Great Businessweek feature: Obama's 25 Ways To Rebuild America

[quiet.american]

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/10/1014_obamas_25_ways_to_rebuild_america/index.htm">Obama's 25 Ways To Rebuild America

On Sept. 21, the White House released its Strategy for American Innovation: Driving Towards Sustainable Growth and Quality Jobs. In the white paper, President Barack Obama outlined the "grand challenges of the 21st century," broad issues affecting industries from health care to transportation. Here's a look at 25 big ideas that could revolutionize contemporary life—and some of the companies that might make them a reality.

(For the wonk-inclined, a link to the white paper http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/20090920-innovation-whitepaper.PDF">PDF:

Just four of the intiatives, much more at the article link:

Supercharged Batteries

Obama's Challenge: Produce batteries and components to power affordable electric cars.

Who's Got a Shot: The Administration has pledged $2.4 billion to support battery innovation, galvanizing an industry that's looking to develop batteries that enable cars to drive hundreds of miles on a single charge. GE, IBM, and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway are getting in on the game, taking stakes in companies such as Chinese automaker BYD and Watertown (Mass.)-based A123 System to develop next-generation lithium ion, lithium oxide, and sodium batteries.

Cheap Solar Cells

Obama's Challenge: Create solar cells that cost as little as paint.

Who's Got a Shot: Dow Chemical recently announced solar roof shingles that use low-cost, thin-film photovoltaic cells and don't require special installation skills. They'll be available by 2011. Ascent Solar Technologies is set to begin shipping highly efficient solar cells made from copper, indium, gallium, and selenium early next year.

Brain-Powered Prosthetics

Obama's Challenge: Design replacement limbs that will allow a veteran who has lost both arms to play the piano again.

Who's Got a Shot: Expect big advances in this space from Iceland's Ossur. (Read a recent BusinessWeek story on Ossur's lifelike prosthetic designs.)

High-Speed Rail

Obama's Challenge: Build a high-speed rail network of 100- to 600-mile intercity corridors as one element of a modernized transportation system.

Who's Got a Shot: The Obama Administration has pledged $13 billion for high-speed train travel between cities such as New York and Washington. Some 24 states are vying for chunks of the $8 billion to be divvied up this winter. Several U.S. companies stand to benefit, including CSX, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and Harsco.

GOBAMA! This is some awesome PROGRESSIVE stuff. :kick:

[FrenchieCat]

1. Excellent!

[Cha]

2. WOW! Ain't that Awesome! We will

rebuild America..in spite of all the naysayers.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/cleanenergysplash/

[Fire1]

3. He is a man of great vision, I must admit. I haven't witnessed

that in a president since JFK and I loved Clinton and even he didn't have this kind of vision.

[goclark]

4. Fantastic!

[Number23]

5. Wow and wow again!

That is a "Wish List" that I'm sure everyone hopes comes true! :wow:

[treestar]

6. So many things the M$M does not cover

Thank you for that find.

[Cha]

7. So many good things they don't cover but

they'll go that extra mile to dig up anything construed damaging to Dems and the President..and drag out john mccain and dick cheney to lie their treasonous heads off.

[demtenjeep]

8. If there wasn't so much of a mess he has to clean up

I believe we would see so many more advances

[Cha]

9. Most definetly.. and too many conveniently

have a memory loss where the damage of bushcheney should be figured in the equation.