• EMG Muscle Tension Biofeedback

• Electroencephalogram (EEG) Biofeedback

• Skin Temperature Biofeedback

• Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

Toshiba 4S reactor core (illustration credit: Toshiba)

According to a new study coauthored by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson, we could accomplish all that by converting the world to clean, renewable energy sources and forgoing fossil fuels.

"Based on our findings, there are no technological or economic barriers to converting the entire world to clean, renewable energy sources," said Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering. "It is a question of whether we have the societal and political will."

He and Mark Delucchi, of the University of California-Davis, have written a two-part paper in Energy Policy in which they assess the costs, technology and material requirements of converting the planet, using a plan they developed.

The world they envision would run largely on electricity. Their plan calls for using wind, water and solar energy to generate power, with wind and solar power contributing 90 percent of the needed energy.

Geothermal and hydroelectric sources would each contribute about 4 percent in their plan (70 percent of the hydroelectric is already in place), with the remaining 2 percent from wave and tidal power.

Vehicles, ships and trains would be powered by electricity and hydrogen fuel cells. Aircraft would run on liquid hydrogen. Homes would be cooled and warmed with electric heaters - no more natural gas or coal - and water would be preheated by the sun.

Commercial processes would be powered by electricity and hydrogen. In all cases, the hydrogen would be produced from electricity. Thus, wind, water and sun would power the world.

The researchers approached the conversion with the goal that by 2030, all new energy generation would come from wind, water and solar, and by 2050, all pre-existing energy production would be converted as well.

"We wanted to quantify what is necessary in order to replace all the current energy infrastructure - for all purposes - with a really clean and sustainable energy infrastructure within 20 to 40 years," said Jacobson.

One of the benefits of the plan is that it results in a 30 percent reduction in world energy demand since it involves converting combustion processes to electrical or hydrogen fuel cell processes. Electricity is much more efficient than combustion.

That reduction in the amount of power needed, along with the millions of lives saved by the reduction in air pollution from elimination of fossil fuels, would help keep the costs of the conversion down.

"When you actually account for all the costs to society - including medical costs - of the current fuel structure, the costs of our plan are relatively similar to what we have today," Jacobson said.

One of the biggest hurdles with wind and solar energy is that both can be highly variable, which has raised doubts about whether either source is reliable enough to provide "base load" energy, the minimum amount of energy that must be available to customers at any given hour of the day.

Jacobson said that the variability can be overcome.

"The most important thing is to combine renewable energy sources into a bundle," he said. "If you combine them as one commodity and use hydroelectric to fill in gaps, it is a lot easier to match demand."

Wind and solar are complementary, Jacobson said, as wind often peaks at night and sunlight peaks during the day. Using hydroelectric power to fill in the gaps, as it does in our current infrastructure, allows demand to be precisely met by supply in most cases. Other renewable sources such as geothermal and tidal power can also be used to supplement the power from wind and solar sources.

"One of the most promising methods of insuring that supply matches demand is using long-distance transmission to connect widely dispersed sites," said Delucchi. Even if conditions are poor for wind or solar energy generation in one area on a given day, a few hundred miles away the winds could be blowing steadily and the sun shining.

"With a system that is 100 percent wind, water and solar, you can't use normal methods for matching supply and demand. You have to have what people call a supergrid, with long-distance transmission and really good management," he said.

Another method of meeting demand could entail building a bigger renewable-energy infrastructure to match peak hourly demand and use the off-hours excess electricity to produce hydrogen for the industrial and transportation sectors.

Using pricing to control peak demands, a tool that is used today, would also help.

Jacobson and Delucchi assessed whether their plan might run into problems with the amounts of material needed to build all the turbines, solar collectors and other devices.

They found that even materials such as platinum and the rare earth metals, the most obvious potential supply bottlenecks, are available in sufficient amounts. And recycling could effectively extend the supply.

"For solar cells there are different materials, but there are so many choices that if one becomes short, you can switch," Jacobson said. "Major materials for wind energy are concrete and steel and there is no shortage of those."

Jacobson and Delucchi calculated the number of wind turbines needed to implement their plan, as well as the number of solar plants, rooftop photovoltaic cells, geothermal, hydroelectric, tidal and wave-energy installations.

They found that to power 100 percent of the world for all purposes from wind, water and solar resources, the footprint needed is about 0.4 percent of the world's land (mostly solar footprint) and the spacing between installations is another 0.6 percent of the world's land (mostly wind-turbine spacing), Jacobson said.

One of the criticisms of wind power is that wind farms require large amounts of land, due to the spacing required between the windmills to prevent interference of turbulence from one turbine on another.

"Most of the land between wind turbines is available for other uses, such as pasture or farming," Jacobson said. "The actual footprint required by wind turbines to power half the world's energy is less than the area of Manhattan." If half the wind farms were located offshore, a single Manhattan would suffice.

Jacobson said that about 1 percent of the wind turbines required are already in place, and a lesser percentage for solar power.

"This really involves a large scale transformation," he said. "It would require an effort comparable to the Apollo moon project or constructing the interstate highway system."

"But it is possible, without even having to go to new technologies," Jacobson said. "We really need to just decide collectively that this is the direction we want to head as a society."

Adapted from materials^[1] provided by Stanford University

References^{^} materials (www.eurekalert.org)

Found at http://www.lomme.com/Home/tabid/194/language/en-US/Default.aspx. This is the best bed I've ever seen! I think I would probably live there :-).

LOMME (Light Over Matter Mind Evolution) is a unique sleep experience and rejuvenation environment. Lomme defies definition. It is a piece of furniture, a work of art and a place to rejuvenate. In its sophisticated simplicity it evokes feelings of unity and enables the soul to access the source of its power.

Lomme World creates an environment which incorporates different elements: light, color, sound, touch; through which one can expand their senses and develop mind and brain functions. Lomme creates an athmosphere to relax and to get a better understanding of oneself.

Lomme is generating a wave of interest about the importance of quality sleep and the environment in which we spend a third of our lives. The founders of the company have made it their mission to create the most relaxing, protected and natural place to restore energy levels for the day to come.

Created as a result of two years research into sleep habits, problems and therapies, Lomme skilfully combines natural therapies with the cutting edge technology. Using light, sound and massage therapies, Lomme offers an environment to enhance all the senses - forming a place to rejuvenate, meditate and above all sleep.

Lomme features a unique light therapy alarm clock. After you have been lulled into a deep restful sleep by the gradual fading light of a simulated sunset, waken naturally as light from the virtual sunrise plays on your skin.

Color therapy can affect our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual state. The light system within Lomme allows the user to choose the strength and color of the internal light with a color wheel. This light color therapy is known to enhance the body's energy centers and can even stimulate the healing process.

Forming a protective cocoon, Lomme limits external noise to distance you from the outside world. An iPod has been invisibly installed to enable the sleeper to listen to relaxing music, sounds and guided meditations. Advice can be given on the kind of sounds recommended for waking up and falling asleep.

Here are some additional features:

MASSAGE
Massage therapy is known to deepen relaxation and improve sleep quality and the Lomme mattress is available with an in-built massage system offering a choice of massage options.

MATTRESS
The Lomme viscoelastic memory foam mattress is characterized by high degree of functionality, quality and durability. The bed climate is regulated and the hardness of the mattress remains virtually constant. The mattress is easily adjustable to your reading comfort.

PROTECTION
Within the shell of Lomme there is a special system which blocks harmful electromagnetic waves and radiation. A specially designed sleep button isolates all electricity away from the bed.

Redefining bed design forever, the Lomme is a unique synthesis of nature, art and technology. The streamlined curves and organic shapes make a design statement in any bedroom or sleeping space while the in-built technology creates the perfect environment in which to dream.

Found at http://www.quantumbalancing.com/stirwand.htm

New clinical trial shows an average increase in hydration of 23.5%

The Stirwand is a pocket-sized innovative water technology to maximize your hydration potential and much more.

The Stirwand uses the noninvasive resonance of naturally occurring high matrix minerals to get the most out of your water.

Use the Stirwand for great tasting, super-hydrating, energized water for you and your family. Great for all of your pets' water and watering livestock and for farm and agricultural applications.

Easy to use . . . just stir for 10 to 15 seconds and drink!

Stirwands are simple constructions of granulated rock, encapsulated within fountain pen sized enclosures of medical grade polycarbonate plastic. Their primary function is to increase the hydration potential of water. Convention will debate this, as inert objects traditionally do not produce substantial results in water. In this case however, a quantum phenomenon trumps a Newtonian fundamental; Stirwands effects are varied, significant and thought provoking.

Stirwands will make just about any water better. This is a result of the water accepting the imprint of the High Matrix minerals within the Stirwands. One need only stir water for about 15 seconds per glass and the job is complete. For maximum hydration potential however, it is suggested to use only natural, non-carbonated water of the highest quality available.

The Stirwand capabilities greatly exceed the known potentials of their composition. Common rock minerals sealed in polycarbonate plastic typically do not produce significant influences on water. There are times however when appearances can be misleading. Consider an ordinary rock for example. Pick it up. Feel its weight and hardness. All indications would suggest the rock is a dense and solid object, when in actuality, it is almost entirely empty space. The few bits of matter that do exist, are self defined by their points of focus within an endless matrix of potential.

These various manifestations of matter exist because their individual consciousness identify with different points within the matrix, those specifically which they consider to be real. If an individual consciousness of matter were to change its point of focus, its outward manifestation would change as well. Consciousness precedes form, and by this process, our reality is manifest via concentrations of consciousness contained within a matrix of potential. Contrary to appearances, our solid and stable world more closely resembles a holographic projection than one might think.

In parallel co-existence with the aforementioned matrix, is another completely separate matrix, which is a simultaneous realty potential. This can be referred to as the "High Matrix" because matter is remarkably transformed when its consciousness migrates to a point within the High Matrix lattice. Through this method, the minerals of the Stirwands have elevated themselves and consequently exhibit their exceptional qualities. Various tests can be performed to verify this and a few of the more basic ones are mentioned below.

Scientific studies have confirmed many miraculous changes in the properties of water after using Stirwands. Links to these studies appear below. You may notice:

- Water tastes better, smoother, and seems "wetter" with a slightly thicker consistency
- Stirwand water is more resistant to bacteria and mold
- Plants and animals will respond positively to treated water. Given the choice between Stirwand water and regular water, animals will gravitate to the Stirwand water
- Stirwand water used in conjunction with cleaning has greater effectiveness
- Stirwand water is great for treating water to be used for homeopathic and energetic remedies
- Stirwand water can be sprayed throughout the home for a fresh, energized feel
- Wash with mild soap and never use in the microwave!
- Stirwands are permanent - no replacement costs!

Biofeedback counseling is an innovative counseling technique used to teach awareness about the body's unconscious physiological processes. It is effective in teaching patients how to alleviate stress and to take control of their own health.

A recent study by the American Academy of Family Physicians found that two-thirds of all visits to family doctors are linked to stress-related symptoms. Biofeedback is used to teach the unconscious mind to respond to stress and lessen its effects on the mind and body. It has proven useful in combating a variety of ailments including: addictions, anxiety, asthma, insomnia, chronic pain, depression, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure and irritable bowel syndrome.

Biofeedback treatment involves attaching sensors or electrodes to the body that provide a variety of readings -- instant feedback -- on things such as skin temperature, muscle tension and brainwave function.

During a session, the patient is asked about a life event, such as a stressful situation at work. The patient's response to this event, which could involve a cooling of the hands, tensing of the muscles or sweating, is instantly recognized and "fed back" to the patient by a machine. This trains the patient to understand, and unconsciously respond to, the effects of stress through self-regulation techniques, such as taking deep breaths, relaxing tensed muscles or even slowing the heart rate.

Recently, the technique has gained popularity as a way to help top athletes relax in high-stress situations. In fact, four members of the Italian national soccer team used biofeedback as part of their training for the 2006 World Cup, while India's lone gold medalist from the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, Abhinav Bindra, cited biofeedback as a key ingredient in his 10-meter air rifle victory.

Research suggests that biofeedback is as good or better than any medication for controlling headache and jaw pain related to excess muscle tension.

Benefits of biofeedback are not limited to the office. Follow-up studies several months after ending formal biofeedback treatment show that people who continue practicing cognitive-behavioral techniques often experience symptom relief.

Regarding high blood pressure treatment, research supports biofeedback as being consistently effective for blood pressure reduction and maintenance. In fact, the biofeedback device used by the Center for Psychological Services is the first non-pharmacological treatment approved by the FDA for controlling hypertension.

Research on biofeedback to control psychological and behavioral conditions such as anxiety and ADHD suggests significant symptom reduction, particularly when used in combination with cognitive-behavioral techniques. For example, breathing techniques learned through biofeedback, combined with techniques to re-direct anxious thoughts, often reduce physiological and psychological symptoms associated with anxiety.