Leonardo DiCaprio: 'Let Stop The Elephant Slaughter!'

The Email from Leonardo DiCaprio

Dear friends at Avaaz,  

Across Africa, elephants are being slaughtered by poachers in record numbers -- and their tusks hacked off with chainsaws -- to make luxury items, statues and trinkets in Asia. But in days, Thailand will host a key global summit on illegal trade in endangered species, giving us a rare chance to stop this futile massacre.

Thailand is the world’s largest unregulated ivory market and a top driver of the illegal trade.They’ve been in the hot seat for years, yet so far little has been done to clamp down on their role in the elephant attack. But Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has just announced that she is considering a full ivory ban. That's why we started a global petition on the Avaaz site, to give this campaign the last push it needs to win.  


This is the best chance we’ve had in years to have a meaningful victory for Africa’s elephants -- we just need to put people power behind it. Join me now to stop the bloody ivory trade. Sign the urgent petition and share it with everyone: 

>> www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_elephants/?bOksxab&v=22460  

What if Grooveshark, Spotify, iTunes, and Pandora Existed in the 50s? [Infographic]

Back in the 50s, Grooveshark would have been like a personalized jukebox. You’d be able to look up your favorite songs and have them played just for you. No guarantees that your favorite tune would be available, though. Sure, it would have been free, but the songs wouldn’t be in alphabetical order. So if you really didn’t know what you wanted to play, you would have been fresh out of luck. This is just one example of how different your favorite music programs of today would have been in decades gone by. Your other favorite music programs, like Spotify, iTunes, Last.fm and Napster could have operated much differently, as well. Pandora likely would have had ads between its songs, and you wouldn’t have been able to skip songs you didn’t like--which would have been quite unfortunate, considering most of the music played would have been stuff you’re not that fond of anyway. 

Get more details on your favorite modern music programs and what they would have been like in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s by checking out the infographic below.

When Will The Apocalypse Happen?

Ok, so the Mayans may have been wrong, the world didn’t end in 2012! But, it could still happen.  Where will you be when the apocalypse comes?  Holed up safely in your underground zombie and nuclear proof shelter, with enough supplies to last you for a year or running screaming along the High Street with a bag filled with tins of food, trying to find the nearest place to hide out?  For most of us, it’s probably the latter, although we don’t want to admit to being so unprepared!  We don’t know if or when the apocalypse will happen, or even how, but there are ways that you can ensure you’re prepared for any disaster like applying for cash loans and getting shopping for supplies today!

The Biggest Media Providers, Their Profits and Controversies [infographic]

Ever since media became mainstream with the invention of the printing press, people have been reading it. They've also been buying newspaper, watching television and venturing to see the latest movie at their local theater since each of those activities became commonplace. No matter how you look at it, providing media to the masses is a big industry.

That's why it's no surprise that there exist a set of media corporations that are bigger than all the rest. They broadcast programs that people watch each day, publish the latest in current events and put out new movies for people to go see. While all of these activities are extremely entertaining to the people watching and reading, they're also profitable to the companies involved.

These media corporations haven't gone without controversy. Each one has something surrounding their names, whether it's a massive wardrobe malfunction during a major event or it's discriminatory hiring practices. One of these media corporations that is a household name to anyone who has a child has even been accused of trying to broadcast subliminal messages to its audience.

Pope Benedict XVI's final audience

Pope Benedict XVI's final audience: Live Report (via AFP)

1115 GMT: Warm words for the pope from many of those gathered... One fan, from Vietnam, who is training to be a priest, tells AFP: "I love the pope, I'm sad that he's leaving, but he has made a grand gesture of love for the Church." Twelve-year old Giulia, who has come to see the audience with her…

Cover Reveal: 'After Summer'

'After Summer' is Hannah Harvey's second book and is due to be released on March 1st 2013.... 

Today, we are hosting the 'Cover Release' for it. So, not only you'll be able to have a peak at its great cover before the book is released, but you'll also have a chance to find out more about the book and its author in the process. Cool, isn't it?

(Oh, and we have re-opened our virtual coffee./tea area especially for the occasion. of course.)

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

The Self-Driving Car: Will Google Lead the Way? [Infographic]

The self-driving car has long been projected, but they are still unavailable. The promise of the self-driving is compelling as the ability to travel without having to pay attention to the road inspires visions of spending driving time watching videos or reading. Google has invested heavily in self-driving cars, but will their efforts succeed?

Google has some advantages over other who have tried in the past. Their Maps platform features some of the most sophisticated maps and mapping algorithms available, and their databases have been tested by drivers armed with video cameras. When it comes to navigating cars, Google has the technology necessary to succeed.

Google is large enough company that they can afford the investments necessary. Google has already tested cars that drive with minimal human assistance, and their progress has been encouraging. The states of Nevada and California now allow Google to test their cars on public roads. While the self-driving car is not a realistic option yet, Google might have a shot at succeeding.

Licensed To Thrill - Following 007 Around The World

The James Bond franchise is one of cinema’s most long-running and enduringly popular series of films. There are many reasons why they appeal to people (mainly men admittedly): the girls, the gadgets, the cars, the villains and their nefarious plots, the witty one-liners. And one other key component – the exotic locations. Put yourself in the shoes of the world’s most famous spy and visit some of the scenes of his most explosive exploits.

Batman 'Joker' child-killer claims 'no choice'

AFP - A nursery killer who carried out murders disguised as Batman villain 'The Joker' told a court on Monday he was left "no choice" but to stab to death two toddlers and their minder at a Belgian creche -- despite saying he knew murder was wrong.

An artist's impression of Kim De Gelder on the first day of his trial at Gent's courthouse on February 22, 2013. A nursery killer disguised as Batman villain 'The Joker' told a court on Monday he was left "no choice" but to stab to death two toddlers and their minder at a Belgian creche -- despite saying he knew murder was wrong.

"I was aware that you should not (kill) but I did not see any other choice," Kim De Gelder told the court in Ghent, which is considering whether the 24-year-old can be held responsible for his knife rampage.

"I was pushed towards this choice, perhaps from outside. It came directly," De Gelder said in reply to lengthy questioning by the presiding judge.

De Gelder is charged with killing the two infants and their 54-year-old carer in an attack on the Fable Land nursery in the town of Dendermonde in January 2009, as well as the attempted murder of 22 others at the creche -- including 16 babies and toddlers.

De Gelder is further charged with murdering an elderly woman in a separate attack a week earlier.

The court must determine whether De Gelder can be considered sane or not. On Friday, his lawyer told the 12 jurors his client was a paranoid schizophrenic who "is irresponsible and cannot be punished."

Just after the release of cult 2008 Batman movie "The Dark Knight," De Gelder entered the nursery with his hair dyed red and his face painted white with black around his eyes -- like the film's villain 'The Joker,' as played by the late Australian actor Heath Ledger.

Last year, US youth James Holmes was accused of killing 12 people and wounding 58 in a cinema screening the sequel of the film.

De Gelder, speaking in Flemish, told the court on Monday he would "keep the explanation of his motives for the end of the trial, or for another trial."

He said he had had a happy childhood but relations with his parents became difficult when he was around 15 as they opposed his plans to study psychology or law.

At age 18, De Gelder said he thought of committing suicide by lying under a train but then changed his plans to "taking the lives of other people."

Saying he was in despair, he said he had lied to psychiatrists, telling them during the investigation that he had heard "voices" pushing him to act.

"You had other choices, you could have looked for a job," the presiding judge interjected.

"I already told you it was the crisis," De Gelder replied.

Why did you search out people unknown to you? he was asked.

"The people you know, the people you like -- you do not kill them," De Gelder replied.

At other times the accused appeared irritated -- as when he took the judge and prosecutor to task, the latter for supposedly "smiling" during his questioning.

Police said De Gelder planned to attack two more nurseries, a police academy and also Belgium's king -- but he was picked up by officers within an hour of the nursery rampage.

Why Being a Geek is 'In': A Look at 10 Successful Geeks [infographic]

The old (and negative) stereotype of geeks has almost faded away completely in recent years. The idea of a sloppy, nerdy kid in the back of the classroom that lacks basic social skills has been replaced with the uber-knowledgeable, witty, and most importantly, highly successful, individual. Being a geek has never been more cool and in style.

The list of 10 successful geeks below are in a range of fields such as statistics, mathematics, political evangelism and composition that at first glance don't share too many similarities. The underlying traits that these geeks have is the ability to make and see connections where others can't and the ability to stay unique to oneself. Well, that, and they are also all geniuses. All of them have found success within the last several years and offer a glimpse of what possibilities our future may hold when geeks start having more influence.

High tech helps scientists protect whales

High tech helps scientists protect whales (via AFP)

Scientists are delving deep into the travels of whales -- thanks to high-tech tracking devices -- to try to help protect them. Except for a few species, global whale populations have been decimated over the last few hundred years. Many are at less than 10 percent of their original population size,…

How the Super Rich Dodge Taxes [Infographic]

If you happen to be super rich, you’re probably well versed in all the ways to not pay your income tax. For the wealthy, skimping on paying income tax is so ubiquitous that the average tax rate paid by those making $10 million a year is only 19 percent. Comparatively, the tax rate on an annual income of $388,350 or more is 35 percent.

There are many ways to significantly reduce one's taxable income, thanks to a gracious amount of loopholes in tax law. America’s wealthiest individuals can place funds in offshore accounts, funnel it through shell companies, or make generous tax-deductible donations to their spouses in order to reduce income tax rates.

One popular method of income tax reduction involves deducting the fair market value of a donated item. For example, as a wealthy person, you might purchase a sculpture for $1,000. Some years later, you can have it appraised for $10,000 before donating it to a needy organization. Now you can deduct $10,000 from your taxable income!