Google Glass

If you haven’t heard about the excitement around Google Glass – the head-mounted glasses that can shoot video, take pictures, and broadcast what you’re seeing to the world – then here’s an idea of the interest in them. Last week, someone claiming to be testing Glass for Google auctioned their $1,500 (£995) device on eBay. Bidding had reached $16,000 before eBay stopped it on the basis that … Continue reading Google Glass

Hand drying and hygiene

Huang et al., write in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, The transmission of bacteria is more likely to occur from wet skin than from dry skin; therefore, the proper drying of hands after washing should be an integral part of the hand hygiene process in health care. This article systematically reviews the research on the hygienic efficacy of different hand-drying methods. A literature search was conducted … Continue reading Hand drying and hygiene

A Functional IMAGINARY Tale (reblogged)

Any one familiar with Microsoft Excel functions, will be able to appreciate this writing from the spreadsheet guru, John Walkenbach I’ve been sleeping on a COT for a MONTH NOW because I don’t have any CLEAN SHEETS LEFT. So TODAY I went looking for SHEETS — SUMPRODUCT that offers REAL VALUE for the DOLLAR. The MEDIAN cost varies in different AREAS, so I got on … Continue reading A Functional IMAGINARY Tale (reblogged)

Sustainable Designs

Roca W +W W+W, which launched in the UK  inMarch 2010, combines two key elements of the bathroom to create an all-in-one washbasin and WC designed to maximize space and conserve water.  This ground breaking idea, incorporating Roca’s ‘water-reuse’ technology, uses waste water from the basin to fill the WC cistern, thereby reducing water usage by up to 25% compared to a standard 6/3 litre … Continue reading Sustainable Designs

Books on Smart Thinking

Waterstones has a section on Smart Thinking. It says “Think smart with our selection of fantastic eBooks for expanding your mind, inspiring awe and improving your life”. I recently purchased some for the school library and for myself. ****** Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking More on Susan Cain Wikipedia TED talk 2012 *** The Information: A History, a … Continue reading Books on Smart Thinking

Night soil as fertilizer

In North and Central Vietnam it is common among farmers to use excreta from the family double vault composting latrine (DVC) as fertilizer in the fields. The official Vietnamese health guidelines stipulate a six-month period of composting before applying excreta to two of their three annual crops. However, farmers in this region cannot afford to follow these guidelines and this paper presents the reasons why.In their efforts to ensure … Continue reading Night soil as fertilizer