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POPSThe Great Depression Hoax Are we a nation of whiners, as Phil Gramm put it a little while ago? No, the American public is not whining...More likely, though, Americans are just leaving the whining to pundits and trend reporters. Our problem is not whining. It is persuading young people that, with baby boomers retiring, entitlement programs bulging and the world economy growing ever more competitive, now's the time to roll up the sleeves for something other than tattoos. For example, India produces 2.5 million college graduates every year (with concentrations in high demand fields - electronics, programming, engineering, accounting, etc.), and approximately 90,000 MBA's. Nothing against tattoos, but I do feel ignorance and apathy are much too prominent in America. Awareness of ignorance is the first step to wisdom.
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POPSBiologically inspired unique design Wow, that would be the day... the idea of taking 2 concepts (e.g. biology, technology) and paralleling them is nice. The kissing borders may yield anew synthesis
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POPSArtificial eye implant sits mostly outside the eye. The coil around the iris receives wireless power and image data from a microcontroller that can be carried on a belt. The coil transmits data to electronics inside a waterproof titanium case. The electronics controls an electrode array (not visible) connected to nerves in the back of the retina. This device would be more bio-compatible than others, because it sits mostly outside the eye and therefore carries a reduced risk of inflammation and of a decline in performance with time. So far it has only been tested in pigs but human trials are planned for 2010.
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POPSTokyo's Cat Cafes Offer Serenity Mr. Maeda, of Neko JaLaLa, started the cafe with a neighbor who shared his interest in increasing public awareness of cats, particularly strays. He explains that he hopes his little cafe is the first step in raising a larger awareness of cats in a country where about 240,000 are euthanized each year, partly as a result of pet dumping. busy lifestyles of Japanese people dearly longing for a moment of peace and comfort. "I always used to play with cats back home, but now I can't, since I live on my own," says Yuka Sato, a college student who came to cafe Neko no Mise in Tokyo's Machida region after a recent long day of job interviews. "I wish I could live together with cats like this." "Basically, the visitors of this cafe are stressed," Mr. Hanada says of the escape his customers seek.
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POPSEsquire's E Ink Cover The October 2008 issue of Esquire magazine brings us the first digital ink ever used in a publication, with moving words and flashing images.
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POPSA House Fit for a Hobbit? Why are we doing this? 1.It's fun 2.Our society is almost entirely dependent on the availability of increasing amounts of fossil fuel energy. This has brought us to the point at which our supplies are dwindling and our ecological catastrophe. We have no viable alternative energy source and no choice but to reduce our energy consumption. The sooner this change can be begun, the more comfortable it will be.
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POPSPioneering Research in Neuromorphic Electronics that Function Like the Biological Brain The HRL team's ultimate goal is to build a low-power, compact electronic chip combining a novel analog circuit design and a neuroscience-inspired architecture that can address a wide range of cognitive abilities--perception, planning, decision making, and motor control. In the initial two phases of the SyNAPSE program, the team will translate the neuronal and synaptic functions of the biological cortex into similar microelectronic functions.
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POPSEXTREME X-RAYS COULD THEY THE EXTREME FUTURE FOR AIRPORTS ? While reading this a scene in the movie "RUNNING MAN" came to mind and a few question one being, how has Nick Veasey made it this long with all that exposure ? next can this process by made to work on a large scale and could the exposure time be cut to match someone passing by it ?
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POPSK Streeters Bring About a Little Bipartisan Comity To "Mile-High City" Home Run. More than two dozen corporations and associations rented out Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, for the day on Tuesday, giving Members, lobbyists and little kids the chance to take in some batting practice on real major league grounds. The highlight of the day: Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) hitting one out of the park. Like any good ballgame, the event featured beer and burgers — all courtesy of a long list of sponsors. They included Citi, Consumer Electronics Association, BNSF Railway, AT&T, AstraZeneca, Amgen, American Chemistry Council, Brown Rudnick, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, U.S. Telecom, Qwest, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, National Association of Manufacturers, Lilly, Koch and Comcast. The names of those sponsors rotated throughout the event on the scoreboards.
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POPSAnother Beatles Legacy - CAT Scans Interesting little story how the Beatles revenues for EMI allowed a scientist to invent CAT Scans. And here I thought their only contribution to the world was great music...
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POPSTasty tasty electronics Some of the folks I collaborate with at NYCResistor have been making some awesome electronic inspired pastries. We had cupcakes the other day and now there was a full sized cake. Awesome!