Militantplatypus » news

Rest in Peace

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:28:52 +0000

Tsutomu Yamaguchi – Only know survivor of both atomic bombs

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:01:11 +0000

On 6 August 1945, he was in Hiroshima, preparing to return home from a business trip when the American B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay, dropped an atomic bomb on the city. Yamaguchi lived, while 140,000 other people who were in the city that morning died, some in an agonising instant, others many months later.

Burned and barely able to comprehend what had happened – only that he had witnessed a bomb unlike any used before – Yamaguchi spent a fitful night in an air raid shelter before returning home the following day.

That home, 180 miles to the west, was Nagasaki. His arrival came the day before it was devastated by a second US atomic bomb on 9 August.

guardian.co.uk

via tmbo – emjayes

Visualizing the credit crisis

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:03:58 +0000

This short film is a very clear look at what caused the credit crisis.

43Mb

Right turns only

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:53:42 +0000

UPS trucks don’t turn left. It’s not that they can’t, it’s just that they won’t…generally speaking.

In 2004, after evaluating their CO2 emissions, UPS announced that its drivers would avoid making left turns. They calculated that the amount of time spent idling waiting to make a left turn would save millions of dollars in fuel costs every year. For example, in 2006 UPS trucks drove 2.5 billion miles, and with their unique package flow technology combined with their right-turn routes, they estimate saving 28,541,472 million miles, and three million gallons of fuel. Talk about improving the bottom line!

via e-myth.com

Don’t forget to look up!

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:16:59 +0000

A total eclipse of the Moon occurs during the night of Wednesday, February 20/21, 2008. The entire event is visible from South America and most of North America (on Feb. 20) as well as Western Europe, Africa, and western Asia (on Feb. 21). During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon’s disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and (rarely) very dark gray.

And the winner is…

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:40:18 +0000

Blu-ray
Sad but true. Toshiba has officially thrown in the towel, which means that Blu-ray is the new format.

toshiba.co.jp

200 ton bridge stolen

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:00:03 +0000

Russian police are hunting scrap metal thieves who stole a 200-tonne metal bridge in a night-time raid.

The bridge in Khabarovsk in eastern Russia vanished overnight and was part of the only road leading to a local heating plant.

Now staff at the plant have to find alternative routes to work.

dailymail.co.uk

via happycolt – tmbo

Apple – Don’t be evil

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:17:01 +0000

People looking to walk into an Apple retailer and buy an iPhone with cash will be out of luck. The company is now accepting only credit or debit card payments for the devices so that it can track who purchases the phone, according to an employee at the Apple Store in New York’s SoHo neighborhood.

infoworld.com

via Eric L

Record Snowfall!

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:41:15 +0000

…THE DAYTONA BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THE RESULT OF THIS FLURRY IS A RECORD SNOWFALL OF A TRACE. THIS OF
COURSE PILED HIGHER THAN THE OLD RECORD FOR THIS DATE OF NONE.

via NOAA

Stranger than fiction

MILITANTPLATYPUS — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:04:17 +0000

The chief operating and development officer of Yum brands, which includes Taco Bell, KFC, Long John Silver’s and Pizza Hut, is named Mr. Hearl. Mr. Hearl is retiring and will be replaced by Mr. Eaton. Seriously.

wsj.com

via tmbo – coyote