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Engadget Hoax Drives Apple Stock Down $4 Billion

Apple stock plunged to the tune of $4 billion in only six minutes after a hoax email sent to Engadget was published on their site on May 16, 2007. The email detailed that the iPhone would be seriously delayed and would not meet it’s production deadline in June 2007 and was reported by Engadget to have come directly from Apple’s own internal servers. Once the mistake was realized, the Apple machine swung into action and after much damage control and backtracking by Engadget, the stock went back up closing out the day down only $1.40 per share. If anyone is interested, that translates into a $1.25 billion loss due to an Internet rumor.  http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/16/engadget-knocks-4-billion-of-apple-market-cap-on-bogus-iphone-email/

Blind Pilots - Man Flies From London to Sydney Proving the Blind Can Have Fun Too

A 58-year-old blind pilot from the UK, Miles Hilton-Barber, completed his dream of a lifetime, a 13,500 flight from London to Sydney, Australia, braving severe weather conditions.  He flew a Microlight aircraft that resembles a hang-glider/tricycle. It was equipped with specialized navigational information, which enabled the success of the flight. This story proves that one can accomplish anything, given the right motivation.  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/30/ap/strange/main2739850.shtml

Vertical Farming - Skyscraper Farms to Combat Global Warming

Dr. Dickson Despommier, Columbia University professor of environmental sciences and microbiology, proposes that building crop farms on top of urban skyscrapers could provide food in land deficient populations and protect the environment. In a recent New York Magazine article, Despommier explains how 150 vertical farms could feed the entire population of New York City.  http://nymag.com/news/features/30020/

Messing With Nature - Beijing Weather Modification Offices Plans To Force Rain

In anticipation of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China’s Weather Modification Office plans to use a process called cloud-seeding to force the rain and ensure clear skies. This is a controversial technique and it’s effectiveness is highly debateable, however, China is confident in it’s ability to control the elements and is forging ahead with their artificial rain control methods. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Science/2007/04/25/4129178-ap.html

Google rises at Yahoo's expense

Two years ago, the biggest search companies were about the same size. Now Google's revenue is twice that of Yahoo's and growing fast. The companies were pulling in about the same amount of revenue; they looked primed to battle for Internet domination, and the jury was still out on whether Google's largely unproven management had the chops to take on a seasoned pro like Yahoo's CEO, Terry Semel. Now few would argue the answer to that management question is, in fact, a resounding "yes." http://news.com.com/Google+rises+at+Yahoos+expense/2100-1038_3-6178164.html?tag=nefd.lede

Sao Paulo Goes Advertising-Free

Upset that advertisers weren’t complying with regulations, Sao Paulo’s major banned outdoor ads.  Nearly four months later, the 11 million person city is nearly baron of commercial ads.  Marcel Solimeo, the Chief Economist of Sao Paulo’s Commercial Association claims, “This is a radical law that damages the rules of a market economy and respect for the rule of law. We live in a consumer society and the essence of capitalism is the availability of information about products.”  http://www.boingboing.net/2007/04/14/sao_paulo_goes_adver.html

Vonage Is Coming Apart at the Seams

The head of Vonage, Mike Snyder, has resigned citing his reasons to be their long-standing battle with Verizon, over patent rights. It is forcing them to scale back their operations to the tune of $110 million.  The captain has bailed-out of this sinking ship and the demise of Vonage and other such companies is no surprise seeing as how the ability to use Internet for long-distance calls was a totally hair-brained idea in the first place. Why pay for extra equipment and a montly fee to get “free long distance” with poor quality? http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=030002RR0WL6

Daylight saving shift fails to curb energy use

The move to turn the clocks forward by an hour on March 11 rather than the usual early April date was mandated by the U.S. government as an energy-saving effort.  But other than forcing millions of drowsy American workers and school children into the dark, wintry weather three weeks early, the move appears to have had little impact on power usage.  Households drew less electricity for lights at night, but used more power early in the day as they woke to darker and chillier mornings.  http://news.com.com/Daylight+saving+shift+fails+to+curb+energy+use/2100-1041_3-6172785.html?tag=nefd.top

Bush, automakers promote alternative fuel vehicles

The executives from General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler Group said after meeting with Bush at the White House that he agreed with their plans to significantly increase production of alternative fuel vehicles. The executives have pledged to make half their companies' annual vehicle production by 2012 able to run on fuel made from 85 percent ethanol or biodiesel. http://news.com.com/2001-11386_3-0.html?tag=ne.tab.hd

Death of Paper Magazines - Life Magazine Shuts Down

A number of print magazines have stopped printing in light of rising print costs and a shift to online mediums. However, one of the suprise announcements is that Time Inc. is shutting down Life magazine.  The company feels that the trend in magazine publishing is gravitating toward Internet publishing. It will maintain the magazine at www.life.com/life. http://www.comcast.net/entertainment/index.jsp?cat=ENTERTAINMENT