Caterpillars Can Whistle
Caterpillars apparently can whistle, letting out squeaks that can fend off attacking birds, scientists have now found.
They don’t whistle by puckering their lips and blowing, since they don’t have lips. Instead, they blow out their sides, researchers said.
Scientists have known for more than 100 years that many caterpillars can generate clicking or squeaking noises. However, researchers have only recently begun to experimentally investigate how these noises are made and what roles they might play.
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Earth - Nature vs Humanity
Enthusiasm for the Billionaire Giving Pledge
Last week, 17 more billionaires signed on toAthe Giving Pledge and declared their intention to give away to charitable organizations at least 50 percent of their wealth. The initiative is being spearheaded by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates.
I’ve been following this effort since it was launched earlier this year with aAcover story inAFortuneAmagazine. Let me say clearly that I think it’s fantastic for billionaires to give money to charity instead of buying expensive toys they don’t need or giving it all to their heirs. And I applaud the Gates family and Mr. Buffett for being willing to challenge their peers and to lead by example. Their effort will surely lead to an increase in giving among billionaires and others. I do, however, have some concerns.
I don’t want to be a Grinch about it in the middle of the holiday season, but there are three important reasons to keep our enthusiasm for the Giving Pledge in check. First, the pledge is likely to have an extremely small impact on total giving, especially in the first few years. Second, little of the money is likely to benefit the most under-served populations. And third, giving by billionaires has typically been limited in its effectiveness and has dangerous implications for democratic decision-making.
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Posted: December 18th, 2010
at 12:07am by Koookiecrumbles
Categories: web,philanthropy
Comments: No comments
The Decline of Web 2.0
We are all obsessed with sites like Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin at the moment but rewind a few years to when the term Web 2.0 first popped up and a whole host of different sites were the hot young startups destined for great things. It's amazing what a couple of years do though because as we can see below some of the biggest sites from the Web 2.0 generation are either on a massive decline, facing huge competition or about to be closed down. There is a good lesson here to show how the hype cycle around websites and services can come and go and what was once lauded and destined for great things can within a couple of years shut down and be abandoned…
We often hear politicians and pundits denounce property rights. Property rights, we’re told, protect the fat cats against the needs of the public. They’re a tool for keeping the little guy down.
Like a lot of what we hear from politicians and pundits, this is exactly the opposite of the truth. The fat cats don’t need the protection of property rights, because they already control the political system. It’s the little guy (or gal), the one without political juice, who needs strong property rights for protection from the fat cats and the politicians they control.
Posted: December 17th, 2010
at 10:49pm by Koookiecrumbles
Categories: the column
Comments: No comments
Mark Cuban on Patents and College Football Playoffs
There you have it. In this great country of ours some one thinks they can patent a solution to this problem. Mind you, they aren't saying they can do anything about it. They are not saying they even tried. Nor are they saying they are going to try to solve this problem and invest time and money. They are merely saying that they got the patent office to approve their idea and if anyone wants to try to solve this problem they have to go through them and their high powered patent attorneys.
The President of the United States wants a playoff system, and so does almost every college football fan, but forgettaboutit because there is a method patent on it.
Posted: December 17th, 2010
at 10:38pm by Koookiecrumbles
Categories: games,trademark & copyright
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Solstice Lunar Eclipse
See for yourself on Dec. 21st, the first day of northern winter, when theAfull Moon passes almost dead-center through Earth’s shadow. For 72 minutes of eerie totality, an amber light will play across the snows of North America, throwing landscapes into an unusual state of ruddy shadow.
The eclipse begins on Tuesday morning, Dec. 21st, at 1:33 am EST (Monday, Dec. 20th, at 10:33 pm PST). At that time, Earth’s shadow will appear as a dark-red bite at the edge of the lunar disk. It takes about an hour for the "bite" to expand and swallow the entire Moon. Totality commences at 02:41 am EST (11:41 pm PST) and lasts for 72 minutes.
If you’re planning to dash out for only one quick look -A it is December, after all -A choose this moment: 03:17 am EST (17 minutes past midnight PST). That’s when the Moon will be in deepest shadow, displaying the most fantastic shades of coppery red.
Yahoo shutting down delicious should be a warning sign to all web product developers. Your product will get shutdown if it isn’t making money, period. Try to figure out how to make money as soon as you have a little bit of traction.
Posted: December 17th, 2010
at 10:18pm by Koookiecrumbles
Categories: the column
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