Interesting article on how Baby Boomers and their kids as a demographic force can pull the US back economically. That is if certain realities are accepted and the mistakes of the past Leary from.

Here is an extract;

But the biggest factor, one that will quickly pick up speed in the next few years, is demographic. The baby boomers and their children, the millennial generation, are looking for places to live and work that reflect their current desires and life needs. Boomers are downsizing as their children leave home while the millennials, or generation Y, are setting out on their careers with far different housing needs and preferences. Both of these huge demographic groups want something that the U.S. housing market is not currently providing: small one- to three-bedroom homes in walkable, transit-oriented, economically dynamic, and job-rich neighborhoods.

For the full story click here

And I thought it was pretty reliable! Seems that Man vs Wild is not as legit as many thought according to Banzai. Five Star Hotels and not under the stars? Its all a bit confusing.

Heres a rundown on some of the ’surviver experts’.

Bear Grylls, (Britain, Man vs. Wild)
In many cases Bear Grylls’ antics should be viewed as anything from highly inexperienced antics to stupidity, or just television hype entertainment – nothing more. Unfortunately Grylls continues on with little regard to real survival techniques, and with little to no respect of the animals or plants he uses as subjects. Some of his so-called survival bush foods also come under scrutiny and should not be tried by anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Les Hiddins (Australia, Bush Tucker Man)
The ‘Bush Tucker Man’ delivered genuine enthusiasm combined with his real Aussie character, which certainly suited television. Both his honesty and the fact that he gave credibility to the Aboriginal people who taught him much of what he knows about bush foods and their preparation skills made his series credible, interesting and educational.

Ray Mears (Britain, Survival with Ray Mears)
Another survival presenter who gives credit where it is due. He doesn’t claim to be an expert in every situation. On the contrary, he admits to still learning, as we all are. He also introduces the human interest aspect to his television programs by describing the background of the people whose knowledge he is relaying to us.

Les Stroud (Canada, Survivorman and the new Survive This)
Just try surviving this over-dramatised script and its set of orders that lack guidance, respect or teaching. Another television series that will cause the expected results of hardship and conflict, this time on a bunch of young junior survivors, with no prior instruction in the art of survival.

Cody Lundin and Dave Canterbury (US, Dual Survivor)
These two men are similar but different. Similar in instructing styles, since both have that upfront, matter-of-fact approach – the very American way. The difference is barefooted Cody has a lust for keeping everything natural and minimal versus Dave’s military approach and equipment-based solutions. Neither is wrong or right in their attitude – I believe a combination would best suit 21st Century survivalists and that is what their series provides to viewers.

Great article if your into that sort of thing. Go to Reality Bites for more.

A friend of mine has a novel way to make a few dollars for those of us who are somewhat technically challenged but still like the whole internet idea. Selling websites the old fashioned way.

You can see more and view all the info by clicking here.

Hope that helps you guys.

Just saw this on the BBC…….amazing!

The ‘biofuel cells’ work by borrowing technology from living cells
Battery-like “biofuel cells” could in the future run on an energy drink or even vegetable oil, says a researcher.

A prototype cell has been described at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in the US.

The idea makes use of mitochondria, the power stations that in most living cells turn food into energy.

While applications may be far in the future, the work is a milestone in the integration of parts of a living cell into an electronic device.

Shelley Minteer of St Louis University in Missouri, US, said the devices could in the future replace disposable batteries in some applications.

Dr Minteer has been part of a wider research effort that is borrowing some of nature’s tricks for energy production.

Typically this involves the breaking down and rebuilding of molecules in a form that can be used by cells. That process unleashes electrons along the way - electrons that can be corralled and become electricity.

Until now, the efforts of Dr Minteer and her collaborators have focused on the use of enzymes, molecules that are expert at breaking down particular “fuel” molecules such as methanol or glucose.

But the new effort makes use of one of the living cell’s tiny constituent parts known as mitochondria.

These are a whole ensemble of enzymes working together to convert a range of “fuel” molecules into a form that cells can directly use.

“In order to be able to completely consume a fuel… you need a whole series of enzymes, anywhere from three, for something simple, to 22 for something like glucose, and you need to get these enzymes to work together,” Dr Minteer told BBC News. “The mitochondria channel the fuel from enzyme one directly to enzyme two and so on; they do this metabolism far more efficiently than we do by putting a soup of enzymes down on the electrode.”

The demonstration device has only been used with simple fuels made of a single type of molecule, as the enzyme approaches have required until now. But future efforts will aim to make the cells work with more familiar sources of energy.

“Mitochondria can break down a wide variety of fuels,” Dr Minteer explained.

“That means it can handle fuel mixtures that you might see in, say, an energy drink or a protein shake.”

‘New domain’

The work remains firmly at the experimental stage, and the researchers are working to change the materials used in the biofuel cells to make them produce more power.

However, the biofuel cell application may not be the most relevant focus, said Plamen Atanassov, director of the Center for Emerging Energy Technologies at the University of New Mexico.

Professor Atanassov told BBC News that the work was a “seminal achievement for biotechnology to be able to introduce [cell parts] into technical devices, especially in the context of energy harvesting,” but conceded that “whether it will have an immediate practical application remains to be seen”.

He said that “with all the acceleration that technology advances give us, things don’t happen overnight”, observing that it was a full 50 years between the first demonstration of a standard fuel cell and the Gemini space missions that first used them.

“The main contribution for this work is in the fundamental bridging of biotechnology and nanotechnology,” he explained.

“It ultimately may lead to the introduction of a whole new domain of fuels that we would never otherwise be able to tap.”

Well what a result. Three days after national elections and we still have no clear indication as to who may form a government!

I may or may not make comment later on the election in general but feel one obsevation is worth mentioning now. As someone who likes the outdoors and sport I think an understated and normally not considered policy by the Greens and supported by the Labour Party has had a huge effect on the results.

The Greens want to increase to 50% of the Australian coastline a series of Marine Parks that will exclude all fishing, even for recreational purposes. I am not going to expound the virtues of either side of the fishing arguement here, but I know that as the largest sport in Australia and with more and more of the easily accessible coastline now off limits to the average jo who wants to throw a line in with the kids……many people are not happy. Like the old ad campaign said …Not Happy Jan.

This normally would not have an effect, but given that both major political parties in this country haven’t got many policies that distinguish themselves apart from the other, is it any wonder that the Greeens are more popular than ever. And now 3-4 independents are also over the line, themselves disenfranchised former conservative party members!

So my thought is with such complacency throughout the country, why not just vote against a single policy that screws around with your favorite hobby. In his case that meant a vote for the Liberal Party. Maybe it’s not a swing against the Labour Party at all. Just an attempt to save our fishing rights!