Category: Interesting Reads

Crocodile hunter killed by stingray

Steve Irwin was stung through the heart by a stingray today while filming a documentary off the great barrier reef.

Irwin, 44, had been filming a documentary off Port Douglas in northern Queensland when he was killed by a stingray barb through the heart. He was rushed to hospital by helicopter, but he died before they arrived.

Another write-up on the incident that I read this morning says the poison from the sting was not fatal, but that the barb can leave a wound up to 20 cm deep.  Since the barb went into his heart, the result is just like getting stabbed through the heart by a large knife.  My wife, children, and I used to watch his show quite often.  As crazy as he was, he always seemed fairly aware of what he was doing.  Apparently this time he wasn’t careful enough, as stingrays almost never sting except in self-defence or out of fear.

[tags]Steve Irwin obituary, Crocodile hunter[/tags]

It’s like rain on your wedding day

(via boingboing)

UK government officials post a public service video on YouTube.  Another office of the government has the video removed for copyright violation – YouTube is hosting a government created video without government approval, goes the claim.  Odd enough, since the government uploaded it, and presumably would be in a position to grant approval to host the video.  But the real free-ride-when-you’ve-already-paid moment comes when you find out that the video was on how the government could be more coordinated.

The UK cabinet Office has been forced to pull one of the public service videos it published on YouTube due to copyright violation.

A video called Transformational Government can no longer be viewed on the site, instead users get a box of red text stating: “This video has been removed at the request of copyright owner COI Television because its content was used without permission.”

COI Television is actually part of the Cabinet Office and the further irony of the video being about transformational government was not lost on one critic.

[tags]YouTube forced to pull government posted video by government for not having approval[/tags]

Lasers for saving the Navy some money

If there is a task which would be better suited for sharks with frikkin’ laser beams on their heads than this, I don’t know what it is. Using a grant from the National Science Foundation, Professor Daniel Bubb and his team have come up with a new method for coating polymers. With this new approach, the Navy should be able to reduce barnacle attachments, which will result in less drag on ships at sea, which will reduce fuel costs. It’s pretty much a win/win all around. Except, maybe for the barnacles. And keelhauling will be less effective, I suppose.

As gas prices continue to soar, the Navy will be eager to learn of research underway at Rutgers University–Camden. “Barnacles that attach to naval ships are a huge cost to the Navy. Imagine if you drove a car with a parachute attached; this extra drag force requires more gas,” says Daniel Bubb, an assistant professor of physics at Rutgers-Camden, who has developed a new method for coating polymers.

Just put those sharks beneath the water line and let them start coating all the ships we already have. And they can even use the lasers to zap the barnacles already attached to the ships.

[tags]Lasers, Frikkin’ sharks with frikkin’ lasers, New polymer coating process using lasers (sharks optional)[/tags]

Pre-war intelligence – what we knew and what we didn’t

I’ve been reading more official and unofficial accounts of what was known before the US went to war in Iraq. I’m trying to get a better understanding of what intelligence we had which we were sure was correct, what we had that was unverified (or unverifiable), what questions were or were not asked about our sources, and more. So far, I’m finding anecdotal evidence that warnings were made about how questionable some of the pre-war intelligence used to justify the war was. But I’m also finding official reports that indicate some intelligence wasn’t properly corrborated and investigated, but nothing to indicate there were doubts raised about the sources.

Continue reading “Pre-war intelligence – what we knew and what we didn’t”

Making sure children are scientifically illiterate

(via Tingilinde)

This just in – some scientists really dislike the way creationists handle the evolution issue.  I mean, what with the attempts to get evolution removed from science books and the push to get His noodly appendagecreationism-is-science put in science books under the guise of intelligent design, some scientists get rather bothered by the whole fight and the wrongheadedness they feel the creationists show.  Take for example, this writing by Lawrence M. Krauss about the recent school board elections and evolution vs. creationism/intelligent design debate.

Voters in Kansas ensured this month that noncreationist moderates will once again have a majority (6 to 4) on the state school board, keeping new standards inspired by intelligent design from taking effect.

This is a victory for public education and sends a message nationwide about the public’s ability to see through efforts by groups like the Discovery Institute to misrepresent science in the schools. But for those of us who are interested in improving science education, any celebration should be muted.

. . .

But perhaps more worrisome than a political movement against science is plain old ignorance. The people determining the curriculum of our children in many states remain scientifically illiterate. And Kansas is a good case in point.

The chairman of the school board, Dr. Steve Abrams, a veterinarian, is not merely a strict creationist. He has openly stated that he believes that God created the universe 6,500 years ago, although he was quoted in The New York Times this month as saying that his personal faith “doesn’t have anything to do with science.”

“I can separate them,” he continued, adding, “My personal views of Scripture have no room in the science classroom.”

A key concern should not be whether Dr. Abrams’s religious views have a place in the classroom, but rather how someone whose religious views require a denial of essentially all modern scientific knowledge can be chairman of a state school board.

I have recently been criticized by some for strenuously objecting in print to what I believe are scientifically inappropriate attempts by some scientists to discredit the religious faith of others. However, the age of the earth, and the universe, is no more a matter of religious faith than is the question of whether or not the earth is flat.

Read the whole thing to see if you pick up just a bit of the hostility I think is there.  And join the debate – which is right, creationism/intelligent design or evolution?  Or maybe it’s something else, like Pastafarianism.

[tags]Creationism vs. Evolution, Intelligent design hackery?, His noodly appendage, Some scientists dislike creationists[/tags]

Top 10 Ubuntu hacks

This one gets a posting just because I know folks who are using or at least trying out the latest Ubuntu distribution. If you are just getting your Ubuntu install running, or are thinking of trying Ubuntu out, be sure to check out the LifeHacker list of 10 essential Ubuntu applications and tweaks.

8. Add NTFS Read/Write support

If you’re switching from Windows, chances are you’ve got lots of data stored on an NTFS (New Technology File System) formatted drive that you’re not ready to get rid of. This used to be a major problem, since Linux isn’t able to write files to NTFS drives. Or at least that used to be the case. Luckily the Linux-NTFS project has built a driver to overcome those limitations.

HOWTO: NTFS with read/write support using ntfs-3g (easy method)
[Ubuntu Forums]

[tags]Ubuntu, Apps and tweaks[/tags]

Today in History – volcano go boom

Today’s History Channel lead story is on the August 24th, 79 A.D. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in southern Italy, destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum.  The people in the region lived there to take advantage of the fertile ground.  They had no idea why the land was so fertile.

The ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum thrived near the base of Mount Vesuvius at the Bay of Naples. In the time of the early Roman Empire, 20,000 people lived in Pompeii, including merchants, manufacturers, and farmers who exploited the rich soil of the region with numerous vineyards and orchards. None suspected that the black fertile earth was the legacy of earlier eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. Herculaneum was a city of 5,000 and a favorite summer destination for rich Romans. Named for the mythic hero Hercules, Herculaneum housed opulent villas and grand Roman baths. Gambling artifacts found in Herculaneum and a brothel unearthed in Pompeii attest to the decadent nature of the cities. There were smaller resort communities in the area as well, such as the quiet little town of Stabiae.

At noon on August 24, 79 A.D., this pleasure and prosperity came to an end when the peak of Mount Vesuvius exploded, propelling a 10-mile mushroom cloud of ash and pumice into the stratosphere.

Also of note today in history is the last tank produced by Cadillac came of the line today in 1945, and in 1954 the Communist Control Act was passed, coming to effect not long after the disgrace of Sen. McCarthy (who, BTW, was correct on many of his accusations).
Read the entire account and see what else of note occurred today in history, thanks to The History Channel.

[tags]Today in History, The History Channel, Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii[/tags]

Prohibited and allowed items for flying

(via LifeHacker)

If you will be flying in the near future, you should probably check the TSA guidelines for permitted and prohibitted items on flights.

Due to enhanced security measures liquids, gels, lotions and other items of similar consistency will not be permitted in carry-on baggage. These types of items must be packed in your checked baggage.

Additionally, liquids, gels and lotions purchased beyond the checkpoint but must be disposed of before boarding the aircraft.

To ensure the health and welfare of certain air travelers the following items are permitted.

  • Small amounts of Baby formula and breast milk if a baby or small child is traveling
  • Liquid prescription medicine with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket
  • Up to 5 oz. (148ml) of liquid or gel low blood sugar treatment
  • Up to 4 oz. of essential non-prescription liquid medications including saline solution, eye care products and KY jelly
  • Gel-filled bras and similar prostethics
  • Gel-filled wheelchair cushions
  • Life support and life sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs carried for medical reasons

You are permitted to bring solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items as such lipstick, lip balm and similar solids. Please remember these items must be solid and not liquid, gel or aerosol.

Please keep in mind, that while we can not provide an exhaustive list of items covering all eventualities, all liquids, gels, or aerosols of any kind are prohibited at security checkpoints, in airport sterile areas, and aboard aircraft. You can pack these items in your checked baggage.

I think my stance on this is well known.  I will leave it at my request for balance in spending and restrictions.  You can read my other posts for more details.  This is just something of a public service message, providing you information on how to find out more.
Note that the TSA page does not directly address the question of snakes on this page.  So if you have some snakes you want to have travel with you, it might be wise to call ahead and see if you are allowed to have them on the plane.

[tags]TSA permitted and prohibited liquids guide, Snakes on a plane[/tags]

IBM to buy ISS – $1.3 billion in cash

Having worked in computer security in the past, I like to know what’s going on in the security community in case I manage to get a job back in that industry.  So when I read that IBM is buying Internet Security Systems, Inc. for $1.3 billion in cash, I figured I should post about it, in case either of my readers like to keep up with these things and haven’t heard yet.  The article comes from an Australian paper, so I don’t know if that cost is in Australian or US dollars, but I’m guessing it’s US dollars.

With revenue growth sluggish at IBM Corp., Big Blue is buying its way to getting bigger.

The company’s recent acquisition roll continued Wednesday with a deal to spend $1.3 billion in cash for Internet Security Systems Inc., which performs network monitoring and analysis services for companies.

The deal values ISS at $28 a share, almost an 8 percent premium over its $26 closing price Tuesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. If the acquisition is approved by shareholders, the companies expect it to close in the fourth quarter.

[tags]IBM, ISS, Internet Security Systems Inc., IBM buys ISS, Security news[/tags]