Three news topics

I have run into some new subjects and topics that I think are interesting.
The Atlantic Monthly magazine usually has a cover story that opens new lines of thought.   

Recently, it was about coal as a fuel and how the activities we like and are used to not only require energy but require sufficient power, too.  We can't accomplish current goals without a rich source of energy that can deliver large quantities quickly.  Coal can.  This month's just arrived in my Kindle and the cover story is about the super-rich worldwide today.  They are

• richer than people have ever been
• more engaged in current work and projects and not just rich because of inheritance
• moving to wanting to have recognized and respected think tanks of their own, charitable foundations of their own and an annual conference of thinkers and presenters that matter
  
• I read a while back that today's "philantrocapitalist" is quite savvy about evaluating projects, proposals and ideas for effectiveness and working for improvements and innovations in ongoing projects
  

On a different topic, I have read that some new technology can allow a device to read my credit card number while the card is still in the wallet and the wallet still in my pocket.  This link goes to a Dec. 11 post and implies that this effect can only be achieved with credit cards that have RFID chips embedded in them.  "Radio frequency id-entification" is an emerging technology to avoid having to sweep barcodes.  The article and another I saw say that wrapping the card in aluminum foil will prevent identification.

New topic: possible health benefits from the inspiration of Paleolithic diets.  Most of the titles I have seen include the word Paleolithic or Paleo in the title.  I haven't looked at any of them but I have read Gary Taubes' books "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and "Why We Get Fat and What We Can Do About It".  In both, the main bad guy is sugar.  Personally, I like sugar and sweets.  I guess nearly all of us do.  However, Taubes, a science writer at big pains to track down the science, chemistry and history of overweight, convinced me that sugar and related carbohydrates reach the brain's pleasure center in a way most foods don't.  I guess the Paleo-diet guys also have it in for dairy since the early humans had none.