Found this screenshot on Tumbr (P.S. follow Bendistraw here) but it got me thinking about the dates mentioned. What happened in 1456 you ask? Our friend Mr Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press. Johannes Gutenberg was a goldsmith and is also credited as the first to use oil-based ink. Many have hailed his work to be the most important of the second millennium. in fact, an opera was written about his life entitled "La nuit de Gutenberg" was recently staged in Strasbourg.

This month, Newspaper Death Watch reported that up to 1,400 daily newspapers could be gone within 5 years. Sure papers are still around but for how long and why?

Here's a list of some apps for getting news. Leave us comments on why we should still read the paper.

• Zite
• News Wall
• Flipboard

What would cause a company to pull their app from Apple's App Store and postpone the Android release? How about threatening posts and pornographic material? That's exactly why PostSecret removed their $1.99 app from Apple's App Store only three months after it's release. But, what was the PostSecret App and how did things get so out of hand?

What Was the PostSecret App?

The PostSecret App was exactly what it sounded like, an app where people could post secrets. The founder of PostSecret said that 99% of the posts were in good nature and were the type of secrets the app was designed for. However, there were so many posts that even 1% was more than the company could handle. The fact that users could respond to others' submissions was where the problems began.

What Problems Arose From Its Use?

PostSecret App users were not only exposed to pornographic and gruesome material, but some users were threatened. In fact, not only were users threatened, but so were moderators and the family of the founder. The problem material became such an issue that moderators were working 24 hours, 7 days a week to remove the malicious posts. The company eventually began prescreening posts, which totaled 30,000 per day. Still, it was hard to prosecute users when the company's idea is based around secrecy. It all became too much to handle when users began to complain to the founder, Apple and even the FBI. Eventually, the app had to be pulled from the Apple App Store and the release of the Android version was postponed.

What Does the Company Plan to Do?

While the PostSecret App may no longer exist, the company plans to stick around. The company has over 1 million Facebook fan, 460,000 Twitter followers and 500,000 email subscribers. They have also received over 4.1 million unique visitors to the company's blog. Those that enjoy the idea of PostSecret can still visit the company's website/blog at www.postsecret.com.

Was it a good idea for the company to go mobile? Maybe not. However, we have to give the company credit for pulling the app, even though it meant losing a large amount of money. In a world as corrupt as our own, it's hard to believe that no one saw this coming though. When people have the ability to post anonymously, there will always be those that take advantage of that fact.

About the Author: Jan Haberkamp is a health enthusiast who loves researching medical careers on sites like ekgtechniciantraining.net. She is also a huge fan of technology and is fascinated by how it can impact everyday life.

Hello from ant1mat3rie on Vimeo.

Alternate title: Jealousy for rent.

This is Cathy. She is 23. She will be your girlfriend for 10 days for only $5. Wasn't this a Julia Roberts movie? Basically, you can pay her to be your girlfriend on Facebook. Alternately, she will just post massages on your page to make someone jealous. She has 100% positive feedback for this gig by the way so she does quality work.

Technically this is not prostitution because she is not offering sexual acts. It sort fo feels that way though right? What would you pay for the appearance of a girlfriend? Would you sell your status for $5? 

You can rent Cathy here. Found at Neatorama

An entire blog dedicated to non (visual) artists drawing giraffes. The direct URL is http://prettyawfulgiraffes.wordpress.com/ but they go by G.D.B.P.W.S.N.B.D.G's or Giraffes Drawn By People Who Should Not Be Drawing Giraffes. Some of their submissions so far include Phillip Glass (personal favorite), Dan Rather, Lawrence Kraus (seen above) and Paul Provenza (I'm also a big fan of his). 

This shoudl be bookmarked along other specialty blogs such as Pretty Colors, Selleck Waterfall Sandwich, Clearly Closed and the "Blog" of "unnecessary" quotation marks.

Enjoy!

Do you have health insurance? I'm not trying to sell it so dont' worry. Do you use prescriptions and are you covered by medicare part d? Do you know what's happening in the health industry? I have no health insurance now. No FSA, Cobra, HMO, PPO, etc. I get to do it all the old fashion way... take care of myself. So here's the request. Post some great fitness tips, health tips and startling info or resources you've found online. We'll do a follow up of some of the best.

Ron Nyman's Healthcare business network- great radio program

Want to do 100 pushups? Learn here!

Great books:

My friend Kim

This had me drop 30 lbs and keep it off. Super easy too

Great movies for almost moms:

Thanks Ricki Lake!

Orgasmic Birth (title says it all)

Did you know that it is National Novel Writing Month? 30 days and nights to write 50,000 words. Lots of resources are available on the home page for the event but I had my own ideas. I certainly don't have time or inspiration for a book so I'm letting chaos reign. Here's the plan:

1) Go to wolframalpha and enter "random word"

2) Do a google image search for that word

3) Somehow tie 15 iterations of steps 1 and 2 into a story

Here are a list of my words:

Volley, Bake shop, edema, Thomas Grey, Galois, Hirsutism, zbit, save-all, foxhound, cocaine, anigozanthos manglesii, premiership, celosia argentea, obtrusive, dunk.

Think I can do it? Want to participate? Feel free to leave comments here or tweet @bendistraw with the tag #bendibook. Keep me posted on your project as well.

(YouTube video)

Bouncing droplets shrinking in fractal-perfection. How beautiful!

Just a few days left till Hallows eve. Better gets started on your flame-throwing squash! Instructables posted instructions for making your very own fire breathing cucurbita. Did I mention that this is remote controlled? Plan your trip to Radio Shack now and get all unibomber on this gourd!