No Bad News

In today’s world, there seems to be more bad news than good news. The truth is, there’s just as much good news out there; the media just isn’t reporting it. If you’re tired of being fed only bad news by the media, you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll find lighthearted news: inspirational, funny, uplifting and interesting.

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NASA's X-59: The World’s Weirdest, Quietest Supersonic Jet



The Lockheed Martin X-59 is probably the strangest airplane ever designed. Its razor-sharp nose takes up half of the airplane’s length, there’s no cockpit in sight, the wings are tiny compared to the entire fuselage, and its oversized tail engine looks like a weird hump about to fall off. Of course, there’s a method to all this madness. The design is the secret sauce that has produced a true unicorn: a supersonic jet that doesn’t BOOM! the heck out of people and buildings on the ground. The sonic boom is a phenomenon that has long been the Achilles’ heel of supersonic flight. When an aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound, the compressed air molecules against the body of the plane produce shock waves that merge to form a sonic boom, a loud and disruptive noise heard on the ground. This noise has historically been a significant impediment to the commercial viability of supersonic flight over land. The X-59, developed alongside NASA, has a boom that’s 75 PLdB (perceived levels of decibels), the equivalent of hearing a dishwasher for less than a second. For comparison, the Concorde’s PLdB was 105, or as loud as listening to a chainsaw at full power. The Concorde’s cruising speed was 1,350mph, while the X-59 cruises at around 925mph — fast enough to make a flight from New York to London in about 3 hours. Lockheed Martin’s vision for commercial supersonic air travel is a 200-foot-long (double the length of the X-59) twin-engine model that will seat 44 passengers. Someday, people might be able to look up and see an alien shape in the sky, with the X-59’s design ushering in a new era for high-speed travel across the globe.
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The World’s First Electric Flying Passenger Ship Completes Tests



A 30-seat hydrofoil ferryboat is set to enter mass production ahead of its introduction into the Stockholm transportation network next year. It’s the world’s first electric flying passenger ship, and it recently completed all of its tests with flying colors, delighting manufacturer, Candela Technology. During its first flights, the P-12 confirmed its top speed of 30 knots (35mph), a record for electric passenger vessels. With a range of up to 50 nautical miles, it’s also the first electric ship with the practical endurance to cover most coastal transport needs. Whether it’s public transportation fleets, VIP services, or private customers, it will revolutionize how we travel on water. The P-12 employs computer-guided hydrofoils to elevate its hull above water friction. When on its foils at speeds over 18 knots, it consumes 80% less energy than traditional high-speed vehicles. Priced at €1.7 million ($1.8 million), the 30-seat shuttle matches the cost of similar-sized diesel vessels and is priced significantly lower than other electric options. Once in service, operators can expect reduced costs by up to 90% over those of diesel vessels. 
 

 
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They Say a Man’s Home Is His Castle, But This Guy May Have Gone Too Far



Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a shoeshine boy who planned to become king. Of course, no one believed him. However, some 50 years later, the shoeshine boy had indeed proved them wrong. After making a small fortune disposing of factories’ waste following a 1990s-era government cleanup in Brazil, Ivanio Batista da Silva built himself a castle on the edge of Cubatão’s mangrove swamps, complete with turrets, chandeliers, and ornate golden columns. Replica brass lions stand guard over his velvet throne, swords, and an improvised art collection that includes 32 framed photocopies of the world’s most famous paintings. Silva began work on his castle 15 years ago, designing ever-more-extravagant additions to his house with the help of some baffled workmen. “When the first turret went up, everyone made fun of us,” said Gustavo Silva, Ivanio’s 24-year-old son, “but now we’re a tourist attraction.” Not everyone is a fan of Silva’s castle. Some residents say it’s a bit over the top. Even his wife, Maria, questions his latest project to build a 60-foot-long dragon on the roof. After 30 years of marriage, she has adopted a stoic approach.
 

 
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Exactly How Long Can You Leave Wet Laundry In the Washing Machine?



The struggle of forgetting laundry in the washing machine is one many have had to deal with, along with the musty mildew smell that accompanies day-old wash. Cleaning professionals say that laundry can be left in the washing machine for a maximum of 12 hours without risking mold and mildew. Anything over 12 hours will cause an unwanted odor to form, as well as bacterial mildew, both of which will require a new washing to remove. If you happen to go over the 12-hour limit, use half a cup of baking soda with your laundry detergent to get rid of the mold and mildew.
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