BuzzMashr

This video might explain BP’s rather ineffective response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Apparently a coffee spill is beyond their capabilities, too.

Don’t worry about it…it’s a big table.

A rather inspirational video speaking to the virtues of friendship and loyalty has been making its way around the web this week. The clip features a squirrel protecting his dead friend from the impeding crows searching for a meal. The situation is simple and sweet. Check it out below:

Coca-Cola has recently announced their new bottle design. In order to be more environmentally friendly, the beverage company decided to change the shape of their bottles. Instead of the old fashioned Coke bottle shape, the new bottles are rectangular. The design is stackable, which allows for more efficient transportation. It has a slimmer cap and is made entirely from sugar cane byproducts. The new bottle is also collapsible, which the company hopes will influence consumers to recycle more frequently.

To learn more about the new bottle design and its waste-reducing properties, see the infographic at: Come Back Home: Eco Coke Bottle Design

On Tuesday, January 11 2009, a massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The quake was followed by two strong aftershocks with 5.9 and 5.5 magnitudes, compounding the devastation of the original rumble. There are fears that hundreds of thousands may be dead, but the extent of the damage is still uncertain.

This is Haiti’s works quake in two centuries. The quake hit hard south of the capital at Port-au-Prince, destroying the presidential palace, the UN headquarters and other buildings. The Red Cross estimates that up to three million people have been affected by the disaster.

Haiti’s envoy to the US approximates that the cost of the damage runs in the billions of dollars. A number of nations including the US, UK, and Venezuela, are preparing to send aid as quickly as possible.

Immediately following the quake, phone lines in Haiti began to fail. There is no official word on the number of casualties and the extent of the damage is only now being assessed as dawn breaks.

Some speculation has been occurring from various nations. China has indicated that eight of its peacekeepers are buried and feared dead. Another ten peacekeepers are unaccounted for. The Jordanian army has been quoted saying that three of its peacekeepers have been killed and at least 21 wounded. The Brazilian army lists four of its peacekeepers as deceased and a large number of them are missing. A French official has stated that about 200 people went missing in the Hotel Montana, a popular tourist attraction, which collapsed in the quake.

As is familiar in many natural disasters, there were reports of looting occurring overnight. The capital was in total darkness, making it an easy target for criminals.

Bodies covered in white dust have been seen piled into the back of pick-up trucks as groups tried to get injured individuals to the hospital.

Haiti has suffered several natural disasters recently including four hurricanes and other storms in 2008 that killed hundreds of people. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

For a visual of the aftermath of the Haiti quake and the disaster it has wrought, check out the video from CBS news below.

2009 has come and gone. Whether you loved it or hated it, it’s always good to take a step back and reflect on the year before diving head-first into 2010.

An internet personality going by the name of Erikso (or @erikso on Twitter) has made it easy for us to take some time to contemplate 2009. Erikso has been gathering images and video all year long to show natural changes throughout the course of one year and created a time lapse video entitled “One Year in 90 Seconds”. In a little over a minute, Erikso captures dramatic natural changes as well as smaller everyday details that tend to go unnoticed. So, take some time to reflect and check out Erikso’s video below: