Entrepreneurship

How a $5 gravity-powered LED could revolutionize cheap lighting

"An LED light that runs on rope pulls and gravity has been developed, which could be good news for developing countries without access to stable lighting. GravityLight, a crowdfunding campaign and product created by British designers Martin Riddiford and Jim Reeves, allows a cheap LED kit to run for up to thirty minutes — for free — through no more than a three-second pull on a rope. The energy source after this? Something free that everyone has access to — gravity." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow a $5 gravity-powered LED could revolutionize cheap lighting

Santa Monica residents push city council to rein in outdoors fitness classes

"The city is considering a proposal that would require fitness trainers running their classes on city grounds pay a $100 fee and 15 percent of their gross revenues. Classes may also be limited to no more than two students per trainer, unless instructors working in larger venues provide proof of insurance on top of paying the fees. But some trainers have responded that while they don’t pay rent for teaching outdoors, they already pay the city for the proper permits and licensing to operate their businesses, on top of their own insurance and CPR certification fees." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSanta Monica residents push city council to rein in outdoors fitness classes

Court Gives a Christmas Victory to Atlanta Street Vendors

"In 2009, Atlanta handed over all vending on public property to General Growth Properties—the first time any American city has set up such a centralized scheme for vending. As the monopolist has moved into areas of the city, Atlanta officials have revoked the existing vendors’ permits and forced them to leave. The first phase of the program eliminated approximately 16 vibrant vending businesses along with dozens of self-supporting private-sector jobs. Thankfully today’s ruling halted the second phase of the program—which included the area around Turner Field, where Plaintiffs Larry Miller and Stanley Hambrick’s vending businesses operate." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCourt Gives a Christmas Victory to Atlanta Street Vendors

Liberty Dollars banned at U.S. Numismatic Convention

"So-called Liberty Dollars, the creation of Bernard Von NotHaus and the National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve Act and the Internal Revenue Code, more commonly known by the acronym NORFED, will not be part of the April 24-27, 2013 74th Anniversary Convention of the Central States Numismatic Society in Schaumburg, Ill., according to a statement issued by convention General Chairman Kevin Foley. Although the underlying criminal conviction of Von NotHaus has been the subject of controversy and criticism, Foley said, the fact remains that the Secret Service has determined that the Liberty Dollars are counterfeit." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLiberty Dollars banned at U.S. Numismatic Convention

Experimental Private Rocket Makes Highest Test Hop Yet

"A privately built rocket prototype that could lead to a completely reusable spaceflight system has passed its biggest test yet — a 12-story hop and smooth landing. In the latest test at SpaceX's proving grounds in MacGregor, Texas, the Grasshopper rocket flew for 29 seconds and reached a height of more than 130 feet (40 meters). A video of the Grasshopper test flight shows the rocket soaring up into the Texas sky, then smoothly descending to land on four spindly legs." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingExperimental Private Rocket Makes Highest Test Hop Yet

In Legal Showdown Over Marijuana, Oakland Dispensary Takes Leading Role

"In California, the battle between federal and state authorities over legal marijuana is coming to a head in a high-profile legal challenge. Our report comes from special correspondent Jake Schoneker of Media Enterprise Alliance, a PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Lab based in Oakland, Calif." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIn Legal Showdown Over Marijuana, Oakland Dispensary Takes Leading Role

‘Yak insurance’ plan saving Nepal’s endangered snow leopard

"Four years ago Sherpa, 48, founded with other locals an insurance plan for livestock that conservationists say is deterring herders from killing snow leopards that attack their animals. In doing so the scheme has given hope for the endangered cat, whose numbers across the mountains of 12 countries in south and central Asia are thought to have declined by 20 percent over the past 16 years. Under the scheme, herders pay in 55 rupees ($1.50) a year for each of their hairy yaks, the vital pack animal that is also kept for milk and meat, and are paid 2,500 rupees for any animal killed by the endangered cat." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Yak insurance’ plan saving Nepal’s endangered snow leopard

Tiny gold bars latest rage for jittery investors

"Private investors in Switzerland, Austria and Germany are lining up to buy gold bars the size of a credit card that can easily be broken into one gram pieces and used as payment in an emergency. Now Swiss refinery Valcambi, a unit of U.S. mining giant Newmont, wants to bring its 'CombiBar' to market in the United States and build up its sales presence India - the world's largest consumer of gold where the precious metal has long served as a parallel currency. The 'CombiBar' - which has been dubbed a 'chocolate bar' because pieces can be easily broken off by hand into one gram squares." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTiny gold bars latest rage for jittery investors

Sweden’s small Arctic town of Kiruna plans to offer commercial space flights

"Sweden’s small Arctic town of Kiruna has a surprisingly international airport with regular flights to London and Tokyo, but it has even bigger plans: to offer commercial space flights. The idea is that space tourists would take off for a maximum two-hour trip into space aboard futuristic spacecraft currently undergoing testing, which resemble a cross between an airplane and a space shuttle and which can carry between one and six passengers. The sub-orbital flights will send passengers 100 kilometres (60 miles) above Earth and allow them to experience five minutes of weightlessness." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSweden’s small Arctic town of Kiruna plans to offer commercial space flights

Smugglers use cannon to fire 85 pounds of marijuana into Arizona

"In what appears to be yet another innovation in the drug war arms race, authorities said they found 33 cans of marijuana weighing about 85 pounds, and worth approximately $42,500, strewn across a field on Friday. A search turned up a carbon dioxide tank likely used to propel the containers. The emergence of an actual cannon, though surprising, isn’t an entirely unexpected development. The National Guard said last year that it spotted drug smugglers using catapults. Some have even resorted to homemade submarines — one of which sunk off the coast of Panama just last week." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSmugglers use cannon to fire 85 pounds of marijuana into Arizona