Monday, June 2nd, 2008
Secrets of Stonehenge unearthed
Now that’s a pretty impressive tombstone. New research suggests that Stonehenge was used as a cemetery for more than 500 years, much longer than previously thought. The new findings also show that people used the area as a burial site long before placement of its trademark stones (or sarsen stones) was complete.
How to harvest solar power? Beam it down from space!
The satellites would electromagnetically beam gigawatts of solar energy back to ground-based receivers, where it would then be converted to electricity and transferred to power grids. The floating power plants could provide round-the-clock clean, renewable electricity.
Scientists Invent Machine to Suck CO2 & Fight Global Warming
Scientists say they have invented a machine that can suck carbon dioxide out of the air – potentially creating a vital weapon in the war against global warming. The blueprint for the CO2 ’scrubber’ raises the prospect of a generation of machines which would help reduce the billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases being pumped into the atmosphere.
The Coming Energy Wars - A Bargain at $200
Oil prices could hit $200 a barrel in the next few months. How the spike changes everything. This spring, America hit a historic point. With average gas prices per gallon edging toward $4, America’s notoriously profligate ways started to change fast. Americans are driving less, using mass transit more, buying fewer gas guzzlers.
How Man-Made Noise May Be Altering Earth’s Ecology
The contamination of biophony may soon become a serious environmental issue — Scientist Bernie Krause says that man-made sounds are already wreaking havoc with animal communication. We worry about the carbon emissions from SUVs and airplanes; maybe we should be equally concerned about the racket they cause.
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Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
Microsoft Offers Cash To Use Its Search Engine
Microsoft plans to entice advertisers and users of its search engine with savings on online purchases on a site called Live Search cashback. Microsoft unveiled plans Wednesday to entice advertisers and users of its search engine with cash back savings on online purchases, launching a site called Live Search cashback.
He Took a Polaroid Every Day, Until the Day He Died
Yesterday I came across a slightly mysterious website — a collection of Polaroids, one per day, from March 31, 1979 through October 25, 1997. There’s no author listed, no contact info, and no other indication as to where these came from. So, naturally, I started looking through the photos. I was stunned by what I found.
Top 10 Firefox 3 Features
The newest version of our favorite open source web browser, Mozilla Firefox 3, offers dozens of new features and fixes, but only a handful will make the most dramatic difference in your everyday browsing. It’s time to spotlight the biggest improvements that will make “Gran Paradiso” the browser to beat.
Cleanest Diesels on Earth Coming to US this Fall (+Timeline)
Later this year we will finally begin to see an influx of new model diesels in the United States. These new diesels will get better mileage (up to 60 MPG) and have cleaner emissions than your average car. When exactly can we expect to see them? Check out this detailed timeline.
10 of the World’s Most Luxurious Private Islands
Feeling a little cramped in your thousand square foot Manhattan apartment? Got a few extra million to blow? If so, you too can join the elite of the elite and buy your very own private island.
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Tuesday, March 18th, 2008
Service allows you to offset environmental impact of books
If you collect books, you’ve probably noticed that they’re made of paper, and that paper comes from trees. Raz Godelnik noticed — he thinks green (not Irish, eco-ish) — and he wanted to balance his books with new trees. So he started the website Eco-Libris; there, anyone can donate money to plant trees to offset book purchases.
Yahoo sees rosy outlook for 2009, 2010
Yahoo Inc. has released a rosy outlook for the next two years, hoping to give investors a better understanding why the slumping Internet pioneer isn’t willing to sell to Microsoft Corp. for less than $45 billion.
Solar trumps shade in California prosecution of tree owners
The Santa Clara County district attorney pressed criminal charges against Richard Treanor for the shade his redwoods cast on the solar panels that Mark Vargas uses for 100 percent of his home’s power.
24 Great Niche Web Design Galleries
CSS galleries can be a great source of inspiration, but if you’re looking for something in particular they can be a bit of a nightmare. Since niche galleries have a tighter focus it allows them to be more detailed. Below you’ll find a list of niche galleries, that focus on things from color schemes, to layout, and specific content types.
Bellavista Rainforest Treehouse Community Is Endor on Earth
Finca Bellavista is an Endor-like treehouse village in the making, with paths and platforms perched on 150-foot trees. Located six miles from Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, this sustainable rainforest community doesn’t have stupid Ewoks or shield generators, but cute monkeys, site-wide Wi-Fi with internet sat link and biodigestors running on solar power.
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Monday, December 31st, 2007
Huge Asteroid Headed for Earth–Too Close for Comfort
It is headed our way, and it’s a big one, but the chances of hitting Earth are 1-in-3030, and it won’t be in the neighborhood until 2048. Naturally, a rock of that size would do significant damage to the planet. The asteroid is 130 meters across–that’s about 142 yards or 1-1/2 football fields, if you’re American.
Continent-sized floating garbage patch threatens food chain
In one of the few places on Earth where people can rarely be found, the human race has well and truly made its mark. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean lies a floating garbage patch twice the size of Britain. A place where the water is filled with six times as much plastic as plankton, a plastic-plankton soup that is entering the food chain.
Planet Earth 2007: Top 10 Science Revelations
From the damning climate report by the IPCC to projections of an impending peak in global oil production, 2007 was full of startling findings and prognostications about the blue marble we call home.
Blue is the new green
Advertising firm JWT predicts that one of the top trends of 2008 will see blue replacing green as the color of environmentalism, social conscience, and all-round niceness.
How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree
If you had a real Christmas tree this year how are you planning to get rid of it? Here is a short guide on how to properly dispose of your Christmas tree.
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Friday, August 11th, 2006
Life is way too short. There are many reasons why someone would like to take flying lessons…for the thrill, the advantages of getting from one place to another in a shorter amount of time than driving, enjoyment, etc… Many reasons.
For me, the driving force is to get places fast. I really need to start visiting my family in North Carolina more. I need to see my nieces and nephews. I don’t want to be that uncle who never visits, or the one who the kids hear alot about but never really got to know.
My dream is to have my family waiting for me at the Wilmington International Airport (KILM) and for them to watch me land in my own plane. I really think that would be something.
My father has talked about getting his pilot’s license and getting a plane, but never got around to it. Maybe some day. Until then, he will have to sit in the passenger’s seat. Maybe I will let him fly…a little.
I looked around the area for a small airport and bumped into the Orange County Airport (KMGJ). It’s about a half hour from where I live. I called Quade’s Flight School. Gary answered the phone. He seemed like a very nice guy who has been around planes for a very long time. I set up the “Intro” flight lesson for $60. Basically, it is a half hour flight to get the tip of your toe wet. When you land, you say, “Sign me up, I am taking out a loan” or “Get me the hell out of this thing.” I said “Sign me up, but I will pay by check.”
We went up in his trainer…a Piper Cherokee. The intro flight consisted of learning about the pre-flight inspection of the plane, going over the checklist, taxiing to the runway, takeoff, some maneuvers and landing. The instructor, Gary let me perform some turns at about 2500 msl (mean sea level). That was pretty cool. I have never controlled an airplane before, so that was a thrill. I flew by myself for about 15 minutes. When we were approaching the airport for landing, Gary cut the throttle. He said he liked to do this for the new students to show that if an airplane of this size loses the engine in mid-air for some reason, you won’t spiral out of control and plummet to the earth. We landed very smoothly with no power.
After we landed and taxied to the hangar, Gary asked me if I was in. I said I was and set up my next lesson for Sunday, August 20 and 10:30AM.
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