WTF moment of the day

This slime materials mover is just absurdly cool to watch in action. At first it seems like there's not much purpose to it, but you can totally imagine it might come in handy in a laboratory setting, working with a variety of different materials. It could also be handy in art, really. Picking up media and moving them to a precise spot has a lot of potential.

I had a conversation with someone about it where we also recalled a nanotechnology exhibit at the Museum of Life & Science in Durham. The exhibit showed surface materials composed of nanoscale tech that was meant to imitate the way water rolls off cabbage leaves without the regular surface tension water displays when rolling on other things. I guess this is a similar phenomenon to what happens when water rolls off a duck's feathers. Biomimicry at its finest.

It's interesting to think of how difficult we find it to imitate what occurs automatically in nature (though I suppose nature has billions of evolution-years on us).

On corporate responsibility

My bank does--and communicates--this well. USAA : Our Responsibility

Retired subway cars given new life

Worth clicking through to the original link: Dramatic Photos of Retired Subway Cars Being Tossed Into Ocean

I wonder what the environmental implications are. It's a cool photo series, though, regardless.

well, it's about time

A long time ago, when my parents were convinced that my interest in alternative fuels and energy and in corporate sustainability was some kind of fringe theory, I framed it in terms of national defense on a tactical level.

What could be better evidence of the need for alternative fuel vehicles and greater fuel efficiency than military vehicles in the desert? In addition to reducing the military's fuel sensitivity in dire situations, it would also mean carrying less resupply on the vehicles, which would have a virtuous cycle of benefit. Apparently the U.S. military is starting to agree.

Trendspotting

An interesting hypothesis that sooner or later, Kindles will be free. Stupendously clever on their part, if it's true. As an Amazon Prime member, I'm obviously a major fan.

optimistic supply chain nerdery

Is the economy improving? At least for supply chains and manufacturing, signs point to yes.

Oh, did I say for manufacturing? Make that non-manufacturing, too.

It seems health care is finally starting to get the picture on supply management. Turns out better managed hospitals may actually improve patient care. Who'd've thought?!

Increasing public scrutiny of environmental practices means supply chains in the developing world are getting the shakedown. This is a good thing in the long run, though I'm sure business leaders are pretty unhappy with it right now.

On "shared value"

Michael Porter has become one of the greatest, most articulate advocates of business's increasing impetus to create shared value for the community as a means of competitive advantage. It's something that seems intuitive to us CSR/sustainability nerds, but has been thought anathema to good business by many for a long time. Porter also has some great publications on the subject, but I figured I'd link to the recent HBR interview, which sums up the articles nicely.

Rethinking Capitalism - Video - Harvard Business Review