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THE TRUE COST OF SPELLING HOWLERS (Scott)

Spelling and grammar purists despair at the lapses in language which are increasingly evident as the internet and social media has led to an explosion in written content. Now one online entrepreneur has put a monetary cost on poor spelling, insisting it can reduce sales for e-commerce businesses by half.Charles Duncombe says he’s been “shocked by the poor quality of written English” when recruiting and says the biggest problem for online firms isn’t technology, but finding staff who can spell. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14130854

 

ONLINE FANS RALLY AFTER TARDIS THEFT (Adrian)

It’s always gratifying when the internet is harnessed for good deeds rather than for snarky tirades or trolling. And it’s nice to know that online communities will rally round to put wrongs to rights in similar fashion to Sam Beckett in Quantum Leap. Take this tale for example. Last month, a little Doctor Who-loving girl was left heartbroken after callous thieves nicked her 300-pound, six-foot tall replica of the TARDIS, which was on display on her front lawn. However, when the story about the robbery appeared online, a group of Reddit enthusiasts decided to devote their efforts to funding the construction of a brand new blue box for the little sci-fi fan – and have now delivered it to her house, complete with chain and video surveillance equipment to make sure it isn’t stolen again. Top work geeks.

http://io9.com/5820841/the-internet-replaces-little-girls-stolen-tardis

 

SIGNS YOU WANT TO READ (Andrea)

Assuming most people in America probably see a STOP sign and take a brief tap of the brakes to ensure nothing is coming in the other direction, then zoom on through, the signs don’t attract that much attention. That is until people start making them funny. A number of STOP signs have been give a twist as these photos show. No doubt these new, updated versions of the signs will make drivers stop a little bit longer at an intersection, which could decrease the number of accidents, so overall it’s a good thing. And since the new Harry Potter movie hits cinemas tomorrow, my favourite has to be STOP VOLDEMORT.

http://www.urlesque.com/2009/12/28/hacked-stop-signs-photos/

 

LIVE HORSE BIRTH ENDS IN TRAGEDY (Laura)

The National Trust’s ‘My Farm’ scheme’s decision to broadcast a live horse birth ended in thousands of people watching the new born animal die shortly after. As part of the project which is designed to provide an insight into the realities and difficulties of farming life, the live birth was originally intended to show one of the more positive aspects of rural living, yet tragically this wasn’t the case and members of the public including school children watching something entirely different. Whilst the ending wasn’t what anyone would have hoped for, the project still shows great initiative, harnessing the power of social media and digital PR to engage with the public. The My Farm scheme also has a dedicated forum with 800 members who can add comments and vote on key monthly issues. Hopefully this minor setback won’t deter more people from signing up to the forum and that they continue to do the great things they have been doing so far.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014584/Thousands-foal-die-birth-MyFarm-webcam-tragedy.html

 

OWL IN DISGUISE (Andrea)

Animals are amazing creatures as we all know, and their ability to disguise themselves, or change colour, shape and size is pretty cool to watch. What I’ve not come across before is an owl that can change itself when posed with a potential threat. Check out this video and see nature at its best.

http://blogs.discovery.com/animal_oddities/2010/05/transformer-owl.html