Bill-Tracking Website Leads to Epidemic Tracing Breakthrough

Epidemics can be better traced now due to the analysis of data from a bill-tracking website, www.wheresgeorge.com . An article can be found here.

Quick Summary:

• Historical epidemics, such as the plague during the Middle Ages, were only able to move slowly since people could only travel a few kilometers a day.
• People today travel at much faster rates, so the rate disease spreads has to be faster.
• Three physicists used the bill movement data at www.wheresgeorge.com to simulate the movement of people.
• The data will drastically improve the predictions about the movement of disease during an epidemic.

My $0.02: With a pandemic looming on the horizon, a discovery like this can improve our ability to predict the disease's movement on a macroscopic scale. This discovery also helps to show how much power a thriving online community can have in the real world.

Sims 3 Coming?

The Sims 3 could already be in development. An article can be found here.

Quick Summary:

• Design sites Gamma Ray and Feng Zhu design listed The Sims 3 among project they're involved in. (No longer mentioned on their websites)
• EA refuses to confirm any details.

My $0.02: I really like the Sims. However, I'm starting to wonder if EA is milking the franchise for too much. The game has been released on the PC, the consoles and the handhelds. Heck, the game has even been released on cell phones. Do I really need to control someone else's life that much? Boredom with the game will have to set in if EA doesn't give the franchise a break.

Stain Resistant Products In Your Blood

Researchers have found that a number of stain-resistant products contain compounds that break down into a chemical that hurts lab animals. The full story can be found here.

Quick Summary:

• A variety a stain-resistant products contain compounds that break down into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
• PFOA is used to help make polymers that repel stains, keep grease in fast food wrappers, and improve hair-care products.
• PFOA doesn't break down.
• Lab animals have developed cancer and developmental problems after exposure to PFOA.
• PFOA is not found directly in the products. Compounds break down to release it.
• The EPA has asked 8 companies to cut down emissions of PFOA and chemicals that break down to form PFOA 95% by 2010.

My $0.02: If more people knew about this harmful chemical in their products, then there would be boycotts and a lot of complaints. This simply wouldn't be tolerated. Instead, most people are kept in the dark. I also note that there was no mention of the names of the companies that need to cut down their PFOA emissions. Coincidence? Definitely not.

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse Review

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse
Plaform: Xbox, PC (reviewed on Xbox)

Edward “Stubbs” Stubblefield was a traveling salesman in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Unfortunately, he was shot by a potential customer and buried in a remote field. The year now is 1959. Andrew Monday has founded a beautiful city of the future called Punchbowl, Pennsylvania. Stubbs now rises within Punchbowl with an insatiable hunger for brains.

The best quality of the game is its quirky plot. Stubbs will surprise you on more than one occasion. Peeing in the town’s water supply was one of the best parts of the game.

The basic combat moves in the game involve hitting you enemy and enemy their brains. You can also rip enemies’ arms off, unleash your unholy flatulence, through your guts as a grenade, roll your head to knock people down, and use your hand to possess other enemies. Though brain eating and your other abilities are fun, they can get a bit boring after a while. The zombie horde that you build up from eating so many brains can be very rewarding though.

From time to time, Stubbs will have the chance to drive vehicles. These are some of the worst designed parts of the game. The vehicles are often hard to maneuver and the controls feel loose.

Another negative aspect of the game is its linearity. There is no time when you can roam freely around the town terrorizing citizens. For the most part, you’ll be told exactly where to go.

Conclusion: The game is quirky and fun. Designs aspects take it down some.
Score: 3 out of 5

My Pink Paper Clip

Very recently, I posted a story about a red paper clip that was traded for cooler and cooler stuff until recently the guy got a car. Link to the post is here. Well, I have started my journey with a pink paper clip. My ultimate goal is to trade for a car. I traded for a cool pen:


The picture doesn't do the pen credit. It has a very cool metallic sheen. The side of the pen says "LORD OF WAR". I'm thanking my friend Smokey for this trade.

For future reference, all posts regarding the pink paper clip journey will be done in pink.

Pimp Juice Review

Drink: Pimp Juice
Official Site: Let It Loose

Pimp Juice is the best tasting energy drink that I've ever had. The fruity flavor is simply delightful. However, this isn't actually a great value since there are only 8 ounces for a $2, so it's not exactly cheap. The biggest factor that works is against Pimp Juice is the fact that it doesn't provide any energy. I felt nothing after drinking it.

Final Summary: Very tasty, but doesn't pack any punch.
Score: 3 out of 5

Rip It Energy Fuel Review

Drink: Rip It Energy Fuel
Flavor Being Reviewed: Citrus X
Official Site: Rip It Energy Fuel

Rip It Energy Fuel's Citrus X has something that's unique among energy drinks: It's actually kind of tasty. You won't forget that you're drink an energy drink, but you will appreciate the fresh taste. As far as energy goes, the drink gives a moderate amount of energy. However, the biggest appeal of the energy drink is the price. This 16 ounce drink only costs $0.99. Yep, not that $2 that the other energy drinks the same size charge you.

Final Summary: Tasty and cheap energy drink.
Score: 5 out of 5

Trading From a Red Paper Clip to a Car

A man named Kyle MacDonald has managed to trade enough to go from having a red paper clip to having 1995 Ford Cube Van. The link to the his page is here.

The list of trades is as follows(each item was traded for the item after it):

1. One red paper clip
2. A fish pen
3. A doorknob
4. A Coleman stove
5. A red generator
6. One beer keg, one neon Budweiser sign, one I.O.U. for a kegÂ’s worth of beer.
7. A famous skidoo(1991 Bombardier Mach 1)
8. A three-day trip to Yahk, British Columbia, Canada
9. A 1995 Ford Cube Van

My $0.02: This is pretty amazing to me. True, some of the trades seem absurd, but the story is interesting none the less. It gives me hope for a pink paper clip I found in my binder the other day...

Ant Teachers

Proof has arisen that ants do teach each other. The full article can be found here.

Quick summary:

• The ant would lead its nest mate to the source of food.
• The leader ant would pause as if to giver the follower time to look around.
• The ants adjusted theirs speeds to keep up with each other.
• The teacher ant slowed down considerably to teach the route.
• The learner aunt learned faster than if it had taught itself.

My $0.02: This is just a pleasant reminder to us humans that we're still animals even if we do have bigger brains.