Train crash in China
“Our train bumped into something.Our carriage has fallen onto its side. Children are screaming . . . Come to help us please! Come fast!”
These were the words tweeted by a passenger on high-speed train D301 on July 23 that were clearly a cry for help. But these words also initiated a wave of unprecedented “citizen journalism” on China’s Twitter-like micro blogs.
The United States is home to 6,624 state parks and has an annual attendance of over 700 million. Yet state parks are being threatened by budget cuts and economic downturn. Here’s a list of all state parks set to get the axe. Does your favorite make the cut?
It is worth noting that designating a single piece of land–especially one rich with resources–was quite radical for the early 1900s. Before the United States introduced its federal- and state-level park system, the concept was far from common. Thanks to Republican Teddy Roosevelt, the U.S. now has 41,725 miles of trail, 207,063 campsites, and 7,161 cabins and lodges across the state park system.
In fact, President Roosevelt couldn’t have said it better when he said “I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the nature resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.”
Continue reading… “The 100+ State Parks facing closure – Is your favorite park on the list?”
Credit rating agencies have been criticized for fueling the 2007-2009 financial crisis.
The Federal Reserve said on Monday that Banking regulators expect to release proposals for replacing the work of credit rating agencies in their regulations later this year when comprehensive tougher capital standards are unveiled.
Continue reading… “Banking agencies working to find credit rating alternatives”
U.S. Navy prepares women for submarine duty.
The biggest concern about serving on a submarine for Ensign Peggy LeGrand is not spending weeks at a time in tight quarters with an entirely male crew. What really worries her is the scrutiny that comes with breaking one of the last gender barriers in the U.S. military.
Job security for U.S. government workers tops those in the private sector.
Job security for federal employees is so great that workers in many agencies are more likely to die of natural causes than get laid off or fired, according to a USA Today analysis.
Continue reading… “Federal employees are more likely to die of natural causes than lose their jobs”
Experts regard this as a new channel for the government to hear public voices in policy-making.
Ou Jiayang, a 23-year-old college graduate, should have been preparing for her new job, but Ou Jiayang is from the south Guangdong Province and spent the past two months doing something else.
Continue reading… “Young Chinese take local governments to task via Internet”
Harvesting the wind in water.
The French government of Nicolas Sarkozy has launched a €10 billion ($14.26 billion) tender to build about 1,200 wind turbines in 5 different offshore wind farms. The goal is to diversify France’s energy generation (they are very reliant on nuclear, which accounts for about 80% of their electricity generation) with renewable sources and to have 23% of France’s energy come from renewable sources by 2020. The wind farms will be located off France’s coast on the North and West and should produce about 3.5% of the country’s electricity according to government authorities. The farms should come online between 2015-2020…
More than one million websites closed down in China last year, a state-run think tank has said.
China claims that they offer a “high level of freedom” for online speech. Hah! I don’t know what world they live in because in our world, the real world, China has shut down 1.3 million websites and routinely block websites.
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the state-run organization who reported the figure, also said that there were were 41% less websites at the end of 2010 than a year earlier. It’s like they don’t want the Internet to grow…
Continue reading… “China shut down 1.3 million websites 2010”
Researcher Dr Gregory Parker holds a small, winged drone that resembles an insect.
The U.S. military is developing these. innocent-looking devices that are actually some of the most sophisticated drones on the planet. They resemble children’s toys that are left disgarded in closets around the world. (Pics and video)
Continue reading… “U.S. military developing miniature drones that resemble birds and insects”
The total impact of the extended unemployment benefits on the economy is huge, because so many Americans are currently taking advantage of them.
The economic recovery could be headed for a major hit that will leave it even weaker as extended unemployment benefits are set to expire in 2012.
The average household’s energy costs would be cut by 7% or $85 every year.
Making it’s way through the U.S. Congress is a bill that would block certain provisions from a 2007 energy law signed by George W. Bush that “effectively bans the 100-watt incandescent bulb next year and other versions subsequently”. The law simply mandates that bulbs need to be 30% more energy efficient, an improvement that could have great economic and environmental benefits.
Continue reading… “Ban on the incandescent light bulb would save consumers $12.5 billion by 2020”
The poor economy lingers and the jobless rate remaining high.
States will start a nationwide crackdown for people fraudulently drawing unemployment payments. $17 billion in were dswindle last year alone from those who were never eligible and workers who keep getting checks after they return to work, say federal officials.
Continue reading… “Nationwide crackdown unemployment insurance fraud”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.