All Blog Posts (1,131)

Facebook celebrates 200 millionth user

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25312348-23109,00.html

HOT social networking website Facebook expects to welcome its 200 millionth user, co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said.

Mr Zuckerberg, who created Facebook with two Harvard University roommates five years ago, announced the milestone in a post on the official Facebook blog.

"We will welcome our 200 millionth user to Facebook some time today,'' the 24-year-old chief executive said, describing it as a "really… Continue

Added by Mikhayl Von Riebon on April 8, 2009 at 8:10pm — 4 Comments

CB2, the Robo-Boy prototype of the next generation

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25301664-5014239,00.html

A BALD, child-like creature dangles its legs from a chair as its shoulders rise and fall with rythmic breathing and its black eyes follow movements across the room. It's not human - but it is paying attention.

Below the soft silicon skin of one of Japan's most sophisticated robots, processors record and evaluate information. The 130cm humanoid is designed to learn just like a human… Continue

Added by Mikhayl Von Riebon on April 6, 2009 at 11:51pm — 6 Comments

Battery built out of virus could power iPods, cars - MIT

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,25283329-5014239,00.html

SCIENTISTS have engineered a virus that could form a battery three times more powerful than those found in gadgets today.

The bio-battery could conceivably power mp3 players, mobile phones, and possibly even a car.

The genes in the virus, dubbed M13, were modified to collect negatively charged particles and build a powerful, tiny electrode out of metal compounds and carbon… Continue

Added by Mikhayl Von Riebon on April 3, 2009 at 1:35am — No Comments

The global economic crisis threatens to create failed states, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon warns

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25278784-2,00.html

Agence France-Presse

April 02, 2009 12:23pm

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has warned that failing to act to halt the global economic crisis could lead to widespread social unrest and failed states, ahead of the G20 crisis summit in London.

"What began as a financial crisis has become a global economic crisis,'' the UN secretary general wrote in an article in today's Guardian newspaper in Britain.

"I… Continue

Added by Mikhayl Von Riebon on April 1, 2009 at 10:34pm — 6 Comments

What do people think about the film zeitgeist ?

Specifically the introduction with the first section: Religion - The Greatest Story Ever Told

I’ve been asked to do a presentation to my Religious studies (Christian theology) class in college and I decided, that allot of the subjects I would have like to have talked about would not necessarily be universal for my class mates who range from strict atheist to Pagan.

I’ve decided on this, not because necessarily go along… Continue

Added by Luke Wallwork on April 1, 2009 at 12:00pm — 1 Comment

Vioxx maker Merck and Co drew up a doctor 'hit list'

http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,27753,25273468-462,00.html

AN international drug company made a hit list of doctors who had to be "neutralised" or discredited because they criticised the anti-arthritis drug the pharmaceutical giant produced.

Staff at US company Merck & Co emailed each other about the list of doctors - mainly researchers and academics - who had been negative about the drug Vioxx or Merck and a recommended course of action.

The email,… Continue

Added by Mikhayl Von Riebon on March 31, 2009 at 10:53pm — 3 Comments

A very sad story from my youth . . .

I have a very sad tale about my youth. There used to be a very ancient man who stood in the entrance of the local Drug Store in our, very Christian, small town, who kept complaining to all and everyone that, "Did your stomach ever just burn?" My Mother thought he was just hilarious, until she told me about it. I, being the only one with any Buddhist background in the town, asked her why no one would actually go into the Drug Store and get him something for what evidently was an ulcer---which… Continue

Added by Andrew W. Smith on March 31, 2009 at 3:55pm — 3 Comments

Mind-reading robot a step closer

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25271450-5014239,00.html

OPENING a car boot or controlling a home air conditioner could become just a wish away with Honda's new technology that connects thoughts inside a brain with robotics.

Honda Motor Co. has developed a way to read patterns of electric currents on a person's scalp as well as changes in cerebral blood flow when a person thinks about four simple movements - moving the right hand, moving the left hand, running… Continue

Added by Mikhayl Von Riebon on March 31, 2009 at 5:30am — No Comments

Theosophical Wanderings

At times I will share passages from literature, philosophy, poetry, lyrics, etc that have both moved and sustained me. While many of the authors may not be from the recognized theosophical literature I believe they are theosophical in nature none-the-less. I also believe that the authors I bring here do their best work when I stay out of there way as much as possible. Other readers are encouraged to share as well.

--bill

Added by Bill Meredith on March 25, 2009 at 6:30pm — 54 Comments

Honesty, authenticity and truth... harder than it sounds

Speaking the truth is one of the spiritual values that is traditional. I think perhaps that it's repeated so often in Buddhist and other religious literature, because it is such a very hard thing to practice.

The central question is: is it always kindness to speak the truth? And if it's not - how does one know when to speak the truth, and when to lie kindly?

I've written several blogposts about this question.

The first one asks the question:… Continue

Added by Katinka Hesselink on March 23, 2009 at 9:06am — 1 Comment

Theosophy Today-Daily Life

Hoping that all members will be able to get away from the in-the-brain theosophy to a point of sharing what we do in the real world that has theosophical meaning. Some theosophists forget to go out in the real world and be theosophy. I hope that people will share here theosophy in their lives. From dealing with the fundamentalists on the doorstep, to standing in line at the grocery store, we create a nucleus of universal brotherhood either consciously or unconsciously. I hope that we can use… Continue

Added by Susan Thomas on March 22, 2009 at 12:00pm — 21 Comments