Gongol.com Archives: July 2013
Brian Gongol


July 9, 2013

Computers and the Internet Smartphones as earthquake detectors
Earthquake shock waves travel quickly, but not so quickly that early detection couldn't help save lives. If a seismic wave travels at 1 kilometer per second, that means a place 20 miles away from an epicenter could have half a minute of warning before the shock arrived. Even just a few seconds could be enough to shut down industrial processes, bring trains to a stop, or close off bridges and tunnels to traffic.

Humor and Good News Credit union makes great use of Facebook
A stuffed animal left behind by a child got some extra attention and a return to its owner

Weather and Disasters Why cold fronts produce thunderstorms
Look to the wedge action caused by the cold air moving in below warm, humid air

Health HPV vaccines prove profoundly effective at preventing cervical cancer
In the HPV vaccine, we have -- literally -- a vaccine against cancer that proves so effective it lowers cancer rates by more than 50%. This is a remarkable breakthrough.

Business and Finance Kroger buys Harris Teeter
One big supermarket chain will absorb another. It's worth asking of any merger: Is this the most effective way the company could deploy its cash and other resources in order to bring its owners more money? Sometimes the answer is yes...but with many mergers, the answer is no.

Computers and the Internet Grand Theft Auto 5 game trailer released
(Video) The level of programming detail involved in creating this role-playing game devoted entirely to behaving like a sociopath is...well...a little disturbing. Impressive, but disturbing.

Computers and the Internet Patch Tuesday for July 2013
Microsoft is out to fix a half-dozen critical vulnerabilities in its products. The company is also introducing a new policy to require app developers for its Windows Store and other app sources to fix vulnerabilities in 180 days (or less, if it's actively being exploited).

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