Librem 15: a Free/Libre software laptop that respects your essential freedoms

Credit: Purism/CrowdSupply

“The Purism Librem 15 is the first high-end laptop in the world that ships without mystery software in the kernel, operating system, or any software applications. Every other consumer-grade laptop you can purchase comes with an operating system that includes suspect, proprietary software, and there’s no way for you to know what that software does.” — Purism



CrowdSupply crowd funding page at:
https://www.crowdsupply.com/purism/librem-laptop
Funding ends: Jan 31, 2015 at 11:59pm PDT

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/23/purism-aims-to-build-a-philosophically-pure-laptop/ / kernel OS operating system software applications free libre open source your computer truly working in your best interest Purism problem free/libre software kernel OS software design manufacture hardware prioritize users not discriminate persons groups fields of endeavor source manufacture highest quality hardware companies freedom privacy source code released under free licenses freedom privacy promotes privacy source code free license installing privacy supporting software default AMD includes AGESA binary BIOS Intel FSP binary BIOS binary freed source code released under free/libre licenses freedom privacy restricting features promotes privacy providing source code under a free libre license installing privacy supporting software by default Trisquel GNU/Linux based distribution laptops run Linux hardware no binary blobs Linux kernel ships Linux pre-installed devices binary blobs Linux kernel changing computer manufacturing users’ rights push upstream free the BIOS component firmware companies negotiation table negotiate first for price mean time between failure quality warranty availability revisit price again negotiate users’ rights free software quality price leverage manufacturers of component parts hardware specifications complete visibility into the kerne designed chip by chip your rights freedom privacy selected best hardware manufacturing sourcing motherboard screen printing keyboard sourcing case daughter cards memory drives battery camera screen motherboard design changes prototype prototypes testing modifying modifications user feedback replacement upgrade parts for sale upgradable HDD SSD RAM wireless chipset CD/DVD ROM accessible unscrew unscrewing botto case unscrewing battery components easily replaceable power adapter company backed, two year parts and labor warranty Trisquel GNU Linux /

Innovation in stationary electricity storage (video)

On Thursday, I attended a lecture at the ANU by Professor Donald Sadoway: “Innovation in Stationary Electricity Storage”.

Some of his insights:

● “Storage is necessary to make renewables base load.”
● “The problem is the very low price point needed to penetrate this market.”
● “If price is the problem, you have to invent to the price-point.”

● “Usually, chemists pursue the interesting chemistry & leave it to manufacturers to bring the price down by volume.”

● “Confine our chemistry to Earth-abundant elements, that’s how to make it cheap.” — e.g. aluminium (3rd most abundant element on Earth) not platinum

● “Price is everything.”
● “To make it dirt cheap, make it out of dirt — preferably local dirt.”
● “Earth-abundant elements & simple manufacturing.”

Filmed at a different event, but covering most of the same material:



More from Professor Sadoway:

http://nextbigfuture.com/2014/12/ambris-long-lasting-and-low-cost.html

http://www.donaldsadoway.com/

Wikepedia bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Sadoway / molten metal battery viable solution for stationary grid storage energy supplied renewables three inexpensive liquid layers electroactive components liquid metal positive electrode fused salt electrolyte liquid metal negative electrode system operates at elevated temperature maintained self-heating during charging discharging Professor Donald R Sadoway Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT three liquid layers low-density metal bottom high-density metal molten salt melted liquid contiguous layers insoluble stratify according to density no need membranes separators battery produces current metal alloys recharging purified Ambri liquid metal battery factory capital investment MWh technology factories electricity storage technologies active components Ambri’s cells cell tolerances millimeters not microns systems using steel racking leverage workers experience building assembling steel parts ubiquitous skill set manufacturing strategy Ambri’s Liquid Metal Batteries serve local and regional markets cells operate elevated temperature melting three layers self-segregate float different densities levels of immiscibility initial chemistry magnesium Mg antimony Sb electrodes chemistry higher voltage lower cost charged state potential energy between top metal layer bottom metal layer creates a cell voltage discharge battery cell voltage drives electrons Mg electrode delivering power external load electrons return Sb electrode internally pass through the salt alloy with Sb forming Mg-Sb alloy recharge power external source pushes electrons opposite direction pulling Mg re-depositing top layer returning system three distinct liquid layers cell design simple uses low-cost low cost materials all liquid design avoids main failure mechanisms solid components other battery technologies battery chemistry high temperatures energy lost generating heat proper insulation round trip round-trip energy efficiency exceeding 75% compares favorably pumped hydro storage compressed air storage trade-off acceptable trials new storage installed alongside renewables Pearl Harbor naval base Hawaii late 2015 Cape Cod military base timeframe cost of electricity standpoint high electricity costs high value on energy storage helpful cost competitive best economics deploying customers successful demonstration prototypes ramp up manufacturing marketing sales future developments /

Coffee & type 2 diabetes

Coffee has recently come to be associated with a number of health benefits, including protection against:
● Alzheimer’s disease & other forms of dementia
● Parkinson’s
● cirrhosis of the liver
● depression
● liver & colorectal cancer
● stroke

And, most obviously, increased wakefulness & attention.

In addition, it is the biggest source of antioxidants in the typical western diet.

More recently, a protective effect against type 2 diabetes has been claimed:

http://www.diabetescare.net/authors/megan-day/coffee-and-the-diabetes-risk?utm_source=Outbrain / coffee potential type 2 diabetes risk caffeinated coffee cream sugar corner coffee shop grande mocha latte health benefits plain black coffee decaffeinated black coffee your risk developing type 2 diabetes drinking grande coffee shop healthier coffee consumption diabetes risk study published journal Diabetologia increased consumption coffee reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes risk reduction significant participants who increased coffee consumption average one and a half cups per day 11% reduction in risk participants decreased their consumption coffee one cup or more showed 17% higher risk developing type 2 diabetes statistically significant study evaluated thousands of people followed them for four years highest rates of consumption3 or more cups of coffee per day 37% lower risk consumed lowest amounts of coffee less than one cup per day study more complications such as cardiovascular disease high cholesterol high blood pressure or cancer consume lower amounts of coffee cases comorbidities excluded results similar drink coffee regularly clearance from your doctor may be beneficial increase your coffee consumptionne cup avoid extra sugar cream brewed drink additives coffee shops extravagant high calorie sugar fat-laden monstrosities reap health benefits coffee consumers coffee healthier coffee black fresh brewed coffee natural state aroma fresh brewed fresh-brewed cup of java sweetener bitter taste milk cream skim milk creamers reduce reducing amount one two percent milk alternative low fat milk extra fat calories lower calories /

Can DNA nanobots successfully treat cancer patients? First human trial soon

Credit: Radiating Oncology & Biology, University of Oxford

Chemotherapy for cancer is plagued by side-effects, including hair-loss & nausea. Side effects are such a problem, that they promote reactions such as:
● “If I had known it would be this bad, I wouldn't have started.”
● refusal of further treatment

Poisoning is the reason for the side effects: to kill the cancer, extremely powerful poisons are used. May or may not kill the cancer, but almost kills the patient. But, what if chemotherapy drugs could be delivered only to the cancer, without poisoning the rest of the patient’s body? This is the “magic bullet”, first suggested by Dr. Paul Ehrlich (1854–1915).

DNA nanobots are nano-size constructs which contain a molecular payload, closed with a DNA lock, which is primed to open when it encounters some surface feature of the target, such as a cancer cell. In this way, the target is exposed to high levels of the treatment chemical, while the patient is exposed to very low levels.

http://singularityhub.com/2015/01/08/can-dna-nanobots-successfully-treat-cancer-patient-first-human-trial-soon/ / Ido Bachelet Harvard Wyss Institute faculty member Israel’s Bar-Ilan University DNA nanotechnology DNA nanobots critically ill leukemia patient injection DNA nanobots designed interact destroy leukemia cells virtually zero collateral damage healthy tissue team success successful successfully tested method cell cultures animals Science magazine Nature magazine contemporary cancer therapies invasive surgery blasts of drugs painful damaging body iatrogenic iatrogenesis disease itself approach proves successful human more research signal transformational moment cancer treatment critically ill nanobot injections healthy people annual checkup receive injection nanobots screen bodyany type of cancer identify 12 tumor types eliminate before spread detectable detect identify animals humans animal human early trial one patient Bachelet colleague Shawn Douglas working on DNA nanobots DNA nanotechnology Ned Seeman bending strands DNA geometric shapes researchers construct two three dimensional shapes tiles cubes spheres polyhedrons gears letters smiley faces DNA nanostructures scientists link short DNA strands longer strand designed synthetic DNA strands fabricated to spec expensive painstaking fabrication shape scientists mix DNA heat solution as it cools multitudes of tiny shapes self-assemble self assemble software engineered predict model DNA fold design process becoming more efficient creations robots perform actions given the right conditions nanobots cylindrical clamshells flexible DNA hinges locked twin DNA double helixes carry a molecular payload cancer drug inside DNA locks engineered react specific molecules proteins surfaces surface cancer cells locks bind molecules clam shell opens nanobot’s payload is delivered nanobots release drugs only near cancer cells sparing the body’s population of otherwise healthy cells nanobots organic biocompatible material body pegging foreign invaders launching an immune response bot robot tuned body clears more precise drug delivery using already discovered drugs deemed too toxic cancer DNA nanobots performing surgery cellular level mending spinal injuries bridging severed nerves actively directing how to reconnect future more work to be done /

Does this year seem to be dragging?

There’s a good reason for that.

2015 will be longer than most years. One second longer, in fact.

Earth’s rotation on its axis is gradually slowing, due to tidal drag*. A day is the time it takes the Earth to rotate once on its axis. As the Earth’s rotation slows, the length of each day becomes very slightly longer. Around two thousandths of a second longer each day.

Scientists at the International Earth Rotation Service in France have responsibility for monitoring the Earth’s rotation, & occasionally add a leap second to bring clocks back into synchronization with the Earth’s rotation.

On 30 June, an extra second will be added at 23:59:60.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/extra-second-to-be-added-to-2015-as-tech-companies-brace-for-problems-20150108-12k0yk.html.html?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=outbrainamplify
___________
* Why the Earth’s rotation is slowing
http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae695.cfm / slightly longer Paris Observatory add adding leap second clocks midnight June 30 dials 11:59:60 one second clocks pause Earth's rotation atomic clock time Earth's rotation gradually slowing scientists officials International Earth Rotation Service France monitor planet's rotation tweak time time adjustment Software companies problems last leap second added 2012 software websites Mozilla Reddit Foursquare Yelp LinkedIn StumbleUpon reported crashes problems Linux operating system programs Java computing systems Network Time Protocol NTP keep sync atomic clock programmed unexpected extra second Google developed special technique leap smear adds milliseconds system clocks leap second Earth is slowing down a little bit Nick Stamatakos chief of Earth Orientation Parameters US Naval Observatory Atomic clocks keep very accurate time first leap second 1972 rotation of the Earth slowed 26 seconds time measured on atomic clocks disruptive precision systems navigation communication concept time rising setting rise set Sun Greenwich Mean Time Sun crosses the Greenwich Meridian never be restored because /

Now ships are hybrids too

Credit: Lade AS/Gizmag

A ship can be made more efficient by adding sails to supplement the engines — a hybrid. Even more economical: eliminate the sails & reshape the hull into a symmetrical airfoil to achieve a similar effect.

http://www.gizmag.com/wind-freighters/35634/ / 2013 Norway Lade AS designs Vindskip hybrid merchant ship harness wind speciallyshaped hull natural gas powered engines saving fuel research researchers Fraunhofer Institute Center for Maritime Logistics and ServicesCML develop development developing algorithm Vindskip's navigation system combination power sail economical old clipper captains catch caught wind modern ship design hull sails take advantage of the wind sea breeze cargo vessel angles close to headwind wind generates force ship’s direction Lade hull shaped symmetrical air foil airfoil oblique wind opposite side leeward travel a longer distance partial vacuum low pressure pulls the ship forward CML developing weather routing module ship's course hydrography weather predictions many other factors algorithm complex calculation best route best course aerodynamic hull works best advantage speeds up to 19 knots Fraunhofer first version module went online Lade AS freighter model tank tests /

Crowd funding has a darker side

Mentioned several times on these pages, Kickstarter has achieved some remarkable things.

Kickstarter is only the best-known example of a relatively new phenomenon: crowd funding. Although, it bears great promise, there is a darker side:

Kickstarter Areal scam is back with STALKER Apocalypse on shady new crowd funding site
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2014/12/12/kickstarter-areal-scam-is-back-with-stalker-apocalypse-on-shady-new-crowdfunding-site/

Mashable
http://mashable.com/2013/06/21/kickstarter-scam/

Epiphany onE Puck
http://kickscammed.com/project/epiphany-one-puck-by-epiphany-labs2/

Check out the comments on the Epiphany onE Puck Kickstarter project
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/epiphanylabs/epiphany-one-puck/comments

How the “Biggest Scam in Kickstarter History” almost worked
http://mashable.com/2013/06/21/kickstarter-scam/

Indiegogo is not immune — After Pando shows clear evidence of fraud, Indiegogo responds by … deleting anti-fraud guarantee
http://pando.com/2014/04/03/after-pando-shows-clear-evidence-of-fraud-on-indiegogo-company-responds-by-deleting-anti-fraud-guarantee/

Crowd funding fraud: how big is the threat?
http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2014/03/34255-crowdfunding-fraud-big-threat/

A couple of sites dedicated to the problems of crowd funding

KickScammed
http://kickscammed.com/

DropKicker
http://drop-kicker.com/

List of crowd funding websites
http://crowdfundingwebsites.net/

And a place for your review
http://crowdfundingwebsites.net/indiegogo-review/ / crowdfunding finance crowd funding crowdfunding research development design designer develop engineer engineering fraud scam con lie lies scamming funding campaign Kobe Red Japanese beer fed jerky creator creator’s names sloppy sideshow generic stock images photos footage project founders didn’t sound right sounded weird /