1000 Cranes Blog

Airbag vests protect from falls

As we look at our aging society around the world, it came as no surprise when I found the following Reuters videoclip of airbags designed to protect people from falls:

The company showcased this as an industry show for the elderly, but it can also be used for people who may suffer from epilepsy, vertigo, fainting spells or other illnesses that may cause one to lose balance quickly.  Although it doesn't prevent against forward falls, it is a good alternative to protect people from serious bone fractures.  

The device is held in a simple vest that can easily be worn by the customer and doesn't look too obvious that it's a medical aid. 

Have you seen potential applications of technology for one industry (automotive in this example) that could apply to another (medical industry) as in this case?   

Would you consider this for yourself or a loved one if you think you were at risk for falls? 

Can Smelling Coffee Be Enough to Wake You Up?

Do you ever notice that you feel differently in the morning when you wake up to the smell of fresh roasted coffee? 

Well, according to researchers in Japan, there is a physical reaction that takes place in your body just from smelling it. 

In an NPR interview, Yoshinori Masuo of Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology explained that several lab studies in rats showed that many genes are affected which result in reduced stress hormone levels in the blood.    According to Dr. Masuo, apparently, the rats like Columbian coffee the best, though researchers are not quite sure why! 

There isn't any indication at this time that there will be human studies about this, but I can say from my own observation that I do feel more alert and ironically calmer when I smell coffee in the morning.   

So, if you're worried about having too much caffeine in your diet, maybe all you need is to brew a cup just to smell, to lighten your mood and refresh you in the morning! 

What specific physical changes in your mood or stress level do you notice when you smell coffee in the morning? 

Do you think there is a reason why Columbian coffee affected these rats differently than other types? 

Would you change your morning routine if you knew the smell of coffee could change your attitude? 

Is Your Car Drinking Enough Water?

The company, Genepax, announced today the first car that runs on water!  That's right, regular, plentiful water.   Salt water, tap water, even tea, it doesn't matter.  As long as the hydrogen atoms can be released from the water, any water will do.

This car can run about 80 kilometers or 50 miles on one liter of water for about an hour.  So as long as you don't mind filling up the water tank every now and then, this may be a feasible option in the future for those of us concerned about the cost of gas these days.  Considering a gallon of distilled water runs about $1.20, you could easily cut down your fuel bills if this becomes a trend with multiple models to fit multiple lifestyles. 

How do you think this water fueled vehicle will be received in North America?

Do you anticipate the growth of these kinds of vehicles in the next 5-10 years, or do you think this is a fad that will fade?

Will water prices start to rise if the demand goes up by driving more vehicles like this and why?   

   

Greetings from Ottawa and "The Catman"

Internet access has been sporadic during my visit to Ottawa this weekend, so my apologies for not getting to blog yesterday.  Hopefully, most nonprofits were able to get their 990-N forms filed as yesterday was the deadline.

Today after speaking with my ScotiaBank representative, I had an opportunity to visit the grounds of Parliament here, and came across "The Catman" who has been caring for the stray cats that live here on the grounds. 

His name is Rene Chartrand, and he dutifully cares for the 28 cats that reside here.  I was lucky enough to catch him while he was feeding his charges, and I found this article called "'Cat-Man' Becomes Legend Caring For Strays on Parliament Hill" about his work.  He's in his mid-80s and has been caring for the cats for the last 17 years as a labor of love.  He receives some donations from the public, but also supplements the donations with money from his own pocket to ensure the cats are maintained. 

His dedication reminds me of many nonprofits I've met in the US who do work as a labor of love.  Many have provided money out of their own pockets in order to provide for those who can't provide for themselves.   

Is there something that you are so passionate about that you would work faithfully without pay? 

What can be done to help individuals and nonprofits to help them continue their work? 

No State or Federal Taxes?

As much as we hate standing in long lines at the post office to ensure we get our taxes filed on time, we know it's our responsibility to "pay into the kitty" to cover services for our community.  Although we do have problems with how much taxes we need to pay, at least we can continue to live in a fairly civil society.  After hearing about the problems this week with Tibet/China, the riots in Haiti and Phillipines about food costs, and the runaway inflation in Zimbabwe, our system overall works pretty well. 

What's mind-blowing to me this year, is that I have nothing to pay in taxes and no refund coming to me this year.  This is the first year that has ever happened where I have zero obligations and zero coming from the government. 

It was a bit unnerving, and in fact, I had to double-check because it seemed a bit odd, but my account reviewed his paperwork and calculations, and it's true! 

So, you may be wondering, did you pay your taxes perfectly this year, Naomi?  Well, yes and no.  1000 Cranes files Quarterly Federal and State taxes as well as the Annual State Limited Liability Company (LLC) filing.  We also pay Sales and Use Tax on items we resell such as books. 

Since the income or loss from an LLCs rolls up directly to a person's individual tax return or collectively to the returns of each partner in the organization, last year my income was offset by the losses of a real estate LLC I have.  Losses due to emergency repairs as well as vacancies had offset income from the 1000 Cranes business.  So even though 1000 Cranes has had its best year ever, the losses from the real estate holdings wiped that out once my completed return had been filed.  So, I  owed and received nothing...somewhat poetic in a sense, and very unusual!

How would you feel if you found out you had no taxes to pay and no refund?

Can our tax system be improved, and what would you do to change it?

   

Extravagant Easter Eggs

The egg has often been used as a symbol of renewal and Spring.  It comes as no surprise that it's been used countless of times in Easter ceremonies from Easter egg hunts, died Easter eggs and chocolate eggs. 

But what would you pay for a chocolate egg?  In London, a chocolate egg equivalent to 500 chocolate bars fetches $1,000 or 500 British pounds, and an egg on display in the Grosvenor Hotel was recreated to look like a Faberge egg and has a price tag of $10,000! 

It seems a bit indulgent, but yet as a work of art, it is something that many people can appreciate. 

Happy Spring!

How Much is Your Life Worth?

I came across this video on Reuters of a 44-year-old Australian man, Ian Usher, who has decided to sell his life on eBay so he can start from scratch. 

He gets to keep his name, but the highest bidder can have his life and be introduced to his friends. 

I can understand why someone would want to start from scratch after a bad relationship, but would you really want to sell everything to another person just to start over?

Also, here's a case of a rich man auctioning his life off to another rich person.  If he truly wants to get a new start, why doesn't he give away his life to someone who might benefit from his largesse.  Or better yet, give portions of his life to several needy people who can build a better life.   

When you look at this story from this lens, it seems somewhat sad that this man is really looking at such a selfish wish.  For someone who has benefited from so much in his life, why sell yourself on eBay?  Seems like this is more of an issue of building up a bruised ego rather than building up a new life. 

If you had a chance to start your life over, would you bid it out or would you give it away?

Where would you go if you could start your life over and why? 

How much do you think your life is worth?  Do you have a triple bottom line perspective of your life looking at your financial, social and environmental worth? 

Thinking Outside the Toilet Bowl

I now have seen everything, and this post is definitely suited for "Amazing Real News". 

When perusing the Reuters website, I found this clip of a restaurant in Taipei that serves its meals from toilet bowls...yes, that's right toilet bowls. 

In fact, the toilet bowls are the center of attention.  The seats in the restaurant, "Modern Toilet", are made from toilet bowls as well as the serving dishes.   Apparently, it's a huge hit and what started as a unique decoration concept actually evolved into the entire theme for the restaurant.    One customer decided to bring the whole family there because of the concept, and Taipei now has a chain of these restaurants throughout the city. 

Have you dared to try a new concept even if it seemed absolutely absurd? 

What can you do to think more creatively about your business?

Are you listening to your customers and what they like even if it seems unusual or strange to you? 

Amazing Real News - Getting a "Leg Up"

When people say that "truth is stranger than fiction," they aren't kidding.   

In honor of these amazing true stories, I'm starting a set of blog posts here called "Amazing Real News". 

I came across this article on the BBC website called "North Carolina Pair Feud Over Leg" about a man, Mr. John Wood, who after an airplane accident, stored his amputated leg in a wood smoker.  Yes, he stored his amputated leg in a wood smoker.   

When he couldn't make his payments on his storage facility, the wood smoker with the amputated leg was sold to Mr. Whisnant.   

Needless to say, Mr. Whisnant, was shocked when he opened the smoker to see a human leg inside.  Fearing the worst, he sent the leg to the police who later confirmed that there was no foul play involved but that the original owner had stored it there so he could be buried as a full man when his time came.

Realizing Mr. Whisnant could make a profit from this, he asked for the leg back so he could continue charging people to view the human leg. 

Mr. Whisnant and Mr. Wood are now feuding over who has legal ownership of the leg.   

I doubt this will make it to court.  But it did make it to the headlines!  We'll have to see who gets a "leg up" on the situation. 

As gruesome as it sounds, what would you have done if you came across a human body part in an item purchased at a yard sale or auction? 

Do you think it was appropriate for Mr. Whisnant to start profiting from this bizarre display of a human body part?

Should the storage facility have inspected all items before placing them up for auction?