Be-200 ~ Multipurpose Russian UAC Amphibian Jet Aircraft

The Russian United Aircraft company's Beriev group has a fantastically interesting multipurpose amphibious jet plane, the Be-200, which can take-off and land on either land or water, can carry passengers or cargo, including 12 tons of water -- scooped-up from lake, river, or sea while flying (!) -- for fire-fighting purposes. This aircraft should enable much more effective coastal resource management, emergency support, and tourism to myriad islands and other near-shore areas without land-based airfields and other heavyweight infrastructure. Check out the sales video...

Russia's United Aircraft Corp ~ A Hungry-Third Challenger to Airbus & Boeing

President Putin and colleagues in Russia have pulled together famous but disparate assets -- including Tupolev, Beriev, Sukhoi, and Ilyushin to name just a few legendary firms -- to create United Aircraft Corporation (UACRussia), a vertically integrated venture encompassing the bulk of Russia's aircraft industry. This is intended to marshal and concentrate development and marketing resources and become competitive globally. This is very exciting, since I think the world needs a Hungry-Third challenger to the Airbus vs Boeing duopoly.

Nelson Interview's Griffith @ ETech...

Very nice interview by Fritz Nelson of TechWebTV entitled Energy Literacy: Saul Griffith Unplugged At ETech, the conference organized by O'Reilly. The video...

Socket Sense Expando-Powerstrip!

Clever and useful powerstrip made for expansion... (Via GeekPress)

Yael Naim ~ Apple's Air Ad Singer...

French-Israeli Yael Naim singing New Soul, the soundtrack during the Apple Air advertisement...

Folding Bike Wheel

Duncan Fitzsimons has invented a full-sized bicycle wheel which collapses for compact transport & storage...

Dove Onslaught...

Dove is trying to be a good corporate citizen through its campaigns. This one appeals to parents and young girls alike...

Asheesh Advani, co-founder of CircleLending, now Virgin Money USA, on HighTechFever (Repeat)

Tonight on my HighTechFever TV show, I replayed an old interview I had with Asheesh Advani, the co-founder of CircleLending which was recently acquired by Virgin to create Virgin Money US. The business is all about formalizing and facilitating loans between family, friends, and professional associates. They serve a very interesting segment of the micro-and-personal financial services sector. Apparently Richard Branson thought so too!

MIT Enterprise Forum on IPO Strategies ~ 24 January 2008

The MIT Enterprise Forum is hosting a global broadcast event together with NASDAQ Education Foundation on the topic of Are You Ready for IPO? Strategies and Steps For How and When to Take Your Company Public next week Thursday, 24 January 24, 2008 from 7:00 - 8:30pm Eastern Standard Time. People in the Boston-metro area are welcome to attend live in MIT's Kresge Auditorium (plus participate in the 5:30 - 7:00pm Reception beforehand!)

Sea Launch Success!

Sea Launch, the multi-nation spacecraft launch system which shoots rockets from an ocean-going delivery pad, has successfully launched the Thuraya-3 satellite! Here's an image from an earlier daytime launch...

Kiva.org Aggregates & Distributes MicroFinance

Kiva.org is a great example of an internet-enabled microfinance innovation. You pick the specific entrepreneur(s) you find compelling and loan them as much (or little) as you like. Kiva aggregates micro-loans together and engages with both local partners and makes the collective loan to the entrepreneur. Here Bill Clinton describes it to Fox's Greta Van Susteren...

Emergent Regions ~ Towards a Greater Aqaba

One of the most promising countries in the Levant and Middle East more generally is Jordan. And within that country, the city of Aqaba is beginning to benefit from an influx of investment. The ASEZA Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority is one key institution attracting financier attention, including the Ayla Oasis, Aqaba Heights, and Saraya Aqaba Project...

More Auto Inventions -- TATA Nano

India's TATA unveiled their Nano or People's Car...

Auto Inventions -- Disappearing Doors; Bump-Cancelling Shocks; Robot Wheels

Three great example automobile inventions coming soon to vehicles near you. First disappearing car doors...

And then the BOSE active suspension, like "noise-cancellation" for bumps...

And finally Robot Wheels.

Aerion Supersonic Executive Jet

The new Aerion supersonic executive jet promises to bring Concorde-like speeds to the needs of modern capitalists. I want one. See article in Economist entitled Winging It.

Solar Crusader, Harish Hande of SELCO

Congratulations to pioneering solar photovoltaic systems entrepreneur Harish Hande, co-founder of SELCO, who has been named as one the 21 young leaders of the 21st Century -- a Solar Crusader -- by India's Business Today magazine. Harish has been Lighting Up Rural India for over a decade now and is an inspiring example of a developmental entrepreneur.