Project Glass

Google X announced one of their latest pets, Project Glass. They began with:

"We think technology should work for you—to be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don’t.

A group of us from Google[x] started Project Glass to build this kind of technology, one that helps you explore and share your world, putting you back in the moment. We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input. So we took a few design photos to show what this technology could look like and created a video to demonstrate what it might enable you to do."




Reportedly the glasses, which would eventually sell for around $500, are far from finished. Google is coming out about them now, looking for feedback.

It is unknown how Google plans to allow you to control the glasses. The video shows some things being voice activated, but is unclear on other things.

Concerns also revolve around what problems images flashing before your eyes could do. The distraction factor would go well beyond that of which phones are already causing. Health concerns have also been brought up, as people are unsure of whether the screen and images being so close to the eye would cause damage to it.

Whatever the answers to those and other questions. Project Glass is clearly a step towards the future of technology.

Robber Thwarted By Closed Bank

Chalk this one up to another stupid criminal, or two of them actually.

Just before five pm on Thursday a woman came into the Albany Bank and Trust on the Northwest Side of Chicago. She handed the teller a note which said, "Give me all of your money, no cops, no dye pack."

The teller told the woman that, "the bank was closed and that she should come back tomorrow." Without comment the woman left.

The bank informed the police, who payed extra attention to the bank, as it had been robbed just a week ago, on March 23.

On Monday, the woman and an apparent male accomplice were spotted outside the bank and police moved in. She surrendered without issue, but the man took off. After a short chase he too was caught. Later he was recognized as the same man who had robbed the bank in March.

Guess they do really return to the scene of the crime.

The teller who bravely stated the bank was closed, is being hailed as a hero for not only foiling one robbery attempt, but leading to the arrest of the previous robber.

Uganga Bans Action for Change

Uganda's Attorney General has authorized the banning of Action for Change. The government states that the group has been staging protests, refusing to consult with police before hand. They further state that the group's protests have become increasingly violent.

Action For Change, led by Kizza Besigye, had been planning to hold a march on Thursday in Kampala, to coincide with a meeting this week of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Their protests against corruption and the cost of living have become a regular event since elections in February 2011. They say the elections were rigged. Besigye lost that election to President Yoweri Museveni, for the third time.

Now that the group has been made illegal it is unclear what this will mean for Uganda. Will the leaders of the group, try to go around the ruling by simply renaming the group? Or will they just simply continue on? Tis unlikely that this will back the opposition down completely, though they may skip this march.

Tornadoes Strike Dallas

As many as a dozen tornadoes struck parts of the Dallas area on Tuesday. Around two dozen people are reportedly injured, but amazingly no deaths.

Red Cross estimates list over 650 homes as being destroyed. Twisters threw some semi trucks around as if they were nothing, yet left others perfectly alone.

The storm also brought hail, which buffeted many areas, including that of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the eighth busiest airport in the world. Extra mechanics have been flown in to help speed the checking of all the airplanes. With hundreds of planes to check, as well as ensuring all other facilities are entirely operable, the airport will be working at a reduced capacity for the next while.

Remembering: Martin Luther King Jr.

April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. is shot and killed by an assassin, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was there in support of a strike by maintenance workers.

Perhaps the greatest and most well known civil rights leader in world history.

King made people pay attention to his message. Not through threats, violence, or throwing money around; but through peaceful protests, mass marches, and the power and eloquence of his speeches.

Because of King's efforts equality between races was greatly helped along, though the road has been far from bumpy.

The day before King said in a speech, "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop...And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land."

Remembering: Abraham Lincoln's Dream

The night of April 4, 1865 President Abraham Lincoln dreams of the cries and "sobs of mourners" in the East Room of the White House. There he saw a corpse lying on a catafalque.

He asked a guard, "Who is dead in the White House". The soldier replied, "The President. He was killed by an assassin." At which point Lincoln woke.

A week later, on the 11th, Lincoln told his friend, Ward Hill Lamon, about the dream. Stating how it was keeping his mood "strangely annoyed".

Three days later, on the 14th, Lincoln was shot and killed by an assassin.

Mixed Reports From Syria

Syrian government reports that they have begun pulling troops back from fighting lines. This comes as they approach one week of the UN deadline for a total ceasefire. At this point there is no confirmation from the UN or the rebel forces. Rebel forces had earlier stated that fighting had increased as the government seeks to annihilate the opposition before their time is up.

Kofi Annan's peace agreement requires the government forces to pull back to their bases, by April 10. Rebel forces are required to stop fighting once they are no longer under attack and to not advance in the absence of the troops.

There are many holes in the agreement, such as the lack of requirement for an immediate cease fire. The plan also fails to realize the lack of united front amongst the different rebel groups, not all of whom have agreed to the truce. Some of the rebels refuse to acknowledge any agreement that does not immediately remove President Bashar al-Assad from power.

The government may very well continue firing up until their dead line. And then use the actions of rebels, who haven't acknowledged the agreement, as reasoning to continue against all opposition. Especially troubling is the admitted involvement of al Qaeda amongst some of the rebel groups. Al Qaeda would have no reason to see the ceasefire be successful.

In March of 2011 protests against the rule of President Assad began. The government's swift violent crackdowns on the rallies only made them grow and spread. In some areas armed revolts took place, and government troops defected in some cases. Military forces had simply just tried shelling neighborhoods into submission. It's been a long and bloody year in Syria. Estimates of the dead range from 9,000 up to 15,000.

Remembering: The Falklands War

The Falkland Islands have a history of being traded back and forth between nations. Or they did until 1833, when the British took control of them from Argentina.

Since then the two countries have regularly had words of dispute over them again. In 1981, the Falklanders held a referendum and voted to stay British.

Then on April 2, 1982, Argentina invaded and occupied the British commonwealth of the Falkland Island and South Georgia, which comprise The Falkland Islands. The British public was outraged, and demanded action.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's government was quick to respond, and after seventy-four days the Falklands War ended with the Argentinians surrender on June 14, 1982. Six hundred forty-nine Argentine military personnel, two hundred fifty-five British military personnel and three Falkland Islanders died over the duration of the conflict.

Thatcher's government would rise further and stronger because of their success. While the Argentinian government would be toppled because of it's failure to win the war.

Remembering: The Battle of Okinawa

Cornerstone of Peace Memorial

April 1, 1945 fifty thousand US troops invade the Japanese island of Okinawa. The largest amphibious landing in the Pacific Theater during WWII, in it's eighty-two days it would go on to become the bloodiest battle of WWII in the Pacific.

Japanese troops relied very heavily upon kamikaze attacks, as well as dug out caves, that were nearly impenetrable to artillery, naval, and aircraft bombing.

Because of the ferocity of the defense, as well as the mass suicides amongst the native population, the US government decided to attempt the use of nuclear bombs on the Japanese mainland, instead of risking an even bloodier invasion.

In 1995, the Okinawan government erected the Cornerstone of Peace Memorial. The memorial holds the name of every one who died because of the Battle of Okinawa, whether they be Okinawan civilians, Japanese military, or Allied troops. Last updated in June of 2008, it holds 240,734 names.

Remembering: The Eiffel Tower

March 31, 1889 the Eiffel Tower is officially completed and dedicated. Gustave Eiffel supervised the completion of the project he designed not only under budget, but early as well.

Some critics had argued that his design would be unstable and could not last or reach so high. Others that it would be an eyesore, taking away from the charm of the Parisian skyline.

The nine hundred and eighty-four foot tall tower is made of an iron framework supported on four masonry piers. On each pier is a column, which unite to form a single vertical tower. Three platforms, at different levels, have observation decks. Glass caged, elevators ascend the piers on a curve.

On the day of dedication the elevators were the only thing not completed, so Eiffel and some determined companions took the stairs. Once at the top the let fly a huge French tricolor. At the signal fireworks were set off, on the second platform.

In 1909 the lease on the land expired, and plans began to tear it down, but it served a great purpose as a radio tower and so was saved. It remained the world's tallest structure until 1930.