Earth Portation News December 3rd

ANIMALS - Male chimpanzees choose their allies carefully
Study finds male chimpanzees may increase their chances of siring offspring by recognizing the importance of third-party relationships.
http://phys.org/news273757408.html

ANIMALS - Pygmy mole crickets don't just walk on water, they jump on it
Pygmy mole crickets are known to be prodigious jumpers on land. Now, researchers reporting in the December 4th issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, have found that the tiny insects have found an ingenious method to jump from the water, too. Their secret is a series of spring-loaded, oar-like paddles on their back legs.
http://phys.org/news273754424.html


BIRDS - Songbirds adapt to new urban environs thanks to rapid genetic evolution
(Phys.org)-Indiana University researchers have found evidence that a species of songbird that recently colonized an urban environment exhibits less stress and bolder behavior as compared to counterparts living in the forest. They conclude that adaptation to city life is connected to rapid genetic evolution of both behavior and corresponding hormonal responses.
http://phys.org/news273741095.html


BOOKS - New York Times offers 30 newsroom buyouts
The New York Times said Monday it was offering buyouts to 30 newsroom managers and other journalists as part of an ongoing cost-cutting drive in a difficult environment for the newspaper industry.
http://phys.org/news273757508.html

BOOKS - When Self-Published Ebooks Become Best-Sellers
What do publishers do in a world where anyone can publish a book? It's a question with a good answer.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremygreenfield/2012/12/03/when-self-published-ebooks-become-best-sellers/


EDUCATION - $550 Million Coming Each Year to Green California Schools, Pubic Buildings
Half of the expected revenue from California's Proposition 39 is dedicated towards green energy and energy efficient projects. Good deal.
http://www.treehugger.com/environmental-policy/550-million-dollars-coming-each-year-green-california-schools-ballot-initiative.html


ENERGY - Clean energy 'more urgent', energy watchdog says
The need for a more sustainable global energy system is more urgent than ever, energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency warned on Monday as UN climate talks went into a second week.
http://phys.org/news273746521.html

ENERGY - Driven by Oil Shale Economics, Natural Gas Prices Primed for Slow and Steady Rise
Much has been written about the Marcellus shales, the largest shale gas field in the US. The rapid drilling program has been responsible for a supply glut, which drove spot prices down this year as low as $2.00 per mmBtu. Since then, prices have recovered somewhat, to the $3.75 range. Until recently, it has been hard to get a good view of the supply side dynamics. This is largely because the shale phenomenon is so new that things have taken a while to sort out and for equilibriums to become established. We are now beginning to get a clearer picture.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdetwiler/2012/12/03/driven-by-oil-shale-economics-natural-gas-prices-primed-for-slow-and-steady-rise/

ENERGY - Farm Animals Kept Warm or Cool by Geothermal

Thanksgiving is all finished now, but turkey farms still have to take care of their birds, and that means expensive heating bills in fall and winter. If a University of Missouri engineering professor can replicate his geothermal farm system prototype in other settings, he may have created technology that saves American farmers huge amounts of money in the future.

"Our first set of performance data suggests that farmers could cut their heating costs in half at current propane prices. Currently, two units are installed at the test farm. Other farmers could begin installing units on their turkey farms as soon as next year, for use by next winter," explained Yun-Sheng Xu. (Source: University of Missouri)

Soil temperatures just several feet below the surface can range from 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Placing a series of horizontal tubes in this zone can warm or cool water to its temperature range. When water is cold, placing it in underground tubes can raise the temperature so that heating it up to the required 90 degrees for young turkey or 70 for the adult birds uses less propane, and therefore money can be saved. (The same system can be used in summer to help cool a building containing many animals.)

The cost of propane fluctuates and, if it rises too high, it can eat into or completely erode a farmer's income. So having an affordable, renewable, consistent source of onsite energy could be quite a boon for small farmers whose livelihood depends on a number of external costs they have no control over. Another possibility is building artificial wetlands over the geothermal system, in order to add another lay of insulation.
Image Credit: University of Missouri
Farm Animals Kept Warm or Cool by Geothermal was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/02/farm-animals-kept-warm-or-cool-by-geothermal/

ENERGY - Is it an Offense to God to not use fossil fuels, gasoline, coal, or natural gas?
The Parable of the Talents talks about someone who hid their talent and basically starved, while the person who used and multiplied their talent thrived. Does that mean to leave fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal in the ground is a form of "hiding talents" that God gave us, and meant for us to extract and multiply their value for the enrichment of us all? Really? Maybe God wanted us
http://dlvr.it/2ZP4wt

PEOPLE - Native Americans and Northern Europeans more closely related than previously thought
Using genetic analyses, scientists have discovered that Northern European populations descend from a mixture of two very different ancestral populations, and one of these populations is related to Native Americans.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121130151606.htm


PERMACULTURE - Can Permaculture Transform Industrial Agriculture?
Permaculture is spreading across backyards and community gardens at a rapid pace. But what about farms? A new study aims to find out.
http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-agriculture/can-permaculture-transform-industrial-agriculture.html


PLANTS - 'Come out of the forest' to save the trees
Forestry experts have called for a new approach to managing land and tackling climate change - challenging the ongoing debate that forests have to be sacrificed for the sake of rural development and food security.
http://phys.org/news273752309.html

PLANTS - Researchers investigate one of the oldest mysteries of plant breeding
Hybrid plants provide much higher yield than their homozygous parents. Plant breeders have known this for more than 100 years and used this effect called heterosis for richer harvests. Until now, science has puzzled over the molecular processes underlying this phenomenon. Researchers at the University of Bonn and partners from Tübingen and the USA have now decoded one possible mechanism in corn roots. More genes are active in hybrid plants than in their homozygous parents. This might increase growth and yield of the corn plants. The results are published in the renowned scientific journal Genome Research.
http://phys.org/news273755882.html


SCIENCE - Physicist happens upon rain data breakthrough
A physicist and researcher who set out to develop a formula to protect Apollo sites on the moon from rocket exhaust may have happened upon a way to improve weather forecasting on Earth.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121203090432.htm

SCIENCE - Steps towards filming atoms dancing
With their ultra short X-ray flashes, free-electron lasers offer the opportunity to film atoms in motion in complicated molecules and in the course of chemical reactions. However, for monitoring this motion, the arrival time and the temporal profile of the pulses which periodically illuminate the system, must be precisely known. An international team of scientists has now developed a measurement technique that provides complete temporal characterization of individual FEL (free-electron laser) pulses at DESY's soft-X-ray free-electron laser, named FLASH.
http://phys.org/news273762507.html

SCIENCE - Team uses fractal geometry to build lighter structures
(Phys.org)-A team made up of members from several European countries has published a paper in Physical Review Letters describing a technique they've developed for using fractal geometry to build structures that maintain their strength despite weighing significantly less.
http://phys.org/news273744484.html


SCIENCE - Unique properties of two-dimensional crystal bring potential for optoelectronics, solar cells, valleytronics
When the dry lubricant, molybdenum disulfide, is stripped down to a single layer of atoms, a tightly bound quasi-particle comprised of two electrons and a hole forms with unique spin and valley properties, researchers from Case Western Reserve University and colleagues discovered.
http://phys.org/news273761221.html

SCIENCE - World's smallest wrench puts a new twist on microscopic manipulation
Harnessing laser light's ability to gently push and pull microscopic particles, researchers have created the fiber-optic equivalent of the world's smallest wrench. This virtual tool can precisely twist and turn the tiniest of particles, from living cells and DNA to microscopic motors and dynamos used in biological and physical research.
http://phys.org/news273757316.html


SOLAR - How U.S. solar makers can break into China: JVs, pilots
China isn't just the home of low cost solar panel manufacturing, it also has a potentially huge solar project market, thanks to strong Chinese government support and a rapidly growing need for more energy in general. But if you're an American solar panel maker, how do you break in to the market that's already flooded with cheap Chinese solar panels and seems to hand deals to domestic suppliers more readily? According to a few deals announced on Monday morning, it's going to take baby steps like joint ventures and pilot projects.
On Monday, San Jose, Calif.-based SunPower, which makes efficient premium solar panels and trackers, announced a joint venture with silicon materials company Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor, power company Inner Mongolia Power Group and development group the Hohhot Jinqiao City Development Company, to sell solar tech into the Chinese market. The $60 million JV focuses on SunPower's new C7 Tracker and concentrator technology - a single axis tracker combined with rows of parabolic mirrors and 22.8 percent efficient solar cells - and SunPower is putting in $15 million for a 25 percent stake.
It's a small move compared to the vast size of the Chinese solar project market. Solar watchers expected China to add 3-4 GW of solar projects this year, 10 GW of solar by 2015, and 50 GW
MWby 2020.

And an even smaller deal was announced by an American solar maker in China on Monday, too. Arizona-based First Solar, which makes thin film solar panels, said it has come to an agreement with developer Zhenfa New Energy Science & Technology Company to sell its solar panels to a project in Xinjiang province in early 2013. This would be First Solar's first commercial project in China.
First Solar actually signed a memorandum of understanding with the local government in Inner Mongolia for 2 GW of solar panels back in 2009 and was hoping to move that project forward last year. But regulatory approval has taken longer than expected. In the most recent quarter First Solar said it has hired Bruce Yung as its new China manager, hoping to kickstart that market.
Looks like large solar deals - like First Solar's from back in 2009 - tend to get caught up in approval processes and market fluctuations. There was also a 2 GW solar thermal announcement from eSolar back in 2010 with Chinese power equipment maker Penglai Electric, but I haven't heard about that deal moving forward, either. Smaller steps, working with local partners, seems to be the way to go in the uncertain Chinese solar domestic market.
http://gigaom.feedsportal.com/c/34996/f/646446/s/263881e7/l/0Lgigaom0N0Ccleantech0Chow0Eu0Es0Esolar0Emakers0Ecan0Ebreak0Einto0Echina0Ejvs0Epilots0C/story01.htm

SOLAR - Marines & Army Duke It Out Over Portable Solar Power

In the legendary competition between various branches of the Armed Services, the one being played out right now is probably a first. The Marines and the Army have each embarked on ambitious portable solar power programs that demonstrate just how far solar energy has come since the flower power era. As for getting any of this new technology into civilian hands, it stands to reason that if solar power can hold its own in a combat zone, where life literally depends on it, then it can turn the trick just about anywhere.

Marines and Portable Solar Power 

A couple of years ago we noticed that the Marines were experimenting with portable solar panels that were designed to fold out of oversized metal suitcases for easy set-up in the field. That initiative was called the Ground Renewable Expeditionary ENergy System (GREENS).

Now it looks like the Marines, through the Office of Naval Research (ONR), have stepped things up a notch. The Marine Corps' Renewable Sustainable Expeditionary Power program has just announced an initiative to develop a portable alternative energy system that can ensure a 15-day supply of electricity in the field without the need for any fuel convoys or air drops.

The ultimate goal, according to ONR, is to ensure that the Marine Corps can use renewable resources for all of its electrical needs in the field (fuel for vehicles is another matter) by 2025.
To that end, ONR has enlisted Raytheon, Battelle (the research organization that manages several Department of Energy laboratories) and the solar company Emcore to develop easily transportable hybrid electricity systems that can switch seamlessly between solar power and other fuels.
Army and Portable Solar Power
Meanwhile, the Army has been tracking solar along similar lines. A couple of years ago we noticed that the Army was distributing portable solar power-in-a-backpack kits to Soldiers in Afghanistan.
Ramping it up to the next level, this past summer the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team was trained to use a flexible fuel, smart microgrid field energy system under the Energy to the Edge program. Supplied by the Army's Rapid Equipping Force, the system is designed to reduce dependence on energy and water transportation for remote bases.
Energy to the Edge also improves overall operational efficiency by cutting down down on noise and maintenance issues, compared to petroleum-fueled generators.
Another new Army portable solar initiative that could have a far-ranging impact on civilian energy is the Smart and Green Energy at Base Camps program (SAGE), which launched last summer.
SAGE consists of a 150-person, 10-acre model base camp that can be packed up and shipped in a single cargo aircraft, and set up in four hours.
For that, you get high-efficiency shelters, solar hot water heating, a graywater reycling system, a smart microgrid and other conservation measures. Of particular interest is the fact that all of the equipment is current, off-the-shelf technology.
Energy to the Public
Among the many overlapping angles in the Marine Corps and Army portable/transportable solar initiatives, the one factor that stands out is training and education.
GREENS, Renewable Sustainable Expeditionary Power, Energy to the Edge, and SAGE all rely on a heightened sense of energy awareness in order to get the most out of the new equipment.
One of the clearest expressions of that concept comes from Col. Peter A. Newell, director of the Rapid Equipping Force, who described the awareness of energy management on a Soldier-by-Soldier basis as a "cultural change" for the Army.

The overarching goal of all this is to cut down on the high cost of transporting fossil fuels into combat zones, not just in terms of money but also in human lives. In Newell's world, each Soldier is highly attuned to the fact that all energy used in the field has a human face.
Military technology has a way of trickling into the civilian world, and if you translate that into civilian terms, you've got a culture in which households and communities have more control over the energy they use to get through the day, and more alternatives to using fossil fuels.
If a little friendly competition between the Army and Marine Corps can get us closer to that day, bring it on.
Image: Suitcase by Vintage19Something
Follow me on Twitter: @TinaMCasey

Marines & Army Duke It Out Over Portable Solar Power was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/03/marines-and-army-portable-solar-power/

SOLAR - Qatar Aiming For 16% Electricity From Solar By 2018

Qatar is aiming to generate 16% of its electricity from solar power by 2018, according to Fahad Bin Mohammed al-Attiya, chairman of the organizers of the climate change conference in Doha.

Qatar, an OPEC nation, currently has the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and is the world's current top exporter of liquefied natural gas. Until now, it hasn't shown any shift towards renewable energy, like the majority of OPEC nations haven't. Presumably, these countries worry that it may damage the fossil fuel market.
"We are working on a project to develop 1,800 megawatts of solar power," said Fahad Bin Mohammed al-Attiya. "That will be 16 percent of our total electrical output." The project is projected to be ready by 2018. Currently, the country receives a negligible amount of their electrify from solar power.
"It makes sense for us," he said. "We will also have a feed-in tariff system so that people can put solar systems on their roof and contribute to the grid."

"All these measures have been applied now because solar prices are becoming reasonable and competitive. With the amount of solar hours we have it is economically feasible," Fahad Bin Mohammed al-Attiya noted.
Qatar has been criticized by environmentalists for its failure to set clear goals for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.
Last year, in a report provided to the United Nations, the country wrote:

"Qatar is pursuing voluntarily a national initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as long as they are in line with sustainable development.
"To Qatar, climate change represents a double jeopardy."

That last line is in reference to the fact that climate change is a threat to the country's fragile desert living environment, but also that effective action to address it would undermine international demand for fossil fuels, and potentially their economy.
Source: ReutersImage Credits: Constructionweekonline.com
Qatar Aiming For 16% Electricity From Solar By 2018 was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/03/qatar-aiming-for-16-electricity-from-solar-by-2018/

SOLAR - UC team pursues hot idea: Solar-powered cold food storage
Spoilage of harvests on their way to market contributes to food shortages in India. A UC-industry partnership has produced an innovative solar chiller container and distribution plan to change that.
http://phys.org/news273758542.html

SOLAR - Why the critics are wrong about mobile advertising
There's no disputing we're hurtling towards a true multi-screen society, and mobile is invariably cited as a problem child in this channel family. The standard argument goes that advertisers won't invest as heavily in mobile as they do online because mobile ads are simply not as effective. After all, people don't see mobile ads, or click them accidentally, and just overall don't work anyway, right?
Wrong. It's time to be realistic about mobile advertising. The biggest companies in the world are in fact jostling for mobile leadership - and why wouldn't they, as their audiences continue to shift in the millions to access content on mobile?
Still mobile is not simply an offshoot of online advertising where online ad experiences are simply shrunk for the smaller screen, nor is it an entirely new channel. It is still digital, but offers a new, ubiquitous way of consuming content on a smaller touchscreen device, that presents its own unique set of challenges and opportunities for advertisers. Here's a look at the typical critiques of mobile, and what the reality is or will be.
They don't pay enough
Let's look at the first criticism: that mobile advertising is not lucrative enough when compared to online, because advertisers will not pay the same prices for mobile taps as they will for online clicks, nor will they allocate such sizeable portions of their budget to mobile.
This comparison between the large and small screen lacks fundamental logic. Online is roughly 10 years ahead of mobile in its evolution as an advertising channel and is now considered a tried and tested line item on advertisers' marketing budgets. Naturally, where there is more maturity there is less risk, and where there is less risk, prices will be higher.
Online advertising was once equally nascent, with Google only able to command a few cents for its CPC-based search advertising model. As the market has matured, prices have risen drastically, and the same will happen with mobile. We are already seeing new, engaging mobile rich media ad formats commanding CPMs up to ten times the average for static mobile ad banners. This will only continue.
They fail to engage
Another choice hit is the fat finger theory: namely that the entirety of mobile hits are really accidental. Admittedly there is some accidental clicking on mobile ads. But let's also admit this happens with online too. More importantly though, if fat fingers really did account for most clicks, we would see pitiful post-click conversions and app downloads. Consider, then, that the mobile app ecosystem has been built on an ad-funded model. If mobile advertising didn't work, we wouldn't have witnessed the same explosion in the availability and popularity of apps.
And what about the effect of limited screen estate? It's true that mobile devices are almost by definition smaller than other screens (although 10-inch tablets contend with laptops for screen resolution). But they more than make up for it with great interfaces that are custom-made for consumer interaction - far more so than a typical online ad. Touch them, pinch them, swipe or shake them, find out where you are with them: the most effective ads exploit this rich user interface to incorporate elements that people interact with, turning passive advertising into active engagement. In fact these rich media ad formats are capable of generating double the average clickthrough rates of static mobile ad banners.
Their metrics are inaccurate
Finally, it's claimed that it's impossible to target audiences with the same accuracy on mobile as online. Again, there is some truth here, in that third-party cookies, which underpin the success of online advertising, don't work in the same way on mobile.
The mobile industry has worked hard at finding ways around this issue, and one solution that might unite advertising channels is Real-time Bidding, or RTB. In this model, buyers use big demographic and behavioral data to decide whether or not to bid for each ad impression based on previous behavior. The real beauty of RTB is that this data can be shared across any and all digital channels. So it will work as well on mobile as it does online, or indeed any other digital channel - for example, our app-enabled TV sets that will continue to become mainstream. (Note: my company, Adfonic, specializes in real-time bidding, as do many other companies such as Google's Doubleclick AdEx, AppNexus exchange, 24/7 Real Media RTB For Publishers, among many others).
Mobile may be the best of the bunch
So far from being the problem child, as mobile continues to grow up, it just may well be the pride of the family. Because the one thing it really is better at than any other medium, is being ubiquitous. When people pop their phones in their pockets, they take your advertising with them. Everywhere. So if we need a way to join the dots of channels and screens then mobile, with its versatility and portability, plugged into big demographic data, really could be it.
Suddenly, instead of talking about channels, we're talking funnels, in which the more we know about people, the more we as mobile advertisers can move from awareness and interest through to desire and action. And instead of devices we're talking demographics, in which advertisers buy audiences.
Steve Jobs famously said: "You've got to start with the customer experience and work back toward the technology." Mobile advertising, based on intuitive devices, moving with people, flexing and adapting to their behavior, will soon start with the customer experience. We just needed the technology to get there.

Victor Malachard is co-Founder and CEO of Adfonic, which operates a real-time bidding platform for mobile. Following him on Twitter @VictorMalachard.

http://gigaom.feedsportal.com/c/34996/f/646446/s/2630951d/l/0Lgigaom0N0C20A120C120C0A20Cwhy0Ethe0Ecritics0Eare0Ewrong0Eabout0Emobile0Eadvertising0C/story01.htm


SPACE - Arianespace launches satellite from French Guinea
(AP)-A Russian-made rocket has put an observation satellite into orbit after blasting off from a European space consortium's launchpad in French Guiana.
http://phys.org/news273638622.html

SPACE - At last, how many alien civilizations are there?
During the space age, 1961 was a special year: the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to orbit Earth, while the American astronomer Frank Drake developed the now famous Drake Equation. This equation estimates the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations in our Milky Way galaxy, supposing our present electromagnetic detection methods. The Drake equation states:
http://phys.org/news273739899.html

SPACE - Australia unveils telescope to warn of solar flares
Australia has unveiled a new radio telescope in the remote outback that will give the world a vastly improved view of the sun and much faster warnings on massive solar storms.
http://phys.org/news273565071.html

SPACE - Why study plants in space?
(Phys.org)-Why is NASA conducting plant research aboard the International Space Station? Because during future long-duration missions, life in space may depend on it.
http://phys.org/news273741123.html


TECH - 1,300 Taiwanese form giant human QR barcode
More than 1,000 Taiwan people formed a human QR code Sunday in an event designed to promote the island to the world by cashing in on the rising use of smartphones which can read the barcodes.
http://phys.org/news273666657.html

TECH - 3-D printing in soil science laboratories
The advantages of 3-D printing are now being put to the test in soil science laboratories.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121128093250.htm

TECH - Google's 'Internet Evangelist' on the Fight for a Free and Open Internet
It's no secret the role of the internet is changing. Even as it connects more computers, people ,and ideas every day,
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2012/12/03/googles-internet-evangelist-on-the-fight-for-a-free-and-open-internet/

TECH - Guess what Mr. CIO? One in five of your employees uses Dropbox at work
Note to CIOs: If you don't think your workers are using Dropbox to store and share business documents, you've got another think coming.
One out of five of 1,300 business users surveyed said they use the consumer file-sync-and-share system with work documents, according to new research by Nasuni, an enterprise storage management company. And, half of those Dropbox users do this even though they know it's against the rules.
The most blatant offenders are near the top of the corporate heap - VPs and directors are most likely to use Dropbox despite the documented risks and despite corporate edicts. C-level and other execs are the people who brought their personal iPads and iPhones into the office in the first place and demanded they be supported.
These findings should not be news to anyone who's been paying attention. Dropbox, the popular service that consumers use to store and share photos, files and other documents, has become the proxy for "shadow IT" - technology that comes inside a corporation but is beyond the control and tracking of corporate IT departments.
Dropbox claims a whopping 100 million users - and its popularity is driven by the exploding use of smart phones and tablets to send, sync and share documents. This whole bring your own device (BYOD) movement causes huge headaches for corporate IT departments which are supposed to keep company data secure. The problem with many corporate file-share-and-sync solutions, is they aren't as easy to use as Dropbox and don't necessarily support personal smartphones or tablets. So if you're trying to work and need your document, you take the path of least resistance: Dropbox.
Here's the problem: if corporate workers put sensitive internal files up there, the door is open to abuse. According to the survey:

"The sensitive data stored in Dropbox is not secure and just as importantly, not controlled by IT. This means that if an employee leaves the company, the information that [a] user has stored goes with them, creating a significant risk of data loss or exposure. Furthermore, as the amount of sensitive corporate data stored in Dropbox increases, the online file-sharing service will become a
more attractive target for hackers and other malicious groups."

Companies like Nasuni - or rivals like TwinStrata and StorSimple as well as companies like Box, OwnCloud and LogMeIn - pitch their services as enterprise-class secure cloud storage. So, the survey is self-serving for Nasuni, but that doesn't mean the results aren't worth noting.
http://gigaom.feedsportal.com/c/34996/f/646446/s/2632995a/l/0Lgigaom0N0Ccloud0Cguess0Ewhat0Emr0Ecio0Eone0Ein0Efive0Eof0Eyour0Eemployees0Euse0Edropbox0Efor0Ework0Efiles0C/story01.htm

TECH - Here's What It Looks Like To Fire A (Partly) 3D-Printed Gun (Video)
Three months ago, the gunsmiths behind the group known as Defense Distributed announced their intention to create a working, lethal gun anyone can download and 3D-print at home. Now their experiments with actual 3D-printed firearm components and live ammunition have started. And they're documenting their progress on video.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/12/03/heres-what-it-looks-like-to-fire-a-partly-3d-printed-gun-video/

TECH - Meet Chefs Feed, the anti-Foodspotting
Running a restaurant recommendation app is not necessarily as glamorous as one might think. Especially when you've made a conscious decision to limit your contributors to the superstars of the food world.
When Jared Rivera founded Chefs Feed with his brother Steve Rivera in 2011, he was living the foodie dream. He had to fly all over the U.S. to interview some of the country's most acclaimed chefs for a series of video spots shown for Virgin America, Chefs Feed's primary sponsor.
He visited 500 restaurants and as you might expect, he got to some pretty amazing food in the process. He also gained 25 lbs. and contracted gout. When he got back to San Francisco he walked on crutches for weeks. "He sacrificed his body for Chefs Feed," CEO Steve Rivera quipped in an interview with GigaOM.
At first glance Chefs Feed seems like so many other social eating/food porn apps like Foodspotting, Forkly and Nosh. It's rife with pictures of luscious dishes from acclaimed restaurants, but you quickly notice what's missing.
There is no way for you or I to upload a dish photo or make a dish recommendation, and the Riveras like it that way. The only people who can recommend a dish are the 600 professional chefs that make up the Chefs Feed roster of curators. From the Riveras perspective, serious eaters want to know where Mario Batali (Babbo, Lupa) eats in New York and what Thomas Keller (French Laundry) eats in San Francisco - not the selections of some random dude with a smartphone and a few too many whiskey sours.
That might sound snobby, but then again "foodie" is just a newer word for "food snob". Chefs Feed is going after the type of diner that obsesses about their meals, and that audience doesn't want just anyone recommending what food they eat.
The web and mobile apps have done wonderful things for the democratization of the restaurant review. We're no longer dependent on an elite group of food critics to tell us where and what to eat. Instead we crowdsource, each of us handing out stars on Yelp and uploading images to Foodspotting. But the Riveras - who ran a restaurant public relations firm before committing full time to Chefs Feed - would argue crowdsourcing has gone too far. By soliciting everyone's opinion, you really have gotten no opinion at all.
Chefs Feed's approach splits the difference. Rather than aggregate the recommendations of critics or the masses, it collects the opinions of professionals successful in their craft. For the most part, those chefs run their own restaurants and several are celebrities in their own right - such as Keller, Batali, and Wolfgang Puck - while many would only be known to people who closely follow their local food scenes. A participating chef can recommend and upload a photo of any dish, as long as it's not one of their own.
When Chefs Feed launched last year it was a pretty bare-bones iPhone app, allowing you to select one of four cities and then giving you a list of dishes from specific restaurants that local chefs had recommended. Since then, Chefs Feed has expanded to 15 U.S. cities and overseas to London, and in October it launched a new version of its iPhone app that adds much more information about individual dishes, chefs and restaurants.
But the new version also adds a layer of social networking, so Chefs Feed users aren't reduced to passive participants. Only chefs can add new dishes, but users can comment on those choices, communicating with chefs and their friends.
"You can eat your way through San Francisco, and show all of the dishes you've tried," Steve Rivera said. But the app is meant to be more than just a recommendation engine, he added. It's meant to be a tool for connecting chefs to the public, allowing them to communicate directly with their patrons and fans as well as participate in a larger dialogue with the culinary community in their cities. Chefs aren't just submitting their own dish recommendations, they're actively commenting on the picks of other chefs and feedback left by diners, Rivera said.
Ultimately the Steve and Jared Rivera want Chefs Feed to grow into a digital media company, becoming a specialized network where professional chefs will promote their restaurants, food, cookbooks and future plans. The company still has a lot of growing to do, though. Chefs Feed is still only available on the iPhone, where it has been downloaded about 200,000 times. Compared to the food mega-apps like Yelp and Foodspotting, it's tiny. But Chefs Feed has raised $1 million in angel funding, and it's not just attracting the attention of some of the country's most prominent chefs. It's attracting interest in Silicon Valley tech circles. Former Twitter VP of product Satya Patel and former Expedia CFO Mike Adler have signed on as advisors.
http://gigaom.feedsportal.com/c/34996/f/646446/s/262f6019/l/0Lgigaom0N0C20A120C120C0A20Cmeet0Echefs0Efeed0Ethe0Eanti0Efoodspotting0C/story01.htm

TECH - Pope joins tweeting masses with Pontifex handle (Update)
(AP)-Benedict XVI, the pope known for his hefty volumes of theology, is now trying brevity-spreading the faith through his own Twitter account.
http://phys.org/news273739072.html

TECH - Say Goodbye To The Fluorescent Buzz

Scientists at Wake Forest University have developed a flicker-free, shatterproof alternative for large-scale lighting that they claim is at least twice as efficient as CFL technology and less expensive than LEDs. The lighting is based on field-induced polymer electroluminescent (FIPEL) technology, which uses a nano-engineered polymer matrix to convert the charge into light.

"People often complain that fluorescent lights bother their eyes, and the hum from the fluorescent tubes irritates anyone sitting at a desk underneath them...The new lights we have created can cure both of those problems and more." - David Carroll, Director, Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials, Wake Forest.

The device is made of three layers of moldable white-emitting polymer blended with a small amount of nanomaterials that glow when stimulated to create a bright white light similar to that of sunlight. The lighting can be made in any color and shape, and it is nearly indestructible and long-lasting (David Carroll has one that has worked for about a decade).
Carroll's team is the first to make a large-scale FIPEL that can replace current office lighting and is based on natural white light. Beyond office and home lighting, Carroll sees potential uses for large display lighting, from store marquees to signs on buses and subway cars.

The research supporting the technology can be found in the peer-reviewed journal, Organic Electronics. Wake Forest is currently working with a company to manufacture the lighting technology and plans to have it in market as early as next year.
Source: Wake Forest University
Say Goodbye To The Fluorescent Buzz was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/03/say-goodbye-to-the-fluorescent-buzz/

TECH - Second African nation gets Google street view
Botswana on Monday became the second African country to be featured on Google Maps' Street View, allowing users to explore landmarks such as the Okavango Delta.
http://phys.org/news273757584.html

TECH - Sender of first text message 'amazed' 20 years on
The British software engineer who sent the world's first text message 20 years ago said on Monday that he is amazed at how the technology has developed.
http://phys.org/news273745094.html

TECH - Should I Buy A Mac For My Business In 2013?
They do make great products. But is this enough of a reason to equip your employees with MacBooks or iMacs in 2013? Ten years ago this wasn't even a discussion. It was Windows or Windows. Today, Apple has made a huge dent in Microsoft's market and people love their iPads. And many of these same people want to know if they should buy other Apple products for their business.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2012/12/03/should-i-buy-a-mac-for-my-business-in-2013/

TECH - Staples customers can get a head and more with 3-D printing
(Phys.org)-Given the curiosity and novelty factors, if not utility, of 3-D printers. was it not just a matter of time? A speeded-up trend is in the works of getting 3-D printing into the hands of all consumers, from agency creatives to industrial product designers, to architects, to health professionals, to students, to gift-givers with a sense of flair and humor. 3-D printing is coming to Staples. A partnership between Staples Printing Systems Division and Mcor Technologies has resulted in the launch of a 3-D printing service, "Staples Easy 3D."
http://phys.org/news273737458.html

TECH - Taiwan engineers defeat limits of flash memory
(Phys.org)-Taiwan-based Macronix has found a solution for a weakness in flash memory fadeout. A limitation of flash memory is simply that eventually it cannot be used; the more cells in the memory chips are erased, the less useful to store data. The write-erase cycles degrade insulation; eventually the cell fails. "Flash wears out after being programmed and erased about 10,000 times," said the IEEE Spectrum. Engineers at Macronix have a solution that moves flash memory over to a new life. They propose a "self-healing" NAND flash memory solution that can survive over 100 million cycles.
http://phys.org/news273639119.html

TECH - Ten Wild Things You Can 3D Print At Home
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mhl45lmke/lego-adapters-2/

TECH - The Future of Computers: Voice Recognition
It is widely speculated that after touch screen computers and convertibles (laptop/tablet hybrids) peak within the market, manufacturers will shift their focus to voice recognition. But is this really feasible? What will it take for computers to recognize our words with the same precision as the click of a mouse?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/12/03/the-future-of-computers-voice-recognition/

TECH - The Military's Most Science-Fictional Projects
As the most forward-thinking research arm of the Pentagon, it's the job of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to take creations worthy of a comic book or Bond film and make them a reality. The agency already has a few truly revolutionary inventions under its belt, including the Internet, GPS, and unmanned aerial vehicles. These are a few projects the agency is cooking up for decades to come.
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mhl45lmmd/exoskeleton-2/

TECH - These Are The 61 Countries Most Vulnerable To An Internet Shutdown
For 52 hours last week, Syria joined the small and unfortunate club of countries whose governments have chosen, however briefly, to return their citizens to the digital dark ages. That club, which also includes Egypt and Myanmar, remains small for now. But if you live in any of these five dozen countries, it could happen to you, too.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/12/03/these-are-the-61-countries-most-susceptible-to-an-internet-shutdown/

TECH - Time Warner Cable expands Wi-Fi reach by tapping public hotspots
Time Warner Cable has added a secret ingredient to its growing outdoor Wi-Fi footprint: other people's hotspots. The cable operator is working with Boston-Tel Aviv startup WeFi to create a virtual network of millions of hotspots its customers can access for free and without ever entering a password.
WeFi has developed software for the handset and network that detects, measures and tracks the signal strength and capacity of millions of deployed hotspots mobile cell sites around the world. The company's WeANDSF (the acronym is for Access Network Discovery and Selection Function, a mobile industry standard designed to merge Wi-Fi into cellular networks) platform then crunches all of that data selecting the optimal network connection for any given device at any given location and time.
WeFi sells the technology primarily to mobile operators, which use it to offload traffic from their 3G mobile networks to cheaper Wi-Fi connections, but VP of marketing David Fishman said that cable operators have gotten more interested in providing wireless data services. They may not run mobile networks, but cable providers want to encourage their customers to access their broadband connections and video programming outside of the home, making those services that much stickier, Fishman said. Given that the cable companies' early attempts to launch their own mobile broadband networks failed, Wi-Fi presents itself as a cheap and plentiful alternative.
Time Warner has already launched extensive outdoor Wi-Fi networks in some of its key cable markets, and it has partnered with Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks to create a 50,000-hotspot joint roaming network. WeFi used its WeANDSF technology to help Time Warner plan its portion network, but it also mined the unlicensed airwaves to find open and reliable hotspots Time Warner can tap for free.
Fishman wouldn't reveal how many open hotspots it's adding to Time Warner's footprint, saying only there were a potential 10 million hotspots in the U.S. that could eventually be included. He stressed that these aren't residential access point left without password protection, but free hotspots intended to be accessed by the public offered by governments and businesses like Starbucks. WeFi competitor Devicescape already tracks 7.8 million of these hotspots in the U.S., and is adding more to its databases each day.
Time Warner customers don't have to do anything to access these hotspots. In fact, some of them probably already are. WeFi's client is already embedded in some of Time Warner's Wi-F Finder apps, which allows smartphones and tablets to find and automatically connect to the virtual network, Fishman said, and TWC plans to implement it in all of its apps in the future.
http://gigaom.feedsportal.com/c/34996/f/646446/s/262ff21a/l/0Lgigaom0N0Cmobile0Ctime0Ewarner0Ecable0Eexpands0Ewi0Efi0Ereach0Eby0Etapping0Epublic0Ehotspots0C/story01.htm

TECH - Weekend Project: Cleaning Your PC
When did you last open up your PC and give it a good clean out inside? If this isn't something you've done in a few years then you might be surprised just how much dirt and debris that has collected inside the case.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankingsleyhughes/2012/12/02/weekend-project-cleaning-your-pc/


URBAN - Good architecture brings lower levels of violence in psychiatric care
Good medical architecture can reduce levels of aggression and violence in psychiatric care, according to a new study. When an improved psychiatry building was constructed at Östra Hospital in Sweden, the number of cases of belt restraint of patients decreased by 44 percent, and the number of compulsory injections decreased by 21 percent.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121129093140.htm

URBAN - Whipping Swiss cottages into green shipshape
By making Strickbau wood log building more energy efficient while restoring them in line with conservation principles, scientists are participating to their revival and use for modern living.
http://phys.org/news273737562.html


WATER - DOE Publishes New Study On Biological Impact Of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

When it comes to potential new renewable energy sources, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) has a lot going for it. Greenhouse gas emissions and their climate change effects, ongoing ecosystem and biodiversity loss and degradation, and already high fossil fuel prices - with the likelihood of only going higher over time - have come together in alignment to spur serious, government-backed efforts at finding a cost-effective technology capable of generating clean, renewable electricity derived from the natural temperature gradient that exists deep throughout the world's oceans.
Besides the technological and economic hurdles, the ecological impacts of OTEC systems remain uncertain. Described in a 2011 environmental report on OTEC as "an unprecedented environmental modification [that] must be rigorously evaluated," the daily flow of a 5 MW pilot OTEC plant has been estimated at more than 2 million cubic meters of water.

A focal point in this regard is the biological and ecological effects of pumping and discharging massive volumes of nutrient-rich deep ocean water up to near surface depths. One cause for concern is the potential for this to result in phytoplankton blooms. Another is the potential entrapment and mortality of organisms in OTEC system intake pipes. A simulation and analysis performed by O'ahu's Makai Ocean Engineering recently published by the Department of Energy (DOE) indicates that perturbations resulting from operation of a 100MW OTEC plant in the waters off O'ahu would not have significant impacts on phytoplankton reproduction.
The Making of Makai's Bio-physical OTEC Model
Makai Ocean Engineering has been involved in OTEC research and development since way back in the late 1970s. In late September this year, the DOE published a technical report describing the modeling Makai has done in simulating the "biochemical effects of the nutrient-enhanced seawater plumes that are discharged by one or several 100 megawatt (MW) OTEC plants."
In order to simulate the biochemical response for three classes of phytoplankton, Makai's biological and physical model entailed setting up grid cells with three-hour time steps for the waters surrounding O'ahu, in conformance with the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) approved by the EPA.

Makai calibrated the dynamic biological phytoplankton model using data collected for the Hawaii Ocean Time Series (HOTS) project and then had it peer reviewed. The physical oceanography model component made use of "boundary conditions from a surrounding Hawai'i Regional Ocean Model (HROM) operated by the University of Hawai'i and the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA)."

Makai ran its model for a "100 MW OTEC plant consisting of four separate ducts discharging a total combined flow rate of 420 cubic meters/second of warm water and 320 m3/s of cold water in a mixed discharge" at a depth of 70 meters. At this depth, the HOTS system observations indicate concentrations of phytoplankton at a density of 10-15 mg of carbon per cubic meter, according to the technical report.
The Results
After first running simulations without the OTEC system in order to calibrate its model with the HOTS system, Makai ran the simulation with the addition of the model for the 100MW OTEC plant.

The researchers, among other things, found that, "because this terminal near-field plume is well below the 1% light limited depths (~120m), no immediate biological utilization of the nutrients occurs.

They explain that, "As the nitrate is advected and dispersed downstream, a fraction of the deep ocean nutrients (< 0.5 umol/kg perturbation) mix upward where they are utilized by the ambient phytoplankton population." They found that this occurs around 25 kilometers downstream from the plant at 110-70 meters depth.
For pico-phytoplankton, the modeling results indicated that "this nutrient perturbation causes a phytoplankton perturbation of approximately 1 mgC/m3 (~10% of average ambient concentrations) that covers an area 10×5 km in size at the 70 to 90m depth. Thus, the perturbations are well within the natural variability of the system, generally corresponding to a 10 to 15% increase above the average pico-phytoplankton biomass."
Furthermore, this perturbation "exhibits a meandering horizontal plume trajectory and spatial extent, but remains similar in magnitude (generally 1-2 mgC/m3)."
Diatom perturbations become more noticeable after three weeks of running the simulation, "when the nearshore diatom population trends towards a greater concentration of 1 to 3 mgC/m3. They note that this increase is a fraction of ambient, background concentrations, "with perturbations remaining within fluctuations of the existing system."
Makai's researchers conclude by explaining that, "The perturbations were quantified by post-processing each time-step of model simulations without OTEC plants, with identical simulations that included OTEC plumes. Without this post processing, the 10-25% perturbations were obscured by the larger dynamic variations naturally caused by ocean circulation."
DOE Publishes New Study On Biological Impact Of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/03/doe-publishes-new-study-on-biological-impact-of-ocean-thermal-energy-conversion/

WATER - Elegant Pendulum Pump Could Help Third World Water Supply

If you're familiar with steampunk, some of this will be familiar ground. It's a new high-tech, hand-powered water pump based on the pendulum, an ancient device popularized in the Victorian era and made notorious as an instrument of hair-raising torture by steampunk great-great grandfather Edgar Allan Poe (yeah, we know there were others, but he's our fave)
In this case, we're talking about a company called Gravitational Energy Corporation (GEC), which uses a high effficiency pendulum to translate human effort into a far greater outcome than the typical hand pump could achieve. The new device, called the GP210, has potential use in parts of Africa and other regions where water delivery remains an enormous stumbling block to community health.

The Pit and the Pendulum - Remix!

Where Poe's imagination saw the pendulum as a thing of evil, the folks at GEC contacted CleanTechnica to let us know how the GP210 can be put to work in disaster relief as well as for the long haul. The pendulum itself is only four feet long and weighs only 40 pounds, and the rest is easily transportable equipment that can be set up on a trailer or a stationary platform.
A couple of years ago, the company put a GP210 to the test in a project with the childrens' advocacy and disaster relief organization One Life Missions Foundation, to help after the earthquake in Haiti.
According to the company, the device produced drinking water for about 4,000 people on a daily basis, requiring only about three hours of operation. The company states that it can pump about 1,000 gallons of water per hour with "minimal effort."
Pendulum Powered Pump - How it Works
GEC isn't the only company betting on pendulum power. A while back, CleanTechnica talked about a Serbian invention that combines a lever and a pendulum to produce impressive energy gains.
The basic idea is fairly straightforward. You expend a measure of extra effort to start the pendulum (say, with a couple of extra helpers if necessary), and after that it takes a relatively small amount of work to keep it going indefinitely. Gravity does the rest, adding a lot of extra oomph to the human operator's work.
In other words, don't confuse this with a perpetual motion device. There is going to be some energy input, but in regions where fuel is scarce or expensive that is a relatively minor consideration. A relatively simple device like the GP210 could help provide more flexibility in terms of time, strength, and the distribution of work in a community. These are all critical factors when water needs to be hand-pumped, and often hauled by hand, too.
The GP210 takes it to the next level with the patented Feltenberger Pendulum, named for inventor and GEC co-founder Bruce Feltenberger.
According to GEC, the Feltenberger Pendulum incorporates two major improvements. One is a nearly frictionless pivot point, and the other is a moveable axle that slides in and out horizontally as the pendulum swings back and forth.
The axle is attached to a rod-and-piston pump, and there you have it.
But wait, there's more. If needed, the GP210 can also run on conventional fuel, and GEC sells a version of it packaged with a high-efficiency water filtration system.
Bringing a Pendulum to a Gunfight
We've been following the U.S. military's rapid adoption of alternative energy, so it didn't surprise us to learn that a company called DriPowder LLC is marketing the GP210 as a general-purpose pump ideal for military use.
Somewhat ironically, the same characteristics that would make the pump attractive to the Department of Defense also come into play for disaster relief.
The GP210 requires no fuel, operates in virtual silence, and produces drinking water from practically any fresh water source. It can also be modified to hook up to a flywheel, a drill, or other small-scale hydraulic devices.
When used to power a generator, the device can produce enough electricity for laptops, LED lighting, communications equipment, and battery recharging.
For what it's worth, the GP210 also produces no heat signature.
Image: Pendulum by '|'||'| '|'[]||{
Follow me on Twitter: @TinaMCasey
Elegant Pendulum Pump Could Help Third World Water Supply was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/02/elegant-pendulum-based-hand-pump-could-help-improve-africa-water-supply/


WIND - FirstEnergy Solutions & PECO Offering 100% Renewable Electricity

American residential customers served by energy company PECO will now have the opportunity to purchase 100% renewable electricity thanks to FirstEnergy Solutions.
The independent program offers certification and verification of renewable energy and will allow residents to enroll in a one-year offer at 9.35 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) through December 2013, or a two-year offer at 9.90 cents per kWh through to December 2014.

This marks a wonderful opportunity for customers served by PECO who want to ensure their carbon footprint is as low as possible. The opportunity to select 100% renewable electricity and be sure of its 'cleanliness' is a major step forward towards a wider understanding of what steps consumers can take for themselves without huge outlays of money.
To sign up for more informtion, residents should visit www.fes.com/PaGreen or call 1-877-203-6240.
Source: FirstEnergy SolutionsImage Source: Sam Churchill
FirstEnergy Solutions & PECO Offering 100% Renewable Electricity was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/03/firstenergy-solutions-peco-offering-100-renewable-electricity/

WIND - US Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Bidding Proposal Announced By Obama Administration

Despite criticism about the lack of action on climate change policy, the Obama Administration is moving forward with further expanding renewable energy policy. Case in point, the US Department of the Interior (DOI) is opening up bids for offshore wind farming off the Atlantic Coast.
US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Tom Beaudreau, and Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes announced on Friday a proposal to open bids for 278,000 acres of offshore wind energy in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Virginia, the release said.

Image Credit: Offshore wind farm via Eugene Suslo/Shutterstock

"Wind energy along the Atlantic holds enormous potential, and today we are moving closer to tapping into this massive domestic energy resource to create jobs, increase our energy security and strengthen our nation's competitiveness in this new energy frontier," said Salazar in the statement.
"We are implementing the President's all-of-the-above strategy by focusing on developing areas with the lowest potential conflicts and the greatest expected gains. As we experience record domestic oil and gas development, we are moving forward at the same time with efforts to ensure that America continues to lead the world at developing the energy of the future," he said.
Set for 2013, these will be the first-ever competitive lease sales for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) wind energy.
The proposed offshore competitive wind sales is just another attempt to cut oil dependency and US foreign oil use, which is at 50%, the lowest since 1995, according to US government data.
BOEM plans the sales of a total of 277,550 acres in Virginia, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, powering up to 1.4 million homes with clean energy.
Meanwhile, the announcement may just be a first step in boosting the overall offshore picture. The Guardian also noted potential projects down the road:

"Other blocks identified include areas of North Carolina and New Jersey. There are also plans to eventually site wind farms on the Pacific Coast, in Oregon and Hawaii."

Despite the announcement, the impending end of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy projects at the end of this year could put the industry in a stalemate and set back future wind projects.
Nonetheless, the proposed bidding for offshore wind projects will continue to move renewable energy policy forward and put the fossil fuel industry on further notice.
Source: US Department of the Interior
US Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Bidding Proposal Announced By Obama Administration was originally published on: CleanTechnica
http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/03/us-atlantic-offshore-wind-farms-open-business/


WORK - Can the U.S. Create 8.8 Million Jobs By Boosting Immigrant Start-ups?
If you listened to the political rhetoric before last month's presidential election, you could be forgiven for thinking that the president was personally responsible for the precise number of jobs created in the U.S. economy each month. And if that number was disappointing, you could use that disappointment to fuel your decision to throw the president out of office.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2012/12/03/can-the-u-s-create-8-8-million-jobs-by-boosting-immigrant-start-ups/

WORK - Employers often more interested in hiring potential friends than the very best candidates
Employers are often more focused on hiring someone they would like to hang out with than they are on finding the person who can best do the job, suggests a new study.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121129093008.htm