Of late there has been a lot of criticism of bio-ethanol as a fuel, especially that derived from what would otherwise be used as food crops. But this article from Business Week questions a few of the criticisms, and points out that the rush, at least in the USA, to produce ethanol from corn (we still call it maize on our side of the pond), has not contributed as much to the increasing cost of corn than is assumed.
A thought provoking article that is well worth a perusal.
Showing posts with label BUSINESSWEEK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BUSINESSWEEK. Show all posts
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Powered by pond scum?
We have briefly mentioned the potential of algae for the production of bio-fuels before. This from Business Week paints an eyebrow raising picture of just how much investment is going into this particular pond. (Well, it didn't sound right to say field!)
Interesting to note just who some of the players are too. A number of the major industrial boys are already significantly into the race.
Interesting to note just who some of the players are too. A number of the major industrial boys are already significantly into the race.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Round peg. Square hole.
With our efforts to sell RE:tie grinding on, I found this piece on selling invention in BusinessWeek to be interesting, and was moved to comment: Think Like an Inventor
Appreciating the second subhead says 'The Essential Ingredients for Technological Innovation', I am also looking at the one preceding it: 'Making innovation happen'.
Having just won a gold medal for an invention - most definitely bringing two diverse products together - at a international competition, in this regard I'd have to suggest the first needs to be split, and '..aided by collaboration' placed at the top.
With few exceptions, having a great idea is the easy part; selling it into 'the system' is the tricky bit. And, I would venture, few innovators have the skill sets or personalities to both come up with the idea and then negotiate the suit mentality-driven waters to bring it to market.
Yet, oddly, almost every aspect subsequently seems to expect round pegs to become square in pushing things through.
Of course one has to work harder to get luckier and meet half way, but I believe there is huge opportunity, especially at public-funding level, in looking to bridge the skill sets between the creators and those who can market them to create effective sales complements.
Appreciating the second subhead says 'The Essential Ingredients for Technological Innovation', I am also looking at the one preceding it: 'Making innovation happen'.
Having just won a gold medal for an invention - most definitely bringing two diverse products together - at a international competition, in this regard I'd have to suggest the first needs to be split, and '..aided by collaboration' placed at the top.
With few exceptions, having a great idea is the easy part; selling it into 'the system' is the tricky bit. And, I would venture, few innovators have the skill sets or personalities to both come up with the idea and then negotiate the suit mentality-driven waters to bring it to market.
Yet, oddly, almost every aspect subsequently seems to expect round pegs to become square in pushing things through.
Of course one has to work harder to get luckier and meet half way, but I believe there is huge opportunity, especially at public-funding level, in looking to bridge the skill sets between the creators and those who can market them to create effective sales complements.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Crashing the party
It's pretty obvious that there are opportunities for promoting Junkk.com on social networking sites, especially as it has a lot that is visual and you can 'do'. And I'd like think our structure and style is appropriate and attractive to such audiences.
Other than the small matter of finding the time to tackle this task, it is also important to do it right. Hence I was pleased to stumble across this piece, which I found useful: Avoiding the MySpace Mistake (though the title may be a tad misleading - we should make such mistakes as MySpace! It in fact refers to etiquette upon it)
Other than the small matter of finding the time to tackle this task, it is also important to do it right. Hence I was pleased to stumble across this piece, which I found useful: Avoiding the MySpace Mistake (though the title may be a tad misleading - we should make such mistakes as MySpace! It in fact refers to etiquette upon it)
Getting Out & About
In terms of priorities, with all that is going on I seem to have a list 'yaaaaay long' of what to do first. Cloning self would be a good start.
However, pretty near the top, it seems obvious that while I have devoted so much time to RE:tie of late, Junkk.com has played second fiddle. I don't mean the site itself so much, which in theory is bubbling along on its own by being designed as a user-managed and evolving experience (exciting new features to come soon, though!), but promoting it.
For a long time I have been well aware of the potential of such sites as YouTube, MySapce, etc in offering routes to expose new markets to what we have on offer, especially as so much of it is stuff to 'DO', and is so visual. I'd also like to think we're pretty hip too, but by using that word I'm probably showing I'm not the guy to ride that particular wave.
Anyway, I was therefore grateful for this piece in BusinessWeek - Avoiding the MySpace Mistake - and even was moved to write to the author.
While my site is itself a budding social exchange, it is obvious to me that there are many opportunities for 'promotion' out there on sites such as MySpace, YouTube, etc.
The key is 'cutting through' and getting noticed, but in focusing on how to do that it would be all too easy to forget there are certain key considerations that need to be borne in mind, and this article was a valuable reminder of these.
However, pretty near the top, it seems obvious that while I have devoted so much time to RE:tie of late, Junkk.com has played second fiddle. I don't mean the site itself so much, which in theory is bubbling along on its own by being designed as a user-managed and evolving experience (exciting new features to come soon, though!), but promoting it.
For a long time I have been well aware of the potential of such sites as YouTube, MySapce, etc in offering routes to expose new markets to what we have on offer, especially as so much of it is stuff to 'DO', and is so visual. I'd also like to think we're pretty hip too, but by using that word I'm probably showing I'm not the guy to ride that particular wave.
Anyway, I was therefore grateful for this piece in BusinessWeek - Avoiding the MySpace Mistake - and even was moved to write to the author.
While my site is itself a budding social exchange, it is obvious to me that there are many opportunities for 'promotion' out there on sites such as MySpace, YouTube, etc.
The key is 'cutting through' and getting noticed, but in focusing on how to do that it would be all too easy to forget there are certain key considerations that need to be borne in mind, and this article was a valuable reminder of these.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)