Tag: USA

Reinvent payphones

Via this Habrahabr post (in Russian), I’ve learned about a Reinvent payphones initiative, which I think is pretty cool.  According to the article, the contract for provision of payphone services for the New York City expires in 2014.  So the mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has started the initiative to figure out what would be the best use for such a vast infrastructure (around 11,000 booths throughout the city).  Some of the ideas are really cool, for example:

  • Free WiFi hotspot
  • Power socket for recharging mobile devices
  • Weather and air quality censors
  • Location and other information (“you are here”, places around, etc)
  • Ad-supported free services

Here are some of the project suggestions: beacon, NYFi, smart sidewalks.  Also, read more here.

Killer … snails!

Giant African land snail

Slashdot reports the next invasion of species.  It’s in Florida for now, and these aren’t too fast or extremely vicious creates, but still … I do understand how uncomfortable and damaging this might be to people who are affected, but never-the-less one has to admit that it’s pretty funny.  If you do have enough of sense of humor to laugh about it, go read some Slashdot comments to the story.  I was literally laughing out loud.  If you prefer your humor in a video source, here is one.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTV23B5gBsQ]

I can’t stand that this is what America is; that w…

I can’t stand that this is what America is; that we trade our children’s lives for the opportunity to purchase items specifically invented for killing. I can’t stand it. It’s pathetic and embarrassing and barbaric.

Jason Kottke