31 Mar 2005
Study Faults Army Vehicle

This reminds me of a quote from former Sen. Evertt Dirksen (R-Ill.):

A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talking about some real money!

Washington Post - The Army has deployed a new troop transport vehicle in Iraq with many defects, putting troops there at unexpected risk from rocket-propelled grenades and raising questions about the vehicle's development and $11 billion cost, according to a detailed critique in a classified Army study obtained by The Washington Post.

(link) [Yahoo! News: Top Stories]

00:00 /Politics | 2 comments | permanent link

Why tolerance is fading for zero tolerance in schools

This is a positive move, if a bit late in coming. The horror stories about this failed policy should have given pause to legislatures a long time ago ...

Even in tough-minded Texas, parents and teachers are worried about the dangers of overreacting to minor disciplinary infractions.

(link) [Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Thief Steals Poop From Woman Walking Dog

No shit ...

AP - The hunt is on for a turd burglar. Police in San Diego are searching for a gunman who swiped a bag of poop from a woman out walking her dog.

(link) [Yahoo! News: Top Stories]

00:00 /Humor | 0 comments | permanent link

30 Mar 2005
When Science Switches Shores

Here's a wager, if you're interested: I'll bet that biotech offshores even faster than IT. Between politicians stumbling all over themselves to ban stem cell research, and forcing a race for the cheapest health care possible, I wouldn't give this vital American industry more than 10 more years with operations primarily in the United States or Europe.

Since the New York City life science technology-consulting firm Intrasphere Technologies opened an office in India, Samuel Goldman, cofounder and chief technology officer, says he works fairly bizarre hours, scheduling 6:00 A.M. meetings on a "regular basis." From the looks of it, more and more scientists should brace themselves for strange commutes, middle-of-the-night E-mails, and videoconferences with coworkers. That's right: It appears that offshoring has arrived.

(link) [The Scientist]

via My AppleMenu Reader

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Bacteria-based production method patented

Note to the attorneys that filed this idiotic patent: it's called "fermentation", guys, and I suspect that there may be some prior art, some of it in cuniform on clay tablets that are about 4500 years old ...

Look on a package of gum and you'll probably notice the word mannitol. Scientifically described as a sugar alcohol, mannitol is a minty-tasting ingredient found in many foods and boasts fewer calories than table sugar. Though made by some plants and algae, mannitol is commercially produced by chemical means. In February, however, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) obtained a patent on a method that weds nature with modern technology. ARS chemist Badal Saha calls his method "biobased" because it involves feeding high-fructose corn syrup to the bacterial species Lactobacillus intermedius in a deep-tank fermentor. There, over several hours' time, the bacteria convert 72 percent of the syrup into mannitol.

(link) [Science Blog]

00:00 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link

29 Mar 2005
Silent tech majority invites Mickey Mouse to poison P2P

My respect for Intel just went up about 500%. It's refreshing to see a company make a stand on principle, and altogether too rare.

Has the tech industry that once salivated over P2P software's ability to chew through processors, hard drives and bandwidth run to the rescue? Not exactly.

(link) [The Register]

00:00 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link

NY Jury Awards $17.1 Million in Sick Smoker Case

Shit like this just annoys me to no end. Assuming that cigarettes were the cause of her cancer, Philip Morris Inc. is not responsible for it: she is. It's her utter and complete failure to accept responsibility for her own actions that annoys me so - there have been warning labels on every pack of smokes she's bought for the last forty freaking years! There have been blaring studies, massive legal campaigns and nearly unending bleating by all and sundry on the dangers of smoking. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, have quit smoking - but not her, oh no, she couldn't do it. She got sick, and it must be the cigarette companies fault. It couldn't possibly be hers ...

It's a trend in our society: don't sue the thug that shot you, sue the gun manufacturer. Don't hold the drunk who ran you over responsible for your injuries: it's gotta be the automakers or the brewers fault! And never, never, never accept the fact that life comes with responsibilities: life is a free ride, don't ya know?

When my three daughters were younger I used to tease them by telling folks I really had four girls: Rhiannon, Courtney, Hilary and She. Because whenever the cookie jar was raided or a vase broken, and Dad wanted to know who was responsible, there was a universal cry of "She did it!" She was continually getting in trouble like that!

You kind of expect that sort of behavior out of kids, but only because you know they'll grow out of it. Or you hope they do. If they don't, lawsuits like this one are the result, and the joke wears thin indeed when the social costs are finally tallied.

Reuters - A New York jury on Monday ordered Philip Morris to pay $17.1 million in punitive damages to a woman who accused the company of failing to warn her about the dangers of smoking, the woman's attorney said on Monday.

(link) [Yahoo! News: Top Stories]

00:00 /Politics | 2 comments | permanent link

The Socio-Political Motivations Behind the Schiavo Case

Some very thoughtful commentary along the lines of my earlier question: how far do we go?

... [it's] the nature of Terri's degeneration is what's really captivated people. Terri was once a fully-functioning human being, unmysterious and common. Her body and persona were linked. There was an entity known as Terri present when her body was present.

(link) [morons.org]

00:00 /Home | 0 comments | permanent link

28 Mar 2005
Fight Osteoporosis: Bone Up on B12

Note the primary sources for B12 ...

Women are about four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, or weak, porous bones. But a new study links vitamin B12 deficiency with low bone mineral density in men, and confirms similar, previously reported findings in women. Researchers funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) reported the findings in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

(link) [Science Blog]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Christian Right Control of Republican Party

This post from Dispatches from the Culture Wars completely sums up the problem with politics in America:

Just how zealous is the religious right to make sure they have total control over the Republican party? Well this should answer that question. Remember their fevered efforts to have Arlen Specter drummed out of the party leadership after the election? The Christian Coalition's 2004 scorecard for the Senate gave Specter an 83% score. If someone agreeing with you 83% of the time isn't good enough for you in politics, you're the very definition of fanatical.

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

27 Mar 2005
Artist smuggles his work into top museums

You gotta admire this guy's sheer chutzpah:

"My sister inspired me to do it. She was throwing away loads of my pictures one day and I asked her why. She said 'It's not like they're going to be hanging in the Louvre.'"

He took that as a challenge. "I thought why wait until I'm dead," he said.

And if he hasn't made it to the Louvre (yet) he has now had his work displayed in the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. Makes me wonder if this was really the first time a stunt like this has ever been pulled.

Many a visitor to New York's Museum of Modern Art has probably thought, "I could do that."

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Humor | 0 comments | permanent link

The Perils Of Being a Chocolate Bunny

Chocolate Bunnies

00:00 /Humor | 0 comments | permanent link

Fun With Transparent Screen Backgrounds

Check some of the linked images out. They're the only reason I can think of to buy an iSight or other computer video camera. I don't do video conferencing or webcams, but doing something like this could be a greatly amusing trick on a laptop when traveling...

Looks like the amusement factor of 'transparent' screen background is getting bigger and bigger. The French Mac fan site Mac Bidouille opened up a dedicated part of their web site where fans can post shots of their transparent backgrounds. Other great transparent background shots can be found at Flickr.

(link) [Slashdot]

00:00 /Technology | 0 comments | permanent link

Science vs. Culture in Mexico's Corn Staple

It's loose n the wild - and the patent battles to come could well devastate the agricultural sector of the Mexican economy, as well as change the face of Mexican culture.

I suppose that's a small price to pay so Monsanto and ConAgra can grow rich by claiming ownership of genetic material. And this proves once again that the devastation caused by so-called "free trade" agreements between unequal partners is indeed a two way street.

The discovery of genetically modified corn has ignited a furor over what many see as an assault on the crop that is at the core of Mexico's identity.

(link) [NYT > Home Page]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Business Sees Gain In GOP Takeover

The best government money can buy ...

washingtonpost.com - Fortune 500 companies that invested millions of dollars in electing Republicans are emerging as the earliest beneficiaries of a government controlled by President Bush and the largest GOP House and Senate majority in a half century.

(link) [Yahoo! News: Top Stories]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link