Silly/Odd News Stories from around the World

[SaintessHeart]

In Facebook IPO, bankers seek prestige over fees

*facepalm*

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

just give me the holodeck.

THe holodeck, a step closer to the end of humanity .

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Hah, did you see that Cracked article too huh? lol.

[Endless Soul]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

just give me the holodeck.

Heh, I remember one episode of Deep Space 9 when Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir come walking out of a holodeck session in WWII flight gear, and talking about their mission the just did in the Battle of Britain. I remembered thinking "That would be awesome!"

Endless "Jerrys, 3 O'clock!" Soul

[Ithekro]

Holodecks in moderation are awesome. What I'm surprised at is that we still don't have an effective home computer or console version of the 3D headsets (or just video scene helmet/googles) so you can turn your head to look at stuff in games. A whole ton of games have controls that let you turn your head while walking in another direction. Hell I even tested a prototype model back in the 90s for a research group that uesd some sort of Battletech like game as the basis (you'd walk in one way but you could look wherever. If you have head mounted guns those would fire were you looked (or the missile would lock on to whe you looked at, but your arm or body mounted weapons were more limited).

Thinks like Battlefield 3 or Halo would be awesome if you could look around corners using your head. Even more so if you could use shoot around corners with it. Your neck might get tired, but then presently in hig intesity games you can get eye strain.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

Hah, did you see that Cracked article too huh? lol.

Yes, the Cracked articles and the Scots Adams book than it was refering about.

Egyptians move to reclaim streets through graffiti
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...01-29-02-49-43

[SaintessHeart]

Entrepreneurs bring Internet coding skills to everyday users

(Reuters) - Not too long ago, Web coding was the rarified realm of computer geeks, but a new crop of entrepreneurs is making this valuable computer skill available to just about anyone with an inclination to learn.

In New York, a nascent startup called Codecademy (), the brainchild of two former Columbia University students, has managed to sign up hundreds of thousands of users since launching in August. Celebrity participants such as New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg have helped create buzz.

"Coding is the new literacy," said cofounder Zach Sims.

"As the world moves toward becoming increasingly complicated, it's important to know what you're doing."

Codecademy's self-guided courses, with names like "Hello New York," and "FizzBuzz," are free. An introductory segment to JavaScript, a language often used to build websites, took about five minutes and was admittedly addictive.

Sims, who at 21 has already worked for prominent startups including the former file-sharing service Drop.io and group messaging site groupme - now part of Skype - took a leave of absence from Columbia so that he and partner Ryan Bubinski could dedicate their time fully to the effort. The project was born in part from Sims' frustration when learning to code.

"I was reading books and taking classes and watching video," he recalled. "I was always dissatisfied.

Codecademy had more than 500,000 users through early November, the last time figures were disclosed. Its latest initiative, dubbed Code Year, challenges would-be users to make coding a New Year's resolution; the campaign pulled in close to 300,000 adherents in just eight days time, Sims said.

In October, Codecademy announced $2.5 million in startup funding from a group of high-profile investors. Among them was Union Square Ventures, a VC firm that has backed powerhouses such as Twitter and Zynga.

"On a really fundamental level their vision is teaching the world how to program for free," said Andy Weissman, a Union Square partner. "That's a really big vision; it's a vision that's really right for the time that we're in now. It's an important skill for people to learn."

Sims declined to provide specifics on the business model, but said once the site builds scale, it should be able to attract a range of business partners. Weissman said the creation of a large network of engaged users could generate interest among corporate recruiters and as well as those looking to find jobs.

To be sure, skilled IT professional are hard to find. According to a May 2011 survey from ManpowerGroup, the employment services agency, IT staff and engineers were among the top ten most difficult U.S. jobs to fill.

Even those who don't plan on becoming professional coders are finding the skills beneficial, whether they run their own businesses, work in large companies or use them in everyday life.

One is David Whittemore, the co-founder of Clothes Horse (), an emerging startup that offers advise about clothing fit and sizing to consumers who purchase apparel online. He has been taking Codecademy courses, but has no plans to become a Web engineer.

"I actually think almost everybody should learn to code," said Whittemore, adding that his new knowledge has eased the burden on his company's chief technology officer. "The more I can get involved and help him out, the better it is for our business - being able to put a prototype together for him, get access on the data on how a product is performing so I don't have to ask him," he said. "How much will it save us? Basically hiring a consultant or contractor or having to hire another team member."

Therein lies the rub. At a time when more and more new ventures are deploying so-called "lean" startup practices, the more skills and services they can perform in house will help to keep their costs down.

Other entrepreneurs have recognized this need. In Chicago, Mike McGee and Neal Sales-Griffin, a team of recently minted Northwestern University graduates, are tapping demand for coding skills with a different kind of training model under a similar name: Code Academy (). Theirs charges students $6,000 a pop for a 10-week course at an actual school.

The two began working on the idea in April, eventually quitting their jobs and jumping in headlong.

Demand for initial classes beginning in October quickly outstripped supply. There were 88 applicants for just 12 spots, all willing to plunk down tuition before Code Academy had even secured actual office space. So the founders upped class size to 35, and lucked out leasing space inside of the headquarters of Groupon, the online couponing site.

"We didn't have to take in any investment," said McGee, at 23 younger than many of his students. "We went from having no money to being profitable by the first week of September."

The program recently began its second series in the city's John Hancock building with 57 students, including some who are taking instruction in website design.

"It's just exploding," said McGee, whose business is already profitable. "We have people that are 21 and people that are 52 - from all over the world. It's just a big mixing pot."

A couple of quotes from the comments section summed this up :

It’s a pity that you don’t have any computer-literate reporters who can explain exactly what “coding” is being taught. JavaScript? CSS? Server-side coding? Simple HTML?

In the absence of any real details this is just another fluff piece.

there is actually a global shortage in people who are skilled at the higher end areas of IT.

Is Javascript that hard to learn by yourself? But I must admit, that is a great way of siphoning money from lazy people.

EDIT :

Bad mood? Blame mild dehydration, study suggests

A new, small study of 25 women suggests that being mildly dehydrated can take a toll on women's mood and cognitive function.

In the study, published in the latest issue of The Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that dehydration was a prime factor in causing headaches, loss of focus, fatigue, and low mood while both exercising and resting.

US magazine TIME reported last week that the women in the study experienced the bad effects from only mild dehydration -- about one percent lower than optimal hydration levels.

The Huffington Post also cites a 2009 study conducted by Tufts University researchers in the US that found "that dehydration leads to fatigue, confusion, and a negative mood among young female athletes."

TIME reports that while men weren't included in the research, the results likely apply to them as well.

To stay hydrated, opt for plain water or other non-alcoholic and caffeine-free drinks. While exactly how much water you need to drink daily varies and isn't well defined (some experts say eight glasses a day is too much), one good measure is to check the color of your urine: "if it's darker rather than nearly clear, you need more water," writes TIME.

Okay, which of you guys would like to offer a glass of water to a girl in a bad mood first? Don't worry, I won't contest for your insurance upon death.

[ganbaru]

^ Why only test this with female ? Would it be more usual to text on both ?

NJ camel predicts Giants will win the Super Bowl
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...01-26-18-22-46

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

In Facebook IPO, bankers seek prestige over fees

*facepalm*

I guess "due diligence" means "I gotz beeg ballz and waves them at buzzsaws lolz" in banking any more.

Idiots with money... the horror.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Idiots with money... the horror.

I would say than it's usualy a receipy for disaster.

[MrTerrorist]

Chinese dreamer swaps army for pole-dancing

[ganbaru]

Massachusetts woman stole soda just for can deposit
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...01-24-10-14-54
She should had emptied the can.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I guess "due diligence" means "I gotz beeg ballz and waves them at buzzsaws lolz" in banking any more.

Idiots with money... the horror.

These bankers aren't idiots, or at least the guys in the BoD. The real problem is with the "meetings" to come up with ideas on how to make more money - the brainstorming is useless because almost all the plans are short term.

Of course, the CEOs and the directors are shooting themselves by moving their earnings to Cayman Islands and Singapore. With so much money stashed there, there is reduced liqudity in the world economy, resulting in money being created out of thin air.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

Holodecks in moderation are awesome. What I'm surprised at is that we still don't have an effective home computer or console version of the 3D headsets (or just video scene helmet/googles) so you can turn your head to look at stuff in games. A whole ton of games have controls that let you turn your head while walking in another direction. Hell I even tested a prototype model back in the 90s for a research group that uesd some sort of Battletech like game as the basis (you'd walk in one way but you could look wherever. If you have head mounted guns those would fire were you looked (or the missile would lock on to whe you looked at, but your arm or body mounted weapons were more limited).

Thinks like Battlefield 3 or Halo would be awesome if you could look around corners using your head. Even more so if you could use shoot around corners with it. Your neck might get tired, but then presently in hig intesity games you can get eye strain.

no such thing as holodeck in moderation. once the holodeck is invented, the world population will drop 90% in 20yrs.

[Elo the Blue]

Brazilian father and son reunited after 17 years following arrests

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

no such thing as holodeck in moderation. once the holodeck is invented, the world population will drop 90% in 20yrs.

Which is a good thing.
Resource sustainability problem solved!

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

no such thing as holodeck in moderation. once the holodeck is invented, the world population will drop 90% in 20yrs.

Or maybe we'll just have test tube babies and let the holodeck raise them.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by aohige

Which is a good thing.
Resource sustainability problem solved!

If it stop at 90% I might agree, but I fear than it would go more than than, maybe not in 20 years, maybe even less.

Edit:
In de-coding class in China, cars are your best clue
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2319674/

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Or maybe we'll just have test tube babies and let the holodeck raise them.

Then we will start plugging electrodes into that generation of babies to power the holodeck, so we no longer need to rely on oil for power?

[Endless Soul]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Or maybe we'll just have test tube babies and let the holodeck raise them.

Shades of THX-1138.