Monthly Archives: March 2013

Nah, evolution is just some crackpot theory

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Nah, evolution is just some crackpot theory

Nebraskan swallows may be evolving to avoid becoming roadkill
A 30-year study of birds and roadkill may have given us a look into how animals respond to man-made changes in the environment. According to a study published last week in Current Biology, an area…

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The more we learn, the more we realize how little we actually know 1

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Standardized tests are a fundamentally flawed way of evaluating anything on a general level. Whether we are testing kids in schools, rats or chimps, we must always remember that standard tests are only as good as the questions we ask. 

Intelligence and cognition are are NOT on a linear scale from stupid to genius. The continuum is multi-dimensional and we must acknowledge that as we evaluate the capabilities of all species including humans. Humans have evolved some unique capabilities in terms of communication and manual dexterity, but other species have their own capabilities that are neither better or worse, just different.

We have a couple of hens out in our yard, and it doesn't take much observation time to realize that they are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. Similarly, just because a person may be autistic or dyslexic and they may have difficulty doing well on a test, but they may have capabilities that far exceed the average in certain areas. Not better or worse just different.

Standard tests are fine for evaluating the skills needed for a specific task, but they should never be the sole criteria for any decision. 

The Brains of the Animal Kingdom
New research shows that we have grossly underestimated both the scope and the scale of animal intelligence. Primatologist Frans de Waal on memory-champ chimps, tool-using elephants and rats capable of…

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We need to find a middle ground on how to compete

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+HTC has unfortunately demonstrated that building great phones simply isn't enough to succeed. You have to have some great marketing too. Apple on the other hand apparently uses strong-arm tactics to strengthen their position against challengers whether its in phones or e-books. Look at the commitments that Sprint had to make in order to get the iPhone and now they are struggling to sell all of those phones. 

NYT: Apple allegedly squeezing EU operators on iPhone contracts, regulators looking into it
Apple’s deals with European wireless carriers are under scrutiny by the European Commission, reports The New York Times. According to an unnamed source, a group of European operators submitted…

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It's not often you get to see full-size clay models of the design iterations…

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It's not often you get to see full-size clay models of the design iterations leading to a new car but +Ferrari is showing some of the steps along the way to LaFerrari at its museum right now

Via: http://jalopnik.com/this-futuristic-concept-is-how-the-laferrari-project-st-458233430

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I actually kind of liked the way the +Acura ZDX looked, but not much else about… 1

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I actually kind of liked the way the +Acura ZDX looked, but not much else about it

After moving just 775 examples of this odd-ball crossover last year, it's third on the market, Honda of America finally decided to call it quits. The ZDX is now done and gone.

Review: 2010 Acura ZDX is a space (challenged) oddity
2010 Acura ZDX – Click above for high-res image galleryNeedless to say, the 2010 Acura ZDX is a peculiar beast. And after a week’s worth of

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A big thumbs up to +Delta Airlines

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A big thumbs up to +Delta Airlines

In recent years, airlines have got plenty of bad publicity for mis-treating passengers, most of it totally deserved. It's nice for once to see an airline do something right instead of making passengers sit on a plane for hours without food or water. 

Good Guy Delta Airlines Gets 60 Pizzas For Stranded Passengers
Getting stuck on a plane sucks. Like, it really sucks. Sitting on the tarmac for hours is the bane of many traveler’s existence. But Delta did something about it. They got pizza delivered to passenger…

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Star your favorite G+ posts with a chrome extension

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Star your favorite G+ posts with a chrome extension

Reshared post from +JR Raphael

Ever wish Google+ had a "Save to Favorites" feature?

It can — with the help of a Chrome extension called Favorite Posts for Google+.

The extension puts a small star button onto every G+ post and comment. Clicking the star adds the post or comment to a private "Favorites" section that you can access from the main G+ navigation bar. Your saved stuff is accessible in any Chrome browser where you're signed in and the extension is installed (there's currently no way to access it from a mobile app, unfortunately).

Favorite Posts for Google+ has a few other bells and whistles, like options for adding one-click buttons to save any post or comment directly to Pocket or Instapaper. You can also tell the app to automatically save anything that you +1.

All in all, it's an interesting idea implemented in a way that makes it feel like a natural part of the platform. You can find the extension here, if you want to give it a whirl:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/favorite-posts-for-google/kbhljnodjcehoonoejjpjnifgkkgjiec/related


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The best turn-key drag racer on the strip is now available in Gotta-have-it Gree…

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The best turn-key drag racer on the strip is now available in Gotta-have-it Green

+Ford Motor Company is getting ready to build this year's run of 50 Mustang Cobra Jets and a couple of new colors are available including green and flat-black.

2014 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet Priced at $97,990 – WOT on Motor Trend
Good news — the 2014 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet drag race special can be ordered in green, and costs $97,990.

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The new +Road & Track cover redesign is out and it's definitely got a retro-feel…

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The new +Road & Track cover redesign is out and it's definitely got a retro-feel to it

This is the new Road & Track magazine
So, as you guys remember from your AMA with Larry Webster back in November, he had big things in store for Road & Track. You know, what with the complete overhaul of the magazine and all. Anyway,…

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