On March 17th 2010, the FCC established the National Broadband Plan, in an effort to bring the power of broadband to all of America. Gig.U, or The University Community Next Generation Innovation Project was created in 2007 to help facilitate this process. These research facilities are working in conjunction with the private sector to help bring this initiative to fruition.
According to Akamai, the US now ranks 10th in overall internet speed, behind Ireland, Latvia, and Sweden, with South Korea holding strong at number one. Google and other internet service providers such as ATT, CentruyLink, Cox and Time Warner have all taken on the challenge of improving high speed access for millions, some of whom may not yet be connected.
Google now offers it's 1 Gbps internet service in twelve cities across the country that include, Atlanta, Nashville, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix. ATT plans to roll out its Gigsbit network with 1 Gbps speed to 100 candidate cities that include, Miami, Nashville, Houston, San Antonio, and Charlotte in the coming year.
As word of the successful deployment of 1 Gbps networks across the country spreads, more and more communities are beginning to reach out to willing providers, and more forward thinking companies like Google and ATT are taking the lead. The ball is rolling, and may reach your city some time in the near future.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
A Giant Crack Opens in Mexico Landscape
On August 22nd 2014, Excelsior, a Spanish language new source in Mexico announced that a giant crack had opened up and split a rural road in half, about 50 miles west of the city of Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora.
The crack, which is 28 feet deep, is 16 ft wide in some parts and runs nearly two thirds of a miles. The civil protection unit believes that the crack may be the result of a minor Earth quake that took place on August 17th 2014. However, geologists from the University of Sonora who were investigating the crack, believe that it is the result of farmers who had built a levee stream to contain rain water. They think that as the levee began to leak, an underground stream developed which softened the Earth above it and caused the ground to collapse.
Expreso, a local Mexican newspaper stated that social media reports claimed that there was a heavy rainfall before the crack appeared. The USGS said that the quake that occurred on August 17th was a magnitude 5.0, which was strong enough to open the rift. However, the geologist from the University of Sonora stated that when a rift is created by an Earth quake, one side is usually raised higher than the other. Both side of the Hermosillo rift are at the same level.
The head of the National Autonomous University at Mexico's Regional Station of the Geology Institute, Martin Valencia Moreno has come forward to assure the public that there is no cause for alarm. He feels that the appearance of the rift is something to be sensationalized by the media.
The crack, which is 28 feet deep, is 16 ft wide in some parts and runs nearly two thirds of a miles. The civil protection unit believes that the crack may be the result of a minor Earth quake that took place on August 17th 2014. However, geologists from the University of Sonora who were investigating the crack, believe that it is the result of farmers who had built a levee stream to contain rain water. They think that as the levee began to leak, an underground stream developed which softened the Earth above it and caused the ground to collapse.
Expreso, a local Mexican newspaper stated that social media reports claimed that there was a heavy rainfall before the crack appeared. The USGS said that the quake that occurred on August 17th was a magnitude 5.0, which was strong enough to open the rift. However, the geologist from the University of Sonora stated that when a rift is created by an Earth quake, one side is usually raised higher than the other. Both side of the Hermosillo rift are at the same level.
The head of the National Autonomous University at Mexico's Regional Station of the Geology Institute, Martin Valencia Moreno has come forward to assure the public that there is no cause for alarm. He feels that the appearance of the rift is something to be sensationalized by the media.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Google To Launch YouTube Music Key
As of August 18th 2014, the word is that Google will soon launch a new subscription music service called, YouTube Music Key. Google has been planning the new music service for quite some time, noting that a major hold up had been the failed negotiations over royalty payments for some independent artists.
Google is said to have reached a deal with all three of the major record companies, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. Most of the independents have also signed on, giving Google cooperation from 95% of all of the labels.
According to the Android Police, YouTube Music Key will be an ad free service that will cost $9.99 per month. This fee will also allow YouTube Music Key subscribers to gain access to Google Play All Access Music at no additional cost. The Android Police also report that the Google Play All Access service will be rebranded to carry the name, Google Play Music Key.
YouTube Music Key will offer an audio only feature for background listening as well as video viewing. Subscribers will also be able to listen offline to 20 million plus tracks, that will include standard videos, concert footage, covers, and remixes. No timeline has been given for the launch date of Google's new music service. You may want to keep an ear open.
Google is said to have reached a deal with all three of the major record companies, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. Most of the independents have also signed on, giving Google cooperation from 95% of all of the labels.
According to the Android Police, YouTube Music Key will be an ad free service that will cost $9.99 per month. This fee will also allow YouTube Music Key subscribers to gain access to Google Play All Access Music at no additional cost. The Android Police also report that the Google Play All Access service will be rebranded to carry the name, Google Play Music Key.
YouTube Music Key will offer an audio only feature for background listening as well as video viewing. Subscribers will also be able to listen offline to 20 million plus tracks, that will include standard videos, concert footage, covers, and remixes. No timeline has been given for the launch date of Google's new music service. You may want to keep an ear open.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Rosetta Spacecraft Rendezvous With Comet
On August 6th 2014, the European Space Agency announced that after a ten year journey, its Rosetta Spacecraft had finally arrived at its rendezvous with comet 67P Churyumov - Gerasimenko. Rosetta will continue to orbit 67P on its journey toward the sun, and then as it makes its way around it in August 2015.
As Rosetta approached comet 67P, it detected water in the comet's ejected gases and took the comet's temperature. Scientists discovered that the comet's temperature is 20 degrees warmer then one would expect an icy body to be. In the weeks to come, Rosetta will hover ahead of the 4 kilometers comet, while it gradually spirals inward. It may come as close as between 30 to 10 kilometers of 67P.
In November 2014, the ESA plans to place the robotic scientific lab, Philae on the surface of P67. It will be the first ever landing on a comet. The Philae lander will latch on to the comet's surface with the aid of an explosive harpoon. Philae will analyze soil samples taken from the surface of 67P. The lander will also send x-rays through the comet's nucleus back to sensors on the Rosetta spacecraft that will reveal the comet's structure.
Scientist at the ESA hope to learn more about the composition of comets and whether or not they brought water to the Earth. They also hope to discover whether comets are responsible for bringing the Earth, the building blocks of life.
As Rosetta approached comet 67P, it detected water in the comet's ejected gases and took the comet's temperature. Scientists discovered that the comet's temperature is 20 degrees warmer then one would expect an icy body to be. In the weeks to come, Rosetta will hover ahead of the 4 kilometers comet, while it gradually spirals inward. It may come as close as between 30 to 10 kilometers of 67P.
In November 2014, the ESA plans to place the robotic scientific lab, Philae on the surface of P67. It will be the first ever landing on a comet. The Philae lander will latch on to the comet's surface with the aid of an explosive harpoon. Philae will analyze soil samples taken from the surface of 67P. The lander will also send x-rays through the comet's nucleus back to sensors on the Rosetta spacecraft that will reveal the comet's structure.
Scientist at the ESA hope to learn more about the composition of comets and whether or not they brought water to the Earth. They also hope to discover whether comets are responsible for bringing the Earth, the building blocks of life.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Pandora Strikes Its First Deal With Artists
On August 6th 2014, internet radio service, Pandora, announced that it had struck its first ever deal directly with artists. The deal was signed with Merlin, an independent label group that represents artists such as, Arcade Fire, Bad Religion, and Lenny Kravitz.
As part of the deal, Merlin represented artists could get more rotations and see their songs placed earlier in playlists where their songs fit. Those artist will also get access to Pandora's data which can help them make decisions about where to tour, who to tour with, what their concert set list should be, and what song or songs they should release next.
This deal will help Pandora improve its relationship with artist who have been complaining that Pandora's royalty payments to artists for streaming services are too low. Merlin CEO, Charles Caldas said that the deal is an incredible opportunity for Merlin artists to get their music in front of a larger audience.
The deal covers performance royalties and not songwriter royalties which are collected by performing rights organizations such as ASCAP (American Society of Authors and Composers) and BMI (Broadcast Music INC.). It remains to be seen as to how this deal will effect those entities.
As part of the deal, Merlin represented artists could get more rotations and see their songs placed earlier in playlists where their songs fit. Those artist will also get access to Pandora's data which can help them make decisions about where to tour, who to tour with, what their concert set list should be, and what song or songs they should release next.
This deal will help Pandora improve its relationship with artist who have been complaining that Pandora's royalty payments to artists for streaming services are too low. Merlin CEO, Charles Caldas said that the deal is an incredible opportunity for Merlin artists to get their music in front of a larger audience.
The deal covers performance royalties and not songwriter royalties which are collected by performing rights organizations such as ASCAP (American Society of Authors and Composers) and BMI (Broadcast Music INC.). It remains to be seen as to how this deal will effect those entities.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Giant Crater Found In Siberia
On July 16th 2014, a scientist at Russia's Scientific Research Center of the Arctic reported that a huge cater had been discovered in Siberia on the Yamal Peninsula. According to Andrei Plekhanov, a senior researcher, the crater is 66 meters wide, but an asteroid strike has already been rule out as a probable cause.
Plekhanov says that the crater appeared to be made up of 80% ice and there were no traces of an explosion. It has a depth of 70 meters with an icy lake at the bottom. Plekhanov believes that rising temperatures in the region may have created a build up of pressure that forced ice upward through the ground.
Some have speculated that the cause was everything from a missile strike to extraterrestrials, as the Yamal Peninsula is known as, "the end of the world." The crater itself has been nicknamed, "the Yamal black hole."
On July 29th 2014, a local Russian newspaper reported that two more craters have also been discovered. The second crater has a diameter of 15 meters and is on the Yamal Peninsula, as is the first. The third crater is on the Taymyr Peninsula, east of Yamal. The hole of the third crater has a perfectly formed cone, with a diameter of 4 meters and an estimated depth of 60 to 100 meters.
No radiation levels have been detected at either site. Researchers have offered several theories as to how the craters and the resulting holes were made, but hesitate to say for certain just how. The consensus is that more study is needed in order to arrive at a firm conclusion.
Plekhanov says that the crater appeared to be made up of 80% ice and there were no traces of an explosion. It has a depth of 70 meters with an icy lake at the bottom. Plekhanov believes that rising temperatures in the region may have created a build up of pressure that forced ice upward through the ground.
Some have speculated that the cause was everything from a missile strike to extraterrestrials, as the Yamal Peninsula is known as, "the end of the world." The crater itself has been nicknamed, "the Yamal black hole."
On July 29th 2014, a local Russian newspaper reported that two more craters have also been discovered. The second crater has a diameter of 15 meters and is on the Yamal Peninsula, as is the first. The third crater is on the Taymyr Peninsula, east of Yamal. The hole of the third crater has a perfectly formed cone, with a diameter of 4 meters and an estimated depth of 60 to 100 meters.
No radiation levels have been detected at either site. Researchers have offered several theories as to how the craters and the resulting holes were made, but hesitate to say for certain just how. The consensus is that more study is needed in order to arrive at a firm conclusion.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Mars Rover Discovers Its First Meteorite
On July 15th 2014, NASA announced that the Mars Curiosity Rover had taken pictures of a metallic meteorite. The rock, which was discovered on May 25 2014, was in two pieces, and was dubbed, Lebanon and Lebanon B. The piece named Lebanon is 7 feet wide and made of iron.
Lebanon B is a much smaller piece that lies just several feet away from the larger Lebanon. Another piece of meteorite was also found a little further from Lebanon that is said to be about 7 feet wide as well, and its image is believed to be part of a group of unreleased photos.
NASA says that all of the Mars rovers have discovered iron meteorites. They are as yet unable to give a reason for why they have found so many more iron meteorites on Mars than have been found on Earth. A look at the photos reveal that Lebanon shows very little signs of degradation. NASA feels that this is due to Mars' thin atmosphere and very few other mechanisms of erosion.
While this discovery may or may not seem very exciting, it does add to a growing list of Martian peculiarities.
Lebanon B is a much smaller piece that lies just several feet away from the larger Lebanon. Another piece of meteorite was also found a little further from Lebanon that is said to be about 7 feet wide as well, and its image is believed to be part of a group of unreleased photos.
NASA says that all of the Mars rovers have discovered iron meteorites. They are as yet unable to give a reason for why they have found so many more iron meteorites on Mars than have been found on Earth. A look at the photos reveal that Lebanon shows very little signs of degradation. NASA feels that this is due to Mars' thin atmosphere and very few other mechanisms of erosion.
While this discovery may or may not seem very exciting, it does add to a growing list of Martian peculiarities.
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