CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-06-18 17:20:52 (10 comments, 28 reshares, 50 +1s)

New Sesame Street Muppet Has A Father In Jail

Grab your hankies: To help kids coping with a parent in prison, Sesame Street created a Muppet whose father can't play with him because he's in jail.

Sesame Street has always made it part of its larger mission to address all children, not just the ones with traditional families or easily digestible experiences. In the latest move toward that goal, the popular children's program created an online toolkit, titled "Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration," for those struggling to raise a child who has an incarcerated parent. Released just in time to help kids in need get through Father's Day, the toolkit has its detractors. Alex Jones naturally went into full-blown conspiracy theory mode, calling it a "propaganda program designed to help children accept the fact that daddy is in jail" by... more »

2013-06-16 06:17:23 (39 comments, 38 reshares, 286 +1s)

Good night everyone. 

2013-06-10 08:26:22 (0 comments, 6 reshares, 35 +1s)

Interesting interview with Edward Snowden. You can watch online. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance

2013-06-07 14:52:12 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 30 +1s)

It's going to be very interesting to see how various major internet companies react to leaked claims they provide the NSA with direct access to their servers. Google's response so far has been "no backdoor" is provided. Slides and reporting from +Washington Post and +The Guardian suggest there is one, and for Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook and Apple.

2013-06-07 14:49:01 (0 comments, 9 reshares, 40 +1s)

Timeline:

https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying/timeline

2013-06-07 03:40:27 (31 comments, 8 reshares, 41 +1s)

Understanding Privilege In Terms of Gaming Theory- Are You Set On The Lowest Difficulty Setting?

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/15/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is/

2013-06-05 22:52:11 (17 comments, 46 reshares, 93 +1s)

How Much Do You Know About The US/Canada Border?

http://youtu.be/qMkYlIA7mgw

2013-06-03 14:09:52 (50 comments, 149 reshares, 396 +1s)

#MusicMonday

To take you through what otherwise might be a mundane day, I present a 2 year old with amazing taste in music. 

It's "Don't Let Me Down" by the Beatles. 

#Classic  

http://youtu.be/RmHhVEj3n1U

2013-06-03 08:10:02 (75 comments, 81 reshares, 214 +1s)

My 2 year Battle with Giardiasis

This is a tiny little protozoan parasite, giardia lamblia, that looks harmless enough... but don't be fooled. It's a heavy hitter.  It can wreck your life, especially if you're immunocompromised. You can read more about it here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardia_lamblia

Giardia colonize and reproduce in the small intestines of several vertebrates, including humans, causing giardiasis. Their life cycle alternates between an actively swimming trophozoite and an infective, resistant cyst. To complicate things, the standard method of testing for this is done through stool testing, and the parasite is only detectable if the parasite is in a specific stage of its life cycle, and so many times the tests are returned negative when the parasite is present. So the best practice for testing for giardia, if suspected, is to run multiples... more »

2013-06-02 23:47:19 (142 comments, 376 reshares, 1369 +1s)


#ScienceSunday  

#Punday  

2013-06-01 22:23:08 (33 comments, 28 reshares, 70 +1s)

Suicide Has Become An Epidemic, Now Killing More People Than Anything Else... Including War, Murder, or Forces of Nature

The total is rising every year, and the factors are complicated, and you really need to read the entire article to understand. Please don't make stereotypes in the comments. This is a deadly issue and requires a lot of thought to address. 

#Suicide   #Awareness  

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2013/05/22/why-suicide-has-become-and-epidemic-and-what-we-can-do-to-help.html

2013-06-02 04:29:47 (306 comments, 251 reshares, 1747 +1s)

Of all places on earth, I think this would be my #1 vacation spot. 

#SunnySaturday  

2013-06-01 06:08:29 (30 comments, 3 reshares, 199 +1s)

Let's see if this works.... #AutoAwesome  

2013-06-01 05:30:15 (14 comments, 7 reshares, 36 +1s)

#privacy 

A new lawsuit in Manhattan pitting the U.S. Department of Justice against Google offers a rare glimpse of how determined prosecutors are to defend a process that allows federal agents to gain warrantless access to user records, and how committed the Mountain View, Calif., company is to defending its customers' privacy rights against what it views as illegal requests.

2013-05-31 23:04:43 (14 comments, 20 reshares, 110 +1s)

Laser cut sushi rolls

#Art   #Food  

2013-05-31 19:31:19 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 24 +1s)

This is the best thing ever. Groupon today is $20 for 2 hours of trampoline jumping in Denver, as well as playing in a pit of foam blocks and riding a mechanical bull. 

We should really set up a #HIRL  for this one.... anyone interested? 

#Denver   #Groupon  

http://www.groupon.com/deals/jump-street-10

2013-05-29 23:23:32 (12 comments, 13 reshares, 56 +1s)

Facebook Admits Failure To Stop Rape Images, Violence Against Women, Etc.

Interestingly enough, companies like Dove which went viral with their "Real Beauty" sketches were among those which didn't feel strongly enough to pull advertising over the incidents. However, there were other advertisers who did. Props to them. 

We unfortunately live in a culture that does defend this type of mentality, and it is up to us to change it. When you see this type of behavior or jokes or whatever form it takes, call it out. If you do not, you are supporting a society in which this is allowed. 

#Facebook   #RapeCulture  

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/29/business/media/facebook-says-it-failed-to-stop-misogynous-pages.html?_r=0

2013-05-28 15:10:41 (27 comments, 35 reshares, 221 +1s)

Here's a handful of sand, magnified 250 times.

2013-05-28 15:04:45 (76 comments, 44 reshares, 108 +1s)

This is a picture that facebook declined to remove.

#Facebook  reviewed this photo but have no issue with this statement nor find that it violates their community standards. 

Why are we surprised when three young women are held in a house in Ohio and raped for a decade when one of our largest tech companies openly supports and advocates rape culture? 

Originally seen here: https://twitter.com/EndingViolence/status/338510885041623040/photo/1

Verified here: http://now.msn.com/facebooks-response-to-rape-joke-says-it-doesnt-qualify-as-hate-speech

2013-05-28 01:40:54 (197 comments, 497 reshares, 1359 +1s)

Best Science Fair Project Ever 

2013-05-27 12:25:04 (46 comments, 24 reshares, 169 +1s)

"A key hormone released during sex is oxytocin. Women produce more of this hormone...and this means they are more likely to let their guard down and fall in love. However, the problem is that the body can’t distinguish whether the person we’re with is a casual fling or marriage material — oxytocin is released either way...it’s also the reason they feel more miserable when a short-term relationship ends.

Men, on the other hand, instead of getting a surge of bonding hormone receive a surge of simple pleasure. The problem is that when a man has an orgasm, the main hormone released is dopamine — the pleasure hormone. And this surge can be addictive."

- Given it's actually addictive property, the addiction should simply include the actual person per se, and should not be on the act itself alone.

#musings

2013-05-27 01:54:05 (9 comments, 23 reshares, 142 +1s)

Known Exoplanets Orbiting Stars Near The Sun

In the Milky Way galaxy, it is expected that there are many billions of planets, with many more free-floating planetary-mass bodies orbiting the galaxy directly. The nearest known exoplanet is Alpha Centauri Bb. Almost all of the planets detected so far are within our home galaxy the Milky Way; however, there have been a small number of possible detections of extragalactic planets. Astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics reported in January 2013, that "at least 17 billion" Earth-sized exoplanets are estimated to reside in the Milky Way galaxy.

#ScienceSunday   #Exoplanet   #Astronomy  

Learn more about exoplanets here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet

2013-05-26 07:36:18 (5 comments, 4 reshares, 76 +1s)

Arrested Development Brunch

Celebrate the new season with a Skip's Scramble. Details and recipes here:

Featuring: 

I Just Blue Myself Berry Waffles
Banana Stand Pancakes
Cornball Cakes
Banger in the Mouth
Balboa Bay Bacon
Model Home Fries
Fried Eggs Her?
Hot Ham Water
Scrambled Eggs (Scramende Style)
(If you Google this recipe, no results will be found.)
Vodka on the Rocks with a Piece of Toast
Poisoned Muffins made by the Muffin Man
It Ain't Easy Being Egg Whites, It Ain't Easy Being Hash Browns

"So there you have it, Skip's Scramble. Don't order the Skip's Scramble. We couldn't even make it halfway through it. Though if you're planning on throwing a viewing party I wouldn't dismiss the scramble. This dish pairs nicely with some GoBias Coffee."more »

2013-05-25 18:16:36 (45 comments, 52 reshares, 261 +1s)

Animated Beer Labels

(I have to admit every time I look at this I hear the song.) 

2013-05-24 19:22:51 (7 comments, 5 reshares, 43 +1s)

Happy Birthday Bob Dylan

Interactive Map Showing Every Place Bob Dylan has mentioned in his songs. 

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/map_of_the_week/2013/05/bob_dylan_map_every_place_mentioned_in_a_bob_dylan_song.html

2013-05-24 06:10:11 (0 comments, 9 reshares, 88 +1s)

There is no scientific debate on climate change. The data has been in for years. It's a pity our politicians don't understand that.

#ClimateChange  

http://grist.org/climate-energy/in-gop-run-house-has-science-left-the-building/?utm_source=feedly

2013-05-23 19:50:41 (16 comments, 9 reshares, 31 +1s)

Wow. This is the most messed up, awesome mashups I've ever heard. Enjoy... 

NIN's "Head Like A Hole" and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe."

http://youtu.be/5Lm1FL7gWl4

2013-05-23 01:18:19 (0 comments, 13 reshares, 74 +1s)

This is a beautiful video. Zach Sobiech passed away 2 days ago. His mentality towards life was exceptional. 

If you or someone you love is going through terminal illness, this is an excellent, classic read. It might better help you understand and communicate.

http://www.amazon.com/On-Death-Dying-Scribner-Classics/dp/0684842238

http://youtu.be/9NjKgV65fpo

2013-05-22 17:41:51 (65 comments, 33 reshares, 107 +1s)

Share The Road

Knocking a cyclist off the road is a crime. Here's an interesting exchange on twitter between a motorist who thought she had the right to knock someone off a bicycle and the local police department, who set her straight. 

More on this story here: http://ipayroadtax.com/no-such-thing-as-road-tax/i-knocked-a-cyclist-off-his-bike-i-have-right-of-way-he-doesnt-even-pay-road-tax/

2013-05-22 06:43:33 (22 comments, 25 reshares, 71 +1s)

Tumblr!

Can't wait for an invite. 

2013-05-21 19:09:50 (19 comments, 4 reshares, 61 +1s)

An abandoned farmhouse, scenery in Utah, Mesa Verde National Park. 

2013-05-21 04:18:45 (51 comments, 29 reshares, 223 +1s)

Here's a baby Tasmanian Devil

And although Tasmanian Devils have been dying from a very strange contagious cancer called "devil facial tumor disease" there's hope for this little one. A vaccine could be on the way. It's a fascinating story and breakthrough, and a recommended read especially if you are interested in immunology. Read more here: 

http://www.nature.com/news/vaccine-hope-for-tasmanian-devil-tumour-disease-1.12576

2013-05-20 20:31:11 (8 comments, 3 reshares, 82 +1s)

Little chalk artists have been busy outside my apartment for the last few weeks. Here's one of the drawings, indicating that we're "the up stars." (Upstairs.) 

2013-05-20 17:49:32 (63 comments, 3 reshares, 265 +1s)

In Arches National Park, yesterday. 

2013-05-18 19:52:52 (28 comments, 34 reshares, 231 +1s)

#Caturday  

2013-05-18 02:02:26 (7 comments, 10 reshares, 62 +1s)

You Do Not Live Alone. 100 Trillion Bacteria Live With You In Your Gut... And They Influence A Lot

#Health  

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/magazine/say-hello-to-the-100-trillion-bacteria-that-make-up-your-microbiome.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

2013-05-18 01:33:17 (7 comments, 24 reshares, 100 +1s)

Happy Friday! 

2013-05-17 21:01:10 (19 comments, 37 reshares, 153 +1s)

Hey, it's Friday! Pounce

2013-05-16 16:30:32 (30 comments, 44 reshares, 241 +1s)

Lightning Hits The South Rim of the Grand Canyon

Photographer Travis Roe from the US Department of the Interior/National Parks Service.  

A few facts about lightning: About 70% of lightning occurs over land in the tropics where atmospheric convection is the greatest. This occurs from both the mixture of warmer and colder air masses, as well as differences in moisture concentrations, and it generally happens at the boundaries between them. The flow of warm ocean currents past drier land masses, such as the Gulf Stream, partially explains the elevated frequency of lightning in the Southeast United States. It however happens in other areas too. This massive strike depicted in the photo shows how immensely powerful lightning can be. 

2013-05-15 18:54:29 (36 comments, 17 reshares, 209 +1s)

So much I/O stuff. 

2013-05-15 18:07:01 (20 comments, 2 reshares, 33 +1s)

From the article:

Among the 100 highest-grossing movies at the U.S. box office in 2012, the study reported, 28.4% of speaking characters were female. That's a drop from 32.8% three years ago, and a number that has stayed relatively stagnant despite increased research attention to the topic and several high-profile box-office successes starring women.

When they are on-screen, 31.6% of women are shown wearing sexually revealing clothing, the highest percentage in the five years the USC researchers have been studying the issue.

For teen girls, the number who are provocatively dressed is even higher: 56.6% of teen girl characters in 2012 movies wore sexy clothes, an increase of 20% since 2009.

2013-05-15 17:59:14 (13 comments, 8 reshares, 28 +1s)

Changing my gender to male on Google+ improved my What's Hot experience

Earlier today, +Kimberly Chapman told me about a little experiment she'd done. She'd opened a tab on her browser and directed it to plus.google.com/explore, a stream that enables you to see the hottest content on Google+. In another tab, Chapman changed her gender on her Google+ profile from female to male, and then loaded the Explore page into another tab.

The difference was astonishing. "As a girl, I get stupid warm-fuzzy meaningless shit," Chapman writes on a post (http://goo.gl/ZDBxT). "As a guy, I get nerdy stuff. This is not okay. I get that [What's Hot] algorithms are based on what people click, like, share, comment on, etc. Fine. But I challenge anyone to give me one good reason why there should be such a drastic difference in less than ten seconds by simply changing... more »

2013-05-15 08:23:03 (500 comments, 1237 reshares, 2406 +1s)

What the hell man

2013-05-14 17:32:01 (22 comments, 25 reshares, 90 +1s)

#TurtleTuesday  

An albino baby sea turtle.

Albinism is a term which comes from the Latin "Albus" which means white. (If you're a fan of Harry Potter, remember "Albus Dumbledore?" There's a reason he had white hair.) 

It is a congenital disorder which is characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the body, and affects all vertebrates. The lack of pigment is a result of the absence of tyrosinase, a copper-containing enzyme involved in the production of melanin. 

2013-05-13 15:34:13 (32 comments, 15 reshares, 94 +1s)

#MondayMorning  

Current status. 

2013-05-13 05:16:07 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 19 +1s)

It's The Final Countdown! Watch the official trailer for the return of Arrested Development. All new episodes, May 26, only on Netflix. http://youtu.be/vzVhPCMAxWQ

2013-05-13 01:31:16 (29 comments, 42 reshares, 135 +1s)

This is why I'm not on Facebook anymore.

#Privacy  

http://youtu.be/JvQcabZ1zrk

2013-05-11 18:06:01 (13 comments, 12 reshares, 66 +1s)

Would you sing for a tank of gas? What song? 

 Via +Larry Fournillier. 

http://youtu.be/ZNM0ENUCO5I

2013-05-11 23:18:28 (225 comments, 233 reshares, 1147 +1s)

#Caturday  

Cat socks. These are pretty cool. 

2013-05-10 17:06:25 (35 comments, 70 reshares, 180 +1s)

Happy Friday

Here's a hedgehog in a hat. 

#TGIF