[Yr7-10it] BetterPlace.com

Tue Mar 24 16:45:49 EST 2009

Hi Kent,

> Although I do enjoy your frequent posts of the topics you find,
> I tend to think that perhaps the OT list may be a better place
> for the posts.  Cheers Kent.

Thanks for your opinion, Kent.

So, then, perhaps you, and any other interested list subscribers, could
advise what IT related topic IS off-topic to this Yr7-10 Info Tech list?

Seems this may be one core issue. I know of no guidelines for this list,
and unlike say Sofdev/English lists which revolve around a set syllabus,
what IT related topics are 'off-topic' for Yr7-10 IT? 

I take the view that ANY exciting new Info Tech application, which is 
likely to interest kids, is useful for classes. And new electric cars,
which download videos, and upload data regards being stolen .. *whilst
being charged over your normal power lines, with NO other connections*
and almost certain to hit Aussie streets within 2 years, to be of quite
some interest, one may think, for practically any info tech class. Yes?

Imho kids just looove that sort of IT stuff. Interesting, brand new and
'space agey' haha. I don't work full time, and, have time to find such
nuggets. I'm guessing perhaps others don't. So i share with colleagues
whilst at the same time, thinking to build this on-line 7-10 community.

So, if i'm wrong in helping like this, perhaps you might like to steer
me to a definition of what exactly IS off-topic for year 7-10 infotech?

If it's IT, and new and exciting, a brief mention, together with class
discussion of associated info tech principles, makes IT classes buzz :)

The seven *lovely* emails received privately re this do certainly seem
to agree that a 'widely-based' IT approach, catering to kid's interests
and, certainly their own immediate future regarding InfoTech, is right.

On the other hand, the off-topic list, which is the off-topic list for
all your edulist lists, (eg, English, Lit etc etc) will be bored by IT
for the most part. (gasp!) So, in a sense, offtopic is offtopic to it?

So my question is, how does one define 'off-topic' for our 7-10 IT list?

Cheers people
Stephen Loosley

> Pauline writes,
> 
> > Ta Stephen. This is fascinating. So it does seem quite probable that
> > we will soon have a chain of Energy Stations (aka petrol stations) to
> > power cars, with many other benefits as well. Eg, swap your car's
> > batteries in 3 minutes (or we recharge it over a smart grid) and at
> > the same time download a video into the car for the kids, and disable
> > a stolen car from being recharged. They say the electricity would cost
> > around one seventh of petrol, for the same distance, and all this with
> > zero emissions in Australia (solar/wind power arrangements locked in).
> >
> >
> > I'm not surprised that BetterPlace note, "We raised $200 million in a
> > seed round, the largest seed round of any startup in history. We 
raised
> > a $135 million a week ago in Denmark to put the network in Denmark. So
> > this is actually getting a lot of support, and a lot of funding."
> >
> >
> > In Australia, they note, "Better Place has partnered with AGL Energy,
> > which has Australia's largest portfolio of privately-owned renewable
> > generation, and Macquarie, well known for making infrastructure
> > investments around the globe. AGL will provide all of the renewable
> > energy-from wind and other sources-needed to power the electric
> > vehicles, and work with Better Place to optimize the network. 
Macquarie
> > will provide financial advice to help raise AUD $1 billion for the
> > initial network build."  Only problem, as yet it will be a Renault :)
> 
> 
> Yes indeed Pauline. And apparently powering Australia's cars this way
> only adds 7 percent to the existing load on our power grid, and, this
> should mostly be done at night, when no one wants the power from wind.
> 
> It all seems a win-win all round. Very peppy, and almost silent, cars
> with zero emissions & utilizing eco-friendly batteries with no exotic
> materials, so we just buy power they contain, and then give them back.
> 
> And as you say it seems very likely to go ahead for us here in Aussie.
> 
> However, I am sure that Renaults won't be the only cars available :-)
> 
> 
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> Here is an **outstanding** movement regarding our world's 
environment.
> >>
> >> And as of today, Australia is right up there at the world's 
forefront.
> >>
> >> For example: http://tiny.cc/GwSoi  and  
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/
> >>
> >>
> >> It's in regards to:
> >>
> >>  http://www.betterplace.com/
> >>
> >>  http://www.betterplace.com/our-bold-plan/how-it-works/electric-car
> >>
> >>
> >> Note: if your system prefers, http://tiny.cc/GwSoi is also known as:
> >>
> >> http://www.cnet.com.au/cartech/cars/0,2000438541,339294851,00.htm?
> >> feed=pt_better_place
> >>
> >> And, at this site, you may be delighted at the 'goodness' of this 
idea.
> >>
> >> Here's another 
www.greenlivingpedia.org/Australian_electric_car_network
> >>
> >> Good luck, BetterPlace.com, and Evan Thornley, the planet needs you.
> 
> 
> Cheers Pauline
> Stephen Loosley
> Victoria Australia
> 
> 
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