The Sunday Diigo Links Post (weekly)
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Great news for solar power. What I found quite funny, although it was surely unintentionally so, was the use of the word “graduate” in Treehugger’s article: “It’s a rare treat when a promising one graduates to the commercial level.” Why? The process (Konarka’s advanced photovoltaic technology) started with Dr. Alan Heeger and the late Dr. Sukant Tripathy, “an internationally known polymer materials scientist, provost at UMASS Lowell and founder of the Plastic Innovation Center.”
One word: plastics. The Graduate.
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Oil sands will pollute Great Lakes, report warns
I was already opposed to the oil sands project on several levels (it seems inefficient, for one thing), but this really clinches it: exploiting the oil sands in Alberta will lead to a build up of refineries along the Great Lakes, which will raise pollution and environmental degradation levels exponentially in that region.
The article references a report by UofT’s Munk Centre, which calls the pipeline network for transporting the fuel a “pollution delivery system.”
Great…
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10% of Australian Wave Power Potential Could Provide One-Third of Nation’s Energy Needs : TreeHugger
Worth keeping an eye on: will this project go forward, and will it provide what it promises? “…a new report commissioned by the Carnegie Corporation indicates that one-third of Australia’s power needs could be met through wave power installation. ” One problem right off the bat is that the Carnegie Corp. also manufactures wave power technology, so there might well be a conflict of interest, or absent impartiality, there.
Nonetheless, interesting potential, and it would be great if it could deliver.
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Inhabitat » Herzog and de Meuron’s Stunning Triangular Skyscraper
Photos & text about the planned 200 m. tall triangular skyscraper (called Le Projet Triangle) by Herzon and de Meuron, for the Porte de Versailles in Paris. Allegedly so slim that it will hardly cast a shadow, it will also incorporate solar and wind power components.
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The New Investment Rules For China | The China Vortex – Annotated
A fascinating article that makes me think about cultures (in the sense of how Ali Dastmalchian talked about global cultures at his presentation on 10/6/08), and how in turn different cultures will react to crisis and/ or enable some strategies while frustrating others.
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AURP Releases National Strategy for Building America’s Communities of Innovation
AURP (Association of University Research Parks) “offers a series of urgent recommendations for the U.S. Government, so that it can more precisely support American innovation and American innovators with both economic and policy-based changes.” (See article for proposal targets.)
Does this apply to university research parks in Canada, too?
Interesting references to the importance of place and the creative class.
See this PDF for “The Power of Place”: http://www.aurpcanada.ca/pdf/AURP%20The%20Power%20of%20Place_Final.pdf (via www.aurpcanada.ca)
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” Montreal’s many benches make people welcome,” by Christopher Hume (TheStar.com) – Annotated
Ever since my “corner-making”/proxemics article for FOCUS, I’ve been meaning to write an article about the dismal unavailability of seating in Victoria’s downtown. We seem more concerned with making it impossible for homeless people to sit down or sleep on benches than making it possible for housed people to take a rest. The streets are unfriendly and cheerless in that regard, and it doesn’t matter how many flower baskets the city hangs up.
MORE BENCHES, please!
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“I Purchase, Therefore I Am,” by Richard Florida – Creative Class blog – Annotated
Great entry by Richard Florida, which underscores the connection between suburbanization, reliance on cheap gasoline, consumption, and using housing/ real estate as a “piggy bank” that one could always raid to get money to buy more stuff. See entry, and annotations/ highlights.
I added a comment, in response to an existing comment by Wendy Waters, and then a second one in response to Kwende Kefentse.
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“TEDCO gets whacked. Who’s next?” by Christopher Hume (TheStar.com) – Annotated
Hume rips into municipal politics, as well as provincial rights over cities, in a way that to my mind evokes parallels with Victoria, BC. The point of departure is Toronto’s seeming inability to develop its waterfront with any sort of sensibility or vision. Sounds familiar (re. Victoria). See notes & annotations for more.