Sitting at your desk at work, looking up, all you might notice is a flat, offwhite panel with holes in it. Looking behind you, you may notice a wall, and looking across the room, you may notice that the only window is what seems like miles away, and just so happens to have a shade pulled over it. Feel trapped? Never fear, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering is here. Emulating why cool college teachers have been taking their students to the chemistry green for ages, the German researchers have created a ceiling with fluctuating lighting that acts as a virtual sky, simulating the light patterns and cloud cover that one may see if they can ever get a seat by that window with the shade.
Electronics retailer Best Buy is headed for the exits. I can’t say when exactly, but my guess is that it’s only a matter of time, maybe a few more years. Consider a few key metrics. Despite the disappearance of competitors including Circuit City, the company is losing market share. Its last earnings announcement disappointed investors. In 2011, the company’s stock has lost 40% of its value.
This fits in well today just as it fit when the term was introduced in the 18th century. The question really comes down to delivery of rights. Rather than trying to play around with semantics, we should be looking at the results of the last couple of years and make the determination based upon three questions:
1.Is it possible in the near future to create an infrastructure that would make internet access available to nearly everyone in the world?
2.Would making internet access available worldwide to the vast majority of people foster positive changes in every culture and every society?
3.Are those without internet access less able to prosper?
The only Frank Lloyd Wright designed gas station ever to be built was constructed in Cloquet Minnesota. Located on the edge of an expansive wilderness area, this small lumber town prizes its architectural gem.
