In the News

Discussion of science, technology, politics, and other topics that aren't strictly philosophical.
Locked
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Paralysis Outbreak In Workers Handling Pigs' Brains

Post by Tomas »

.

Paralysis Outbreak In Workers Handling Pigs' Brains

The outbreak came to the attention of the Minnesota Department of Health

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/96117.php

.
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

How do ants know what to do? (video)

Post by Tomas »

.

How do ants know what to do? (video)

http://www.irintech.com/x1/blogarchive.php?id=2859

.
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

How to fake fingerprints? (see Figures)

Post by Tomas »

.

How to fake fingerprints?

Simple instructions on how to copy and fake fingerprints (see Figures)

http://www.ccc.de/biometrie/fingerabdru ... anguage=en

.
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Forbes Entrepreneur of the Year

Post by Tomas »

.

Minot State graduate named Forbes Entrepreneur of the Year

http://www.minotstateu.edu/news/000083.html
Elizabeth Isabelle
Posts: 3771
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:35 am

Re: In the News

Post by Elizabeth Isabelle »

Yet another doctor gets away with sexual harassment. Apparently, even if there are lawsuits and multiple complaints filed with the police they can't even investigate until/unless the victim finds the proper channel specific for filing sexual harassment complaints against doctors. And somehow they are supposed to figure this out on their own and use that channel even if he was a doctor who was not their doctor, but their employer.
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Re: In the News

Post by Tomas »


Yah, read about that, maybe they'd like to meet a gator or two, then take a swim in a swamp amidst sawgrass and a dip in a sinkhole.

The people's taxes hard at work ... oh well, they'll collect early retirement thru grievance process - their union reps :-/


Tomas

7

.
Elizabeth Isabelle
Posts: 3771
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:35 am

Re: In the News

Post by Elizabeth Isabelle »

Tomas wrote:Yah, read about that, maybe they'd like to meet a gator or two, then take a swim in a swamp amidst sawgrass and a dip in a sinkhole.
You make it sound like they'd have to go out of their way to do that. They could just go to the local park.
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Get ready for the eclipse that saved Columbus

Post by Tomas »

.

Get ready for the eclipse that saved Columbus (see images)

The moon will turn an eerie shade of red for people in the western hemisphere late Wednesday and early Thursday, recreating the eclipse that saved Christopher Columbus more than five centuries ago.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

.
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Last Titanic survivor sells mementos to raise cash

Post by Tomas »

.


Last Titanic survivor sells mementos to raise cash

-snips-

Millvina Dean was just two months old when she was wrapped in a sack and lowered into a lifeboat from the deck of the sinking RMS Titanic.

Now, more than 95 years later, Dean, the last living survivor of the disaster, is hoping to help pay her nursing home fees by selling artifacts of her rescue _ a suitcase and other mementos expected to auction for about $5,200.

-Click URL for complete article-

http://www.onenewsnow.com/AP/Search/Wor ... ?id=289236


.
Don't run to your death
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Ten people who predicted the financial meltdown

Post by Tomas »

.

Ten people who predicted the financial meltdown

-snip-
The financial events of recent weeks have filled many of us with shock and panic. Surely no one could have predicted that we would be in this mess? Well, actually, they did. Here are ten people who saw the financial meltdown coming...

http://timesbusiness.typepad.com/money_ ... who-p.html


.
Don't run to your death
User avatar
Jason
Posts: 1312
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:02 am

Re: In the News

Post by Jason »

Australian Internet Censorship: No opt-out of filtered Internet

"Australians will be unable to opt-out of the government's pending Internet content filtering scheme, and will instead be placed on a watered-down blacklist, experts say."

"Pundits say consumers have been lulled into believing the opt-out proviso would remove content filtering altogether."

"A spokesman for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the filters will be mandatory for all Australians."

"Online libertarians claim the blacklists could be expanded to censor material such as euthanasia, drugs and protest."

"According to preliminary trials, the best Internet content filters would incorrectly block about 10,000 Web pages from one million."
Elizabeth Isabelle
Posts: 3771
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:35 am

Re: In the News

Post by Elizabeth Isabelle »

Yikes. Australia really is being bought by China, isn't it? America may well be next.
User avatar
guest_of_logic
Posts: 1063
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: In the News

Post by guest_of_logic »

Unbelievable. How can this be happening?

Thanks for alerting us to this, Jason. I had absolutely no idea that it was in the works.

Is the year 1984? Is Australia's new name China?

The question is, how can we stop it? Do you know of any organised attempts to do so that we could join?
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Re: In the News

Post by Tomas »

Elizabeth Isabelle wrote:Yikes. Australia really is being bought by China, isn't it? America may well be next.
I'm very happy for them .. makes my day!

PS - The kids today won't know the difference (about the good ol' days) in five years. Been there, done that.


.
Don't run to your death
User avatar
Jason
Posts: 1312
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:02 am

Re: In the News

Post by Jason »

guest_of_logic wrote:The question is, how can we stop it? Do you know of any organised attempts to do so that we could join?
Stop the Great Firewall of Australia

Facebook: No Australian Internet Censorship

Whirlpool Discussion forum
User avatar
DHodges
Posts: 1531
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2002 8:20 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Contact:

Re: In the News

Post by DHodges »

I'm curious as to exactly what Australia considers "illegal content," besides child porn.

I'm not a computer guy, but I'm pretty sure that there will be ways around any filter.
User avatar
Jason
Posts: 1312
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:02 am

Re: In the News

Post by Jason »

Online Content Regulation "The prohibited classification categories for Australian-hosted content are Refused Classification (RC), X, and material rated R that is not protected by adult verification procedures. For overseas-hosted content the prohibited categories are RC and X."



According to the Wikipedia entry Internet Censorship in Australia "Online content prohibited by ACMA includes:

* Any online content that is classified RC or X 18+ by the Classification Board. This includes real depictions of actual sexual activity, child pornography, depictions of bestiality, material containing excessive violence or sexual violence, detailed instruction in crime, violence or drug use, and/or material that advocates the doing of a terrorist act.

* Content which is classified R 18+* and not subject to a restricted access system that prevents access by children. This includes depictions of simulated sexual activity, material containing strong, realistic violence and other material dealing with intense adult themes."
User avatar
Jason
Posts: 1312
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:02 am

Re: In the News

Post by Jason »

Up until now the government could only ever censor Australian-hosted content that fell into the prohibited categories. They couldn't do anything about international content. And they could only remove the material at its source - by directly shutting down or removing content from servers that were physically located in Australian territory. That's why, for example, there is no Australian-hosted porn. If, however, this ISP-level filtering is activated, they will then be able to censor content essentially at the push of a button(as I understand it) without even needing direct access to Australian-hosted content, and also censor content originating from anywhere else in the world.
Last edited by Jason on Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
DHodges
Posts: 1531
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2002 8:20 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Contact:

Re: In the News

Post by DHodges »

Well, there you have it. You Australians better download all your beastie porn and bomb making instructions now.

I can see how you could block web sites, but I don't see how you could possibly block, say, emailing encrypted files. Public web sites are just the most open and obvious source. Offline, Loompanics is out of business, but I'm pretty sure Paladin Press will mail to Australia.

Does Australia censor, or intend to censor, other sorts of media? edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship ... _situation
Yeah, I guess they do.
Last edited by DHodges on Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Jason
Posts: 1312
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:02 am

Re: In the News

Post by Jason »

It wouldn't surprise me if they added a nice little self-referential snag whereby bypassing the filter(or even attempting to) is a crime in and of itself. That would also make disseminating information on how to bypass it a crime too.
User avatar
Jason
Posts: 1312
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:02 am

Re: In the News

Post by Jason »

DHodges wrote:Well, there you have it. You Australians better download all your beastie porn and bomb making instructions now.
It's any porn believe it or not.
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

House Democrats contemplate abolishing 401(k) tax breaks

Post by Tomas »

.


House Democrats contemplate abolishing 401(k) tax breaks

-snip-

A plan by Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economic policy analysis at The New School for Social Research in New York, contains elements that are being considered. She testified last week befre Mr. Miller's Education and Labor Committee on her proposal.

"I want to stop the federal subsidy of 401(k)s," Ms. Ghilarducci said in an interview. "401(k)s can continue to exist, but they won't have the benefit of the subsidy of the tax break."

"This is a battle between liberalism and conservatism," said Christopher Van Slyke, partner in the La Jolla, Calif., advisory firm Trovena LLC, which manages $400 million. "People are afraid because their accounts are seeing some volatility, so Democrats will seize on the opportunity to attack a program where investors control their own destiny," he said.

-Click URL for complete article-

http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs ... /310139971


.
Don't run to your death
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Meet the World's New Reserve Currency: The Chinese Yuan

Post by Tomas »

.


Meet the World's New Reserve Currency: The Chinese Yuan


-snip-

The November summit in Washington could produce some unwelcome surprises which were hinted at by Thailand's Prime Minister, Olarn Chaipravat:

"The message of this initiative is for China to consider whether or not China would open up its banking system and allow the strongest currency in the world, which is the Chinese yuan, to be the rightful and annointed convertible currency of the world."

-Click URL for complete article-

http://www.informationclearinghouse.inf ... e21090.htm




.
Don't run to your death
User avatar
Tomas
Posts: 4328
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:15 am
Location: North Dakota

Nuclear-powered passenger aircraft 'to transport millions'

Post by Tomas »

.

Nuclear-powered passenger aircraft 'to transport millions'

-snip-
Professor Poll said the big challenge would be to demonstrate that passengers and crew could be safely shielded from the reactors. (see photo)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/e ... 024190.ece


.
Last edited by Tomas on Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
Don't run to your death
Locked