Apple has donated the source code for MacPaint to the Computer History Museum. MacPaint was part of the original Macintosh launch back in 1984 and was featured prominently in its advertising. It was featured in an advertising brochure that was circulated with Time and Newsweek in December, 1983. The ad introduced the concept of using a mouse to click on the screen, and MacPaint was featured as an example application utilize the windows/mouse interface.

Those who spend a lot of time using Adobe Photoshop constantly use such features as the lasso tool for selecting non-rectangular shapes, and the paint bucket for filling closed areas with a pattern, and later, color. Both first appeared in MacPaint. The program was unique at the time for its ability to create graphics that could then be used in other applications.

Many corporations pretend to be good corporate environmental citizens because it serves their bottom line but Hewlett-Packard has really stepped up to the plate.  Battery recycling and reducing gold in chips are among the technollogies HP has given to a shared patent scheme.  Hewlett-Packard is waiving royalties on technology for a battery recycling point, and instead giving the patent to an initiative which aims to copy the benefits of open source development, by making patents for sustainable technology available without royalties.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) announced late last week that HP will join the likes of IBM, Nokia and Sony in making some of its patented technology freely available under the Eco-Patent Commons scheme. The scheme, launched in January 2008, is a joint effort between the WBCSD and IBM, Nokia, Pitney Bowes and Sony.

“The premise of the Commons is that the free sharing of these patents leads to new collaborations and innovation aimed at helping others become more eco-efficient and/or operate in a more sustainable way,” said Björn Stigson, president of the WBCSD.
Battery Recycling

HP is contributing three patents to the scheme that has attracted over a hundred such donations so far. The tech giant’s contributions are the patent for a battery recycling station which allows consumers to swap used batteries for new ones or credit.

The company has also submitted the patents for a process which it claims could help eliminate the need for anti-oxidant metal coatings during certain stages of microchip and circuit board assembly.  Hats off to HP for their donation.

I wanted to take a few words and moments to thank all our Twitter followers, we crossed the 1,300 follower threshold last month and look forward to growing further this year.

Special thanks and best of luck to:

Kids Up Front Vancouver

Kidney Registry

Food Banks Canada

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Covenant House – Helping Homeless Youth

and many more!!!

At a special charity occasion with an auction dedicated to struggle with AIDS was held in Chez Maxim’s club and restaurant in the centre of Paris on Friday. The pop star put up to auction her halter dress of black colour. It was designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and fascinated everybody by its small plissed spikes. It has become known that it was sold at euro20, 000 ($24,770). This dress was not the only lot put up by the star.

There were two more lots: a photograph under the title “Leather Crotch” taken by Robert Mapplethorpe in 1980 and a vest made of lambskin designed by Rick Owens, designer with Californian roots. $180,000 in total was gathered at the end of that occasion. Thanks to that soiree that big sum of money was directed to AMFAR – the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

This charity dinner auction attracted such famous French designers and celebrities as Chantal Thomass, underwear designer; Mark Vanderloo, model; Gaultier who designed pointy cone bra for Madonna.  Hats off to Kylie for being so generous!

Standard Auto Wreckers collected used TIRES to raise money for The Sunshine Foundation of Canada this past weekend and the event was a major success! Thanks to everyone that participated!

In partnership with Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) and Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS), Standard Auto Wreckers will be collecting you used tires free of charge. All tire fees associated with each tire dropped off will be donated to The Sunshine Foundation of Canada and OARA will match the donation made from all tires collected.

There will be a trailer parked at the Standard Auto Wreckers location for the Tire Collection event.

Video taken by IDF naval boat shows the passengers of the Mavi Marmara, one of the ships in the ‘Free Gaza’ Flotilla, violently attacking IDF soldiers who were trying to board the ship after having sent repeated requests for the boat to change course.

Large groups of passengers surrounded soldiers and beat them with metal poles and chairs, and threw one soldier over the side of the ship. Some passengers grabbed pistols from the IDF soldiers and opened fire. As a result of the attacks, seven IDF soldiers were injured, and nine of the passengers were killed.

The ‘Free Gaza’ Flotilla had publicly insisted on their non-violent intentions, however their violent attack on the IDF soldiers was clearly premeditated. They had knives, metal rods, firebombs and other items ready to use.

What is better than seeing beautiful stars walking the red carpet?  Seeing them walking for charity of course!  Halle Berry, Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel slipped into their charity shoes during the weekend to take part in the annual Revlon Run/Walk For Women in New York.

The 13th annual Entertainment Industry Foundation event started in Times Square and finished in Central Park, attracting thousands of people to raise funds for women’s cancer research, counseling and outreach programs in NYC.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here,” said Berry. “I am walking today on behalf of a friend of mine, Stephanie, who is fighting the fight every day. I feel you, I’m with you, and it’s important that we’re all here today.” Halle is a veteran of the Revlon Run/Walk For Women events, taking part in many of them.

Saturday’s event also featured Dr. Oz and Jesse L. Martin, as well as a performance by Trey Songz. Next week, it’s Los Angeles’ turn to host the event, with celebrities such as Julie Bowen (ABC’s Modern Family), James Denton (ABC’s Desperate Housewives), Marg Helgenberger (CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) and Carrie Ann Inaba (ABC’s Dancing with the Stars) set to take part. The 17th annual LA event takes place on May 8, and more info can be found here.

Proceeds from past EIF Revlon Run/Walks have funded cutting-edge research, contributing to the development of the breakthrough gene treatment Herceptin as well as other targeted therapies, bringing new and innovative treatment approaches to women’s cancers worldwide. Monies raised have also helped numerous organizations in providing education, advocacy and outreach services to those affected by women’s cancers.

Ford is launching a program this week that links test drives of Ford vehicles on military bases to donations to local chapters of the National Military Family Association.

The program, “Drive One 4 UR Troops” is part of a 10-base tour called “Operation Drive One” that also features vehicle displays, entertainment and classic car shows. The shows will also raise money for the National Military Family Association.

For each test-drive taken as part of the “Drive one 4 UR Troops” Ford will donate $20 (up to $10,000) to the local chapter of the National Military Family Association (NMFA).

Ford says former pro-wrestler Goldberg — now the actor Bill Goldberg on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice” — will also join the tour and make an appearance at each stop.

Ford will also pick eight veterans (among past and present military personnel who sign up at www.fordoperationdriveone.com) for a trip to the Ford Championship NASCAR race weekend in November. Of those veterans, two will also win a new 2011 Ford Mustang and one grand-prize winner will be awarded a Toby Keith concert for his or her home base.  Great idea and keep up the good charity work Ford!

Car and Driver Magazine revealed that the White House had ordered that “GM and Chrysler must cease participation in NASCAR at the end of the 2009 season if they hope to receive any additional financial aid from the government.” The White House was said to have released the following statement: “In order to receive this money, corporations must demonstrate they will spend it wisely. Racing has been said to improve on-road technology, but frankly, NASCAR almost flaunts its standing among the lowest-tech forms of motorsport. NASCAR is not proven to drive advancements that transfer from the racetrack to the road, and this nation’s way forward does not hinge on decades-old technology. We need new, and we need innovation.” NASCAR was said to be exploring other options, such as inviting Korea’s Hyundai corporation to compete in GM and Chrysler’s place.

I guess I give this one a little edge because it is believable, but it is pretty stupid and in 2009 I was sick and tired of hearing about these two companies – 6/10

Invisible Car (2009)

The Daily Express claimed that a British inventor had built an invisible car, designed to fool speed cameras: ““It is beautiful in its simplicity… The plastic film appears completely normal to the human eye. But the flash of the camera reacts with molecules in the film and light is reflected outwards to make the car appear invisible in pictures.” The inventor admitted that the one problem was also covering the wheels and developing an invisible suit to wear.

I like this one because I think the technology probably exists in some military lab, plus who would not want to be invisible – 8/10

Toronto, ON (CharityCar) March 5, 2010 — CharityCar (www.CharityCar.us and www.CharityCar.ca), green vehicle disposal (www.greenvehicledisposal.com) and charity car donation company, today announced that its total donations processed for 2009 exceeds $91,000 USD. Over the course of the year, 50% of customers traded their vehicles in for cash while the other 50% donated the money to charity. This trend is expected to continue in 2010.

CharityCar would like to thank its many generous donors across North America who, despite the economic downturn, contributed to its success; more importantly, the success of its supported charities and the betterment of the environment.

David Gold from Standard Auto Wreckers (www.standardautowreckers.com) and the founder of the program said: “We originally started this program to give back to our local community in Toronto, Ontario and when friends in the business heard about what we were doing they all wanted to join in. Now, three years later, we have over 150 partner charities and more than 70 member recyclers in both Canada and the USA participating! It really is heartwarming to see.”

About CharityCar
CharityCar (CharityCar.us and CharityCar.ca) accepts the donation of old vehicles on behalf of charities and non-profit organizations across North America. CharityCar utilizes its partner Green Vehicle Disposal’s eco-friendly recycling technology, offers ‘free pickup’, does not take any fees for processing or handling charity vehicles and donates 100% of the recyclers value to the customers’ chosen charity in the United States or Canada. CharityCar’s purpose is to provide its customers with an eco-friendly solution for the disposal of old vehicles. All vehicles donated through CharityCar are disposed of in an eco-friendly manner which meets and exceed all recycling rules. For more information, visit: www.CharityCar.us or www.CharityCar.ca.

They are proud to practice environmentally sound processes when dismantling and recycling our vehicles. This is achieved by properly draining all hazardous fluids from the vehicle thereby not having them drain into the ground. They remove Mercury switches and other dangerous substances from the vehicles and dispose of them in a safe way in accordance with local laws.