Year: 2006

Water from Air

A company has created a way to extract water from plain old air. This is a great tool to help people in areas where water is scarce or hard to make potable. It can be a great help in areas hit by a disaster too.

“We figured out how to tap it in a very unique and proprietary way,” Sher said. “We figured out how to mimic nature, using natural salt to extract water and act as a natural decontamination.

“Think of the Dead Sea, where nothing grows around it because the salt dehydrates everything. It’s kind of like that.”

The 20-foot machine can churn out 600 gallons of water a day without using or producing toxic materials and byproducts. The machine was displayed on Capitol Hill last week where a half-dozen lawmakers and some staffers stopped by for a drink.

“It was very interesting to see the technology in action and learn about its possible implementation in natural disasters,” said Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr., a Republican from Florida whose hurricane-prone district includes Fort Lauderdale.

The research and development into this technology was need-driven by the US Army wanting a way to keep soldiers fueled to fight. It’s unfortunate that this device is created out of a need to kill than a need to help live. That being said, this technology has lots of potential to help many people in need around the world.

Filly Wear

horseyMost people who think of horseback riding visualize the rich, wearing pants with ridiculously huge hip width.  Vancouver clothing line Miss Filly is trying to turn that idea on its head.  The clothes collection is not only fashionable, it also tries to help women and girls live a fulfillled life.

Miss Filly designer Heather O’Hara grew up with horses, despite not being rich.  O’Hara believes in the powerful bond between women and horses, and this is reflected in her clothing line.  Miss Filly includes shirts, hoodies, tank-tops, toques, and panties.  Designs include lassos, hay bales, and the trademark Miss Filly ponies.

The clothing line has worked with organizations such as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, by contributing to fundraisers and riding scholarship programs.  O’Hara hopes to start a Miss Filly Foundation for inner-city girls and women at risk.  Clothing can be viewed on-line at the Miss Filly website.

Secret Rooms Gain Popularity

shhhhThe New York Times is running a story about the growing popularity of installing a
secret room into houses. I’ve always wanted a secret hideaway room that has the bat computer and a map printed on the floor.

““Most people don’t even recognize that it’s there,” said her father, Eric Beghou, who owns a consulting company with his wife, Beth. “When the home inspector came by to examine the house, our builder shut the bookcase, hiding the room. The inspector went up and down the stairs a couple times — he knew that something was unusual — but he couldn’t figure out what was there.”

Soon, however, inspectors and other guests may get wise to hidden rooms like the Beghous’. Although hard data is not available, architects report an increase over the last five years in the number of clients installing concealed rooms.”

Thing-a-ma-boob

cancer_thingamaboob_ad_box3.gifOctober is breast cancer awareness month and there are tons of things going on in communities all over the World like fundraising walk a thons and thing-a-ma-boobs! The Canadian Cancer Society has launched a keychain that they call the thing-a-ma-boob. On it there are varying sizes of beads which represent sizes of lumps women commonly find during their breast exams. Take a look and learn more!