Republicans have a rising presence on YouTube and are increasingly on Twitter and Facebook, too.
Related YouTube Channels:
[Source: NPR Weekend Edition Sunday]
The Amatoya is a concept portraying the fire-fighting vehicle of the near future. It is designed by Liam Fergurson and it seems to be inspired from one of the army’s trusty workhorses’ layout, resembling a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle. Its design is function dictated, allowing the vehicle to access calamity sites much faster than the heavy conventional fire trucks.
The idea is remarkable although we’re not so sure of its applicability. We think it would be better if th… (read more)
According to the Wall Street Journal , China announced new developments in the regulations to increase the use of renewable energy such as wind and hydropower by forcing electricity-grid operators to prioritize their use. Passed on Dec. 26th by the …
Google has become one of the best known brands in the world, right up there with Coca Cola and McDonald’s, and a big part of the reason why it’s so easily recognized has to do with its iconic homepage and especially the logo. Google hasn’t been completely shy about messing with the homepage but, for the most part, the overall look has remained the same. It also features various doodles on numerous occasions but, again, the logo itself is the same since 1999, shortly after launch. Not for long though, the logo is about to get a major redesign, at least by Google standards, and, from the looks of it, the change is coming soon. The best part is that you’ve probably already seen it.
The search giant is constantly running experiments, testing out various changes and features ranging from small tweaks to brand new products. The homepage is no exception, and for the past months, it has seen more attention than ever. One of the most radical changes, the fading homepage, has already graduated from experiment to full time feature, marking one of the biggest single changes in the site’s history.
Another experiment that popped up last month promises to go even further and makes some deep changes to the look and feel of the homepage and the search engine. Among the most noticeable are the bri… (read more)
‘Afghan President Hamid Karzai protests
the US military’s targeting of civilians after a US raid killed at
least eight school children in the east of the war-torn country. Karzai’s
office on Monday issued a statement in which it condemned the killings
that reportedly took place on Saturday in Kunar province near the
border with Pakistan.
“Initial reports indicate that in a
series of operations by international forces in Kunar province… 10
civilians, eight of them school students, have been killed,” the
statement said.’
Book Mark it-> del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Facebook | Technorati | Google | StumbleUpon | Window Live | Tailrank | Furl | Netscape | Yahoo | BlinkList
‘US intelligence sources
have confirmed Iran’s assertions that a document published by a British
daily about Tehran’s nuclear program is a fabrication.
According to a former CIA official, US intelligence
agents have found that the document, which was published by the Times
of London on December 14, was fabricated by Israel or Britain, the
Inter Press Service (IPS) reported on Monday. ‘
Book Mark it-> del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Facebook | Technorati | Google | StumbleUpon | Window Live | Tailrank | Furl | Netscape | Yahoo | BlinkList
Zionists of a feather flock together…
‘British Foreign
Secretary David Miliband on Monday hailed the “great courage” of
pro-opposition supporters who took part in illegal protests in Tehran
one day earlier, during which several people were killed and public
property was damaged.’
Book Mark it-> del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Facebook | Technorati | Google | StumbleUpon | Window Live | Tailrank | Furl | Netscape | Yahoo | BlinkList
After watching Avatar last weekend, I composed a post about being particularly appreciative that James Cameron and his crew so obviously did their homework when it came to much of the science depicted onscreen. I invited readers to share their impressions and many of you came through with terrific examples–some I hadn’t even considered before. So I’ll run through five of the science details I enjoyed most, followed by a few of the best examples from our reader community:
1) Dr. Grace Augustine. Sigourney Weaver’s portrayal of a research scientist was uncharacteristically good. Instead of the typical caricature we see in Hollywood, she wasn’t socially inept (i.e. typical Rick Moranis roles) or out to destroy everything (i.e. Dr. Evil). Instead, Grace conveyed the natural curiosity about the world that I observe so often in colleagues. Also noteworthy, she was funded by a program with corporate interests, but really using the opportunity to pursue her own research. Sound familiar to anyone?
2) The Skull. Did you catch the Toruk skull? It wasn’t onscreen long, but it appeared to have characteristics of both birds and reptiles. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed quite detailed and cool.
3) Bioluminescence. With a background in marine biology, you know I’m going to appreciate that.
4) Scale. If gravity on Pandora is less than that on Earth, larger organisms would be supported.
5) Location. The choice of putting Pandora on a moon in the real Alpha Centauri star system (the closest system to Earth) was neat since scientists are looking at moons for life. The radiation anticipated could be mitigated by superconductivity. Which brings me to…
Those floating mountains. Many comments expressed disappointment with them, however, it’s not quite as implausible as you may suspect. The filmmakers put thought into this: Superconductors expel magnetic field lines, so the effect could make these mountains levitate like magnets away from the surface. (Details here).
There is a great deal more I like about the science of Avatar, but rather than compose an exhaustive list, I’ll quote some examples contributed by readers below the fold…
Phenomenal writes:
Enjoyed the fact it was a moon, different gravity & atosperic composition, the scientists passion for knowledge & care & respect, transduction between plants, several different layers to the food web, imaginative topography such as floating mountains & giant trees, Gaia theory, biomechanics of the creatures locomotion as six-limbed vertebrates, biolumeniscence & colourations of the flora & fauna.
Patrick B. writes:
..great thought went into the physics of the Pandora solar system, to the geology of the planet, to the plants and animals that evolved on the planet, and to the social structures of the Na’Vi.
1- Pandora appears to be a moon orbiting a gas giant. The gas giant can be seen in the sky in several shots in the movie, and you get the sense that the proportions are realistic.
2- Pandora’s atmosphere is not breathable to humans. I loved this! In Star Wars, Star Trek, and just about any other sci-fi film, there are countless planets with human-breathable air, which is not very realistic. The air pressure on Pandora is tolerable for humans, but humans need face masks in order to breath. It seems that the face masks somehow modify the Pandora air, perhaps by filtering out the bad gases.
3- One line in the movie establishes that Pandora’s gravity is slightly less than Earth’s. By adding this line, the film provides sufficient explanation for why Pandora has phenomenon like gigantic trees.
4- There was clearly a great deal of thought put into the diverse plants and animals we find on Pandora.
The Real World writes:
This article is nothing more than an advertisement in a media science magazine.
Huh? This is a blog TRW and I work at Duke.
Lee writes:
I thought it was cool that you could see an evolutionary resemblance between a lot of the creatures. Everything except the humanoids and the rest of the animals, that is. If everything else on the world has six legs (or wings, or whatever), then why would the humanoids only have four limbs? What possible evolutionary advantage could they have for losing them?
Marshall P. writes:
sub-lightspeed space travel! After I left the theater, I was explaining to one of my friends that based on the stated travel time by the cryosleep doctor, and the distance to Alpha Cen, one could work out the ship’s velocity profile consistent with relativity. And few hours later at home, I stumbled upon the web page by the movie staff where they lay out exactly that! http://www.pandorapedia.com/doku.php/isv_venture_star
Someone did their homework on this one. Even the propulsion technology of the ship is quite plausible, given the just one highly speculative step of being able to manufacture large quantities of antimatter for fuel. I especially like the hybrid antimatter/fusion rocket combined with a beam-powered light sail. That’s exactly the sort of complicated trick that real-world engineers would use to reduce fuel and mass constraints on the spacecraft.
kchiou writes:
1) Despite their futuristic tools and their corporate ties, the scientists maintain a childlike curiosity and sheer bewilderment with nature. As a field scientist, that depiction really resonated with me because I see it all the time in the faces of field researchers. Just a thought: do you think Sigourney Weaver’s performance as a scientist was in any way affected by her work on Planet Earth?
2) As an extension of the first point, the scientists are conscious of the sheer wealth of knowledge in the Pandoran ecosystem and are careful not to presume too much. This is much more in line with true science. The way that Sigourney Weaver’s character said “What we THINK we know is . . . ” can be pulled right out of any science lab.
Gary Thomas writes:
I found it very annoying that they got the sound of the ducted fan aircraft so wrong. The whoop whoop sound of a large slow speed rotor on a helicopter is not the sound that counter rotating blades, especially small diameter ducted ones would make.
I don’t know about ducted fan aircrafts, but an interesting observation.
Rich writes:
The floating mountains were very clearly explained in the movie. They even show the unobtainium superconductor floating in a magnetic field several times in the human base, and then there are multiple lines of dialogue about the mountains being in a region of strong magnetic field. It does make me wonder why they aren’t mining the mountains though…Also, it’s refreshing that the scientists are the good guys in the film!
Great work so far everyone, and add any new observations in comments…
Economists and others weigh in on the latest Case-Shiller report on home prices.
My penmanship is withered chicken scratch thanks to years of paperless endeavors, but this bullet pen looks intriguing for the two or three times each year that I need to write something down on paper.
And lest you think it’s merely a pen shaped like a bullet, let me tell you that it also writes upside down and underwater all NASA-like. It can even write on top of grease and oil. This is an extreme pen for extreme poets.
It costs $25. Not bad for a bullet pen. Forget about stuffing it in your carry-on for a little Sudoku on the airplane, though.
.375 Caliber Bullet Space Pen from Fisher [Vat19.com]
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
‘Yemeni human rights groups have
condemned orchestrated air raids by Yemeni, Saudi and the US forces
against civilians in the northern province of Sa’ada. The groups said
the attacks, which have killed scores of civilians including women and
children, amounted to “war crimes.”
The Yemeni National NGO Coalition for
Child Rights Care and the Yemeni Center for Human Rights also called on
the Yemeni and Saudi governments to stop the attacks.’
Book Mark it-> del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Facebook | Technorati | Google | StumbleUpon | Window Live | Tailrank | Furl | Netscape | Yahoo | BlinkList
Brace Yourselves, Teeners: After a three month romance that neither party ever confirmed, 20-year-old country sensation Taylor Swift and New Moon star Taylor Lautner, 17, have called it quits, according to a new report. “He liked her more than she liked him,” a source spills of the split in the Jan. 11 issue of Us Magazine. “He went everywhere he could to see her, but she didn’t travel much to see him.”
(Somewhere out there, an enraged Twithard just had a conniption…)
Swift has remained coy about claims she’s been secretly dating Lautner, 17, after the young lovers grew close on the set of the upcoming romantic comedy Valentine’s Day.
“It wasn’t really developing into anything, and wasn’t going to, so they decided they were better as friends,” says a snitch close to Swift. “There was no chemistry, and it felt contrived… They plan to stay friends.”
webOS 1.3.5 is upon us! It brings with it a new way of handling apps.
For the non-nerds, er, non-homebrewers: the big news here is that Palm is now storing apps in a new place – the USB partition – so you are limited only by the 8 gigs of onboard storage. Install away, friends! While you’re at it, rejoice in the knowledge that the Official App Catalog is no longer tagged "Beta." Now we’ve hit the big time.
We’re also pleased to see that the App Catalog can download apps in the background so you don’t need to sit and stare at the progress bar anymore. Also, all Official App Updates are now handled within the App Catalog instead of showing up both there and in the Updates app. The Updates app still checks for app updates, but it sends you to the Catalog to download them.
There were a few hiccups, though. Willxcore lost his paratrooper high scores and there may have been other apps whose preferences and other metadata may have been lost. Major bummer, but not much we can do at this point.
As always, our forums have the latest information. Here’s the Official webOS 1.3.5 Issues thread. If you’re feeling down, you can find plenty of cheer in the Official webOS 1.3.5 New Features and Changes thread. As with every webOS update, there are lots of hidden features and tweaks that aren’t on the official changelog, so definitely hit that thread.
After the break, we’ll explain the janky photoshop above and we’ll tell you what homebrewer and patchers need to do to get their apps shuffled about to the right place.
Between the weakened US consumer and the rise of e-commerce, US malls have become depressing places.
But around the world, where a newly-emergent middle-class is building up its desire to spend, malls aren’t depressing at all.
We do still have a few biggies here, but the real action is in places like Dubai, Brazil, and China.
These gigantic shopping malls have amazing attractions, entertainment, movie theaters, and of course, lots and lots of shopping.
Join the conversation about this story »
Yhe Apple tablet isn’t going to be a tablet computer at all, really, according to the Quick PWN blog. If you believe Quick PWN contributor Hans’ inside sources, the Apple iSlate, as he maintains it will indeed be called, is more aimed at taking on the Amazon Kindle and its ilk as an e-reading device.
Presumably, the iSlate would also offer iPod and media playback functionality, but Hans’ post makes no mention of these features:
Our sources have told us that the rumor about Apple launching a product with the iSlate name is true, but the product won’t be an Apple tablet, it will be an eBook reader. The iSlate will be a competitor to the Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook and other e-readers that are out there. Our sources have also told us that the iSlate eBook reader will run on Apple’s upcoming iPhone OS 4.0 software and will include a seperate App Store for eBooks. Apple will be announcing the iSlate eBook reader at WWDC 2010, which our sources says is being held on June 7.
Note also that if Quick PWN’s sources are correct, we won’t be seeing the iSlate or hear mention of it until WWDC, which is being held much earlier than previous rumors suggested, if the unidentified informant is to be believed. Moscone Center booking information suggests WWDC will begin on June 28, not the 7th.
I’m suspicious of this latest rumor for a number of reasons. First, the discrepancy between the WWDC dates previously reported and this one doesn’t really make any sense. Then again, maybe that actually adds credence to this rumor, since the source didn’t just go with the accepted date. I suppose the date change just strikes me as odd, but it doesn’t really preclude the validity of this report.
What I’m more wary of is the nature of the device described and the timing of its launch. Even though the e-book market is beginning to take off (if you believe Amazon’s own hype), it’s still nowhere near as strong as the netbook market was and is, and Apple was wary of jumping into that. I doubt it would create an e-reader at this point without making that a secondary feature, rather than the primary focus of the device. And if it isn’t coming until WWDC, then what’s the event next month going to be about? Why do rumors stemming from suppliers and other more reliable sources point to a different production timeline?
The iSlate, if that’s what it really will be called, will most likely have e-reader function and it will probably threaten Amazon’s market dominance in that area. But is that Apple’s aim with this device? I doubt it. Is e-reading the only or primary purpose of the new gadget? Not a chance.
When I first saw the Camangi WebStation appear in folks’ hands, I was excited as it looks like a very nicely constructed tablet. It almost looks like a giant iPhone, with solid lines all around. The verdict is still out on whether it’s the sweet tablet it appears to be, but the first review of the WebStation shatters the illusion. Laptop Magazine has one of the tablets in hand, and its review is one of mixed emotions:
By itself, this device is actually pretty cool. It’s got a 7-inch screen, weighs 0.8 pounds, doesn’t tire out the hand or wrist, and is great for surfing the web..
As we mentioned, the device is sluggish, taking a few seconds longer to load apps and Web pages or respond to button presses than we like.
When we watched the included WebStation promo video it didn’t play smoothly, stuttering and hitching noticeably in many places. We weren’t able to test any other videos as only MP4 and 3GP formats are supported and the YouTube app wasn’t included.
It seems that the Camangi is almost there, but that’s often the case with mobile gadgets. Great, if only it did [insert your preference] better. I do think the inability to hit the Android Market for apps is a problem for these web tablets.
While reading Google’s latest manifesto of what it means to be open, I am concerned that while Google is proclaiming that “Open systems Win,” that is not necessarily a money making proposition or a differentiator for wireless carriers. Many of you who follow Android are also keenly aware of the Linux market and its storied fragmentation of literally thousands of different distros, could this be possible for Android?
With the recent introduction of Android 2.0 and Verizon’s exclusivity, this has become a major issue for consumers, especially while several of Sprint’s and T-Mobile’s handsets languish on 1.5 and 1.6 respectfully. To say the least, we are tired of waiting. Yes, I left TMO for VZ to get the Moto Droid but even early adopters like me can afford to do this every few years, if at all, with the ETF and upfront costs it takes to get the new phones. And the carriers are not at total fault here, but with their partnerships with HTC, Motorola, and Samsung ,they have virtually locked up Android for disparate hardware certifications, various proprietary drivers, and klugey UI’s.
Another main unintentional consequence is what it is doing to the Android Market and our beloved apps (it’s still the software Stupid). Applications are suffering in quality and updates because developers are having to decide which version of Android they want to maintain and support – and based on the comments above, along with that goes a carrier vote, as well.
No, I believe that Google is and has been patiently waiting on the sidelines to see what critical mass Android will hit and it is now near the tipping point of going mainstream. The Nexus One photos and information leakage is not a coincidence based on the context of Android users making it known they want a carrier agnostic, pure Android phone with updates managed by Google, and a consistent UI. Whether the N1 actually turns out to be that phone remains to be seen, but I believe it is the first of many steps in the right direction.
New York Times and Automobile contributor Ezra Dyer may have found the perfect German exotic for New England winters: the Audi R8. True, the R8 is pretty low to the ground, but it also makes good use of Audi’s superb Quattro all-wheel drive system and thanks to its mid-engine layout much of the weight sits over the rear wheels. But even the best AWD is useless when providing spin for four summer tires, so the snow white model Dyer was piloting around the northeast winter wonderland also had four of the widest winter tires you can find.
Hit the jump to watch Dyer as he plows through his snowy driveway in pursuit of some “important” shopping. We’re pretty impressed with how the four-ringed, mid-engine thoroughbred handled the white stuff even when the pedal hit metal. We’re just wondering what Dyer needed so badly from Bed Bath and Beyond.
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading VIDEO: Audi R8 is the chosen chariot for snowy excursions
VIDEO: Audi R8 is the chosen chariot for snowy excursions originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
At the beginning of this year, analyst firm Gartner released a report that highlights eight up-and-coming mobile technologies which they predict will impact the mobile industry over the course of the next two years. According to Nick Jones, vice president and analyst at the firm, the technologies they’ve identified will evolve quickly and will likely pose issues that will have to be addressed by short term strategies.
Sponsor
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series we call Redux, where we’ll re-publish some of our best posts of 2009. As we look back at the year – and ahead to what next year holds – we think these are the stories that deserve a second glance. It’s not just a best-of list, it’s also a collection of posts that examine the fundamental issues that continue to shape the Web. We hope you enjoy reading them again and we look forward to bringing you more Web products and trends analysis in 2010. Happy holidays from Team ReadWriteWeb!
The eight technologies identified include the following:
This is one of the no-brainers on the list. The Bluetooth 3.0 specification will be released this year and devices will start to hit the shelves by 2010. At this point, it’s expected that the 3.0 spec will include faster speeds, reportedly transferring files at 480 megabits per second in close proximity and 100 megabits per second at 10 meters. It will also feature an ultra-low-power mode that Gartner predicts will enable new peripherals, sensors, and applications, such as health monitoring. The technology will be backwards compatible, allowing old devices to communicate with new ones, so there’s no reason for it not take off in the upcoming years.
Mobile user interfaces and mobile web/widgets were listed separately, accounting for two items on the list, but we think they can be lumped together. They all point to how mobile computing is rapidly becoming a new platform for everything from consumer mobile apps to B2E (business-to-employee) and B2C (business-to-customer). (Gartner did not include B2B on their list.) Modern day smartphones like the iPhone, Android, Blackberry, the upcoming Pre, and others deliver better interfaces for browsing the web, thus making it accessible to more people. Widget-like applications, including those that replicate thin client technology, will become more common especially in B2C strategies. Yet the mobile web still has challenges ahead. For example, there are no standards for browser access to handset services like the camera or GPS, the report notes.
Location sensing, powered by GPS as well as Wi-Fi and triangulation, opens up new possibilities for mobile social networking and presence applications. Technology’s earliest adopters are already familiar with social networks like Brightkite and Loopt which let you reveal your location to a network of friends. But we’re still on the tip of this iceberg. Take for example, the iPhone IM client Palringo, they’re just now adding location services to their application. This allows users to see how far away their contacts are, introducing a whole new dimension to mobile communication. Over the next year or two, this sort of technology is expected to become more commonplace, but it will also raise questions about privacy. Will you want your network of online friends and acquaintances to really know your exact location? Will turning off location awareness signal that you’re up to something sneaky (so asks the suspicious wife, husband, boss, etc.)? As a society, we will have to answer these questions and more in the near future.
NFC is a technology that provides a way for consumers to use their mobile phones for making payments, among other things. It’s something that has taken off in many countries worldwide, but certainly not all, and definitely not in the United States just yet. Unfortunately, Gartner predicts that the move towards mobile payment systems will still not occur this year or the next in mature markets like the U.S. and Western Europe. Instead, NFC is more likely to take off in emerging markets. Other uses of the technology, such as the ability to transfer photos from phone to digital photo frames, will also remain elusive to more developed markets.
802.11n, a specification for wireless local area networks (WLANs), initially gave us pause. Although not ratified as an official standard yet, the technology is already commonplace. However, until it “goes gold” so to speak, it won’t really infiltrate the mobile world. Even the ubiquitous iPhone only supports 802.11 b/g at the moment.
On the flip side, the other Internet connection technology, cellular broadband, has the potential to make Wi-Fi almost unnecessary, at least for achieving high speeds. In addition to mobile phones, laptop makers will likely continue to incorporate this technology into their netbooks and notebooks using modern chipsets that provide superior performance to our current crop of add-on cards and dongles.
Display technologies will also see improvements in the upcoming years. New technologies like active pixel displays, passive displays and pico projectors will have an impact. Pico projectors – the tiny portable projectors we saw being introduced at this year’s CES – will enable new mobile use cases. Instant presentations in informal settings could become more common when there isn’t large, cumbersome equipment to set up. The different types of display technologies introduced in 2009 and 2010 will become important differentiators between devices and will impact user selection criterion, says Gartner.
For more information on these above technologies, you can read through the full report available here on Gartner’s web site.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments on how you think the mobile space will be impacted in the future.
Over the past decade, environmental awareness has shot up dramatically all over the world, mainly due to the perception of global warming changing from a paranoid theory to “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Environmental disasters have made for some big headlines during the past ten years, especially now that everyone wants to know the exact impact humans are having on the planet.
But often times the economic cost that comes with these catastrophes gets buried under the details concerning the amount of pollution or the number of affected species associated with the incident.
In this list, we remind you just how much it costs when humans have to clean up after the environmental messes we make.
Join the conversation about this story »
See Also:
