Current Events – Page 21

Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, Crazy Stuff, Current Events, Entertainment

Rock Ock rocks on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on

January 8, 2012

51 strings and 154 frets if you were wondering.

The Orlando Science Center has added an eight-necked monster to its current exhibit “Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked the World.” Guests can now take a look at Rock Ock, the world’s only fully playable, eight-necked stringed instrument.

It was built by Dan Neafsey of DGN Custom Guitars on commission by the National Guitar Museum, and it was designed by artist Gerard Huerta, who incorporated a ukulele, mandolin, six-string guitar, seven-string guitar, 12-string guitar, baritone, guitar, fretless bass and a standard bass. That makes for a total of 51 strings and 154 frets. It weighs 40 pounds…

Continue reading… “Rock Ock rocks on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on”

Breakthrough Thinking, Crazy Stuff, Current Events, DIY, Historical Perspectives, Latest News

For sale, one space tracking station worthy of an evil genius

January 8, 2012

Can you see what I see? Can you hear what I hear?

If you have plans to take over the world, you’re going to need a secret lair from which you can run your evil plots. But why waste time and money hollowing out a volcano when there’s already the perfect place for sale in the real estate listings?

The Jamesburg Earth Station was built by NASA in 1968 for receiving transmissions from the Apollo moon landings, then it was used by AT&T for satellite telecommunications. It even played a key role relaying pictures of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Now it can be yours for just under $3 million…

Continue reading… “For sale, one space tracking station worthy of an evil genius”

Breakthrough Thinking, Business, Current Events, DIY, Education, Entertainment, Historical Perspectives

Etsy makes it easy for users to post items to Pinterest with new ‘Pin It’ button

January 6, 2012

Online pinboard Pinterest is all the rage these days, and as Etsy is showing today with its latest product announcement, e-commerce sites are starting to realize the power of pinning. The e-commerce marketplace is making it easier for Pinterest users to pin and organize Etsy items, via a new Pin It button on Etsy listing pages, alongside the Tweet and Like buttons.

Etsy says that its members are big fans of Pinterest (and so is Etsy), so the integration makes sense. Etsy is also using Pinterest’s price display feature. So when you pin listings with the Pin It button, the required pin description field is prefilled with the item title and price. Users can also add a note about why they like the item, which will be added to their Pinterest posting…

Continue reading… “Etsy makes it easy for users to post items to Pinterest with new ‘Pin It’ button”

Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, Business, Current Events, Education, Globalism, Green Friendly, Historical Perspectives, Latest News

Walmart wants to start a conversation on sustainability with its new Green Blog

January 5, 2012

Walmart is going green?

So Walmart has launched a green blog, The Green Room, “that we hope to develop into a vibrant conversation about helping people live better around the globe.” So says Andrea Thomas, who leads sustainability at Walmart.

Right now there are just a few questions to start the conversation. What do you think are the biggest challenges in sustainability? What do you wish we, as a company, could do to address an environmental or social issue? How could we help you reach your own sustainability goals?

Continue reading… “Walmart wants to start a conversation on sustainability with its new Green Blog”

Current Events, Historical Perspectives, Latest News, New Discoveries

1st meteor shower of 2012 amazes skywatchers

January 6, 2012

A Quadrantid meteor is seen streaking across a cloud-spattered sky with shadowy rocks in the foreground in this dazzling photo by astrophotographer Roberto Porto taken on Jan. 4, 2012 on Tenerife Island in Spain’s Canary Islands during the meteor shower’s peak.

A dazzling display of “shooting stars” kicked off the 2012 skywatching season early Wednesday (Jan. 4), thrilling amateur astronomers around the world with views of the Quadrantid meteor shower.

Usually one of the most dependable meteor displays of the year, the Quadrantid meteor shower peaked at about 2:30 a.m. EST (0730 GMT) in a brief, but eye-catching, light show. Quadrantid meteors are the leftover crumbs of a shattered comet that broke apart centuries ago, NASA scientists say…

Continue reading… “1st meteor shower of 2012 amazes skywatchers”

Analysis, Big Problems, Business, Current Events, Education, Historical Perspectives

Google busted for violating own rules and will lower search ranking for Chrome

January 5, 2012

Google got BUSTED!

But Google apparently didn’t know it was doing this.So, with full denial still on its lips, Google has decided to slap its own wrist and downgrade the page rank on Google Chrome for at least two months, reports Search Engine Land.

In a statement published to Search Engine Land, Google said…

Continue reading… “Google busted for violating own rules and will lower search ranking for Chrome”

Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, Current Events, Globalism, government, Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues, Latest News, People Making a Difference

Crowdfunding temporarily halts oil extraction in Ecuador

January 3, 2012

No drilling here for now.

Ecuador had agreed last year to accept money in exchange for not drilling foroil in Yasuní National Park, an area of the Amazon rainforest that last year set a record for the most mammal, bird, amphibian and plant species in the world.

But a fundraiser was held last night that collected the $116 million necessary to temporarily halt exploitation of the area for oil…

Continue reading… “Crowdfunding temporarily halts oil extraction in Ecuador”

Breakthrough Thinking, Culture, Current Events, Education, Historical Perspectives, Human Behavior

Occupy Wall Street reporter to utilize drones to prevent brutality

December 30, 2011

Drones can be used for many things.

From whaling wars to military wars, surveillance drones are everywhere — including the Occupy movement. But it’s not the police employing these unmanned machines — it’s reporters like Tim Pool, an American journalist best known for his 21-hour marathon of live-streamed coverage of the Occupy Wall Street eviction, which occurred in New York City on November 15.

Despite a media ban on the raid, Pool was able to single-handedly report on events on the ground that day, using little else than a smartphone and donated batteries…

Continue reading… “Occupy Wall Street reporter to utilize drones to prevent brutality”

Breakthrough Thinking, Current Events, Human Behavior, Latest News

Think You Got What It Takes To Work For Stephen Hawking?

December 30, 2011

Steven Hawking needs a new assistant.

Sometimes who you work with can be just as important as the job itself. And if physics is your passion the opportunity of a lifetime has just popped up, as Stephen Hawking is now looking for a new assistant…

Continue reading… “Think You Got What It Takes To Work For Stephen Hawking?”

Business, Crazy Stuff, Culture, Current Events, Education, Entertainment, Great New Product, Historical Perspectives, Latest News

Amazon sold over 4 million Kindles in December, and E-Book sales are up 175 percent

December 29, 2011

The Kindle Fire is a holiday record breaker.

Amazon sent out a press release titled, “2011 is the Best Holiday Ever for Kindle” and looking at the numbers, it seems like a justified statement.

The company reports that there were over a million Kindle devices sold each week, with the Kindle Fire as the hottest item, the Kindle Touch following it up, and the plain old Kindle bringing up the rear…

Continue reading… “Amazon sold over 4 million Kindles in December, and E-Book sales are up 175 percent”

Analysis, Big Problems, Breakthrough Thinking, Culture, Current Events, Education, Globalism, Historical Perspectives, Latest News

China has its own GPS now—and it’s better than yours

December 27, 2011

China is now one step closer to become the top economic and military superpower in the world: their Beidou geo-positioning system is now fully armed and operational.

But why is this important?

Continue reading… “China has its own GPS now—and it’s better than yours”

Breakthrough Thinking, Crazy Stuff, Culture, Current Events, Entertainment, Globalism, government, Humor

China Post beams letters into orbit via a Space Post Office

December 26, 2011

What would you send into space via a space post office?

Young children living the Western world will often spend December writing letters to be sent the North Pole in the hope of reaching Santa Claus. In China, however, people of all ages now have a new reason to get the pen and paper out again as China Post are now offering a service that sends letters into space…

Continue reading… “China Post beams letters into orbit via a Space Post Office”