Postcards from Studio Ghibli – timeless anime films from Hayao Miyazaki

A set of nine 4×6″ postcards based off 9 Studio Ghibli films. It’s not all of the Ghibli films, just the ones Miyazaki directed and yes technically “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” wasn’t a Studio Ghibli film when released but it has been re-released in the US on dvd as one so I …

Japan launches its own private space company – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

The space wars are heating up. As it stands right now, the Russians have the biggest for-hire space program, but their fleet is aging. The new players on the market, like Space X, are competing for the future of that market. Which will look something like this. Every country rich enough to afford it, and …

‘Ring of Fire’ – solar eclipse coming this Sunday

There will be a stunning partial solar eclipse on Sunday, May 20th. The moon will begin shrouding the sun at 5:27 p.m. (PST) and will cover 83 percent of the sun’s surface at 6:40 p.m. The eclipse will take place while the sun is sinking toward the horizon, out over the ocean. It’ll be easy …

Pinterest valued at $1.5 billion – as megalithic Japanese website invests

Rakuten (the Amazon of Japan) has led a $100m funding round into Pinterest, which values the online “curation” community at around $1.5 billion. The Japanese ecommerce giant won out over major US venture capital firms who were vying for a piece of Silicon Valley’s new sweetheart, which lets users clip images to a virtual pinboard. The FT spoke …

Psychology’s five aspects of wisdom

A recent article in the Economist used a complex, but somewhat small in scope, survey to study wisdom. They found that Americans definitely get smarter with age. They scored 45 points at age 25, and 55 by age 75. In comparison, the Japanese learn wisdom much quicker, scoring 51 in both age groups. This led …

In 2011, China sent more rockets into space than the U.S. – first-time ever

For the first time ever, China has launched more rockets into orbit in a year than the U.S. In 2011, the Chinese sent 19 rockets into space. The U.S. sent just 18. Russia, the Walmart of space launches, fired off no fewer than 31 rockets. …Beijing is not about to catch up to Washington in …

Radioactive ocean currents reach Southern California

Radioactive particles released in the nuclear reactor meltdown in Fukushima, Japan, following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami were detected in giant kelp along the California coast, according to a recently published study. Radioactive iodine was found in samples collected from beds of kelp in locations along the coast from Laguna Beach to as far …

Nerdist Channel – you have to have an excessive knowledge of nerd culture

This is one of the most entertaining press conferences I’ve ever seen. “You have to have an excessive knowledge of nerd culture, a little bit of desperation, and I believe there is an element of being socially ostracized.”   The Nerdist Channel   Featured shows: Ain’t It Cool with Harry Knowles – the TV version …

Tumblr Blog finds all the Monsters in Google Maps 8-bit

  From the Yeti to the Rock Monster, all of the scariest places in the 8-bit world – Google Maps Monsters — More about Google’s April Fools Day fun – Begin your quest with Google Maps 8-bit for NES

Before, after, and a year later – satellite images of the devastation from the Japanese tsunami

On the 1-year anniversary of the earthquake/tsunami that hit Japan, Google Maps updated its imagery all along the coast. This included side-by-side shots of two specific regions, the Shiogama Port and the Sanriku Bridge. The photos are: years before, days after, one month after, and a year after. The devastation is incredible, but so is …