Things I learned lately 27 May

• Canipre, a Canadian company that helps the entertainment industry send legal threats to people alleged to have infringed copyright, has been caught using several infringing images on its own website. Included in the art that Canipre appropriated for commercial gain without permission is a Creative Commons licensed photo that they could have used legally simply by crediting the photographer. Canipre blames its web developer.
• People are so engrossed in their smart-phone screen in the checkout line, they don't pay attention to the impulse-buy magazine rack anymore. This is killing the magazine industry.
• Between 1837 and 1863 (in the US), a period known as the 'free banking era', anyone could open a bank and issue currency. Paper money was issued by states, cities, counties, private banks, railroads, stores, churches and people. By 1860, around 8000 different banks were circulating 'wildcat' bank notes. If a bank went broke, their currency became worthless.
• What does Bill Gates like getting for his birthday? Books.
• The cheapest thing that gives Bill Gates pleasure since becoming wealthy? Cheeseburgers.
• If you tried to count all of the stars in the Milky Way at a rate of one per second, it would take you 3000 years.
• People who are attracted to you (and are not already in a romantic relationship) will subconsciously mimic you. Conversely, to make people like you more, mimic them.
• A fully loaded supertanker travelling at normal speed takes at least 20 minutes to stop.
• 84% of parents believe their kids will confide in them if they are being cyber-bullied. Only 8% of kids actually do confide in their parents when being cyber-bullied.
• Bombardier will be testing a new electric bus that charges using underground inductive pads at bus stops.
• The Grand Canyon is now in Google Street-view. I'm talking about the foot paths, not just the roads. The views are..... spectacular.
• Nobody has ever reportedly overdosed on marijuana.