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Are you cool enough to own a Mac? Apple has marketed the Macintosh computer as a hip, cool machine designed for stylish people who like to have fun. Just look at the dozens of “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” ads that claim Mac computers are more fun, reliable and timely than their PC counterparts. Honestly, would you rather be Justin Long (the Mac) or John Hodgman (the PC)?
For years, Microsoft’s response was nonexistent — the company chose to ignore the attacks from Apple. Why shouldn’t it? PC computers dominate the market. More people and businesses use Windows than any other operating system. Microsoft chose to focus on other concerns.
Then things changed. Apple began to make some real progress in the PC market. There are still far more Windows machines than Mac machines in the wild, but the numbers began to shift. The Apple iPhone was a huge hit, and soon Apple began to attract a new generation of devotees.
I took my morning coffee with a piece of Cold War history. There’s an essay on NPR.org titled “Nixon, Khrushchev And a Story of Cold War Love,” and it recounts how the author’s parents met in the summer of 1959 at an exhibition of American goods in Moscow‘s Sokolniki Park. Essayist Gregory Feifer explains that the exhibition was American capitalism on parade. Everything from Pepsi-Cola to the Ford Thunderbird and the latest kitchen appliances were on display. America guides stationed at each booth were prepared to answer questions about the goods; however, Feifer reports that they fielded more inquiries about American life. And he’s got a pretty good source: His own father, George, was one of the guides. George Feifer is quoted in the story, attesting, “There was this great sea of affection for the American people.”
This article from CNN.com today focuses on the current state of the “Manson Family” — the group of murdering murderers famous for slaying seven people in California in August, 1969. We all know that the family’s patriarch was one Charles Manson, once a feared cult leader, now just an old dude in prison with a fading swastika on his forehead. It seems that a recent prison photo of Charlie at 75 years old has sparked renewed interest in the case.
The article gives updates on the current state of the other imprisoned family members. Susan Atkins is terminally ill with brain cancer, “Tex” Watson is a minister, Patricia Krenwinkel helps in a prison program to train puppies as service dogs and Leslie Van Houten is a model inmate in the same prison as Krenwinkel. They are all in their 60s, except for Van Houten, who is 59.
On April 1, 2009 the Conficker.C virus is set to spring its trap, although no one really knows what it will do. If you would like to avoid this almost-certainly-malicious surprise, you can actually take steps to protect your machine: Conficker: a good excuse for an early spring cleaning It’s a detailed, comprehensive article, but [...]
This article describes the Russian GSh-18 pistol – a gun that may be the ultimate in terms of high-power concealed-carry handguns for people like police officers, secret service agents, etc.: Russian KBP GSh-18 Pistol and 9mm PBP AP Ammo for Special Applications Some of the more interesting features of the gun include: – Extreme light [...]
A Gamma Ray Burst is a gigantic explosion caused when a massive star collapses into a black hole. It contains the energy of a trillion billion suns. This video explains where GRBs come from: There is a theory that a Gamma Ray Burst led to a mass extinction on earth 450 million years ago. Which [...]
Three Mile Island at 30: Nuclear Power’s Pitfalls – “No, the real tragedy was the dysfunction of the fledgling U.S. nuclear industry, which was already canceling new reactors all over the country before TMI, and has not ordered one since. That’s a shame, because nuclear reactors produce no carbon emissions. If we got 80% of [...]
Bullets are measured by calibers, which indicate their diameter in inches. Find out more about bullets and measurement in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
Can lipstick predict economic trends and consumer confidence? The lipstick indicator says it can. Find out if fashion and beauty really affect economic trends in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
As a candidate, Barack Obama promised to appoint a Chief Technology Officer. As president, he has appointed a Chief Information Officer. This podcast from HowStuffWorks.com takes a detailed look at these new positions.
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