At this time of year, the famous constellation Orion the Hunter is back in the evening sky! Its most recognizable feature is a short, straight line of 3 medium-bright stars. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/orion-rises-in-the-east-at-mid-evening…
Tag: Sides
Full moon subdues North Taurid meteor peak
Full moon comes on November 12, 2019, as the moon is sweeping through the constellation Taurus the Bull. This full moon comes on the peak night of the North Taurid meteor shower. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/full-moon-subdues-north-taurid-meteors…
German Government Expands Subsidies For Electric Cars
The German government and car industry have agreed to increase joint subsidies for the purchase of electric cars on the same day automobile giant Volkswagen began production of a new all-electric vehicle. From a report: The agreement between the government and the automobile industry was reached following a Monday evening “car summit” aimed at fostering the mass production of cleaner transportation….
Xiaomi Launches Mi Watch, Its $185 Apple Watch Clone
Xiaomi, which competes with Apple for the top position in the wearable market, today made the competition a little more interesting. The Chinese electronics giant has launched its first smartwatch called the Mi Watch that looks strikingly similar to the Apple Watch in its home market. From a report: The Mi Watch, like the Apple Watch, has a square body with…
Blizzard Sponsor Bailed After ‘Free Hong Kong’ Gamer Ban
After gaming giant Activision Blizzard banned a pro gamer who expressed support for Hong Kong protesters, the company has taken heat on all sides. Players boycotted Blizzard games. Employees walked out of work. Lawmakers lambasted the company for caving to pressure from China. And Blizzard faced another problem it didn’t reveal at the time: a sponsor pulled out of its pro…
US Court Shields Internet Subscribers From Futile Piracy Complaints
A New Jersey district court has issued a devastating order against Strike 3 Holdings, the most active filer of piracy lawsuits in the US. In four separate cases, the court denied a request to obtain identities of alleged BitTorrent pirates. The court argues that the underlying complaints are futile. Even if they held up, other issues such as the privacy of…
See moon, Leo, and Mars before daybreak
Get up before dawn to see the moon and the starry figure of Leo the Lion in the eastern sky. Then, as darkness gives way to dawn, use the lit side of the waning lunar crescent to find the planet Mars near the sunrise horizon. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/see-moon-leo-and-mars-before-daybreak…
Is Andrew Yang Wrong About Robots Taking Our Jobs?
U.S. presidential candidate Andrew Yang “is full of it,” argues Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent, challenging Yang’s contention (in a debate Tuesday) that American jobs were being lost to automation: Following the debate, a “fact check” by the AP claimed that Yang was right and Warren wrong. “Economists mostly blame [manufacturing] job losses on automation and robots, not trade deals,”…
Is America’s Federal Banking System Considering Its Own Digital Cryptocurrency?
America’s lawmakers and Federal Reserve officials “are so concerned about Facebook’s plans to launch a new digital currency,” reports Politico’s financial services reporter, “that they’re contemplating a novel response — having the central bank create a competitor.”
Momentum is building for an idea that was once considered outlandish — a U.S. government-run virtual currency that would replace physical cash, a dramatic move…
Cars All But Banned On One of Manhattan’s Busiest Streets
An anonymous reader shares a report from The New York Times: On Thursday, New York City transformed one of its most congested streets into a “busway” that delighted long frustrated bus riders and transit advocates but left many drivers and local businesses fuming that the city had gone too far. Passenger cars, including taxis and Ubers, were all but banned from…