It amazes me to no end what we humans can come up with. There are many amazing inventions happening right now, but I think some of the most fascinating come to us out of the early to mid-20th century.
Some of these are seriously ingenious! Let us know if you got a favorite one. I think my favorite is the helicopter boat thing. That looks so fun.
Google has recently agreed to pay $700 million to settle an antitrust case with US states and consumers over its app store practices. The settlement was reached in September, but the finer details were made public on Monday with the company adding that it will allow more competition in its Google Play app store. This comes just a week after Google lost a lawsuit to Epic Games over its app store practices.
The settlement is for a lawsuit that accused Google of engaging in anticompetitive behavior through its Google Play store, which is how most people download apps on Android devices. The settlement includes a $630 million payout for U.S. consumers who utilized a payment system within the Google Play Store that the state attorneys general alleged magnified prices for in-app purchases.
The settlement requires Google to make changes to its app store, such as allowing app and game developers to implement alternative billing options alongside Google Play’s billing system for U.S. users. This will give developers more options and could lead to lower prices for consumers.
In the preceding lawsuit, Epic Games accused Google of maintaining a monopoly over the distribution of apps on Android devices through its Play Store. The court ruled in favor of Epic Games, finding that Google had indeed engaged in anticompetitive practices. This settlement is a significant win for Epic Games and for consumers, as it will lead to more competition in the app market and potentially lower prices for apps and in-app purchases.
Overall, these developments are a major shake-up for the app market and could have far-reaching implications for the way apps are distributed and sold on Android devices. It remains to be seen how these changes will play out in the long term, but for now, it seems that the app market is becoming more competitive and that consumers and developers are the ones who stand to benefit.
Discover a variety of global Christmas traditions—from religious and secular to sweet and slightly menacing. Whether you’re into the festivity or using a Christmas demon to keep kids in line, there’s a tradition on this list for everyone.
Austria
St. Nicholas and his sinister companion, Krampus, visit children on December 5th to reward good behavior with treats and punish bad behavior. Krampus is often depicted as a half-human, half-goat creature with hooves, horns, and a long tongue. He carries a basket or bag, chains, bells, and birch branches for various menacing purposes.
In addition to this tradition, children in Austria submit their Christmas wish lists to Christkind (Baby Jesus) by burning them in the fireplace. Alongside these folklore elements, Austrians also engage in festive activities such as decorating Christmas trees, singing carols, baking cookies, and enjoying Christmas markets.
Philippines
San Fernando, dubbed the Christmas Capital of the Philippines, lives up to its name with a year-round Christmas-themed park and the famous Giant Lantern Festival (Ligligan Parul Sampernandu). The festival, which began in 1931, has gained immense popularity, featuring a competition among 11 villages to craft the most stunning star-shaped lanterns.
Originally, lanterns were made with paper on bamboo frames using rice paste. However, the modern versions are technicolor marvels, constructed with welded steel frames, plastic materials (replacing paper), and adorned with thousands of tiny lights.
Japan
Since a strategic 1974 ad campaign by KFC Japan, fried chicken has become a popular Christmas meal, with many families still following this tradition today. Due to high demand, pre-ordering is necessary, and some may even wait in long lines on Christmas Day for a bucket of boneless wings. In Japan, Christmas is mainly a secular novelty holiday, marked by dazzling Christmas light displays in Tokyo and the exchange of gifts among families.
Germany
In Germany, St. Nicholas travels on a donkey to deliver treats to children on Nikolaus Tag (December 6th), leaving goodies in their shoes. His devilish counterpart, Farmhand Rupert, accompanies him, wearing dark clothing with bells and carrying a stick for naughty children. Germany is home to renowned Christmas markets with billions of lights, gift shopping, live entertainment, and glühwein (hot mulled wine) for adults.
A Cheyenne Man— Known as Uncle Gypsy to some or just Gypsy to most, has been constructing his own tiny home south of Cheyenne for the past few years. His goal is to pass this on to his 21-year-old granddaughter, Kianna when the time comes.
In contrast to the average cost of $52,000 for a professionally built tiny home, Gypsy has invested only $5,000, primarily using salvaged materials from old RVs. He shouldered much of the construction himself, with a friend assisting in moving a 100-gallon water tank into place.
Living off the grid, Gypsy relies on a combination of ingenuity and community support. His tiny home features upcycled items, a 400-watt inverter, and a commitment to renewable energy once his solar panels and wind turbine are installed.
Gypsy’s journey doesn’t end there; he plans to take his tiny home on the road, settling on a friend’s property west of Cheyenne to oversee and exchange electrical work. Here’s some pictures of his tiny home if you would like to see them.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a leading biotechnology company, recently made headlines as their stock price jumped following the successful mid-stage trial results of their non-opioid painkiller, VX-548. The drug, which targets peripheral neuropathic pain often suffered by diabetics, has shown great promise in providing pain relief without the addictive potential of opioid medications.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a well-known name in the biotech industry, with a history of developing innovative treatments for various health conditions. The company’s latest venture, VX-548, aims to provide a non-opioid alternative for pain management, a much-needed solution in the face of the ongoing opioid crisis.
In the recent phase 2 trials, VX-548 demonstrated significant pain reduction among diabetic patients suffering from chronic nerve conditions. The drug’s NaV1.8-inhibiting properties were found to be effective in reducing pain levels by an average of 20%, with over 30% of the trial participants experiencing a pain reduction of more than 50%.
Following the positive trial results, Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ stock price jumped, reaching an all-time high. Investors and industry experts are optimistic about the potential of VX-548 to revolutionize pain management and provide a safer alternative to opioid-based medications.
This is a great thing to see research and work on. Opioid painkillers can cause a lot of problems and having a safe alternative could be huge positive turn in the world of pharmaceutical medicine.
