Some of the notes of Charles Darwin were first put on-line in October 2006. Today they become more complete with the addition of the first draft of the book which changed the world’s attitude to evolution. The draft notes are among 20,000 archive items created by the 19th Century naturalist during his lifetime, which include …
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Category:7 Holonics and Life
The uncomfortable view from the top
Today’s BBC article Thailand’s Wealthy Untouchables touched a nerve. It describes the chasm between rich and poor and the failure of the rich to take responsibility for themselves. It is interesting to see the emotions of the downtrodden becoming visible. And it illustrates the motivation for changing my career a decade ago. When I looked …
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Costly prejudice against eco-homes
A UK study shows that consumers perceive costs of eco-homes but are unaware of the benefits. The survey suggests that people believe the quality of domestic services in eco-homes to be lower but more costly. This is in contrast to those that are buying or building eco-homes who do so because energy savings repay build …
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Are you in the wrong job?
A UK poll suggests that 20% of people are in a job unsuited to their skills. This is certainly wasteful but may be unsurprising given the preoccupation people have with griping about work. But is it really that bad? It is probably better than it has been historically because job mobility in higher than in …
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Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense
London Times Sunday, 31st March 2008 Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He …
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Turn off the lights …
Cities switch off lights for earth hour … well its a start …
Art illuminates diplomacy in N.Korea
As usual, it has been art that shows the way social and cultural dynamics must evolve. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra has performed a concert in North Korea, playing western and Korean pieces. It was an un-political event, but will most certainly enlighten hearts and minds in North Korea.
Chaordic giant VISA to IPO
Visa, the trillion dollar credit card administration business, is to be listed on a stock market. It will be interesting to see if the innovative company structure designed by Dee Hock (Chaordic Commons) will be compromised by the listing. It won’t immediately. But the very nature of shareholdings is so fundamentally different from the member …
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Cooperative learning
Cooperative learning is an idea that is gaining traction. The approach is more productive and efficient than competitive learning, which is the staple of most schools. Below is a useful introduction from the Georgia Educational Technology Training Center. Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of …
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Using Nature as a Design Guide
Read BusinessWeek’s article about biomimicry here, and see the slideshow.