"I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation."

- Rosencrantz, Hamlet, Act II, Scene II

If necessity is the mother of Invention, then perhaps desperation might be Inspiration's father. How many useful innovations that seem to others like bright and shiny new ideas are created as the result of a last-ditch attempt to fix a part of the world that had just been noticed to be "out of order?" Perhaps that is not a very romantic view of change, but it often fits experience. And if a new idea works, by bringing about needed improvements, it looks better and better (Besemer et al. 1993).

Invention: Shell Hydrogen opens first combined hydrogen and gasoline station in North America

Shell Hydrogen opened the first hydrogen dispenser at a retail gasoline station to service a fleet of six fuel cell vehicles from the General Motors Corporation. Located in northeast Washington, D.C, the station is part of a collaboration between Shell and GM to demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refueling infrastructure technology, an important contribution in making fuel cell vehicles an everyday reality. Shell will offer both compressed and liquid hydrogen at the Benning Road station.

Desperation: Bush Plans Drilling in Untapped Alaska Oil Reserve

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management may allow drilling in and around the vast Teskekpuk Lake, which sits near the Arctic coastline and is currently off-limits to development. Until now, its shores were considered too important to birds, caribou and wildlife to allow oil rigs.
(update: Bush Likely to Renew Push for Alaska Oil Drilling)

Just something to think about. You're welcome.