Review – new MacBook Air has great performance improvements, no design changes

You have to give it to ars technica, they write the best, most in-depth reviews. If you’re interested in buying the new MacBook Air the whole 4-page article is worth reading. But, to cheat, I skipped to the last page and copied the conclusions below:   Conclusion The 2012 MacBook Air doesn’t look any different …

Los Angeles updates zoning in Hollywood – moving towards metro-centric city

A plan that could dramatically remake the Hollywood skyline and form the blueprint for denser development around the city’s growing rail network has won unanimous approval from the Los Angeles City Council. Revised zoning guidelines for Sunset Boulevard and surrounding streets will make it easier for developers to build bigger and taller buildings, especially around …

Irvine Company completes donation of 20,000 acres of permanently protected natural parks

April 11, 2012 – Ushering in a sweeping new era of public ownership and access to thousands of acres of Orange County’s most prized natural lands, the (Orange County) Board of Supervisors today accepted the long-anticipated final gift of more than 20,000 acres of pristine, permanently protected open space and parklands from the Irvine Company. …

The highly productive habits of Alan Turing

On the week of his 100th birthday, we celebrate the mathematician’s life. June 23 marks the 100th birthday of Alan Turing. If I had to name five people whose personal efforts led to the defeat of Nazi Germany, the English mathematician would surely be on my list. Turing’s genius played a key role in helping the …

Amazing photo of a blue whale feeding on krill (her mouth is full)

After reading a recent story about local blue whale sightings, San Diego photographer Jerry Allen shared a stunning image of a blue feeding on krill off the county’s coast at Nine Mile Bank. He took the photo in November. “There were about 10 blue/fin whales that day. I now call it the ‘magic day,’” Allen …

The stop-motion story of a bookmark that comes alive – Much Better Now

Narrative: The main character is a bookmark, stuck in a forgotten book. Both are connected by chance, in a life marked by standstill in a deserted room. One day a window is pressed open by a gust of wind, knocking over the book and blowing the bookmark onto the table. As they become separated, the …

The Art of Fermentation in coffee, bread, beer, cheese, yogurt…

The list of fermented food in our lives is staggering: bread, coffee, pickles, beer, cheese, yogurt and soy sauce are all transformed at some point during their production process by microscopic organisms that extend their usefulness and enhance their flavors. The process of fermenting our food isn’t a new one: Evidence indicates that early civilizations …

Easter Island excavations reveal huge bodies beneath the heads

There’s more to the world-famous heads of Easter Island than meets the eye. Ask archaeologist Jo Anne Van Tilburg, a research associate at the UCLA Cotsen Institute of Archaeology and director of its Rock Art Archive, who has been lecturing and writing about Easter Island’s iconic monolithic statues for years. She and her team of …

Surfline adds 34 new/upgraded cameras to its lineup – from Ireland to CA, NC

Surfline has added/upgraded 34 cams in the last five months with many more to come. Make sure you check back because there’s a good chance there will be a new or upgraded cam near you.   NEW HD CAMS Beacons, CA (Feb 2012) Oceanside Pier SS, CA (April 2012) Salt Creek, CA (Jan 2012) Ponce …