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23 May 2010 11:48

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Tech: GPS in need of an upgrade, and it’s gonna cost a couple bucks

  • $8 billion to upgrade the widely used geo-navigation system source
  • before The system had a margin of error of about 20 feet – OK for driving, bad for walking a city street.
  • after After the upgrade, the system will be able to get within an arm’s length of the location. Whoa, cool!
  • » Not just for nav: It’s used for all sorts of purposes, including tracking financial transactions from ATMs and stock trades. In 2007, when the system was knocked offline in San Diego, cell phones and hospital paging systems stopped working. In other words, the technology, which currently uses 24 satellites to do its dirty work, is pretty useful.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2010 11:33

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Culture: Diehard Conan fans fight Leno on all fronts – including Hulu

  • Yeah, that’s one way to handle Leno angst. Some smart Conan fans on Hulu have been tagging episodes of The Tonight Show to trash on the guy who got “The Tonight Show” back. While it’s funny, it’s also against Hulu’s own terms. Still pretty funny. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2010 11:19

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World: Japanese PM Yukio Hatoyama sides with U.S. military, feels the pain

  • It is true that I said I wanted to relocate the facility outside of Okinawa. However, I’d like to apologize that the conclusion is not what the Okinawans wanted.
  • Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama • Regarding his decision to allow the American military to keep its main Japanese base, over the concerns and protests of many local residents. The U.S. takes up 10 to 20 percent of the island of Okinawa, and in recent months became a charged political issue. “I must say the situation is extremely disappointing and severe,” said Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2010 11:13

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World: Debt crisis victim: Europe’s strong social welfare programs?

  • seven number of workers for every European retiree now
  • 1.3 number of workers expected for
    every retiree in 2050 source
  • » Why this is bad for Europe: Most nations in the continent have largely benefited from low military spending and as a result have given retirees some strong social welfare benefits. But a number of factors – the debt crisis, the declining birth rate, the overall growing age of the population – have started to make this model look shaky.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2010 10:57

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World: Thailand’s lending a hand to help get Bangkok all cleaned up

With the worst of the Red Shirt conflict over, people are helping clean up Bangkok by the thousands. The country’s stock exchange will reopen Monday. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2010 10:48

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Politics: GOP gaffemeister Michael Steele uncomfortable with Rand Paul

  • I just said I wasn’t comfortable with it. … I think it’s important to understand that Rand Paul has clarified his statement and reiterated his support for…pushing civil rights forward, as opposed to going backwards.
  • Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele • Talking on “This Week” about Rand Paul, who has successfully made Steele into the second most likely person in the party to commit a major gaffe. Steele didn’t seem like he was very comfortable with broaching the subject. For his part, he did note that Paul’s view was a “philosophical position” due to his libertarian leanings, even as he questioned Paul’s approach. “Any attempt to look backwards is not in the best interest of our country certainly, and certainly not in the best interest of the party,” Steele said. Oh, and DNC counterpart Tim Kaine thinks it’ll make it easier for Paul’s competitor, Jack Conway, to win the seat. We’re disappointed it’s not Tim Conway. His golf videos are funny! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2010 10:35

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Culture: Twitter goes crazy debating tonight’s “Lost” finale. Oh God.



Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

23 May 2010 10:27

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Culture: Three early predictions of what will happen after the “Lost” finale

  • one The series will end,
    leaving a gaping
    hole in ABC’s fairly
    solid schedule.
  • two Fans will remain
    incredibly disappointed
    and ask why they
    wasted their lives.
  • three Some other show
    will take its place next
    season and it will be
    forgotten. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2010 10:22

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Politics: A Republican somehow won Obama’s home seat in Hawaii

How’d he win? He used this phrase: “The congressional seat is not owned by one political party. This congressional seat is owned by the people.” Thanks, Scott Brown! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 May 2010 17:05

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Music: Rapper Drake: I’m not a legend yet, but it’d sure be nice

  • That’s the most flattering thing in the world but at the same time, real, legendary status can’t be dictated by the people who are still here witnessing it.
  • Rapper Drake • On being calling a legend, already, before his first full album has come out. Dude’s riding a pretty large wave of hype right now, one that promises to only get larger as “Thank Me Later” comes out next month. Why the hype? Part of it is his everyman approach to rap. In his rhymes, he comes across as an average guy who just happened to become famous, a dude who says he didn’t cry when Tupac died but will when Jay-Z does. He’s not ready yet but he’s looking forward to getting there: “I’m young. I’m 23. This is too soon. I really want to grow and be that guy.” Not bad for the guy in the wheelchair on “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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