How to Build a Lofted College Bed

Do you have someone you know who that is moving into a dorm room at Iowa State? In this age of crowded space, it seems that there isn't enough room for everything! Lofts provide a convenient way to maximize the space in your room, lifting your bed off of the floor to create usable space for other fu...
By: evolesky

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YouTube Opens A Production Space In Tokyo To Help Creators Make Better Videos

Over the past few years, YouTube has been dramatically increasing the resources that it provides to the creative community that uploads videos on its platform. Starting with the acquisition of Next New Networks back in TK, the company has been investing in providing tools, equipment, funding, and guidance to its legion of creators, in an effort to help them improve the quality of their content.

Recently, that’s included the opening of production facilities in London ahead of the 2012 Olympics, and in Los Angeles last fall. Those spaces were meant to attract creators in Europe and North America. Now Asia, specifically Japan, is getting its own creator space, with the launch of a production facility in the Roppongi Hills complex in Tokyo.

Like the other YouTube Spaces, the Tokyo facility will be open to select YouTube partners who will be able to use it free of charge to launch ambitious new projects, get their hands on advanced equipment, or just hone their skills while collaborating with other creators.

Typically, creators gain access to the spaces by applying at youtube.com/space. YouTube will begin taking applications on April 1, and will make its choices for those who will participate later in the spring.

Those who are accepted get three months to use the production facilities, including access to sound stages, as well as the use high-quality cameras, lights, production and editing equipment. The Space has three production studios, equipment rooms, screening rooms, and post-production facilities, including edit bays and a foley room.

In addition to providing support for on-demand content uploaded by YouTube creators, the space will host screenings of their content, and will also have live events. That includes live-streamed music sessions and Google Hangouts, including a concert by Japanese singer Juju later this week on February 15.

While YouTube continues to offer guidance and funding to independent creators through the launch of production spaces in places like L.A. and Tokyo, as well as other initiatives, it’s not alone. A number of multichannel networks like Machinima, Maker Studios, and others have emerged to provide marketing and production support to creators looking to increase their audiences.

Tracking the Falling UARS Satellite

Twenty years ago, NASA launched the UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) from the Space Shuttle Discovery. The satellite finished its mission several years ago but remained floating in space. Not for long. After more than 7,000 days soaring above the Earth, UARS is coming home. Just don't expect to find it all in one piece.

Sometime during the evening of September 23 or the early morning of September 24, the satellite is expected to re-enter the atmosphere and fall back to Earth. According to NASA's official site, "the spacecraft will break into pieces during re-entry," however "not all of it will burn up in the atmosphere."

But don't go building an underground bunker. NASA is quick to note that the likelihood of debris harming either person or property is "extremely small." Since the late 1950s, there is no record of any space object causing significant property damage or causing injury.

That hasn't slowed the frantic interest. Over the past 24 hours, web searches for "nasa satellite" and "uars satellite" have skyrocketed. Related lookups for "uars tracking" and "live tracking uars satellite" are also extremely popular, as are searches for  "uars dimensions." According to NASA, the satellite is 35 feet long and weighs 13,000 pounds.

Its purpose, according to the official NASA site, was to "observe numerous chemical constituents of the atmosphere with a goal of better understanding atmospheric photochemistry and transport." The UARS was particularly useful in helping to answer questions surrounding the the loss of the ozone layer above the arctic.

The best place to keep track of the falling satellite's progress is at NASA.gov. The government agency is doing all it can to keep concerned parties updated on when and where the satellite will land. You can check out NASA's official site for updates.