Surprise science headline of the century?

Obese people more likely to pass out in heat.

ATLANTA (AP) — Obese people face a higher risk of passing out — or worse — during heat waves, some health experts say.

Layers of fat make it extra difficult for a body to dissipate heat, or to move to a cool location. Add in diabetic dehydration and other conditions common in the obese, and it’s a recipe for trouble.

“ER physicians will tell you that they (obese people) are the ones collapsing,” said Thomas Adams, a Michigan State University physiologist.

Continue reading “Surprise science headline of the century?”

No fluids on planes? Idiocy in action

A terrorist plot is foiled, then we elevate the restrictions on normal people travelling by plane.  So we are rewarding the terrorists for attempting to bring planes down by continually restricting travellers’ freedoms and imposing limited restrictions on what people can bring on flights.  Let’s not continue doing this half-assed, folks – stop all carry-ons, implement 100% checked baggage checks, and just get to the end.  Every time the “authorities” restrict certain items being carried on planes, the bad guys just come up with a different way to attack.  Let’s just put up the biggest barrier we can, and see what they come up with next, OK?

That out of the way, I love The Consumerist’s photo essay of what it is like now in the airports.  In particular, this last photo is priceless, given the caption used on the site:

dumptruck.jpg

Now that we have all the incendiary devices collected, let’s dump them together and smash them.

I notice that the brilliant folks that came up with the idea of smashing the suspected explosives are nowhere to be seen.  “Let’s let the minimum wagers handle it!” seems to be the way to handle it.  Way to come up with a “great idea,” not think through the consequences of said brilliance, and then let people who earn less than you bear the risks.

[tags]Terrorist attacks, Flight inconveniences, Idiots are in charge of how we are allowed to travel[/tags]

Approaching the uncanny valley

(via TechEBlog)

Scientists in Japan have recently announced the development of a “lifelike” female android called “Repliee Q1Expo.” Of course, they should have named her Rachael, I think, but what do I know? (And speaking of Sean Young, go check out her pictures on IMDB – I can barely believe she’s nearly 50).

More information from the BBC:

She has flexible silicone for skin rather than hard plastic, and a number of sensors and motors to allow her to turn and react in a human-like manner.

She can flutter her eyelids and move her hands like a human. She even appears to breathe.

So why the uncanny valley reference? Well…

Continue reading “Approaching the uncanny valley”

Instant domain search

(via BloggingPro)
If you are looking to register a new domain, here’s a tool to help you find the perfect name.  Using AJAX, Instant Domain Search shows the .com, .org, and .net address availability of the domain you are typing, as you type it.  Here’s just a snip of the screen you’ll see when trying it out.

instantdomainsearch.jpg

[tags]Instant Domain Search, Cool domain search tool, AJAX domain tool[/tags]

How to build a sandcastle

(via LifeHacker)
Another item to throw on the list of things I need to do with my kids – Build a sandcastle.  Of course, I think this might have been handier when we were living in Myrtle Beach, but since I couldn’t find a good job there, that didn’t last long.

Why spend money on clay when you can use beach sand for free? Indulge your artistic side and create medieval fantasies by building your very own sand castle.

  1. Draw a rough sketch of the castle you’d like to build.
  2. Choose a square site near the water, but not so close that waves will destroy your castle as the tide comes up. Make sure the square is large enough for your castle plans.
  3. Dig a hole down to the water table, where the sand is dark and moist, or bring up large buckets of water from the ocean or lake.

And the list goes on.  After the ehow guide is a section with tips from ehow readers.

[tags]How to build a sandcastle[/tags]