tagged w/ Current.com Blog
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Hello!
Since my nickname is telekinesis, I decided to make this weekend's picks all related to the mind and brain! =)
First up, "Study finds cellular phones affect memory" (http://current.com/items/89596639/study_finds_cellular_phones_affect_memory.htm) from HolyCity2012.
I finally have an explanation for why I forget people's birthdays (including family). According to the article, rat experiments at Lund University in Sweden showed that rats exposed to cell phone radiation for two hours a week for more than a year displayed poorer results in memory tests than rats that had not been exposed to the radiation. After reading this, I am no longer going to put my phone on the night stand next to my bed anymore. I may even buy a phone with speaker functions just so I don’t have to hold it up next to my head =P Check out the article to see what the memory tests consisted of.
Next, we have "Memories may be stored on your DNA" (http://current.com/items/89598071/memories_may_be_stored_on_your_dna.htm) from Sons_Of_Liberty.
Researchers from the University of Alabama say that long-term memory may be preserved by "a process called DNA methylation - the addition of chemical caps called methyl groups onto our DNA." So basically, if I forget something due to the radiation from my wireless phone, I can get scientists to bring it back using my DNA? The article also says that when cells divide, these "cellular memories" are passed on to the new cells. The experiment, also performed on rats, is a huge breakthrough. Imagine the kind of cures scientists can design to help memory! I can't help but think about Plato's (Greek philosopher) belief that the process of learning was the process of remembering. He believed that our souls already contained all the answers of the universe and all we have to do is remember them. Check out the article for more details on the experiment.
Finally, we have "Brain tests show child wealth gap" (http://current.com/items/89599183/brain_tests_show_child_wealth_gap.htm) from BuddyP.
According to this article, experiments from the University of California Berkeley found that brains of children from low-income families process information -- relating to problem solving -- differently than those of children from wealthier families. Researchers say activity in the "prefrontal cortex" of the brain was lower from children who came from low income families. This would explain why I didn't get into Harvard! If the researchers are trying to imply something about educational opportunities, then yes, this is obvious. But I think there are many other factors to consider too. Check out this interesting study!
teLE*Hello!
Since my nickname is telekinesis, I decided to make this weekend's... more
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So, I've decided to do things a little different this year. I'm doing my New Years resolution for the month before New Years instead of after (who the hell lasts more than a month with those things anyways). So I'm not drinking till New Years eve, and then I'm gonna drink a whole bunch (if you see me New Years night wandering the streets talking to an invisible man about where to get some tacos please feel free to put me in a cab and send me home).
Anyways, in the spirit of sobriety, let's make fun of people that are drunk and high.
http://current.com/items/89584966/drunken_german_army_too_fat_to_fight_taleban.htm
Bahahaha... Wow, the German Army is too drunk and fat to fight the Taliban, what a great way to protest war - eat and drink yourself to the point of military uselessness. America, let's eat and drink our way to peace! Oh wait, oh yeah.. We're America, all we do is eat and drink. Well, keep it up America, you're doing a great job!
On to the more sinister side of war partying :
http://current.com/items/89586916/were_the_mumbai_terrorists_fueled_by_coke.htm
It looks like the terrorists that rampaged in Mumbai last week used injections of cocaine and LSD to help keep them going. Holy crap that is the scariest thing I can ever imagine - hate-filled coked-out war mongers tripping balls on a mission from god to destroy everything. The jihadists of yesteryear look tame compared to this new breed. I for one am terrified.
Finally, after all this partying.. What better to do than to have a spicy, steaming hot bowl of curry.
http://current.com/items/89569358/police_feed_curries_to_drugs_suspect.htm
After a suspect allegedly consumed his drug supply the police wanted to get their hands on it. Rather than be patient, they decided to feed him an array of curries to speed up the process. Those cops are going to be the happiest anyone has ever been about diarrhea. Gross.
So what's the lesson of all this? I guess it's... It's.... "War ain't no reason to stop the party; being force fed curry by police however, is."
Pictured: A group of party goers? Or a small army ready to unleash havoc?So, I've decided to do things a little different this year. I'm doing my... more
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Hello everyone,
Some of you may have tried to tune into channel 366 on DirecTV over the weekend, only to find that Current was no longer there. Gasp! We were a little taken aback by this as well. It turns out that DirecTV was doing some preliminary testing on their end to prepare for our move from channel 366 to channel 358 on 12/3.
Sadly, it turned out that the testing resulted in a bug that caused some of you to lose Current temporarily over the holiday. You'll be happy to know that the bug has been sorted out, and starting 12/3 we will be available on DirecTV at our new listing home: channel 358.
A huge thank you to everyone who sent concerned emails and tweets our way, we're deeply sorry for any confusion this move may have caused. If you're interested in checking out the new DirecTV channel lineup, you can download their .pdf here: http://www.directv.com/see/pdf/chnllineup.pdf?footernavtype=-1
Relieved? Concerned? Let us know what you think with a response below.
Best,
Mario
Online Community Team
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Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaHello everyone,
Some of you may have tried to tune into channel 366 on DirecTV over... more
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Hi Currenteers,
This Saturday's picks are........
First we have an article titled "One million beers later and its a unique Buddhist temple" (http://current.com/items/89572327/one_million_beers_later_and_its_a_unique_buddhist_temple.htm) from user Brian_Calvert about a Buddhist temple near the Cambodian border made from beer bottles. WOW! Did they drink all that? Haha, nah! The article says the bottles were donated from local communities. Check out the article to see what else in the temple is made out of beer bottles ;) --- Oh, and the pictures are super too!
Next, we have "Military Hospital In China Conducts Face Transplants" (http://current.com/items/89572751/military_hospital_in_china_conducts_face_transplants.htm) an article from user nazbags. Did you also think of the movie "Face Off" when you read that title? Unlike the movie, however, the patients of these procedures are victims of accidents and attacks. In the past, there were partial face transplants, but China is attempting to perform the first full facial transplant. Warning, there is a video on the source site that is a bit graphic.
This last one seems like something from a movie, it's titled "Baby born 'pregnant'"(http://current.com/items/89570069/baby_born_pregnant.htm) from user nazbags. This one is totally weird. A baby in Saudi Arabia was born with a fetus -- its twin -- growing inside her. The mother was pregnant with two fetuses, but some how one of them ended up growing inside the other. This is the first time I've ever heard of something like this, but apparently, according to the comments, this is not something new. Check out the story and the comments and let us know if you've heard of anymore cases like this one.
Have a good weekend everyone!
tele*Hi Currenteers,
This Saturday's picks are........
First we have an article... more
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Now that I got your attention with that sexy photo: Welcome to this week's favorite 2 articles!
First up, yup you guessed wrong, it's not about the sexy guy in a bra, it's an article titled "Florida Boy Arrested For Passing Gas" (http://current.com/items/89553485/florida_boy_arrested_for_passing_gas.htm) submitted by Bigdog_mike.
A 12 year old boy in Florida was arrested for farting in class and shutting off several computers. Apparently, the farting and shutting off of computers was so severe it "disrupted" class and the school had to call 911 to arrest him. Since when do kids get arrested for farting? Farts are SUPPOSED to disrupt class. What are you supposed to do, sit there and pretend it didn't happen? I never ripped one in class but I will never forget all the times someone did release one --- good times, good times. I mean, even the teachers laughed. This kid now has a juvenile record for farting...for FARTING! That kid is an angel compared to me. I was kind of a class clown from K-12 and I disrupted class every day, in every class, so thank God the schools here ain't so mean or I would've been locked up in Alcatraz.
Next, we have the story you've been waiting for, "Bra for the boys" (http://current.com/items/89554033/bra_for_the_boys.htm) submitted by TravG73.
This has got to be one of best marketing scams of all time. A bra for men (although according to Seinfeld, it would be called "The Bro") ?!?! Are you kidding?!?! What's the difference?!?!? WOW, SUCKERS! I mean, is it considered *for men* because of the new masculine colors they come in now? Does it have our favorite team logos and comic book heros? I just want to know what exactly makes it for men. I tried searching on the internet for pictures, and all the bras/bros I saw look exactly like women's. I just hope they ain't paying more than the women.
Good night everyone!
tele*Now that I got your attention with that sexy photo: Welcome to this week's... more
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We've had a busy couple of weeks over here at Current. In case you missed it, our re-build went out with some enhancements to search, RSS feeds, and the return of the jumbo footer.
Read more here: http://current.com/items/89517212/deployment_complete_improved_search_rss_feeds_and_the_return_of_the_jumbo_footer.htm
The team has been working hard on bug fixes, but if you happen to come across any strange behavior shoot us an email at support [at] current.com.
// HP VCAM Winners! //
The HP VCAM assignment winners have been selected. This round was the most successful VCAM to date, with over 150 submissions! The field was so strong that HP selected to purchase a total of 5 submissions which are the following:
1) Community Printing
http://current.com/items/89413552_community_printing
2) Hey Ben!
http://current.com/items/89378056_hp_wireless_ad_hey_ben
3) It’s Not Me It’s You
http://current.com/items/89365738_it_s_not_me_it_s_you
4) Wireless Team
http://current.com/items/89411731_wireless_team
5) You’re Gonna Get it
http://current.com/items/89408199_you_re_gonna_get_it
Congrats to everyone who participated! Read more here: http://current.com/items/89498401/hp_results.htm
// VC2 Leaderboard Winner //
Our VC2 leaderboard winner this week is titled Custom Kicks, and it comes from VC2 producer DonQ. In his own words, "Artist Josiah gives us his introduction, instruction, and reflection of the emerging retroactive urban art medium in Los Angeles. Taking the art of graffiti to another level..."
Take a look and leave him a comment on the pod. Congrats, DonQ!
View Custom Kicks: http://current.com/items/89486588/custom_kicks.htm
See more contributions from tommytoyz: http://current.com/users/DonQ
Since we missed posting last week, let's give a little love to our VC2 leaderboard winner for the week prior. This one comes to us from Danielmklopp, and it's titled Peanuts 4 Peru. Here is his description, "Risking infection, social conflict, and international challenges, social service professionals from Ohio in North America prepare to embark on global connection of experiencing impacting life changes with individuals and families from Peru..."
Take a look and leave him a comment on the pod. Congrats, Danielmklopp!
View Peanuts 4 Peru: http://current.com/items/89430819/peanuts_4_peru.htm
See more contributions from tommytoyz: http://current.com/people/tommytoyz
// Top 5 Contributors on Current.com //
Once again, here are your top 5 contributors from last week:
bmltv (222 items)
http://current.com/users/bmltv
TravG73 (70 items)
http://current.com/users/TravG73
dankitti (53 items)
http://current.com/users/dankitti
itenerantsurf (52 items)
http://current.com/users/wlwatkins
doithengiaorg (46 items)
http://current.com/users/doithengiaorg
And, since we skipped last week, here are the top 5 contributors for the week of 11/03 - 11/09:
bmltv (159 items)
http://current.com/users/bmltv
WhichWayIsUp (101 items)
http://current.com/users/WhichWayIsUp
TWO-WAY TIE FOR THIRD!!
bedeboop (77 items)
http://current.com/users/bedeboop
AND
DeliaTheArtist (77 items)
http://current.com/users/DeliaTheArtist
doithegiaorg (72 items)
http://current.com/users/doithegiaorg
TravG73 (65 items)
http://current.com/users/TravG73
So there you have it, an overview of the last two weeks on Current. If you missed anything, now is your chance to pick up where you left off. I'll see you here next week for another recap!
Best,
Mario
Online Community Team
Subscribe to our blog: http://recp.rm05.net/servlet/SignUpForm?f=154944
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Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaWe've had a busy couple of weeks over here at Current. In case you missed it, our... more
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I know some of you are anxiously awaiting your Current gear, and I apologize for the delay in getting it out. As you can see, it's taking over our office, but we're getting everything packed up and shipped out as quickly as we can.
I know some of you are wondering how you can get your hands on this Current gear, so here are some of the frequently asked questions regarding swag.
//How do I get Current swag?//
See those colored bars next to your icon? Those represent your level in each of our leveling tracks--contributor, commentator, and producer. Once you reach a certain level in any of those tracks, we send you some Current gear. For more details on how to level up, check out our blog post: http://current.com/items/89169526/leveling_up_is_your_ticket_to_swag_here_s_how.htm
//I got an email saying I leveled, up why haven't I gotten any swag yet?//
We ship swag out on a monthly basis. You'll get an email from one of us here at Current reminding you to update your mailing address. We may also ask you for tee shirt size, or other information we might need.
If you leveled up in October, chances are you haven't heard from us yet, but don't worry, we haven't forgotten you! We're just waiting on the swag fairy to deliver some more Current gear so we have enough sizes for everyone. Once that happens, we'll get everything packed up as quickly as we can.
//I leveled up ages ago and never got my swag. What happened?//
There are a couple of reasons that you may not have received your Current gear. First of all, did you update your mailing address? If you don't have a mailing address on your account, we don't have anywhere to ship things. If your mailing address isn't accurate, your package may have been returned as undeliverable.
If your address was accurate, and nothing appeared, you might also want to check with your housemates or neighbors. We ship the majority of our packages using FedEx, and they do require that someone accepts the package. We can see that a package has been signed for, but not who accepted it, so it's possible that someone forgot to tell you about it.
If you have entered an address in your account, but haven't gotten anything, please send me a private message on Current and I'll look into it. We do get some packages returned, and we'll try our best to contact anyone whose package is sent back, but sometimes shipping labels are damaged so please don't hesitate to let me know if you haven't received anything! Unfortunately, we are unable to reship packages that have been signed for, so you might want to ask your roommate where she or he got that new Current shirt from...
Best,
Steph
Online Community Team
Subscribe to our blog: http://feeds.current.com/topic/77589461.rss
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/sgwhites
Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/quirkyknitgirlI know some of you are anxiously awaiting your Current gear, and I apologize for the... more
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There were a lot of interesting stories on Current this Saturday. Some made me mad, some raised questions, and then there are those that create wonder. I decided to include one of each:
This first story is from TravG73, titled "Man cleared of rape because he was sleepwalking" (http://current.com/items/89530536/man_cleared_of_rape_because_he_was_sleepwalking.htm). Yes, it is exactly as it reads. A man was cleared of rape because he was sleepwalking. That was his defense and the jury bought it. According to the law in the UK, "a defendant is guilty of rape if an attack is intentional." The jury bought the story that he could not remember the incident because he was sleepwalking, so therefore, the attack was not intentional. EPIC FAIL OF BIBLICAL PORPORTIONS! Everyone in that courtroom, FAILED. So basically, I can go to the UK, get drunk off my ass, rape someone, pass out and get away with it because I don't remember the crime and thus not intentional? More to the point, this ruling opens the flood gates for this kind of defense from rapists all over their country! Rape is rape whether you were asleep or not, intentionall or uintentional. Check out TravG73's post for more on this rediculous story.
This next story is from tjanssen and titled "Did your laptop cause the war in Congo?" (http://current.com/items/89531699/did_your_laptop_cause_the_war_in_congo.htm). Ever heard of Coltan? It's been controversial the last few years. Coltan is a metallic ore from which is extracted the elements niobium and tantalum. It is primarily used to make capacitors for electronics. It is found in just about every electronic device you can imagine. From Playstations to Anti-lock braking systems. The argument from this article is that the profits from Coltan is being used to finance wars in the Congo, exploitation of children for labor, and other problems akin to "Blood Diamonds." There has been many articles over the years that try to make consumers responsible for such financing of wars in Africa. For example, I remember one article putting blame on Playstation owners.
Wait a second...I don't walk into an electronic store thinking, "mmmm there's Coltan in that device, I'll buy it because it helps finance wars." The amount of Coltan used in our daily electronics aren't even very much. Moreover, according to The United States Geological Survey, their 2006 yearbook reports that the Democratic Republic of the Congo produces a little less than 1% of the world's tantalum. It seems clear to me the responsibility is on the companies that purchase the Coltan from the DRC. Right?
Our last story ends this blog on a more positive note. It is an article from BuddyP titled "Google Earth revives ancient Rome" (http://current.com/items/89530751/google_earth_revives_ancient_rome.htm). Google has recreated the ancient city of Rome with the help of five centuries worth of research, from architects, archaeologist, to artists. Rome can now be virtually toured using Google Earth. This is so F'ing awesome. Just imagine the possibilities! It's kind of like time travel! Pretty soon we can have ancient Egypt, or how about ancient [insert the name of your city/neighborhood]. I can't wait to see a virtual San Francisco from the Gold Rush!
Peace Out!
teleThere were a lot of interesting stories on Current this Saturday. Some made me mad,... more
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It was a long journey, but we finally made it to the other side of the rebuild tunnel. Before we dive into what's new on Current.com, let's take a moment to thank our awesome team of developers who spent the last few months working tirelessly to make this happen. (Seriously guys, leave them a comment below!)
So what's new?
// New and Improved Search //
As we mentioned in our previous post, searching for content on Current.com has now been vastly improved. Give it a whirl: http://current.com/search/0.htm?q=Monkeys&loc=false&x=0&y=0&s=on&v=on&r=on
A couple of things to note, individual stories are now separated from topics and members. You can now easily select to search the entire Current.com site, or restrict your results to US only. Also, get more granular results by checking off stories, videos, or responses. Don't worry, you can still sort by best match and newest.
// At long last -- RSS feeds //
Yep, they've been long overdue, and we'd be remiss to leave them out of such a major release. So here you are, brand spankin' new RSS feeds for every topic on Current.com. Simply click on the RSS button in the URL bar of your browser, and add the feed to your feed reader of choice. Now you can subscribe to our blog posts without extra inbox clutter! Yay!
http://current.com/topics/77589461/current_com_blog/new/0.htm
// The Jumbo Footer Returns! //
The issues surrounding the much-loved jumbo footer have all been resolved, so now you can see all of the most recent comments posted on Current.com, right from the comfort of the footer. That means every single page has a bonus for those who scroll down to the bottom. Woo hoo!
// Autoplay, Begone! //
We realize that many people don't like autoplay for videos, and we actually have a workaround for this. Since this is an entirely new build of the site, those of you who already used our autoplay trick will have to redo it. Here's how:
Add ?SAP=true after any URL that contains a video that was uploaded to Current.com (NOTE: this won't work for embeds from YouTube or any other source). For example, here is Kevin Rose's interview with Al Gore, with the autoplay turned off. Just click the link and you will be autoplay free!
http://current.com/items/89504054/current_presents_digg_dialogg_al_gore.htm?SAP=true
To reverse this, change "true" to "false."
// Feedback //
So there you have it, our latest release in a nutshell. Now we're certain that issues will crop up over the next week, so if you come across any bugs or strange behavior, please let us know ASAP by reporting a problem over on Get Satisfaction:
http://getsatisfaction.com/currentcom
If you want, you can also send an email to support [at] current.com. In addition, let us know what you think of the new stuff on the site. How are things working?
Remember, your input fuels the future here at Current, so be sure to chime in with a comment below.
Best,
Mario
Online Community Team
Subscribe to our blog: http://feeds.current.com/topic/77589461.rss
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Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaIt was a long journey, but we finally made it to the other side of the rebuild tunnel.... more
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Now that two of our big social media experiments have come and gone, we're getting asked the question, "So, um...what's next for Current?" Well, today we're unleashing the biggest set of changes to Current.com yet, and if all goes well, no one will even notice!
What does that mean? While a good chunk of the Current team was working hard on the Twitter, 12seconds, and Digg mash-ups for the election and the debates, our die-hard team of developers were carefully working on a rebuild of Current.com. This meant going back over each and every line of code, and rewriting the site using an entirely new architecture that will help improve site performance and increase our capability to do more cool and open stuff in the not–too-distant future.
So, the "no one will even notice" thing might be a little misleading. The idea is, the site you know and love will remain pretty much as is with very little in the way of visual changes. Pages might load a little faster, and you may even find that the site handles a little better when doing some of the basics. That isn't to say that few extras weren't thrown in here and there. For example, the team took some time to make some improvements to our search, and you might also notice that the long anticipated RSS feeds are finally here.
In order to release this new build, we will be taking the site down for some scheduled maintenance tonight from 8-10pm PST. We hope to have this wrapped up pretty quickly, but we apologize for the downtime. Come back after 10pm and give both the new search and the RSS feeds a test drive!
Why the rebuild? Well aside from performance improvements, this new architecture sets us up for the future. We plan to build a set of developer APIs, and open up Current to communities and content all over the web. To kick things off, we'll be releasing a host of new tools for Current in the not-too-distant future, and we hope to add to the list of "already built" tools in the coming months.
In the meantime, what would you like to see on Current.com? What would you like to be able to do with Current in general? Leave us a comment, share your ideas, and tell us what you think!
Best,
Mario
Online Community Team
Subscribe to our blog: http://recp.rm05.net/servlet/SignUpForm?f=154944
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Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaNow that two of our big social media experiments have come and gone, we're... more
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Hi Currentians,
This Saturday I decided to part from the usual theme oriented blog and just pick three stories that brought back some old laughs, questions, and thoughts.
First up is an article titled "Honda unveils wearable robotic walker" [ http://current.com/items/89505449_honda_unveils_wearable_robotic_walker ] submitted by dissimulator. This is the latest version in Honda's robotic-assisted-walking "gadget." I say "latest version" because I recall articles in recent years about the same assisted-walking device also from Honda (http://getrobo.typepad.com/getrobo/2007/10/honda-uses-asim.html). From what I've read, these assisted walking machines are engineered with the same technology as Asimo, a Honda robot. So before you break out your hard earned for these fancy legs, take a look at this video first for a demonstration of the walking abilities of Asimo (make sure you don't have food or drinks in your mouth): http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/robots/honda-asimo-vs-slippery-stairs-220771.php I guess if you need an assisted-walking device, you should be taking elevators huh?
This next is one is titled "Personal flying saucers to hit market soon" [ http://current.com/items/89506227_personal_flying_saucers_to_hit_market_soon ] submitted by Bigdog_mike. I am willing to bet the first image that came to your mind was the Jetsets and their flying saucer-like cars right? This article is about the M200X, a flying/hover vehicle from Moller International. Believe it or not, this thing has been around since the early 90's. I remember seeing this in the Popular Mechanics magazines that I used to subscribe to. So Moller is ready to sell these cars to the public as early as next year and starts from about $90K. Hmm, Mercedes or flying saucer? A big YAY for flying cars right? Flying at about 10 feet high and going at least 75 MPH, I'd say so. I can't wait to see some rich guy flying one of these down the 101, but until then...take a look at this cool video I found of the M200 in action from Moller's website: http://www.moller.com/videom200x.htm and check out the article from Bigdog_mike for more info.
And finally, "Scientists turn tequila into diamonds" also from Bigdog_mike [ http://current.com/items/89504374_scientists_turn_tequila_into_diamonds ]. When I was reading this article, the first thing I thought of was -- and I'm sure I wasn't the only guy -- WEDDING RING! Why spend thousands of dollars when you can make one yourself...from home? I know this process is in it's early stages and so far they've only created diamond *films*, but I think it's only a matter of time before we have DIY kits! This article also reminded me of a conversation I had with my sister about lab-created diamonds. Lab diamonds are every bit as real and sometimes superior to mined diamonds. So I asked my sister, since lab diamonds are basically real diamonds without all the slavery and bloodshed as "blood-diamonds" (which are mixed in to the market with non-blood diamonds), would she be okay with a wedding ring carrying one of these lab-created rocks? Before I even got to finish my question, she already said no and told her boyfriend he better not pull a fast one like that. Does it really matter?Hi Currentians,
This Saturday I decided to part from the usual theme oriented blog... more
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Hi Currenters (Currentators, Currentians?)! It’s time for the topic of the week again, and I know you’ve been waiting all week for it.
I was browsing the new items as usual and I came across the story “Should Kids Be Able to Graduate After 10th Grade?,” which is a pretty interesting article about New Hampshire education officials trying to change and improve the education system. I’m not sure that having students test out and graduate two years early is the best plan, but I also know next to nothing about education our education system, so I’ll just stop there and let you all read it and decide for yourselves.
http://current.com/items/89502786_should_kids_be_able_to_graduate_after_10th_grade
From there I came across the story, “Brain of a bully: They like seeing others in pain
Posted” by DeliaTheArtist, which inspired my topic of the week, Bully! Normally I wouldn’t say ‘bully’ so excitedly, but this news story is actually very interesting…and also a little frightening, considering that the “bullies’” areas of the brain linked with feeling rewarded lit up when they watched a video of someone inflicting pain on another. Terrific, so glad to know that bullies brains light up with happiness when they watch someone get beat up.
http://current.com/items/89501522_brain_of_a_bully_they_like_seeing_others_in_pain
There were quite a few disturbing stories under the Bully and Bullying topics, which I purposefully decided to avoid today because it’s Friday and I would rather not be depressed and disturbed all weekend, but I did see one post with little animated dinosaurs so cute that you go “awww” when they’re bullying each other.
http://current.com/items/89279373_little_dinosaurs_a_fight_against_tyranny
That wraps up my topic of the week and my journey into the world of bullies.
flickr photo: 'orangie big buddy food' from fightpaparutzi- http://www.flickr.com/photos/paparutzi/466238063/
Hi Currenters (Currentators, Currentians?)! It’s time for the topic of the week... more
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Haaaayyyy!!!11!
This week I present to you a mixed plate of different stories about crimes and the people that commit them.
http://current.com/items/89479883_prisons_go_green_farm_recycle_to_save_energy
Apparently a prison in Washington has become 'green.'
"Inmates of the minimum-security facility, 25 miles from Olympia, the state capital, raise bees, grow organic tomatoes and lettuce, compost 100 percent of food waste and even recycle shoe scraps that are made into playground turf."
As someone who has been slowly cranked through the digestive bureaucracy that is the American criminal justice system I can tell you that this is great news. Every step of the way it's waste this, waste that - there are literally hundreds of thousands of baloney sandwiches that go to waste each year. Thanks for clipping this itenerantsurf!
http://current.com/items/89497194_airline_crew_subdues_passenger_with_duct_tape
People! Fly Virgin or Jetblue whenever you can! Otherwise you might end up duct taped to your seat because you got drunk to deal with the stress of flying. Khaosworks clipped the story of Maria Esther Castillo a woman who was duct taped to her seat after allegedly committing the following Airplane no-no's :
1. "Struck a flight attendant on the buttocks with the back of her hand."
2: "Stood and fell onto the head of a blind passenger and later started pulling the person's hair."
Castillo also forced the plane to land prematurely in Charlotte, North Carolina. Booze may have been a factor in this example of poor etiquette... Way to go booze!
http://current.com/items/89502401_man_tries_to_pay_bar_tab_with_gum_wrappers
Last but not least, the story of a man who tried to turn lead into gold. Ermmm... Gum wrappers into cash. ClareW brought another story of high spirits to my attention. According to the Yahoo! News article, after a Lawton Oklahoma man's credit card was declined he attempted to settle his debt using gum wrappers. Needless to say the man was detained and issued a citation.
Have you ever had an encounter with the law that was less than gentlemanly in conduct? LET ME KNOW ABOUT IT. If you tell me your dirty secrets I'll tell you mine.
Till next time, stay safe - and out of the slammer.
Haaaayyyy!!!11!
This week I present to you a mixed plate of different stories... more
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As you may have noticed, the fun hasn't come to a close just yet. Our friends over at Digg asked us about the possibility of doing a Digg Dialogg with Al, and we simply couldn't resist. The concept is simple, submit your text questions over on Digg ( http://digg.com/dialogg/Al_Gore_1 ), or submit a webcam right here on Current ( http://current.com/clipper.htm ). The Digg community will vote on text questions, and Kevin Rose (founder of Digg) will present them to Al in an interview aired on Current TV this Friday night at 10pm E/P.
But that's not all, we'll also be picking webcam questions submitted by the Current community, and Al will take the time to answer those live on TV as well.
Here are the 5 steps to submitting a webcam:
1/ Click "submit something" in the header, or click this link: http://current.com/clipper.htm
2/ Select the "webcam" tab.
3/ Record your question - keep on point, and offer question details in the description field
4/ Tag your submission with "Digg"
5/ Add your webcam to Digg and Digg it! http://digg.com/dialogg/Al_Gore_1
Got questions for Al? So what are you waiting for? Fire up those webcams and start asking!
If you have questions, feel free to private message me on Current, or shoot an email to feedback [at] current.com.
Best,
Mario
Online Community Team
Subscribe to our blog: http://recp.rm05.net/servlet/SignUpForm?f=154944
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/mario_a
Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaAs you may have noticed, the fun hasn't come to a close just yet. Our friends... more
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In case you missed it, our team has been working day and night to bring you:
// Current Diggs the Election //
TODAY. ELECTION DAY. GO VOTE!
Once you're done visiting the polls, join us on Current for Current Diggs the Election. We're streaming tweets on Current TV all day today, and at 7pm E / 4pm P we'll start up our full-blown election coverage. All the latest data from the elections mashed-up with Digg headlines, tweets, 12seconds videos, and a soundtrack provided by Diplo.
Tune in, but if you don't get Current on TV you can still pwn the election on our election geek stream page:
http://current.com/pwn
Head over to 12seconds.tv and start participating, we'll be putting webcams on the TV, this time! Record your webcam on 12seconds, tag it with #electionday or #ivoted, and watch for your update on TV.
http://12seconds.tv/
Read their election guide here:
http://12seconds.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/get-ready-for-election-day/
Tweet to your hearts content, but make sure you include #current in your tweets, we'll stream them to air all day long.
http://twitter.com/
Hope to see you in the mix!
// VC2 Leaderboard Winner //
Our VC2 leaderboard winner this week comes from tommytoyz and it's titled Destroying Companies For Profit. His pod takes a look at the trading scheme known as "Naked Short Selling." Investment banks selling massive amounts of shares they do not have "floods the market with "shares" and sucks out investors money - unbeknown to investors." Take a look and leave him a comment on the pod. Congrats, tommytoyz!
View Destroying Companies For Profit: http://current.com/items/89439340_destroying_companies_for_profit
See more contributions from tommytoyz: http://current.com/people/tommytoyz
// Top 5 Contributors on Current.com //
Once again, here are your top 5 contributors from last week:
bmltv (269 items)
http://current.com/people/bmltv
The_Natural (119 items)
http://current.com/people/The_Natural
itenerantsurf (89 items)
http://current.com/people/itenerantsurf
TravG73 (80 items)
http://current.com/people/TravG73
DeliaTheArtist (77 items)
http://current.com/people/DeliaTheArtist
Last week definitely belonged to bmltv, but The_Natural, a newcomer to the list, certainly gave everyone a run for their money. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
// Most Commented Stories //
Here are the top commented stories from each day last week, in case you missed them the first time around:
Monday
8-year-old dies after shooting himself with an uzi
http://current.com/items/89454996_8_year_old_dies_after_shooting_himself_with_an_uzi
Tuesday
Syria warns US of retaliation
http://current.com/items/89458268_syria_warns_us_of_retaliation
Wednesday
Obama takes over TV tonight
http://current.com/items/89463177_obama_takes_over_tv_tonight
Thursday
Did Jesus exist?
http://current.com/items/89465831_did_jesus_exist
Friday
"God Loves, Allah Hates" says American Church
http://current.com/items/89470137_god_loves_allah_hates_says_american_church
Saturday
A quarter of Texans think that Barack Obama is a Muslim
http://current.com/items/89474138_a_quarter_of_texans_think_that_barack_obama_is_a_muslim
Sunday
Pope sees Stephen Hawking at evolution gathering
http://current.com/items/89477777_pope_sees_stephen_hawking_at_evolution_gathering
So there you have it, last week in Current wrapped up with a bow. If you missed anything, now is your chance to pick up where you left off. I'll see you here next week for another recap!
Best,
Mario
Online Community Team
Subscribe to our blog: http://recp.rm05.net/servlet/SignUpForm?f=154944
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/mario_a
Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaIn case you missed it, our team has been working day and night to bring you:
//... more
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Hey Current-saurs,
With so much focus on the upcoming election, I decided to shift the subject for this week to something else that's just as important (if not more).... The Environment! :::echo:::
So here are three stories I am featuring for this week's tele's favorite three:
#1 Mass relocation planned for Indonesian islands due to sea level rise [ http://current.com/items/89477012_mass_relocation_planned_for_indonesian_islands_due_to_sea_level_rise ] from JanForGore.
--- So it begins. The title says it all. Indonesia is planning relocation for events that will take place in the next three decades -- YES DECADES! Can you believe the planning for the next 30 years starts now for this? If this doesn't say how serious a problem Global Warming is, I don't know what else it's going to take. Experts are saying that some where around 2,000 islands in the area will sink due to rising sea levels -- an effect of Global Warming. Hmmm, if the waters rise there, they sure as hell are going to rise every where else and I live by the beach too. Yikes. I think we should sell the house now, muhuhahahahha! Anyway, check out that article for more info and maybe a list of islands not to vacation in 2030 -- jk! For more background on sea levels rising, skip down to article #3 (and then back up to #2)
#2 Trees- even more important than we think [ http://current.com/items/89476399_trees_even_more_important_than_we_think ] from DeliaTheArtist.
--- According to this article, tress release a chemical that thickens the clouds above them. What this does is it reflects more sunlight and thus cools the Earth. Great, we already know cutting down trees are bad because they help neutralize the CO2 in the air, but now this means cutting the trees down also accelerates global warming. Fewer the trees, fewer amounts of these chemicals that help cool the earth. Hmm, now that we know it's some kind of chemical, why can't scientists just replicate the chemical and release it into the air without the tree? Hehe! Facinating article...check it out!
#3 It's Official: People Warming the Poles [ http://current.com/items/89477942_it_s_official_people_warming_the_poles ] from drewanium.
--- Finally?!?! I mean, c'mon, we all knew this was true even if it wasn't conclusive before right? According to the article, Antarctica was the only continent where evidence for human-caused climate change was inconclusive. I picked this article because it helps give background information to article #1 about sea levels rising.
Happy Weekend Everyone!
r*
Hey Current-saurs,
With so much focus on the upcoming election, I decided to... more
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While looking through the fun, wacky and interesting stories that have been posted recently, especially with Halloween (there are quite a few) I came across one that I found really interesting and is the reason that…Costumes (!) is the topic of the week.
The story that inspired this week’s topic is ‘Jesus costume gets child sent home from school’. A young boy was sent home from school for dressing up (seemingly very well) as Jesus and distracting his fellow students. While I could go into a more serious discuss about religious figures, Halloween costumes (or lack there of) and school policies, it’s Friday AND Halloween and I’m going to keep this light.
Can I just say that I wish I had seen this kid all dressed up? The boy’s brother said that he already looked like Jesus with his long hair and darker complexion; with a good fake beard and a crown of thorns I would have been gawking at him too! Come on though, so many kids have wacky costumes and are so hyped up on candy, the only thing they’re thinking about it where to get their next sugar fix.
http://current.com/items/89474738_jesus_costume_gets_child_sent_home_from_school
If you’re looking for more eyebrow raising costumes, check out ‘The 25 coolest fancy dress costumes ever’, I think my favorite is the lady giving birth to a man-baby…whose smoking a cigarette. If there’s one thing to say about these costumes, it’s that these people got very…creative.
http://current.com/items/89281612_the_25_coolest_fancy_dress_costumes_ever
So, if any of you are at a loss for costumes, hopefully my topic of the week has provided you with some last minute costumes ideas.
Happy Halloween Everyone!
flickr photo: by ImNotGaryColeman, 'TJ's Jesus Costume'
http://flickr.com/photos/someletters/285076921/
While looking through the fun, wacky and interesting stories that have been posted... more
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Happy Halloween Current,
Ghosts; what up with those things? Are they real? 3 months ago I would have said 'Nope!' but now I'm not so sure. In early September I had an experience that made a believe out of me. I made a complete 180 on my perception of the whole ghost phenomenon. Since then I've reexamined the situation and I'm not sure exactly what I believe.
On to the matter at hand. It's halloween, and if there are ghosts, they're sure to be out tonight. A few people have clipped some really good stuff about ghosts lately - Here's my faves.
http://current.com/items/89473710_why_we_believe_in_ghosts
Why we believe in ghosts.... WHY!? DoubleHeadedEagle posted a really interesting read that draws correlation between belief in ghosts, ufo's and a perceived loss of control of ones surroundings as well as loneliness. This explanation goes a long way as to explain why one person may believe in the paranormal - but what about when multiple people share an experience?
http://current.com/items/89462084_if_you_want_to_see_a_ghost_badly_enough_will_you
DeliaTheArtist offers a story that provides a more all inclusive explanation to this problem of ghosts. Apparently "by spiking EMFs (electromagnetic fields), and possibly even extremely low-–frequency sound waves (known as infrasound) so subtle that the ear does not register them as noise" ones brain can believe that it is experiencing the paranormal. This would go a long way to explain my paranormal experience, seeing as I had just moved into a new house and it is located very close to an elevated subway line - which I imagine emits EMF's.
http://current.com/items/89449363_anti_graffiti_activist_arrested_for_graffiti
Finally on to the final ghost story of the night, this ghost is entirely too real. Journal posted a story that I have been waiting 4 years to read. Fred Radtke the 'Gray Ghost' of New Orleans has finally been arrested. Radtke has been painting over whatever he deems 'graffiti' for years now; his weapon of choice? Different shades of gray house paint. He never once made the effort to blend his graffiti removal technique to the surface being painted. When I was in NOLA I saw windows of restaurants that had been painted over gray turning them into glass walls.
That's it for me, sorry about the lack of webcams, I'm a little under the weather right now and can't seem to talk to my computer.
Pictured: A picture taken of me 2 days after my haunting - and what I perceived to be a ghost (and am not convinced isn't a ghost).
Happy Halloween Current,
Ghosts; what up with those things? Are they real? 3... more
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