Beijing Pollution Hits An All Time High

Residents In Beijing Warned To Stay Indoors As Air Quality Hits 'Worst On Record' After City Is Engulfed By Thick Smog -- Daily Mail

* Pollution in the city rises to 30 to 45 times above recommended safety levels
* Experts warn the conditions could last another two days
* Residents warned to stay indoors as pollution is trapped by low pressure

Air quality in Beijing was the 'worst on record' over the weekend, according to environmentalists, as pollution in the city rose to 30 to 45 times above recommended safety levels.

The Chinese capital, home to around 20 million people, has been wrapped in thick smog since Friday, reducing visibility and disrupting traffic.

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

Read more ....  

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.

51 Things You Aren't Allowed To See On Google Maps

Blurred Out: 51 Things You Aren't Allowed To See On Google Maps -- ITSecurity

Depending on which feature you use, Google Maps offers a satellite view or a street-level view of tons of locations around the world. You can look up landmarks like the Pyramids of Egypt or the Great Wall of China, as well as more personal places, like your ex’s house. But for all of the places that Google Maps allows you to see, there are plenty of places that 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 places.  

Read more ....  

My Comment: I expected a longer list.

No Aple App For Syria

There's No App For Syria -- Michael Peck

Why did Apple ban a game on the Syrian civil war?

The idea seemed laudable. Create a computer game app on the Syrian civil war that is simple enough for the general public to learn a bit about a complex conflict. Thus was born Endgame: Syria -- which puts the player in command of the Syrian rebels as they battle to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's regime. It runs on Android tablets, and it will soon be available on the Apple app store, promises British publisher Auroch Digital.  

Read more ....  

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.

Iran Denies Launching Cyber Attacks Against U.S. Banks

Iran Denies Cyber Attacks on US Banks -- ABC News

The Iranian government has officially denied any involvement in the wave of relatively unsophisticated cyber attacks that have struck glancing blows on websites for U.S. financial institutions over the past months. "Unlike the United States, which has, per reports in the media, given itself the license to engage in illegal cyber-warfare against Iran, Iran respects the international law and refrains from targeting other nations' economic or financial institutions," the Iranian mission to the United Nations said in a statement, according to a report published late Thursday by Iran's semi-official PressTV.  

Read more ....

More News On Reports That Iran is Launching Cyber Attacks Against U.S. Banks

Bank Hacking Was the Work of Iranians, Officials Say -- New York Times
Attacks On U.S. Banks' Websites Seen As Work Of Iran -- NPR
Iran Suspected in Bank Site Hacking -- ABC News
New wave of ‘Iranian’ cyber attack hits 20 U.S. banks -- Gant Daily
U.S. Officials Point Finger at Iran in Bank Hack -- Daily Tech
Banks' Cyber Attackers Are Sponsored by Iran, Using Cloud Computing: Report -- American Banker Iran Denies Responsibility for U.S. Bank Cyber Attacks -- FOX News
Iran denies behind cyber attacks on US banks -- Phys.org
Bank Attacker Iran Ties Questioned By Security Pros -- Information Week
Did Iran Attack the US Banks? -- Israel Defense
Cyberwar in Iran Comes Home to U.S. Banks. Is Anyone Surprised? -- Arik Hesseldahl, AllThingsD  How Iranian Hackers Used The Cloud To Attack Major Banks And Why It Matters -- Andrea Peterson, Think Progress

Are Rare Earth Metals The Next Oil?

The Next Oil?: Rare Earth Metals -- Elliot Brennan, The Diplomat

Rare earth metals are quickly becoming the next important strategic resource. For many countries in Asia, the stakes are big.

Rare earth metals (REM) are increasingly becoming a critical strategic resource. The 17 elements can be found in most high-tech gadgets, from advanced military technology to mobile phones. China currently holds claim to over 90 percent of the world’s production. As global demand increases, Beijing’s export reductions in recent years have forced high-tech firms to relocate to China and forced other governments to pour money into their exploration and production. An emergent India is among those concerned about China’s control of rare earths. In the past 12 months, the geopolitics of rare earths has become evident. REMs are becoming a strategic resource over which the two emerging giants are competing in Asia. Indeed, one might say rare earths are fast becoming “the next oil.”  

Read more ....  

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.

Killer Whales Trapped In Arctic Ice Have Been Freed

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

The 11 killer whales that were trapped in ice in Quebec's Hudson Bay have been freed after a passage of water to the sea was created.

MONTREAL — The 11 killer whales that were trapped in ice in Quebec's Hudson Bay have been freed, the mayor of a nearby village said Thursday.

NBC News reported that two scouts from the nearby Inuit village of Inukjuak, on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay, went to check on the killer whales at around 8 a.m. Thursday.

They found that a path of water had been created to the open sea (nearly 25 miles away) and that the whales were gone from their small ice hole.

Read more ....  

My Comment: Awesome video.

Drones Are Now Going Mainstream

Drones Go Mainstream -- CNN

They're coming. And they're not just for the military anymore. Dozens of companies have sprung up in the last few years making remote controlled, mini-aircraft mounted with cameras, that are increasingly being used for commercial and even entertainment purposes. But these aren't the remote controlled helicopters you remember flying as a kid. Today's drones are lighter, have better software, longer lasting batteries and vastly improved camera technology. Read more .... My Comment: Drones are not only becoming mainstream .... but they are also getting cheaper.

The EU Orders Google To Change Way It Presents It's Results

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 forced to change the way it presents search results in Europe or face sanctions from Brussels for unfairly manipulating its position as the world’s biggest internet search engine.

The European Union’s competition chief, Joaquin Almunia, told a newspaper that it is his “conviction” that Google is unfairly promoting links to its own services above those of third party companies, and that he fears it is abusing its dominant position.

Google has been locked in a long-running row over whether it has changed its search results to give preferential treatment to links to its own services, at the expense of those from competitors.

Read more ....

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.

Car Keys Will Soon Be A Thing Of The Past

Hyuandai 

Your Smartphone Will Replace Your Car Keys By 2015 -- Autopia/Wired 

Your smartphone has the potential to replace nearly everything else in your pockets, so why not your car keys?

Hyundai is working to do just that, with an embedded NFC tag that allows you to open your car, start the engine and link up to the touchscreen with a simple swipe.

Hyundai outfitted its i30 compact hatch (aka the Elantra in the States) with NFC technology in its “Connectivity Concept” recently shown at its European headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. The idea is simple: Nix the key fob and let your smartphone handle it all.

Read more ....  

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

Central Park As You've Never Seen It Before

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 created from panoramic pictures of New York electronically stitched together
* Sergey Semenov, the Russian amateur photographer who created it, this week won a major photography prize for the incredible image
* Image is just one of several incredible panoramic images to triumph at the Pano Awards for panoramic photography

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

The astonishing image, which has just won a prestigious photography award, was created from a 360-degree panorama that lets you tour one of the world's most impressive cities and zoom into tiny detail - all from the comfort of your computer.

The breathtaking image and its accompanying panorama was created by Sergey Semenov of Russia.

Read more ....

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

Steve Jobs Memorial Unveiled In Russia

Steve Jobs Memorial Unveiled In Russia. © RIA Novosti. Igor Russak 

 Steve Jobs Memorial Unveiled In Russia -- RIA Novosti 

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

The monument, a giant replica of a black, late model iPhone with a screen that displays a photo and video slideshow of Jobs’ life, is located in the courtyard of the St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics.

Read more ....

My Comment: His impact was definitely worldwide.

Snow In The Middle East (Photo Gallery)

From Foreign Policy: Snow in the Desert -- From Turkey to Jordan, heavy overnight snowfall Thursday jammed transportation, closed businesses, and made life more difficult for thousands in refugee camps around the Middle East. The wacky weather provided a surreal backdrop for everything from snowball fights to clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers. The Photo Gallery starts here.  

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.

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 finally beginning, and car lovers are thrilled, even if they are not among the very few drivers who will get behind the wheel of the next great supercar.

The name "Huayra" comes from the Incan term for "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 runway just before taking off.

Read more ....

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

Token Change For 'Monopoly'

Photo: Hasbro

Token Change For 'Monopoly' To Replace An Iconic Piece -- USA 

Today Fans can vote in Hasbro's campaign for the shape they want to keep and for a replacement.

One of the iconic Monopoly game tokens soon will no longer be passing "GO!" or collecting $200.

Hasbro has launched a "Save Your Token" campaign to retire either the race car, iron, Scottie dog, wheelbarrow, shoe, top hat, thimble or battleship. The company is letting fans vote until Feb. 5 for the one they want to keep via the Monopoly Facebook page.

The one with the lowest total goes directly — and permanently — to jail. Fans also can vote for the replacement token: toy robot, helicopter, cat, guitar or diamond ring.

Read more ....

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.

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 last summer with The Dark Knight Rises, is probably one of the most well-executed comic book hero franchises in recent memory. So good, in fact, that every now and then it’s nice just to have a little taste – even when there isn’t time to watch all three flicks back to back.

 Luckily, the folks at Screen Rant have done us all a solid and crammed all of the best moments from the three films into one three-minute clip (above) for those who need a Bat-fix, even when there isn’t a lot of Bat-time. Three movies. Three minutes. One great way to bask in the world of Bruce Wayne.

Read more ....  

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

Nearly Half Of All Global Food Is Wasted

Image Credit: Photos.com 

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

As the global population continues to grow at an astounding rate, and as food stocks continue to dwindle due to a number of factors, more and more people around the world will be left with less food on their plate. And when you tie in an unsettling report on food waste, the issue becomes all too surreal.

A new report by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) states that as much as half of the world’s food supply (more than 2 billion tons) is wasted each year. The bulk of this waste is being caused by poor storage, strict sell-by guidelines, bulk offers and consumer finickiness, according to the report.

Read more ....  

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

The World's Population Growth Is Shrinking

About That Overpopulation Problem -- Slate

Research suggests we may actually face a declining world population in the coming years. The world’s seemingly relentless march toward overpopulation achieved a notable milestone 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 March and added to a population that’s already stressing the planet’s limited supplies of food, energy, and clean water. Should this trend continue, as the Los Angeles Times noted in a five-part series marking the occasion, by midcentury, “living conditions are likely to be bleak for much of humanity.”  

Read more ....  

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

Humanoid Robot Pictured On Space Station

Humanoid Robot Pictured On International Space Station -- The Telegraph 

With his upright posture and shiny gold helmet, this space robot looks more suited to the set of Star Wars than the International Space Station. But the C3PO lookalike, the first humanoid robot in space, has spent almost two years orbiting the Earth while learning to perform tasks which are more suited to machines than human crew members. Robonaut 2 – nicknamed R2 in a nod to the Star Wars trilogy – was launched in February 2011 on the last flight of NASA’s Discovery space shuttle.

Read more ....  

My Comment: Now that is impressive.

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

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

I’ll never forget the first time I walked into Warrior Fitness Boot Camp (W.F.B.C.) to take my trial class. I had arrived 15 minutes before class to sign in and change—a time I assumed would make me one of the first people to arrive (my class began bright and early at 6:30 a.m.), but I immediately saw that I was mistaken. The majority of the class had long since arrived and had changed into workout gear. Sitting on benches across the room in matching black T-shirts emblazoned with the Boot Camp logo, I thought to myself, What have I done? The next hour was one of the most physically and mentally demanding things I’d done since moving to New York, but at the end of it I immediately signed up for a three-month unlimited package of classes.  

Read more ....  

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

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 incurable gonorrhea may be at hand. 

The fears of major health organizations have come true: Gonorrhea that is immune to the last remaining effective oral antibiotic has been detected in at least nine North American patients, meaning the era of "incurable" gonorrhea could be close.

In a study released Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a group of scientists led by Vanessa Allen of Public Health Ontario, found that 6.7 percent of patients with gonorrhea at a Toronto clinic still had the disease after a round of cephalosporins, the last effective oral antibiotic used to treat the disease. Of 133 patients who returned for a "test of cure" visit, nine remained gonorrhea-positive. This is the first time cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea has been found in humans in North America.

Read more ....  

My Comment: This is the nightmare scenario.