

Skywalk - Look down 4000 feet below your feet

I couldn’t decide if I should have put this piece in Online Humor or Unusual Technology. Unusual won because while the picture is amusing, the thought of walking 70 feet into the Grand Canyon and 4000 feet above the Colorado River on a see through floor is a bit unusual.

The bridge is built with more than a million pounds of steel beams with a glass bottom and sides and is designed to hold up to 72 million pounds. In addition the bridge is said to withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake (50 miles away). The bridge includes dampeners that are aid to minimize (not stop) the bridge's vibrations.

In May of 2002 A Magnitude 3.3 earthquake struck 14 miles southwest of Grand Canyon Village. The area near Grand Canyon Village is one of the most seismically active areas in Arizona. Although seismic hazard is low in much of Arizona, it is significantly higher in the Yuma and Flagstaff­Grand Canyon areas. Yuma is designated as having a high hazard level because it is close to active faults in the Imperial Valley in southern California and northern Mexico that have generated numerous magnitude 6.5 to 7.0 earthquakes during the last 150 years.

Grand Canyon has announced the Skywalk's official public opening date will be March 28th 2007

Road Sign on the Approach to Grand Canyon
Which is the worst driving hazard?
Blind curves
Big trucks
Soft shoulders
Steep Grade
Stupid Drivers who think they are race cars drivers after playing vieo games?

Truck Driving Is A Way of Life

Radio Toaster

Space-saving device is the only toaster to combine fully customizable toasting options with a built-in FM radio.

The electronic temperature sensor automatically adjusts toasting time based on the unit’s internal temperature for consistent results.

The silver brushed-metal housing features easy-to-read radio controls and multiple toasting settings, including Bagel and Thaw, as well as six thermostat levels (from Low to High).

My favorite company product development story is from Crayola Crayons.

Teddy Blood Bag

I’m not sure if this was made with hospitalized children in mind or for Goths. I have no idea if this is a real product for medical staff, but it was definitely unusual enough to be listed here.

Medical Career Information

Finally Something Useful To Do With Dubya Bush Speeches

An unusual product from Taiwan seems to be aimed at using speeches, bad media and (in my opinion) prejudicial unconstitutional political activities for more worthy actions. Namely wiping your ass derriere.

The 'rsstroom reader' is a bathroom gadget that prints news feeds onto your your toilet paper. By means of wireless connectivity, it features Wi-Fi Connectivity, USB 2.0, and RSS 2.0/Atom compatibility.

This reader interacts with your toilet bowl “biometrically” which basically means when you sit down this thing will weigh you. Depending on your weight, it’ll deliver the amount of paper news feed you need.

This should be a big hit for paparazzi chased celebrities, they can print up their favorite tabloid articles about themselves and dispose of them properly.

In addition, thanks technology, there will be several men who no longer have a reason to leave the bathroom.

What Are They Famous For?

These boots were made for walking
Help support me in the Walk America event.

What is new in video games?

Video games received a lot of negative press since they have become so popular. They have a reputation of creating killers kids, teenagers, and sometimes even grown adults. Now it's time for video games to get some positive credit for their good aspects.

Postive Video Games

Rat Race Clock

I come across more unusual gadgets and technology than I do absolutely bizarre. When I first saw the Rat Race Clock, I believed it was powered by placing a real rat in the treadmill and hope the little guy doesn’t run out of cocaine… However, after tearing my eyes away to read the description, I was informed that the rat is mechanical…. The only hyped up on soda pop and coffee rats running around is us.

But at least we’re not alone. To drive the owner of the Rat Race Clock just a little more insane and a few steps closer to insanity, the mechanical rat begins to run his treadmill once every minute… this is sure to constantly remind the owner just how long her/she is at the office.

The wheel is connected to an complex series of 12 gears… So when the rat wheel goes around, it makes the clock’s minute hand move 1-minute forward. The timing mechanism is inside the rat so no cheating. They designed the furry rat to run just enough to move the clock exactly one minute…

Now we can watch anther gray mechanical creature scurry on its treadmill as the minutes slowly run by.

Product Development

Chicken Scented Bubbles

If "Willy Wonka" and his Chocolate Factory had a dog, I have no doubt that there would be Dog Wonka factory with the newest and coolest pet toys yet to be discovered. The first dog invention could have been the one already on the market today called Fetch A Bubble - Chicken Scented Bubbles

Chicken Scented Bubbles is the newest but yet to be seen great new dog toy called Fetch a Bubble. It was put into production after TV documentaries recognized that dogs love bubbles. While it may be funny to watch your dog’s face after catching a soapy bubble, it isn’t very nice. So chicken scented bubbles was born. However,

Features:

• Safe, effective fun for Dogs of all age and sizes.
• Can be used as a means of exercise.
• Blows thousands of bubbles in 1 minute.
• Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
• Requires 6 x AA batteries (not included)
• Includes 4 oz. of scented Gazillion bubble solution.

Where to buy: Funrise Consumer Service, 800-882-3808; in stores sometime this year

Bowing To The Bow Wow

Trashy R2D2

Trashy R2D2


An incredibly detailed replica of R2-D2. Step on R2’s center “foot” and his dome swings wide to collect your trash.
From Think Geek

One heck of a fish story

One heck of a fish story

Mar. 5 - A German bicycle fanatic has built what he claims is ''the world's largest biking fish.''

It's a three metre high and nine metre long 3-wheel monster bike made of 10,000 bike bells.

Didi Senft from Storkow, near Berlin, has already built several unusual bicycles since giving up amateur cycling 30 years ago.

German builds giant fish bike / Video

Product Developer's creative world

Carbonated Microsoft

Carbonated Microsoft

Enjoy a cold Liquid Byte with Microsoft’s Carbonated water

Zero viruses!

Version 2.0 will be a Coca Cola clone
Version 3.1 will be Microsoft-Classic
Then they'll release XP which will be appropriately named Mountain Soft

Notice of intent: Once you open the pop, you have agreed to pour the drink down your throat. If any amount of said drink finds its way down someone else's throat, you will be sued $1 million for unfair use of said drink. Also, you will not alter the chemical properties of said drink before allowing it to enter your throat, as this will also constitute a breach of fair use. All unused portions of drink will be appropriately discarded or shall be returned in the original can to Redmond, WA.

Marketing & Promotions Representative Careers

Useless USB Plug Ins

Chameleon USB Plug In


If your not into reptiles (you suck) than you can purchase the Humping Dog USB Plug In

The USB powered chameleon sits on you monitor and rolls his eyes and flicks his tongue in and out. That’s all the gadget does... sits there and rolls its eyes whilst flick its tongue.

Employers Hiring Graduates Increases

If They Smell Good, They Must Be Good

India

Police in India's Western state of Gujarat will be wearing flowers, not in they’re hair but in their new uniforms. The new flower power will be impregnated with the fragrance of flowers and citrus to help improve their image. In addition to smelling good, the uniforms will have reflective prints and fiber optic technology to make sure the uniform not only smells good but glows at night so officials can be located easily… The new uniforms should be a big hit with the crime crowd.

"Most policemen look hassled, drenched in sweat after coming from any scene of crime," said Somesh Singh, a designer at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad that drew up the uniforms on request of the state government.

"They are surely not the best person one would like to meet, but if they smell good and fresh one might as well approach them," said Singh.

The uniforms will retain the scent even after washing as the fragrance is embedded in the cotton during processing.

Some police say they are eager to try out the new uniforms. Criminals say they are eager to see the new uniforms.

"If the new uniforms makes us stand out in the crowd, keeps us active with pleasant aroma and is yet very formal, then we are all for it." The uniforms will be introduced to the state's 300,000 police in the next few months.

I wonder if this would work for Los Angeles Police Officers? While they mace a student for demonstrating (peaceful) anti etablishment regulations, they could smell not like mace but Foxglove - beautiful but poisonous.

Playing Dress Up

Human Hamster Ball

Have you have ever wondered what a pet hamster experiences when put in that plastic ball and set loose on the linoleum? Do you want to savor the experience for yourself? If you do, the Gigaball is for you! (Also called a Chill Out Room)

The Gigaball is a 7-foot tall blow-up PVC honeycomb bubble for adult to clamber into and roll around inside. The original advertisements states the Gigaball is for kids aged 4 and upwards. However, if this was not made with the thoughts of adults exclusively, then I'm a banana with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

I’ve actually seen one of these in person in Santa Monica, CA at the 3rd Street Promenade which is the trendy of trendy places to be shopping & hanging out locations. The store it was being sold at was an IKEA inspired boutique for hipsters and the ball was billed as an inflatable "chill-out” room.

I have no idea what the current fetish for inflatable spaces is, but the niftiness wears off when you realize that it's only fun until the smell of fresh vinyl makes your head start to spin.

On the other hand, kids these days tend to have way too much energy for their own good.

If you live in a cramped up city apartment, take your gig and your kid to the park, throw them in and let them roll around for hours. But be warned, someone is so getting rolled down a hill in one of these.

So whether you use the Gigaball to get your relax on or use it to exhaust extra energy, the Gigball is anther useless new entertainment inspired technology that will set you back approximately $200. But if you own one everyone will want to be your friend… for at least one day at the park.

My favorite company product development story is from Crayola Crayons.