government – Page 38

Analysis, Big Problems, Corporate Manipulation, Education, Globalism, government, Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues, New Viewpoints

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt weighs in on patent issues: They’re ‘Terrible’

September 2, 2011

Patents are a tricky thing these days.

Eric Schmidt, Google’s Executive Chairman and former CEO, took the stage at the Dreamforce conference in San Francisco today to talk about a host of topics, including the success of Google Apps, his feelings about Steve Jobs, Google’s recent acquisition of Motorola, with the conversation with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff even ranging into Schmidt’s thoughts on the current landscape facing the U.S. patent market.

The executive chairman began by addressing the purchase of Nortel Networks’ roster of patents by a group of buyers that included some of Google’s rivals, including Microsoft and Apple. TechCruncher MG Siegler covered the back-and-forth between Google and Microsoft that unfolded in regard to the supposition that the group that bought the Nortel patents was effectively attempting to cut the legs out from underneath Android…

Continue reading… “Google Chairman Eric Schmidt weighs in on patent issues: They’re ‘Terrible’”

Analysis, Big Problems, government, Health & Fitness, Latest Trend

Health care fraud prosecutions could rise 85% in 2011

August 30, 2011

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speaks about the Medicare Fraud Strike Force.

Federal health care fraud prosecutions in the first eight months of 2011 are on pace to rise 85% over last year due in large part to ramped-up enforcement efforts under the Obama administration, according to new government statistics.

Continue reading… “Health care fraud prosecutions could rise 85% in 2011”

government, Health & Fitness, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Abortion laws to be tightened in Britain

August 29, 2011

The changes in the rules will be the biggest shake-up in a generation.

The Department of Health in Britain is to announce plans for a new system of independent counseling for women before they finally commit to terminating a pregnancy. The move is designed to give women more “breathing space”.

Continue reading… “Abortion laws to be tightened in Britain”

Analysis, Big Problems, Crazy Stuff, Current Events, Globalism, government, Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues, New Discoveries

Brazil builds $127 billion “Offshore City” to harvest oil in the deep sea

August 25, 2011

Brazil is set to start gathering oil in new places.

Want to get a feel for how crazy the post-peak oil fossil fuels industry is getting? Here’s as good an example as any: Brazil’s state-owned oil company Petrobras is about to embark on an unprecedented oil-gathering mission. It’s about to attempt to extract 30 billion barrels of oil from reserves that are locked in deepwater sub-salt fields at least 60 miles off the coast and up to five miles underwater. In order to get at the incredibly hard-to-get oily good stuff, Brazil is spending an estimated $226 billion — and $127 billion will be spent on exploration and production alone.

The product of that venture is already taking shape: a veritable floating “offshore city” has sprung up over 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the coast of Brazil, and it will lead the effort to drill into the deep sea sub-salt…

Continue reading… “Brazil builds $127 billion “Offshore City” to harvest oil in the deep sea”

government, Science & Technology News, Space

Darpa seeks plan to send humans to the stars

August 19, 2011

Alpha Centauri or bust.

Darpa, the government agency that helped invent the Internet, now wants to do the same for travel to the stars.

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government, Historical Perspectives, New Inventions, Photo Perspectives, Science & Technology News

USPTO’s major milestones from one to eight million patents

August 18, 2011

USPTO issues 8,000,000th patent on August 17, 2011.

The first patent granted by the USPTO was in 1836 and 175 years later, the government body now has a database that is eight million strong.

Continue reading… “USPTO’s major milestones from one to eight million patents”

Analysis, Business, Economy, Globalism, government

Ten developed countries with the most debt

August 18, 2011

Japan takes No. 1 spot with the most debt.

People in the United States have spent a lot of time worrying about our national debt lately. But while the U.S. owes plenty of money, we may not be in nearly as bad of shape as some of our peers.

Continue reading… “Ten developed countries with the most debt”

Breakthrough Thinking, Corporate Manipulation, Crazy Stuff, Globalism, government, Historical Perspectives, Latest News, New Viewpoints

Silicon Valley Billionaire funding creation of Artificial Libertarian Islands

August 17, 2011

Seasteading Institute city design (Anthony Ling)

The Seasteading Institute has plans to build floating cities out in the ocean. Now Paypal founder Peter Theil has recently given 1.25 million dollars to the group in an effort to create Libertarian countries out of these floating cities…

Continue reading… “Silicon Valley Billionaire funding creation of Artificial Libertarian Islands”

facebook, government, Internet, Science & Technology News, Twitter

NYPD forms new unit to track troublemakers on social media sites

August 11, 2011

The NYPD has formed Facebook and Twitter units in order to track down and monitor criminals and criminal behavior on social media sites.

The New York Police Department has formed a new unit to track troublemakers who announce plans or brag about their crimes on Twitter, MySpace and Facebook.

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Current Events, Globalism, government, Historical Perspectives, Latest News

China launches its first ever aircraft carrier

August 10, 2011

There’s no denying that China is a growing super power. It dominates manufacturing after drawing western countries with cheap labor prices and readily available materials, until recently it had a stranglehold on supplies of rare earth minerals, and while Western markets are struggling with debt it has enough money to invest heavily in businesses around the world.

The latest step forward for the country is the launching of a 300-meter-long, 60,000 ton aircraft carrier…

Continue reading… “China launches its first ever aircraft carrier”

Analysis, Culture, government, New Viewpoints, Science & Technology News

Rethinking the Court of Public Opinion

August 5, 2011

Futurist Thomas Frey: American TV personality Ryan Seacrest has a grim look on his face as he walks briskly across the stage. Turning to the camera, he pauses briefly before saying, “You have heard the arguments, listened to the experts, and seen the photos. But now it is up to you to decide the fate of Mr. Howard Cullens.”

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Philips LED light wins U.S. Department of Energy’s $10m ‘Lighting Prize’

August 4, 2011

It looks like the Philips AmbientLED has won the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lighting Prize (modeled on the original X-Prize). The goal was to help “transform lighting technology” by making it more efficient. To win, the Philips LED had to go through some pretty sophisticated tests (see the video below) to make sure the light quality was good and that it was durable… (video after jump)

Continue reading… “Philips LED light wins U.S. Department of Energy’s $10m ‘Lighting Prize’”