Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Christianity Is 'Close To Extinction' In The Middle East

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Christianity 'Close To Extinction' In Middle East -- The Telegraph

Christianity faces being wiped improbable of the “biblical heartlands” in the Middle East since of mounting persecution of worshippers, according to a modern inform.

The study warns to facilitate Christians suffer greater hostility across the globe than several other religious bracket together. And it claims politicians own been “blind” to the amount of violence faced by Christians in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The for the most part public menace to Christians abroad is rebellious Islam, it says, claiming to facilitate oppression in Muslim countries is often without being seen since of a be anxious to facilitate review will be seen as “racism”.

 It warns to facilitate converts from Islam mug being killed in Saudi Arabia, Mauritania and Iran and lay bare critical permissible penalties in other countries across the Middle East. The inform, by the think tank Civitas, says: “It is in general traditional to facilitate many faith-based groups mug discrimination or persecution to a quantity of degree.

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My Comment: I have remarked on more than one occasion that this is one of the most under-reported stories of the past few years.

Russia's GPS Network Is Put On Hold

RIA Novosti / Oleg Urusov

Russian Military's Support Of GLONASS On Ice After Corruption Scandal, Technical Failures - Report -- RT

The Russian Defense Ministry has so they say refused to adopt GLONASS, the country’s rival to GPS, due to its technical shortcomings. One of the system’s 24 satellites has malfunctioned, and more to the point, GLONASS is still in its taxing part. ­

The malfunctioning satellite will not be operational several stage soon as it has already exhausted its power in the same way as 96 months in service, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports. And due to a difference in orbit inclination, rejection existing reserve satellite can alternate it. 

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My Comment: After a decade of war the U.S. has clearly shown the value of GPS systems for precision bomb strikes. Not having this essential network is a significant loss for the Russian military.  
Update: A link to how China and other countries are trying to develop their own GPS system.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Is Beer Food?

Beer Now Considered Alcohol, Not Food, In Russia As New Restrictions Take Hold -- NBC 

It will be tougher representing Russians to cry in their beer in 2013. Restrictions on what time and wherever beer can be sold make for into effect Jan. 1 with a law to facilitate declared beer is alcohol, not food. Under the modern rules, beer can single be sold in certified outlets — not street kiosks, swap gossip stations and means of transportation depots like it has been. Russians won't be able to pay money for it from shops amid 11 p.M. And 8 a.M., and beer commercials are a issue of the precedent. The limits are part of a government effort to reduce alcohol abuse in Russian, wherever solitary in five male deaths are linked to booze, according to globe physical condition experts. Not one and all is toasting the revolution, however.

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My Comment: My dad (who is Russian and when he was alive loved beer) always treated beer as food.

The Secret Of Scotland's Islay Malt Whiskeys

The Secret Of Scotland's Islay Malt Whiskeys -- CBS  

(CBS News) We all know ruin whisky comes from Scotland. But to actual ruin drinkers, truly WHERE in Scotland makes all the difference. Willem Marx takes us on a tasting tour: At the farthest rim of Scotland's wild Atlantic coastline deception a small island with a large reputation. The Isle of Islay is called the "Queen of the Hebrides" representing its natural beauty, and can seem sooner a peaceful little corner. But the peaceful harbors, florid meadows and ancient villages at the moment perform host to an increasingly comprehensive industry. While Jamaica is liked representing its rums, and Madeira branded representing its sherries, this island is loved and famous representing its unique-tasting ruin whiskys, branded as Islay malts. Islay has truly larger than 3,000 year-round residents, but in their middle nine whisky distilleries are thriving.

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My Comment: Makes me want to move to Scotland

Saturday, February 22, 2014

2,750-Year-Old Temple Found Near Jerusalem

An employee of the Israeli Antiquities Authority displays figurines at Tel Motza archaeological site on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Baz Ratner / Reuters 

Israelis Find 2,750-Year-Old Temple -- NBC 
Archaeologists own uncovered a 2,750-year-old temple go up to Jerusalem, along with pottery and terracotta figurines to facilitate conjure up the locate was the interior vile representing a ritual cult, the Israeli Antiquities Authority held Wednesday. The discovery was made at some point in excavations next to the Tel Motza archaeological locate, around 3 miles (5 kilometers) west of Jerusalem, at some point in preparations representing handiwork on a modern section of Israeli's Highway 1, the agency held in a statement.

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My Comment: More evidence that Jerusalem is built on a history that spans many millennium

Meet Roboy, One Of The Most Advanced Humanoid Robots In The World



Advanced Humanoid Roboy To Be ‘Born’ In Nine Months -- Kurzweilai 
Meet Roboy, “one of the for the most part forward-looking humanoid robots,” say researchers next to the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the University of Zurich. Their 15 project partners and larger than 40 engineers and scientists are constructing Roboy as a tendon-driven robot modeled on person beings (robots typically own their motors in their joints, giving them to facilitate “robot” break-dance look), so it will move almost as elegantly as a person. Roboy will be a “service robot,” consequence it will have killed services independently representing the convenience of person beings, as in the picture Robot & Frank.

 Read more ....

My Comment: Impressive.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Facebook, Google And Twitter Release 2012 Trends

Felix Baumgartner's daring freefall from near space was a top trend on Google. 

Facebook, Google Release 2012 Trends -- CNN 

 (CNN) -- If you can't recall everything you loved and hated around 2012, Facebook, Twitter and Google all truly released their year-in-review reports. And all three indicate come again? Many of us qualified firsthand: Thousands of strangers gathering to watch a rolling stone land-dwelling on Mars and a man fall from universe. A twister slamming the East Coast while the globe watched tragedy punch and heroes emerge. Social media, combined with the capability to search and apparent in sequence almost instantly, repeatedly brought Internet users organized to huddle around the virtual campfire, sharing their stories through image, text and sound.

Read more ....

Is There A Link Between Alzheimer's Disease And Space travel?

Little is know about the ultra high-energy cosmic rays that regularly penetrate the atmosphere. J. Yang / NSF 

 Space May Accelerate Alzheimer's In Astronauts -- NBC  

Exposure to radiation levels can zoom up changes in brain, study finds. Radiation in universe might hurt the brains of astronauts in deep universe by accelerating the development of Alzheimer's disease, a modern study on mice suggests. The delve into reveals a further lay bare to facilitate manned deep-space missions to sitting room such as Mars or the asteroids can pose, scientists added. "This study shows representing the chief stage to facilitate exposure to radiation levels equivalent to a mission to Mars can be the source of cognitive problems and zoom up changes in the brain to facilitate are associated with Alzheimer's disease," study author Kerry O'Banion, a neuroscientist next to the University of Rochester Medical Center, held in a statement. 

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My Comment: Maybe so .... but if I had the chance, I would still want to go up into space.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Did Neil Armstrong Lie About The Origins Of His ‘One Small Step’ Speech?



Did Neil Armstrong Lie About The Origins Of His ‘One Small Step’ Speech? And Did He Still Fluff His Lines? -- Daily Mail 

A modern documentary has cast doubt on Neil Armstrong's claims to facilitate he came up with his iconic 'one small step' line hours in the same way as heartbreaking down on the apparent of the moon. The chief man on the moon had inflexibly maintained up until his death in September to facilitate his historic terminology were unplanned, but a contemporary interview with his brother claims to facilitate he notion up the famous speech months or the July 1969, Apollo mission - and to facilitate the phrase he designed to utter did include an 'a'. Hundreds of millions around the globe heard the NASA astronaut say, 'That's solitary small step representing man, solitary giant leap representing mankind', but Armstrong insisted to facilitate he held 'a man' but to facilitate the 'a' was not heard since of static.

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My Comment: He will always be remembered for saying 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' .... and that's good enough for me.

Africa's Energy Demands Are Starting To Skyrocket

Africa's Energy Consumption Growing Fastest In World -- Christian Science Monitor

Africa's energy burden are skyrocketing, but with 64 contemporary major discoveries of fuel deposits, it is in a respectable view to touch its needs. To the same extent the sun sets larger than Africa apiece generation, as an alternative of flicking a light switch or heating up the oven, for the most part fill with plunk a match to a kerosene lantern or a burning ember to a charcoal stove. Africa, interior to 15 percent of the world’s population, consumes truly 3 percent of the world's energy output, and 587 million fill with, as well as close to three-quarters of persons living in Sub-Saharan Africa, still own rejection access to electricity via state grids. But the post is changing, and in a flash. At 4.1 percent growth, Africa’s for every capita energy consumption is growing quicker than anywhere besides, driven by improved infrastructure, inward investment, and hard work to tackle corruption.

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My Comment: These energy trends are going to guarantee a few things .... (1) global oil and energy prices will remain high, (2) global warming advocates will be alarmed, and (3) tensions and conflicts will start to develop between different African countries over energy supplies (i.e. South Sudan - Sudan oil deposits, Ethiopia wanting to dam the Nile river, Nigeria delta oil reserves, etc.).

Approaching Comet May Be The Brightest In Decades

Approaching Comet May Outshine The Moon -- Reuters 

* Comet ISON revealed in September

* Could be brightest comet in decades Dec 28

(Reuters) - A comet blazing regarding Earth can outshine the chock-full moon what time it passes by next to the top of then day - if it survives its close bump into with the sun. The recently revealed object, branded as comet ISON, is due to soar contained by 1.2 million miles (1.9 million km) from the focus of the sun on Nov. 28, 2013 held astronomer Donald Yeomans, head of NASA's Near Earth Object Program next to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. To the same extent the comet approaches, intensity from the sun will vaporize ices in its body, creating come again? Can be a spectacular tail to facilitate is visible in Earth's night sky exclusive of telescopes or even binoculars from around October 2013 through January 2014. If the comet survives, to facilitate is.

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My Comment: Something to look forward ro at the end of the year.

The Growth Of Snapchat

The Growth Of Snapchat
Snapchat Withstands Facebook Challenge -- Financial Times 

A smartphone app to facilitate shares self-destructing photos has emerged as Silicon Valley’s up-to-the-minute obsession in the same way as withstanding a head-on challenge from social-networking bracket together Facebook. Snapchat, whose popularity amid teenagers has made it a US thump, has been in the App Store’s top 10 representing the precedent a small number of months. The open app’s disposable photos mark it improbable not in favor of rivals such as Instagram, solitary of after everything else year’s most-hyped apps.

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My Comment: This is a smart idea .... and does help to create that personal and private environment that many people crave for.

U.S. And New Zealand Secretly Tested 'Tsunami Bomb'


U.S. And New Zealand Secretly Tested 'Tsunami Bomb' Designed To Trigger Tidal Waves And Destroy Coastal Cities In WWII -- Daily Mail
* Countries accepted improbable hidden tests of a device designed to consume sub aqua explosions to trigger massive tidal waves

* Testing maxim almost 4,000 bombs detonated in waters around New Caledonia and Auckland at some point in the Second World War

* Details of top secret Project Seal unearthed in armed annals in New Zealand's state archives by an author researching a modern hardback

The U.S. And New Zealand collaborated on a top-secret mean to develop a 'tsunami bomb' gifted of devastating coastal cities, it has emerged. The countries accepted improbable hidden tests of the latent bludgeon of magnitude destruction - designed to consume sub aqua explosions to trigger gigantic tidal waves - in waters around Auckland and the relaxing island of New Caledonia at some point in the Second World War. Details of the secretive undertaking, code-named Project Seal, were revealed in armed annals buried in New Zealand's state archives by author and film-maker Ray Waru. 

Read more ....

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Intel Wants To Offer People The Ability To Subscribe To Individual Channels

Intel has been looking at TV for a while. Dan Frommer, Business Insider 

Intel Is Reportedly Going To Destroy The Cable Model By Offering People The Ability To Subscribe To Individual Channels -- Business Insider

Intel is so they say on the cusp of delivering something to facilitate consumers around the globe own been minus representing a long, long stage.

Kelly Clay next to Forbes reports Intel is departing to blow up the cable industry with its own set-top box and an unbundled cable service.

Clay says Intel is planning to transfer cable content to several device with an Internet connection. And as an alternative of having to salary $80 a month representing two hundred channels you don't would like, you'll be able to subscribe to individual channels of your choosing.Read more ....

My Comment: I have trouble seeing content providers giving Intel that type of power over their means to distribute their product. Cable has been good to these providers, Intel will have to offer something better.

What Global Warming?

Colder: Since 1977, the mean annual temperature has been steadily rising but starting in the early 2000s that has been falling

What Global Warming? Alaska Is Headed For An Ice Age to the same extent Scientists Report State's Steady Temperature Decline -- Daily Mail

* Since 2000, temperatures in Alaska own dropped by 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit

 * Scientists reviewed weather reports from 20 climate stations operated by the National Weather Service located across Alaska

 * 19 of the 20 weather stations reported falling temperatures

* An ocean phenomenon has disrupted a storm regulating usage therefore allowing cold winter storms to linger longer and bring a deep unfriendliness

* Local residents own noticed the colder temps but say its rejection large deal since they are already bundled up representing 20-below nought temperatures

New delve into from the Alaska Climate Research Center shows to facilitate since the instigation of the 21st century, temperatures in the snow covered land-dwelling of Alaska are in reality getting colder - bucking the overall comprehensive warming trend.

During the Last Frontier, wherever temperatures can comprehend as cold as 50 degrees under nought, native residents own qualified the increasing unfriendliness and scientists promptly confirm to facilitate the Northwest state is indeed bearing in mind a high temperature dewdrop.

A modern inform from the delve into focus next to the University of Alaska Fairbanks reveals to facilitate the 49th state of the union has cooled by 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 2000.

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My Comment: Dittos in Montreal (where I live) and for what my relatives (who live in Russia) are telling me this winter.

A New Trend Called Rooftopping

Daring photographer Tom Ryaboi snaps the Toronto skyline from the top of skyscrapers 

Rooftopping? It's Just Jaw-Dropping! Vertigo-Inducing Pictures Taken By Rooftopper Who Wants To Take Photography To New Heights -- Daily Mail

* Photography obsession of Rooftopping sees overjoy seekers climbing to dizzying modern heights representing the absolute picture

If the notion of walking along the rim of skyscrapers completely unguarded turns you troubled, it's probably unsurpassed you look away promptly. Daring photographer Tom Ryaboi snaps the Toronto skyline from the top of skyscrapers as a pioneer of the heart-stopping photography movement rooftopping. To pull off these awesome photographs, he often has to evade security guards, dogs - and even urban falcons defending their nests.

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My Comment: The pictures are vertigo-inducing. My suggestion to those who are foolish to want to try it .... do not do it on a windy day.

The Rise Of E-Books

The Nook tablet is seen during a demonstration at the Union Square Barnes & Noble in New York in this 2011 file photo. The share of US adults reading a digital book jumped in 2012 while the share of those reading a traditional book fell, accoridng to a new survey. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters/File 

Digital Reading Rises, While Books Fade -- Christian Science Monitor  

Share of adult Americans recital an e-book jumps from 16 to 23 percent in a day, Pew survey finds, while traditional hardback recital cataract from 72 to 67 percent.

The tastes of the recital known are spinning digital. A Pew Internet Research Center survey released Thursday found to facilitate the percentage of Americans aged 16 and big who read an e-book grew from 16 percent in 2011 to 23 percent this day. Readers of traditional books dropped from 72 percent to 67 percent. Overall, persons recital books of several kind dropped from 78 percent to 75 percent, a alteration Pew called statistically insignificant.

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My Comment: My favorite e-book library is here.

Video Tour Of The International Space Station


Video Tour Of The International Space Station -- Slate

Before she came back to Earth in a globe of fire surrounding her Russian re-entry capsule, astronaut Sunita Williams took stage improbable of her packing representing the visit interior to collapse a nickel tour of the International Space Station. When I clicked this, I figured I’d watch representing a insignificant or two … and found myself watching the total issue, since it was simply fascinating. 

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My Comment: Yup .... I also spent the next 25 minutes watching it.

Monday, February 17, 2014

New Map Tracks The Location Of Drone Flights Across The U.S.


Newly Released Drone Records Reveal Extensive Military Flights in US -- EEF.org 

Today EFF posted several thousand pages of modern hum license records and a modern chart to facilitate tracks the location of hum flights across the United States. These records, acknowledged as a effect of EFF’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) charge not in favor of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), show your face from state and native law enforcement agencies, universities and—for the chief time—three brushwood of the U.S. Armed: The Air Force, oceanic Corps, and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency).

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My Comment: Bottom line .... they are everywhere.

1,000-Year-Old Jewish Documents Discovered In Afghanistan

Documents from a collection of discarded religious Jewish, discovered inside caves in a Taliban stronghold in northern Afghanistan, which date back from the 10th century are displayed to the media during a press conference on January 3, 2013, at the national library in Jerusalem. (AFP Photo / Menahem Kahana) 

Collection Of Ancient Jewish Manuscripts Found In Afghanistan Fox Cave -- RT 

Israel's National Library has acquired 1,000-year-old Jewish ID revealed in Afghanistan. The collection of 29 pages includes writings by Saadia Gaon, and has been compared in weight to the 19th-century discovery of the Cairo Genizah. ­

The rare ID were revealed by villagers go up to the Iran-Uzbekistan border in a cave alleged to be the interior of a kin of foxes. The manuscripts include religious writings, as well as calligraphy and civil contracts in print in Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic and Persian, and in a variety of alphabets.

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My Comment: I am impressed that these documents are still in good shape .... after 1,000 years.

The Most Amazing Bowling Story Ever



The Most Amazing Bowling Story Ever -- DMagazine  

During a bowling lane solitary night, price Fong came so close to perfection to facilitate it virtually killed him.

When price Fong approaches the lane, 15-pound bowling globe in administer, he tries not to breathe. He tries not to think around not breathing. He wants his body to operate a cycle of convoluted arrangements to facilitate his muscles themselves own memorized. During terse, he wants to be converted into a robot.

Fong, 48 years old, 6 feet tall with broad shoulders, pulls the globe into his chest and does a quick shimmy with his hips. He swings the globe chief backward, followed by promote, his arm a pendulum of kinetic energy, as he takes five measured steps regarding the foul line. He releases the globe, and it glides across the oiled wooden planks like it’s hovering, hydroplaning, whirling counterclockwise along a course to facilitate seems to be taking it straight representing the right-hand gutter. But as the globe nears the rim of the lane, it veers back regarding the focus, as if guided by remote control. The hook carries the globe back truly in stage. During a heartbeat, come again? Was a spacious, sneering exit of pins is now—nothing. He comes back to the postpone wherever his teammates are seated—they until the end of time sit and bowl in the same order—and they congratulate him the same way they own thousands of epoch larger than the after everything else decade. But Fong looks unsatisfied. His punch wasn’t respectable an adequate amount.

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My Comment: If you have ten minutes to spare, read this story. The incredible part is at the end.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

What's On Darpa's 2013 Wish List?

U.S. Navy Diver DARPA wants a new dive suit that automatically monitors the diver's physiology and adjusts his or her air mixture accordingly. U.S. Navy

On DARPA's 2013 Wish List: Extreme Diving, Portable Brain Reading, And Gravity Vision -- Popular Science

The Pentagon's absurd scientists would like to bring brain scans to the smartphone, swarming satellites to universe, and self-healing software universally.

DARPA solicitation days are like Christmas morning representing knowledge nerds, occasions whose bounty apology tech geeks look promote to accurately since we own rejection goal come again? We are departing to comprehend. And in argument you notion DARPA might degree back its far-out R&D ambitions in light of impending apology financial plan cuts, be advised: The DoD’s blue-sky researchers be anxious rejection fiscal cliff (in piece of information, it has likely already industrial a self-assembling hypersonic vehicle to facilitate will without human intervention scramjet the agency to safety must several cliff, fiscal or otherwise, be autonomously detected). So come again? Does DARPA would like in 2013? Read on.

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My Comment: I call this the "golly-gee' stuff from Popular Science.

An Alternative To GPS?

A U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant Uses An Army Issued Smartphone To Pull Up A Map For Afghan Villagers United States Army via Wikimedia

New Ground-Based Indoor Positioning Tech Is Accurate Down 
To Just A Few Inches -- Popular Science

Locata's knowledge goes wherever GPS can't, delivering a gesture solitary million epoch stronger than persons beamed from satellites.

 Indoor navigation is for the most part certainly the holy grail representing positioning usage makers justification promptly. Satellite-based location technologies like GPS handiwork wonderfully improbable under the candid sky, wherever signals bounced from satellites to receivers on the ground are unhindered by man-made structures or natural obstructions. Take to facilitate same knowledge into the subway or a fat shopping shopping precinct, and the gesture goes boring. But a modern ground-based positioning usage called Locata can soon return or augment satnav using telephone lines signals to facilitate are a million epoch stronger than GPS signals, indoors or improbable. 
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My Comment: The military will love this .... if it works.

Is This Samsung's Galaxy S4?

The image that website Sammobile claims is the new Samsung Galaxy S4 

 Is This Samsung's Galaxy S4? Pictures Claiming To Be New Flagship Handset Leaked Online -- Daily Mail 

* New images retrieve o fair the then version of Samsung's unsurpassed advertising Galaxy Handset - which can make for on deal then day

* Image shows glossy design with rejection button - but does not appear to fair rumoured 'bending' screen

* Could be revealed next to the CES event in Las Vegas then week

The up-to-the-minute version of Samsung's hugely admired Galaxy S mobile phone has been blemished, according to solitary online locate.

An image obtained by Sammobile shows the modern implement generous a 5 crawl exhibit, and a modern design with rejection buttons on the argument. The handset is furthermore alleged to own a quad fundamental PC and a 13 megapixel camera.

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My Comment: I guess we will have to wait for a few weeks to find out if this story is accurate.

Will This Be The U.S. Military's Future Means To Ship Materials And Soldiers?

A concept of the airship on the battlefield, where it could be used to transport tanks and soldiers directly onto the front line

Thunderbird 2 Flies Again: The Astonishing Airship Set To Revolutionise Haulage, Tourism... And Warfare -- Daily Mail


* The Aeroscraft can incorporate three epoch more than the biggest armed freight planes larger than thousands of miles

* Heavily backed by the U.S. Armed, it is promptly next to the prototype stage and is usual representing its chief test voyage * It is gifted of vertical take sour and landing and doesn't even need a landing strip

A radical modern kind of airship funded by the US armed is around to nominate its chief test voyage - and it looks uncannily like the Thunderbird 2 craft from the classic tube fair.

The Aeroscraft airship will incorporate three epoch as much as the biggest armed freight planes larger than thousands of miles, consume a third of the fuel, and it doesn't even need a landing strip.

It can furthermore own major implications representing freight haulage, and almost everything promptly laboriously transported across the planet's apparent by dinghy, train and lorry can contained by years be accepted through the skies, its makers retrieve. 
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My Comment: It's an old concept but with a modern twist. I wish them well.

Early U.S. Flu Season Accelerates


Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Early Flu Season Accelerates; No Peak Yet, CDC Says -- NBC

The nation’s youthful infection season continued to grow in the U.S. This week, with rejection sign yet of a reach your peak in the multiply of coughing, achy, feverish illness, physical condition officials held Friday.

"I think we're still accelerating," held Tom Skinner, a CDC spokesman.

Twenty-nine states and New York City reported high spot levels of infection commotion, up from 16 states and NYC the preceding week. Flu was extensive in 41 states, up from 31 states, according to the up-to-the-minute information from the Centers representing Disease Control and Prevention.

To the same extent of the week finale Dec. 29, 2,257 fill with had been hospitalized with infection, and 18 children had died from complications of the illness, CDC reported.

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My Comment: Take the flu shot and washing my hands is my remedy.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

More Secrets From A Famed Roman Shipwreck

Archaeologists secure an amphora from the Antikythera wreck.(Photo: Ephorate of Culture/Greece) 

Famed Roman Shipwreck Reveals More Secrets -- USA 

Today Ancient artifacts resembling the Antikythera means, an ancient figure clockwork huge calculator, may well time-out amid the larger-than-expected Roman hulk to facilitate yielded the device in 1901.

 Oceanic archaeologists inform they own uncovered modern secrets of an ancient Roman hulk famed representing soft an amazingly sophisticated huge calculator. An international survey team says the craft is twice as long as originally notion and contains many more calcified objects amid the ship's lost freight to facilitate hint next to modern discoveries.

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My Comment: The ancient Romans were advanced .... more than what we give them credit for.

Astronomers Estimate That at Least 100 Billion Planets Populate the Galaxy

A new analysis of data from NASA's Kepler mission finds evidence for at least 100 billion planets in our galaxy. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) 

Planets Abound: Astronomers Estimate That at Least 100 Billion Planets Populate the Galaxy -- Science Daily 

Look up next to the night sky and you'll distinguish stars, convinced.

But you're furthermore bearing in mind planets -- billions and billions of them. At slightest. That's the conclusion of a modern study by astronomers next to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to facilitate provides yet more evidence to facilitate planetary systems are the cosmic norm. The team made their estimate while analyzing planets orbiting a star called Kepler-32 -- planets to facilitate are evocative, they say, of the vast majority in the galaxy and therefore fulfil as a absolute argument study representing understanding how for the most part planets form.

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My Comment: Only a 100 billion?

A Flower On The Surface Of Mars?

Does this image taken by Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager show a "Martian flower?" (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Finds ‘Flower’ On Surface Of Mars -- The Slide 

NASA has released a cycle of modern photos taken by its Curiosity rolling stone to facilitate appear to fair a “flower” on the apparent of Mars.

NBCNews.Com’s photo blog reports to facilitate the photos were taken as part of an effort to capture 360-degree images at some point in Curiosity’s trek through Mars’ Yellowknife Bay.

New Jersey-based journalist and photographer comprehension Kramer has assembled the Curiosity photographs, tallying color to collapse a realistic behold of come again? The rolling stone is bearing in mind on the planet’s apparent.

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My Comment: I doubt that it is a 'flower' .... but it is an interesting geological anomaly.

Japan Bluefin Tuna Sells For $1.76 Million



Japan Bluefin Tuna Sells For Record $1.76 Million -- NBC/AP 

A bluefin tuna sold representing a highest achievement $1.76 million next to a Tokyo Dutch auction Saturday, virtually three epoch the preceding high spot usual after everything else day — even as environmentalists give notice to facilitate stocks of the regal, breakneck fish are being washed-out worldwide amid strong demand representing sushi.

During the year's chief Dutch auction next to Tokyo's extensive Tsukiji fish advertise, the 222-kilogram (489-pound) tuna wedged sour northeastern Japan sold representing 155.4 million hankering, held Ryoji Yagi, a advertise endorsed.

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My Comment: Now that is a big (and expensive) fish.

Sunsets From Around The World

Palette of purple: From the burning red clouds of the Austrian mountains to the soft-coloured skies of Thailand, these are the sunsets of a lifetime 

Why Sunset Really Is The Most Beautiful Time Of Day: Incredible Images Of Early Evening Light From Across The World -- Daily Mail 
These stunning pictures of sunsets across the globe beyond doubt show the old motto of 'red sky next to night, shepherd's delight'.

A selection of awesome snaps to facilitate own captured scarlet skies, brilliant hues of lavender and rich blue wisps of cloud cannot fail to appeal to gasps of wonder from one and all who sees them.

The images of the jaw-dropping beauty are the merchandise of a technician who was unwavering to capture sunsets from across the globe.

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My Comment: The Hawaiian sunset is my favorite.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Smartphone Sales To Hit 1bn A Year

Smartphone Sales To Hit 1bn A Year
Despite soaring sales of smartphones, research suggests one in five owners will rarely, if ever, use them to access the internet. Photograph: Lee Jae-Won/Reuters 

Smartphone Sales To Hit 1bn A Year For First Time In 2013 -- The Guardian  

Accountant Deloitte predicts the smartphone will be converted into a magnitude advertise phenomenon and an everyday object worldwide.

The smartphone is predicted to be converted into a magnitude advertise phenomenon this day, with once a year shipments soaring to 1bn globally representing the chief stage, although a fifth of the strategy will rarely be used to make for online.

During 2013 the smartphone will be converted into an everyday object worldwide, according to a study by accountants Deloitte, bringing the total of functioning phones with either a stroke screen or an alphabet the ivories to 2bn by the top of the day.
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My Comment: It's easy to see the day when almost everyone has a smart phone .... and the cost of communicating will be almost free.

A New Way To Look For Signs Of Life In The Cosmos Being Launched

A New Way To Look For Signs Of Life In The Cosmos Being Launched
The night sky exceeding Paranal in Chile, wherever NGTS will be built. During the foreground is the Very Large Telescope. Photograph: Yuri Beletsky/European Southern Observatory British Astronomers Launch Advanced Planet Search To Look For Signs Of Life -- The Guardian Robotic telescopes in Chile's Atacama desert will conduct Next Generation Transit Survey to analyse atmospheres representing clues The art of hunting planets has show your face so far to facilitate astronomers can promptly roll hundreds of alien worlds to facilitate orbit stars so faint they are not even visible as pinpricks in the discharge night sky. Not much is branded of these far-flung planets. The for the most part conspicuous are gigantic, the size of Jupiter, and parched from gyrating so close to their suns. Others are giant iceballs, or waterworlds, or even rocky like Earth. But the finer details are a mystery, the stuff of speculation more than science

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. My Comment: This is what I call exciting work.

Here Comes The Giant 27-Inch ‘Coffee Table PC’

Here Comes The Giant 27-Inch ‘Coffee Table PC’
Lenovo 

Lenovo to Release Giant 27-inch ‘Coffee Table PC’ -- Time/AP 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dismayed to facilitate kin members are multiply improbable larger than the terrace, apiece with a separate PC or tablet? Lenovo has something it believes will comprehend them back organized: A PC the size of a coffee postpone to facilitate factory like a massive tablet and lets four fill with consume it next to as soon as. Lenovo Group Ltd., solitary of the world’s main PC makers, is calling the IdeaCentre Horizon Table PC the chief “interpersonal computer” – as opposite to a “personal notebook.”

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My Comment: For family games and entertainment .... I can see this being a hit.

The Vehicle That You Need To Survive In After The World Ends

The Vehicle That You Need To Survive In After The World Ends
Conquest Vehicles  

15 Vehicles That Will Help You Survive After The World Ends -- Business Insider 

By a quantity of accounts, the globe is departing to top on Friday. It's doubtful exactly come again? Will make for down, but it's not departing to be pretty. If you are solitary of the a small number of to nominate it to Saturday, staying alive in a post-Apocalyptic globe will be tough. To help you cook, we've plunk organized a roll of 15 cars and trucks to facilitate will be your unsurpassed anticipate representing survival. That way fuel-efficiency (as assets will be scarce), rejection stimulating cars (since the grid will make for down), and rejection convertibles or motorcycles (they don't offer an adequate amount protection).

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My Comment: Taking the bus has clearly not made this list.

Incredible Image From International Space Station Shows Mount Vesuvius And The Bay Of Naples

(Click on Image to Enlarge
Italy's Mount Vesuvius as never seen before, with an new image from NASA, taken from space. The mouth of the active volcano can clearly be seen in the bottom portion of the image 

Astronaut's View Of A Sleeping Giant: Incredible Image From International Space Station Shows Mount Vesuvius And The Bay Of Naples -- Daily Mail 

 NASA has released an incredible image, taken from the International Space Station, giving a modern perspective on solitary of the for the most part precarious volcanoes in the globe - Mount Vesuvius in Italy.

The image was taken from the observatory module of the International Space Station (ISS) on New Year's Day.

The image shows truly how close the functioning volvano is to the densely populated city of Naples.

Located 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) east of Naples, the fundamental of the volvano can be seen in the photograph, and resembles a nipple.
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My Comment: Cool.

15 Potentially Habitable Planets Discovered

15 Potentially Habitable Planets Discovered
Artist’s impression of the view from a moon around planet PH2b 

15 Potentially Habitable Planets Discovered by Amateur Astronomers -- Wired

Volunteers from the Planethunters website own identified 15 modern habitable planet candidates amid data collected by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft.

One of the 15, a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting the solar-type star KIC 12735740, has been officially inveterate as a planet (with 99.9 percent certainty).

Named PH2 b, it is the support inveterate planet to be found by Planethunters.Org, part of the Oxford University-led Zooniverse voter science project to facilitate turns tender data larger than to acute amateur researchers.

The residual 14 planet candidates are next to slightest 90 percent likely to be planets.
 Read more ....  

My Comment: This is probably just the tip of the iceberg.

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Lab Removes Suspicious Chinese Tech From Their Computers

Los Alamos National Laboratory. (Credit: Los Alamos National Laboratory)

Exclusive: U.S. Nuclear Lab Removes Chinese Tech Over Security Fears -- Reuters

A leading U.S. Nuclear weapons laboratory recently revealed its notebook systems enclosed a quantity of Chinese-made interact switches and replaced next to slightest two components since of state security concerns, a file shows. A dispatch from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, dated November 5, 2012, states to facilitate the delve into resource had installed strategy made by H3C Technologies Co, based in Hangzhou, figurines, according to a ape seen by Reuters. H3C began as a seam venture amid China's Huawei Technologies Co and 3Com Corp, a U.S. Tech solidify, and was as soon as called Huawei-3Com. Hewlett Packard Co acquired the solidify in 2010.

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Thursday, February 13, 2014

Sleep Disorders Detected In Manned Mars Mission Simulation



Fake Mission To Mars Leaves Astronauts Spaced Out -- The Guardian 

Trip to Mars in pretend spaceship on Moscow work estate affects snooze, commotion levels and motivation of six-man crew

To the same extent the cheerless skies and grim cheap sap all will to return to handiwork, take focal point to facilitate even on a visit to Mars, it is troublesome to comprehend improbable of bed in the morning.

The drudge of interplanetary travel has emerged from delve into on six men who united the fastest simulated universe mission still: A 17-month surrounding visit to the red planet in a pretend spaceship housed next to a Moscow work estate.

Read more ....

The Pentagon Is Expanding Its Smartphone For Spies Program -- Foreign Policy


While the time-out of the DC press group is discussion around Chuck Hagel's qualifications to be the then apology escritoire, Killer Apps is auspicious an adequate amount to be script around smart phones. Secret smart phones, to facilitate is.

That's justification, the National Security Agency and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) are usual to enlarge the encode to facilitate gives government officials Android-based smart phones and pills gifted of use classified in sequence.

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My Comment: The Pentagon is so far behind the curve on this one .... but at least they are catching up.

It's Hot In Australia

Hot Hot Heat Australian Bureau of Meteorology 


Record-breaking temperatures require a meteorological do over. It's departing to be a rough week in Australia, wherever the weather service had to add modern insignia to their climate chart in homework representing an extreme intensity forecast.

The Bureau of Meteorology recently added pink and purple areas to its maps to nominate extent representing senior temperatures. On the chart issued representing then Monday, Central Australia gets the unsure distinction of being the chief region revealed in purple, consequence temperatures are likely to mound exceeding 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).

This after everything else Monday was the country's most up-to-date generation on highest achievement universally, with arithmetic mean highest temperatures around the nation state of 40.33 degrees, and officials expect more to show your face. The modern pink code is aloof representing temperatures from 52 to 54 degrees Celsius, more than 125 degrees Fahreinheit.


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My Comment: Yup .... it is definitely summer in Australia right now.

Earth-Sized Planets Number 17bn In Our Galaxy

This artist's rendering shows the different types of planets in the Milky Way detected by Nasa's Kepler spacecraft 

Kepler Telescope: Earth-Sized Planets 'Number 17bn' -- BBC 

Astronomers say to facilitate solitary in six stars hosts an Earth-sized planet in a close orbit - suggesting a out-and-out of 17 billion such planets in our galaxy.

The effect comes from an analysis of planet candidates gathered by Nasa's Kepler universe observatory.

The Kepler scientists furthermore announced 461 modern planet candidates, bringing the satellites' out-and-out haul to 2,740.

Their findings were announced next to the 221st summit of the American Astronomical Society in California.

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My Comment: That's a lot of earth-sized planets .... kinda puts everything into perspective.

An App For Curbing Wine Habits

An App For Curbing Wine Habits


Scottish physical condition officials are banking on an Android app and the person tendency regarding vanity to help reduce the incidence of alcohol-related illnesses and deaths amid Scottish women. On Tuesday the work of the Scottish physical condition escritoire launched a open Android app, called Drinking Mirror, which shows women truly how much big they’ll look in 10 years if they toss back 10 glasses of wine for every week.
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My Comment: An app that illustrates wine making you age .... I am skeptical.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Brain Surgery For Drug Addicts

Brain Surgery For Drug Addicts
Chinese surgeons are performing the procedure at a rate critics call "alarming". [Image Source: Xinhua] 

Chinese Doctors Experiment With Controversial Brain Surgery for Drug Addicts -- Daily Tech 

Procedure involves drilling into patient's skull, destroying parts of their pleasure focus

 The Chinese medicinal society is taxing a bleeding rim brain surgery procedure to facilitate is equal parts controversial and fascinating. While the procedure -- designed to cure drug addiction -- draws a quantity of comparisons to archaic therapies, it leverages enlightened neuroscience to carefully target the neural circuits involved in addiction and extinguish them.
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My Comment: You have to be desperate to agree to this.

First Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Cases Detected In The U.S.

First Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Cases Detected In The U.S.
Gonorrhea infects close to 700,000 Americans each year

First Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Cases Detected In North America -- US News and World Report

Completely inveterate gonorrhea may well be next to administer.

The fears of major physical condition organizations own show your face actual: Gonorrhea to facilitate is immune to the after everything else residual in effect oral antibiotic has been detected in next to slightest nine North American patients, consequence the era of "incurable" gonorrhea can be close.

During a study released Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a bracket together of scientists led by Vanessa Allen of Public Health Ontario, found to facilitate 6.7 percent of patients with gonorrhea next to a Toronto clinic still had the disease in the same way as a surrounding of cephalosporins, the after everything else in effect oral antibiotic used to cure the disease. Of 133 patients who returned representing a "test of cure" visit, nine remained gonorrhea-positive. This is the chief stage cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea has been found in humans in North America.

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My Comment: This is the nightmare scenario.

Warrior Fitness Boot Camp (W.F.B.C.)


Finding My Inner Warrior, Military-Style -- Vanity Fair

I’ll not at all put out of your mind the chief stage I walked into Warrior Fitness Boot Camp (W.F.B.C.) to take my trial taste. I had here 15 minutes or taste to sign in and change—a stage I assumed would nominate me solitary of the chief fill with to arrive (my taste began sharp-witted and youthful next to 6:30 a.M.), but I right now maxim to facilitate I was mistaken. The majority of the taste had long since here and had tainted into workout gear. Sitting on benches across the extent in matching black T-shirts inscribed with the Boot Camp logo, I notion to myself, What own I complete? The then hour was solitary of the for the most part physically and mentally demanding things I’d complete since heartbreaking to New York, but next to the top of it I right now signed up representing a three-month bottomless package of classes.

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My Comment: Ouch .... but it looks like a great workout.

Humanoid Robot Pictured On Space Station


Humanoid Robot Pictured On International Space Station -- The Telegraph 

With his upright posture and shiny gold helmet, this universe robot looks more suited to the usual of Star Wars than the International Space Station. But the C3PO lookalike, the chief humanoid robot in universe, has spent almost two years orbiting the Earth while learning to operate tasks which are more suited to equipment than person crew members. Robonaut 2 – nicknamed R2 in a go-ahead to the Star Wars trilogy – was launched in February 2011 on the after everything else voyage of NASA’s Discovery universe carry.

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My Comment: Now that is impressive.

The World's Population Growth Is Shrinking

The World's Population Growth Is Shrinking

About That Overpopulation Problem -- Slate

Research suggests we may well in reality mug a declining globe population in the approaching years. The world’s seemingly relentless march regarding overpopulation achieved a notable signpost in 2012: Somewhere on the planet, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the 7 billionth living person came into existence.

Lucky No. 7,000,000,000 probably celebrated his or her birthday sometime in advance and added to a population that’s already stressing the planet’s some degree of provisions of food, energy, and clean fill up. Should this trend last, as the Los Angeles Times eminent in a five-part cycle marking the occasion, by midcentury, “living conditions are likely to be bleak representing much of humanity.” 

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WNU Editor: For more info on the world's population growth, go here.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Nearly Half Of All Global Food Is Wasted

Nearly Half Of All Global Food Is Wasted
Nearly Half Of All Global Food Is Wasted

Nearly Half Of All Food Is Wasted, Accounting For More Than 2 Billion Tons Annually -- Red Orbit

To the same extent the comprehensive population continues to grow next to an beyond belief rate, and as food stocks last to dwindle due to a total of factors, more and more fill with around the globe will be not here with a reduced amount of food on their plate. And what time you draw in an troubling inform on food misuse, the matter becomes all too surreal.

A modern inform by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) states to facilitate as much as semi of the world’s food supply (more than 2 billion tons) is needless apiece day. The bulk of this misuse is being caused by poor cargo space, strict sell-by guidelines, bulk offers and consumer finickiness, according to the inform.

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My Comment: Spoilage is a fact when it comes to food .... it will always go to waste.

The Entire Dark Knight Movie Trilogy In Three Minutes (Video)


Video: Watch The Entire Dark Knight Movie Trilogy In Three Minutes -- Wired 
Director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, which concluded after everything else summer with The Dark Knight Rises, is probably solitary of the for the most part well-executed comic hardback hero franchises in contemporary recall. So respectable, in piece of information, to facilitate all promptly and followed by it’s pleasant truly to own a little taste – even what time at hand isn’t stage to watch all three flicks back to back.

 Luckily, the people next to Screen Rant own complete us all a solid and crammed all of the unsurpassed moments from the three films into solitary three-minute clip (above) representing persons who need a Bat-fix, even what time at hand isn’t a lot in life of Bat-time. Three movies. Three minutes. One horrendous way to bask in the globe of Bruce Wayne.

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My Comment: Hmmm .... makes me want to watch all three films tonight.

Token Change For Monopoly

Token Change For Monopoly
Token Change For Monopoly


Today Fans can take part in a ballot in Hasbro's campaign representing the whittle they would like to keep and representing a replacement.

One of the iconic Monopoly game tokens soon will rejection longer be leave-taking "GO!" or collecting $200.

Hasbro has launched a "Save Your Token" campaign to retire either the competition car, iron, Scottie dog, wheelbarrow, shoe, top hat, thimble or battleship. The company is charter fans take part in a ballot until Feb. 5 representing the solitary they would like to keep via the Monopoly Facebook bleep.

The solitary with the lowest out-and-out goes quickly — and permanently — to jail. Fans furthermore can take part in a ballot representing the replacement voucher: Toy robot, helicopter, cat, guitar or diamond ring.

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My Comment: You do not change something that has been going on successfully for years. I guess Monopoly wants feedback from it's fans and a little buzz.

Deliveries Of The Long Anticipated Pagani Huayra Are Finally Beginning

Deliveries Of The Long Anticipated Pagani Huayra Are Finally Beginning
Pagani

Here's Why Car Nuts Are Lining Up To Spend $1.2 Million On Pagani's New Supercar -- Business Insider

Deliveries of the the long anticipated Pagani Huayra are to finish instigation, and car lovers are thrilled, even if they are not amid the very a small number of drivers who will comprehend behind the helm of the then horrendous supercar.

The appoint "Huayra" comes from the Incan word representing "God of the Winds," and Horacio Pagani, the carmaker Car & Driver called a "maniacally obsessed perfectionist," says it was inspired by a jet barreling down the landing strip truly or taking sour.

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My Comment: It looks different and unique .... but $1.2 million?

Snow In The Middle East (Photo Gallery)


From Foreign Policy: Snowfall in the Desert -- From Turkey to Jordan, onerous overnight blizzard Thursday jammed hauling, blocked businesses, and made life more intractable representing thousands in expatriate camps around the Middle East. The wild weather provided a surreal backdrop representing everything from snowball fights to clashes amid Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers. The Photo Gallery starts now.

My Comment: I live in Canada, and right now there is a 4 foot snowdrift in front of my window. I know how beautiful a snowfall is .... but it must be an awesome sight in a place like Jerusalem. On a side note .... for all those who are now refugees and living in camps .... this extreme cold and snow conditions are certainly not an awesome experience.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs Memorial Unveiled In Russia.
Steve Jobs Memorial Unveiled In Russia.
 Steve Jobs Memorial Unveiled In Russia -- RIA Novosti 

MOSCOW, January 9 (RIA Novosti) – A commemorative plaque to globe renowned tech pacesetter and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was unveiled in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.

The headstone, a giant replica of a black, much-lamented standard iPhone with a screen to facilitate displays a photo and capture slideshow of Jobs’ life, is located in the courtyard of the St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics.

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My Comment: His impact was definitely worldwide.

Central Park

Central Park
The incredible Manhattan panorama that won creator Sergey Semenov of Russia a prestigious prize 

Central Park As You've Never Seen It Before: The Incredible Interactive Panorama That Lets You Fly Through Manhattan From Your Sofa -- Daily Mail 

* Unique image was twisted from panoramic pictures of New York electronically stitched organized

* Sergey Semenov, the Russian amateur photographer who twisted it, this week won a major photography prize representing the incredible image

* Image is truly solitary of several incredible panoramic images to triumph next to the Pano Awards representing panoramic photography

It is an astonishing behold of Manhattan, presentation Central Park and its surrounding skyscrapers from a unique perspective.

The astonishing image, which has truly won a prestigious photography settlement, was twisted from a 360-degree view to facilitate lets you tour solitary of the world's for the most part impressive cities and zoom into tiny specify - all from the comfort of your notebook.

The awesome image and its accompanying view was twisted by Sergey Semenov of Russia.


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My Comment: Yup .... it is a view of Central park that i have never sen before.

Car Keys

Car Keys
Hyuandai 


Your smartphone has the latent to return virtually everything besides in your pockets, so why not your car keys?

Hyundai is working to look after truly to facilitate, with an embedded NFC tag to facilitate allows you to candid your car, start the engine and link up to the touchscreen with a clean walk off with.

Hyundai outfitted its i30 compact originate (aka the Elantra in the States) with NFC knowledge in its “Connectivity Concept” recently revealed next to its European command center in Frankfurt, Germany. The goal is clean: Nix the recipe fob and give permission your smartphone market it all.

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My Comment: What happens if you do not have a smartphone?

The EU Orders Google

The EU Orders Google
Joaquin Almunia stressed that he was more concerned with the way that Google presents its results, rather than the complex codes at their heart Photo: Bloomberg News 

Brussels Orders Google To Change Way It Presents Results -- The Telegraph  

Google will be unnatural to revolution the way it presents search results in Europe or mug sanctions from Brussels representing unfairly manipulating its view as the world’s biggest internet search engine.

The European Union’s competition chief, Joaquin Almunia, told a newspaper to facilitate it is his “conviction” to facilitate Google is unfairly promoting relatives to its own services exceeding persons of third merrymaking companies, and to facilitate he fears it is abusing its dominant view.

Google has been protected in a long-running row larger than whether it has tainted its search results to collapse preferential management to relatives to its own services, next to the expense of persons from competitors.

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My Comment: So EU bureaucrats are telling the world's number one search engine on how to it business .... this is not going to end well.

Drones Are Now Going Mainstream

Drones Are Now Going Mainstream
Drones Go Mainstream -- CNN
They're approaching. And they're not truly representing the armed anymore. Dozens of companies own sprung up in the after everything else a small number of years making remote controlled, mini-aircraft mounted with cameras, to facilitate are increasingly being used representing for profit and even entertainment purposes. But these aren't the remote controlled helicopters you remember brief as a delude. Today's drones are lighter, own better software, longer lasting batteries and greatly improved camera knowledge.

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My Comment: Drones are not only becoming mainstream .... but they are also getting cheaper.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Killer Whales Trapped



Killer Whales Trapped In Ice Have Been Freed (VIDEO) -- Global Post 

The 11 killer whales to facilitate were trapped in ice in Quebec's Hudson Bay own been freed in the same way as a passage of fill up to the sea was twisted.

MONTREAL — The 11 killer whales to facilitate were trapped in ice in Quebec's Hudson Bay own been freed, the mayor of a nearby village held Thursday.

NBC News reported to facilitate two scouts from the nearby Inuit village of Inukjuak, on the eastern shoreline of the Hudson Bay, went to check on the killer whales next to around 8 a.M. Thursday.

They found to facilitate a path of fill up had been twisted to the candid sea (nearly 25 miles away) and to facilitate the whales were consumed from their small ice aperture.
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My Comment: Awesome video.

The Next Oil?

 The Next Oil?
 The Next Oil?

Rare earth metals are quickly fitting the then central strategic resource. For many countries in Asia, the stakes are large.

Rare earth metals (REM) are increasingly fitting a judgmental strategic resource. The 17 elements can be found in for the most part high-tech gadgets, from forward-looking armed knowledge to mobile phones. Figurines at this time holds retrieve to larger than 90 percent of the world’s production. To the same extent comprehensive demand increases, Beijing’s export reductions in contemporary years own unnatural high-tech firms to relocate to figurines and unnatural other governments to pour money into their exploration and production. An emergent India is amid persons concerned around China’s control of rare earths. During the precedent 12 months, the geopolitics of rare earths has be converted into evident. REMs are fitting a strategic resource larger than which the two emerging giants are competing in Asia. Indeed, solitary might say rare earths are fast fitting “the then smear with oil.” 


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My Comment: A good review on why rare earths play a vital role in today's modern economy .... and why they are essential to the defense industry.

Iran Denies Launching Cyber Attacks


Iran Denies Cyber Attacks on US Banks -- ABC News

The Iranian government has officially denied several involvement in the wave of relatively ingenuous cyber attacks to facilitate own struck glancing blows on websites representing U.S. Pecuniary institutions larger than the precedent months. "Unlike the United States, which has, for every reports in the media, certain itself the license to engage in illegal cyber-warfare not in favor of Iran, Iran respects the international law and refrains from targeting other nations' profitable or pecuniary institutions," the Iranian mission to the United Nations held in a statement, according to a inform available much-lamented Thursday by Iran's semi-official PressTV.

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Nothing Apple App

There's No App For Syria -- Michael Peck
Why did Apple veto a game on the Syrian civil war?

The goal seemed commendable. Create a notebook game app on the Syrian civil war to facilitate is clean an adequate amount representing the common known to gain knowledge of a morsel around a convoluted conflict. Thus was born Endgame: Syria -- which puts the player in domination of the Syrian rebels as they battle to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's regime. It runs on Android pills, and it will soon be offered on the Apple app salt away, promises British publisher Auroch Digital. 

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My Comment: A surprising ruling from Apple .... especially since there are scores of violent games in their app store. I guess the issue of Syria is too sensitive for some in Apple, and prefer it to be swept under the table. On a side note ..... Steve Job's biological father was Syrian.

51 Things not Allowed To See at Google Maps


Depending on which trait you consume, Google Maps offers a satellite behold or a street-level behold of tons of locations around the globe. You can look up landmarks like the Pyramids of Egypt or the Great pile of figurines, as well as more special sitting room, like your ex’s terrace. But representing all of the sitting room to facilitate Google Maps allows you to distinguish, at hand are a load of sitting room to facilitate are off-limits. Whether it’s due to government restrictions, personal-privacy lawsuits or mistakes, Google Maps has slapped a "Prohibited" sign on the following 51 sitting room. 

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My Comment: I expected a longer list.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Beijing Pollution Hits An All Time High


* Pollution in the city rises to 30 to 45 epoch exceeding recommended safety levels

* Experts give notice the conditions can after everything else a further two days

* Residents warned to stay indoors as pollution is trapped by low pressure

Air quality in Beijing was the 'worst on record' larger than the weekend, according to environmentalists, as pollution in the city rose to 30 to 45 epoch exceeding recommended safety levels.

The Chinese money, interior to around 20 million fill with, has been wrapped in thick smog since Friday, plummeting visibility and disrupting traffic.

The city's pollution monitoring centre has warned residents to stay indoors as pollution levels rose to the the pits on highest achievement, according to Greenpeace. 


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Update #1: Beijing cancels outdoor activities, warns of hazardous air due to off-the-charts pollution -- Washington Post/AP  
Update #2: Beijing Pollution Hits Highs -- Wall Street Journal  
Update #3: On Scale of 0 to 500, Beijing’s Air Quality Tops ‘Crazy Bad’ at 755 -- New York Times  

My Comment: I first visited China in the mid 1980s .... and while I saw massive deforestation in many areas, the air quality was still OK. One of the best moments in my life was visiting a plantation in Fujian province that is responsible for growing Oolong tea. I was walking on the side of the hill and got caught in a warm monsoon rainfall. The warm rainwater, the air filled with the smell of tea, the freshness of the air .... it is an experience that describing it will not do it justice .... you have to experience it to appreciate it. But today .... if I go there ... and I get in a warm monsoon rainfall .... my primary worry will be acid rain and the need to quickly change my clothes.