Alternative News

Afghani Hornets Get Pissed After Soldiers Blow Up Their Home

"This video was captured a few years back, but the metaphor remains as stingingly apt as ever. According to the original uploader, a boulder blocking a military route in Afghanistan had to be removed, so an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was called in to blow it up. In the process of eliminating the fallen rock, a large hornets nest tucked underneath was also decimated, causing its inhabitants to go berserk and attack the military equipment. It's unclear what happened next, but something tells me it didn't end well." Continue reading →

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Bitcoin Architect: Everything You Need To Know About Bitcoin

"Much has been written over the past year about the new digital currency Bitcoin -- especially after its price skyrocketed 15x in just a few months, followed by a blow-off correction of over 50%. But what exactly is it? How does it work? How secure is it? What are its advantages (and disadvantages) to sovereign fiat currencies? To precious metals? In this week's podcast, Chris talks with Gavin Andresen, chief scientist of the Bitcoin Foundation and lead developer for its digital currency project." Continue reading →

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The Secret Plot to Prop Up the Municipal Bond Market

"Not only are capital regulations, written as parts of Basel II and Basel III, driving banks to hold government instruments such as US Treasury securities, but it is also driving banks to buy junk municipal debt. The disclosure that European banks are holding bad Detroit paper confirms my suspicions as to the true principles of the so-called safety guidelines capital requirements. They are no such thing, they are crony rules designed to prop up risky government paper. In time, as more government regions from Puerto Rico to Chicago and Los Angeles go into a financial crisis stage, we will learn of even more global bank exposure to debt from these sectors." Continue reading →

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Android nears 80 percent market share as iOS plummets

"Google's Android mobile operating system now accounts for almost 80 percent of the global smartphone market while Apple's slice has shrunk to 13 percent, the latest numbers from market research firm International Data Corp (IDC) have revealed. According to IDC's figures for the global smartphone market during the second quarter, Android's popularity is not slowing with Google's mobile operating system now accounting for 79.3 percent of the smartphone market." Continue reading →

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The real Elysium: Send your dead loved one into space for $2K

"A startup called Elysium Space is offering an easier, cheaper way to get into space – and it will have you there by next year. There is, however, a slight catch. First, you have to die. For $1,990, Elysium Space, which is today announcing itself to the world, will send a portion of your cremated remains – or those of your loved one – into space on a CubeSat that will then orbit the Earth for several months before ultimately re-entering the atmosphere and burning up in in a spectacular blaze. With that entry fee, you’ll also get the opportunity to watch the launch live, and you can track the satellite’s movements via a mobile app." Continue reading →

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10 Awesome Startups That Are Looking To Profit From A New Space Race

"In recent years, some of the most famous names in tech, like Microsoft's Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Google's Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, and Amazon's Jeff Bezos have been founding and investing in companies that are looking to the stars. Whether for personal dreams of adventure or for profit, these companies are doing the engineering and basic science needed to get humans into space. They're also looking at other opportunities that space provides, like access to resources that are hard to get on Earth and the ability to collect information about our planet from a different perspective." Continue reading →

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Railroad To Space: A Low(er) Cost Leap Into The Stars

"It currently costs about $100,000 to send a standard 3-pound satellite into low Earth orbit. Larger masses can be a little bit more affordable, but can still cost up to $5,000 per pound. Lucky for the human race, there are smart people out there trying to solve this problem. One company, HyperV Technologies Corp., has proposed a 'railroad to space using a mechanical hypervelocity launcher to enable large-scale space utilization' that will be only one-hundredth of the cost of the rockets we currently use. Fancy, I know. They’re calling it the Slingatron." Continue reading →

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The Hyperloop: Elon Musk’s futuristic plan to blast Californians through a tube

"The founder of Tesla, SpaceX and Paypal published the design for his futuristic 'Hyperloop' transportation system online. The Hyperloop would use low pressure steel tubes to blast car-sized capsules from one area to another. The system would be entirely powered by its own solar panels. The Hyperloop would be able to transport a person from Los Angeles to San Francisco — a distance of more than 300 miles — in only 30 minutes. Musk previously described the system a cross between a 'Concorde, a railgun, and an air hockey table.'" Continue reading →

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Worried About Obamacare? The Government’s “Federal Data Hub” Is Here to Help

"If you’re confused about the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known 'Obamacare,' worry not. The federal government has conveniently used your tax money to hire 'patient navigators' to help you understand… and enroll you in the program. These otherwise unassuming civil servants will help you learn about the act, navigate its complexities, and select the benefits that fit your criteria. They will also have access to your personal information. All of it. The hub will 'bring together information about you and your family from the Treasury Department and IRS, the Department of Homeland Security [and] the Department of Justice…'" Continue reading →

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