Monthly Archives: May 2011

When you have a bunch of smart people with a broad enough charter, you will always get something good out of it. It’s one of the best investments you could possibly make—but only if you chose to value it in … Continue reading →

Posted on 5/26/2011 by Dylan Tweney | Comments Off

May 25, 1945: Sci-Fi Author Predicts Future by Inventing It

Posted on 5/25/2011 by Dylan Tweney

1945: Arthur C. Clarke begins privately circulating copies of a paper that proposes using space satellites for global communications. It was a bold suggestion for 1945, as the war was just winding down and most people were undoubtedly more concerned … Continue reading →

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DIY Lasers Are Irresistibly Dangerous

Posted on 5/16/2011 by Dylan Tweney

  Decades after its birth, the laser is still irresistibly cool. How many other fifty-somethings can you say that about? Even though lasers are as common as dirt now, appearing in everything from DVD players to supermarket scanners to computer … Continue reading →

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Fire Artist Mixes Propane, High Voltage

Posted on 5/16/2011 by Dylan Tweney

  SEATTLE — Rusty Oliver sets things on fire. During our visit to his workspace, the aptly-named Hazardfactory, he demonstrated how two long propane-filled tubes can act as a kind of fiery audio EQ meter. He created a fierce ball … Continue reading →

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Ballmer to Skype Fans: You Can Trust Us

Posted on 5/10/2011 by Dylan Tweney

SAN FRANCISCO — Trust us. We’re not going to screw up Skype. That was the message Microsoft delivered Tuesday, hours after formally announcing that it was buying the internet telephony pioneer for a staggering $8.5 billion — staggering because it’s more … Continue reading →

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