One Small Step For Man, One POWERleap for Mankind

Some of the most brilliant ideas come from the simplest of places, an apple falling out of a tree, a child playing with a kite, the every day occurrence of a bird flying through the air.

Elizabeth Redmond and her newest invention POWERleap, falls into this category it stems from the act of people walking, and it's just simply brilliant.

Elizabeth Redmond invented the POWERleap, a flooring system that generates electricity every time you move on one of the tiles. Constructed with glass and concrete, the energy generating tiles can bear a heavy load and are being designed to be placed in areas that experience high-foot traffic. It is Elizabeth's intention to have cities powered by the people who live, work, and play there rather than outside energy sources.

Elizabeth explains her invention on the Sundance Channel :

Now that it is out there this idea seems so obvious. It makes you wonder why we haven't done anything like this until now, and what other absolutely obvious things we are missing?

The science behind POWERleap from Elizabeth's website:

At rest, your body is emitting 100 watts of power. That is more than enough energy to power the computer on which this is written. Given this, imagine how much energy we are emitting while walking to [or at] work, running at the gym, or dancing at the club! It doesn’t take a genius to appreciate the thought of that energy doing something more for us than dissipating into the ground or environment…

POWERleap is currently manifested in an installation of urban sidewalk tiles designed and engineered by Elizabeth Redmond. The system utilizes the phenomena of piezoelectricity: electricity from applied stress, founded by the Curie brothers in the 1880’s. A piezoelectric material when compressed distributes a charge across the surface of the material that can be harnessed and used to generate electricity.

Project POWERLeap has come up with a solution to the problem of wasted human kinetic energy. We have designed a flooring system that will harness your exerted kinetic energy, and use it to generate electricity for us to enjoy. By integrating these interfaces that generate electricity from our daily activities in public and semi-public built environments, each individual will have the ability to generate electricity for their community.

WHERE WILL POWERleap BE USED?

CITY SIDEWALKS AIRPORT TERMINALS
TRAIN STATIONS SPORTS STADIUMS
CONFERENCE HALLS DANCE CLUBS
CORPORATE CAMPUSES UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES
FITNESS CLUBS PUBLIC PARKS

POWERleap is still in it's infancy stage and looking for backers, investors, and contributors to get it into the mainstream. Here are some other sources for more information:

Here is a link to her NPR radio interview

http://www.here-now.org

Here is a link to her Earth Keepers at Changents

("Changents is an entertainment-driven online destination that enables "change agents" to tell their amazing stories while building a network of fans around the world who want to help them. Through videos, photos, blogs, mobile messaging and podcast dispatches from the field, change agents draw in "backers" to lend a hand - virtually or in person.)

http://www.changents.com/powerleaper

POWERleap website:

www.powerleap.net

Fusing Gotta-Have-It Technology with Social Responsibility

In my previous post Sexy Bluetooth I wrote about the Jawbone 2 Bluetooth headset and how necessity, function, and fashion can all merge together in one device. The Aliph company is the owner of the JAWBONE but the designer is Yves Behar and his company Fuseproject.

Yves Behar is unique in that he believes that it is his mission to bring technology into the human experience. Behar uses design to transform every day items by considering the human need, finding new functionality, while also merging utility and beauty.

Yves Behar felt that the JAWBONE should be more than just a headset and designed it in such a way that it becomes a useful attribute rather than an annoying distraction.

Humanistic technology rests on your skin, knows when you are talking, take out all the techie and nerdy pieces and make it beautiful. If it isn't beautiful it doesn't belong on your face.

Behar's designs go far beyond a Bluetooth headset, to watches, computers, home interior and technology, footware, as well as architectural pursuits. Yves Behar proves that the merging of art with science not only enhances an object, but can improve the performance and function of that object.

The tag line for Fuseproject is Design Brings Stories To Life, watch this Ted.com video to see the story behind Behar's designs.

Yves Behar on Ted.com

From the Ted website:

Over the past decade, Yves Behar and his firm fuseproject have become the design group that companies turn to for a game-changing idea. Take the re-invention of the Bluetooth headset, for one; or the re-envigoration of the venerable but dowdy Birkenstock line; or Behar's LED-chic Leaf lamp for Herman Miller.

And yes, Behar and fuseproject are the people who put the green bunny ears on the XO laptop -- and are redesigning the next-gen XOXO laptop due in 2010. This quirky but deeply felt project encapsulates much of his recent work, fusing gotta-have-it design with a mission of social responsibility.

"[Behar] has the ability to strip something down to its basic functional logic and then apply a set of emotional and aesthetic considerations to create something unique. It's an art."

Chris Hacker, chief design officer at Johnson & Johnson

The Funny Web....Where Creativity Rules

Monday is my day to set the tone for the rest of the week!

So show a little inspiration/ show a little spark/ show the world a little act when you show it your heart/ we've got two lives--one we're given,/ and the other one we make/ and the world won't stop/ and actions speak louder/ listen to your heart. ~Mary-Chapin Carpenter

The way we look at Monday's can be with resignation because we know that it means 5 days of work, or we can look at Monday with anticipation because it means 5 days of work! In order to do the latter you of course need to like your work, or like the people you work with, or in the very least like the life your work affords you?

Each day is an opportunity to make a difference (I know cliche much? But it's true). To affect change you do not need to act in a grand scale, it can be as simple as making someone smile.

So how are you going to set the tone today?

Well in my search I stumbled upon a great website (literally it was on Stumbleupon-Thank you Tindink!) that I think charges the imagination, fuels the creative juices, and just makes you smile...

The Funny Web I am not sure why they call it the funny web, there are some funny pictures but most of the artists, photographers, and authors are just amazing not necessarily humorous. Well whatever the case this website is truly incredible, so go check out these awe inspiring images.

These are just a few of the artists who's work is posted on this site:

Painting by Archann

Photos by Julio Segura

Cool photos by David Doubilet

If I have made Monday just a little bit easier for you, then I have reached my goal for today-and if I do nothing else today it will still be a very productive day!!

Enjoy~

Bridget www.getsmartwomen.com

Wade Davis on Ted.com

It's a Ted.com day....yeah!!

It is an amazing world we live in and Ted.com is one of those resources that allows us to take a moment to reflect on that fact.

Ted Davis: The worldwide web of belief and ritual

"The measure of a society is not only what it does but the quality of its aspirations."

Anthropologist Wade Davis muses on the worldwide web of belief and ritual that makes us human. He shares breathtaking photos and stories of the Elder Brothers, a group of Sierra Nevada indians whose spiritual practice holds the world in balance.

Stumble Upon A Visual Stimulant

"If there was ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, It is now. Not for any grand cause, necessarily... but for something that tugs at your heart, something that's your inspiration, something that's your dream." Author Unknown

Thursday I wrote about startin the day off right with the help of your Ipod, today is going to be about visual inspiration or expression. Like many of you I have a Stumble blog, in the beginning I didn't know what to do with this social site-I joined because it is "the thing" to do. I have found lately though that Stumble is a great place to get inspired, offload, meet people, and really get as creative/off the wall as you want to be.

My world is in a bit of an uproar here, I am being pulled in so many directions that sometimes just getting out of bed seems like too much work, because I know that my day will be hectic and overwhelming. I have been in the lending/financial industry for more than 6 years now and though I still have an aptitude for it I am losing the passion. I love the numbers, I love my clients, I love helping people but the turmoil in this industry makes it hard to accomplish those goals. So to tap into that passion again I started a new company Get Smart Women Consulting, which teaches business owners how to brand/build their business on the Internet with the new Web 2.0, social, and Internet marketing trends.

The new company is everything that I want it to be and more, but in this transition I feel like I am working 6 full time jobs. I am still a lender (can't walk away from this just yet, need the money and I can't let go), I am web developer (The website had to be designed, loaded with information 200 pages of videos & articles, updated, maintained, and so much more), I am an owner, marketer, researcher, networker, trainer, IT girl......need I go on. I am excited, inspired, empowered, and totally OVERWHELMED!

This picture fits me perfectly right now:

So what to do; well it is one day at a time for me. I take it as it comes and I try to keep in mind that I am actually pretty lucky to have so many choices, as well people that support me. I use anything that I can get my hands on to get inspiration and Stumble Upon has been such a wonderful place to do that. When I feel like Alice there (The picture is an interpretation of Alice in Wonderland-one of my fav stories, click on it to see other Mad pictures) I go on Stumble, Flickr, or just Google and I start looking for that thing that will give me the pick me up I need.

This picture from the works of Jamey Stillings (Click on picture to get to the website) with this quote "The few wonders of the world only exist while there are those with the sight to see them" -Charles De Lint, for instance made me smile and get back to work.

There is so much to find on Stumble (pictures, poetry, stories, videos, website reviews) that I am just enthralled. Like finding this picture below, that again just put life into perspective for me. The other great thing is that on Stumble you can grab an image and post it, no words or explanations needed-unlike this ridiculously long blog post here. Just kidding we all know I like talking.

So if you are not on Stumble you might want to check it out as a social medium, or as a visual blog source, or just to get inspired. You can take some of those images and post them on your real world inspiration/motivation boards, like the one below.

Not my board, I got it on Flickr from ArtjunkGirl

George Carlin

George Carlin for nearly three decades (1977 to 2005) has been provoking, challenging, and questioning just about everything. One of the funniest and most incredibly intelligent man out there....he'll be missed.

I picked a few pieces from his website that made me laugh, http://www.georgecarlin.com/.

I wish I could say more, but I think he says it best himself so check out his website and any of the cable specials when you can-you won't be dissapointed

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WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORKCHOPS?

George Carlin spends a lot of time pondering the universe. For example, he worries about the gloves that deli sandwich makers now use. Where have they been and who wants latex on his sandwich? He wonders, too, about the PC police who refer to ugly people as "people with severe appearance deficits." And why do they lock the public bathrooms at gas stations? Are they afraid that someone will clean them? In When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, Carlin probes life's deeper mysteries and emerges with many answers and very dirty hands.

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NAPALM & SILLY PUTTY

In the expression "topsy-turvy," what exactly is meant by "turvy"? George Carlin asks many more nonsensical questions like that one in the 256 pages of this new hardcover collection of mockery. If you've read his first book, Braindroppings (and if you haven't, buy it immediately) you're going to devour this new collection of Carlin-isms.

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LIFE IS WORTH LOSING

This is the audio version of the recent HBO show.

1. A Modern Man
2. Pussy Fart, Dingleberry, Cornhole
3. The Suicide Guy
4. Extreme Human Behavior
5. The All-Suicide TV Channel
6. Dumb Americans
7. Pyramid Of The Hopeless
8. Autoerotic Asphyxia
9. The Save-A-Pussy Foundation
10. Yeast Infection
11. Coast-To-Coast Emergency

Inspiration Monday - Amy Tan on Creativity

Ted does it for me again...if you are not checking out Ted.com you should be. Truly amazing!

Why you should listen to her:

Born in the US to immigrant parents from China, Amy Tan rejected her mother's expectations that she become a doctor and concert pianist. She chose to write fiction instead. Her much-loved, best-selling novels have been translated into 35 languages. She's writing a new novel and creating the libretto for The Bonesetter's Daughter, which will have its world premiere in September 2008 with the San Francisco Opera.

Tan was the creative consultant for Sagwa, the Emmy-nominated PBS series for children, and she has appeared as herself on The Simpsons. She's the lead rhythm dominatrix, backup singer and second tambourine with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a literary garage band that has raised more than a million dollars for literacy programs.

"[She] has a wonderful eye for what is telling, a fine ear for dialogue, a deep empathy for her subject matter and a guilelessly straightforward way of writing."

Orville Schell, New York Times

TED | Talks | Amy Tan: Where does creativity hide? (video)

Novelist Amy Tan digs deep into the creative process, journeying through her childhood and family history and into the worlds of physics and chance, looking for hints of where her own creativity comes from. It's a wild ride with a surprise ending. (Recorded March 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 22:52.)

The Power of Positive Thoughts

Today's post is at David Tamayo's blog...please click on the picture or go directly to http:www.securityforidiots.blogspot.com, read the post about Eddie Boy and leave a comment. Eddie and his family could really use your kind words and healing thoughts.

"The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.”

-Hubert H. Humphrey

Google Ocean, anyone? Robert Ballard on Ted.com

I have this thing about Ted.com, to me it is like a mini Discovery Chanel meets National Geographic meets Encyclopedia Britannica-I love it! The video segments are short and sweet, sometimes just giving you enough to get you out there searching for more information and sometimes providing enough information to keep you updated and content. Today's video pick is a deep sea exploration. Jules Verne eat your heart out baby!

Ocean explorer Robert Ballard takes us on a mindbending trip to hidden worlds underwater, where he and other researchers are finding unexpected life, resources, even new mountains. He makes a case for serious exploration and mapping.

From an early age, Robert Ballard was intrigued by the deep. He's perhaps best-known for his work in underwater archaeology; in addition to Titanic, he has found the wrecks of the Bismarck, the USS Yorktown, the nuclear sub Thresher (on a top-secret mission for the Navy -- for which the Titanic was his cover story) and John F. Kennedy's PT-109.

His contributions to our scientific knowledge of the ocean is just as awe-inspiring. He was in the first team of humans to view the deep-sea vents, and to understand how life can not only survive but thrive in these deep black waters, under extreme pressure and at extreme temperature.

He's also a powerful storyteller and a passionate scientific educator. He founded the Institute for Exploration and has pioneered distance learning in classrooms around the world. Through his JASON Project, 1.7 million students a year join scientists virtually as they experience the thrill of exploration and discovery.

Technorati Tags: ted.com,robert ballard,ocean exploration,google ocean,titanic,20,000 leagues

Chris Abani on Ted

What an amazing man!!

Imprisoned three times by the Nigerian government, Chris Abani turned his experience into poems that Harold Pinter called "the most naked, harrowing expression of prison life and political torture... In this deeply personal talk, novelist and poet Chris Abani searches for the heart of Africa through poetry and narrative -- including his own story of artistic and political awakening, which began with an inventive teacher who taught him the forbidden history of his own people. How, he asks, can we reconcile stories of terror, war and corruption with one's enduring sense of pure wonder?

The Forgotten Dialect Of The Heart

How astonishing it is that language can almost mean,and frightening that it does not quite. Love, we say,God, we say, Rome and Michiko, we write, and the wordsget it all wrong. We say bread and it means accordingto which nation. French has no word for home,and we have no word for strict pleasure. A peoplein northern India is dying out because their ancienttongue has no words for endearment. I dream of lostvocabularies that might express some of whatwe no longer can. Maybe the Etruscan texts wouldfinally explain why the couples on their tombsare smiling. And maybe not. When the thousandsof mysterious Sumerian tablets were translated,they seemed to be business records. But what if theyare poems or psalms? My joy is the same as twelveEthiopian goats standing silent in the morning light.O Lord, thou art slabs of salt and ingots of copper,as grand as ripe barley lithe under the wind's labor.Her breasts are six white oxen loaded with boltsof long-fibered Egyptian cotton. My love is a hundredpitchers of honey. Shiploads of thuya are whatmy body wants to say to your body. Giraffes are thisdesire in the dark. Perhaps the spiral Minoan scriptis not laguage but a map. What we feel most hasno name but amber, archers, cinnamon, horses, and birds. -Jack Gilbert

Ode To The Drum

Gazelle, I killed you for your skin's exquisite touch, for how easy it is to be nailed to a board weathered raw as white butcher paper. Last night I heard my daughter praying for the meat here at my feet. You know it wasn't anger that made me stop my heart till the hammer fell. Weeks ago, I broke you as a woman once shattered me into a song beneath her weight, before you slouched into that grassy hush. But now I'm tightening lashes, shaping hide as if around a ribcage, stretched like five bowstrings. Ghosts cannot slip back inside the body's drum. You've been seasoned by wind, dusk & sunlight. Pressure can make everything whole again, brass nails tacked into the ebony wood your face has been carved five times. I have to drive trouble from the valley. Trouble in the hills. Trouble on the river too. There's no kola nut, palm wine, fish, salt, or calabash. Kadoom. Kadoom. Kadoom. Ka- doooom. Kadoom. Now I have beaten a song back into you, rise & walk away like a panther. -Yusef Komunyakaa

No Limbs to No Limits....Wow (Nick Vujicic)

When life hands you "lemons" how many of us can honestly say we make lemonade?

I believe it is absolutely essential that we keep a sense of humor about life, live a passionate life, and that what you give out will come back to you. I believe a lot more, but blogs are supposed to be short, so we will stick with that for this one. Remembering just one of those in the face of adversity can be a daunting task, not to mention trying to incorporate all three on a daily basis. It always amazes me that when you are focused on something how it continues to grow and spring up into your path. So to keep reinforcing the positive I often try to find books, videos, movies, etc. to help me out.

I have been reading the Eckhart Tolle book A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, mostly just to see what all the hype was about, but in reading it I have found that it reinforces some of the ideologies I already believe. Now I am not going to say I agree with everything one person says but I do see the positive messages in the book and I can now see why Oprah would feel it necessary to bring it out to the "world." It is a shame that though Oprah's intentions were good that this book is under so much negative scrutiny (not hurting in sales mind you) but possibly in credibility. It has been Oprah'd so now those who love Oprah will love it and those who are not so in love with her will dismiss it out of hand.

Back to the novel, so I am reading this book and doing my inner reflection like a good enlightended girl should, and of course I start getting some pretty inspiring emails. It is like that saying....where your focus goes energy grows. This video below was one such email. It is truly amazing what people can do in their lives with some prespective, passion, and a little inspiration.

I hope this inspires you as it did me




http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9026810297916989221

This was just a snippet of Nick's motivational speech, For more about Nick Vujicic go to www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/ and http://www.attitudeisaltitude.com/

This video was sent to me by Trish & Wendi at http://www.socalarbonne.com/.

Thanks so much Ladies!!

Shopping That Gives Back

Brands for a cause are everywhere, from the Red line of clothing at Gap and Red phone from Motorola to the pink ribbon on just about everything and that cute guy on the salad dressing bottle. Finally we can’t forget the plethora of good cause multi-colored bracelets you can find at your local gas station and supermarket. Some products have strong marketing budgets behind them, while others gain popularity by word of mouth. Even if only a portion of the profits generated by product sales are donated to charity you are out there shopping anyway, why not buy products that give back. If you want a larger impact you can still donate directly to your favorite cause, but let’s not forget that even the littlest of contributions is helpful.



Go PINK http://www.komen.org/

The original pink ribbon to raise funds for breast cancer cures and treatments was developed in 1992 by the Dallas-based nonprofit founded in memory of Susan G. Komen, but it was never trademarked. Copycats emerged, and products like a pink KitchenAid mixer (with the slogan “cook for the cure”) have been sold to raise money for other cancer groups. A San Francisco-based Web site called Think Before You Pink (www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org) helps consumers sort through the marketing of various products linked to breast cancer. Meanwhile, the Komen Race for the Cure and other events from the foundation have generated nearly $1 billion, making it the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

GO GLAM http://www.macaidsfund.org/

In 1994, M·A·C introduced Viva Glam deep red lipstick, with all proceeds going to the M·A·C AIDS Fund to support the fight against HIV/AIDS. Celebrities are featured in each campaign. This list of celebrity spokespeople for Viva Glam is extensive and seems to be continually growing with such notables as; Debbie Harry, Dita Von Teese, Eve, Missy Elliot, Christina Aguilera, Lisa Marie Presley. M·A·C says its AIDS fund has raised more than $85 million so far. According to their website the M·A·C AIDS Fund celebrates over $100 million raised in its fight against HIV/AIDS. This accomplishment represents an enormous commitment from M·A·C makeup artists, spokespeople, and VIVA GLAM customers. 7.1 million VIVA GLAM Lipsticks and Lipglass have been sold, of which 100 per cent of the retail price goes to the work of the fund.

Go RED http://www.joinred.com/

The Red brand was created in 2006 by rock star Bono and politician Bobby Shriver to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria. Companies that are marketing Red products include Gap (clothing and bags), Apple (iPod), Motorola (Motorazr), Emporio Armani (sunglasses, watch, clothing), Converse (sneakers), Dell (XPS), Microsoft (Windows Red), Hallmark, and American Express (credit card). The companies plan to sell Red products for five years and donate up to 50% of their profits to the Global Fund to provide AIDS medications in Africa. According to Red’s website contributions to the Global Fund have reached over $60 million. Together with the $42.58 million raised at the (RED) Auction, thanks to Damien Hirst and the artists and buyers, (RED) has now generated more than $100 million for the Global Fund. (RED) money is already at work as part of Global Fund grants in Rwanda, Swaziland and Ghana, funding programs with a primary focus on the health of women and children.

Go READ http://www.goodmagazine.com/

The bimonthly magazine, founded by 26-year-old Ben Goldhirsh (son of Inc. magazine founder Bernie Goldhirsh) and launched in September, 2006, “is for people who give a damn.” It's targeting “educated, media-savvy, engaged, creative, worldly, critical, trend-setting 21-to-35 year olds who stand to be future leaders.” Its annual subscription (for six issues) is $20, all of which is donated to one of 12 charities, including Teach for America, UNICEF, and World Wildlife Fund. Its goal is 50,000 subscribers and $1 million given away by mid-2007. So far, it has raised $249,540 with 12,477 subscribers.

Go FOOD http://www.newmansown.com/

He’s not only a looker but a giver too!! Paul Newman and the Newman's Own Foundation donate all profits and royalties after taxes. All told, Newman has given more than $200 million to various charities of his choosing since l982. Products include all-natural salad dressing, pasta sauce, salsa, lemonade, and steak sauce. Since March, 2003, McDonald's has offered Newman's Own all-natural dressings with its salads. One of the charities that Newman supports is the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which he started in 1988 as a nonprofit residential summer camp for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses (free of charge). There are eight camps (five in the U.S. and one each in Ireland, England, and France), with several more scheduled to open.

Go SHOP http://www.benevolink.com/

Give to charity while shopping online, you’re a shopaholic well turn your addiction into a good cause! This free website that makes shopping a charitable act, while filling your cart online at any of its more than 200 member retailers, including Neiman Marcus, Home Depot, Starbucks, Staples, Best Buy, Verizon, Sears, Barnes & Nobles, and Sur La Table. A portion of your spending will be set aside in a special account, and every three months you can direct that money to the participating charities of your choice. Coveting some strappy gold sandals? Go ahead and splurge. It’s the generous thing to do.