Meanest major carrier – United Airlines
Last year was a good one for the airline industry, with U.S. airlines churning out the highest profits in more than a decade. With the exception of American Airlines, every major carrier turned in positive profits for the year.
In the 2011 Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report released on April 4, quality is up as well.
Continue reading… “Meanest Airlines in the U.S.”
Futurist Thomas Frey: It wasn’t what I had planned on a 70 degree day last week when “springtime in the Rockies” was in full bloom. But I was on my way to the hospital, and over the next 24 hours I would learn much about a healthcare industry that is woefully unprepared for the changes that lie ahead.
Continue reading… “Rethinking the Future of Health Care”
This flow chart shows the amount of energy (in quads) that is produced by different energy sources and consumed by different sectors.
This flow chart of the estimated US energy use in 2009, assembled by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), paints a pretty sobering picture of our energy situation. To begin with, it shows that more than half (58%) of the total energy produced in the US is wasted due to inefficiencies, such as waste heat from power plants, vehicles, and light bulbs. In other words, the US has an energy efficiency of 42%. And, despite the numerous reports of progress in solar, wind, and geothermal energy, those three energy sources combined provide just 1.2% of our total energy production. The vast majority of our energy still comes from petroleum (37%), natural gas (25%), and coal (21%).
Continue reading… “Over Half of Energy in the U.S. is Wasted”
Two thirds of universities will charge the highest possible tuition fee.
The Coalition’s policy on tuition fees risked descending into chaos after it emerged that two thirds of universities would charge the maximum £9,000 a year for degree courses. Ministers were accused of “losing control” of their flagship higher education reforms as growing numbers of vice-chancellors unveiled plans to almost triple fees in 2012.
The discovery and recommendation engine that makes web browsing a lot like channel surfing just announced it’s now handling 1 billion stumbles per month.
On top of that impressive number, StumbleUpon just closed a second round of funding in March, wrapping up $17 million of series B financing.
That 1 million stumbles-per-month statistic represents explosive growth, especially when you consider that since just a month ago, that number has grown by 200 million, judging from the fact that StumbleUpon publicized 800 million stumbles just last month, according to Business Insider…
Continue reading… “StumbleUpon Hits 1 Billion Stumbles Per Month”
Electric vehicles are far easier to repair. Just flip and fix
“You don’t have to worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” – – Charles Schulz
Continue reading… “Top 10 Photos of the Week”
While the world is abuzz with speculation about Kate Middleton and Prince William’s April 29 nuptials, a few details have been leaked – including their choice of wedding cake! Staying true to English custom, the couple is serving a fruitcake, a tradition that dates back to medieval times.
Just like many American weddings often feature a tiered wedding cake, countries the world over have unique foods that they use to celebrate marriage, which are eaten to deliver good luck, fertility and peace to the happy couple…
Continue reading… “Wedding Foods From Around The World”
Scientists have developed an image scanning program that can distinguish between individual zebras by their stripes:
When a zebra has been entered into the database and given a StripeCode, the researchers match another picture of the same animal by comparing the StripeStrings of the new and original images. Each image will generate a different set of StripeStrings, but the underlying ratios of black and white should remain similar…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSVQsyZLtKg&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Actually, the Segway would be a fairly sound vehicle for modern jousting, as this commercial for the State of Washington’s lottery illustrates. But buying lottery tickets is probably not a likely route to this most excellent goal…
Continue reading… “Jousting on Segways”
Futurist Thomas Frey: On Monday evening I presented my thoughts on the “Future of Mobile Apps & Peripherals” at our monthly Night with a Futurist event. My talk was followed by a fascinating panel discussion with three of the industry’s brightest minds – Michael Sitarzewski, Lisa Calkins, and Gary Moskoff with Karl Dakin moderating the discussion.
Continue reading… “Eight Critical Skills for the Future”
Teenagers report overwhelming cravings when deprived of their laptops and cell phones.
Researchers found 79 per cent of students subjected to a complete media blackout for just one day reported adverse reactions ranging from distress to confusion and isolation.
The ETH-Caltech solar fuel reactor uses concentrated heat from the sun to create fuel from water and carbon dioxide.
New scheme would use only sunlight, air and water to supply energy for cars, laptops, GPS systems. “At the California Institute of Technology, they’re developing a way to turn sunlight and water into fuel for our cars.”–President Barack Obama, Jan. 25, 2011.
Continue reading… “Everything Will be Powered by the Sun in the Future”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
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