How To Use Excel Pivot Tables To Analyze Massive Data Sets | ||
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Excel pivot tables are incredible tools that allow you to analyze large data sets many different ways in seconds. Produced by Sara Silverstein Follow BI Video: On Facebook Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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'Gangnam Style' Has Been Viewed So Many Times It Has Actually Broken YouTube | ||
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Gangnam Style has, really and truly, broken YouTube. Seriously. PSY's music video has now had so many views on YouTube that the video sharing platform has had to "upgrade" so people can still watch it. On its Google+ page, YouTube says it didn't ever think something like this would ever happen, "until we met PSY". The South Korean pop sensation has now amassed well over 2 billion views on his original Gangnam Style music video, alongside nearly 9 million 'likes' and just over 1 million 'dislikes'. That turns out to be more numbers than YouTube is coded to display, based on a 32-integer system YouTube explains the situation here:
And here's everything going crazy:
Gangnam Style was released in 2012 it was an instant hit. Singer PSY now has 7.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. The channel has been visited more than 4 billion times since 2010. As if you need reminding of it...Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Apple's Eddy Cue Talks About Price-Fixing On E-Books: He'd 'Do It Again' | ||
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Apple's Eddy Cue has spoken out for the first time about the iBooks price-fixing scandal. This month, the company will appear at a federal appeals court in the US to fight a lower court ruling that Apple conspired to fix prices in the e-book market in order to compete against Amazon. The iBooks chief tells Fortune that Apple continues to battle the government's decision on "principle" — the plan is to overturn the ruling that found the company, alongside its book publisher partners, liable for a price-fixing conspiracy. Basically, before iBooks came along on the iPad, Amazon dominated the e-book business almost completely, and was selling books very cheaply. Those cheap online books were endangering the more profitable paper book market — something publishers were keen to avoid. So the publishers struck a deal with Apple: they would offer the e-books on the iPad and agree to an arrangement that charged consumers a higher price. Consumers would get a competing choice for e-books, and publishers would have leverage to negotiate better prices with both Apple and Amazon. But a federal court judge ruled that Apple's pricing agreements with the publishers amounted to an illegal price-fixing agreement — and that is what Cue and Apple are hoping to overturn. There's a lot at stake: Apple settled the case at the trial for $840 million. For the appeal, Apple agreed to a "conditional settlement", which means it'll get back $450 million in damages and attorney fees if it wins; a loss, while without any further monetary affliction, would maintain the smear on its reputation. Cue explains that "we feel we have to fight for the truth", and adds CEO Tim Cook is fully behind contesting the ruling. "It's just not right", Cook apparently states. Somewhat remarkably, Cue says "he'd do it all again", but adds simply: "I'd just take better notes". He honestly believes, it appears, that Apple did nothing wrong. The scandal boils down to a simple change in the way Apple and book publishers operate. Cue led negotiations with five publishers — Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachette — to switch from what's known as a "wholesale model" to "agency pricing". Wholesale is how Amazon works. It means the company has the power and charges what it wants. Usually, it means books are "cheap". But Apple's new agency format prevented content owners from being able to sell the same titles at lower prices elsewhere — that is, outside iBooks. It meant Steve Jobs' Apple, under the management of Cue, created an iBooks store for the iPad market that set its prices 50% higher than the $9.99 level Amazon was charging — with those well-known publishers fully involved in the deal. It was all discussed by Cue at secret New York dinners with those publishers. As Business Insider explained at the time, it's a huge decision for a highly lucrative market. E-book downloads were worth $3 billion in 2012. In the interview, Cue notes that publishers were open about raising book prices because they felt the wholesale model meant texts were sold too cheaply; he argues some book prices actually went up as a result of iBooks because it meant there was more competition with Amazon and its ebook dominance. "Is it a fact that certain book prices went up? Yes. If you want to convict us on that, then we're guilty. I knew some prices were going to go up, but hell, the whole world knew it," Cue adds. "At the same time, other prices went down too, because now there was competition in the market.” According to a law professor at the University of Iowa, Herbert Hovenkamp, "Apple has an uphill battle". "There was lots of evidence in the record," he tells Fortune. But apparently it's not entirely clear cut — and Apple does have a chance overturning the verdict. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Here's What London Looks Like In The New 'Assassin's Creed' | ||
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The next title in Ubisoft's blockbuster "Assassin's Creed" series is coming out next year and it's going to be set in Victorian London, gaming news site Kotaku first reported. Kotaku managed to get a 7-minute preview of what the next game will look like. In the new game set in 19th century London, the player is an assassin tasked with killing members of the secretive Knight's Templar organisation. Here's what London will look like in the new game:
Kotaku says that the preview video showed the main character fighting enemies on the roof of one of London's stagecoaches. You can even see gas lanterns lining the street in the background:
After that fight, the assassin follows his target into Charing Cross station, one of Victorian London's busiest areas. He dons a top hat to fit in with the crowd:
The new game will also let you swing through Charing Cross station on a grappling hook before stabbing unsuspecting pedestrians, as seen here:
It's also reported that the in-game version of Victorian London features dirty back alleys, gambling in pubs, moving steam trains, and the River Thames. After Kotaku posted the leaked images, Ubisoft took the unusual step of confirming the leaked game, issuing this statement to media outlets: It is always unfortunate when internal assets, not intended for public consumption, are leaked. And, while we certainly welcome anticipation for all of our upcoming titles, we're disappointed for our fans, and our development team, that this conceptual asset is now public. The team in our Quebec studio has been hard at work on the particular game in question for the past few years, and we're excited to officially unveil what the studio has been working on at a later date. In the meantime, our number one priority is enhancing the experience of Assassin's Creed Unity for players. The "Assassin's Creed" series is known for presenting amazingly real looking settings of different cities. Previous games have taken place in 15th-century Florence, Venice, America during the Revolution, and Paris. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Russian State-Owned Media Just Contradicted Kremlin Claim That It Doesn't Use Combat Dolphins | ||
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Russia's state-owned news service Sputnik News is claiming that "Russian Black Sea Fleet’s Special Forces have held their first training exercises with combat dolphins", apparently contradicting an official statement that the dolphin unit doesn't exist. Interfax, the independent Russian news service, has reported a Russian navy official as saying that military training of dolphins had been "abolished after the collapse of the Soviet Union". During the Soviet era marine animals were used by the Black Sea Fleet for combat purposes, but the practice had supposedly been abandoned following the collapse of the USSR in the early 1990s with the animals sold to private businesses. However, Sputnik are claiming that the programme has now been restarted following the annexation of Crimea by Russia in March. It quotes a source as saying: "Training exercises were held with combat dolphins in the Sevastopol Oceanarium in the search of military equipment at a depth of over 60 meters. An object that looked like a mine was spotted by a dolphin and tagged with a buoy." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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How To Use Excel Pivot Tables To Analyze Massive Data Sets | ||
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Excel pivot tables are incredible tools that allow you to analyze large data sets many different ways in seconds. Produced by Sara Silverstein Follow BI Video: On Facebook Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
'Gangnam Style' Has Been Viewed So Many Times It Has Actually Broken YouTube | ||
| | ||
Gangnam Style has, really and truly, broken YouTube. Seriously. PSY's music video has now had so many views on YouTube that the video sharing platform has had to "upgrade" so people can still watch it. On its Google+ page, YouTube says it didn't ever think something like this would ever happen, "until we met PSY". The South Korean pop sensation has now amassed well over 2 billion views on his original Gangnam Style music video, alongside nearly 9 million 'likes' and just over 1 million 'dislikes'. That turns out to be more numbers than YouTube is coded to display, based on a 32-integer system YouTube explains the situation here:
And here's everything going crazy:
Gangnam Style was released in 2012 it was an instant hit. Singer PSY now has 7.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. The channel has been visited more than 4 billion times since 2010. As if you need reminding of it...Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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The 4 Least Corrupt Countries In The World | ||
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Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, and Sweden are the four least corrupt countries in the world, according to Transparency International's 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). The U.S. is listed as the 17th least corrupt place, tied with Barbados, Hong Kong, and Ireland. Somalia, North Korea, Sudan, and Afghanistan are the most corrupt. The CPI ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their administrative and political institutions are perceived to be on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) and a 100 (very clean). Denmark scored 92, New Zealand 91, Finland 89, and Sweden 87. Top performers are found to "have high levels of press freedom, open budget processes and strong accountability mechanisms," according to the report. Over the last 20 years, New Zealand has developed into a free market economy in which welfare is provided mostly on the basis of need. The other three countries follow the general Nordic welfare model, which supports a "universalist" welfare state aimed at enhancing individual autonomy and promoting social mobility by maximizing labor force participation, promoting gender equality, providing extensive benefits, and redistributing wealth. Denmark goes as far as involving the private sector in welfare services and providing choice for users. Here's a look at the world overview:
SEE ALSO: The 17 Most Corrupt Countries In The World Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Cosby sued over alleged 1970s sex assault on girl of 15 | ||
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Los Angeles (AFP) - US television legend Bill Cosby, already facing a barrage of sex abuse and rape allegations, is now being sued by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her at the Playboy mansion when she was underage. Judy Huth, now 55, sued the comedian on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming sexual battery and infliction of emotional distress. She says that at age 15 she and a friend, then 16, met Cosby on a film set and that he invited them to meet at a tennis club the following week. When they did, the suit alleges, Cosby served the girls alcoholic beverages and they all played billiards. "Under the terms of Cosby's game, plaintiff was required to consume a beer every time Cosby won a game," the suit claims. After the two girls had "multiple alcoholic beverages," Cosby allegedly told them he had a surprise for them "and led them to another house which turned out to be the Playboy Mansion." In a room at Hugh Hefner's infamous residence, Cosby allegedly "proceeded to sexually molest her by attempting to put his hand down her pants, and then taking her hand in his hand and performing a sex act on himself without her consent," the suit charges.
-- 'Psychological damage' -- Huth alleges that she has sustained "psychological damage and mental anguish" throughout her life, but only recently discovered the problems were "caused by the sexual abuse perpetrated by Cosby." Around 20 women have now accused the 77-year-old Emmy and Golden Globe winner of sexual assault and even rape in alleged incidents dating mostly from decades ago during Cosby's heyday. Cosby is world famous for his role in "The Cosby Show" that aired in the 1980s and 1990s. The actor, known for playing a doting father on the popular "The Cosby Show" has come under fire in recent weeks over claims made by many women. "The new, never-before-heard claims from women who have come forward in the past two weeks with unsubstantiated, fantastical stories about things they say occurred 30, 40 or even 50 years ago have escalated far past the point of absurdity," his lawyer Martin Singer said in a statement last week. Cosby resigned his position on the board of trustees of Temple University in Philadelphia, which he once attended but did not graduate from, in the wake of the sexual assault allegations. Among the women who have now accused the actor of drugging and raping them is Andrea Constand, a former director of operations for the Temple women's basketball team. The case has riveted Americans with its suggestion that one of its most beloved and popular entertainers was in effect living a double life as a sexual predator. But with most of the alleged attacks now more than 10 years in the past, Cosby, who has dismissed the allegations as "innuendo" but largely remained quiet, is unlikely to face criminal charges due to statutes of limitations. The legendary star of "I Spy" was the subject of a civil suit brought in 2005 by 15 women, 13 of whom remained anonymous. A settlement was reached in 2006 with one of the plaintiffs. Amid the new storm of allegations, contracts Cosby had to appear in new shows or special performances have been cancelled. "He's trying to go on with the show, but the damage may be irrevocable," said celebrity news magazine People, in a cover story last week about a man long known as the nation's favorite dad.
Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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The 17 Most Corrupt Countries In The World | ||
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Transparency International has published its 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which ranked 175 countries and territories based on how corrupt their administrative and political institutions are perceived to be on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) and a 100 (very clean). Compiled from a combination of surveys and assessments of "the abuse of entrusted power for private gain," the CPI is the most widely used indicator of corruption worldwide. Here are the 17 most corrupt countries, according to the index:
The lowest ranked countries are perceived as "plagued by poor governance, and untrustworthy and badly functioning public institutions like police or media." The four least corrupt countries are Denmark (92), New Zealand (91), Finland (89), and Sweden (87) while the U.S. came in 17th — along with Barbados, Hong Kong, and Ireland — with a rating of 74. Top performers are found to have "high levels of press freedom, open budget processes and strong accountability mechanisms."
More than two thirds of the 175 countries in the 2014 index score below 50.
The average country score this year is 43/100. Seychelles, Malta, Latvia, and South Korea are listed at 43. Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian-backed separatist rebellion, came in 142 with a score of 26. Russia's score is 27. Reuters notes that Turkey and China's rating have fallen steeply since last year. Turkey dropped five points to 45 after a corruption scandal rocked the ruling party AKP last December. China's rating fell by four points to 36, even amid an anti-corruption drive that has purged dozens of officials.
And here's an interactive version of the map: SEE ALSO: The 4 Least Corrupt Countries In The World Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Apple's Eddy Cue Talks About Price-Fixing On E-Books: He'd 'Do It Again' | ||
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Apple's Eddy Cue has spoken out for the first time about the iBooks price-fixing scandal. This month, the company will appear at a federal appeals court in the US to fight a lower court ruling that Apple conspired to fix prices in the e-book market in order to compete against Amazon. The iBooks chief tells Fortune that Apple continues to battle the government's decision on "principle" — the plan is to overturn the ruling that found the company, alongside its book publisher partners, liable for a price-fixing conspiracy. Basically, before iBooks came along on the iPad, Amazon dominated the e-book business almost completely, and was selling books very cheaply. Those cheap online books were endangering the more profitable paper book market — something publishers were keen to avoid. So the publishers struck a deal with Apple: they would offer the e-books on the iPad and agree to an arrangement that charged consumers a higher price. Consumers would get a competing choice for e-books, and publishers would have leverage to negotiate better prices with both Apple and Amazon. But a federal court judge ruled that Apple's pricing agreements with the publishers amounted to an illegal price-fixing agreement — and that is what Cue and Apple are hoping to overturn. There's a lot at stake: Apple settled the case at the trial for $840 million. For the appeal, Apple agreed to a "conditional settlement", which means it'll get back $450 million in damages and attorney fees if it wins; a loss, while without any further monetary affliction, would maintain the smear on its reputation. Cue explains that "we feel we have to fight for the truth", and adds CEO Tim Cook is fully behind contesting the ruling. "It's just not right", Cook apparently states. Somewhat remarkably, Cue says "he'd do it all again", but adds simply: "I'd just take better notes". He honestly believes, it appears, that Apple did nothing wrong. The scandal boils down to a simple change in the way Apple and book publishers operate. Cue led negotiations with five publishers — Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachette — to switch from what's known as a "wholesale model" to "agency pricing". Wholesale is how Amazon works. It means the company has the power and charges what it wants. Usually, it means books are "cheap". But Apple's new agency format prevented content owners from being able to sell the same titles at lower prices elsewhere — that is, outside iBooks. It meant Steve Jobs' Apple, under the management of Cue, created an iBooks store for the iPad market that set its prices 50% higher than the $9.99 level Amazon was charging — with those well-known publishers fully involved in the deal. It was all discussed by Cue at secret New York dinners with those publishers. As Business Insider explained at the time, it's a huge decision for a highly lucrative market. E-book downloads were worth $3 billion in 2012. In the interview, Cue notes that publishers were open about raising book prices because they felt the wholesale model meant texts were sold too cheaply; he argues some book prices actually went up as a result of iBooks because it meant there was more competition with Amazon and its ebook dominance. "Is it a fact that certain book prices went up? Yes. If you want to convict us on that, then we're guilty. I knew some prices were going to go up, but hell, the whole world knew it," Cue adds. "At the same time, other prices went down too, because now there was competition in the market.” According to a law professor at the University of Iowa, Herbert Hovenkamp, "Apple has an uphill battle". "There was lots of evidence in the record," he tells Fortune. But apparently it's not entirely clear cut — and Apple does have a chance overturning the verdict. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Here's What London Looks Like In The New 'Assassin's Creed' | ||
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The next title in Ubisoft's blockbuster "Assassin's Creed" series is coming out next year and it's going to be set in Victorian London, gaming news site Kotaku first reported. Kotaku managed to get a 7-minute preview of what the next game will look like. In the new game set in 19th century London, the player is an assassin tasked with killing members of the secretive Knight's Templar organisation. Here's what London will look like in the new game:
Kotaku says that the preview video showed the main character fighting enemies on the roof of one of London's stagecoaches. You can even see gas lanterns lining the street in the background:
After that fight, the assassin follows his target into Charing Cross station, one of Victorian London's busiest areas. He dons a top hat to fit in with the crowd:
The new game will also let you swing through Charing Cross station on a grappling hook before stabbing unsuspecting pedestrians, as seen here:
It's also reported that the in-game version of Victorian London features dirty back alleys, gambling in pubs, moving steam trains, and the River Thames. After Kotaku posted the leaked images, Ubisoft took the unusual step of confirming the leaked game, issuing this statement to media outlets: It is always unfortunate when internal assets, not intended for public consumption, are leaked. And, while we certainly welcome anticipation for all of our upcoming titles, we're disappointed for our fans, and our development team, that this conceptual asset is now public. The team in our Quebec studio has been hard at work on the particular game in question for the past few years, and we're excited to officially unveil what the studio has been working on at a later date. In the meantime, our number one priority is enhancing the experience of Assassin's Creed Unity for players. The "Assassin's Creed" series is known for presenting amazingly real looking settings of different cities. Previous games have taken place in 15th-century Florence, Venice, America during the Revolution, and Paris. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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