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Technology at its finest

The United States Department of Energy

Check out this tid bit of sarcasm…

Welcome to a time of exponential change. Please, be the change you wish to see in the world.

Alliance for Climate Protection

Here’s a video on how to save the planet…

Obey Giant – WORLDWIDE PROPAGANDA DELIVERY

A friend of mine sent me a link to a thought provoking clothing company. The company is called Obey Clothing and they have been PROPAGANDA ENGINEERING since 1989. The idea behind the company is that the viewer uses common sense and consideration when observing stickers or other propaganda material. Shepard Fairey is the innovative mastermind behind the company. He took a picture of Andre the Giant, made it in to a sticker and put the sticker everywhere. The sticker contains nothing but an image, no words, nothing.

The idea is to PROVOKE THOUGHT about the mechanics of the system we live in…not to destroy it. Everyone has to live here. Plus there are extreme individuals who wish to label all street artists as vandals and push for harsher and harsher penalties and prosecution.

“The cities build tennis courts, basketball courts, football fields, even skate parks at millions of dollars cost to the tax payer. Where are the public mural walls? It’s all about control of the public space. If the opponents of street art are the only ones who speak out then they will be the only ones who are listened to. The idea is to fight fire with fire and express ourselves intelligently. If we don’t come across as a bunch of vandals we may find that the silent majority is actually supportive of public artistic expression.” -Shepard

Shepard was also responsible for the Obama image above. Pure talent! Check out http://obeygiant.com/ for more information.

Powered by YOU

 

I just finished reading another interesting article in the New York Times. There is a fitness center in Hong Kong called California Fitness and it is an Asian-based subsidiary of 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide. This fitness center is marginally different from most. At California Fitness the exercisers actually power the gym. The founders of the program “Powered by YOU” run an alternative-energy company in Hong Kong.

How does it work you ask? Well, when a member begins to exercise, the machine captures the energy (otherwise lost as heat) and converts it to electricity to run the light above the machine. A single person can produce 50 watts of electricity per hour working out at a moderate pace. “If you spend just an hour per day on a machine annually, you could generate 18.3 kilowatt-hours of electricity,” says one of the founders Lucien Gambarota. That’s the equivalent of powering a three-bedroom home in New Jersey for 14 hours. Since the program made its debut last year, 13 exercise machines have been hooked up; the chain plans to extend the project to its 24 other clubs throughout Asia. What an incredible idea!

The Power of Women

Sarah, Kim, Kristin and Cynthia hit the big screen and $55.7 million are made as Sex and the City flies to the top of the charts. I had a few friends get all dolled up to check out the flick. They said the theaters were packed and the only guys there looked like they were in trouble. The movie had been out for weeks and tickets were still being purchased in advance with lineups outside the theater.

Tom Peters is right. There are two huge markets out there that so many companies don’t even think to direct their advertising towards… women and old people. Why don’t these companies direct their advertising towards these two groups? Because these huge companies are run by men. Go figure!

Going Green with Ken Yeang

I was watching a show on TVO called design: e2 and I came across a few very interesting architects and their work. Check it out…