abennett's blog

Cheap mobile phones transforming society in Somalia

abennett — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:01:26 -0500

Somali courtship used to be an elaborate process in which clan elders decided on pairings and the prospective groom was required to pay a hefty bride price to his betrothed's father. But now, with dirt cheap cell phones available everywhere couples can elope much more easily.

Japanese headsets promise Terminator-style real-time information

abennett — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:53:07 -0500

A subtitled world could be yours for a mere $80,000.

Internet romance gone awry strands man in Brazilian airport

abennett — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:47:31 -0500

The Internet has brought many star-crossed couples together across great distances. It has also left many dumped and stranded.

Mickey Mouse to show his nasty side in new video game

abennett — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:40:45 -0500

A new game to be released on the Wii showcases the more mischievous behavior Mickey Mouse displayed in his first cartoons in the 1920s.

Misdirected text messages lead to gunplay

abennett — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:12:09 -0500

Most people, when receiving a text message from someone they don't know, just ignore it. Not so Scott Allen Elder and Brian Matison.

Bigfoot enthusiasts go high tech

abennett — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:09:08 -0500

Has Bigfoot gone without firm documentation because it doesn't exist, or because those hunting it haven't used GPS navigation devices and voice recorders? We may be about to find out.

Your Facebook profile will live on after you are gone

abennett — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:06:35 -0500

Do you worry that your friends in cyberspace will quickly forget about you after you've passed on? Well, don't: Facebook will keep your profile as a memorial.

Annals of science: Researchers offer the skinny on animal burps

abennett — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:04:25 -0500

Animals (and, yes, that includes humans) emit millions of tons of methane a year, generally via belching. Read on to find out which species are the worst offenders.

Creepy science: Man placed at crime scene by blood-filled leech

abennett — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:21:52 -0400

Peter Alec Cannon didn't think he had left any evidence at the scene of the robbery.

'Virtual doormen' springing up in NYC

abennett — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:19:52 -0400

A new system is gaining popularity, whereby many services that a doorman would normally offer are being provided by a person in a "command center" miles away.