This little-known galaxy, officially named J04542829-6625280, but most often referred to as LEDA 89996, is a classic example of a spiral galaxy. via NASA http://ift.tt/1D5D2Je
Monthly Archives: July 2015
Florida County Votes to Refly Confederate Flag
On June 17th, 2015, a white man named Dylann Roof walked into the historic Emanual African Methodist Church and waited an hour before opening fire on the congregation and killing 9, including a U.S. senator. The racist ties and influence Dyalnn Roof had were quickly found online (and in his manifesto) and one striking image continued to show itself time and time again: the battle flag of the Confederate State of America (CSA) during the U.S. Civil War. These images and blatant ties have reignited a debate that has been lying dormant for the past few years, even though it flares up periodically; namely, the need for states across the Union to take down the Confederate battle flag from public territory.
What most people see as the “Confederate flag” was never actually adopted as the flag by the short-lived Confederate government. The Stars and Bars, as it’s known, was only carried into battle by Confederate soldiers and never held any official representation. After the war, it was quickly adopted by racist and anti-north groups like the Klu Klux Klan and used to terrorize black people across the south and remind them of the inherent racism of the CSA. Now, due to the connections between Roof, the shooting, and the flag, state governments are moving to take down any remnants of the Confederacy from the public ground and it’s causing backlash.
Now, in a move surprising most people due to the racism inherent in both the flag and what it represents, officials in Marion County, Florida have voted unanimously to reinstate the flag on public ground. The argument “Heritage Not Hate” is frequently used to defend the flying of the Confederate battle flag and while respecting one’s heritage is important, there’s no denying that the heritage of the Confederacy is built on hatred. Whether the flag stays up in Marion County remains to be seen but as of now, Marion is going to remind people that some are ok with being known as racist.
If you’d like to read more, the link is here.
from Bryan Lockley’s General Site http://ift.tt/1UGv3NG
Fitness Bands Are Often Abandoned Within Months
As you know, I’ve been a proponent of fitness bands in the past. They are on the forefront of fitness technology and, as the price continues to drop, they seem to be poised to become even more popular than they already are. However recent studies are now pointing to a new issue in the world and business of fitness bands: they are frequently abandoned only months after being purchased and used. While this doesn’t mean that sales are going down (in fact, they’re still strong and going up), it does mean that investors are now proceeding with more caution regarding the longevity of this niche in the fitness market.
The research firm Endeavor Partners has looked at the numbers and estimates that around a third of all fitness bands are abandoned and no longer in use after only 6 months of being purchased. A health care investment fund, Rock Health, says that according to Fitbit’s regulatory filings, only half of the 20 million users registered to Fitbit were still active within the first quarter of 2015. So what does all of this mean for fitness bands in general? It means that fitness bands are failing when it comes to engaging their consumer base and making the people who their products want to continue to use said products.
This doesn’t mean that people are going to stop buying fitness bands, yet. But it does mean that every customer that buys one isn’t necessarily a repeat customer and that there is also a lack of brand loyalty when it comes to fitness bands. People who no longer use their fitness bands aren’t going to recommend to their friends and family that they should buy one. They also aren’t going to be tempted to sign up and pay for premium packages, a source of growth for many fitness band companies. Hopefully these companies can figure out a way to renew interest in their products once they’ve been purchased and the novelty wears off because if not, there are going to be even more abandoned fitness bands in the future.
If you’d like to read more, the link is here.
from Bryan Lockley and Fitness http://ift.tt/1NS33S1
Think Your Children Lead Healthy Lives? Research Suggests Parents Should Look Harder. by KJ DELL’ANTONIA
By KJ DELL’ANTONIA
Many children are doing less and eating more than we think they are.
Published: July 9, 2015 at 08:55AM
from NYT U.S. http://ift.tt/1gqlD9o
Review: Missing Sneaker Culture at the Brooklyn Museum by KEN JOHNSON
By KEN JOHNSON
This show focuses too much on sneakers and not enough on sneaker culture.
Published: July 9, 2015 at 08:00PM
from NYT Arts http://ift.tt/1HeVWz0
January 19, 2006: New Horizons Launches for Pluto
Clouds part as NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft roars into the blue sky after an on-time liftoff at 2 p.m. EST aboard an Atlas V rocket from Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. via NASA http://ift.tt/1IM97Mt
NuSTAR Stares at the Sun
Flaring, active regions of our sun are highlighted in this new image combining observations from several telescopes. via NASA http://ift.tt/1RkNVCG
July 7, 2003, NASA’s Opportunity Rover Launches to Mars
On July 7, 2003, NASA launched its second Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, aboard a Delta II launch vehicle. Opportunity and its twin rover Spirit landed on Mars in 2004 to begin missions planned to last three months. Both rovers far exceeded those plans. Spirit worked for six years, and Opportunity is still active. via NASA http://ift.tt/1KPBQA4
The North Sea Abloom
Despite its cold waters and harsh winds, the North Sea is a fertile basin for phytoplankton blooms. The drifting, plantlike organisms tend to be most abundant in late spring and early summer due to high levels of nutrients in the water and increasing sunlight. via NASA http://ift.tt/1NLHJhx
Stellar Sparklers That Last
While fireworks only last a short time here on Earth, a bundle of cosmic sparklers in a nearby cluster of stars will be going off for a very long time. via NASA http://ift.tt/1CNyZ3T
Bryan Lockley's Wordpress Blog 