We can do better than air vents...

Spend a lot of time on planes - often 'frying' on a runway or 'freezing' at altitude - had an idea the other day about how we might fix this...

Why not utilize the window shades to regulate the temperature of the cabin??

My idea revolves around the concept of incorporating a solar powered, heating/cooling element in the window shade itself combined with a circulation fan/vent. The shade could be "smart"; incorporating onboard temperature and altitude logic - might activitate itself only when pulled down.

An airplane cabin is a small, controlled space, so not every shade would need to be replaced (?) Older planes could easily be retro-fitted. The dollars saved in fuel costs while planes sit on a runway would likely pay for the one-time widget and installation costs.

"Swimming Pool Principle"

Pursuing new initiatives within a large organization and the effectiveness with which you achieve those new initiatives is similar to swimming in a pool...

1. You can swim the lap lanes with everyone else, but these will potentially be crowded - you might have to wait to even get in the pool; and your speed and overall results will be determined by your swimming ability compared to everyone else. If you are a new swimmer you probably won't place, let alone come in first.

2. You can swim under the surface - this will allow you to pursue the initiative without attracting attention, but your speed will likely be hindered, and you will eventually have to come up for air - people might wonder what you have been doing / where you came from.

3. You could ignore the "no running" signs and never enter the water - you will beat everyone to the other end of the pool if you don't slip up, but you might get yelled at, or even kicked out of the pool altogether. People might wonder why "you're not wet like everyone else."