Photo: Flickr , CC Solid Solar Growth Market reserach firm iSuppli’s latest forecast for the solar power industry is out, and the predictions for total installed capacity in 2010 and 2011 are pretty positive. The forecast for 2010 was increased from 14.2 gigawatts (GW) to 15.8 GW, in good part thanks to stronger than expected demand in Germany. If accurate, this would represent 118.7% growth from 7.2GW in 2009! But sadly, 2011 won’t see another 100%+ increase; the forecast for that year is of 19.3 GW, down a bit from the pre… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Apple’s iTunes service will start selling music from The Beatles, in an agreement with the Fab Four’s recording label, EMI, and its management company, Apple Corps Ltd. (Nov. 16)
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For hundreds of years, humans have crowded stadiums to watch the abuse and killing of bulls for sport — but in two recent incidents in Canada and Mexico, the angry animals managed to leap into the stands, injuring spectators. Such apparent desperation on the part of the animals is reigniting que… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …I think there’s only one brand of religious fundamentalism they want to keep out of Denmark: Topless Danish girls have come in between the Conservative and Danish People’s (DPP) parties following a DPP call for a new introductory film about Denmark for prospective immigrants to include pictures of bare female breasts. The Conservative Integration Spokesman Naser Khader, however, says that pictures of topless girls on a Danish beach would hardly scare extremists away from applying to stay in Denmark. “Bare breasts are not a protection against fundamentalism,” Khader says on his Facebook page. “Quite on the contrary. Fundamentalists as so sex crazy that bare breasts would make them flock to the country. Perhaps one should try naked pigs and pork – that’ll keep them away…” Khader says. The Danish People’s Party Spokesman Peter Skaarup has explained that in the Netherlands, where a similar film has been shown, they show the naked truth about what can be seen on a beach. “There are of course a lot of other things that show what it is to be Danish, and I’m sure that the film-maker has found them. But I reckon that if you can’t stand seeing a couple of Danish breasts, you probably won’t come here,” Skaarup tells Berlingske Tidende. I’m not sure bare breasts will do what they really want to do, but handing out bacon before the meeting might get the job done.
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Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth and her husband “are absolutely delighted” that Prince William and Kate Middleton have decided to marry. The 28-year-olds met in college and began dating in 2004. The wedding is expected next Spring. (Nov. 16)
Continue reading …Panasonic says it will start selling Android-based smartphones in Japan next year, overseas in 2012
November 16, 2010 No Comment
Panasonic may not be new to cellphones, but it has sat out of the smartphone explosion of recent years — an oversight that it’s now apparently looking to correct. Speaking at a news conference today, the head of Panasonic’s mobile division, Osamu Waki, said flatly that the compmany ” misjudged the speed at which smartphones would be taken up in the Japanese market,” and that “with the rapid shift to Android, we want to catch up quickly.” Exact details on how it plans to catch up are expectedly still a bit light, but Panasonic’s phones will indeed be based on Android, and it apparently hopes to differentiate them by emphasizing their networking capabilities with other Panasonic products. As for when the first ones will roll out, Panasonic plans to kick off sales in Japan sometime next year, with overseas markets set to follow in 2012. Panasonic says it will start selling Android-based smartphones in Japan next year, overseas in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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A House ethics panel has found Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel of New York guilty on 11 counts of breaking House rules. (Nov. 16)
Continue reading …Creative hits 1080p with its Live! Cam Socialize HD webcam, launches 720p models too
November 16, 2010 No Comment
Today, if your webcam can’t do HD it might as well not even power up its sensor in the morning, and Creative is latest to join the full HD crowd with the $89 Live! Cam Socialize HD 1080 — an excessive title for the latest 1080p webcam to grace your USB ports. It joins the Microsoft LifeCam Studio and Logitech C910 in terms of resolution, but adds some interesting features, perhaps most notably being a dual-microphone array that can be adjusted to provide a field of 20 to 180 degrees, allowing you to control the amount of environmental sound that gets through. Also interesting is a cradle that “scans” in business cards, though we’re not sure you really need 1080p for that. Meanwhile, for those who don’t necessarily live life 1,980 pixels at a time, there’s the $69 Live! Cam Socialize HD AF model, which features a similar design but a 720p sensor, and the $39 Live! Cam Chat HD, which still does 720p but loses much of the other accoutrement. The 720p Socialize model looks to be available now, but no word on when the others will be perching themselves atop your display. Gallery: Creative Live! webcams Continue reading Creative hits 1080p with its Live! Cam Socialize HD webcam, launches 720p models too Creative hits 1080p with its Live! Cam Socialize HD webcam, launches 720p models too originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Early marijuana use appears to take a toll on the brain, according to new research.
Continue reading …George Stephanopoulos Presses Michele Bachmann: Why Is It ‘Okay’ to Extend Tax Cuts?
November 16, 2010 No CommentFor the second time in two days, Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday lobbied for tax increases, wondering why it's “okay” for the “wealthiest Americans” to continue to receive a tax cut. The GMA host pushed Congresswoman Michele Bachmann to accept a deal in exchange for extending the Bush tax cuts. After the conservative leader expressed skepticism about extending unemployment benefits, Stephanopoulos complained, ” But, why is it okay for the wealthiest Americans, earning over $250,000 a year– And remember, the President has called for extending all tax cuts for those under $250,000.” He continued, worrying about why it's acceptable for the wealthy to get “tax cuts extended, but for people who are out of a job and needing unemployment benefits not to have their benefits extended?” read more
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