Author: JD Rucker

The biotechnology industry has been booming for decades in the United States, Europe, and Japan, but recent advancements in both science and economic situations have the industry hitting a tipping point around the world. Australia, China, and South Korea have made tremendous strides in this competitive and highly-lucrative industry as the races to create the next batch of wonder drugs and miracle treatments hits a feverish pace. This graphic by AssayDepot follows the money trail around the world, highlighting the newest batch of labs that are popping up across the globe. Click to enlarge….

After last week’s high-energy American Censorship Day flew through with amazing responses from websites everywhere, much of the buzz has faded in the last few days. That simply cannot happen. SOPA, the bill that would grant power to the US government to censor websites, punish users, and have unprecedented control over the internet in general, is up for a vote next month. Despite all of the feverish activity, now is not the time to slow down. This is a sprint – the vote is next month – and the money (via campaign contributions) behind those supporting the bill is growing. Congress must be contacted….

The future of the internet and computing might be in the cloud, but people are reluctant to give up their hard drives and programs. This has been made clear by the assumed poor performance of the Chromebook line of laptops over the last six months. The most recent price reductions of Acer and Samsung Chromebooks to a base of $299 just prior to Christmas is enough circumstantial evidence to show that we’re just not ready to dish out big bucks for cloud-based computers. Like it or not, we use Microsoft Word. We feel safer storing our pictures on our hard drives. We don’t want to rely on persistent internet…

According to the LA Times, Google+ interest is fading. According to logic, history, and common sense, Google+ is exactly where it needs to be. Lest we forget, Google+ grew to 20 million and then to 50 million users ten times faster than Facebook. “Fading interest” is not a challenge for a site that grew that quickly. It’s a fact that would happen to any site that grew through buzz. Simply stated, buzz excitement is unsustainable. Google knows this. The LA Times and other bloggers apparently do not. Most things are falling into place exactly as Google has predicted. They’ve had some major missteps…

At first glance, it doesn’t seem real. This video of time lapse sequences from the International Space Station crews of expedition 28 and 29 use a special low-light 4K-camera. Shot from August through October, 2011, these spectacular images make the world seem small and wonderful while highlighting the awe-inspiring view from the ISS. If you ever dreamed of being an astronaut, do not watch the video. It’s bound to re-ignite the flames that once drove you. Here is a list of the shooting locations: Aurora Borealis Pass over the United States at Night Aurora Borealis and eastern United States at…

The term “firewall” has one that most people know but few understand. It’s often confused with anti-virus software because of the similarities of purpose, but it has a completely different use on your computer. This infographic by ZoneAlarm breaks it down nicely for us (while throwing in a quick pitch about their product). Knowing what they do and why they’re important can help you understand how to better protect your computer from the more nefarious types on the internet. Click to enlarge. …

In design, typeface can be everything. People associate a brand with certain typefaces. Personalities of individuals can be expressed with the appropriate typeface. For something that we often take for granted, its benefits and potential drawbacks can be huge. In this infographic by our friends at Rasmussen, we take a look at the history of the typeface. Modern technology has made it more robust and easier to manage what typefaces we use and how we use it, but understanding the past gives us a good insight into how presentation of the typed word has evolved. Click to enlarge. …

Most would admit that President Obama did a phenomenal job of working social media during his presidential campaign in 2008. Twitter and Facebook were all a good portion of his campaign even back then when social media was still in its infancy. It’s debatable whether it had an effect or not, but things are different for 2012. Social media will have an effect on next year’s election. Bank on it. How do the current GOP candidates stack up against each other on social media? Twitter can be a good indication of effort and focus as well as sentiment when it comes to political social media. Here, we’ll take…

One aspect of social media that is widely understood but rarely discussed is the ego-boost through empowerment that it allows. In most cases, the “empowerment” is perceived more highly than the reality, but it’s present for many of those who have never had a public voice but who now can use social media to reach people. Klout changed its algorithm earlier this week and there was (apparently) an outcry. I checked mine when I heard about it. I wasn’t sure whether it went up or down (I hadn’t checked it in months) but it has never been important enough to follow. For others, it really struck a cord. People…

It may not have been their intention, but it’s definitely a clear indicator. By purchasing Ericsson’s half of the phone deal and announcing plans to move towards a smartphone-only model, Sony has unofficially declared the death of feature phones. It’s a trend that is likely to continue to hit other manufacturers. Sony’s president and CEO, Sir Howard Stringer, said it simply, “We’re phasing out feature phones.” Who’s next?…