Inspirational and good news.
It looks like we are looking more blue around here. We added some more colour to brighten everyone’s day. Hope you like the way it looks!
We also upgraded WordPress, which is what we use for making all this goodness you read every day. If you find any bugs with the site please let us know by sending an email to contact (at) ThingsAreGood.com
Wired is running an article on using floors to capture energy. Since walking causes vibrations energy is being produced and right now that energy is being wasted, Jim Gilbert wants to change that using some new technologies to capture that energy. The biggest hurdle, like with all renewable energies, is energy storage.
“Gilbert is working with hydraulic-powered heel-strike generators, which he believes could be installed in the floors of busy public places like subway stations. Those stations typically capture the footfall of 20,000 commuters an hour during peak usage — multiplied by 5 to 7 watts a person, that’s more than enough to power a building’s lights for the day.”
The UN is pushing for new technologies to help people who need accessibility support. The good news is that this has started to happen. OneWorld South Asia is reporting on the use of ICTs designed for accessibility.
Google recently added more accessibility services to its search engine. Google Labs created Accessible Web Search for the Visually Impaired that returns only sites that are easy to read by screen readers. The search uses the W3C standards, which ThingsAreGood.com passes.
“Governments, at the first World Summit on the Information Society in 2003 in Geneva, committed themselves to building a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge.
“The new computer-based information technologies have the potential for opening up a world of new opportunities for persons with disabilities,†said Sarbuland Khan, Executive Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development.”
Unbeknownst to me, the United States Congress has been funding the US Institute of Peace since 1984. Recently they updated their website and have made it a lot better, they’ve added podcasting, and archived recordings. The USIP also offers online training. You should check out their impressive Library!
“Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and democratic transformations, and increase peacebuilding capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide. The Institute does this by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by its direct involvement in peacebuilding efforts around the globe. “