, And Other News
Mo' Money, Mo' Problems
Sell your massively popular game (Minecraft) to Microsoft for $2.5B? Check.
Bump your personal net worth up to $1.3B? Check
Take that money and enjoy your life? Working on it.
In a bit of a warning to all those striving to become billionaires like him, [Markus Persson] says he's "never felt more isolated," while hanging out in Ibiza with friends and partying with famous people.
Fortunately, he can afford to buy a few million of us tiny, tiny violins to play for him.
This Isn't How You Ride A Bike, But It's Damn Cool
As it turns out, fixed-gear bikes do have a purpose, and that purpose is to allow bike gymnasts like Nicole Frýbortová to do some absolutely insane things. If you've ever watched Olympic gymnasts on a balance beam and thought "Wow, that's really incredible," just consider what would happen if you added two wheels to that balance beam. Speaking of which, how does a gymnast stay upright anyways?
Don't Buy Organic Veggies At The Supermarket
Sellers know that consumers love the "Organic" label — and that they'll pay a premium to put "Organic" food in their bodies. So they charge accordingly:
As a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found, the "premium" markup on organic food is 29-32%, when only a 5-7% markup would be needed to break even.
That is to say, you're kind of getting ripped off by that Organic Romaine Lettuce, and you're probably better off saving your money. Unless you're a dejected billionaire — if organically grown cucumbers are the tonic to what ails you, go for it.
Finally, The Jet Engine For Your Cat's Plane
We've previously brought you a tiny working paper model of a V6 engine, and now, a somewhat larger, definitely-not-paper, 3D-printed model jet engine. And if the paper V6 "worked," then this thing WORKS:
The Apocalypse-Preventing Red Phone Connecting Moscow And Washington That Wasn't
The idea of a red phone in the White House — connected directly to Moscow and designated as a direct line of communication during the tense days of nuclear brinksmanship — never actually existed. There was a teletype machine, but it was in the Pentagon rather than the White House. And it definitely wasn't red. So where does the iconic image of a Red Phone come from, and why has it had such staying power?
The VMAs Happened
Kanye danced — and announced he was running for president.
Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj made up, but a new beef between Nicki and host Miley Cyrus was born.
Justin Bieber cried after performing.
Here's a live blog from last night.
~What a night~
In the news: Oliver Sacks, writer and neurologist, died at 82; Wes Craven, legendary horror movie director, died at 76; Thai police arrested a man in connection with Bangkok bombing that killed 20; An Egyptian court sentenced 3 Al-Jazeera journalists to 3 years in prison; and Sarah Palin interviewed Donald Trump.
