CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-20 08:19:27 (24 comments, 51 reshares, 67 +1s)

The arguments and false controversy over whether global warming exists (it does) and whether humans are responsible (we are) are ones generated by the public due to politics, deniers, interest groups, and lack of education.

According to the majority of climatologists and other informed analysts, most of the claims made by global warming skeptics on TV, online, and in print aren't based on legitimate science.

An extensive review of the scientific literature was just published on May 15, 2013 in Environmental Research Letters and is the most comprehensive meta-analysis on the subject ever performed to date.

The review looked at ~12,000 international studies on climate change from peer-reviewed scientific journals over the past 2 decades (1991-2011). Of these, ~4,000 studies specifically evaluated and expressed a stance on anthropogenic global warming: an... more »

2013-05-17 08:06:46 (11 comments, 14 reshares, 53 +1s)

Google Launches Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab

Google's quantum computer will be hosted at NASA's Ames Research Center where they plan to advance machine learning and pave the way for the next generation of efficient algorithms and powerful supercomputers.

http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2013/05/launching-quantum-artificial.html

#ArtificialIntelligence   #QuantumComputing   #DetectionAlgorithmA  

2013-05-16 18:22:25 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Last call for +Astronaut Abby's rocketship to the future! If you support STEM women, space, and dreaming big, consider helping 15-year-old Abigail Harrison reach her goal. She is SO close! Deadline is t-minus 40 hours left and counting!

Abby has been selected as the "Earth liaison" for an upcoming International Space Station expedition and wants to share her experiences with her peers via a global STEM outreach effort. Abby plans to reach 2,000 classrooms, speak at several national conferences, and write for science blogs and organizations. https://plus.google.com/114424163811716070551/posts/4EgP9uZ5A89

I believe this is important for several reasons, one of the biggest reasons being able to inspire a younger generation to do great things. In the past week, so many people have mentioned how much Cmdr. +Chris Hadfield has WOWed us all and that we would miss hisun... more »

2013-05-16 06:07:29 (18 comments, 36 reshares, 43 +1s)

[A bit of satiric comedy :) ]

Ever have the problem where you're trying to filter out melodramatic, close-minded, impetuous, or spoiled individuals, but combing through each circle becomes a bit tedious? Do you ever think, "Wouldn't it be great if there was a telltale psychological indicator revealing the maturity, sensibility, and poise (or lack thereof) of people in your circles?"

Us too. That's why starting today, we're happy to announce a great new feature we think you'll really enjoy. It's called the "initiative to Delete, Uncircle, Mute, and Block", or iDUMB for short.

Here's how it works:

Start by monitoring your stream very carefully. The moment a new update is rolled out, people will begin to make extremely negative, rebellious, hyperbolic, reactionary, and/or self-centered comments. (In other words, they... more »

2013-05-15 03:44:21 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

The director, a writer and some actors in the film "Star Trek Into Darkness" will join NASA astronauts as we host a Google+ Hangout On Air from noon to 12:45 p.m. EDT, May 16, about how work aboard the International Space Station is turning science fiction into reality.

Participating in the hangout will be NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, who currently is living and working aboard the space station; astronauts Michael Fincke and Kjell Lindgren at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston; director J.J. Abrams, screenwriter and producer Damon Lindelof; and stars of the film, Chris Pine, Alice Eve and John Cho. The participants will ask questions of each other and take questions from the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City (home of the space shuttle Enterprise), the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, and social media followers. 

Ask aque... more »

2013-05-14 20:01:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

"[G+] pages look set to become a mainstay of search results."

This would be reason enough for me to jump on this bandwagon -- I have set a personal goal of growing to 1,000 followers this quarter (small fries, I know, but a girl's gotta start somewhere) -- but my love for G+ doesn't stop with SEO. It's part of our everyday operations now. We use Google+ Hangouts for interviews with remote candidates (because everyone uses Gmail), I mine for trending topics to write about, I share articles with my coworker circle so we can brainstorm in a discussion thread.

Essentially, G+ isn't just for socializing. It's a collaboration and productivity tool that is seamless with other technologies I already use (Google Drive, Gmail, etc.). +Johnathan Chung +Google Enterprise   #google   #googleplus   #hangouts  

2013-05-09 22:03:28 (11 comments, 3 reshares, 24 +1s)

We're bringing together astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the Moon, and Conrad Anker, a world renowned climber who has summited Mount Everest, for a live Hangout. (Photo by Cory Richards, National Geographic) 

Join us on Monday, May 20 at 2 p.m. ET (7 p.m. UTC) to find out what it's like to push boundaries and take the ultimate risks.  

Use #LetsExplore to ask Aldrin and Anker about their experiences. http://bit.ly/11nXLuu

2013-05-09 04:42:59 (2 comments, 6 reshares, 20 +1s)

Abigail Harrison, also known as +Astronaut Abby, is a very bright, enthusiastic, and determined 15-year-old girl who dreams big: she aspires to be the first astronaut to set foot on Mars.

Below is a short clip about Astronaut Abby who has been interested in space since age 6 and later wanted to become an "astro navigator" :D

Her mentor is flight engineer and ESA astronaut +Luca Parmitano, whom Abby met 2 years ago while standing in line at the airport after the NASA Social Tweetup for the final voyage of Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Parmitano is set to launch to the International Space Station from the Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 29, 2013 as part of Expedition 36/37.

Not only will Abby be there in person as part of her #SoyuzAdventure  to share her experiences, but also will continue to promote STEM outreach as Parmitano's selected go-to person... more »

2013-05-04 06:09:35 (5 comments, 5 reshares, 40 +1s)

Solar Impulse’s 2013 Across America itinerary is now official!

Moffett Airfield (Mountain View, CA)
Sky Harbor International Airport (Phoenix, AZ) 
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas, TX) 
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (St. Louis, MO)
Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.) 
John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York City)

It looks like the next possible date for the kick-off of the 2013 Across America mission could be this Friday, May 3rd! Weather conditions permitting, the flight would take off from Moffett Airfield to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix (AZ). It will be an early departure, most likely before 6 am LT (UTC-7) with a landing after midnight local Phoenix time (UTC-7).
Join us in this incredible adventure! http://www.solarimpulse.com/join_us

© Solar Impulse | J. Revillard

2013-05-04 04:42:22 (5 comments, 5 reshares, 12 +1s)

Looks like debuting movie trailers and chatting with the movie's cast or crew using Google+ Hangouts has become a thing now :)

Steven Spielberg participated in one of the first major ones for Lincoln last September: Google Play presents: Steven Spielberg and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Will Smith and Jaden Smith's Hangout for +After Earth was 1.5 weeks ago: 
After Earth Google Hangout

Vin Diesel and the cast of +Fast & Furious 6 will hang out on Sunday, May 5th: https://plus.google.com/events/ckehnkde63kkr1ujbitd85ne4c4

+Ender's Game trailer world premiere and Hangout with director Gavin Hood, producer Bob Orci, and star Asa Butterfield is on Tuesday, May 7th: 
https://plus.google.com/events/cuito512urg0a64r6bc2ocuakuc

I'm sure there were others and will be many more!

2013-05-02 01:45:45 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Hoopes Vision Correction Center is hanging out in a live Hangout On Air. #hangoutsonair

2013-04-30 05:39:35 (13 comments, 23 reshares, 69 +1s)

Cyanide & Happiness is a great comic :)

The nature of science research...
http://www.explosm.net/comics/3155/

And after several decades, I just realized why they call them beakers: they have a small spout or "beak"!

Although technically this is an Erlenmeyer flask, not a beaker ;)

2013-04-30 03:54:12 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

SpaceShipTwo fires her rocket motor in flight for the first time, breaking the sound barrier. Today was an extremely important day for Virgin Galactic and for the future of human spaceflight. 

Photo credit: MarsScientific.com / Clay Observatory

2013-04-29 23:33:55 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 12 +1s)

Scientists have uncovered an audio file of Alexander Graham Bell recording himself and speaking in his laboratory. Learn more here: http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/25/4265300/alexander-graham-bell-telephone-inventor-voice-record-recovered

2013-04-28 02:42:41 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 38 +1s)

Tiwanaku, or Tiahuanaco in Spanish, is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Bolivia on the southeast shores of Lake Titicaca in the Andes over 12,500 feet above sea level.

The first written record in history of the ancient city was by Spanish conquistador Pedro Cieza de León in 1549. Astro-archaeologists believe Tiwanaku may have been inhabited as early as 1500 BC.

One of the most famous structures on site is a megalithic portal called Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun). It is 10 feet tall, 13 feet wide, weighs approximately 10 tons, and was constructed from a single piece of stone.

The lintel contains characters in the form of winged effigies with human faces or condor's heads surrounding a central figure. The main figure is holding staffs symbolizing rays of light.

Although there are several interpretations of the mysterious inscriptions found on the... more »

2013-04-27 21:27:33 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

Processing Data from the Large Hadron Collider

The LHC produces 600 million collisions every second in each detector generating 1 petabyte of data per second. After drastic data reduction measures down to 100 GB/s, tens of thousands of processors select out 1 in 100 of the remaining events.

The info is then collected in the CERN Data Center, reconstructed, and archived. Copies are sent to large-scale data centers involving hundreds of thousands of computers distributed around the world.

A network of more than 170 collaborating centers in 36 countries form the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG). Each day, WLCG processes more data than a corresponding single computer running for 600 years.

#WhereIsADA   #CERN   #LHC  

2013-04-27 05:36:03 (3 comments, 2 reshares, 24 +1s)

Monument to the Battle of the Nations

Völkerschlachtdenkmal is a monument to the 1813 Battle of Leipzig in Germany. It commemorates the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden defeating the French army of Napoleon.

The structure is 91 meters tall and one of the tallest monuments in Europe. The first level contains a crypt surrounded by eight large statues of fallen warriors next to smaller statues called the Totenwächter (Guards of the Dead). The second level, Ruhmeshalle (Hall of Fame), features four statues each 10 meters tall. They represent the four legendary historic qualities ascribed to the German people: bravery, faith, sacrifice, and fertility.

The main figure on the front of the memorial represents Archangel Michael, considered by some to be the "War God of Germans".

#awesomeportal   #nianticprojectresearch  <... more »

2013-04-27 04:21:45 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

The publishers of Alignment - Ingress by +Thomas Greanias have finally come to their senses and offered me a book deal that I am satisfied with, for now.

An Exotic Matter will contain 9 previously unreleased chapters, as well as a special addendum featuring exclusive, never before seen comic-art by the ghost artist, Tycho.

I welcome the +Niantic Project community's contributions as I finalize the cover for this book.

Submit your idea for the cover of the book as an image using #anexoticmatter . I will pick the submissions that were most outstanding on Wednesday, May 1st, and hold a contest to determine which cover should be chosen.

If you have read the first few chapters, submit a one sentence review ( also using #anexoticmatter ). I'm looking at you, +JoJo Stratton. The best review or a section of it, (chosen by me), will grace the... more »

2013-04-26 20:01:53 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

In Afghanistan, a Chinese mining company threatens to destroy the remains of an ancient Buddhist city, which archaeologists are now racing to excavate. 

2013-04-26 08:20:15 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 13 +1s)

Potential landing sites! I geek out about this stuff (technically 'selenography'---geography of the Moon).

Interesting to see +Astrobotic and +Moon Express as polar opposites here :D And the only teams really even attempting the highlands (mountains):

2013-04-23 02:48:23 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

Join us Tuesday, April 23rd at 9am PST for a special Google+ Hangout for After Earth!

The After Earth Day Google+ Hangout will be moderated by futurist +Ray Kurzweil, Google's director of engineering. Joining Kurzweil will be Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and the co-founder of Tesla Motors and PayPal; the environmental advocate, explorer and filmmaker +Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of Jacques-Yves Cousteau; NASA astronaut +Sunita Williams, an Indian American astronaut and a United States Navy officer who holds the record for longest space flight by a woman; and Jaden Smith and Will Smith, the stars of After Earth. On the literal day after Earth Day, they will discuss the future that awaits the human race on Planet Earth, in the context of the overall themes of the action-adventure. After Earth will inspire a conversation focusing on the important questions we face about the present... more »

2013-04-22 07:03:15 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 18 +1s)

Tomorrow at noon EDT, Mars One will make one of its biggest announcements yet at a press conference in New York. Follow it live by tuning in: Mars One Astronaut Selection Program

2013-04-19 04:58:20 (42 comments, 2 reshares, 6 +1s)

Shooting on MIT campus has occurred ~10:30pm EDT near Bldg. 32 (Stata Center on 32 Vassar St.)

MIT's The Tech, NBC, and CNN report Cambridge Police Department (Middlesex District Attorney) has confirmed that officer has died. FBI on scene.

Suspect is still on the loose, but the gun has been recovered. All students advised to stay indoors.

Last update 10 minutes ago from MIT emergency info says police are continuing to sweep the entire campus.

Tweet from The Tech 5 minutes ago:
According to Boston police scanner, carjacking [of Mercedes] & headed towards Harvard Sq. License plate 137NZ1.

Update: Police scanner (as of 12:50pm EDT) is reporting more shots fired. 2nd officer down. They have mentioned "explosives are on the scene"--grenades and automatic gun fire. Suspect has stolen a black 2010 Dodge Caliber.
more »

2013-04-18 06:01:27 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 8 +1s)

Fertilizer Plant Fire and Explosion in West, Texas

Around 7:50pm CDT, a fertilizer plant (West Fertilizer Co.) in the small town of West, Texas 18 miles north of Waco caught fire and then exploded, decimating the plant. Mayor Tommy Muska reported heavy destruction to a 5-6 block radius. The injured were being transported using six helicopters and over 2 dozen ambulances, as well as private cars and a bus. 50-75 homes damaged. As of a 11pm news conference, Muska reported the fires appeared to be under control.

USGS preliminary report revealed the blast shook the ground equivalent to a 2.1 earthquake.

As of 12:30am, WFAA mentioned 45 people were treated at Providence Hospital (1 critical condition, 17 more in triage); 94 treated at Hillcrest Hospital, with at least 30 in serious condition; 20 patients sent to the level 1 trauma center Scott & White Hospital in... more »

2013-04-18 02:35:00 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 12 +1s)

This trailer is not for a movie, it's not for a TV show and it's not for a computer game.
This trailer is for the largest instrument ever built by humanity. An enormous space-based gravitational wave detector that will measure distortions of space-time, revolutionize astronomy, our understanding of physics, and the past and future of our cosmos. That's it really.....enjoy! :)

2013-04-17 04:41:04 (0 comments, 10 reshares, 27 +1s)

Dark Energy

A nicely written, short and simplified 4-page "field guide" and primer on dark energy: http://chandra.si.edu/xray_astro/dark_energy/

• What is dark energy?
• What is the evidence for dark energy?
• How much of the universe is dark energy?
• What are the current models and alternatives to dark energy?

Of course, there is also fun video introducing the concept of dark energy by +Henry Reich of MinutePhysics :D 2011 Nobel Prize: Dark Energy feat. Sean Carroll

Image: A composite of the Tycho supernova remnant combining X-ray and infrared observations obtained with +NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Spitzer Space Telescope, respectively. This type of supernova has been used to determine that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, possibly due to dark energy.

2013-04-16 04:42:53 (17 comments, 34 reshares, 98 +1s)

Archaeologists recently uncovered an ancient Egyptian harbor that predates any other known port structure in the world by 1,000 years. Along with the discovery are the oldest papyri ever found in Egypt, including some documenting daily activities of an official involved in building the the Great Pyramid.

2013-04-15 04:01:34 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

The Antilla Wreck, Aruba

The team leave Aruba today after a very windy 4 days surveying the western length of the island. A highlight for the team was this dive on the wreck of the Antilla, a German merchant ship that was scuttled by her crew during WWII. 

See more from the survey team here: http://www.catlinseaviewsurvey.com/

2013-04-07 23:02:16 (6 comments, 14 reshares, 42 +1s)

Great use of HTML5! 

Check this out: http://www.distancetomars.com/

2013-04-01 10:57:40 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 26 +1s)

Google Nose: First Review

I know you will see this a million times today, but it snot your average update. As I've said elsewhere, this smelled a little fishy to me at first too, up until the point I was actually invited to join their exclusive Nose Explorer™ program. I did have to pay out the nose to get it, but revolutionary technology like this is worth every penny and scent. Totally not something to sneeze at.

Not only do early adopters get to tour their state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, they also get to learn about the unique history and secrets behind their ol' factories too. They also provide a sneak peek (waft?) of upcoming security features like automatic "smelt-it dealt-it" detection and protection from malicious online "smell ya later alligator" attacks.

Google has already applied for patents on sniffing packets over an... more »

2013-04-01 09:09:47 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

You asked for Fiber in more places, and we've worked hard to make that happen. 

Introducing: Google Fiber to the Pole (coming to a fiberhood near you!)

For more information, and to locate a pole near you, visit google.com/fiber/poles

2013-04-01 06:43:40 (4 comments, 5 reshares, 14 +1s)

We are so thrilled to introduce to you one of the most highly anticipated courses on Coursera, taught by world-renowned anthropologist, Phineas Dunne. Be one of the first students to sign up: http://bit.ly/YPz96z! First 1000 students may be chosen to participate in a real life research project with the Professor!

2013-04-01 03:12:01 (17 comments, 28 reshares, 95 +1s)

This has changed my outlook on the world of email dramatically!

"How do we completely redesign and recreate something while keeping it exactly the same?" ;) lol

It's definitely a game changer. I've been waiting for a company to implement this feature for a long time. I think people really underestimate the psychological impact of blue. Some experts claim it's even more powerful than cotton, shale, tangerine, or coal (emerald sea green is debatable). The fact that Gmail can pull this off is a testament to Google's resourcefulness, talent, and vision. Great updates today!

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/introducing-gmail-blue.html

2013-04-01 01:45:09 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 13 +1s)

YouTube to Close Site to Contest Submissions

Since 2005, YouTube has collected submissions for best video on their site. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Now that they finally have enough content, tomorrow night they will close in order to begin reviewing contest entries until a winner is announced in 2023.

Tune into their live ceremony tomorrow--and every day for the next two years--where they will announce the nominees: YouTube Announces The Nominees For Best Video (Day 1)

More info: http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2013/03/youtube-contest-submissions-closing_31.html

2013-04-01 01:17:44 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

Archeological analysis has confirmed the discovery of one of history’s long lost relics: a #treasuremap belonging to the infamous pirate, William “Captain” Kidd. The map is rumored to contain encrypted symbols and clues leading to his legendary treasures. Read on: http://goo.gl/tTEm9

We’ve scanned the #treasuremap and created a digital copy so everyone can join the treasure hunt: http://goo.gl/pB4gm

Stay tuned and let us know what Easter eggs your find on the #treasuremap!

2013-03-28 21:34:21 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

#ingress #nianticproject 
28 March 2013

Ingress Report: Moyer Claims Common Goal, Alignment with PAC

A new weekly broadcast on the state of Ingress battle for the control of Exotic Matter (XM) and surrounding population Mind Units (MU) from portal locations across the globe was launched earlier today, sources say [1].

Susanna Moyer, who recently revealed herself on PAC's site [2] as a proponent of his investigative work, appears to be at the helm of this initiative.

Consumer scanner technology [3] developed by Niantic Project Laboratories was leaked to the public back on November 15, 2012. In an act of ongoing subterfuge, NPL and its government affiliate parent organization have been clamoring to hide what is turning out to be the cover-up of the century.

In what has been largely branded as conspiracy theorist nonsense, an unconfirmed... more »

2013-03-20 19:07:05 (1 comments, 10 reshares, 16 +1s)

Favorite Posts just got a whole lot better!
Version 2.0 - goo.gl/4werF

After a long time of no updates, I’m glad to announce that the extension just received some major improvements. It will be rolled to you automatically over the course of the next few days. The extension has been rewritten from scratch to make it much more stable and extensible going forwards. Here’s what’s new (make sure to check out the attached images as well!):

Important Note when Updating: You will be asked to re-enable the extension manually because the extension requires “more” permissions. This is not completely right. The URL of the Favorite Posts Server has changed, which causes the message. Apart from that the extension actually requires less permissions now (see below).

Support for Pocket (formerly ReadItLater) - You can now send posts that you like not onlyto Instap... more »

2013-03-15 00:15:51 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

Bletchley Park: Home of the Codebreakers

+Google Cultural Institute has announced today its partnership with Bletchley Park Trust to preserve and promote digital feature exhibits from their archives: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/sharing-stories-of-bletchley-park-home.html

Bletchley Park was considered the center of code-breaking for WWII Allied forces where the Enigma code was deciphered. More fascinating photos and history can be explored here:  http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/exhibit/bletchley-park-home-of-the-codebreakers/wRANFg9s?position=0%2C-1

Below is a separate excellent video from +Numberphile showing in detail how an actual Enigma Machine works. Without knowing the key settings (which were reset on a daily basis), there would be 158,962,555,217,826,360,000 possible combinations to try!

2013-03-14 05:05:55 (24 comments, 6 reshares, 13 +1s)

The End of Google Reader

Google Reader will be discontinued on July 1, 2013. I haven't used it frequently enough to want to ragequit the internet, but I will still miss it.

+Lifehacker and +CNET discuss some alternatives: 
• http://lifehacker.com/5990456/google-reader-is-getting-shut-down-here-are-the-best-alternatives
• http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-57574201-233/google-reader-is-dying-but-we-have-five-worthy-alternatives/

Also, kudos to +feedly for having a seamless transition in place: 
http://blog.feedly.com/2013/03/14/google-reader/

I think I will try Feedly first since it automatically syncs to #Reader  and seems to have decent search, bookmark, sharing, and customization options.

Which service do you use?

2013-03-13 08:18:00 (3 comments, 9 reshares, 23 +1s)

Best. Lego. machine. ever.
A paper airplane factory and launcher.

2013-03-12 00:52:55 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 33 +1s)

"OK Glass, revise history."

+Sarah Price shared this article showing historical photos of people wearing Google Glass: http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/10/4086016/photoshop-this-google-glass-throughout-history

Here's one I made of Nikola Tesla :)

#tesla   #googleglass  

2013-03-11 05:47:32 (52 comments, 83 reshares, 319 +1s)

Meet Quokka, the happiest animal in the world :)

#grumpycat   #watchout  http://goo.gl/zGGhJ

2013-03-09 03:20:08 (7 comments, 37 reshares, 104 +1s)

Japanese artist Takahiro Iwasaki

Art includes topographical maps carved into rolls of electrical tape and miniature delicate sculptures made with thread :)

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/02/takahiro-iwasaki/

2013-03-06 10:04:47 (0 comments, 7 reshares, 29 +1s)

There is nothing on this planet that makes me more angry than the terrible state of the health care system in America. Last year I was charged $6,000 for a 30 minute checkup and x-ray for my son by El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA.

My kid fell off the monkey bars at the local park and was crying really hard for an extended period of time, so I wanted to be sure that he hadn't broken anything. (My dad is a Cardiologist and always took us right into the hospital when we broke a bone or needed stitches as a kid). My son and I spent 3 hours at the ER in total, but a nurse and doctor saw him for all of 15 minutes (the rest of the time was waiting around). Two weeks later we got the $6,000 bill, $5,400 of which was paid by our insurance. This bill was for an x-ray, a quick examination by a careless ER doc, and a prescription for some pain medication.

In hindsight I should have... more »

2013-03-01 08:56:53 (7 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Could you spend 501 days alone with someone in a 33-cubic-foot (0.93-cubic-meter) space? New plans to send a man and a woman to flyby Mars in 2018 were announced yesterday.

2013-02-28 20:46:29 (2 comments, 8 reshares, 37 +1s)

A special edition of the interview with +Vic Gundotra in +Sosial direkte #16 - 27th of February 2013

This is a half an hour interview with Vic Gundotra from Google, taking place as part of the Sosial direkte show on the 27th of February 2013.

Content: (note: clickable timestamps)
01:06 Connecting people
02:06 The Google+ Project
04:48 The social destination
05:30 New sign in feature 
07:42 The numbers of Google+
09:35 Headway on Facebook?
12:37 The stay tuned list
14:15 Social search
16:58 Mobile & The Cloud
18:51 Google for Enterprises
19:44 Ads on Google+?
21:17 YouTube and Google+
22:34 Communities & engagement
24:00 The future in 10-30 years
25:12 Vic's favorite features

TV hosts: +Jan Espen Pedersen and +Morten Myrstad
Guest: +Vic Gundotra, Senior Vice PresidentEngin... more »

2013-02-27 23:02:13 (10 comments, 12 reshares, 16 +1s)

Bombermine
A Massively Multiplayer Online Bomberman Game

This is awesome, especially for any 80s gaming fan. Bomberman revamped for up to 1000 players on a single map!

http://bombermine.com/

There is also "observer mode" if you just want to watch the chaos unfold :D

Photo: Nuclear bomb detonation with Nyan-cat disease :P

2013-02-27 05:38:55 (3 comments, 4 reshares, 25 +1s)

Funny video of Anne with Glass at Oscars.

2013-02-25 06:56:17 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 27 +1s)

3Doodler is a really cool 3D printing pen! You may have already seen the video below, but what's impressive is 5 days into their Kickstarter launch, they've already raised $1.8 million -- far beyond their initial goal of $30,000.

Looks like fun :) If you had one, what is the first thing you'd draw or make?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1351910088/3doodler-the-worlds-first-3d-printing-pen

2013-02-24 22:29:58 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 30 +1s)

Forging Facts with Data
Is wearing a red shirt in Star Trek as hazardous as it is thought to be?

An example of using statistical analysis to clarify commonly misquoted observations in the world of Star Trek:

• In the context of personnel specifically from the Enterprise, red shirts do in fact suffer more casualties.
• When taking into account the entire population, the highest number of fatalities is actually from yellow-shirt personnel.
• If you're wearing a red shirt AND work in security (as opposed to operations or engineering), then you'll soon find out what it's like to be an adult mayfly...

http://www.significancemagazine.org/details/webexclusive/4381371/Keep-your-redshirt-on-a-bayesian-exploration-of-character-deaths-in-Star-Trek.html

#sciencesunday