The harlequin ladybird (“ladybug” here in the colonies) is an invasive species from China introduced to Europe for pest control and is now a threat to over 1,000 species in the UK, including other ladybugs; however, parasites, like wasps, are adapting to prey on them. Yum. Yum.
Harlequin Ladybird on Vapourer Moth eggs
Credit: nutmeg66
Vendors of medical marijuana in Oakland California support higher taxes on their business, which already contributes a million dollars a year in taxes to the state. It’s estimated the taxes on legalized marijuana use would top $1.5 billion for the state.
A study by Trojan Condom maker finds 50 percent of Americans using vibrators, including men, lending credence to the argument that a vibrator is not a replacement for male genitals, but more of a “team mate.”
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and NASA have released the most complete terrain map of the Earth ever, covering 99 percent of the Earth’s surface, tracking elevation points every 30 meters (which makes me wonder if buildings screw up the results), and it’s available for download.
ASTER Global Digital Elevation Map
Credti: METI/NASA
BellKor’s Pragmatic Chaos is the name of a team that has come up with an algorithm to improve Netflix’s DVD recommendations by 10.05 percent using anonymized data from half a million users of the service, which, if no one bests that improvement in one month, will earn the team a $1 million prize.
Contrary to critics’ assertions, the Climate bill is not a “jobs Killer” but a jobs shifter, moving American’s to work with more advanced technologies that could spawn an Energy Revolution.
The numerous Planetary Boundaries that we measure to gauge the Earth’s ability to support us include carbon dioxide levels, ocean acidity, fish populations, ozone levels, and others are all key factors for social stability and quality of life. If any one of them goes too far, civilization destabilizes, and they are all trending toward unsustainability.
Vanishing Head Illusion (Best viewed in fullscreen (HT Kristina)).
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Vanishing head = good. I’ve been familiar with the “blind spot exploit” since I was 10 or so, but it was cool to see it in video!
Comment by ClintJCL — July 1, 2009 @ 1:43 am