Links for the Week – Jan. 28/06

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Health

Canada’s Public Health Agency has a great site with advice on preparing for epidemics and other emergencies. Thanks to fellow Future Creator Dave Davison for the link.

Now you can add the aÁaÌ berry from Brasil to the list of highly nutritious and healthful natural plants like Stevia and hemp, that you’ll never be able to buy from the food and drug distribution oligopoly. This berry is an excellent antioxidant and high in fatty acids. Thanks to Treehugger and  Dale Asberry  for the link.

New Technologies

Swedish company Marratech has a highly-rated free videoconferencing system. A couple of users tell me it’s much better than competing products and has a simple, intuitive whiteboarding tool that enables virtual collaboration. Any other reviewers out tried this one?

If you’re thinking of investing in wind energy, here’s a US government map showing places in the US where wind turbines make sense.

The latest thing in technology convergence is software that combines fitness training with virtual reality video games. It promises an end to the boredom of repetitive exercises. Thanks to Innovation Weekly for the link.

Politics & The Environment

James Lovelock, author of the Gaia theory (that our planet operates as a single self-regulating organism) has revealed that his upcoming (next month) book, The Revenge of Gaia, claims it is already too late to halt the accelerating consequences of global warming, which he predicts will increase average global temperature by 6-8 degrees celsius by the end of this century and will have consequences that will create ‘hell on earth’. Forget about just slowing down CO2 emissions, he says, and start preparing for a planet that will become largely uninhabitable within our grandchildrens’ lives. Wow, a scientist even more pessimistic than I am. Watch for my review when the book comes out next month — I may surprise you. Thanks to Cyndy for the link.

US ambassadors to Canada seem to be picked by Bush for their sheer offensiveness. The latest unqualified Bush lackey to be given the job, David Wilkins, exploited the transition of governments in Canada and the fact that incoming prime minister Harper has said he admired Bush and the neocon movement, to announce that the US does not recognize Canada’s sovereignty over the waters around Canada’s northern territories. Harper, to his credit, expressed the outrage of all Canadians over this remark, and Canadians everywhere are wondering what’s behind this announcement. Since everyone knows the drilling in the pristine Alaskan ANWR will destroy the area’s ecosystem and only produce a few months’ worth of oil, speculation is that the US will soon claim drilling rights in the entire arctic as first-come, first-served ‘international waters’. Even Harper won’t put up with that. Does Bush really enjoycreating enemies of every country that used to be an ally?

Drawing above is from local artist Kathy Hagerman. You can view and buy her work here.