I was pleased to catch a note going past on my Yahoo news last week about the Vatican setting up solar equipment on some of its buildings. According to this post by Matt James, the first building to become solar effective will be the Pope Paul VI auditorium. That is just the way things ought to be.
Then, this morning there was a note from Hank Green about the world's first solar cell phones. A company named Hi-Tech Communications, ltd located in St. Albans, Hertx, UK is releasing a solar cell phone for $510. Kind of pricey, but we all know how the market works -- demand and production can change that.
My grandkids got those little crank-up flashlights in their Christmas stockings.
I was so impressed with the news about the One Laptop Per Child (http://www.laptop.org/) program being promoted by Nicholas Negroponte. "Our goal: To provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves." Darn, I want one of those little green crank-up computers!
You can see a picture at my blog: 
I don't have active solar equipment yet, even a cell phone. I work passively with solar to gain some light and heat in winter and to block it in summer (because solar wasn't a condition considered when building my house). I don't have any crank-up equipment either, but I wish I did. We know one family, of many, who operates off of the grid. Talking to them, you don't see ignorant rednecks who can't run a light switch, but some intelligent innovative people who have solar pumps on their well and a solar electrical system for their house that permits internet usage on their laptop when they want and need it.
We have an instant gratification system that is just wonderful. But, I support and encourage all kinds of innovation that would make sense to have in the "be prepared" arsenal. Or offer communication to people where wiring just isn't available or practical.
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