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Help Out in Haiti

It looks like the earthquake in Haiti yesterday has turned into a mega disaster, with a death toll that could reach over 100,000.

If you’re looking for an effective way to donate, my suggestion would be Samaritan’s Purse, who are there now and have a stellar record of effectively managing donations according to Charity Navigator. Also there are ways to donate funds by simply sending a text.

Jeff :: Jan.13.2010 :: News 'n' Commentary :: No Comments »

Must Be Global Warming, Right? Right??

Believe it or not, the photo below isn’t from The Day After Tomorrow, it’s an actual satellite photo of Great Britain taken last Thursday:

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Brrrrr! Seems like contrary to the man-made global warming fiasco, and to the delight of polar bears everywhere, we could be entering a chilly mini ice age:

The bitter winter afflicting much of the Northern Hemisphere is only the start of a global trend towards cooler weather that is likely to last for 20 or 30 years, say some of the world’s most eminent climate scientists.

I, for one, look forward to epic snow conditions for snowboarding.

Jeff :: Jan.12.2010 :: News 'n' Commentary :: No Comments »

Keep It Up, TSA

Thanks to the ongoing policy of adding steps to the security checkpoints of dubious value, and looking for bombs hidden inside grandma’s dress instead of actual terrorists, flying is increasingly turning into a hassle that might spur the demand for innovation in another travel option:

Maybe the US will do well to have a high-speed train network (or rather, a series of train networks) connecting major cities that are geographically close. With the kind of crazy going on at airports these days it might not be too long until flying from Boston to New York becomes a rarity.

Jeff :: Jan.11.2010 :: News 'n' Commentary :: No Comments »

Uh Oh… My Morning Drink’s in Danger of Being Trendy

Looks like my morning yerba mate could be the next big craze… seeing how it’s a stimulating drink like coffee or tea, is packed full of nutrition, is fairly cheap, and apparently Guayaki brand saves the rainforest.

I was impressed to see Guayaki brand yerba mate sold at the neighborhood store when I got back to Vancouver. Looks like it’s catching on.

Jeff :: Jan.08.2010 :: News 'n' Commentary :: No Comments »

Tallest Building Ever For A While

Looks like the Burj Khalifa (Burj Dubai) opened up on Monday… it was only a matter of time before some Arab nation with a ton of oil money decided to up the ante a little. Not only did they beat the record but by such a long shot that it may not be bested for a while to come.

What’s really impressive about this chart is that the three most recent projects on it (Petronas Towers, Taipei 101 and Burj Dubai) were all the work of Samsung. Remember when Koreans couldn’t build a decent car?

Jeff :: Jan.06.2010 :: News 'n' Commentary :: Comments Off

Somebody Call The Zoo!

Watch your step when you leave your apartment in Costa Rica!

Seriously, I thought iguanas were only around the coast, but they seem to travel up and down the rivers in the Central Valley too. Next time I see it I’ll need to call INBioparque so they can add it to their collection!

Jeff :: Jan.05.2010 :: Livin' in Costa Rica :: No Comments »