Google Offers Virtual Tours Of 132 Famous Sites

Google's 'World Wonders' Project Offers Virtual Tours Of 132 Famous Sites -- CBS News/AP

(CBS/AP) - Ever wanted to visit another country from the comfort of your own home? Google's has you covered and all you need is an Internet connection!

With Google's new World Wonders project, you can now take a virtual stroll among the ruins of Pompeii or into the temples of Kyoto.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company is offering virtual tours of 132 famous sites in 18 countries as part of an expansion of its Google Art initiative.

Read more ....

My Comment: I would prefer to go there in person than looking at the sites virtually.

Robert Teachers?

The robot Wakamaru may become a fixture in the homes of elderly Japanese who have no one else to look after them. Wired

Mind-Reading Robot Teachers Head To Class -- Discovery

Everyone had that one teacher in high school who you swore was a robot. Dull lectures delivered in a monotone voice all but invited you to snooze away the class, drooling on your desk.

On the other hand, we've all had those teachers we loved; ones who were engaging, creative and inspired us us to explore our creativity. They may not have stood on desks or demand we rip excremental introductions from our text books, but bottom line, they held our attention.

Read more ....

My Comment: I cannot see such a teacher in a schoolroom filled with troubled teens .... but in higher education classes .... it will probably work.

Behold the World’s Finest Superyachts

Dutch yachtbuilder Feadship took home the Motor Yacht of the Year award for Tango. The 252.8-foot yacht was launched in April of last year and features accommodations for 12 guests, an owner's deck, beauty salon, massage parlor and an outdoor movie theater. Despite all that weight, four engines propel the Tango to a top speed of 22 knots. Image: Feadship

Beauties of the Sea: Behold the World’s Finest Superyachts -- Autopia

Even among the most luxurious of pleasure boats, some yachts are finer than others. And the finest of them all win the coveted Neptune Trophy, given out at the World Superyacht Awards.

The ceremony recognizes the ultimate achievements in superyacht design. To qualify in any of the various award categories, yachts must be over 30 meters in length and must have been delivered to their owners in the past 12 months.

Read more ....

My Comment: My favorite superyacht is this one.

A Million Camera Clicks As New Yorkers Enjoy 'Manhattanhenge'

Stunning: Usually 'Manhattanhenge,' as seen here in 2009 (pictured), allows tall buildings to create a vertical channel to frame the sun

Night Of A Million Camera Clicks As New Yorkers Enjoy 'Manhattanhenge' When Sun Sets Between The Streets -- Daily Mail

Photographers last night struggled to capture stunning images of the 'Manhattanhenge' phenomenon in New York - when the sunset aligns with the city streets - as rain clouds obscured the view on many blocks.

However a slew of images made it onto social networks as professional photographers struggled. The 'Manhattanhenge' glow that occurs twice annually when the sun aligns precisely with the street grid in Manhattan was not as impressive as in previous years.

Read more ....

My Comment: To all those who were disappointed ... wait till next year.

The Bubbles In Guinness Really DO Sink

Generations of beer drinkers have argued over whether the bubbles in Guinness sink while the beer is settling - now scientists have proved it

The Bubbles In Guinness Really DO Sink - And The Discovery Could Lead To Pints Of Stout That Pour Far Faster -- Daily Mail

* Bubbles circulate down at outside of glass
* Happens as pint settles
* Discovery could lead to new shapes of pint that allow stouts to settle faster

Generations of beer drinkers have argued over whether the bubbles in Guinness sink while the beer is settling - now scientists have proved it.

It might seem counterintuitive that bubbles might sink, but it's due to the way stouts 'settle' in the glass.

Read more ....

My Comment: Hmmmm .... why do I want to drink a beer right now?

World's Top 100 Universities Under 50

World's Top 100 Universities Under 50: Ranked By Times Higher Education -- The Guardian

South Korea's Pohang University of Science and Technology has been ranked the best university under the age of 50. Find out which universities have made the list.

South Korea's Pohang University of Science and Technology has topped a list of the best universities under the age of 50.

The inaugural rankings by Times Higher Education (THE) aim to show "which nations are challenging the US and UK as the next higher education powerhouses". Swiss university, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne follows in second place.

Read more ....

Editor: The Times Higher Education report is here.

Leaked Image Offers First Glimpse Of iPhone 5

It's coming! 9to5Mac has released this image, purported to be the iPhone 5. Features that can be spotted include a much larger screen, and a smaller dock connector

Leaked Image Offers First Glimpse Of iPhone 5 Sporting Much Bigger Screen As Rumours Point To A June 11 Announcement -- Daily Mail

A leaked image gives us a first glimpse of the iPhone5 - and anyone who was waiting for a bigger screen may finally have their prayers answered.

Established Apple site 9to5Mac revealed a leaked image of what is claimed to be the iPhone5, and the site - which has a good record for reporting accurate leaks from Apple - has a plethora of details about the new model.

Read more ....

My Comment: I know that Steve Jobs did not approve of large iPhone screens .... but I like it. This is a good move on the part of Apple.

Could Sarcastic Computers Be in Our Future?

Noah Goodman, right, and Michael Frank, both assistant professors of psychology, discuss their research at the white board that covers the wall in Goodman's office. (Credit: L.A. Cicero)

Could Sarcastic Computers Be in Our Future? New Math Model Can Help Computers Understand Inference -- Science Daily

ScienceDaily (May 30, 2012) — In a new paper, the researchers describe a mathematical model they created that helps predict pragmatic reasoning and may eventually lead to the manufacture of machines that can better understand inference, context and social rules.

Language is so much more than a string of words. To understand what someone means, you need context.

Consider the phrase, "Man on first." It doesn't make much sense unless you're at a baseball game. Or imagine a sign outside a children's boutique that reads, "Baby sale -- One week only!" You easily infer from the situation that the store isn't selling babies but advertising bargains on gear for them.

Read more ....

My Comment: I guess it all comes down to the math and programming.

Man's Oldest Musical Instrument Is 42,000 Years Old (Give Or Take)

Looks like our earliest ancestors enjoyed music, too

42,000-Year-Old Mammoth Ivory And Bird Bone Flutes Are Oldest Instruments Ever Found -- Y! Tech/Yahoo News

It looks like our earliest human ancestors enjoyed recreational activities other than painting on cave walls. A study by Oxford University researchers revealed that the oldest musical instruments ever discovered date as far back as 42,000 to 43,000 years ago. These instruments are flutes made out of mammoth ivory and bird bones (above).

Read more ....

My Comment: One can only wonder on what were the melodies played by early man.

Jesus Christ Was Crucified On Friday, April 3, 33 AD

U.S., German Researchers Reveal Date of Christ's Death. © RIA Novosti. Elena Visens

U.S., German Researchers Reveal Date of Christ's Death -- RIA Novosti

The U.S. and German geologists claim they had discovered the exact date when Christ was crucified, the International Geology Review reported.

According to the report, published in the academic journal this week, the scientists discovered that Christ had been crucified on Friday, April 3, 33 AD.

Read more ....

My Comment: They seem very confident on the date.

Virgin Galactic Cleared For Rocket-Powered Test Flights

Virgin Galactic is to make its first rocket-powered test flights for its commercials passenger

Virgin Galactic Cleared For Rocket-Powered Test Flights -- The Telegraph

Virgin Galactic is to make its first rocket-powered test flights for its commercials passenger spaceship later this year after being granted clearance.

Scaled Composites, Virgin Galactic's spaceship design partner, was granted an experimental permit from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – a move that will allow it to proceed with powered flights.

No timetable has been set for the first launches carrying paying customers, expected to take place after the test programme is complete.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is exciting news.

Fears Of A Supervolcano Erupting Sooner Rather Than Later Are Being Raised

Eruption: Supervolcanoes with the power to destroy human civilisations may build up a deadly head of steam far faster than scientists believed

Supervolcanoes With Power To 'Destroy Civilisation' Explode Far More Rapidly Than Scientists Had Believed - And One Could Be Bubbling Under U.S. Right Now -- Daily Mail

* Most deadly event that can hit Earth short of asteroid
* Scientists believed they took 100,000 years to build up
* Instead, figure could be just hundreds
* Supervolcano believed to be simmering under Yellowstone in U.S.

A 'supervolcano' eruption is the most catastrophic natural disaster that can hit our planet, short of an asteroid impact - and now scientists believe they may build up a deadly head of steam far faster than we thought.

Instead of the process taking hundreds of thousands of years, it could take just hundreds.

The news could be bad for the US, where a supervolcano is said to be simmering beneath Yellowstone National Park. If it erupted, two thirds of the country could be rendered uninhabitable.

Read more ....

My Comment: Such an event will .... to put it mildly .... change everything.

Ford's Fastest Mustang Ever

Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 Courtesy Ford Motor Co.

Ford's Fastest Mustang Ever: A 200mph Muscle Car -- Popular Science

Detroit automakers have recently been locked in a competition straight out of the 1960s: a race to create the fastest and most powerful muscle car. This summer, Ford takes the lead with the 650-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT 500. To break the 200mph mark, engineers departed from the muscle-car tradition of throwing a truck engine under the hood and calling it a day. Instead they redesigned the engine with lightweight materials, refined the car’s aerodynamics, and installed driver-assistance systems that allow anyone to drive the Shelby as it’s designed to be driven—aggressively.

Read more ....

My Comment: My friend has a 2011 Ford Mustang .... and he is always telling me that Ford can never improve on this car. Hmmm .... it looks like they have.

Iran Is Claiming That It Has Defeated The Newest Computer Virus Directed At Them

Graphic showing the number and location of Flame infections, a malicious software virus infiltrating the Middle East

Iran Claims To Have Beaten 'Flame' Computer Virus -- The Telegraph

Iran claims it has defeated a powerful computer virus that has boasted unprecedented data-snatching capabilities and could eavesdrop on computer users, a senior official said.

Ali Hakim Javadi, Iran's deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology, told the official IRNA news agency that Iranian experts have already produced an antivirus capable of identifying and removing "Flame" from computers.

Iran's government-run Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center has said the Flame virus was focused on espionage.

Javadi did not say whether any Iranian government bodies or industries were affected by the virus.

Read more ....

More News On The 'Flame' Computer Virus

Iran Says It's Produced Antivirus to Newly Detected Flame -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Iran claims it has fix for Flame malware -- TG Daily
Iran: 'Flame' virus fight began with oil attack -- AP
Iran: Powerful "Flame" computer virus briefly hit oil industry but was defeated with data recovered -- CBS/AP
Iran defeats powerful ‘Flame’ virus, military official claims -- Toronto Star/AP
Iran acknowledges that Flame virus has infected computers nationwide -- Washington Post
Iran confirms Flame virus attacked computers of high-ranking officials -- The Telegraph

A Look At How Libya Under GaddafiTried To Monitor The Internet And Social Media

Jamming Tripoli: Inside Moammar Gadhafi’s Secret Surveillance Network -- Threat Level

He once was known as al-Jamil—the Handsome One—for his chiseled features and dark curls. But four decades as dictator had considerably dimmed the looks of Moammar Gadhafi. At 68, he now wore a face lined with deep folds, and his lips hung slack, crested with a sparse mustache. When he stepped from the shadows of his presidential palace to greet Ghaida al-Tawati, whom he had summoned that evening by sending one of his hulking female bodyguards to fetch her, it was the first time she had seen him without his trademark sunglasses; his eyes were hooded and rheumy. The dictator was dressed in a white Puma tracksuit and slippers. How tired and thin he looked in person, Tawati thought.

Read more ....

My Comment: This article is a fascinating read. In the age of the internet and social media .... intelligence and security agencies are now prioritizing efforts to not only limit it's uses .... but also on how to effectively conduct surveillance operations on it. A look at how Libya under Gaddafi tried to have a handle on this is fascinating to read .... not because of what was done in Libya .... but on what present repressive governments are trying to do when faced with dissatisfied youth and and calls for reform.

Inside The Navy’s Newest Spy Sub

Wikipedia

Exclusive Pictures: Inside The Navy’s Newest Spy Sub -- Danger Room

UNDERWAY ON THE U.S.S. MISSISSIPPI — The Navy’s newest fast-attack submarine is speeding down the Florida coast, on its way to its commissioning ceremony in its namesake state, at 15 knots. And it’s getting outraced by dolphins.

Hours before the U.S.S. Mississippi dives several hundred feet beneath the Atlantic, its sail juts proudly into the warm, whipping southern air. Submariners allow me to see the highest point on the sub for myself — provided I can keep my balance up three steep levels’ worth of ladder and hoist myself out onto a platform the size of a fancy refrigerator. A harness hooked to an iron bolt on the sail keeps me from falling to my death. There’s no land in sight, just blue water turned white around the sub’s wake, a tall BPS-16 military radar spinning in front of us, and a family of dolphins jumping out of the surf in front of the 377-foot boat.

Read more ....

My Comment: Four days on a sub .... must have been an eye opening trip.

The Continuing Exponential Growth Of YouTube

Now Serving The Latest In Exponential Growth: YouTube! -- Singularity Hub

It goes without saying that YouTube has become the quintessential online video source for amateurs and professionals alike, but on the service’s seven-year anniversary, Google made quite a startling announcement: 72 hours of video are uploaded every single minute. That’s three entire days worth of cat videos, webcam rants, conference proceedings, news interviews, and company marketing fodder that is quietly swelling hard drives that already serve up four billion videos a day.

Read more ....

My Comment: This 'exponential' growth probably has a few more years to go before it starts to level off.

The ‘New AIDS Of The Americas'

Photo: Experts say Charles Darwin suffered from Chagas disease, being called the “new AIDS of the Americas.” Reuters

Chagas Disease, An Incurable Infection, Called The ‘New AIDS Of The Americas': Report -- New York Post

Is This The Disease That Killed Charles Darwin?

Experts have dubbed it the “new AIDS of the Americas.”

A parasitic infection called Chagas Disease has similarities to the early spread of HIV, according to research published recently in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Like AIDS, Chagas is hard to detect and has a long incubation period before symptoms emerge, the study said, according to the New York Times.

Read more ....

My Comment: This disease looks nasty.

New Advances In Stroke Treatments

Brain attack: Strokes occur when blood stops flowing to a part of the brain, often because a blood clot gets lodged in an artery supplying blood to the organ. istockphoto/Eraxion

Pill Could Reverse Effects Of A Stroke Long After It Hits -- Technology Review

One pharmaceutical company aims to lengthen a stroke's drug-treatable period from hours to months.

For the 800,000 people in the United States who suffer a stroke each year, the window for drug therapy closes in the first few hours after the attack. That leaves some seven million stroke survivors in this country alone with no medical alternative beyond physical therapy. A small pharmaceutical company in New York hopes to change that with a drug that may help patients regain some of their lost mobility six months or more after a stroke.

Read more ....

My Comment: Our family had to take care of my father for 7 years after his stroke. I know that any advances in treatment will help millions.

NASA Is Worried About Future Moon Explorers

NASA has released a series of guidelines in an effort to protect future lunar missions from ruining the historic Apollo moon landing sites on the moon’s surface. Daily News Photo Illustration

NASA To Future Moon Explorers: Don’t Ruin Our Apollo Landing Sites -- New York Daily News

Space agency issues guidelines to help other lunar missions to protect historic remains

The next person to set foot on the moon needs to watch their step.

NASA has reached an agreement with the Google X Lunar Prize competition to prevent the next wave of moon visitors from ruining historic lunar sites.

The guidelines would also protect existing scientific experiments from getting trampled underfoot by the guests vying for $30 million in prize money.

Read more ....

My Comment: I guess they are worried that some future moon explorer would go to the first Apollo site .... steal the flag .... and mark in the dust that "Killjoy was here".

The 'Flame' Virus Ups The Ante For Cyberwar

A cyber warfare expert holds a notebook computer while posing for a portrait in Charlotte in this December 2011 file photo. A United Nations agency charged with helping member nations secure their national infrastructures plans to issue a sharp warning about the risk of the Flame virus that was recently discovered in Iran and other parts of the Middle East. John Adkisson/Reuters/Files

Beyond Stuxnet: Massively Complex Flame Malware Ups Ante For Cyberwar -- Christian Science Monitor

Flame is something new in cyberwar, experts say. It can take screenshots and record audio on infected computers. The malware was almost certainly made by a nation-state.

Stuxnet move over. Cybersecurity researchers on Monday announced the discovery of Flame, a piece of malicious software that one firm has called "arguably ... the most complex malware ever found."

At this early stage of analysis, only a few of Flame's functions are understood, reports Kaspersky Lab, the Boston-based cybersecurity company that uncovered it. Because of Flame's size and complexity, it could take years to unpack completely what the program can – and has – done, experts add.

Read more ....

My Comment: There are only 4 countries capable of doing this .... the US, Russia, China, and Israel. Who is the guilty party .... my money is on all 4 of them.

Is Israel Behind The Super-Virus Targeting Iran?

Israel Hints It May Be Behind Super-Virus Targeting Iran -- The Independent

'Flame' cyber attacks that can steal vast amounts of sensitive data come as Tehran nuclear talks falter.

A top Israeli minister yesterday fed speculation that the Jewish state could be responsible for a powerful new virus said to have been used in a fresh attack on computers in Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East.

The discovery of the unprecedented complex data-stealing "Flame" virus was disclosed by a Russian-based digital security firm Kaspersky Lab. Its experts reported on Monday that it had been applied most actively in Iran, but also in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Read more ....

My Comment: If Israel was behind the development of this virus .... they would be saying nothing.

Why A Gin And Tonic Is Best Served Cold

The tongue tastes the bitterness in gin and tonic more intensely when it's cold, researchers have found (Source: jonathansloane/iStockphoto)

Evidence Supports A Cold Gin And Tonic -- ABC News (Australia)

Science can finally explain why gin and tonic tastes best when it's served cold.

Sensory scientist Dr Martha Bajec and colleagues from Brock University in Ontario, Canada, report their findings online this month in the journal Chemosensory Perception.

"You want to make sure that your gin and tonic is cold to make sure that it's bitter," says Bajec.

While previous research has suggested temperature can affect people's perception of sweetness, Bajec was surprised to find no one had ever looked at the effect of temperature on bitter tastes.

Read more ....

My Comment: I guess the same can be said of most drinks .... from beer to putting ice-cubes in any 'hard drink'.

Even In The Stone Age There Were 'Haves' And 'Have Nots'

Analysis of grave sites across central Europe found that 7,000 years ago, in the early Neolithic era, some farmers had better land and better tools, which they were buried with.

Even In The Stone Age There Were 'Haves' And 'Have Nots' - And Our Unequal Society Began 7,000 Years Ago -- Daily Mail

* People buried with stone 'adzes' had better farming land
* Inherited wealth began just as farming spread across Europe
* Social inequality began far earlier than many imagined
* Early Neolithic farmers divided into 'haves' and 'have nots'

The gap between rich and poor began far earlier than most of us might imagine.

In 5,000BC, long before the Egyptians built the pyramids, Europeans were already divided into ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

Analysis of grave sites across central Europe found that 7,000 years ago, in the early Neolithic era, some farmers had better land – and better tools, which they were buried with.

Read more ....

My Comment: I guess we have not changed much over the past few centuries.

What’s Killing Supercentenarians?

Small bowel duodenum with amyloid deposition (credit: Michael Feldman/Wikimedia Commons)

What’s Killing Supercentenarians? Amyloidosis, Suggest Two Gerontologists -- Kurzweil Artificial Intelligence

In a newly published review, Dr. Stephen Coles and Robert Young of the UCLA Gerontology Research Group have identified what may be killing supercentenarians: amyloidosis — and drugs to treat it could extend lifespan beyond current limits, Extreme Longevity reports.

Supercentenarians are persons who have lived beyond the age of 110. Currently there are only about 80 such known individuals in the world whose age is verified. The world record holder is Jeanne Calment, who survived until age 122.

Read more ....

My Comment: I's getting older .... so faster please.

Some Star Wars Fun

Luke Skywalker in Star Wars IV - A New Hope (1977) Photo: Allstar/LUCASFILM

Star Wars Superfun Update -- Dark Roasted Blend

Star Wars as You've Never Seen Them Before - in Geek Art and Fan Creativity!

Just finished watching the original trilogy in Blu-ray edition (highly recommended, by the way) - and was pleasantly reminded that we need to update our long-running popular "Star Wars Fun" series (Part 3, Part 2, Part 1)

Since our last update, Star Wars Universe has seen some near-Big-Bang explosion of fantastic art and creativity in made items... inspired by the classic, near immortal, interstellar story of Grand Conflict Between Good and Evil, full of Betrayal, Peril and Redemption at the most importunate times... but I digress; true Star Wars fans stay away from big words and prefer visual proof. Here it is -

Read more ....

My Comment: A little Star Wars fun.

How Memory Works

Image: Drawing from Gray's Anatomy

Why Is Memory So Good and So Bad? -- Scientific American

Explaining the memory paradox.

What did you eat for dinner one week ago today? Chances are, you can’t quite recall. But for at least a short while after your meal, you knew exactly what you ate, and could easily remember what was on your plate in great detail. What happened to your memory between then and now? Did it slowly fade away? Or did it vanish, all at once?

Read more ....

My Comment: For one who finds it frustrating when he forgets important bits of information .... this is a must read.

NASA Wanted To Send Astronauts To Venus

NASA Wanted Astronauts to View Venus Up-Close -- Discovery News

In a little over a week, we’re all going to be looking skyward and focusing our sights (safely) on Venus as it crosses the disk of the sun. It's going to be a fantastic view, especially since most of us only ever see Venus as a tiny dot of light in the sky. But in 1967, NASA considered giving three astronauts a really rare view of Venus by sending them on a flyby around the second planet from the sun.

Read more ....

My Comment: NASA dreamed big then.

SKA Super Telescope To Be Located Across South Africa, Australia And New Zealand.

Artists impression of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project Photo: Reuters

Australia And South Africa To Share SKA Super Telescope -- The Telegraph

The world's biggest and most powerful radio telescope will be spread across South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Members of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a £1.2 billion radio telescope which will probe the greatest mysteries of the Universe and lead the search for life on other planets, took the decision at a meeting in Amsterdam on Friday.

Representatives from Britain and the seven other states overseeing the project agreed to adopt a "dual site" after failing to decide between competing bids from Southern Africa and Australasia.

Read more ....

My Comment: I am surprised by the South African choice .... I expected Chile.

Is Apple's iTV Coming To Market?

China Business News reports that Foxconn's Shenzhen factory has received the first order for the product and is producing the initial models on a trial basis.

Could Apple's Long-Awaited iTV Be On Store Shelves This Christmas? Early Versions Are Already Being Tested In China -- Daily Mail

Apple is believed to have begun test production of an ‘iTV’ that could be unveiled before Christmas.

China Business News reports that Foxconn’s Shenzhen factory has received the first order for the product and is producing the initial models on a ‘trial basis’.

The TV is rumoured to have voice control, and was one of the last major projects Steve Jobs worked on before he died.

Read more ....

My Comment: Perfect timing for Christmas .... if they can do it.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Takes On Apple

The Galaxy S3 is the successor to the S2 Android phone, which helped make Samsung the world's largest smartphone maker in 2011

Samsung Galaxy S3: Korean Tech Giant Takes Another Bite Out Of Apple With Music Service To Take On iTunes -- Daily Mail

* Samsung on 'Music Hub': 'We want to be bigger than Apple'

Samsung will today launch its flagship smartphone, taking the fight to Apple with the most pre-ordered gadget in history.

And while all eyes are on the launch of Samsung's hardware, the Korean tech giant launched another salvo against Apple with a competitor to the iPhone's long-established iTunes media store.

The Galaxy S3 is the successor to the S2 Android phone, which helped make Samsung the world's largest smartphone maker in 2011.

Read more ....

My Comment: Even I am excited by this cell phone .... which tells me something because tech (since I have seen it all) rarely excites me.

Get Ready For Manhattanhenge!

Be Prepared For Manhattanhenge! May 29-30 -- Red Orbit

On Tuesday evening, residences and onlookers in Manhattan will be treated to a sunset spectacle known as Manhattanhenge.

During the event, a half sun will align itself perfectly with the city’s 201-year-old grid at 8:17 p.m. as it sets right in line with the streets of Manhattan in New York.

The steel construction echoes a similar effect created by Stonehenge, as the ancient arrangement matches the direction of the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset.

Read more ....

Update: Last night was a disappointment.

10 Things That Steve Jobs Will Not Agree With

10 Changes That Must Have Steve Jobs Rolling In His Grave -- Gizmodo

I miss Steve Jobs. The tech world is so boring. So beige. Things haven't been the same without his show-and-tells, him slamming people left and right, or his email replies in the middle of the night.

Apple hasn't been the same either. And, wherever he is, Jobs probably doesn't like some of the things that have been happening or are about to happen in Cupertino. Here are the 10 things that would have probably made him shout his classic "this is shit!"

Read more ....

My Comment: Yup .... I have to agree that these 10 changes is a move backwards for Apple.

Facebook Co-Founder Talks About Zuckerberg

Facebook's Saverin: 'No Hard Feelings' Toward Mark Zuckerberg -- L.A. Times

Facebook's foreign co-founder, Eduardo Saverin, finally addressed publicly the rift between himself and Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, saying there were "no hard feelings" between the two.

Saverin, 30, one of the social network giant's original four founders, spoke of his relationship with Zuckerberg, how it was portrayed by Hollywood, his recent decision to give up his U.S. citizenship and his current work in Singapore in a cover story for the Brazilian magazine Veja (link in Portuguese).

Read more ....

Update: Facebook Co-Founder Eduardo Saverin Speaks With Brazilian Newsmagazine ‘Veja’ -- AllFacebook

My Comment: Why should he have any 'hard feelings' .... he is a billionaire now .... and it is all due to Facebook and Zuckerburg's efforts.

Facebook Tries Again To Build A Smartphone

Facebook Tries, Tries Again On A Smartphone -- New York Times

Can a software company build its own smartphone? We may find out soon.

This past week, Google completed its acquisition of the hardware maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, which could lead to the search giant’s making its own smartphone. But another software titan might be getting into the hardware game as well: Facebook.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is going to be an uphill battle for Facebook.

It Took Ten Million Years To Recover From Earth's Greatest Mass Extinction

New research reveals that it took some 10 million years for Earth to recover from the greatest mass extinction of all time, some 250 million years ago. (Credit: © byheaven / Fotolia)

It Took Earth Ten Million Years to Recover from Greatest Mass Extinction -- Science Daily

ScienceDaily (May 27, 2012) — It took some 10 million years for Earth to recover from the greatest mass extinction of all time, latest research has revealed.

Life was nearly wiped out 250 million years ago, with only 10 per cent of plants and animals surviving. It is currently much debated how life recovered from this cataclysm, whether quickly or slowly.

Read more ....

My Comment: Only 10 million years?

Vietnam War In 3-D

Vietnam in 3-D: The Soldier Who Was The Only One To Capture The Historic War With Revolutionary Camera -- Daily Mail

When avid photographer, Joel Glenn, left his Florida home to become a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War he wanted to document his strange surroundings and experiences in a war zone.

But his 35-millimetre slides did not do the place justice so he sent away for a three-dimensional camera, with which he proceeded to take the only known 3-D photographs of the historic event.

The unbelievable images, which truly jump from the screen, have been made into an hour-long Memorial Day documentary called 'Sky Soldier: A Vietnam Story in 3-D'. It airs at 9pm tonight on DirecTV, so get your 3-D glasses ready.

Read more ....

My Comment: This photographer was way ahead of his time.

Russia Dreams Of having A Moonbase

Destination: the Moon Bob Familiar via Wikimedia

Russian Space Chief: 'We’re Talking About Establishing Permanent Bases' On The Moon -- Popular Science

Yesterday, the heads of the space agencies for Europe, Canada, Russia, India, and Japan met in Washington D.C. (without NASA, which had all hands on deck for the SpaceX launch in Florida). The most interesting topic of conversation? The moon, which seems to be the destination on everyone’s agenda except for NASA. And for Russia, it’s less a destination and more a frontier for colonization.

Read more ....

My Comment: They are ambitious.

The Porsche Covered In Crushed Diamonds

A demo car showing off Gemballa's new diamond 'paint': The paint is made from diamonds ground down to a dust that still sparkles, so it can be applied to cars like a paint. The German company claims that the sheer number of tiny diamonds in the coating leads to an 'incomparable' shin

Talk About A Pimped-Up Ride: The Porsche Covered In Crushed Diamonds (But Can It Take You To The Weekly Shop At Waitrose?) -- Daily Mail

German Porsche-tuner Gemballa has created one of the most over-the-top cars in history - a car encrusted head to toe in diamonds.

But before every rapper in the world rushes for their AmEx, this is just a demo model - real, driveable versions would have to have compromises such as windshields you can actually see through.

‘When Gemballa peaks of diamonds, we really mean it’, explains CEO Andreas Schwarz. ‘Our complex process uses genuine diamonds as its key ingredient - not metal pigments, glass fragments, or crystals.’

Read more ....

My Comment: I call this imagination and brilliance run amok.

A New Sophisticated Cyber Weapon 'Flame' Discovered In The Middle East

A sophisticated cyber-espionage virus called 'Flame' was found in the Middle East targeting Iran primarily said Russian software security group Kapersky. (SecureList/Courtesy)

Flame: World's Most Complex Computer Virus Exposed -- The Telegraph

The world's most complex computer virus, possessing a range of complex espionage capabilities, including the ability to secretly record conversations, has been exposed.

Middle Eastern states were targeted and Iran ordered an emergency review of official computer installations after the discovery of a new virus, known as Flame.

Experts said the massive malicious software was 20 times more powerful than other known cyber warfare programmes including the Stuxnet virus and could only have been created by a state.

It is the third cyber attack weapon targeting systems in the Middle East to be exposed in recent years.

Read more ....

More News On The Latest Computer Virus

New Computer Virus Looks Like a Cyberweapon -- New York Times
Cyber weapon ‘Flame’ discovered in thousands of Middle East computers -- Financial Post/Reuters
Computer worm that hit Iran oil terminals 'is most complex yet' -- The Guardian
Powerful 'Flame' Computer Virus Hits Iran, Mideast -- Radio Free Europe
New computer virus hits Iran, West Bank in unprecedented cyberattack -- Haaretz
A new era of cyber warfare: Virus 'weapon' has siphoned secrets from thousands of PCs in Middle East undetected for five years -- Daily Mail
Massive targeted cyber-attack in Middle East uncovered -- CNet
The 'Flame' Computer Virus Strikes Iran, 'Worse Than Stuxnet' -- Arutz Sheva
Complex cyberwar tool 'Flame' found ALL OVER Middle East -- Register
Spy virus 'Flame' infects Middle East -- News 24
Massive cyberattack 'Flame' discovered in the Middle East -- Global Post
'Flame' espionage malware has infected computers across the Middle East -- Wired
‘Flame,’ a cyberweapon that makes Stuxnet look cheap -- Beyond the Beyond.

How To Keep The Ketchup Flowing

MIT’s Freaky Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing -- Fast Co-Exist

Watch never-before-seen videos of an amazing new condiment lubricant that makes the inside of bottles so slippery, nothing is left inside. This means no more pounding on the bottom of your ketchup containers--and a lot less wasted food.

When it comes to those last globs of ketchup inevitably stuck to every bottle of Heinz, most people either violently shake the container in hopes of eking out another drop or two, or perform the "secret" trick: smacking the "57" logo on the bottle’s neck. But not MIT PhD candidate Dave Smith. He and a team of mechanical engineers and nano-technologists at the Varanasi Research Group have been held up in an MIT lab for the last two months addressing this common dining problem.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is an invention that I will embrace.

16 Year Old Solves 300-Year-Old Mathematical Riddle Posed By Sir Isaac Newton

Shouryya Ray

German Teen Solves 300-Year-Old Mathematical Riddle Posed By Sir Isaac Newton -- FOX News

DRESDEN, Germany – A German 16-year-old has become the first person to solve a mathematical problem posed by Sir Isaac Newton more than 300 years ago.

Shouryya Ray worked out how to calculate exactly the path of a projectile under gravity and subject to air resistance, The (London) Sunday Times reported.

The Indian-born teen said he solved the problem that had stumped mathematicians for centuries while working on a school project.

Read more ....

My Comment: 16 years old .... knew calculus at 6. OK .... he has a gift.

What Went Wrong On The Costa Concordia

What Went Wrong On The Costa Concordia -- Popular Mechanics

The sight of behemoth pleasure vessel Costa Concordia sideways in the sea became an indelible image around the world. Here's the full story of how this entirely avoidable vacation-turned-nightmare unfolded.

Antonello Tievoli, headwaiter on the Costa Concordia, stepped onto the bridge of the cruise ship at 9:15 pm on Friday, Jan. 13, of this year. From the wide windows, Tievoli could see the glittering lights of his home, Giglio Island, drawing closer.

Capt. Francesco Schettino knew that Tievoli's sister lived on Giglio, and invited him to the bridge as they cruised past. With its 13 brightly lit decks, the ship was more brilliant than anything on the island. The 4200 people onboard outnumbered the island's residents four to one.

Read more ....

My Comment: Something to think about should you decide to go on a cruise.

Sinister Truth About Google Spies

Sinister Truth About Google Spies: Web Giant Deliberately Stole Information But Executives 'Covered It Up' For Years -- Daily Mail

* Work of Street View cars to be examined over allegations Google used them to download personal details
* Emails, texts, photos and documents taken from wi-fi networks as cars photographed British roads
* Engineer who designed software said a privacy lawyer should be consulted
* Calls for police and Information Commissioner to investigate new evidence

Google is facing an inquiry into claims that it deliberately harvested information from millions of UK home computers.

The Information Commissioner data protection watchdog is expected to examine the work of the internet giant’s Street View cars.

They downloaded emails, text messages, photographs and documents from wi-fi networks as they photographed virtually every British road.

Read more ....

Update: How Google used tech to ‘pry into people’s lives’ -- Times of India

My Comment: Makes you wonder if foreign intelligence agencies are doing the same thing.

Will The U.N. Regulate The Internet?

House To Examine Plan For United Nations To Regulate The Internet -- The Hill

House lawmakers will consider an international proposal next week to give the United Nations more control over the Internet.

The proposal is backed by China, Russia, Brazil, India and other UN members, and would give the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) more control over the governance of the Internet.

Read more ....

My Comment: Governments want to assert control and devise ways to extract money from the internet. In short .... governments are doing what governments do. Sen. Marco Rubio's comments are spot on .... let us hope that his fellow law makers are listening to him.

Darpa Is Still Developing Robots

Meet ‘Robbie’: Darpa’s Seeing, Feeling, Two-Armed Robot -- Danger Room

It’s only been three months since the Pentagon’s latest robot — the one able to staple paperwork and answer phone calls with a single autonomous arm — demonstrated some of those amazing skills. Now, the freaky humanoid ‘bot is back. And this time, he has two arms. And a name.

Meet Robbie. This particular robot was designed by RE2, a robotics firm in Pittsburgh, which showed him off to IEEE Spectrum at their International Conference on Robotics and Automation last week. RE2 was one of six teams initially contracted by Darpa, the Pentagon’s robo-loving research agency, to work on their Autonomous Robotic Manipulation (ARM) program. Launched two years ago, the program aims to develop robots that can perform complex tasks with minimal input from their human overlords.

Read more ....

My Comment: I guess this program stems from the military's dream of having their terminator robots.

Fears Of The Next HIV

Image from AIDS response

African Monkey Meat That Could Be Behind The Next HIV -- The Independent

Deep in Cameroon's rainforests, poachers are killing primates for food. Evan Williams reports from Yokadouma on a practice that could create a pandemic

Deep in the rainforest of south-east Cameroon, the voices of the men rang through the trees. "Where are the white people?" they shouted. The men, who begin to surround us, are poachers, who make their money from the illegal slaughter of gorillas and chimpanzees. They disperse but make it known that they are not keen for their activities to be reported; the trade they ply could not only wipe out critically endangered species but, scientists are now warning, could also create the next pandemic of a deadly virus in humans.

Read more ....

My Comment: It's seems that we are destined to experience the next pandemic.

Record-Breaking Parachuteless Skydive (Video)

Video: In Record-Breaking Parachuteless Skydive, Man Jumps 2,400 Feet Into a Pile of Boxes -- Popular Science

Gary Connery broke the record today for skydiving sans parachute and also, presumably, took home a gold medal in being a badass. But that wasn’t all: The 42-year-old father-stuntman-crazy-person gave Newton’s First Law one more slap in the face by diving from 2,400 feet above Buckinghamshire, England, and straight into 18,600 cardboard boxes.

Read more ....

My Comment: I particularly like Gary Connery's remarks on what he was feeling before the jump .... before the leap, Connery, a veteran of 880 sky dives and 450 base jumps, told reporters he was “a bit scared.”

Neil Armstrong Narrates His Moon Landing (Video)

Neil Armstrong During Apollo 11 Buzz Aldrin took this photo after Armstrong completed his lunar EVA during Apollo 11. NASA/via Wikimedia

Watch: Neil Armstrong Narrates His Moon Landing In a Rare TV Interview -- Popular Science

The immortal first words on the moon, uttered so shakily by a man who has done his best to avoid the spotlight ever since, are even more impressive in hindsight. The Eagle lander nearly plunked Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong in a boulder field, and Armstrong had to take over from autopilot to set the spacecraft down. This is according to very rare new commentary from Armstrong himself.

Read more ....

My Comment: This reminds me of the great age of American space exploration.

Building Tesla (Photo Gallery)

Tesla Motors will deliver its first batch of Model S sedans this July. Here, one is guided past a series of robotic spray-paint guns. Photographs by John Stocklin

Building Tesla -- Technology Review

At its electric-car factory in Silicon Valley, Tesla obsesses over details like making its own high-tech tools.

Just as Tesla’s cars don’t feel like anything from Detroit, the ­California factory that produces the company’s upcoming Model S electric sedan is inspired as much by Tesla’s high-tech neighbors in Silicon Valley as by a typical auto plant. In particular, Tesla is obsessive about taking care of details itself—whether it’s forming the cars’ bodies from scratch or making tools for the robots that build the vehicles.

CSN Editor: The photo gallery starts here.

'Bionic Eye' Returns Sight To Two Patients

An x-ray of the 'bionic eye' given to Chris James

‘Bionic Eye’ Returns Sight To Two Men After Over 20 Years Of Blindness -- Scotsman

TWO blind men have regained partial sight for the first time in more than 20 years after becoming the first in Britain to be fitted with a “bionic eye”.

Scientists said the first clinical trials of the microchip eye implant, which measures just 3mm across and is fitted behind the eyeball, have proved successful and “exceeded expectations”.

Eye experts developing the pioneering new technology said the first group of British patients to receive the implants were regaining “useful vision” just weeks after undergoing surgery, with one of them describing dreaming “in vivid colour” for the first time in 25 years.

Read more ....

My Comment: What was a fantasy when The Six Million Dollar Man show was on the air .... is now reality.

A Birth Control Pill For Men?

Gene Discovery Could Lead To Birth Control Pill For Men -- FOX News

When it comes to birth control, numerous options are available to women to help them regulate their menstrual cycle and prevent ovulation. But what if a birth control pill for men were available?

That prospect may soon become a reality now that researchers at the University of Edinburgh have recently discovered a gene that is essential for the development of sperm. Their study, published in the journal PLos Genetics, highlights the gene Katnal1, which causes temporary infertility in male mice when blocked.

Read more ....

My Comment: There is a market for this .... albeit probably not as big as it is for women.

The Easter Island Heads Also Have BODIES

Here's something not many people know: The Easter Island statues have bodies which go down many feet

Hidden Treat: The Easter Island Heads Also Have BODIES -- Daily Mail

The enduring image in the public's mind of the mysterious heads on Easter Island is simply that - heads.

So it comes as quite a shock to see the heads from another angle - and discover that they have full bodies, extending down many, many feet into the ground of the island.

The Easter Island Statue Project has been carefully excavating two of 1,000-plus statues on the islands - doing their best to uncover the secrets of the mysterious stones, and the people who built them, as best they can.

Read more ....

My Comment: Something has to keep those heads erect.