Solar Roadways

Solar Roadways is a start up that is developing a prototype for a solar road panel- an energy-generating panel made from solar cells and glass that is meant to replace petroleum-based asphalt on all the roads we drive on and even some parking lots. Think about the potential this has to create great amounts of energy! Rethink what you think is normal. For years people have thought of roads only in one way, and that is by laying asphalt down. This start up has creating an amazing potential for not only profits, but value to change the world.

My opinion on "just doing their job"

I am the president of a student organization at The University of Hawaii at Manoa, and I do a lot of interacting with other other organizations on campus, especially Business Clubs. I know most of the Presidents of these clubs, and whenever I get a chance, I ask how their clubs are doing. I am fascinated with leadership and am always looking for ways to help other leaders shape the next great leaders of tomorrow.

To be a president of an organization, you must be a leader. You must have a passion to lead your tribe towards their vision, whatever it may be. This isn't what I am seeing in my community.

I recently asked a leader how his executive team was doing, and I got a smirk with a reply of, " um... they are doing their jobs at least..." Why just do their jobs? Why not push them to exceed their potential? Why not push them to try new things?

To be a successful leader, you have to empower the others within your tribe. You have to create an emotional connection where they want to do things on their own to make the tribe move towards their vision. Mark Horoszowski simply challenges leaders think about "how do you empower and set others free to create lasting value?"

If you are a leader and you describe your team as "just doing their job", you might want to think of new leadership tactics because this means they aren't taking their projects as their own. They aren't making the most of the opportunities they have, they aren't bringing new ideas to the table, they are simply, "just doing their job".

The Cosmic Muffin: A boat recycled from a plane

A deemed un-flyable plane has now been recycled into a very useful piece of transportation.

"Based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, the Cosmic Muffin is truly one-of-a-kind. According the website, “No other watercraft, before or since, has ever been constructed from a land-based airplane…” Today the Cosmic Muffin has a completely rebuilt hull, updated interior, new motors and a restored cockpit, and the owners have ambitious plans for everything from private charters to elementary education and nonprofit fundraising projects." (inhabitat.com)

China: Liu Bolin

Check out this amazing art by Liu Bolin. Can you spot all the people? His works are currently on display at the Chicago Cultural Center in the "The big world/Recent art from China"

Principle Steve Perry's story

Shout out to my bro Raul for this amazing story. Something that I have a true passion for is improving the public education systems. This is a story of a man who actually had the guts, passion, love and motivation to do not only something, but something REMARKABLE. Steve Perry is a true inspiration to me and hopefully to you as well.

nikon D700 guerrilla style billboard

Probably one of the coolest advertisements I have ever seen. With the release of the new Nikon D700 in Korea, they have built an interactive digital billboard in the middle of a busy subway station in Seoul, Korea. This billboard has digital images of life like paparazzi that are using Nikon's new camera. A red carpet is placed in front as if this paparazzi were at a big time red carpet event; In this case, passerbyers are the celebrities. As the celebrities pass by the billboard, it automatically triggers the digital billboard to flash pictures. This red carpet goes all the way through the station and leads directly into the mall in which you can purchase your own Nikon D700. Brilliant.

Made to stick

An interview with authors Chip and Dan Heath about their book "Made to Stick". Out of all the so-called "Great Ideas" everyone claims to have, how many of those fail? How many actually succeed and "Stick" around? These guys have analyzed what makes for "Sticky" ideas and what doesn't.

This is just a brief interview, check out the book if it interests you.

Reulf by Charlesque

Reulf from Charlesque on Vimeo.

Here's how little color monsters can bring a little color to a scenic city. Music composed by Robert le magnifique & Olivier Mellano.

Oyster Wave Plant

"Recently Edinburgh-based company Aquamarine Power unveiled plans to install a new type of wave power system in place in the seabed off the Orkney Islands coast. Dubbed the Oyster, the system utilizes an on-shore base that is much easier to maintain than standard wave power designs, and the system is capable of operating at shallow depths, making it more consistent than systems that operate far out at sea. Each unit is capable of producing 300-600kw of electricity, so a commercial farm of ten units could provide clean energy for a town of 3,000 homes!" (inhabitat.com)

Grandma's "Bottle Village"

What kind of value can you create with a regular bottle? What about tens of thousands of bottles? Well, Grandma Prisbrey took this challenge to the next level when she created "Bottle Village". The village is “an otherworld of shrines, wishing wells, walkways, random constructions, plus 15 life size structures all made from found objects.” Located in Simi Valley, Cailfornia, this 1/3 acre lot is completely covered with various innovations and creative structures made by Grandma Prisbrey as a lifetime hobby of hers.

Check out their website at Bottle Village

The Story of the Last Great Supply of Fresh Drinking Water

This is an interactive website that is based for the movie Waterlife. It is a film that is directed by Kevin McMahon and Co-Produced by Primitive Entertainment and the National Film Board of Canada. This film tells the story of how we are all interconnected by one natural resource which is a necessity to our lives. This resource is being destroyed, tainted and poisoned every single day. This is the story of the Last Great Supply of Fresh Drinking Water on Earth.

The website is one of the best websites I have come across as far as communicating a message. As you navigate through the site, you will end on a standstill page. If you scroll over "Water Is" on the top left corner of the page, there will be a drop down bar of all the major topics this film discusses. This is about making people aware of a problem, and working towards its solution. Making people want to listen and changing mindsets is so very hard to do these days. Capturing attention is almost nearly impossible and to do it, and must be done in a very unique way and effective way that fits the new technical mindsets of our generation. I believe they have done a pretty good job. They have made me interested, they have made me aware and they have educated me. Strive towards that whenever you are developing your ideas.