Adios Four Loko! Hello Canna Cola

If you've never imagined marijuana in a bottle, don't think too hard, it's nothing new.  What is new however is a new edition in the next generation of high energy inducing beverages, Canna Cola.  Canna Cola is a marijuana-infused soda brand designed to be sold at medical marijuana dispensaries in the U.S.  The brainchild of California-based commercial artist Clay Butler, the Canna Cola brand features a number of different flavors, including the eponymous cola, a Dr Pepper knock-off call Doc Weed, grape-flavored Grape Ape, orange-tinged Orange Kush, and the Sprite-y Sour Diesel.  The drinks, set to be priced in the range of $10 to $15, don't contain much marijuana either. Each bottle contains between 35 and 65 milligrams of THC (the active ingredient in cannabis), or roughly three times less THC than other marijuana-infused beverages, but they are meant to be tastier than the competition's offerings, containing only a hint of pot flavoring.

Canna Cola is like a light beer to other vendor's hard liquors.  This means customers can actually drink entire bottles without having panic attacks.  It also means that medical patients who don't like the taste of marijuana might be more willing to take a swig.

Egypt's Internet Shutdown; How Is This Possible?

So I know many of you have already heard about the Egyptian Government shutting off the internet to all of its citizens last week.  I don't think many of us have ever contemplated this being possible, but apparently its easier than you think.  I can't imagine how this country would react if a similar situation occurred here!.......... yea, so like I said I can't imagine.  The internet is everything to Americans, more important than cell phones, television, heck it's probably more important than food depending on who you talk to.

In Egypt shutting off the internet doesn't take much.  The internet, like in most countries comprises a series of cables contained in dimly lit chilled rooms.  A country the size of Egypt probably has dozens of these rooms, explains Craig Labovitz, chief scientist for Arbor Networks, an Internet security company, in an interview done by fastcompany.com.  Killing the internet is as simple as literally unplugging these devices. Making these changes in Egypt is simple because there are only 10 Internet providers and a centralized government that can quickly order them to yank out the cables.  If the providers refuse, they can loose their licenses from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.  On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Egypt to restore communications, and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs reiterated the U.S. position that access to the Internet is a "basic human right."

Back home in the U.S. congress has contemplated implementing an Internet "kill switch" for use in emergencies, but it would be more complicated to effect that here, where there are more fiber-optic cables and thousands of providers.  Egypt has one of the more sophisticated Internet set-ups in the region, therefore shutting down the Internet is easy in most places around the world.  And while it may be difficult to turn off the Internet in the U.S. and Europe, there's still plenty of collateral damage when a country that plays a significant role in commerce and trade, like Egypt, chooses to do so.

Never Take Creativity for Granted

Renowned designer Stefan Segmeister talks about the process behind his typography- driven films, which sprung from the insights in his book Things I've Learned In My Life So Far. http://www.sagmeister.com

Never Content To Accept Conventional Wisdom?

Check out this Video from Behance Team, just a nudge of inspiration!

Temple Campus Safety

Carl Bittenbender, Executive Director of Campus Safety Services sent out a Memorandum yesterday a series of additional safety measures that will be implemented on Temples Main Campus this semester.  Bittenbender stresses that the university takes the safety of its university community very seriously and in response to recent criminal activity over the past few months there are safety measure that will begin immediately.  While there is no one simple solution to the safety challenges Temple facesm the University believes these steps will be valuable to its campus, students and the community around Main Campus.

Step 1. Bolstering City of Philadelphia Police patrols in areas immediately adjacent to campus. These additional patrols will coordinate with Temple University Police and will be assigned mainly in areas north and west of campus in response to current crime patterns. The university is underwriting the costs of these additional officers.


Step 2. Increasing the presence of security officers on campus. Additional security officers will be added to increase visibility and deter criminal activity. They will have direct contact with the Temple University Police communications center and will initially patrol on foot. In the weeks to come, these security officers will be equipped with bikes. They will then be in special bike uniforms, distinctly marked and easily recognized as part of the security force at Temple.


Step 3. Hiring additional sworn campus police officers. Temple already has a large, well-trained police department and adding new officers will enhance our policing abilities on and around campus.


Step 4. Upgrading the network of security cameras on campus. This enhancement, already in progress, will greatly add to our investigative capabilities.

Jimmy Rollins And The Music Industry

Jimmy Rollins, best known in Philadelphia for the obvious "baseball" is coming to Temple University tomorrow to speak with students at the Fox School of Business about success in the music business.  The Jimmy Rollins Entertainment Group has worked with Justin Beiber and Sean Kingston among others.  Rollins will talk to students about his success in the industry and what is plans are for himself outside of baseball.  Check him out if you have time!

Temple Police Patrol Boundaries

Primary Patrol Zone

Susquehanna Avenue to Jefferson Street

9th to 16th Streets

Daily patrol activity including directed patrols

Respond to priority calls

Respond to calls for service including taking reports

Full investigative support

Supplemental Patrol Zone

Susquehanna Avenue to Dauphin Street

8th to 9th Streets

16th to 17th Streets

Master Street to Jefferson Street

Directed patrols according to crime trends, complaints and/or other information determining the area of concentration

Respond to priority calls

Respond to calls for taking reports

Investigative support limited and to be determined on case-by-case basis

Priority Response Zone

Dauphin to York Streets

Master to Thompson Streets

7th to 8th Streets

17th to 19th Streets

Respond to priority In-Progress calls ONLY

This is NOT a patrol area

Responding officers will NOT be used for taking reports or calls for service including noise complaints

Investigative support will be on very rare occasions used mainly as facilitators to the appropriate Philadelphia Police Detective Division or information gathering of high-profile incidents

All non-priority calls in this zone and beyond will be referred to the Philadelphia Police 911 Emergency System

Priority calls of crimes in progress will be referred to the Philadelphia Police 911 Emergency System, as well as broadcasted to Temple Police units

Click on Map to Enlarge

New Year New Look!

Happy New Year Everyone! 2011 is sure to be an awesome year for all the determined dreamers and entrepreneurs.  If you've been planning something in 2010 this is the year of execution and growth. Get ready- don't stand still now- the time is here so take advantage of it!

Here at Rentcampus we wanted to start the year off with a little friendly writing competition.  Since we are so interested in improving the quality of student life at Temple we decided to share your stories about life on campus and as young college students living in Philadelphia.  We thought it would be cool to share your stories on our blog and select three writers to be guest writers on our blog for the Spring Semester.  The students with the most interesting and well composed stories will be chosen.  But there is a catch; we want you and your friends to vote on who you think has the best story. Participants can write about anything from their life, student life, political views, what they would change if they were the next Mayor of Philadelphia, etc.  It can be anything.  We just want to hear what you have to say!  Student work will be published on our blog and facebook.  The 3 students with the most facebook likes will be selected as the "Guest Writers", given permission to write weekly or bi-weekly columns on our blog, and compensation for their work. You are not limited to the amount of post you send in.  We just ask that they be between 200 and 500 words.  Feel free to include tasteful graphics and pics.

The competition will last until February 28.  Post will be uploaded in the order they are received.  Email all post with attached images to "rentcampus@gmail.com"  Subject: Writing competition.

Good Luck! We can't wait to read what you have to say

Thanks,
RentcampusOnline