David Lidsky's Blog, page 4619

Could Natural Gas Replace Coal Power?

As much as many of us wish it were possible, we can't just uproot aging coal plants and replace them with intermittent sources like wind and solar--we do still need reliable sources of energy that are guaranteed to work 24/7. That's where natural gas come in.

Modern natural gas-fired generators produce the same amount of energy (or more) compared to coal-fire generators while reducing CO2 emissions by 60% and eliminating sulfur dioxide emissions per kilowatt hour generated. These generators...

Stamen Design Wins a $400,000 Grant for New User-Generated Data-Viz Project

The Knight Foundation just doled out $2.74 million in grants for local news-focused technology projects that deliver information to specific geographic areas. Topping those grantees is Eric Rodenbeck, founder and creative director of San Francisco-based Stamen Design who won $400,000 for a concept named CityTracking, which will allow users to take city data like crime and traffic numbers and create engaging visualizations that are easy to understand and easy to share.

Stamen, whose work we...

Electric Buggy to Take On Pikes Peak Hill Climb

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, an annual car and motorcycle race to the top of Colorado's Pikes Peak, is brutal, to say the least--12.42 miles with over 156 turns and an altitude change of 4,721 feet from start to finish. Hybrid and all-electric vehicles have successfully made the climb before, but this year the EV Sports Concept HER-02 buggy is gunning for a new world record with a little help from driver Ikuo Hanawa.

The EV Sports Concept's predecessor, also drivem by Hanawa...

Next Version of Android to Feature User Interface Overhaul: Can Android Be Pretty?

Google has been improving Android at an incredible clip, and the newest version, Froyo, is the slickest and fastest yet. But in terms of design and user interface, it's neither as simple as Apple's iOS nor as elegant as Palm's WebOS. TechCrunch hears from "multiple sources close to Google" that that's all about to change.

Google clearly knows its weakness, and swiped interface guru Matias Duarte from Palm/HP. Duarte is the main designer behind Palm WebOS, and he's a huge get for Google. So it...

WANTED: Wacom Bamboo Touch Pad

Disappointed that Apple didn't announce an external version of their excellent MacBook trackpad at this year's Worldwide Developer's Conference? Me too. Luckily, Wacom, the touch pad pioneer, just came out with a product that does all the same stuff.

Gone are the days when the computer mouse ruled over the trackpad. Apple pushed the trackpad further than ever before with the aluminum MacBook line's massive multitouch version and the implementation of some intuitive gestures. (I should note...

Twitter's First Trending Topic Ad Appears, for Toy Story 3

[image error]Twitter's new ad platform has been a little slow to roll out. Promoted Tweets are already in the system, but those popular trending topics have only today been penetrated by ads. Of course, we've been debating this for a few days now, so let's see how they look.

On Twitter's homepage, the right-hand column that houses the trending topics now includes an eleventh in the list: Toy Story 3, branded with a prominent yellow button. Clicking the link brings up a search for "Toy Story 3," and the...

Is This Hidden Architectural Gem Another "Blade Runner" Building?

Each day, thousands of people walk by 5 Beekman, a pretty yet unassuming building in Lower Manhattan, never guessing what could be found within. Scouting New York, a blog written by a location scout that's a must-read for local history freaks, got invited inside for an incredible peek at an architectural gem that's hidden in plain sight.

As you enter the building it's nothing special, says Scouting NY. "And then you look up…"

For nine stories, the ornate cast-iron railings twirl up and up...

Cap and Trade Will Burden the Rich, Ease Costs For the Poor

One of the biggest arguments against cap and trade (aka carbon emissions trading) is that it burdens consumers. In a cap and trade scheme, energy companies have a fixed allotment of co2. Should they need more, they can buy from other companies that that have remaining emissions credits, and that expense will be transferred to the consumer.  But a study set to appear in The Berkeley Electronic Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy claims that hiked-up energy prices resulting from cap and...

Is This Hidden Architectural Gem a "Blade Runner" Building?

Each day, thousands of people walk by 5 Beekman, a pretty yet unassuming building in Lower Manhattan, never guessing what could be found within. Scouting New York, a blog written by a location scout that's a must-read for local history freaks, got invited inside for an incredible peek at an architectural gem that's hidden in plain sight.

As you enter the building it's nothing special, says Scouting NY. "And then you look up…"

For nine stories, the ornate cast-iron railings twirl up and up...

The BP Oil Disaster Might Help the Economy, But Does That Matter?

The Gulf of Mexico oil disaster may, believe it or not, give a boost to our ailing economy. Because while the six-month moratorium on new offshore drilling and the negative impacts on fishing and tourism in the Gulf will undoubtedly put a damper on the GDP, the temporary industry of cleanup workers could offset any losses--and perhaps even outweigh them. Does it matter?

The Wall Street Journal reports:

The six-month moratorium on deep-water drilling may cut U.S. oil production by around 3% in ...