http://fivenerds.com/

$3.19 & 20-Years Worth of iPhone Charges

xxcoopxx — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:38:00 -0500

I don’t know if I’m more impressed with concept that one gallon of gas could provide 7,300 charges or that our automobiles can’t seem to get consistently better than 25miles using the same quantity of fuel. Yeah, yeah,… I understand that moving a 3,000 hunk of steel is different that filling up a 1420mAh lithium-polymer battery.

Facebook’s 404 (aka 4oh4!)

beverlyhillscop — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:31:50 -0500

Facebook’s 404 (aka 4oh4!)

We need a new "New Deal"

rsquare — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:08:27 -0400

Dear President Obama,

I’m sincerely disappointed with this administration’s ability to stimulate an economic recovery.

While I am not a Democrat, when you were elected, I was pleased with America’s decision to elect you. The economy was showing signs of an economic break-down, and I thought “who better than a Democrat to stimulate the economy?”

Franklin D. Roosevelt got a lot of flak for the New Deal, but it was bold, and had lasting effects, which allowed America to be a world-leader in manufacturing for almost 50 years. Over the last 30, however, we have watched manufacturing go overseas. They say we can’t compete with the globe for cheap labor, but that’s not the point. While America rested on its laurels as best-in-class, the rest of the world invested in technology and education. Americans weren’t buying Japanese and German cars because they were cheaper, they were buying them because they were cheaper and reliable. We simply stopped competing because we thought we were too big to fail.

So where is your “New Deal?”

We are borrowing more money than we can ever expect to pay back. If I loan money to someone, I look at several factors: Have they repaid their debts in the past? Is the amount reasonable? Do I think they have the economic potential to pay me back? Thank goodness the Chinese don’t worry about all that.

So enough with the criticism, here is the constructive part…

1. Borrow as much money as we can from the Chinese, and anyone else who will lend it to us, while our credit is still good enough to get a decent rate, and we still have a Triple-A rating. It sounds counterintuitive, but it appears we are pretty much doing this already. The problem is that we are only borrowing enough to service our budget shortfalls, until the tax-base comes back. That is faulty logic, since you can’t tax companies which have moved overseas, and you can’t tax individuals who are jobless. You should only borrow money to make money—not to bridge a deficit which you don’t see going away.

2. Start a “New Deal.” Begin with repairs of the infrastructure which was built in Franklin’s era, much of which has been unmaintained since then. Dams, highways, bridges. This will get many blue-collar Americans back to work quickly, and will provide a small stimulus to the economy anywhere where infrastructure exists. The additional benefit is that if you are re-elected, you won’t have to bear the burden of your own Katrina-type disaster in Sacramento, or any other city which might be flooded if another levy should fail. If you run out of repairs, consider some upgrades or new construction—remember, we are borrowing the money, we might as well spend it all.

3. Build high-speed rail between major cities. This is a green solution, which should appeal to your base, but more importantly, it will give companies competitive advantage if they can ship materials and goods cheaply and quickly. The interstate system was a great innovation, but that was 20th century solution to a 20th century problem. Think transportation infrastructure 2.0.

4. Build next generation internet infrastructure with fiber optics to all high-density areas, and high-speed copper to all rural areas. “No child left behind” doesn’t work if children don’t have access to cheap high-speed internet. We can’t be leaders in technology and information if we don’t have access to it.

5. This last one is radical, so bear with me, and don’t judge until you are all the way through. Appropriate land in the Midwest, and build massive solar and wind farms. Think of projects that dwarf the Abengoa Solar project in Arizona. I know you are familiar with the project, since you committed $1.5 billion to it. Upgrade and centralize the electrical grid to handle all this new cheap clean power. Tax Americans for the generation of very cheap renewable energy from these sources, and provide it back to us free of charge, as a benefit for our tax dollars. Most Americans would gladly pay a few extra bucks in taxes, if we didn’t get an electrical bill every month. By consolidating the electrical grid, it should be very efficient, especially since solar and wind farms cost comparatively little to maintain. Clean coal and natural gas are great, but let’s face it; they will run out someday, even if we don’t agree when that is. As for existing power companies, let them feed the grid, and pay them a fair rate, as calculated by the tax dollars collected, and the percentage of power they create. Don’t approve any new projects if they don’t meet the criteria for the new Green Grid. Biggest benefit: Let anyone else in the world try to lure manufacturers away from a company that provides free energy. Added benefit: If Americans get their energy from their taxes, the prospect of owning an electric car is that much more attractive. The demand for electric vehicles will drive auto manufacturers to innovate, and create more value if the consumers demand the vehicles.

So there you have it, a New Deal for the 21st century. A deal guaranteed to get Americans back to work, and provide us the competitive advantages of cutting edge transportation, communication, and free electricity. I’d like to see any country in the world offer a better deal to manufacturers. We already know we have the best-trained people in the world, let’s give them a chance to get back to work. Heck, if everyone was working again, we might not even mind a nominal tax-increase to pay back all that money we decided to borrow to fund this thing.

Canada voted Tommy Douglas as “The Greatest Canadian.” He wasn’t a Prime Minister; he wasn’t a Nobel Prize winner; he didn’t invent insulin; reinvent the game of hockey; or invent the telephone. He was a Premier of a small province, who spear-headed the effort to implement Medicare. Implementing Medicare in the USA won’t make you the “Greatest American.” Heck, from where I sit, it sounds like most people don’t even understand or want it. But I bet if you were the president who pulled America from the brink of slipping into third-world status with a Double-A credit rating; and brought back economic prosperity (for at least another 50 years until we forget to innovate again), you might have a shot.

Sincerely,

RSquare (R.B. Read)

All Things Digital: Engadget’s Top Editors Topolsky and Patel Exit From AOL

rsquare — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:58:28 -0400

All Things Digital: Engadget’s Top Editors Topolsky and Patel Exit From AOL:

Five Nerds hasn’t made much of a secret out of our misunderstanding of AOL, and more importantly, why anyone still needs AOL.

It appears that AOL editors, Topolsky and Patel concur.

Conan Plays Life-Sized Angry Birds

beverlyhillscop — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:59:14 -0500

Conan Plays Life-Sized Angry Birds

Chain of Fools: Windows 1.0 to Windows 7.0

beverlyhillscop — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:01:49 -0500

Chain of Fools: Windows 1.0 to Windows 7.0

The Joy of Tech's Apple Rumor Publishing Flowchart

xxcoopxx — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:06:30 -0500

Best… Urinal… Ever.

beverlyhillscop — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:10:00 -0500

Best… Urinal… Ever.

How Watson Could Have Been Defeated on Jeopardy

xxcoopxx — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:33:07 -0500

via Neatorama

I think youre cool:)
I wanna be a nerd! how do I do it?

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:00:07 -0500

You put your left foot in,
you take your left foot out,
you put your left foot in,
and you shake it all about…

Oops, that’s not how you become a nerd at all, that’s how you do the hokey pokey. (If you found that funny in the least, you might already be a nerd :-)

Becoming a nerd is easy…decide what interests you, and learn everything you can about it—become an expert.

Do more activities that benefit or amuse yourself, and don’t worry (as much) about what others think about your interests. (Though we are flattered that you think we are cool ;-)

Most people think that nerds are awkward and technical, but there are many kinds of nerds. Which one are you?

She gives me cancer - she gives me cancer, not...

rsquare — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:00:48 -0500

Not long ago, Five Nerds made a semi-tasteless (alright, completely tasteless) joke about the longstanding hypothesis that cell-phones give you cancer.

We said that it wouldn’t be long before people were shouting about the risks of radiating our noggins, and it appears we were right.

Submitted for your reading pleasure, an article about a recent study which suggests that people who use their phones actively have “significantly higher” brain activity in the area closest to the telephone antenna. The National Institutes of Health study measured glucose metabolism of the brain as an indicator, and it is still too early to predict whether the effects are long-lasting or dangerous.

The article further suggests that wireless earpieces might be a lower wattage alternative to holding your antenna so close to your dome.

With that said, if you have the choice of radiating your brain, or not radiating your brain, it really doesn’t seem like a choice, does it?

It seems some of our followers have confused Five Nerds for Geek...

rsquare — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 23:14:10 -0500

It seems some of our followers have confused Five Nerds for Geek Squad :-)

Arctotherium, the Biggest Bear Ever (May or may not care about preventing forest fires.)

xxcoopxx — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:55:00 -0500

Arctotherium, the Biggest Bear Ever (May or may not care about preventing forest fires.):

jlhager: Josh Grobin sings Kayne’s tweets. Hilarity ensues.

beverlyhillscop — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:00:33 -0500

jlhager:

Josh Grobin sings Kayne’s tweets. Hilarity ensues.

Could you give me any recommendations for the best laptops under £600? Preferably with good quality speakers that don't slow down because of large applications?

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:20:43 -0500

I can’t say that we have enough capital just yet to evaluate too many of the the laptop sector’s latest offerings. Luckily, there are other resources out there we can turn to. Check out this article from CNET.com regarding laptops for aroung $500. You can use the extra money (based on your £600 budget) for more memory for an upgraded hard-drive.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20032018-1.html?tag=TOCcarouselMain.0

Thanks for the question!

Info-graph-ideo: Mind Officially Blown

xxcoopxx — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:20:01 -0500

You’ve seen info-graphics, you’ve seen info-graphic’s master… I hope you’ve acclimatized properly because you’re about to go off the map. Hoopism.com has put together a court map of the 65 greatest shots in NBA history linked to imbedded video of each.

Click the image above to check it out! What do you think?

The Secret is Out: The Formula for Coke...not that Coke, Coca-Cola

beverlyhillscop — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:22:56 -0500

The Secret is Out: The Formula for Coke...not that Coke, Coca-Cola:

This American Life is one of my favorite radio series (and TV shows) — I just hope it’s true! Time to mix a batch.

The recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops

The Hell with Channel Packages

beverlyhillscop — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:37:35 -0500

Dear Cable Companies and Worthless TV Networks,

It’s time to admit that your time is up. AT&T and Verizon are closing in with Fiber, and your antiquated coaxial cable is on its last hurrah. ESPN on the Xbox must have you scared shitless. I must admit, I am most impressed by your ability to stretch the capabilities of the stuff — 1.37 Gbit/s speeds and wideband internet keep the general public calm. But honestly, one thing REALLY bugs me.

I don’t want to pay for 1700 channels anymore.

I’ve been saying this to myself for a while, but for a long time I just accepted how much more awesome it was to have 1700 channels than the 70 my family used to have. Unfortunately, after a while the 1700 start to wear on you — like living in a library of books, reading as many as you can but the books just keep coming, staying for a while, then getting returned before you can get to read them. There’s probably whole sections of that library that you never even get to visit. I can’t hope to keep up with all the new shows that come on each season, and think of how many fail! Worse yet is that you don’t even give them a chance — millions spent on 6 episodes, and if it’s not a blockbuster it has to go.

Perhaps if we weren’t subsidizing this crap by paying all the networks, even the ones we don’t watch, the programming might be a bit better. Or, I shudder to think what might happen if the cable companies actually redesigned their systems so that content providers don’t have to rely on a network to run their content. Time Warner could have tons of on demand content that never aired on a network — public access on demand, if you will, but professionally done. Give me AMC, ESPN, HBO, TBS, A&E, Bravo and a choice few others and I would be set. Or, is it so foreign to think that I might actually pay 50 cents to watch a show on a network that I don’t subscribe to? The $100 I pay you guys each month can only get stretched so far for these people… and $20 goes to HBO and Showtime!

Don’t even get me started on the Satellite companies… Dish Network is the reason I started this rant, because they’re actually running an ad that says no company can give you individual channels.

Why can’t I pick the channels I want to pay for each month?

Down with Ads - Long live AdBlocker

xxcoopxx — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:56:23 -0500

As if you needed more of a reason to get an ad-blocking extension for your browser:

Vs:

Notice a difference?

iPads Don't Make You Look as Cool as You Think

xxcoopxx — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:46:44 -0500

iPads Don't Make You Look as Cool as You Think:

That’s right. If you’re looking to pick up chicks you’re better off carrying around a pile of books.

http://fivenerds.com/

$3.19 & 20-Years Worth of iPhone Charges

Facebook’s 404 (aka 4oh4!)

We need a new "New Deal"

All Things Digital: Engadget’s Top Editors Topolsky and Patel Exit From AOL

Conan Plays Life-Sized Angry Birds

Chain of Fools: Windows 1.0 to Windows 7.0

The Joy of Tech's Apple Rumor Publishing Flowchart

Best… Urinal… Ever.

How Watson Could Have Been Defeated on Jeopardy

I think youre cool:) I wanna be a nerd! how do I do it?

She gives me cancer - she gives me cancer, not...

It seems some of our followers have confused Five Nerds for Geek...

Arctotherium, the Biggest Bear Ever (May or may not care about preventing forest fires.)

jlhager: Josh Grobin sings Kayne’s tweets. Hilarity ensues.

Could you give me any recommendations for the best laptops under £600? Preferably with good quality speakers that don't slow down because of large applications?

Info-graph-ideo: Mind Officially Blown

The Secret is Out: The Formula for Coke...not that Coke, Coca-Cola

The Hell with Channel Packages

Down with Ads - Long live AdBlocker

iPads Don't Make You Look as Cool as You Think

I think youre cool:)
I wanna be a nerd! how do I do it?