Turning all cars electric in Britain needs boost in power supply

Switching all cars in the country to electric would drain the National Grid of nearly a fifth of its capacity unless the equivalent of another six new nuclear power stations are built, claims a report.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7764110/Turning-all-cars-electric-in-Britain-needs-boost-in-power-supply.html

How big is your carbon footprint?

A few years ago, I was going round a supermarket with a journalist who was researching an article on the carbon cost of food. We trailed up and down the aisles with the Dictaphone running, and she plied me with questions: "What about these bananas? How about the cheese? That's organic, so it must be better, right? Is the lettuce harmless? Should we have come here by bus?"

Despite working as an environmental consultant, I was pitifully unable to answer most of her questions. And it struck me that this was part of a wider problem. Almost everything we do has a carbon footprint of some kind, but how do we know what it is? Should we avoid leaving our television sets on standby, or boycott plastic bags, or stop flying, or all of the above? It's no good starting with a list of 500 different rules, because most of us wouldn't be able to keep them for more than a day – especially when we discover that many well-intentioned actions, such as driving to the bottle bank may do more harm than good.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7760327/How-big-is-your-carbon-footprint.html

Apple iPad review: the ultimate browsing machine

The Apple iPad is beautiful, compelling and doesn't do any of the annoying things computers do.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7765242/Apple-iPad-review-the-ultimate-browsing-machine.html

Want Smart Kids? Here's What to Do

Buy a lot of books.

That seems kind of obvious, right? But what's surprising, according to a new study published in the journal Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, is just how strong the correlation is between a child's academic achievement and the number of books his or her parents own. It's even more important than whether the parents went to college or hold white-collar jobs.

Books matter. A lot.

http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Want-Smart-Kids-Heres-What/24200/

British Airways strike on as talks collapse

A five day walkout by thousands of BA cabin crew is now almost certain to go ahead tomorrow leading to widespread disruption for travellers.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7756349/British-Airways-strike-on-as-talks-collapse.html

Men are bigger liars than women, says poll

Men are more likely to tell lies than women and feel less guilty about it, says a survey.

In a poll of 3,000 people, researchers found that the average British man tells three lies every day, that's equivalent to 1,092 a year

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8689010.stm

Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville branded 'patronising rubbish'

The organisers of London 2012 were plunged into a fresh row after the new Olympic mascots were branded “patronising rubbish” by design experts.

The two metallic characters, named Wenlock and Mandeville, were unveiled on Wednesday night after a rigorous 18-month design process involving 40 focus groups.

Apparently hewn from the “last drops of steel” left over from constructing the final support girder of the Olympic Stadium, the one-eyed creatures are intended to help young people relate to the Games.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/7742259/Olympic-mascots-Wenlock-and-Mandeville-branded-patronising-rubbish.html

London 2012 Olympic mascots: best spoofs

Since Wenlock and Mandeville were unveiled as London 2012 mascots, users of anarchic message board b3ta.com have been designing spoofs. Here are some of the best:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/london2012/7745333/London-2012-Olympic-mascots-best-spoofs.html

Gulf of Mexico oil spill: BP faces growing calls for boycott of its US products

BP's problems mounted on Wednesday as the number of followers of a Facebook group called "Boycott BP" grew to almost 34,000.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/7742471/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-BP-faces-growing-calls-for-boycott-of-its-US-products.html

Arizona threatens to cut off LA electricity supply

Arizona could cut off electricity supplies to Los Angeles in protest at an economic boycott over the state's controversial immigration law.

Los Angeles receives about 25 per cent of its power from Arizona, meaning a quarter of America's second largest city could be plunged into darkness.

Politicians in the city voted last week to impose a boycott on Arizona which will affect about $8 million (£5.3 million) worth of contracts with the state. City officials will also stop travelling to Arizona.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7742456/Arizona-threatens-to-cut-off-LA-electricity-supply.html

Why China holds 'rare' cards in the race to go green

From electric cars to wind turbines, environmentally-friendly technology around the world needs rare earth metals. But China - where over 90% of these minerals are mined - is saying it now wants to keep more for its own industry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8689547.stm

Google chief Eric Schmidt downplays wi-fi privacy row

Google has downplayed privacy fears after it was revealed that its Street View cars had been harvesting data from private wi-fi networks.

The search giant's boss said that he hoped no one would be prosecuted.

Eric Schmidt said that there was "no, harm, no foul", after the firm admitted that it had been collecting snippets of web activity from people's wi-fi.

A US group has called for a Federal "probe", whilst European countries are considering taking action.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10122339.stm

Facebook mulls U-turn on privacy

Facebook looks likely to cave into pressure from users and simplify its privacy settings in the near future.

It follows criticisms of its privacy policy from US senators, the European Union and civil liberty groups.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10125260.stm

The 11 Most Endangered Historic Places

See pictures on

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2EddF8/www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1989913,00.html

Reunited with the Vietnamese 'girl in the picture'

Kim Phuc, the Vietnamese girl in one of the unforgettable images of the Vietnam War , has been reunited by the BBC with Christopher Wain, the ITN correspondent who helped save her life 38 years ago.

When Chris last saw Kim, she was lying on a hospital bed with first-degree burns to more than half of her body, after a South Vietnamese napalm bomb attack.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8678478.stm

Dio's two-finger gesture - what does it mean?

American rock singer Ronnie James Dio, who died on Sunday, popularised a hand gesture commonly used by heavy metal fans. But what does it mean?

It's a gesture commonly seen at rock concerts.

The index finger and the little finger are upright and the thumb is clasped against the two middle fingers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8687002.stm

Using laptops or iPads just before bed 'increases risk of insomnia'

Computer users should turn their laptop or Apple iPad off at least two hours before going to bed if they want a good night’s sleep, scientists say.

American researchers have discovered that human brains and sleep patterns are confused by devices that emit bright lights.

Consumer electronics, such as laptops, deceive our minds that it is still daytime, preventing sleep and increasing the risk of insomnia.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7731807/Using-laptops-or-iPads-just-before-bed-increases-risk-of-insomnia.html

Lying children will grow up to be successful citizens

The earlier a child starts telling convincing lies the more likely they are to be a success in later life, new research suggests.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7730522/Lying-children-will-grow-up-to-be-successful-citizens.html

Germany captain Michael Ballack ruled out of World Cup

Germany captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of this summer's World Cup because of the ankle injury he sustained in Saturday's FA Cup final.

The 33-year-old Chelsea midfielder has made 98 appearances for his country and appeared in the last two World Cups.

Ballack flew to Germany on Saturday for a scan, which revealed ligament damage to his right ankle.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8684774.stm

YouTube hits 2 bn daily downloads

YouTube said it now gets over two billion hits daily - nearly double the number of people who tune into the US's three prime time TV stations combined.

The news comes as the site celebrates the day five years ago when the first beta version of YouTube was launched.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8676380.stm

Stress link to financial squeeze

Work pressures during the recession have caused a big rise in mental health problems, the charity says.

A survey for Mind suggests that one in 11 British workers has been to the GP for stress and anxiety from the financial squeeze.

And 7% said they were prescribed medicines to help them cope.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8683184.stm

Why New Zealand is a lifestyle superpower

Nick Bryant reflects on New Zealand's mix of controlled fury, subtle charm and social harmony, and asks why the rest of the world can't be more like it.

What can you tell about a country from the people you encounter at its point of entry?

Alas, in this age of globalised uniformity, the truth is, probably not that much.

Most of the immigration and customs officials that you come across in those sunlight-starved arrivals halls aren't very sunny themselves, as they mechanically stamp your passport or grudgingly wave you through.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8683377.stm

Why Is It So Hard to Delete Your Facebook Account?

Facebook’s had a bad week over concerns about how it treats user data. Ready to delete your account? It’s harder than you may think.

Deactivating and deleting your Facebook account are two very different things. What Facebook makes difficult to find out is deactivation is temporary, deletion is permanent. And unlike deactivation, you need Facebook’s help to permanently delete the information.

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/05/14/why-is-it-so-hard-to-delete-your-facebook-account/#ixzz0nvdBMmUs

Janet's Royalty Rooms: a house in Woonona, Australia, filled with Royal family memorabilia

An Australian couple who have devoted their lives to amassing British Royal Family memorabilia believe they have the largest collection in the world - even more than the Queen herself. Janet and Philip Williams have more than 12,000 items, and have turned their large four-bedroom family house into a museum. The collection, which started with a single mug in 1954, now attracts thousands of tourists from around the world

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/7719625/Janets-Royalty-Rooms-a-house-in-Woonona-Australia-filled-with-Royal-family-memorabilia.html

Dog on the menu for Chinese astronauts

China's first man in space has said that Chinese astronauts eat dog meat to keep their strength up as they orbit around the earth.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/7718570/Dog-on-the-menu-for-Chinese-astronauts.html

How English erased its roots to become the global tongue of the 21st century

'Throw away your dictionaries!' is the battle cry as a simplified global hybrid of English conquers cultures and continents. In this extract from his new book, Globish, Robert McCrum tells the story of a linguistic phenomenon – and its links to big money

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/may/09/globish-english-language-robert-mccrum

Technology makes women happy, says report

Access to IT gives people a greater sense of control, study finds

Having access to computers, the internet and communication devices can increase people's sense of satisfaction and wellbeing, according to research carried out on behalf of BCS, the Chartered Institute of IT.

A survey of 35,000 people around the world found that access to information technology had an "enabling and empowering role", which lead to greater "life satisfaction".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7714754/Technology-makes-women-happy-says-report.html

President Obama says devices like Apple's iPad are rotting our brains.

He's right.

Confessions of a Tech Apostate
President Obama has been taking some heat in techie circles over comments he made at a commencement address over the weekend about iPods and iPads and other digital distractions. Because of these things, he said, "information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation." To his critics, it made him sound, well, like a Luddite, not the cool, tech-friendly, BlackBerry-carrying president they thought he was.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/237809

???? Want to be in TIME? ????

Hey everybody, TIME Magazine is writing a story about Facebook, and we need your help. Right now we are looking for profile pictures... which means you (yes, you) could be in TIME Magazine! Join the “I Want To Be in TIME” group to give TIME permission to use your profile picture in our upcoming story.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=120432861310693&v=wall

Baby reindeer is England's first for thousands of years

The baby reindeer – nicknamed Blue – is thought to be the first born in the country since the last ice age.

Blue's parents were imported from Scandinavia to the Trevarno Estate near Helston, Cornwall.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7710059/Baby-reindeer-is-Englands-first-for-thousands-of-years.html

10 reasons why I won't be buying an iPad

Gadget fans in the UK will soon be able to get their hands on the Apple iPad. It goes on sale on May 28, with the most basic, entry-level model costing £429. But I won't be camping out overnight to buy one; here are eight reasons why:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7710838/10-reasons-why-I-wont-be-buying-an-iPad.html

Meeting Millennium Development Goals

As part of a series assessing whether Bangladesh is on track to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, the BBC's Alastair Lawson visits a safety pin factory in the capital, Dhaka, which employs children.

The electricity supply in the sweatshop in the crowded part of old Dhaka where Asma, 10, makes safety pins for a living is so dangerous that the foreman can only turn on the lights using a broomstick.

"If I use my hands I may get an electric shock," he explains.

Asma is one of about 10 workers in the dingy factory - in the heart of the crowded and maze-like alleyways of this part of the city - who are under 14.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8570692.stm

France opens new Pompidou centre in Metz

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has opened a big new outpost of the Pompidou arts centre in Metz, north-eastern France.

It is the first time the world-famous centre has ventured beyond Paris.

It was designed by Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, and it shows Ban's Japanese roots.

It bears no physical resemblance to its big brother in Paris, although it will have access to its huge store of art works.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8674168.stm

Eating nuts can lower cholesterol, say experts

Eating nuts may help lower cholesterol levels, US research suggests.

The review of 25 studies, involving nearly 600 people, showed eating on average 67g of nuts - a small bag - a day reduced cholesterol levels by 7.4%.

The US Loma Linda University team believes nuts may help prevent the absorption of cholesterol.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8673208.stm

Ash delays more European flights

Ash from an Icelandic volcano is drifting across areas of France, Spain, northern Italy and Germany bringing more disruption to European air travel.

Several airports were closed, including Munich in southern Germany.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8670645.stm

‘On Whitman’: The Real American

If I were to count up the things I love best about America, this tableau would be high on the list: Walt Whitman, on a street in Washington, exchanging a respectful bow with Abraham Lincoln as the president's carriage rolled by. That the United States managed to produce either of these gentlemen, the self-taught frontier president and the great poet of democracy, reflects well on our way of life. That a lucky pedestrian could watch the two of them pass close enough to acknowledge one another—such original minds, such extraordinary beards—nearly makes the notion of a special dispensation for America ring true.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/237521

Slick Operator

How British oil giant BP used all the political muscle money can buy to fend off regulators and influence investigations into corporate neglect

Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, has a couple of major problems on his hands these days. One lies down near the earth's crust; the other exists deep in the muck of Washington politics. It may take many months to cap the 5,000-foot-deep oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico. In the meantime, Hayward has to cap the damage to BP's reputation, and reduce its liability for what could be the costliest cleanup in corporate history. He was already hard at work last week, making the rounds of key senators from coastal states affected by the spill. Described as exhausted but wearing a "wry smile," Hayward impressed several lawmakers with his earnestness about stopping the leak. He also seemed intent on deflecting questions about responsibility. "He was candid on most of his answers," says Florida Sen. Bill Nelson. But when Hayward was pressed on how much BP will compensate businesses and fishermen harmed by the spill, Nelson says, "he dodged" and became "very lawyerly."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/237651

Feinkost vom Discounter – nur auf dem Etikett edel

Auch Discounter versuchen sich mittlerweile als Feinkosthändler – Garnelen, Carpaccio und T-Bone-Steaks gibt es auch bei Lidl & Co. Die Qualität der angeblichen Spitzenprodukte ist allerdings zweifelhaft. Begriffe wie "Edel", "Gourmet" und "Delikatesse" sind nicht geschützt und der Inhalt dementsprechend.
Seit Fernsehköche täglich demonstrieren, was man alles Gutes essen kann, bieten auch Discounter Feinkostprodukte an. Aber nicht überall ist Edles drin, wo Edles draufsteht: So sind die Marmeladen aus der Produktreihe "Gourmet" von Aldi das Gegenteil von handgemacht. Die Liste der Lebensmittel, die nicht halten, was sie versprechen, lässt sich fast beliebig verlängern...

http://www.welt.de/lifestyle/article7498602/Feinkost-vom-Discounter-nur-auf-dem-Etikett-edel.html

Centre Pompidou: Metz gears up for its moment

With an official send-off by President Sarkozy on May 11 and five days of celebrations from May 12, the opening of the Centre Pompidou-Metz will put the sleepy eastern French town of Metz (pronounced "mess", I am informed by locals) on the tourist map.
The gleaming white UFO has spurred the whole city into rejuvenation, with a rash of new bars and restaurants, and a frantic programme of restoring façades and landscaping town squares. It's a perfect excuse to discover Metz's golden stone historic centre, the terraced gardens, marina and promenade along the River Moselle, and the intriguing German-era Imperial Quarter – an eclectic mixture of pepperpot towers, Art Nouveau balconies and Teutonic mock chateaux, laid out around the vast neo-Romanesque train station. Here's what to expect.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/7690568/Centre-Pompidou-Metz-gears-up-for-its-moment.html

Happy Mother's Day

Lowering the Bar: When bad mothers give us hope.

When reporters told Doris Lessing she had won a Nobel Prize in Literature as she was hauling groceries out of a cab in 2007, she said: "I've won all the prizes in Europe, every bloody one, so I am delighted. It's a royal flush." Few would dispute that she is a brilliant writer. Her work is lucid, inspiring, and provocative. But it would be hard to argue that she was a brilliant mother. When she fled to London to pursue her writing career and communist ideals, she left two toddlers with their father in South Africa (another, from her second marriage, went with her). She later said that at the time she thought she had no choice: "For a long time I felt I had done a very brave thing. There is nothing more boring for an intelligent woman than to spend endless amounts of time with small children. I felt I wasn't the best person to bring them up. I would have ended up an alcoholic or a frustrated intellectual like my mother."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/237526

Mohamed al Fayed sells Harrods

Harrods, the famous London department store, has been sold by Mohamed al Fayed, it has emerged.The store, which has been owned by the Egyptian tycoon since 1985, is thought to have changed hands in a secret deal with Gulf-based investment group Qatar Holding, which is owned by the Qatari royal family.

Sources speaking to Sky News said the department store had sold for £1.5 billion.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/7695606/Mohamed-al-Fayed-sells-Harrods.html

Despite America's iPhone Obsession, We're Behind the World's Mobile Calling Curve

Despite our noisy fascination with iPhones and iPads, it turns out the United States is one of the least advanced places in the world when it comes to the way we use mobile devices. That is the conclusion of a new study by Sybase 365, which provides services for mobile messaging and mobile commerce.

In fact, when it comes to using mobile devices for things like text messaging and instant messaging, the survey indicates we’re getting blown away. Only 31.5 percent of people in the United States use a mobile device for text messaging and sending IMs—while in China 90 percent of people surveyed use mobile devices for those things.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/techtonicshifts/archive/2010/05/07/despite-americans-iphone-obsession-we-re-behind-the-world-s-mobile-calling-curve.aspx

Adobe: Apple wants to turn the web into a walled garden

Kevin Lynch, Adobe’s chief technology officer, has accused Apple of creating a “walled garden” on the web and preventing competition, in the latest round of the battle between the two technology giants.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7684631/Adobe-Apple-wants-to-turn-the-web-into-a-walled-garden.html

Top Ten Reasons You Should Quit Facebook

After some reflection, I've decided to delete my account on Facebook. I'd like to encourage you to do the same. This is part altruism and part selfish. The altruism part is that I think Facebook, as a company, is unethical. The selfish part is that I'd like my own social network to migrate away from Facebook so that I'm not missing anything. In any event, here's my "Top Ten" reasons for why you should join me and many others and delete your account.

http://www.rocket.ly/home/2010/4/26/top-ten-reasons-you-should-quit-facebook.html

Obama biggest recipient of BP cash

While the BP oil geyser pumps millions of gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, President Barack Obama and members of Congress may have to answer for the millions in campaign contributions they’ve taken from the oil and gas giant over the years.

BP and its employees have given more than $3.5 million to federal candidates over the past 20 years, with the largest chunk of their money going to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html#ixzz0n4sDptN9

Elephant art displayed in London

A herd of ''baby elephants'' hand-painted by artists and designers including Tommy Hilfiger and Matthew Williamson set London's Trafalgar Square ablaze with colour.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/7677289/Elephant-art-displayed-in-London.html

Frida, eine Frau für Hollywood

Die Retrospektive aus hundertvierzig Werken für die mexikanische Künstlerin Frida Kahlo im Martin-Gropius-Bau zeigt erstmals in Deutschland den dramatischen Reigen ihres Lebens – als sei er ein Hollywoodfilm, zusammengesetzt aus Gemälden und Zeichnungen, Fotografien und Filmaufnahmen. Tatsächlich reihen sich besonders die Kinogänger und Fans der Schauspielerin Salma Hayek, die Kahlo 2002 im Kino verkörperte, in diesen Tagen bereitwillig in die Schlange vor dem Museum ein – und hoffen darauf, Reliquien ihrer Sehnsuchtsfigur zu sehen. Zumindest ihre Erwartungen werden bedient: Frida Kahlos mit Hammer und Sichel bemaltes Gipskorsett von 1950 wird in einer Vitrine gezeigt, wie auch eine ihrer dicken Halsketten, fetischhaft angeleuchtet.

http://www.faz.net/s/RubEBED639C476B407798B1CE808F1F6632/Doc~E3A6AB233DB334533BA54C58D13998600~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html

'Long-term harm' of too much TV for toddlers

The more TV a toddler watches, the higher the likelihood they will do badly at school and have poor health at the age of 10, researchers warn.

The study of 1,300 children by Michigan and Montreal universities found negative effects on older children rose with every hour of toddler TV.

Performance at school was worse, while consumption of junk foods was higher.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8654963.stm

Turner Prize shortlist announced

Dexter Dalwood, Angela de la Cruz, Susan Philipsz and The Otolith Group are on the 2010 Turner Prize shortlist.

Dalwood has been included for paintings which draw on art history while De la Cruz is up for paintings and sculptures "that evoke memory and desire".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10095760.stm

Die "nutzerbetriebene Rasterfahndung"

Datenschützer sprechen von "nutzerbetriebener Rasterfahndung" - die Internet-Gemeinde interessiert das kaum. Obwohl der Datenschutz von Experten als mangelhaft bewertet wird, ist mittlerweile jeder zehnte Deutsche bei Facebook registriert. Und das Unternehmen will mit dem "Like"-Button nun das Internet umwälzen.

http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/facebook148.html

Apple Sells 1 Million iPads, Topping iPhone

Apple Inc. said Monday that is has sold 1 million of its new iPad tablet computers in the month after its launch, meaning it's been selling more than twice as fast as the iPhone did when it was new.

Apple said it reached the milestone on Friday, when the new 3G model of the iPad was delivered to its first buyers. That model can access AT&T's cellular broadband network. The first models had only Wi-Fi access.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1986543,00.html#ixzz0mtaISg6J

Online Dating Enters the iPad Age

The iPod revolutionized the way we consume music. The iPhone made us crazy for apps. And now the iPad is getting ready to rock our sex lives — or at least to help improve our search for someone to flirt with. Skout.com in late May will become the first dating site to launch an iPad application. The free app will be similar to the version that's already available to phone users: members can enter search criteria, such as age range, gender and physical preferences, and a HotMap will show in real-time the locations of active Skout users who fit those criteria. The idea is to help members meet up and see if magic happens.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1985542,00.html#ixzz0mtZovyQ4

What I Learned From YouTube

By Brian Rosenberg

I am a middle-aged, balding college president. I am not on Facebook. I do not blog. I have never "tweeted" and only learned to send text messages so that I might be able to communicate when at a distance from my children. The largest crowd I have ever addressed has been about 4,000 people at a Macalester College commencement ceremony. And the number of folks who actually read my regular column in our alumni magazine is, I suspect, relatively small, despite the considerable care I devote to its composition.

http://chronicle.com/article/What-I-Learned-From-YouTube/65141/

The Gospel of Well-Educated Guessing

How much money is in a Brinks truck?

A lot, certainly, assuming it's full. But is it a million? A hundred million? Somewhere in between? Most of us, when presented with such a question, throw up our hands.

Sanjoy Mahajan sharpens his pencil.

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Gospel-of-Well-Educated/65351/?sid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en

Next Big Thing in English: Knowing They Know That You Know

To illustrate what a growing number of literary scholars consider the most exciting area of new research, Lisa Zunshine, a professor of English at the University of Kentucky, refers to an episode from the TV series “Friends.”

Read the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/books/01lit.html

300,000 iPads 3G Sold on Launch Weekend [ESTIMATE]

So, now that the iPad 3G is finally available, what everyone wants to know is: how well is this thing selling?

According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, it’s selling great, pretty much the same as the 3G-less iPad, with about 300,000 sold on launch weekend.

Munster surveyed 50 Apple stores to get this number, and judging by what he found, the iPad 3G is essentially sold out (only one store out of 50 didn’t sell all the iPads it had in stock by Sunday). Based on these numbers, Munster puts the overall number of iPads sold at over 1 million, predicting overall sales in 2010 to be 4.3 million iPads.

If Apple indeed sold 1 million iPads, will probably hear it from Apple very soon, as the company likes to brag with big numbers. On the other hand, Munster was wrong before, so we should probably take his estimates with a grain of salt.

http://mashable.com/2010/05/03/ipad-3g-launch/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mashable%2Fapple+(Mashable+%C2%BB+Apple+News)

Thousands join Beltane Fire Festival spring rituals

Thousands of people turned out to watch the pagan-inspired spring rituals at the annual Beltane Fire Festival.

The participatory arts and drama event symbolises the beginning of summer and celebrates an ancient Celtic festival.

Beltane 2010, which was held on Calton Hill in Edinburgh on Friday night, featured dancing, a costumed parade, drumming and fire.

During the event the Green Man is killed as god of winter and reborn as spring to consort with the May Queen.

All the fires are put out and re-lit using a fire made from a piece of wood from last year's festival.

This year dancers were joined by the Mugen Taiko Dojo drummers, who fuse Celtic traditions with the ancient Japanese spiritual practice, traditionally used to frighten away evil spirits.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8655796.stm

Lady Gaga makes Time's 'most influential' list

Lady Gaga and Ricky Gervais are among the celebrities who "most affect our world", according to a list published by Time magazine.

The eccentric pop star was called "an inspiration to other artists" in an appraisal written by singer Cyndi Lauper in the US publication.

Gervais made the list after hosting the Golden Globe awards and the success of his animated comedy show on US TV.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8653361.stm

China opens World Expo 2010 in Shanghai

The 2010 World Expo has opened in the city of Shanghai in what China hopes will be further proof of its rising global influence.

Almost 250 countries and international organisations are showcasing their culture in an event themed around sustainable development.

Many are doing so in pavilions with radical architecture.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8653426.stm

Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Has Company: Some of the Best Military Music Videos

If you've been anywhere near a computer for over the past week, you've probably caught a glimpse of the "Telephone" video created by military members stationed in Afghanistan. What first looks like goofing off by two bored soldiers is later revealed to be a big production, complete with costumes, elaborate choreography, and not-bad editing.

Watch the video on:
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2010/04/30/lady-gaga-telephone-has-company-the-best-military-music-videos.aspx

or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haHXgFU7qNI&feature=youtu.be

Just ask Siri - app

No more endless clicking on links and pages to get things done on the Internet. Delegate the work to Siri and relax while Siri takes care of it for you.

Need a table for 2 at your favorite restaurant next Thursday?
Just ask Siri.

Need a taxi right now?
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Type or speak... it’s up to you. Siri acts on your behalf utilizing the best services on the web. Simply put: it’s the new way to get things done.

Watch Siri in action:

http://siri.com/about/