Facebook can directly effect relationships.
Facebook and romantic relationships make for a potent – and potentially volatile – combination. While the network does offer opportunities for meaningful social interactions and self-esteem boosts, it also opens a Pandora’s box of options for spying, stalking and other insecurity- and jealousy-driven actions between lovers…
Continue reading… “The Facebook Effect On Relationships”
Hearing loss detected in Clown Fish
Clownfish, the spectacular tropical species feted in the movie Finding Nemo, appear to lose their hearing in water slightly more acidic than normal.
At levels of acidity that may be common by the end of the century, the fish did not respond to the sounds of predators.
The oceans are becoming more acidic because they absorb much of the CO2 that humanity puts into the atmosphere…
Continue reading… “Acid Oceans Turn ‘Finding Nemo’ Fish Deaf”
Hacking an act of war?
The Wall Street Journal broke the news yesterday that the Pentagon has concluded that hacking and other forms of digital sabotage that originate from other countries can be considered an act of war. This means that for the first time, the U.S. is in the position of possibly responding to an online attack with offline “traditional military force.” Guns, troops, drones, bombs…
Continue reading… “Pentagon: Hacking Can Count As An Act Of War”
Oxfam says era of permanent food crisis will hit poorest people hardest and spark social unrest.
In the next 20 years the average price of staple foods will more than double. This will lead to an unprecedented reversal in human development, Oxfam has warned.
Continue reading… “Food Prices Could Rise as Much as 180% by 2030”
Tobacco will kill 6 million people this year.
Nearly six million people, including 600,000 non-smokers, will die this this year from tobacco. Governments are not doing enough to persuade people to quit or protect others from second-hand smoke, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Continue reading… “Smoking Death Toll Could Reach 8 Million a Year by 2030”
MORE POWER!!!
Google and two unfamiliar sounding business partners have received a key first-approval for construction of a $5bn power transmission project, linking the landward power grid to several wind farms to be built off the US Mid-Atlantic coast. (The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has ruled the project can earn a 12.59% return on equity (ROE) – a bit less than the 13.58% requested.)
The partners are Google, Good Energies and Marubeni. The project will connect 6,000MW of offshore wind capacity to grid segments from New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland – on down to Virginia. Other permitting approvals are still required but the money and FERC approvals look solid…
Inventor Joshua Silver modelling his spectacular invention.
A British atomic physicist is liaising with the World Bank on a revolutionary project to distribute spectacles to 200 million children in developing countries. Users will be able to adjust the glasses to their own personal prescription without help from an optician. “All users have to do is look at a reading chart and adjust the glasses until they can see letters clearly,” said Professor Joshua Silver…
Continue reading… “British Inventor Plans Spectacles Revolution for Developing Countries”
Anti-Piracy measures in New Zealand could change its libraries forever.
Governments around the world are trying to figure out ways of cutting down on piracy. Some governments have already implemented controversial monitoring and three-strike rules. Such rules may look like they solve the issue in theory, but its a very different outcome in practice.
France was one of the first places to attempt to implement the three-strike rule, which sees an Internet connection represented by an IP address monitored through an ISP. If an infringement is identified a strike is given, get three strikes and the connection is terminated and/or you face prosecution or fines. However, it never made it past the French National Assembly…
But that same system has made it into law for New Zealand, and will be turned on come September…
Continue reading… “Anti-Piracy Measures Could See NZ Libraries Switch Off Internet Access”
The tragedy of the commons in action.
One of the most perverse tenets of the economic model that most of the globe adheres to is that extracting natural resources or doing damage to ecosystems is “free”. Bottled water companies don’t pay for the water they extract, lumber outfits don’t pay for the trees they chop down, automakers don’t pay for the air pollution they generate, Big Oil doesn’t pay for the oil it extracts, and so on and so forth. This problem, known as the tragedy of the commons, is one that’s been an ugly thorn in capitalism’s side from the get-go. For the most part, we deal with it by imposing restrictions on how much companies can pollute, creating environmental protection agencies to enforce such restrictions, and by designating nature preserves to shield nature from corporate claws. But it’s not working…
Continue reading… “Are We One Step Closer to Pricing Nature?”
Help keep the Busuu language alive.
Busuu is a language that is only spoken by eight people in the world (according to Wikipedia this may be as low as three people as of 2005) in Cameroon. To help save this dying language the folks at Busuu.com have created a music video in the Busuu language.
Continue reading… “Busuu: A Language That Only 8 People Speak”
Pedro Martin Ureta, a 70-year old Argentine farmer from General Levalle, has used 7,000 cypress and eucalyptus trees to create a giant guitar in memory of his late wife, Graciela, who died in 1977, when she was only 25. He consulted a number of landscapers, but none of them were interested in such a daring endeavor, so the farmer just had to do it himself…
Continue reading… “Argentine Farmer Makes Giant Guitar With 7,000 Trees”
2015 global manufacturers will view the U.S. as equal to if not better-than China.
In March, U.S. exports hit a record $173 billion, up 15% from a year-ago and 37% from 2009. According to a new study from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the good times for “Made in America” are just getting started. (video)
Continue reading… “‘Made in America’ Making a Comeback: Study”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.