Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Innovation Day @ FRIM

I attend a Innovation day at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) from my house at Bukit Mahkota. From Google Maps, it shows that it take more than 75 minute to arrive, but as biker; 45 minute flat. I was invited by my fellow friends, Inventor Bugs Tan. He wrote about it at his blog ;)



View Larger Map

Before the event, i visit the bookstore - wow... so much knowledge is store inside it. Thing about forest research, diversity, climate change effect and action toward it. I hope FRIM can publish as creative common material, we can share the knowledge with the world.

The event start with opening from chief director of FRIM emphasize on packaging an innovation and climate change. I can see the whole staff in the auditorium really passion about their work and LOVE the Tree so much. He also mention some of his staff still at COP15 (http://www.facebook.com/cop15, http://en.cop15.dk/ ), participating in one most significant event in human history in order to battle climate change.

FRIM and it related partner showcase some amazing innovation from palm trunk engineered floor to tissue culture clonnning. I wish congratulation to the respected winners. 

My hope is FRIM can be more focus on:
1) fungi research like Paul Stamets , termite guts (bio- enzyme), spiders and all microorganisme living in our forest toward our benefits.

2) black earth
3) tree species with rapid growth accelerator to sequester more CO2  climate change research and how to combat climate change.

Mastering DNA is key for above strategic move.  don't forget to protect your IP worldwide and do valuation.

All the best to FRIM. oh... dont forget to join Friends of FRIM to adopt tree.

20090608 N Star NT Pg16 Get Your Family Tree height="500" width="100%" > value="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=24409071&access_key=key-tvo6qtm4yywh8otnph4&page=1&version=1&viewMode=list">            


Few wish before sign-off:

Do we have hero like Willie Smits for reforestation of Malaysia forest  ? Malaysian need to know their heroes.

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Friday, October 30, 2009

Innovation in a Disruptive Environment by Steve Jurvetson (Dfj.com)



Description

Steve Jurvetson, partner at Draper Fisher Jurvetson, offers perspective on the market opportunities in innovation and technology. Topics discussed include the necessity for utter market disruption, interdisciplinary solutions, and advice for those interested in working in the venture capital arena.

via Stanford Enterpreneur Corner's

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Enterpreneur: Challenge to High Tech Industries Unique Characteristic

  1. High risk- high reward model
  2. Quality, driven personnel- management & VC
  3. Not based on ‘normal’ key elements- revenue, EBITDA..
  4. Multiple shareholders
  5. Thin operation- clients, suppliers, employees, tangible assets, banks
  6. High dependency on key employees
  7. ‘Forward looking’ business model
  8. any more to add...??!!!

Sunday, September 27, 2009

BBC - The Quran and The Kalashnikov



BBC - The Quran and The Kalashnikov
Feb 6, 2008 - 47:32
A Brilliant BBC Documentary on the History of Islam and the armed conflicts it has fought around the world with initially the backing of the western countries around the world to the situation...


Browse more videos on Google Video

When the Islamic Moors Ruled in Europe


When the Moors Ruled in Europe
May 26, 2006 - 1:42:01
This short documentary describes the glorious rule of Muslim Moors in what is now Spain. A forgotten history is remembered. 

--





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Monday, September 14, 2009

Innovation to Commercialization: Using Government Funding to Kick Start Your Start-Up



Panel :

THOMAS ALLNUTT

Program Director, National Science Foundation, Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Technology Transfer

MILTON CHEN

CEO, VSee

CHRISTOPHER LOOSE PHD '07

Chief Technology Officer, Semprus Biosciences

BILL TOWNSEND '84, SM '77

Founder, Barrett Technology


Note:

Our fellow technopreneur in MIT and Stanford also apply for grant.. hehe.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Reply to: Oracle To Increase Investment In SPARC and Solaris




"Ms. Kroes warned that the acquisition could hamper development of an important software product owned by Sun, which specializes in computer hardware. The product, MySQL, is the most widely used corporate database software in the world, and it competes with software produced by Oracle."

- NYTimes September 2009.


>> it all about open source software, not the hardware Mr. Larry Ellison.



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Monday, August 3, 2009

Mosanto - Controlling Our Food



Are we aware about how our is produce from seed to our own plate be prepared?
" new documentary was aired on French television - a documentary that Americans won’t ever see. The gigantic bio-tech corporation Monsanto is threatening to destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for thousands of years"

Is Genetic Modified (GM) Food, good for us? think about it...?!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Social Enterprise : Elly and 4 Enterprenuer from Aceh, Indonesia.



On the 18th July 2009, I was lucky enough to met with 4 entrepreneur from Aceh. They look very humble and sincere to learn from others especially from Macri. I able to discuss with Diyana, a tailor. She told me tell the story about her spirit and keen to make a living. She earn less than Rp 50,000 a month (less than RM 20/month) for her tailoring work. To help her earn more, she farm at the rice field, lucky enough to sustain her family the entire year.

We talk about how she would like to boost her income by getting more customer. She told the village surrounding economy consider as very poor, with population less than 500 people. They only manage to buy cloth for average 2 x in year, school also available...

I asked her,
"what happen if your cloth torn apart?".
She answer back "kami tampal".
*Ahha....light bulb* - "kalau beri service utk menjaga baju budak2 sekolah, boleh tak?"
"Rasa2 boleh tapi saya segan untuk bercakap."
"Tulis surat dan berikan kepada guru besar, boleh kan?"
"Insya Allah (god willing)".

This is a good opportunity for her to earn recurring income from local school by offering maintenance cloth of school. Then, more question...

"Bagaimana makan sehari2 (how is your diet daily)?"
"Nasi putih (white rice), sup telur, sayur2 kampung."
"Macam mana dengan ikan atau daging?" i asked again.
"Kadang2 (seldomly)." she said.

I told her about technology practice in agriculture with is common in Malaysia which help boost productivity. Malaysian modern practice usage of canvas "keli dalam canvas " in aquaculture. She really impressed. Now, she already thinking about eat and sell extra capacity of the fishes. So, I think developing area such Aceh need basis technology transfer to uplift the standard of living.

Call to action:

1. To innovator - assume the village's as "Company A",
a) how do make this company sustainable and profitable in very long long time?
b) first product? howto?
c) how to create/ interface with the ecosystem?
d) etc.

Let hear a lots of contructive idea, howto to implementation to built "Company A". Light negative feedback are welcome... other than that, please keep in the sandbox. tq.

:)

Some help from Ideo : Human-Centered Design Toolkit.



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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

All About Youtheme Online Sdn Bhd: NEWS: MDeC holds Great ICT Sale

All About Youtheme Online Sdn Bhd: NEWS: MDeC holds Great ICT Sale

"bbat technology sdn bhd" and objectiveworld technology pre-view at Great ICT Sale.

mdec great ict sale

bBAT Technology Sdn Bhd will participating in mdec great ict sale - (http://www.mscmalaysia.my/greatictsale) together with Objective World Sdn Bhd.

bBAT offering will be specialized solution for public transportation (bus, taxi and LRT) and logistic sector. Me and Chong Thien Pow among the founder of the company.

What we trying to solve:
1. embedded smart solution into public transportation.
2. enable customer of our customer to manage time better and be more productive.


Objective World offering would be solution for rapid prototyping software for construction industry. CTO - Thomas will do all the talk. He the software wizard behind the solution.

See us at MDEC

Booth 7 - 20 - 22 July 2009, KLCC.
Booth 6 - 7 - 9 August 2009, Penang International Sport Arena.
Booth 11 - 14 - 16 August 2009, Persada Johor International Convention Center.

detail: facebook.com/greatictsale.

Monday, March 23, 2009

TEDTalks 2009 - Kamal Meattle: How to grow your own fresh air




1. Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
  • Works well in the day time
  • Great for living areas
  • One needs about 4 shoulder high plants/person
  • Needs to be put outdoors once every 3-4 months
  • The leaves of the plant need to be wiped everyday in Delhi and perhaps once a month in a cleaner city
  • The soil used should be of vermi manure or use hydroponics
2. Mother-in-law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)
  • Converts CO2 into O2 at night
  • One requires about 6-8 such waist high plants per person in the bedroom
  • Leaves need to be wiped in the same way as the Areca Palm
  • The soil used should be of vermi manure or use hydroponics
3. Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum)
  • Excellent for removing Formaldehyde and other VOC’s
  • Best grown using hydroponics





Will find this plant asap.


Monday, February 23, 2009

Review: Coal-fired power plant too close to popular beach spots



Front View: Jimah Coal Power Plant - Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
Run by Jimah Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd


Above picture: Aerial photo of Jimah Power Plant (via JIMAH Gallery)

Quote via TheStar;
Monday February 23, 2009
Coal-fired power plant too close to popular beach spots
By GEETHA KRISHNAN

"IT does not take an environmental expert to point out that a coal-fired power plant should not be at the proximity of marine ecosystem."

-

But the threat looming over the Bagan Lalang beach in Sepang, Selangor, is real and one, which the StarMetro discovered traverses state boundaries.

The Jimah 1,400MW coal-fired power plant is at the border between Selangor and Negri Sembilan, in Port Dickson (PD) to be exact, which is a popular beach holiday spot.

Jimah is an independent power producer (IPP) set to fire up in July. The plant is owned by Jimah Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd (JEV) with 80% share and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) owning 20%.

JEV and TNB have drawn up a Power Purchase Agreement for 25 years.

"On a national scale, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) is riled as it has been actively monitoring the Bagan Lalang coastline and its interior rich with mangrove swamps and a forest reserve."


“Ships transporting coal to the power plant will disturb the marine ecosystems and cause the fish population to dwindle,” said MNS environmental education department head I. S Shanmugaraj.

At present, efforts are being undertaken to promote the eco-tourism potential of Bagan Lalang.

“The MNS plans to work with locals to promote village life through homestays so it is a shame for tourists to see a power plant with its jetty extending out to the sea,” added Shanmugaraj.


Sungai Pelek assemblyman Yap Ee Wah whose constituency extends to Bagan Lalang said the authorities should study the economic and social impact of projects like the Jimah power plant before giving it the green light.

“We don’t want a situation where the authorities act without getting the bigger picture and get blamed later when something happens,” he advised.

Bagan Lalang Federal Village Development and Security Committee (JKKP) chairman Tasirun Abd Majid said with Jimah’s 10km radius and proximity, fishermen would have limited area to fish.

Besides its eco-tourism potential, Bagan Lalang is hoping to make its mark through the RM3bil Sepang Palm Tree Water Villas project by Sepang Goldcoast Sdn Bhd (SGC), a joint venture company between Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB) with a 30% stake and Sepang Bay Sdn Bhd.

“The development consists of 22km of shoreline with a majority of foreign property investors so we have our concerns,” said SGC president Ho Hock Seng.

If Bagan Lalang is foreseeing an ecological threat, the scenario is different for PD residents.

Coal produces approximately two times the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) as natural gas and a third more C02 per unit of heat than oil.

Port Dickson Residents Association (PDRA) president Maj (Rtd) Anthony S. Raj said thick smoke was spotted billowing from the plant during a test run recently, alarming residents.

“Strong winds cause carbon deposits from the mountains of coal stored in the storage yard of the plant to settle on houses.

“Imagine the smoke pollution once the plant starts to operate,” he pointed out.

He also said the PDRA was seeking to study the Detailed Environment Impact Assessment (DEIA) report on the plant to better understand the long-term implications.

Port Dickson assemblyman M. Ravi said residents of Lukut and Chuah, whose houses were closest to the coal plant had been voicing their fears over the plant since 2006.

“PD is a famous tourist spot so a coal plant mars our image as a holiday destination. Coupled with the impact to the environment, what is the rationale in having this coal plant?” he asked. For the record, the Tuanku Jaafar power plant is also in Port Dickson.

When contacted, a spokesman for JEV said the matter would be referred to the directors for comment.

In its website www.jimahev.com.my, Jimah stated that it was conscious of its environmental responsibility and that “each unit of the coal fired power plant project was equipped with a Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) plant, Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) and low NOx burners which will minimise emissions to the permitted level”.

It was also stated that the “DEIA approval was obtained from Department of Environment (DOE) in January 2005.”

Review:

According to a Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) study:

“In an average year, a typical 500 MW coal plant generates:

  • 3,700,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary human cause of global warming -- as much carbon dioxide as cutting down 100 million trees.
  • 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which causes acid rain that damages forests, lakes, and buildings, and forms small airborne particles that can penetrate deep into lungs.
  • 500 tons of small airborne particles, which can cause chronic bronchitis, aggravated asthma, and premature death, as well as haze obstructing visibility.
  • 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), as much as would be emitted by half a million latemodel cars. NOx leads to formation of ozone (smog) which inflames the lungs, burning through lung tissue making people more susceptible to respiratory illness.
  • 720 tons of carbon monoxide (CO), which causes headaches and place additional stress on people with heart disease.
  • 220 tons of hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOC), which form ozone.
  • 170 pounds of mercury, where just 1/70th of a teaspoon deposited on a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat.
  • 225 pounds of arsenic, which will cause cancer in one out of 100 people who drink water containing 50 parts per billion.
  • 114 pounds of lead, 4 pounds of cadmium, other toxic heavy metals.
  • A 1,000 MW coal-fired plant could release as much as 5.2 tons of per year of Uranium and
  • 12.8 tons per year of Thorium. (A 500 MW plant would be expected to generate 2.6 tons of Uranium and 6.4 tons per year of Thorium).
The effects of coal are felt beyond the greenhouse gas emissions. Data from the EPA shows
that fossil-fuel (mainly coal) powered plants are responsible for ~two-thirds of SO2 emissions (a
major cause of acid rain) and 23% of NOx emissions in the United States.7 “Between 1985 and
2001, coal mining in Appalachia resulted in the loss of 7% of the region’s forests and buried
more than 1,200 miles of streams. In 2004, coal mines across the U.S. reported the release of
more than 13 million pounds of toxic chemicals, including over 300,000 dumped directly into streams and rivers. “An Oak Ridge National Laboratory study from 1978 (reaffirmed on the
ORNL website) notes that despite the fears over nuclear power, “Americans living near coalfired
power plants are exposed to higher radiation doses than those living near nuclear power
plants that meet government regulations” and that “This ironic situation remains true today.” 9
Coal plants produce approximately 130 million tons of solid waste yearly – approximately three
times the total municipal garbage in the US.

The cost of coal is felt directly on our health as well. The American Lung Association notes that a 2004 study attributed 24,000 premature deaths each year due to power plant pollution. In addition, the ALA notes that “research estimates over 550,000 asthma attacks, 38,000 heart attacks and 12,000 hospital admissions are caused annually by power plant pollution.”11 In the last century, more than a 100,000 deaths have been a result of mining, with over 200,000 black lung deaths. This is part of the burden of coal.

Source:

  1. http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/renewable_energy_basics/public-benefits-of-renewable-energy-use.html
  2. http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/text/colmain.html
  3. http://www.epa.gov/solar/emissions.htm
  4. http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/new-energy-future/new-energy-future/making-sense-of-the-coalrush-the-consequences-of-expanding-americas-dependence-on-coal
  5. http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/text/colmain.html
  6. “Big Coal: The Dirt Secret Behind America’s Energy Future”, Jeff Goodell
  7. http://www.catf.us/publications/view/24

Issue:

  1. A chicken thief and the Jimah power plant.





Sunday, February 22, 2009

How to Count ALL Human Carbon Emissions in the US


Image: Courtesy The Vulcan Project. The units are log(million metric tons/year/100 square km.), so sayeth our team of commenters. The data is drawn from 2002 via Wired Science 2008.

From: Google Tech Talks, December 16, 2008




ABSTRACT

The Vulcan Project has estimated US fossil fuel CO2 emissions at the scale of individual factories, powerplants, roadways and cities. It has placed the inventory on a common 10 km x10 km grid at the hourly timescale for the year 2002. In addition to improvement in space and time resolution, Vulcan is quantified at the level of fuel type, economic sub-sector, and county/state identification. Vulcan is now estimating other years and including Canada and Mexico in its spatial domain.

Two development paths are planned: performing this effort across the planet at scales of ~ 100 km2 and downscaling the Vulcan effort within the US domain to all emitting sources with full energy demand-driven modeling in near realtime (codename: Hestia)

Slides for this talk are available click here:

http://www.purdue.edu/eas/carbon/vulcan/Google.pptx


Speaker: Dr. Kevin Gurney

Dr Gurney is an Assistant Professor at Purdue University and an Associate Director at Purdue Climate Change Research Center. He has participated in the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change) and sits on the steering committee of the Global Carbon Project. He works on simulation of the global carbon cycle, deforestation, and climate change policy.


Source: How to Count ALL Human Carbon Emissions in the US

1. Japan launch satelite for GHG.
2. Nasa launch CO2 satelite tracker.

My Question:

1. When Malaysia government going to measure it own carbon print. To participate in carbon economy - we need to design, measure, analysis and improve the our strength and weakness.
2. What is MOSTI and EPU status and measure (implementation) on this issue?




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Saturday, February 21, 2009

Maerogel by Prof Dr. Halimaton Hamdan (UTM, Malaysia)

Malaysian scientist turns rice husk into aerogel
It is a silica aerogel produced from rice husk

It is a novel nanomaterial of a highly divided state and exhibits unconventional properties which offers more cost effective methods of production and application.

Aerogel has been around since 1931, but its high cost has limited its use. The new process to make Maerogel cuts the cost of producing aerogel by 80 per cent, making it so affordable that it could become a commonplace material with wide use.

Source: 
1. http://www.chem.utm.my/news/index.pl#tag7
2. http://www.engineeringservicesoutsourcing.com
/b/fe/2008/03/high-tech-insulator-maerogel-possibly.html
3. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/breakthrough-architectural-energy-savings.php

Friday, February 6, 2009

Documentary - Lemonade Stories (2004)

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21:  (L to R) Virgin Grou...Image by Getty Images via Daylife

<a href="http://www.joost.com/257000o/t/<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade" title="Lemonade" rel="wikipedia">Lemonade</a>-Stories">Lemonade Stories</a>

Synopsis:

a film about extraordinary entrepreneurs and their mums, chronicles the impact mothers...

Director: Mary Mazzio

Featuring:

Arthur Blank ... As Himself
Richard Branson ... As Himself
Kay Koplovitz ... As Herself
Tom Scott ... As Himself

Russell Simmons ... As Himself

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435688/

Review:

Inspiring documentary about innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Friday, January 16, 2009

Energy Independence: On-Site Fuel Cell Systems Operating on Biofuels

Energy Independence: On-Site Fuel Cell Systems Operating on Biofuels - 28:00 - Jun 3, 2008 by Benson P. Lee, President and CEO, Technology Management, Inc.


Diagram of a solid oxide fuel cellImage via Wikipedia
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BBC - The world of modern child slavery (2007)



Find about Child Slavery.
"Slavery is a word which immediately conjures up very specific images in our minds.
A smiling boy recycling garbage in Saigon.Image via Wikipedia
Rageh Omaar filming in Somaliland, Rageh Omaar tries to discover the realities about child slavery.

Programme preview

When it is mentioned we tend to think of people, almost always black people; degraded, abused and bound in chains, and we tend to think of such images, and the word slavery itself, as belonging to another era.

We do not see slavery as belonging to our world, not as something which is still happening today"

Full report: "The world of modern child slavery" By Rageh Omaar - Presenter of BBC Two documentary Child Slavery.

Report: International Labour Organization (ILO) Child Labour Report





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BBC.Horizon - Sexual Chemistry (2003)





Very interesting about sexual chemistry and history finding of viagra.

Description:

The drug Viagra revolutionised the treatment of sexual dysfunction in men on its launch five years ago. An accidental discovery, the tablet that gave impotent men the chance once more to have natural erections became the fastest selling pill in history and has earned its manufacturer, Pfizer, over $6bn.

The search is now on for a similar drug that could help women. Research is revealing that female sexuality is more complex than expected. For women suffering from a loss of desire many scientists believe that drugs acting on the brain may be the way forward. A pioneering Scottish study may have identified just such a drug and begun testing it scientifically.

Full link : BBC.Horizon (2003)

Secret History of Credit Card!



The hidden truth about credit card.