January 2012
5 posts
President John Tyler's grandsons are still alive!! →
Spanning 222 years of history, the grandsons of the 10th President of the USA, John Tyler, are still living among us today!
Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Turned into Parking Lot
The USS Ronald Reagan carries sailors vehicles as it relocates to new port in Washington for repairs and upgrades.
Photo courtesy of Official U.S. Navy Imagery
Ringtone halts NY Philharmonic performance -...
The loud ringing mobile phone was enough to get conductor Alan Gilbert to halt the New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of Gustav Mahler’s Ninth Symphony. Gilbert turned several times to express his displeasure to the patron, to no avail. So, he halted the performance and would not continue until the offending noise was stopped.
(Via Yahoo News (AP).)
NASA Seeks Citizen Scientists With iPhones To Help...
NASA Seeks Citizen Scientists With iPhones To Help Track Meteors | Cult of Mac: “”
According to this post on Cult of Mac, NASA has released an app that allows ordinary citizens to report events such as meteor sightings. Its a great idea and an opportunity for true beleaguered agency to create an international monitoring system for very little money.
The space agency has even created...
July 2011
7 posts
Ancient discovery puts world's scientific eyes on...
Ancient discovery puts world’s scientific eyes on Kangaroo Island :
ABC Adelaide - Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports that a 515 million year old fossilised compound eye has been discovered in rocks from an archaeology dig on Kangaroo Island. Archeologists are calling it one of the greatest fossils finds in modern history.”
Believed to come from the Cambrian era, the fossil...
World's first 'printed' plane snaps together and...
World’s first ‘printed’ plane snaps together and flies
“Apparently when it comes to 3D printing, the sky is no longer the limit.”
Crave is reporting on a complete flying aircraft printed with a 3D printer and snapped together in minutes with no tools or fasteners. The plane reportedly has a top speed of 100 MPH and a wingspan of nearly 7 feet. The plane, known as...
World leaders, South Sudanese celebrate world's...
Today ,we witness the birth of a new nation. South Sudan is officially an independent country after a referendum overwhelmingly saw its citizens opt to separate. This effective cuts Sudan, Africa’s largest country, in half. Sudan endured years of civil war between the Arab Musim government based in the north and Christians and animists in the South.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was...
For Only the Second Time in History, Mankind Has...
An article in the Health section of the NY Times reports on another disease that humankind has made extinct. Rinderpest, an animal plague, has been a scourge of livestock for thousands of years. It is a virulant relative of the measles and had a mortality rate amongst infected herds of 95 percent.
Dr. Juan Lubroth, chief veterinary officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United...
Missing DaVinci Painting Found After Centuries
Experts in the United States and Europe have examined a painting believed to have been created byLeonardo DaVinci and declared it original.
Painted on a wood panel, the work had been cleaned and refreshed over the years by amateurs using techniques that may have harmed the work of art. As a result, it was heavily overpainted and gloomy.
The current owners of the painting, a consortium that...
Government sues Apollo 14 astronaut over lunar...
Government sues Apollo 14 astronaut over lunar camera
It appears that NASA is now taking legal action against one of its own. Edgar Mitchell, member of Apollo 14 in 1971, has a lunar camera from that mission that he has had for 40 years. He recently put it up for auction, but NASA claims that it isn’t his camera to sell.
(Via Reuters.)
June 2011
1 post
New Fee Is Your Chance To Break Verizon Contract...
The Consumerist Blog is reporting that the new fee announced by Verizon Wireless creates an opportunity to get out of your contract with no early termination charge. Verizon’s Consumer agreements contain a clause that allows customers to terminate their contract if there is a “materially adverse change of contract”.
In this case, Verizon is increasing the Regulatory fee form...
February 2011
1 post
“Here are the spending levels proposed by President Barack Obama for each federal...”
– Federal News Radio 1500 AM: List: Proposed 2012 agency spending levels
January 2011
1 post
Shift of Earth's magnetic north pole affects Tampa... →
As the magnetic north pole shifts about 40 miles each year towards Russia, it has finally had a profound effect. Tampa’s airport has had to close a runway for repainting and the FAA will send an alert to announce the runways number has changed.
So, what will happen in 2020? 2030?
October 2010
3 posts
Facebook Apps Collect & Share Unauthorized Data
Okay Facebook friends and users, one more time. When you add an app, fan page, or allow a 3rd party item to access your profile, you are giving it a LOT of access to your info, your posts, pics, and many of your friends as well. As this article now points out, developers have been harvesting that data and holding on to it for all sorts of purposes. When these get access to your info, it lets them...
Body Organs Can Send Status Updates To Your... →
Interesting convergence of medical technology and personal communications. But, I can’t imagine the complexities of securing the systems and data to ensure privacy.
Also, as we all know, anything that transmits can ultimately be “tooled” with illicitly. Regardless, the potential for enhancing people’s lives by cutting the literal cord to monitoring devices is tremendous.
Smarter Than You Think - Google Cars Drive... →
Google has been experimenting with self-driven vehicles based on artificial-intelligence and multitudes of sensors for some time. Now, it appears that they are on the verge of making them a true success.
I think I remember this scene from iRobot.
September 2010
1 post
August 2010
5 posts
'Dry water' could make a big splash commercially,... →
If you use dry water, do you need a towel afterwards?
The discovery resembles powdered sugar and has the potential to store more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, thus aiding in the fight against global warming.
2010 Most Influential Person Online
Fast Company is searching for 2010’s Most Influential Person Online. You are more influential than you think.http://fcinf.com/v/b4on
WatchNew Star Tours Video Makes Us Ask: Where Will the New Star Tours Attraction Take Us?
Disney has released a portion of the video that will be shown to guests in queues for the revamped Star Tours rides at Disney parks.
July 2010
13 posts
Who needs expensive audio cables? →
Don’t waste your money on those supposed high-end audio and video cables. You can do just as well with a cable set costing a few dollars.
Rivers of Ice » Comparative Photography →
This blog shows viewers the comparative loss in Himalayan Glaciers since 1899 using photos from that era. Its amazing, but I am still not ready to attribute it to man-made global warming.
Bowling: Throwing strikes at life →
This is a great new story on overcoming adversity and life’s obstacles to accomplish what you want. We should all have this kind of determination.
Also, note the reference to a duckpin bowling center once being in Philips, South Dakota.
Scientists unlock secret of Mona Lisa's face →
Using a special X-ray technique, scientists have unraveled how Da Vinci was able to create such incredible skin tones and shadows. The study showed his used a method of painting known as “sfumato”, which is based on layering the paint.
They weren’t, however, able to determine how he did it without leaving brushstrokes.
Generic Drug Price Lists For Six Major Pharmacies →
Good article comparing several sources for generic prescription drugs.
Loaner NASA Rover Helps Solve Cold Murder Case in... →
NASA robot helps local DA discover parts of a car that was disassembled and buried in a vacant lot. The car was believed to be the murder scene from a cold case.
Authorities excavated where the rover’s data had indicated where parts were likely buried and found what they needed to successfully prosecute.
Program Your Car Keys To Unlock All Your Cars →
This post helps you program your car’s remote to work with more than one vehicle. That way, you could potentially use it as a universal remote for all of your cars.
Keep in mind that making security convenient often reduces its effectiveness.
Skydiver to jump from edge of space - Boing Boing →
A record-setting free fall from a baloon at over 100,000 feet is planned. This will not only be for the thrill, but serve to test some of the theories behind rescue pods for the space shuttle and future private and commercial space flights.
WWI soldier buried at Arlington, 91 years after he... →
Private Costello was killed in battle by German artillery during World War I. His remains, along with others, were found in 2006 in France. Forensic teams of the US Army’s POW/MIA unit identified them and he has been given a full military funeral at Arlington Cemetery.
He's living the glamorous life without cash -- on... →
This guy is on a year-long quest to live only off of Groupon offers. he is not allowed to use cash for anything. If he succeeds, he earns $100K from Groupon themselves.
June 2010
4 posts
Iridium expansion is largest commercial space... →
Satellite phone provider, Iridium, is undertaking the largest commercial space project in the world. They have ordered 81 satellites and spacecraft and are spending over $2.9 Billion to upgrade the existing network.
May 2010
6 posts
After keeping us waiting for a century, Mark Twain... →
Samuel Clemons, better known as Mark Twain, penned his autobiography and stipulated that it not be published until 100 years after his death. Well, that is now. The text has been locked away in a university vault and will be published as a three volume set.
Another Strange Spiral Seen (and Heard) Over... →
Different photographers on land, and one in the air, caught this UFO over Canada. Impressive footage but it still looks like special effects to me.
Montauk Monster: Beast found in Ontario →
An unidentified creature found in a small Canadian town has people stumped. The animal has a long hairy body but is bald on its head, feet and face.
WatchPirates are closer than you think. Boaters terrorized on lake at US-Mexican border.
Tech Council of Maryland names annual awardees →
BaltTech reports on the 22nd Annual Tech Council of Maryland awards.
April 2010
36 posts
16 Productivity-Enhancing Websites →
A review of several websites and tools to help you increase your overall productivity.
Don’t talk to aliens, warns Stephen Hawking →
Esteemed scientist Stephen Hawking suggests that we should stop trying to contact extraterrestrials as it could present definite danger to the Earth.
He presents his views in a new documentary on the Discover Channel.