Tag Archives: coverage
80K Apply for Mars
A Dutch-based nonprofit’s giving anyone a chance, but here’s the catch: it involves a one-way trip to Mars.
The NGO, Mars One, intends to send four people to Mars to establish a human colony, and it’s taking applications.
“The search for life on Mars begins on Earth.”
Apparently, they’re some of the most sought after jobs in the world. TIME reports in the past two weeks“over 78,000 people have applied to become one of Mars’ first immigrants.”
Netherlands-based Mars One says video applications have come from more than 120 countries, with 17,000 Americans applying.
The Guardian reports Mars One isn’t looking for people with specific skills in science but “stresses the need for a “Can Do!” attitude…sense of humour and requires the submission of an application fee that can be as much as $75.”
The nonprofit expects the four settlers will land on Mars in 2023 and the set up and transport will cost about $6 billion.
Space.com explains the organization’s Big Brother-esque plan “to pay most of the bills by staging a global reality-TV event, with cameras documenting all phases of the mission from astronaut selection to the colonists’ first years on the Red Planet.”
Mars One will close the application process August 31st and expects more than 500,000 potential Mars-settlers to apply by then.
Interested in being the next reality TV star? A Dutch-based nonprofit’s giving anyone a chance, but here’s the catch: it involves a one-way trip to Mars.
The NGO, Mars One, intends to send four people to Mars to establish a human colony, and it’s taking applications.
“The search for life on Mars begins on Earth.”
Apparently, they’re some of the most sought after jobs in the world. TIME reports in the past two weeks“over 78,000 people have applied to become one of Mars’ first immigrants.”
Netherlands-based Mars One says video applications have come from more than 120 countries, with 17,000 Americans applying.
The Guardian reports Mars One isn’t looking for people with specific skills in science but “stresses the need for a “Can Do!” attitude…sense of humour and requires the submission of an application fee that can be as much as $75.”
The nonprofit expects the four settlers will land on Mars in 2023 and the set up and transport will cost about $6 billion.
Space.com explains the organization’s Big Brother-esque plan “to pay most of the bills by staging a global reality-TV event, with cameras documenting all phases of the mission from astronaut selection to the colonists’ first years on the Red Planet.”
Mars One will close the application process August 31st and expects more than 500,000 potential Mars-settlers to apply by then.
A Mars one-way ticket
Step right up and prove why you should get a one-way ticket to Mars! Well, perhaps you might want to know a more about the venture first before considering.
A Dutch company called Mars One began looking Monday for volunteer astronauts to fly to Mars. Departure for the Red Planet is scheduled for 2022, landing seven months later in 2023.
The space travelers will return … never. They will finish out their lives on Mars, representatives from the nonprofit said.
“It’s likely that there will be a crematorium,” said CEO Bas Lansdorp. “It’s up to the people on Mars to decide what to do with their dead.”
Still, the company said it has received more than 10,000 e-mails from interested would-be space farers.
The one-way ticket makes the mission possible because it greatly reduces costs, and the technology for a return flight doesn’t exist, according to Mars One’s website. At a news conference, Lansdorp maintained that “no new inventions are needed to land humans on Mars.”
The biggest obstacles, he said, are financial. The company has revealed some of its sponsors and hopes to gain more via media coverage. It’s not clear whether enough money will be collected in time.
There are also practical issues: Can the kinks in having a sustainable system for people to survive in such a harsh environment be worked out by 2023?
“Questions of reliability and robustness have to be answered before we leave Earth,” said Grant Anderson of Paragon Space Development Corporation, which builds life-support systems and is joining the Mars One effort.
4G Network set for 1 million users
EE, the U.K.’s first and still only 4G network operator, confirmed that after five months of 4G trading it has hit a total of 318,000 4G-specific customers out of a total of 13.7 million postpaid mobile subscribers (Overall EE has a mobile & fixed line broadband subscriber base of 26.4 million).
It’s worth underlining that the 318,000 figure does not consist of only new customers joining EE but includes existing 3G customers who have upgraded to its 4G offering. In its, Q1 results release today. EE said ”strong take-up of 4G services amongst new and existing customers validates our data monetisation strategy”, noting that it is continuing to “successfully migrate Orange and T-Mobile customers with 4G-ready phones to high value EE 4G price plans in areas where 4G coverage is available”.
It added that it is “firmly on track” to meet its target of more than one million 4G customers by the end of 2013. This is a target that is arguably rather unambitious, as IHS Screen Digest analyst Daniel Gleeson noted on Twitter.
EE reported postpaid mobile net adds of 166,000 for its Q1. The quarter is traditionally a weaker one for the carrier to add new customers but EE noted that Q1 2013 outperformed its past two year-on-year Q1 quarters, which saw 150,000 and 160,000 net postpaid adds respectively
Commenting on the results in a statement, EE’s Chief Financial Officer, Neal Milsom, said: “Today’s results are in-line with our expectations, and we are making good progress focusing on high value segments. We’re announcing 318,000 4G customers after just five months of trading, strong postpaid net adds and continued growth in our underlying average revenue per user. We expect to strengthen our industry leadership position in the year ahead as the 4G roll out continues and we introduce double-speed 4GEE.”
Last month EE announced its 4G network was now within reach of 50% of the population.
Heroic acts Follow Marathon
The two deadly explosions at the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon triggered immediate response from authorities and fellow citizens.
Two bombs simultaneously exploded near the marathon finish line killing three people and injuring dozens more. The final injury toll is yet unknown but the Boston Globe reports 107 people were hurt in the explosions. A third incident at the JFK library now appears to be unconnected to the bombings. (Via WBZ)
Police officers and marathon workers responded immediately, rushing to the scene to help the victims, quickly joined by fire department and medical workers. All of it, in disregard of their own safety. (Via The Boston Globe, Twitter/CBS News/Kylie Atwood, New York Daily News)
These are little acts of heroism, which make the difference. Writer for the Barstool Sports Jerry Thornton said out loud what we might/should all be thinking…
“These guys, having no idea if the explosions have stopped or what else is waiting for them, came charging in with no regard for their own safety. Risking their lives to save the lives of other people they’ve never met. And they do this as part of their jobs. It’s just incredible.” (Via WBZ)
And blogger for the Philly Burbs added…
“I watched television coverage today where people were helping each other. People risking their own lives to help strangers. Nobody knew how many bombs there were. Nobody knew what was going to happen….If the people who were heroes today in Boston are willing to go the extra mile, we all should be willing to do it.”
But journalists were also part of the first responders. Some of them were taking part in the race and quickly switched to reporting on the tragedy. Boston Herald journalist Chris Cassidy was one of them. Here is Cassidy’s report in the Washington Post.
“I saw two explosions. The first one was beyond the finish line. I heard a loud bang and I saw smoke rising. … The blast ‘looked like it was in a trash can or something. There are at least a dozen that seem to be injured in some way.”
And Steve Silvia, who was shooting the final line arrivals took his camera on the shoulder and ran to the explosion. CNN Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper saluted his bravery on Twitter. (Via The Boston Globe)
“Life as a first responder — imagine seeing this explosion and running TOWARDS it.”
Citizens got quickly involved by expressing strong support on their twitter accounts with the hashtag #bostonmarathon. And a true Boston spirit of solidarity emerged as people rushed to give blood. So much, that the Red Cross noted on its Twitter…
“Due to the generosity of our donors we don’t need blood at this time. Please schedule for a future donation http://redcrossblood.org #marathon”
No suspect has been identified yet and The White House is calling the attack an “Act of Terror.” But the FBI and the Justice Department are fully involved in the investigation. (Via CNN)
Others cities with scheduled marathons, such as New York or London, have increased their security levels in the aftermath of the bombings.
Obese Man Chair
The tragic death of a 43-year-old morbidly obese Ohio man and his unusual circumstance has the media speaking out.
The unnamed man didn’t move from his recliner for two years and when his girlfriend and other roommate found him unconscious, they called authorities to help transport him to the hospital, where he later died. Police had to cut him out of his chair and cut a hole in his house just to get him out. (Video from WTRF)
“They said the man was welded to his chair with urine and feces, that he hadn’t left his chair in two years, that maggots were visible, that one police officer had to throw away his uniform after helping cut the man out of his chair.”
The blogosphere responded with outrage over what is widely seen as an unnecessary death. A Fox News blogger wonders why the man’s two able-bodied housemates didn’t step in.
“When it comes down to it, the people he depended on failed to give him the help that he clearly needed. And that, to me, is the saddest part of the story.”
And blogger for The Stir points a finger at the man’s girlfriend.
“[She] used to feed him his food since he never got up. That’s very kind of you, girlfriend, but how do you let it get to that point? How do you let someone you love get so over-the-top unhealthy and do nothing about it?”
But landlady, Lou Ann Bennett, says the deceased man’s girlfriend had no control in their relationship. Bellaire’s WTRF continuing coverage reports, Bennett tried to help.
“… [S]he once offered to call the authorities about him and his obvious problem with inertia. She says his girlfriend wouldn’t hear of it. ‘She begged me not to. She said please, Lou Ann, don’t do it because if you do, [explicit] Rich is gonna take it out on me.’”
One friend tells Steubenville’s WTOV, help was offered — but the man refused to leave his chair because of arthritic knees.
“… I tried to suggest him going to the hospital and getting his legs checked out, but he wouldn’t do it. He said he didn’t like doctors. So you can’t force somebody to do something that they don’t want to do.”
The man’s roommates and landlord have cleaned the home per requirements by the local police department, but reports indicate no charges have been filed in his death. His body will be cremated at a local funeral home.
