I would be more inclined to vote for a Republican candidate in the next election cycle if he or she agreed to accept the scientific evidence in favor of evolution and global warming. By affirming these two theories, Republicans would demonstrate to me that they are willing to use the best available data to inform their decisions.
Our nation's leaders should use rational methods and rely on objective data whenever possible. I agree with some of the Republican Party's positions on key issues. However, I hesitate to vote for Republicans because they too often make decisions based on intuition or on unproven dogma.
Case in point: Many Republicans refuse to acknowledge that global warming is real and that humans are at least partly responsible for this phenomenon. The party adheres to this position even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. I feel GOP members are harming this nation by refusing to vote for climate-control measures, which might help stop global warming from causing widespread damage to U.S. crops and to coastal infrastructures.
Many Republicans also support the teaching of intelligent design in U.S. public schools even though there is no scientific evidence for this hypothesis. Researchers have conclusively shown that evolution is responsible for creating different species. It is worth noting that one of the largest faith-based denominations in the world, the Catholic Church, believes there is enough evidence to support the teaching of evolution in schools.
As a voter, I ask the Republican Party to reconsider its views on these issues. If Republicans would affirm the scientific theories surrounding global warming and evolution, I would be more willing to vote for them in the next election.
-- Anthony Hopper
#Republican #Republicans #politics #Congress #Senate #US #globalwarming #science #evolution
Showing posts with label science/technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science/technology. Show all posts
Saturday
Five of the Top Athlete Tweets of 2012
ABSTRACT:
Many athletes routinely use Twitter to voice their opinions. Most of these comments go unnoticed by the masses. However, a player will occasionally tweet something that goes viral. Here are five of the top athlete tweets from 2012.
Many athletes routinely use Twitter to connect with fans, to voice their opinions, and sometimes even to critique their rivals. Most of these comments go unnoticed by the masses. However, a player will occasionally tweet something that goes viral.
Here are five of the top athlete tweets of 2012.
Brandon Marshall Fires Back: Retired football great Warren Sapp started the brouhaha when he called Marshall a "retard" during a televised sports show on Sept. 21. The Chicago Bears wide receiver retaliated by posting links to two videos on Twitter. In the videos, Marshall questioned Sapp's marital ethics, his devotion to his kids, and his financial acumen. The two have since apologized to each other.
Voula Papachristou's Tweet Ends Her Olympic Dream: The Greek triple jumper was set to represent her nation at the 2012 London Olympics until a tweet dashed those hopes. On July 22, Papachristou posted a racist tweet on her account in response to an increase in West Nile virus cases in Greece. The tweet stated, "So many Africans in Greece [sic] at least West Nile mosquitoes will eat homemade food." Greece's Olympic Committee promptly expelled Papachristou from its team.
Golfer Gives Out His Phone Number on Twitter: Even the usually staid sport of golf is not immune to Twitter controversies. Just ask Luke Donald. In September, the golfer got upset when he bogeyed a hole at the Deutsche Bank Championship. After the round, Donald sent what he thought were two private emails to the course architect, Gil Hanse. One tweet criticized Hanse and the other contained Donald's phone number. Little did Donald know that he had sent the messages out as tweets. Donald publicly apologized for criticizing Hanse. He probably also made a quick visit to his local cell phone carrier.
Vince Young Wants a Job: The Tennessee Titans had high hopes for Young when they drafted him third overall in the 2006 NFL draft. Unfortunately for the Titans and later for the Philadelphia Eagles, the quarterback turned out to be a bust. Young, who is not currently on any NFL roster, apparently wants one more chance. He proclaimed this desire to the world when he sent a tweet to Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald after the Cardinals were shut out by the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The message stated, "[sic] you know I can help tell coach." There is no word yet on whether Fitzgerald passed the message on to Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Stephen Jackson Causes a Stir: The San Antonio Spurs shooting guard recently took to Twitter to intimidate Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka. In his tweet, Jackson promised to punch Ibaka in the face the next time the two met (or as Jackson put it, "im goin in his mouth"). The NBA condemned Jackson's remarks and fined him $25,000.
The author follows many sports. He is a fan of the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #twitter #tweets #football #NFL #golf #PGA #Olympics #sportshistory #history
Many athletes routinely use Twitter to connect with fans, to voice their opinions, and sometimes even to critique their rivals. Most of these comments go unnoticed by the masses. However, a player will occasionally tweet something that goes viral.
Here are five of the top athlete tweets of 2012.
Brandon Marshall Fires Back: Retired football great Warren Sapp started the brouhaha when he called Marshall a "retard" during a televised sports show on Sept. 21. The Chicago Bears wide receiver retaliated by posting links to two videos on Twitter. In the videos, Marshall questioned Sapp's marital ethics, his devotion to his kids, and his financial acumen. The two have since apologized to each other.
Voula Papachristou's Tweet Ends Her Olympic Dream: The Greek triple jumper was set to represent her nation at the 2012 London Olympics until a tweet dashed those hopes. On July 22, Papachristou posted a racist tweet on her account in response to an increase in West Nile virus cases in Greece. The tweet stated, "So many Africans in Greece [sic] at least West Nile mosquitoes will eat homemade food." Greece's Olympic Committee promptly expelled Papachristou from its team.
Golfer Gives Out His Phone Number on Twitter: Even the usually staid sport of golf is not immune to Twitter controversies. Just ask Luke Donald. In September, the golfer got upset when he bogeyed a hole at the Deutsche Bank Championship. After the round, Donald sent what he thought were two private emails to the course architect, Gil Hanse. One tweet criticized Hanse and the other contained Donald's phone number. Little did Donald know that he had sent the messages out as tweets. Donald publicly apologized for criticizing Hanse. He probably also made a quick visit to his local cell phone carrier.
Vince Young Wants a Job: The Tennessee Titans had high hopes for Young when they drafted him third overall in the 2006 NFL draft. Unfortunately for the Titans and later for the Philadelphia Eagles, the quarterback turned out to be a bust. Young, who is not currently on any NFL roster, apparently wants one more chance. He proclaimed this desire to the world when he sent a tweet to Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald after the Cardinals were shut out by the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The message stated, "[sic] you know I can help tell coach." There is no word yet on whether Fitzgerald passed the message on to Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Stephen Jackson Causes a Stir: The San Antonio Spurs shooting guard recently took to Twitter to intimidate Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka. In his tweet, Jackson promised to punch Ibaka in the face the next time the two met (or as Jackson put it, "im goin in his mouth"). The NBA condemned Jackson's remarks and fined him $25,000.
The author follows many sports. He is a fan of the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #twitter #tweets #football #NFL #golf #PGA #Olympics #sportshistory #history
The Growth of the Internet Signals a Paradigm Shift in Personal Privacy - 2012
Abstract:
Americans have benefited from the growth and development of the internet in a lot of ways. However, these gains are not without their costs. The Communications Revolution has made it more difficult for people to keep their personal lives private.
On June 6, 2012, the news media announced that hackers had breached LinkedIn's and eHarmony's websites and had stolen some of their customers' passwords. Per Forbes, the thieves then posted many of these passwords onto a "hacker's forum." On June 7, LinkedIn confirmed the breach of its site. The digital break-ins represent just the latest in a long string of instances in which an individual's (or in this case a large number of individuals') private information has been misappropriated. As Forbes notes, these incidents point to weaknesses in online security systems. However, on a more general level, the web breaches are also indicative of a paradigm shift in American culture.
Identity theft is not new. Long before the Internet came into being, criminals could pilfer credit card information and social security numbers by snooping through trash bags (as noted by MSNBC), via phone scams, and probably through a host of other low tech methods. Anyone with a camera, listening device, or even just a keen ear could often gather information on someone else's foibles and disseminate it to the larger community through the media or by word of mouth.
However, as the eHarmony and LinkedIn breaches demonstrate, the growth of the internet has provided thieves with a variety of new methods for stealing personal data, including passwords, credit card information, and social security numbers. Additionally, the Internet has made it easy for anyone to post compromising information about another individual online for the world to see. Before the use of the Internet became widespread, a person (unless he or she was a celebrity) could usually attend a private event secure in the knowledge that his or her actions would not become public. Now, people have to be aware that anything they do or say at a party or at some other event might be captured by a smartphone and posted on a social media site. What is more, that post may receive thousands of visits in a matter of minutes.
The growth of the Internet has had obvious implications for personal privacy. In this regard, Americans have lost some of their autonomy. People, even the most circumspect, can no longer rest assured that their rights to privacy will be respected. Their most important personal information, as well as many of their deepest secrets, are only a click away from being stolen (and perhaps broadcast to the world). This situation gives new meaning to Shakespeare's oft quoted line (from "As You Like It"), "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
The growth of the Internet has been a boon to many people in both the United States and throughout the world, allowing them, among other things, to connect with family living far away and to explore new types of relationships. However, it is worth remembering that these benefits have their costs. The right to privacy has been one of the key victims of the Communications Revolution.
1. Photographer/Creator: Saper
Date: October 14, 2013
Title/Description: Screenshot of an error page on Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy website
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Notes on Wikimedia page
(click on the title or the caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#Internet #technology #science #privacy #freedom #rights #opinion #personalinterest
On June 6, 2012, the news media announced that hackers had breached LinkedIn's and eHarmony's websites and had stolen some of their customers' passwords. Per Forbes, the thieves then posted many of these passwords onto a "hacker's forum." On June 7, LinkedIn confirmed the breach of its site. The digital break-ins represent just the latest in a long string of instances in which an individual's (or in this case a large number of individuals') private information has been misappropriated. As Forbes notes, these incidents point to weaknesses in online security systems. However, on a more general level, the web breaches are also indicative of a paradigm shift in American culture.
 |
| Screenshot of an error page (1) |
However, as the eHarmony and LinkedIn breaches demonstrate, the growth of the internet has provided thieves with a variety of new methods for stealing personal data, including passwords, credit card information, and social security numbers. Additionally, the Internet has made it easy for anyone to post compromising information about another individual online for the world to see. Before the use of the Internet became widespread, a person (unless he or she was a celebrity) could usually attend a private event secure in the knowledge that his or her actions would not become public. Now, people have to be aware that anything they do or say at a party or at some other event might be captured by a smartphone and posted on a social media site. What is more, that post may receive thousands of visits in a matter of minutes.
The growth of the Internet has had obvious implications for personal privacy. In this regard, Americans have lost some of their autonomy. People, even the most circumspect, can no longer rest assured that their rights to privacy will be respected. Their most important personal information, as well as many of their deepest secrets, are only a click away from being stolen (and perhaps broadcast to the world). This situation gives new meaning to Shakespeare's oft quoted line (from "As You Like It"), "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
The growth of the Internet has been a boon to many people in both the United States and throughout the world, allowing them, among other things, to connect with family living far away and to explore new types of relationships. However, it is worth remembering that these benefits have their costs. The right to privacy has been one of the key victims of the Communications Revolution.
1. Photographer/Creator: Saper
Date: October 14, 2013
Title/Description: Screenshot of an error page on Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy website
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Notes on Wikimedia page
(click on the title or the caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#Internet #technology #science #privacy #freedom #rights #opinion #personalinterest
Cyber-Warfare: What Are the Potential Ramifications for Americans? - 2012 Commentary
ABSTRACT:
As the recent discovery of the Flame virus demonstrated, cyber-warfare between countries is growing. The United States might benefit from using cyber-technology to damage military targets; however, it should proceed with caution.
Media outlets are still buzzing over the Russian discovery of the Flame computer virus, which, per CNET, has mainly targeted computers in Iran. It was designed to spy on that country and was likely created by the United States or one of its allies, though no one has yet come forward to take credit for its creation. As CNET notes, the computer virus is not the first piece of malware used by a government agency to spy on another country; however, it is unique in its level of sophistication and in its size. Regardless of who created the virus, it provides yet another example of the increasing tendency of nations, including the United States, to utilize cyber-tactics to conduct spying and sabotage operations against other countries. What are the potential ramifications for Americans?
An article in Ars Technica asserts that cyber-weapons are relatively cheap to produce. As the Stuxnet virus demonstrated, cyber-warfare can also be effective at damaging a country's military and energy infrastructures. Additionally, nations may be able to launch malware attacks against each other without getting caught. If that is the case, as the CNET article implies, the United States might be able to cut military expenses and save the lives of American soldiers if it were to focus on further developing its cyber-program. What is more, the U.S. would run less risk of incurring the wrath of the international community if it relied on covert cyber technologies to destroy enemy military installations instead of missiles and bombs.
As the CNET article notes, the United States is potentially vulnerable to cyber-attacks by other nations or terrorist groups. Countries like China almost certainly utilize malware to steal information from the U.S. and will continue to do so. More worrisome, a nation or terrorist group that is not able to strike at the U.S. with conventional weapons may be able to create a computer virus that will damage key American installations. It is also possible that a hostile entity can decipher a U.S. sponsored computer virus and use that information to create its own cyber-weapon.
However, a Slate article asserts that Americans should not worry overmuch that a nation or terrorist group will use a computer virus to damage American military or civilian targets. It notes that these types of cyber-weapons are cost prohibitive for all but the wealthiest countries. Further, a hostile entity would be hesitant to use a computer virus to cripple an American facility because it would be afraid that the U.S. would respond with a devastating conventional attack. Slate might be correct in its analysis of the current situation; however, a cyber-terrorist action might become more likely in the future if the technology becomes cheaper.
While the United States might benefit by using computer viruses to accomplish its military objectives, it should proceed with caution. There are a lot of unknowns with regard to cyber-warfare.
1. Photographer/Creator: Anonymous
Date: October 13, 2006
Title/Description: A mess of characters that would be found on corrupted dumb terminals with green
screens.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's notes (click on the title or caption to see the
photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#technology #computers #Internet #freedom #rights #privacy #opinion
 |
| A mess of characters - found on corrupted dumb terminals (1) |
An article in Ars Technica asserts that cyber-weapons are relatively cheap to produce. As the Stuxnet virus demonstrated, cyber-warfare can also be effective at damaging a country's military and energy infrastructures. Additionally, nations may be able to launch malware attacks against each other without getting caught. If that is the case, as the CNET article implies, the United States might be able to cut military expenses and save the lives of American soldiers if it were to focus on further developing its cyber-program. What is more, the U.S. would run less risk of incurring the wrath of the international community if it relied on covert cyber technologies to destroy enemy military installations instead of missiles and bombs.
As the CNET article notes, the United States is potentially vulnerable to cyber-attacks by other nations or terrorist groups. Countries like China almost certainly utilize malware to steal information from the U.S. and will continue to do so. More worrisome, a nation or terrorist group that is not able to strike at the U.S. with conventional weapons may be able to create a computer virus that will damage key American installations. It is also possible that a hostile entity can decipher a U.S. sponsored computer virus and use that information to create its own cyber-weapon.
However, a Slate article asserts that Americans should not worry overmuch that a nation or terrorist group will use a computer virus to damage American military or civilian targets. It notes that these types of cyber-weapons are cost prohibitive for all but the wealthiest countries. Further, a hostile entity would be hesitant to use a computer virus to cripple an American facility because it would be afraid that the U.S. would respond with a devastating conventional attack. Slate might be correct in its analysis of the current situation; however, a cyber-terrorist action might become more likely in the future if the technology becomes cheaper.
While the United States might benefit by using computer viruses to accomplish its military objectives, it should proceed with caution. There are a lot of unknowns with regard to cyber-warfare.
1. Photographer/Creator: Anonymous
Date: October 13, 2006
Title/Description: A mess of characters that would be found on corrupted dumb terminals with green
screens.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's notes (click on the title or caption to see the
photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#technology #computers #Internet #freedom #rights #privacy #opinion
Friday
Three Road Ready Concept Cars that Never Reached the Assembly Line
Abstract:
Each year, automakers roll out futuristic looking experimental cars at auto shows and at other public events. This article briefly discusses 3 concept cars that were road tested but which never made it into general production.
In an annual rite of passage, automakers roll out futuristic looking vehicles at auto shows and at other public events. Like the designer clothes displayed during fashion shows, most of these concept cars are never mass produced. In many cases, that is a good thing; the automobiles might look nice, but they are not ready for the open road. However, over the years, automakers have designed a few concept cars that were tested on the roadways but not put into general production. Here are 3 of these automobiles.
Buick Y-Job (1938)
The Y-Job was the first experimental automobile to be showcased to the public and was the brainchild of GM executive, Harley Earl and his staff. The Y-Job's name is indicative of its experimental design. In those days, concept cars were tagged with the letter, "X," and the word, "job;" Earl decided to change things up a bit by substituting the "X" with a "Y." The car was ahead of its time. It had power-operated, hidden headlights, "electric doors and windows," and a power-operated "electric convertible top." Just as important, Earl's staff relied on advanced design techniques, such as horizontal radiator grilles, to ensure that the Y-Job's body was much more streamlined than most other models from that era.
The Y-Job was road ready. In fact, Harley Earl used it as his personal vehicle. However, General Motors never mass produced the Y-Job. Rather the company exhibited the car at auto shows and at other events to gauge public reaction to its revolutionary design features and ultramodern accessories, which were then incorporated into other GM models.
Chrysler Turbine (1963)
Chrysler introduced the Turbine to the world in 1963. The car was revolutionary in that it "was powered by a gas turbine." It was also ahead of its time in being able to utilize gas, diesel, or kerosene. Chrysler tested 50 of the vehicles on the open road. While the car was durable, it had significant issues with overheating while idling and with "poor throttle response." Another drawback was that its exhaust fumes reached exceedingly high temperatures (up to 1750 degrees Fahrenheit). Chrysler may have taken these problems into account when it decided not to mass produce the Turbine.
Cadillac Sixteen (2003)
In 2003, General Motors' Cadillac division produced a beast of a concept car. The Cadillac Sixteen was named after its 16-cylinder, 1000 horsepower engine. The automobile was designed with luxury in mind; it came with "silk carpets, a crystal Bulgari clock, smoked-glass roof and a chilled-champagne compartment." The vehicle was certainly powerful; however, it was also a gas guzzler. GM apparently decided that even wealthy buyers might not want to purchase a vehicle with such a large carbon footprint, as the Sixteen never went into mass production.
All 3 of these concept cars were good enough to be successfully tested on the open road. However, for one reason or another, the companies which designed these automobiles opted not to mass produce them.
Sources
Albert Mroz, "Why the 'Y-Job' -- Harley Earl and the Buick Dream Car." PreWarBuick.com.
David Booth, "Concept Cars that Were Never Produced." MSN.
Joann Muller, "The Coolest Cars Detroit Never Built." Forbes.
1. Photographer: Karrmann
Date: August 15, 2007
Title/Description: 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
(click on the title or caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#history #autos #cars #antiques #antiquecars #Americanhistory
 |
| Chrysler turbine (1) |
Buick Y-Job (1938)
The Y-Job was the first experimental automobile to be showcased to the public and was the brainchild of GM executive, Harley Earl and his staff. The Y-Job's name is indicative of its experimental design. In those days, concept cars were tagged with the letter, "X," and the word, "job;" Earl decided to change things up a bit by substituting the "X" with a "Y." The car was ahead of its time. It had power-operated, hidden headlights, "electric doors and windows," and a power-operated "electric convertible top." Just as important, Earl's staff relied on advanced design techniques, such as horizontal radiator grilles, to ensure that the Y-Job's body was much more streamlined than most other models from that era.
The Y-Job was road ready. In fact, Harley Earl used it as his personal vehicle. However, General Motors never mass produced the Y-Job. Rather the company exhibited the car at auto shows and at other events to gauge public reaction to its revolutionary design features and ultramodern accessories, which were then incorporated into other GM models.
Chrysler Turbine (1963)
Chrysler introduced the Turbine to the world in 1963. The car was revolutionary in that it "was powered by a gas turbine." It was also ahead of its time in being able to utilize gas, diesel, or kerosene. Chrysler tested 50 of the vehicles on the open road. While the car was durable, it had significant issues with overheating while idling and with "poor throttle response." Another drawback was that its exhaust fumes reached exceedingly high temperatures (up to 1750 degrees Fahrenheit). Chrysler may have taken these problems into account when it decided not to mass produce the Turbine.
Cadillac Sixteen (2003)
In 2003, General Motors' Cadillac division produced a beast of a concept car. The Cadillac Sixteen was named after its 16-cylinder, 1000 horsepower engine. The automobile was designed with luxury in mind; it came with "silk carpets, a crystal Bulgari clock, smoked-glass roof and a chilled-champagne compartment." The vehicle was certainly powerful; however, it was also a gas guzzler. GM apparently decided that even wealthy buyers might not want to purchase a vehicle with such a large carbon footprint, as the Sixteen never went into mass production.
All 3 of these concept cars were good enough to be successfully tested on the open road. However, for one reason or another, the companies which designed these automobiles opted not to mass produce them.
Sources
Albert Mroz, "Why the 'Y-Job' -- Harley Earl and the Buick Dream Car." PreWarBuick.com.
David Booth, "Concept Cars that Were Never Produced." MSN.
Joann Muller, "The Coolest Cars Detroit Never Built." Forbes.
1. Photographer: Karrmann
Date: August 15, 2007
Title/Description: 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
(click on the title or caption to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#history #autos #cars #antiques #antiquecars #Americanhistory
2012 Commentary: Parents Need to Put the Cancer Risks in Perspective when Deciding Whether or Not to Limit Their Children's Cellphone Use
Abstract:
Some scientists argue that children who use cellphones are at increased risk of developing brain cancer. My article asks whether or not parents need to worry about this issue.
The debate on whether or not cellphone use increases the risk of brain tumors is a hot topic once again. Per an ABC News article (posted on Yahoo), Environmental Health Trust, a non-profit watchdog organization, has criticized a 2011 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that did not find any link between cell phone use and brain cancer in children. In a press release, Health Trust points to the Letters to the Editor (from scientists) responding to the study, which were recently posted in the Journal. Per these correspondences, the 2011 research project actually demonstrates "that children who used cell phones had a 115 percent increased risk of [developing] brain tumors over those who did not." Should parents be concerned by these statements?
Parents should keep in mind that, per the aforementioned ABC News article, only one major study, the research project published in 2011, has attempted to determine whether or not a child's cellphone use will increase his or her risks of developing brain cancer. Another large study, which is also looking at this problem, is under way but has not yet posted any results. One should be leery of any data that comes out at this early stage in the research process.
Even if Environmental Health Trust is correct and children who use cellphones increase their short term risks of getting brain cancer by up to 115 percent, parents might still not have to worry about limiting their kids' cell phone use. That is because the odds of a youth developing brain cancer are extremely small, so even a child who has a much higher risk (than average) of getting the disease will have little to fear. To put this issue in perspective, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation estimates that 4,200 U.S. children out of a total population of 75.6 million (per Childstats.gov) "are diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor" each year. If those figures are correct, a child living in the U.S. has a 0.006 percent chance of developing brain cancer in any given year; this percentage will not rise dramatically even if his or her risk of getting the disease increases by 115 percent. A person's chances of developing brain cancer sometime in his or her adult life due to cellphone use are also quite small per NPR.
Of course, brain cancer is a devastating disease, and parents have every right to restrict or even prohibit their children from using cellphones. Nonetheless, people may find it useful to put the Environmental Health Trust's statements in perspective when weighing the risks and rewards of letting their children utilize these devices.
1. Photographer: Jamie Barrows
Date: May 1, 2007
Title/Description: Picture of cellphone.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons- Photographer's note (click on the title or caption to see
the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#cellphones #health #technology #parents #children
 |
| A Cellphone (1) |
Parents should keep in mind that, per the aforementioned ABC News article, only one major study, the research project published in 2011, has attempted to determine whether or not a child's cellphone use will increase his or her risks of developing brain cancer. Another large study, which is also looking at this problem, is under way but has not yet posted any results. One should be leery of any data that comes out at this early stage in the research process.
Even if Environmental Health Trust is correct and children who use cellphones increase their short term risks of getting brain cancer by up to 115 percent, parents might still not have to worry about limiting their kids' cell phone use. That is because the odds of a youth developing brain cancer are extremely small, so even a child who has a much higher risk (than average) of getting the disease will have little to fear. To put this issue in perspective, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation estimates that 4,200 U.S. children out of a total population of 75.6 million (per Childstats.gov) "are diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor" each year. If those figures are correct, a child living in the U.S. has a 0.006 percent chance of developing brain cancer in any given year; this percentage will not rise dramatically even if his or her risk of getting the disease increases by 115 percent. A person's chances of developing brain cancer sometime in his or her adult life due to cellphone use are also quite small per NPR.
Of course, brain cancer is a devastating disease, and parents have every right to restrict or even prohibit their children from using cellphones. Nonetheless, people may find it useful to put the Environmental Health Trust's statements in perspective when weighing the risks and rewards of letting their children utilize these devices.
1. Photographer: Jamie Barrows
Date: May 1, 2007
Title/Description: Picture of cellphone.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons- Photographer's note (click on the title or caption to see
the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#cellphones #health #technology #parents #children
Five of the Most Popular Tech Gadgets for the 2012 Spring and Summer
Abstract:
Summer and spring are traditionally great times for tech enthusiasts, and this year will be no different. I look at 5 of the most anticipated tech gadgets which are set to be released in the next few months.
During the spring and summer of 2012, a slew of new tech gadgets, including everything from phones to televisions, will hit the U.S. market. Here are 5 of the most anticipated gadgets.
Nokia Lumia 900 Smartphone
There are plenty of new smartphones coming out in the next few months. The Nokia Lumia 900 appears to be one of the most anticipated of these devices. If the International Business Times is correct, the 4G LTE capable cell phone will sport a 4.3 inch screen and contain a 1.4 GHz processor, "512MB of RAM, and 16GB of storage." These specs do not differentiate it from the field. What does set it apart from its competitors is its low cost of $99.00. I really like the fact that it is Microsoft compatible, making it easier for people, like me, who use Windows 7, to transfer data between the Nokia phone and their computers. If you want to purchase this item, you won't have to wait long; it will be released in stores on April 8, but only for AT&T customers.
Item: Nokia Lumia 900
Price: $99.00 for AT&T users
Release Date: April 8, 2012
HTC Titan II Smartphone
AT&T has generated buzz over another Windows smartphone that will be marketed exclusively for its customers. According to PC Magazine, the HTC Titan II's processing power (1.5 GHz) and memory (16GB) are similar to those found in the Nokia Lumina 900. The Titan II sets itself apart from the competition via its large, 4.7 inch "Super LCD screen" and the first of its kind, 16-megapixel camera. One caveat, PC Magazine does state that the camera's 16-megapixel capability does not necessarily mean that it will take better photographs than a high quality 8-megapixel phone camera. Per Engadget, this smartphone will cost you about $200.00 and can be purchased at AT&T stores beginning on April 8, 2012.
Item: HTC Titan II
Price: $200.00 for AT&T users
Release Date: April 8, 2012
Kindle Fire 2 Tablet
Moving from phones to tablets, Geek.com recently mentioned a rumor that Amazon will roll out the next generation of its popular Kindle Fire in late summer. Supposedly, the Kindle Fire 2 will cost more than its predecessor and will feature a 10 inch screen, as opposed to the current model's 7 inch screen. I hope that Amazon's new tablet will come equipped with more than 8GB of memory currently sported by the basic version of the Kindle Fire. Per Amazon's own website, that is only enough memory to store "10 movies or 800 songs."
Item: Kindle Fire 2
Price: Unknown but likely more than $199.00 for the basic model
Release Date: Late summer
iPad 3 Tablet
Even though it has already been released, it would be remiss of me not to mention the iPad 3. That tablet might prove to be this spring's most popular tech gadget. According to International Business Times notes that some customers have reported problems with the device overheating.
Item: iPad 3
Price: $499.00 for the basic model
Release Date: March 16, 2012
LG OLED 55" Television
According to TV Technology, OLED screens are "the next wave in display technology." They are lighter and provide a better quality picture than other types of screens. The problem with OLED has traditionally been that they do not last very long, and their lifespans decrease the larger the screen. However, TV Technology notes that recent breakthroughs have increased OLED lifespans significantly. With that said, LG unveiled a 55" OLED television at the 2012 International CES Convention; it plans to "begin mass OLED T.V. production by mid-year," which might allow it to hit the U.S. market at summer's end.
Item: LG 55" OLED television
Price: Unknown
Release Date: Unknown
If all of these gadgets are released on time, it might be a wonderful spring and summer for tech enthusiasts.
1. Photographer: ALT1040
Date: April 22, 2007
Title/Description: Assorted smartphones. From left to right, top row: iPhone 3G, Blackberry 8820,
Nokia N78, Nokia N81, (bottom row) Nokia N95, Nokia E65, Nokia N70.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
license (click on the title/link or the caption/link to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#opinion #guide #technology #phones #TV #tablets
During the spring and summer of 2012, a slew of new tech gadgets, including everything from phones to televisions, will hit the U.S. market. Here are 5 of the most anticipated gadgets.
Nokia Lumia 900 Smartphone
 |
| Assorted smartphones (1). |
There are plenty of new smartphones coming out in the next few months. The Nokia Lumia 900 appears to be one of the most anticipated of these devices. If the International Business Times is correct, the 4G LTE capable cell phone will sport a 4.3 inch screen and contain a 1.4 GHz processor, "512MB of RAM, and 16GB of storage." These specs do not differentiate it from the field. What does set it apart from its competitors is its low cost of $99.00. I really like the fact that it is Microsoft compatible, making it easier for people, like me, who use Windows 7, to transfer data between the Nokia phone and their computers. If you want to purchase this item, you won't have to wait long; it will be released in stores on April 8, but only for AT&T customers.
Item: Nokia Lumia 900
Price: $99.00 for AT&T users
Release Date: April 8, 2012
HTC Titan II Smartphone
AT&T has generated buzz over another Windows smartphone that will be marketed exclusively for its customers. According to PC Magazine, the HTC Titan II's processing power (1.5 GHz) and memory (16GB) are similar to those found in the Nokia Lumina 900. The Titan II sets itself apart from the competition via its large, 4.7 inch "Super LCD screen" and the first of its kind, 16-megapixel camera. One caveat, PC Magazine does state that the camera's 16-megapixel capability does not necessarily mean that it will take better photographs than a high quality 8-megapixel phone camera. Per Engadget, this smartphone will cost you about $200.00 and can be purchased at AT&T stores beginning on April 8, 2012.
Item: HTC Titan II
Price: $200.00 for AT&T users
Release Date: April 8, 2012
Kindle Fire 2 Tablet
Moving from phones to tablets, Geek.com recently mentioned a rumor that Amazon will roll out the next generation of its popular Kindle Fire in late summer. Supposedly, the Kindle Fire 2 will cost more than its predecessor and will feature a 10 inch screen, as opposed to the current model's 7 inch screen. I hope that Amazon's new tablet will come equipped with more than 8GB of memory currently sported by the basic version of the Kindle Fire. Per Amazon's own website, that is only enough memory to store "10 movies or 800 songs."
Item: Kindle Fire 2
Price: Unknown but likely more than $199.00 for the basic model
Release Date: Late summer
iPad 3 Tablet
Even though it has already been released, it would be remiss of me not to mention the iPad 3. That tablet might prove to be this spring's most popular tech gadget. According to International Business Times notes that some customers have reported problems with the device overheating.
Item: iPad 3
Price: $499.00 for the basic model
Release Date: March 16, 2012
LG OLED 55" Television
According to TV Technology, OLED screens are "the next wave in display technology." They are lighter and provide a better quality picture than other types of screens. The problem with OLED has traditionally been that they do not last very long, and their lifespans decrease the larger the screen. However, TV Technology notes that recent breakthroughs have increased OLED lifespans significantly. With that said, LG unveiled a 55" OLED television at the 2012 International CES Convention; it plans to "begin mass OLED T.V. production by mid-year," which might allow it to hit the U.S. market at summer's end.
Item: LG 55" OLED television
Price: Unknown
Release Date: Unknown
If all of these gadgets are released on time, it might be a wonderful spring and summer for tech enthusiasts.
1. Photographer: ALT1040
Date: April 22, 2007
Title/Description: Assorted smartphones. From left to right, top row: iPhone 3G, Blackberry 8820,
Nokia N78, Nokia N81, (bottom row) Nokia N95, Nokia E65, Nokia N70.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
license (click on the title/link or the caption/link to see the photo, credits, and permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#opinion #guide #technology #phones #TV #tablets
Five of the Top Scientific Achievements of The Last 10 Years (as of 2012)
Over the past decade, numerous scientific discoveries have helped to improve human health. Other scientific achievements have changed the way we view our world and the universe we live in. Here are five of the most important scientific accomplishments of the past decade.
An article in The Telegraph asserts that one of the top scientific achievements in the past decade was the mapping of the human genome, which was completed in 2003. While not a scientific discovery per say, it nonetheless proved to be a huge milestone. Scientists could now examine the entire set of human genes to search for variants that contributed to major diseases, to find genes that offered protection from certain illnesses, and to help in tracing human ancestry. As The Telegraph article notes, genetics has not advanced as rapidly since 2003 as some predicted; however, that does not dampen the importance of this scientific achievement.
The Creation of Pluripotent Adult Stem Cells
Discovery News hails the creation of pluripotent adult stem cells in 2007 as one of the most important scientific discoveries of the past decade. The article says that "scientists from Kyoto University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working separately, essentially turned back the clock for adult skin cells, allowing these mature cells…to act like embryonic stem cells." Like their embryonic counterparts, pluripotent adult stem cells can become almost any type of cell in the body; however scientists do not have to destroy human fetuses to create them. As a result, this discovery has the potential to revolutionize medical treatment without attracting concern from anti-abortion advocates.
Discovery of Tissue in a Dinosaur Bone
Another Discovery News article states that in 2005, paleontologists discovered soft tissue fragments, including "blood vessels, bone matrix, and other cells," inside the fossil remains of a young Tyrannosaurus Rex, which had been dead for tens of millions of years. The discovery proved to be a watershed moment in paleontology; it helped to overturn a long held assumption that tissue fragments could not survive for that long of a period. As important, it provided further proof that modern day birds descended from dinosaurs.
Discovery of Eris
The same article also hails the discovery in 2005 of another planet sized body in our solar system, which orbits the sun. Astronomers named it Eris and noted that it was "27 percent bigger than Pluto." The discovery prodded scientists to reduce the status of Pluto to a "dwarf planet;" it was removed from the pantheon of planets in our solar system. For the first time in decades, 1st and 2nd Grade students only had to memorize the names of eight planets instead of nine.
A New Way to Test for Alzheimer's Disease
Cleveland Clinic physicians and researchers, in a Slainte Healthcare paper, assert that the FDA's approval of AV-45 in 2011 is one of the top medical accomplishments of the past three years. AV-45 is an imaging compound which, when injected into the brain, allows doctors to use PET scans to "peer into the brain of the patient" to see if they exhibit any signs of Alzheimer's disease. It will provide researchers with another method to detect the presence of this illness in patients and will eventually help doctors in "monitoring disease progress and drug efficacy." This technology represents a step forward in the fight against this malady.
These scientific accomplishments will help improve the human condition and expand our knowledge of the world around us. Hopefully, scientists will make even more important discoveries in the coming decade.
1. Creator: Plociam
Date: August 10, 2005
Title/Description: Illustration of the human genome, from the genome to a chromosome, and from a
chromosome to genes.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia - Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
(click on the title/link for art, credits, permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#astronomy #paleontology #science #health #technology healthcare
 |
| Human genome (1) |
An article in The Telegraph asserts that one of the top scientific achievements in the past decade was the mapping of the human genome, which was completed in 2003. While not a scientific discovery per say, it nonetheless proved to be a huge milestone. Scientists could now examine the entire set of human genes to search for variants that contributed to major diseases, to find genes that offered protection from certain illnesses, and to help in tracing human ancestry. As The Telegraph article notes, genetics has not advanced as rapidly since 2003 as some predicted; however, that does not dampen the importance of this scientific achievement.
The Creation of Pluripotent Adult Stem Cells
Discovery News hails the creation of pluripotent adult stem cells in 2007 as one of the most important scientific discoveries of the past decade. The article says that "scientists from Kyoto University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working separately, essentially turned back the clock for adult skin cells, allowing these mature cells…to act like embryonic stem cells." Like their embryonic counterparts, pluripotent adult stem cells can become almost any type of cell in the body; however scientists do not have to destroy human fetuses to create them. As a result, this discovery has the potential to revolutionize medical treatment without attracting concern from anti-abortion advocates.
Discovery of Tissue in a Dinosaur Bone
Another Discovery News article states that in 2005, paleontologists discovered soft tissue fragments, including "blood vessels, bone matrix, and other cells," inside the fossil remains of a young Tyrannosaurus Rex, which had been dead for tens of millions of years. The discovery proved to be a watershed moment in paleontology; it helped to overturn a long held assumption that tissue fragments could not survive for that long of a period. As important, it provided further proof that modern day birds descended from dinosaurs.
Discovery of Eris
The same article also hails the discovery in 2005 of another planet sized body in our solar system, which orbits the sun. Astronomers named it Eris and noted that it was "27 percent bigger than Pluto." The discovery prodded scientists to reduce the status of Pluto to a "dwarf planet;" it was removed from the pantheon of planets in our solar system. For the first time in decades, 1st and 2nd Grade students only had to memorize the names of eight planets instead of nine.
A New Way to Test for Alzheimer's Disease
Cleveland Clinic physicians and researchers, in a Slainte Healthcare paper, assert that the FDA's approval of AV-45 in 2011 is one of the top medical accomplishments of the past three years. AV-45 is an imaging compound which, when injected into the brain, allows doctors to use PET scans to "peer into the brain of the patient" to see if they exhibit any signs of Alzheimer's disease. It will provide researchers with another method to detect the presence of this illness in patients and will eventually help doctors in "monitoring disease progress and drug efficacy." This technology represents a step forward in the fight against this malady.
These scientific accomplishments will help improve the human condition and expand our knowledge of the world around us. Hopefully, scientists will make even more important discoveries in the coming decade.
1. Creator: Plociam
Date: August 10, 2005
Title/Description: Illustration of the human genome, from the genome to a chromosome, and from a
chromosome to genes.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia - Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
(click on the title/link for art, credits, permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#astronomy #paleontology #science #health #technology healthcare
Five Mesopotamian Inventions that Changed the World
 |
| Geographic map of Mesopotamia (1) |
Per a Penn Museum site, Mesopotamia "includes most of modern-day Iraq, parts of Syria, Iran, and Turkey." Many scholars refer to this region as "the cradle of civilization." Some of the world's earliest farming communities developed in this region around 6500 B.C.; their citizens took advantage of the fertile lands that surrounded the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to plant a variety of crops. These villages grew into powerful urban centers whose populaces were credited with creating a number of important inventions.
The Wheel
 |
| Chariot (3) |
Scholars do not know which culture actually invented the wheel. However, a University of Chicago article from 2003 credits the Mesopotamians with being the first people, beginning around 3500 B.C., to utilize it for everyday purposes. "They used the potter's wheel to throw pots and wheels on carts to transport both people and goods." The wheel was especially vital to the development of trade between Mesopotamian city-states because it allowed people to ship large quantities of goods over long distances. This invention is vital to modern civilization; we use wheels to help us run everything from cars to watches.
The Sail
The same University of Chicago article also credits the Mesopotamians with inventing sails, which they used "to harness the wind to move boats." This invention was important in helping to spur the growth and development of trade between the city-states along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Ships using sail power could often transport goods to another location much faster than their counterparts who were moving over land. However, this invention is just as vital in helping foster the growth of almost every major civilization in the world. The United States, as we know it, would not exist if Europeans had not had access to sail technology.
Writing
 |
| Mesopotamian balance sheet (2) |
Another University of Chicago site credits the Mesopotamians with inventing the "earliest form of writing." Their written language, called cuneiform, used pictographs to "represent an object or idea." They would imprint these pictures onto clay tablets. The development of a written language is one of the most important inventions of all time. It allowed people to record information for future reference and to transmit data between towns and cities "without having to rely on a messenger's memory." This invention helped to foster the growth and development of complex societies in Mesopotamia and later in other areas of the world.
The Seeder Plow
The Mesopotamians also invented the seeder plow. A University of Chicago article hails this invention as "a major technological achievement. It revolutionized agriculture by carrying out the tasks of seeding and ploughing simultaneously." Its development helped spur population growth in the region by increasing crop yields. Advancements in plow technology have also been vital to the growth of many other civilizations, including the United States.
The Division of Time into 60 Parts
The 2003 University of Chicago article credits the Mesopotamians with being the "first to divide time units into 60 parts." This invention probably allowed them to pinpoint times for astronomical events and to help organize the complex interactions that are part and parcel of urban life. However, it has had a significant impact on the growth and development of modern civilization. Our cities would come to a standstill if people all of a sudden stopped using the concept of a "60-second minute and 60-minute hour" to organize their activities.
Modern societies owe a debt to the early civilizations which developed along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Our cities rely on several, key technologies and ideas which were first developed by people living in Mesopotamia.
1. Creator/Photographer: Teka and NASA
Date: September 15, 2010
Title/Description: Geographic map of Mesopotamia
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's notes/U.S. government map/photo.
(click on the title/link for photo, credits, permissions).
2. Photographer: Marie-Lan Nguyen
Date: June 14, 2006
Title/Description: Annual balance sheet of a State-owned farm, drawn-up by the scribe responsible for
artisans: detailed account of raw materials and workdays for a basketry workshop. Clay, ca. 2040 BC (Ur III).
Item Location: Louvre Museum
Photograph Location/Permissions: Wikimedia - Author's notes (click on the title/link for more info.).
3. Creator: Unknown
Date: 1914
Title/Description: Drawing from an Egyptian relief - from Paul Volz: Die biblischen Altertümer (1914), p.
514. copied from de:Hethitischer Streitwagen.jpg.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Copyright expired (click on title/link for art, credits,
permissions).
-- Anthony Hopper
#Mesopotamia #Iraq #Iran #inventions #agriculture #technology #history #ancienthistory
Five Popular Myths and Misconceptions
ABSTRACT:
We live in the Information Age. Despite this fact (or perhaps because of it), many of us still subscribe to common myths and hold fast to outdated concepts. Here are five of these popular myths and misconceptions.
We live in the Information Age. We are creating new data at a dizzying pace. Unlike in previous generations, we often do not have to wait for this knowledge to appear in a book, a newspaper, or a magazine before we can gain access to it. Instead, we can obtain this information almost instantly via a simple Google search.
Despite this fact (or perhaps because of it), many of us still subscribe to common myths and hold fast to outdated concepts.
Here are five of these popular myths and misconceptions.
Blinded by the Television?
When you were a child, did your parents warn you that you would go blind if you sat too close to the television? If your mom and dad gave you this advice, they were only following conventional wisdom. However, it turns out that your parents were wrong on this one. Researchers have studied the issue and have conclusively proven that people will not suffer any ill effects from sitting close to the TV set.
Abner Doubleday Strikes Out
Many of us, at least those of us who are Americans, would be surprised to learn that Doubleday did not invent the game of baseball. It appears that this popular myth goes all the way back to 1907. In that year a special baseball commission, convened by a businessman named A.G. Spalding, anointed Doubleday as baseball's founder. Unfortunately, the commission was wrong. Scholars now believe that another man, Alexander Cartwright, should claim this title. Researchers might be convinced of this fact; however many Americans continue to cling to the Doubleday myth.
The Brontosaurus Never Walked the Earth
In the 1880s paleontologist, O.C. Marsh, announced to the world that he had found a new plant eating dinosaur. He called it a brontosaurus. However, Marsh's brontosaurus was actually an apatosaurus-a previously known dinosaur type. Scientists realized the mistake as early as 1903; however, many of us (laypeople) still believe that the brontosaurus existed. Merriam-Webster admitted as much in a recent edition of its popular dictionary, when it listed "brontosaurus" as a synonym for "apatosaurus."
Is Reading in the Dark Harmful?
When I was young, my parents scolded me for reading a book in near darkness. They told me that I would harm my vision if I did not turn on some lights. It appears that I was not the only child who received this rebuke. Luckily for me and for millions of other individuals, this is one parental lesson that we can ignore. Experts assert that reading in the dark is not hazardous to our health.
Benjamin Franklin and Bifocals
Like many other children, I grew up believing that Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals. Even PBS credits Franklin for coming up with the idea. However, a number of historians doubt the veracity of this statement. Instead, they assert that someone living in London created the first bifocal lenses. The jury is still out on this one; however the circumstantial evidence points to someone other than Franklin as the inventor of this eye accessory.
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
-- Anthony Hopper
#myths #history #baseball #MLB #dinosaurs #reading #TV
 |
| St. Patrick stepping on a snake-Courtesy of Microsoft Word |
We live in the Information Age. We are creating new data at a dizzying pace. Unlike in previous generations, we often do not have to wait for this knowledge to appear in a book, a newspaper, or a magazine before we can gain access to it. Instead, we can obtain this information almost instantly via a simple Google search.
Despite this fact (or perhaps because of it), many of us still subscribe to common myths and hold fast to outdated concepts.
Here are five of these popular myths and misconceptions.
Blinded by the Television?
When you were a child, did your parents warn you that you would go blind if you sat too close to the television? If your mom and dad gave you this advice, they were only following conventional wisdom. However, it turns out that your parents were wrong on this one. Researchers have studied the issue and have conclusively proven that people will not suffer any ill effects from sitting close to the TV set.
Abner Doubleday Strikes Out
Many of us, at least those of us who are Americans, would be surprised to learn that Doubleday did not invent the game of baseball. It appears that this popular myth goes all the way back to 1907. In that year a special baseball commission, convened by a businessman named A.G. Spalding, anointed Doubleday as baseball's founder. Unfortunately, the commission was wrong. Scholars now believe that another man, Alexander Cartwright, should claim this title. Researchers might be convinced of this fact; however many Americans continue to cling to the Doubleday myth.
The Brontosaurus Never Walked the Earth
In the 1880s paleontologist, O.C. Marsh, announced to the world that he had found a new plant eating dinosaur. He called it a brontosaurus. However, Marsh's brontosaurus was actually an apatosaurus-a previously known dinosaur type. Scientists realized the mistake as early as 1903; however, many of us (laypeople) still believe that the brontosaurus existed. Merriam-Webster admitted as much in a recent edition of its popular dictionary, when it listed "brontosaurus" as a synonym for "apatosaurus."
Is Reading in the Dark Harmful?
When I was young, my parents scolded me for reading a book in near darkness. They told me that I would harm my vision if I did not turn on some lights. It appears that I was not the only child who received this rebuke. Luckily for me and for millions of other individuals, this is one parental lesson that we can ignore. Experts assert that reading in the dark is not hazardous to our health.
Benjamin Franklin and Bifocals
Like many other children, I grew up believing that Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals. Even PBS credits Franklin for coming up with the idea. However, a number of historians doubt the veracity of this statement. Instead, they assert that someone living in London created the first bifocal lenses. The jury is still out on this one; however the circumstantial evidence points to someone other than Franklin as the inventor of this eye accessory.
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
-- Anthony Hopper
#myths #history #baseball #MLB #dinosaurs #reading #TV
An Innovative Plan to Help Offset Budget Cuts at NASA and at the NIH - 2012
ABSTRACT:
The Obama administration recently released its proposed, federal budget for 2013, which calls for funding cuts at NASA and at the NIH. The article discusses a possible, bi-partisan method for staving off these spending cuts.
President Obama's administration recently released its proposed federal budget for 2013, and the news is not encouraging for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which will realize a 0.3 percent decrease in year over year funding per USA Today. Employees at the National Institutes of Health are not cheering either. According to California Healthline, the NIH's budget will be frozen at current year levels (effectively a funding cut, since the inflation rate is greater than 0 percent). Congress may decide to cut spending for these two agencies even further when it sends the final budget to the President for his approval later this year. Regardless of who wins in November, the federal government will find it difficult if not impossible to boost funding for either NASA or the NIH anytime soon. The next Congress will have to deal with a debt load that, according to the Wall Street Journal, was approximately $15.194 trillion dollars in January 2012 and is growing larger with every passing day.
Some people might not worry about the cuts to NASA and to the NIH. However, it is important to remember that these agencies perform vital functions. NASA funded research not only expands our nation's knowledge of the universe, it also (per the agency's website) helps to foster the development of new, consumer technologies like the computer mouse. The NIH plays an even more vital role in our society. It oversees basic research on diseases and other healthcare issues that private companies will not perform for cost-benefit reasons. Any cuts to the NIH budget will imperil these studies.
With one change to IRS tax forms, the federal government might be able to increase funding to both of these agencies without having to raise new taxes or cut budgets for other programs. If nothing else, it would let the American people decide whether or not the work of NASA and the NIH is of value to them. Simply put, Congress and the President could authorize the IRS to include two donation boxes on its tax forms allowing people to contribute to one or both of the agencies. The opt-in process would not force anyone to give money; however, it would offer them an easy opportunity to donate if they so choose. In short, this legislation would provide Americans with a democratic method for voicing their support for (or disapproval of) NASA and the NIH.
Legislation authorizing the use of a donation box on an IRS form would break new ground, but the idea of voluntarily contributing money to the federal government is not new. In fact, a Wall Street Journal article notes that " Americans made gifts totaling $10 million over the past five years to the U.S. Treasury." Per their websites, both NASA and the NIH accept donations from private citizens. Further, the government could take precautions to make sure that neither the IRS nor any other government agency actively solicited the public for donations, thereby limiting any commingling of private and public interests.
While it is true that Congress and the President would have to overcome a number of potential obstacles to pass this legislation; they should nonetheless give the idea some thought. It is a bipartisan funding strategy that might appeal to constituents of both parties as well as to independents; a rare accomplishment in this age of divided politics.
1. Author: Chris Spielmann
Date: July 2002
Title/Description: A side view of Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center (Building 10) at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH).
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's note on the site (see the title/link for more info.).
-- Anthony Hopper
#NASA #space #NIH #health #healthcare #space #astronomy #stars #politics #taxes #donations
President Obama's administration recently released its proposed federal budget for 2013, and the news is not encouraging for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which will realize a 0.3 percent decrease in year over year funding per USA Today. Employees at the National Institutes of Health are not cheering either. According to California Healthline, the NIH's budget will be frozen at current year levels (effectively a funding cut, since the inflation rate is greater than 0 percent). Congress may decide to cut spending for these two agencies even further when it sends the final budget to the President for his approval later this year. Regardless of who wins in November, the federal government will find it difficult if not impossible to boost funding for either NASA or the NIH anytime soon. The next Congress will have to deal with a debt load that, according to the Wall Street Journal, was approximately $15.194 trillion dollars in January 2012 and is growing larger with every passing day.
 |
| NIH Building 10 (1) |
With one change to IRS tax forms, the federal government might be able to increase funding to both of these agencies without having to raise new taxes or cut budgets for other programs. If nothing else, it would let the American people decide whether or not the work of NASA and the NIH is of value to them. Simply put, Congress and the President could authorize the IRS to include two donation boxes on its tax forms allowing people to contribute to one or both of the agencies. The opt-in process would not force anyone to give money; however, it would offer them an easy opportunity to donate if they so choose. In short, this legislation would provide Americans with a democratic method for voicing their support for (or disapproval of) NASA and the NIH.
Legislation authorizing the use of a donation box on an IRS form would break new ground, but the idea of voluntarily contributing money to the federal government is not new. In fact, a Wall Street Journal article notes that " Americans made gifts totaling $10 million over the past five years to the U.S. Treasury." Per their websites, both NASA and the NIH accept donations from private citizens. Further, the government could take precautions to make sure that neither the IRS nor any other government agency actively solicited the public for donations, thereby limiting any commingling of private and public interests.
While it is true that Congress and the President would have to overcome a number of potential obstacles to pass this legislation; they should nonetheless give the idea some thought. It is a bipartisan funding strategy that might appeal to constituents of both parties as well as to independents; a rare accomplishment in this age of divided politics.
1. Author: Chris Spielmann
Date: July 2002
Title/Description: A side view of Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center (Building 10) at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH).
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's note on the site (see the title/link for more info.).
-- Anthony Hopper
#NASA #space #NIH #health #healthcare #space #astronomy #stars #politics #taxes #donations
Thursday
Five Native American Inventions that Are Integral to U.S. Society
Most U.S. citizens are probably aware that American Indians invented birch bark canoes. They also know that Native Americans were the first people to cultivate tobacco. However, they might be surprised to learn about other Native American achievements.
Here are five Native American inventions or discoveries that are an integral part of U.S. society.
Maple Syrup
Native Americans in the northeastern United States and Canada were the first people to utilize the sap from maple trees. They would make V-shaped cuts in the trees and use buckets to capture the sap that leaked from these marks. The tribes would then convert the maple sap into sugar by boiling it.
Americans currently use maple syrup and maple sugar to flavor a variety of recipes, ranging from meat dishes to candies. They also like to pour maple syrup on pancakes and waffles. Maple syrup production is a big business in some states. Per the USDA, the United States produced 1.91 million gallons of maple syrup in
2012.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport in which players use sticks with webbed ends to move a ball up and down the field. They score points by putting the ball into the opposing team's net. More than 600,000 Americans currently play organized lacrosse. That number will likely increase over the next few years, given the sport's growing popularity in the United States.
It might surprise some lacrosse fans to learn that Native Americans living in eastern North America invented lacrosse (or at least developed many of the game's key concepts).
Pumpkins
Pumpkins are indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Native Americans were the first people to cultivate pumpkins, which they used as a food source. Americans have fallen in love with the fruit. Among other things, they use it in foods and as Halloween decorations.
Kayaks
Kayaks are watertight canoe-like boats that, depending on the design, can carry between one and three people. Kayaking is a popular pastime in the United States and has been an Olympic sport since 1936. Artic tribes living in Greenland, Alaska, and Canada (as well as groups living in Siberia) were responsible for developing the kayak.
Cornbread
Most Americans probably know that corn (or maize) is indigenous to the Western Hemisphere and was first cultivated by Native Americans. They might not realize that cornbread is also an American Indian creation.
1. Photographer: Petey21
Date: October 31, 2010
Title/Description: A Jack-o'-lantern.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's notes (click on title/link for more info.).
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College
#food #NativeAmerican #sports #lacrosse #AmericanIndian #Indian #inventions #boating #halloween
-- Anthony Hopper
Here are five Native American inventions or discoveries that are an integral part of U.S. society.
Maple Syrup
 |
| Jack-o-Lantern (1) |
Native Americans in the northeastern United States and Canada were the first people to utilize the sap from maple trees. They would make V-shaped cuts in the trees and use buckets to capture the sap that leaked from these marks. The tribes would then convert the maple sap into sugar by boiling it.
Americans currently use maple syrup and maple sugar to flavor a variety of recipes, ranging from meat dishes to candies. They also like to pour maple syrup on pancakes and waffles. Maple syrup production is a big business in some states. Per the USDA, the United States produced 1.91 million gallons of maple syrup in
2012.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport in which players use sticks with webbed ends to move a ball up and down the field. They score points by putting the ball into the opposing team's net. More than 600,000 Americans currently play organized lacrosse. That number will likely increase over the next few years, given the sport's growing popularity in the United States.
It might surprise some lacrosse fans to learn that Native Americans living in eastern North America invented lacrosse (or at least developed many of the game's key concepts).
Pumpkins
Pumpkins are indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Native Americans were the first people to cultivate pumpkins, which they used as a food source. Americans have fallen in love with the fruit. Among other things, they use it in foods and as Halloween decorations.
Kayaks
Kayaks are watertight canoe-like boats that, depending on the design, can carry between one and three people. Kayaking is a popular pastime in the United States and has been an Olympic sport since 1936. Artic tribes living in Greenland, Alaska, and Canada (as well as groups living in Siberia) were responsible for developing the kayak.
Cornbread
Most Americans probably know that corn (or maize) is indigenous to the Western Hemisphere and was first cultivated by Native Americans. They might not realize that cornbread is also an American Indian creation.
1. Photographer: Petey21
Date: October 31, 2010
Title/Description: A Jack-o'-lantern.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's notes (click on title/link for more info.).
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College
#food #NativeAmerican #sports #lacrosse #AmericanIndian #Indian #inventions #boating #halloween
-- Anthony Hopper
Five Important Phoenician Contributions to Western Civilization
ABSTRACT:
The Phoenicians were adept traders whose ships plied the whole of the Mediterranean beginning in the late Bronze Age. Their power and influence eventually waned, but not before they had made important, lasting contributions to Western society.
Phoenician communities started appearing along the coastlines of modern day Syria, Israel, and Lebanon around 3000 B.C. Beginning with Byblos, many of these settlements gradually developed into urban trading centers. This period began in about 1500 B.C., though Byblos had attained city status before that time. Over the next few centuries, the Phoenicians developed into adept traders whose ships plied the whole of the Mediterranean and beyond. They established colonies in North Africa, Spain, Italy, and other places along the Mediterranean coast. The Phoenician city-states' power and influence waned in the latter half of the first millennium B.C., but not before they had made important, lasting contributions to Western civilization.
Here are five important Phoenician contributions to Western society.
The Alphabet
The Phoenicians likely did not invent the alphabet. That honor probably goes to Semitic speaking people living in Egypt. Nonetheless, the Phoenicians were responsible for spreading the alphabet to other cultures living along the Mediterranean, including to the Greeks. The Phoenician alphabet represented a major advance over pictograph writing techniques, such as cuneiform, and is the foundation for the writing system used by modern Western societies.
Influence on Western Culture
Some scholars believe that Thales, the first Greek philosopher (and hence the father of Greek philosophy), was a Phoenician. Regardless of whether or not that hypothesis is correct, the Phoenician traders almost certainly played a significant role in shaping Greek culture and beliefs by exposing Greek city-states to ideas from other groups, such as the Babylonians. This contribution is important given the extent to which Greek ideas have influenced the development of modern Western culture.
Navigation Techniques
The Phoenicians were expert sailors who are credited with discovering how to use the North Star to gauge direction. As a result of this discovery, the Phoenicians could sail on the open seas and in the ocean; they no longer had to use the coastline as a navigational aid. Phoenician sailors passed this important information on to the Greeks and other Mediterranean cultures.
Glass Making
The Phoenicians did not invent glass. However, a Phoenician glass maker is credited with inventing the free-blowing technique sometime around 50 B.C. As a result of this discovery, artisans could create a wider range of glass items. Craftspeople could also use the free-blowing method to make glassware that was much more transparent than previous versions.
Purple Dye
While this accomplishment might not be as important as their other achievements, the Phoenicians were likely the first people to develop a purple dye. They maintained a near monopoly on this product (at least in the Mediterranean region) for centuries and sold it to the wealthy at exorbitant prices. Usually only high ranking nobles or government officials could afford to purchase purple colored garments. As a result, the color purple came to be associated with royalty. That connotation survives into today.
Sources
Gore, R. (2004). "Who Were the Phoenicians?" National Geographic Magazine.
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. (2012). "The Phoenicians (1500-300 B.C.)." The Metropolitan
Museum of Art.
1. Photographer: Javierfv1212
Date: March 1, 2008
Title/Description: Map of the colonies of Ancient Greece and Phoenicia — circa 550 BCE.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's note (click on the title to see photo,
credits, and permissions).
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
#phoenicians #history #ancienthistory #lebanon #inventions #commerce
 |
| Colonies of Ancient Greece and Phoenicia — circa 550 BCE (1). |
Here are five important Phoenician contributions to Western society.
The Alphabet
The Phoenicians likely did not invent the alphabet. That honor probably goes to Semitic speaking people living in Egypt. Nonetheless, the Phoenicians were responsible for spreading the alphabet to other cultures living along the Mediterranean, including to the Greeks. The Phoenician alphabet represented a major advance over pictograph writing techniques, such as cuneiform, and is the foundation for the writing system used by modern Western societies.
Influence on Western Culture
Some scholars believe that Thales, the first Greek philosopher (and hence the father of Greek philosophy), was a Phoenician. Regardless of whether or not that hypothesis is correct, the Phoenician traders almost certainly played a significant role in shaping Greek culture and beliefs by exposing Greek city-states to ideas from other groups, such as the Babylonians. This contribution is important given the extent to which Greek ideas have influenced the development of modern Western culture.
Navigation Techniques
The Phoenicians were expert sailors who are credited with discovering how to use the North Star to gauge direction. As a result of this discovery, the Phoenicians could sail on the open seas and in the ocean; they no longer had to use the coastline as a navigational aid. Phoenician sailors passed this important information on to the Greeks and other Mediterranean cultures.
Glass Making
The Phoenicians did not invent glass. However, a Phoenician glass maker is credited with inventing the free-blowing technique sometime around 50 B.C. As a result of this discovery, artisans could create a wider range of glass items. Craftspeople could also use the free-blowing method to make glassware that was much more transparent than previous versions.
Purple Dye
While this accomplishment might not be as important as their other achievements, the Phoenicians were likely the first people to develop a purple dye. They maintained a near monopoly on this product (at least in the Mediterranean region) for centuries and sold it to the wealthy at exorbitant prices. Usually only high ranking nobles or government officials could afford to purchase purple colored garments. As a result, the color purple came to be associated with royalty. That connotation survives into today.
Sources
Gore, R. (2004). "Who Were the Phoenicians?" National Geographic Magazine.
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. (2012). "The Phoenicians (1500-300 B.C.)." The Metropolitan
Museum of Art.
1. Photographer: Javierfv1212
Date: March 1, 2008
Title/Description: Map of the colonies of Ancient Greece and Phoenicia — circa 550 BCE.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's note (click on the title to see photo,
credits, and permissions).
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
#phoenicians #history #ancienthistory #lebanon #inventions #commerce
Five Indian Inventions that Have Changed the World
ABSTRACT:
Over the millennia, people living in India have made a number of important discoveries that have helped to shape modern society.
India was home to one of the earliest human civilizations. The first urbanized settlements developed along the Indus River in parts of India and Pakistan as far back as 3000 B.C. A number of prominent Indian civilizations have risen (and fallen) since that time. Over the millennia, people living in these advanced societies have made several important discoveries that have changed the world.
Here are five Indian inventions or discoveries which have helped to shape modern culture.
The Concept of Zero
The Babylonians were the first people to use zero, as a numerical placeholder. However, scholars in India should get credit for realizing that zero did more than just differentiate 60 from 600. Around the fifth century A.D., they developed the concept of zero as a standalone number. Their achievement has had a significant impact on the field of mathematics. Interestingly enough, the Mayans might have been the first group to fully explicate the properties of zero. However, the Mayans had no way of transmitting this information to Europe and Asia until at least the 1500s.
The Cultivation of Cotton
Contemporary societies use cotton in a variety of items, including clothes, bedspreads, and napkins. Attesting to cotton's importance to modern economies, worldwide production of the fiber is expected to reach 24.9 million tons during the 2012-2013 season. The cotton industry owes a debt of gratitude to India. People living in the country were one the first groups to cultivate cotton. They discovered how to farm the crop sometime during the third millennium B.C.
The Invention of the Radio
A majority of people alive today probably do not remember a time when radios were scarce. They use radios located in their cars, homes, and offices to tune into news programs, to listen to music, and to communicate with each other. However, the radio is a relatively new invention. It did not appear on the scene until the late 1800s. A number of individuals played a role in helping to create this device. Many people might be surprised to learn than one of the key developers of the radio lived in India.
An Indian, Jagadis Chandra Bose, played an important role in helping to invent the radio. In 1896 Bose became one of the first people to demonstrate that radio waves could be transmitted over long distances. Some scholars argue that he was the first person to achieve this feat. Bose also played a key role in developing the crystals used to detect radio waves.
The Invention of the Crucible Technique for Steelmaking
Craftspeople living in India were the first individuals to use crucibles in the steelmaking process. They hit upon this technique "as early as the third century B.C." The crucible method represented a notable advance in the forging of steel products. It allowed Indian smiths to create weapons and tools that had sharper edges and were more durable than their predecessors.
The First Game of Chess
Chess is a very popular board game. Hundreds of millions of men and women around the world play the game. Millions (and maybe billions) more people have heard of it. Many scholars believe that someone living in India invented the earliest version of chess-perhaps as long ago as the third century B.C.
1. Author: Phil Servedio
Date: December 29, 2004
Title/Description: The Taj Mahal
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - The author places the photo in the public domain, per his
notes (click on the title/link for photo, credits, permissions).
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
-- Anthony Hopper
#India #technology #inventions #radio #discovery #math
 |
| The Taj Mahal (1) |
Here are five Indian inventions or discoveries which have helped to shape modern culture.
The Concept of Zero
The Babylonians were the first people to use zero, as a numerical placeholder. However, scholars in India should get credit for realizing that zero did more than just differentiate 60 from 600. Around the fifth century A.D., they developed the concept of zero as a standalone number. Their achievement has had a significant impact on the field of mathematics. Interestingly enough, the Mayans might have been the first group to fully explicate the properties of zero. However, the Mayans had no way of transmitting this information to Europe and Asia until at least the 1500s.
The Cultivation of Cotton
Contemporary societies use cotton in a variety of items, including clothes, bedspreads, and napkins. Attesting to cotton's importance to modern economies, worldwide production of the fiber is expected to reach 24.9 million tons during the 2012-2013 season. The cotton industry owes a debt of gratitude to India. People living in the country were one the first groups to cultivate cotton. They discovered how to farm the crop sometime during the third millennium B.C.
The Invention of the Radio
A majority of people alive today probably do not remember a time when radios were scarce. They use radios located in their cars, homes, and offices to tune into news programs, to listen to music, and to communicate with each other. However, the radio is a relatively new invention. It did not appear on the scene until the late 1800s. A number of individuals played a role in helping to create this device. Many people might be surprised to learn than one of the key developers of the radio lived in India.
An Indian, Jagadis Chandra Bose, played an important role in helping to invent the radio. In 1896 Bose became one of the first people to demonstrate that radio waves could be transmitted over long distances. Some scholars argue that he was the first person to achieve this feat. Bose also played a key role in developing the crystals used to detect radio waves.
The Invention of the Crucible Technique for Steelmaking
Craftspeople living in India were the first individuals to use crucibles in the steelmaking process. They hit upon this technique "as early as the third century B.C." The crucible method represented a notable advance in the forging of steel products. It allowed Indian smiths to create weapons and tools that had sharper edges and were more durable than their predecessors.
The First Game of Chess
Chess is a very popular board game. Hundreds of millions of men and women around the world play the game. Millions (and maybe billions) more people have heard of it. Many scholars believe that someone living in India invented the earliest version of chess-perhaps as long ago as the third century B.C.
1. Author: Phil Servedio
Date: December 29, 2004
Title/Description: The Taj Mahal
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - The author places the photo in the public domain, per his
notes (click on the title/link for photo, credits, permissions).
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
-- Anthony Hopper
#India #technology #inventions #radio #discovery #math
Five Surprising Pre-Modern Inventions
ABSTRACT:
While pre-modern societies were obviously not as technologically advanced as current ones, their citizens still managed to invent some amazing devices and systems. Here are five of them.
What comes to mind when you think about pre-modern societies? Many of us probably conjure up images of peasants or shopkeepers-working with primitive equipment and tools. We might want to reconsider some of our beliefs about these cultures. While pre-modern societies were obviously not as technologically advanced as current ones, their citizens still managed to invent some amazing devices and systems.
Here are five surprising pre-modern inventions.
Vulcanized Rubber
Growing up, many of us learned that an American, Charles Goodyear, was the first person to devise a method for improving the strength and elasticity of rubber by heating it. He made the discovery in 1839. The process is called vulcanization (after the Roman god of fire). A number of important items, including tires, currently utilize the substance.
Surprisingly, recent archaeological research indicates that the Mayans, and not Goodyear, should get the credit for inventing vulcanized rubber. Even more astounding, the Mayans might have first developed the process more than 3600 years ago.
Batteries
In today's world, many of us would probably not be able to function without access to batteries. We use them to power everything from toys to smartphones. Historians often credit an Italian, Alessandro Volta, with inventing the first battery around 1800.
However, archaeologists digging near Baghdad, Iraq in 1938 found objects that appear to be batteries. If this is true, people living in that region should be credited with inventing the battery sometime between 250 B.C. and 640 A.D.
Watches
A watch is a complex device, containing numerous tiny springs, coils, and wheels. You might think that watches would be too complex for pre-modern clockmakers to master. That proved not to be the case. An Italian (and not a German as some suppose) developed the first watch, or portable clock, sometime in the late 1400s or early 1500s. The timekeeping devices proved to be a hit with Europe's wealthy citizens, who could choose from a variety of watch styles by 1600. These early watches did not keep good time; nonetheless, they still represented a major technological achievement.
Eyeglasses
Many of us use eyeglasses to correct for vision problems. The importance of this piece of equipment cannot be overstated. A number of experts consider the development of eyeglasses to be one of the most important inventions of the last two millennia. Without glasses, many people would not be able to see well enough to perform basic tasks, like reading and driving. Those of us who are nearsighted or farsighted should thank Italians for inventing eyeglasses-in the latter part of the 13th century.
Urban Sanitation Systems
A large city needs to possess a well-developed urban sanitation system in order to limit the potential for outbreaks of infectious disease. However, until recently most cities in Europe and the United States did a poor job of disposing of waste, which resulted in the deaths (from infectious disease) of untold numbers of people. For instance, New York did not begin to install a comprehensive urban sanitation system until the 1860s.
The people living in Europe and the United States were latecomers when it came to developing sophisticated sanitation systems. Urban dwellers living in the Indus Valley, which covers portions of modern-day Pakistan and India, beat them to it by several millennia.
1. Author: Dmitry G
Date: February 24, 2010
Title/Description: 3x AAA batteries.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's notes
(please see linked titled for photo, credits, permissions)
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
#ancienthistory #history #inventions #technology #Europe #watches #eyeglasses #glasses #batteries
-- Anthony Hopper
 |
| Three batteries (1) |
Here are five surprising pre-modern inventions.
Vulcanized Rubber
Growing up, many of us learned that an American, Charles Goodyear, was the first person to devise a method for improving the strength and elasticity of rubber by heating it. He made the discovery in 1839. The process is called vulcanization (after the Roman god of fire). A number of important items, including tires, currently utilize the substance.
Surprisingly, recent archaeological research indicates that the Mayans, and not Goodyear, should get the credit for inventing vulcanized rubber. Even more astounding, the Mayans might have first developed the process more than 3600 years ago.
Batteries
In today's world, many of us would probably not be able to function without access to batteries. We use them to power everything from toys to smartphones. Historians often credit an Italian, Alessandro Volta, with inventing the first battery around 1800.
However, archaeologists digging near Baghdad, Iraq in 1938 found objects that appear to be batteries. If this is true, people living in that region should be credited with inventing the battery sometime between 250 B.C. and 640 A.D.
Watches
A watch is a complex device, containing numerous tiny springs, coils, and wheels. You might think that watches would be too complex for pre-modern clockmakers to master. That proved not to be the case. An Italian (and not a German as some suppose) developed the first watch, or portable clock, sometime in the late 1400s or early 1500s. The timekeeping devices proved to be a hit with Europe's wealthy citizens, who could choose from a variety of watch styles by 1600. These early watches did not keep good time; nonetheless, they still represented a major technological achievement.
Eyeglasses
Many of us use eyeglasses to correct for vision problems. The importance of this piece of equipment cannot be overstated. A number of experts consider the development of eyeglasses to be one of the most important inventions of the last two millennia. Without glasses, many people would not be able to see well enough to perform basic tasks, like reading and driving. Those of us who are nearsighted or farsighted should thank Italians for inventing eyeglasses-in the latter part of the 13th century.
Urban Sanitation Systems
A large city needs to possess a well-developed urban sanitation system in order to limit the potential for outbreaks of infectious disease. However, until recently most cities in Europe and the United States did a poor job of disposing of waste, which resulted in the deaths (from infectious disease) of untold numbers of people. For instance, New York did not begin to install a comprehensive urban sanitation system until the 1860s.
The people living in Europe and the United States were latecomers when it came to developing sophisticated sanitation systems. Urban dwellers living in the Indus Valley, which covers portions of modern-day Pakistan and India, beat them to it by several millennia.
1. Author: Dmitry G
Date: February 24, 2010
Title/Description: 3x AAA batteries.
Location/Permission: Wikimedia Commons - Author's notes
(please see linked titled for photo, credits, permissions)
The author is a freelance writer and has a B.A. in History from Roanoke College.
#ancienthistory #history #inventions #technology #Europe #watches #eyeglasses #glasses #batteries
-- Anthony Hopper
Sunday
Five Technological Advances that Might Change the Way We Live
ABSTRACT:
Our society has changed rapidly over last few decades, as a result of technological advances. Just think, it was not too long ago that most of us were using maps to get around town. Here are five major changes which could impact our lives over the next decade.
We live in an age of rapid change. Just ask video rental stores and desktop computer makers. They have watched their business models crumble in only a few years' time, due to advances in technology. A decade ago, most people relied on maps to get around town, and their cellphones could only perform a limited number of functions. Now, many of them use highly developed GPS devices to navigate the streets, and their phones are more sophisticated than some computers. The pace of change is not likely to slow down over the next decade. In fact, it might speed up.
Here are five major changes which could impact our lives within the next 10 years.
Cable Becomes Passé
Cable and satellite TV providers are currently in positions of power. A Nielsen survey estimates that around 90 percent of "U.S. households pay for a TV subscription." These companies also bring in significant amounts of revenue by providing Americans with high speed Internet and land-based telephone services.
However, the cable and satellite companies' stranglehold on the television programming market might be nearing an end. Growing numbers of people are starting to turn to the Internet for their movies and shows. According to a Nielsen report, three million homes have dropped their pay for TV subscriptions in the last five years. Many of these people use the Internet to stream their shows and movies. Granted only a small percentage of Americans currently choose to eschew cable and satellite. However, the figure could grow significantly over the coming decade, as the number of Internet TV options grows. To make matters worse, the pay for TV companies are also dealing with threats to their high speed Internet business from competitors like Google and from the proliferation of free WI-FI hotspots.
Digitized Textbooks Become the Norm
Most Americans, both young and old, can relate to the student who has to lug around a heavy backpack filled with an assortment of hardcover and paperback textbooks. However, a growing number of students are beginning to eschew traditional textbooks in favor of digital copies, which they can store on their e-readers and tablets. Many young people prefer digital textbooks to paper bound tomes because the former are cheaper, virtually weightless, and easy to store. Using tools in their e-readers or tablets, the students can quickly locate and bookmark specific information in their digital textbooks. They no lo
nger have to thumb through a hundred pages to find what they need. It is possible that within the next decade, a majority of U.S. students might not need backpacks at all.
3-D Printing Goes Mainstream
With a 3-D printer, an individual can draw a design on a computer screen, place plastic or some other type of malleable material into the machine, and watch as the 3-D printer translates the image into the actual object. Some companies are using 3-D printers to produce custom made devices, like hearing aids. Hobbyists use the printers to create small toys and sculptures. Currently, 3-D printers and their source materials are relatively expensive and their uses are limited. That situation might change dramatically over the next decade, as 3-D printers come down in price and become capable of creating a wider range of objects from scratch. As an example, some researchers believe that, within the next ten years, 3-D printers will be capable of creating ready-made human organs.
Techno Cars Arrive
While fully automated cars might not be on the horizon, most Americans who purchase new vehicles in the not too distant future will likely notice some significant changes. Some automobiles currently on the market can park themselves and automatically hit the brakes to avoid an accident. Over the next decade, many more vehicles will come equipped with these capabilities, as well as additional high tech safety features. These automobiles will likely have more powerful computers, and they might also contain consoles with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE capabilities. If nothing else, many of the new cars and trucks that roll off of the assembly line in the near future will almost certainly be more fuel efficient than current models.
Technology in a Pill
Several companies have either created or are in the process of designing devices that fit within a pill, which people can swallow. Some of these machines will monitor a person's health status or inform him or her when it is time to take medicine. Other ingestible devices will allow individuals to do things like access their laptops or phones without a password. A few of these tiny machines are on the marketplace already, and others are in the final stages of testing. If Americans become enamored with the new devices, the ingestible machine industry could become a big business within the next decade.
#technology #cable #tv #television #future #futurism #medicine #health #cars #autos #driving
(1) Deezmaker. (2012, April 13). A Low Cost Open Source 3D Printer. Wikimedia Commons.
The photographer/owner has placed this image in the public domain per his/her comments on
Wikimedia (see link to photo in title).
-- Anthony Hopper
We live in an age of rapid change. Just ask video rental stores and desktop computer makers. They have watched their business models crumble in only a few years' time, due to advances in technology. A decade ago, most people relied on maps to get around town, and their cellphones could only perform a limited number of functions. Now, many of them use highly developed GPS devices to navigate the streets, and their phones are more sophisticated than some computers. The pace of change is not likely to slow down over the next decade. In fact, it might speed up.
Here are five major changes which could impact our lives within the next 10 years.
Cable Becomes Passé
Cable and satellite TV providers are currently in positions of power. A Nielsen survey estimates that around 90 percent of "U.S. households pay for a TV subscription." These companies also bring in significant amounts of revenue by providing Americans with high speed Internet and land-based telephone services.
However, the cable and satellite companies' stranglehold on the television programming market might be nearing an end. Growing numbers of people are starting to turn to the Internet for their movies and shows. According to a Nielsen report, three million homes have dropped their pay for TV subscriptions in the last five years. Many of these people use the Internet to stream their shows and movies. Granted only a small percentage of Americans currently choose to eschew cable and satellite. However, the figure could grow significantly over the coming decade, as the number of Internet TV options grows. To make matters worse, the pay for TV companies are also dealing with threats to their high speed Internet business from competitors like Google and from the proliferation of free WI-FI hotspots.
Digitized Textbooks Become the Norm
 |
| Microsoft Office |
nger have to thumb through a hundred pages to find what they need. It is possible that within the next decade, a majority of U.S. students might not need backpacks at all.
3-D Printing Goes Mainstream
 |
| Low cost 3-D printer (1) |
Techno Cars Arrive
While fully automated cars might not be on the horizon, most Americans who purchase new vehicles in the not too distant future will likely notice some significant changes. Some automobiles currently on the market can park themselves and automatically hit the brakes to avoid an accident. Over the next decade, many more vehicles will come equipped with these capabilities, as well as additional high tech safety features. These automobiles will likely have more powerful computers, and they might also contain consoles with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE capabilities. If nothing else, many of the new cars and trucks that roll off of the assembly line in the near future will almost certainly be more fuel efficient than current models.
Technology in a Pill
Several companies have either created or are in the process of designing devices that fit within a pill, which people can swallow. Some of these machines will monitor a person's health status or inform him or her when it is time to take medicine. Other ingestible devices will allow individuals to do things like access their laptops or phones without a password. A few of these tiny machines are on the marketplace already, and others are in the final stages of testing. If Americans become enamored with the new devices, the ingestible machine industry could become a big business within the next decade.
#technology #cable #tv #television #future #futurism #medicine #health #cars #autos #driving
(1) Deezmaker. (2012, April 13). A Low Cost Open Source 3D Printer. Wikimedia Commons.
The photographer/owner has placed this image in the public domain per his/her comments on
Wikimedia (see link to photo in title).
-- Anthony Hopper
Friday
Why My Deceased Aunt Might Have Liked Facebook
ABSTRACT: My deceased aunt is no different from millions of other Americans who have passed away over the centuries. Her life story is slowly fading and will soon disappear entirely. With the advent of social media, my generation may not have to suffer this fate.
For most of her existence, my great aunt lived in a world that relied on typewriters, slide-rules, and notebooks (the paper type). To the best of my knowledge, she never owned a computer and died before the Internet came into its own. She did not have any children and her husband had passed away years earlier. She kept a diary of sorts, as written snippets on annual calendars, in notepads, on receipts, and in other, unlikely places. These thoughts represented who she was---her dreams, her beliefs, her ideas, and montages of her daily life.
After her husband died, she lived by herself, with a small dog as her sole companion. We only visited her a few times; perhaps other family members went to see her more often. She did have cousins and nephews who lived nearby. However, for all of that, she seemed like a lonely person--at least that is what I recall. Perhaps her sense of isolation (if she truly was lonely) resulted from the fact that she resided by herself. Due to her advanced age, she might also have naturally been more inclined to reminisce about the past than to contemplate the present or to think about the future. More likely it derived from the fact that she did not have enough friends or societal connections to replace the diaphanous memories with new, solid experiences.
When she passed away, her estate was split between several family members. They might have kept a few items as "mementos." I am sure that at least some of these people still have a photo or two of my great aunt and her late husband. Nonetheless, her story has almost completely disappeared; the notepads, the receipts, and the calendars that contained her words--her life--were long ago consigned to the dumpster. Rare is the time when anyone speaks her name, much less recalls any fond (or perhaps not so fond) memories of her. In many ways, she is as anonymous as the men and women on the antique family portraits hanging up in roadside diners. Of them, nothing much remains except perhaps for a picture and a gravestone. Even their relatives have forgotten them.
Perhaps my great aunt would be content with this situation. For her, the next life was the more important one. Nonetheless, I cannot help but wonder what she would think about the Internet, and more importantly, about social media. With these tools, she could have left her story behind on a blog, on Facebook, or on some other, on-line site for a future generation of curious relatives to read. As important, while living, she could have used social media to keep in constant contact with friends, family, and acquaintances. When she logged into her Google + account for instance, she might have been cheered to see a post, which she authored, had garnered 15 responses.
I will never know what my aunt would have done if she had spent the majority of her life in the new, social media driven world. However, I am thankful that I might have the chance to leave behind some aspect of myself on the Internet--some part of me that a future relative (say in a couple hundred years) can access.
-- Anthony Hopper
#genealogy #family #technology #socialmedia #opinion #personal
For most of her existence, my great aunt lived in a world that relied on typewriters, slide-rules, and notebooks (the paper type). To the best of my knowledge, she never owned a computer and died before the Internet came into its own. She did not have any children and her husband had passed away years earlier. She kept a diary of sorts, as written snippets on annual calendars, in notepads, on receipts, and in other, unlikely places. These thoughts represented who she was---her dreams, her beliefs, her ideas, and montages of her daily life.
 |
| Microsoft Office |
When she passed away, her estate was split between several family members. They might have kept a few items as "mementos." I am sure that at least some of these people still have a photo or two of my great aunt and her late husband. Nonetheless, her story has almost completely disappeared; the notepads, the receipts, and the calendars that contained her words--her life--were long ago consigned to the dumpster. Rare is the time when anyone speaks her name, much less recalls any fond (or perhaps not so fond) memories of her. In many ways, she is as anonymous as the men and women on the antique family portraits hanging up in roadside diners. Of them, nothing much remains except perhaps for a picture and a gravestone. Even their relatives have forgotten them.
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| Microsoft Office |
Perhaps my great aunt would be content with this situation. For her, the next life was the more important one. Nonetheless, I cannot help but wonder what she would think about the Internet, and more importantly, about social media. With these tools, she could have left her story behind on a blog, on Facebook, or on some other, on-line site for a future generation of curious relatives to read. As important, while living, she could have used social media to keep in constant contact with friends, family, and acquaintances. When she logged into her Google + account for instance, she might have been cheered to see a post, which she authored, had garnered 15 responses.
I will never know what my aunt would have done if she had spent the majority of her life in the new, social media driven world. However, I am thankful that I might have the chance to leave behind some aspect of myself on the Internet--some part of me that a future relative (say in a couple hundred years) can access.
-- Anthony Hopper
#genealogy #family #technology #socialmedia #opinion #personal
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