An Egyptian teenager has invented a new kind of propulsion system using quantum physics in place of traditional “fuels” that can add millions in costs to space exploration and satellites sent into orbit.
Getting an ‘A’ in my humanities class during college doesn’t make me feel as good as it used to.
via Kottke
Thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request, we now know a few of the words that might get you noticed if you use them online. So don’t use any words talking about the weather – because snow, cloud, ice, and flood are just a few of the words that are verboten lest you seek the attention of the feds.
We’re all probably on a list somewhere since that what we all talk about, anyway. If it weren’t for the weather, what would there be, right?
Oh… and definitely don’t say the word ‘Smart’ or ‘Pork’. Hold on… someone’s knocking on my door…
via Lifehacker
John Motlz on the idea Facebook might be creating a phone:
Deciding that you have to build a phone seems like what an entrenched company that feels it can no longer innovate does in order to protect its position as platforms shift.
He also argues that Google is the same way and I’m sure you can apply the same logic to Apple. Except they succeeded in innovating as mobile experiences were on the cusp of shifting. They seized the opportunity at the right time and helped make that shift happen.
The WSJ profiled the CEO of Pategonia, Yvon Chouinard, and wrote a nice article on how he turned his love of moutain climbing into a world renown sporting goods provider all while maintaining a unique level of corporate responsibility that others are emulating with great success:
“Skeptics argue that this kind of feel-good stuff could never work at a giant, publicly listed corporation, or at one that doesn’t charge eye-popping prices for its gourmet gear. But when Chouinard counseled Walmart on sustainability, the retail behemoth found it actually saved money through environmental initiatives, like reducing its packaging and water consumption. ”We are very focused on lowering prices for our customers,“ says Fox. ”There were some investments we needed to make at the beginning, but the returns were quick enough that it came back in a reasonable time frame."
Similarly, Levi Strauss—with more than 10 times the annual revenue of Patagonia—has embraced Chouinard’s efforts to set data-driven benchmarks for improving apparel makers’ environmental practices. Levi’s has spent the past 18 months redesigning processes to save 45 million gallons of water, along with the energy that would have heated that water. This is not simply altruism. While the company won’t share specific numbers, “the business savings costs are real,” says Michael Kobori, Levi’s V.P. of social and environmental sustainability."
It’s because Patagonia uses recycled materials that I’ve switched brands from a series of companies to them. My son’t sun shirts and my new exercise gear is made from 100% recycled materials; they certainly do cost more in terms of dollars but the payoff in responsibility and any lessons my son might learn from reusing or recylcing materials is worth it.
The WSJ is under a paywall so I don’t know if you’ll be able to get to the article. Normally, they’d fall under my no link policy but I do believe Patagonia is doing great things with it’s products and it’s message to other companies.
The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission is considering a 20% rate hike for yellow cabs. But don’t think for a second that the increase in fare will help the driver; it only helps the leasing company:
“You see, in New York the vast majority of drivers don’t own their cabs. They rent them from taxi garages for as much as $133 for a single 12-hour shift. That’s money they must pay in cash, up front, before they even get the keys. They also must pay for gas out of their own pocket. Plus, a ”transit“ fee to the city. If they bring the car back late, it’s another $25. There’s also the occasional traffic and parking tickets, minor maintenance, cleaning up after drunks on a Saturday night, etc. They do get to keep the tips — unless you pay by credit card, in which case the payment company collects a 5 percent transaction fee, part of which goes to the cab companies. Finally, there are the other ”courtesy" fees (i.e., bribes) that they must fork over to keep garage owners happy if they want to get the best cars and shifts.
It adds up quickly. In the typical example offered in this cost breakdown by The New York Times’ Michael Grynbaum, $291 earned over the course of one shift is cut by more than half after expenses are covered. That’s before income taxes are paid. Because gas prices have doubled over that same span and other expense are also on the rise, the average income for cabbies has gone down in real terms since the last increase in 2004. When you in factor in inflation, they’ve taken a 25 percent pay cut in the last six years. Oh, and they have no benefits or sick leave and forget about workman’s comp if they get in an accident and are injured on the job."
And when the cost of the fares go up, so does the rate to rent the taxi for a shift. When Bloomberg introduced the TVs and mandatory credit card systems I read somewhere that tips were greater than those given by people use used cash. I certainly noticed a tried in my own behavior. Part of it is that they’ve eliminated the lower % rates (or made them hard to find) but the other part, for me, is that I’ve come to realize how hard the business is.
I can’t imagine what their quality of life is like. And yet taxis – the lack thereof, the fares, the attitude, the crazy driving, the occasional honking in gridlock traffic, still get more shit from anyone and everyone than I’ve ever encountered in this city. And I have a new found sympathy for them… unless they take me the long way.
via Brain Pickings