ESPN caused a little controversy over it’s decision to air its first e-sports tournament, a.k.a, people playing video games professionally — on ESPN 2 earlier this month. Continue reading… “Five ways e-sports are like other sports”
Solving a Billion-Person Problem
Futurist Thomas Frey: My friend, Peter Diamandis, likes to say, “The best way to become a billionaire is to solve a billion-person problem.”
When I first heard this phrase, I had difficulty imagining what a billion-person problem looked like. Continue reading… “Solving a Billion-Person Problem”
Research shows your view of the world changes with the language you speak
There are a lot of perks that come with being bilingual. Job prospects are better, a boost in cognitive abilities, and even protection from dementia. Now new research shows that depending on the specific language they are operating in, they can also view the world in different ways. Continue reading… “Research shows your view of the world changes with the language you speak”
Japanese sexbot apocalypse ?
As you might imagine, there are interesting cultural differences between Americans and Japanese. For example, Americans fear the Terminator movie scenario of a robot or Artificial intelligence apocalypse, while Japan is facing sharp population decrease from lowering birth rates which could be accelerated with more realistic sexbots that extend the Japanese sex doll industry. Continue reading… “Japanese sexbot apocalypse ?”
The Slow Death of the University
By Terry Eagleton
A few years ago, I was being shown around a large, very technologically advanced university in Asia by its proud president. As befitted so eminent a personage, he was flanked by two burly young minders in black suits and shades, who for all I knew were carrying Kalashnikovs under their jackets. Having waxed lyrical about his gleaming new business school and state-of-the-art institute for management studies, the president paused to permit me a few words of fulsome praise. I remarked instead that there seemed to be no critical studies of any kind on his campus. He looked at me bemusedly, as though I had asked him how many Ph.D.’s in pole dancing they awarded each year, and replied rather stiffly “Your comment will be noted.” He then took a small piece of cutting-edge technology out of his pocket, flicked it open and spoke a few curt words of Korean into it, probably “Kill him.” A limousine the length of a cricket pitch then arrived, into which the president was bundled by his minders and swept away. I watched his car disappear from view, wondering when his order for my execution was to be implemented. Continue reading… “The Slow Death of the University”
China putting a stop to funeral strippers
In China, people attending funerals may have to do without a special form of entertainment: strippers. The Chinese government plans to work closely with the police to eliminate such performances, which are held with the goal of drawing more mourners. Continue reading… “China putting a stop to funeral strippers”
Americans are tolerant, tech-savvy, and meat-loving, according to our emojis
Emojis he tiny pictograms that come pre-built into most smartphones, have been around since the late 1990s, but only recently have they begun to influence the way we communicate with each other. They are used widely, not just by kids and millennials, but also by moms, and White House officials. Continue reading… “Americans are tolerant, tech-savvy, and meat-loving, according to our emojis”
Report: E-Cigarette use has risen sharply among teens
According to recently released federal data, the use of E-cigarettes among middle- and high school students tripled from 2013 to 2014, bringing the share of high school students who use them to 13 percent — more than smoke traditional cigarettes. Continue reading… “Report: E-Cigarette use has risen sharply among teens”
Millennials love Snapchat
This year in the US 95% of 18 to 24 year old internet users will log on to a social network via any device at least once per month. Recent research by comScore Media Metrix shows, Snapchat usage skews heavily toward this group. Continue reading… “Millennials love Snapchat”
Struggling to hook kids, baseball risks losing fans to other sports
Rob Albericci saw his son Austin’s Little League baseball team struggle to recruit enough kids to fill a roster, and the rising demands of Austin’s football team, the growing pressure for kids to focus on a single sport, to specialize even before they hit puberty. Continue reading… “Struggling to hook kids, baseball risks losing fans to other sports”
Great visualization of 200 years of immigration to the US
Many of us may assume that Mexico has always been among the main sources of immigration to America, but a cool chart by Natalia Bronshtein shows, that’s not even close to true. Continue reading… “Great visualization of 200 years of immigration to the US”
Craft brewers now have more than 10 percent share of beer market
According to the nonprofit Brewers Association based in Boulder, CO, Craft brewers increased their market share of the American beer industry in 2014. Continue reading… “Craft brewers now have more than 10 percent share of beer market”
