""
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Connecticut Man Arrested For Writing Obscenity On Traffic Ticket Payment Form | Techdirt
Connecticut Man Arrested For Writing Obscenity On Traffic Ticket Payment Form | Techdirt:
"That honor goes to Willian Barboza, who was issued a speeding ticket last year in the Catskills town of Liberty, and chose to send a bit of a message while mailing in his guilty-plea fine when he wrote 'F@#$ your sh#*$y town b&$#@es.'
The court decided that Barboza's admittedly witless prose was worth rejecting his payment altogether and charging him for aggravated harrassment, a strange state law that says it's a violation when someone: ‘Either (a) communicates with a person, anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, by telegraph, or by mail, or by transmitting or delivering any other form of written communication, in a manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm … "
Another example of an obscure law sitting on the books to be used for nefarious reason as needed.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Twitter Jitters: Can What You Tweet About Police Land You in Jail?
Law.com - Twitter Jitters: Can What You Tweet About Police Land You in Jail?:
"In a statement, Pittsburgh police explained that Madison 'used legal devices for illegal acts.' What exactly those illegal acts were, however, remains unclear. What is clear is that Madison's arrest for sharing information with other protesters online presents broader public policy concerns. Broader because it matters not what medium or Twitter-like technology you use to convey a controversial message. What matters -- and what Madison's arrest here potentially threatens -- is the underlying right to say it. "
As The FTC Goes After Bloggers, Doctors Making Millions Promoting Drugs With Little Oversight | Techdirt
"In view of this control and the conflicts of interest that permeate the enterprise, it is not surprising that industry-sponsored trials published in medical journals consistently favor sponsors' drugs--largely because negative results are not published, positive results are repeatedly published in slightly different forms, and a positive spin is put on even negative results. A review of seventy-four clinical trials of antidepressants, for example, found that thirty-seven of thirty-eight positive studies were published. But of the thirty-six negative studies, thirty-three were either not published or published in a form that conveyed a positive outcome. It is not unusual for a published paper to shift the focus from the drug's intended effect to a secondary effect that seems more favorable. "
Monday, September 21, 2009
TEDX — Endocrine Interruption: General Information
TEDX — Endocrine Interruption: General Information:
"The endocrine system is the exquisitely balanced system of glands and hormones that regulates such vital functions as body growth, response to stress, sexual development and behavior, production and utilization of insulin, rate of metabolism, intelligence and behavior, and the ability to reproduce. Hormones are chemicals such as insulin, thyroxin, estrogen, and testosterone that interact with specific target cells. The interactions occur through a number of mechanisms, the easiest of which to conceptualize is the lock and key. For example, target cells such as those in the uterus contain receptors (locks) into which specific estrogenic hormones (keys) can attach and thereby cause specific biological actions, such as regulating ovulation or terminating pregnancy. Other endocrine disrupting mechanisms include binding hormone transport proteins or other proteins involved in signaling pathways, inhibiting or inducing enzymes, interfering with uptake and export from cells, and modifying gene expression."
Genital Deformaties Harbinger of Chemical Effects
"Judy Hoy has tracked genital malformations among Montana's roadkill for years. She's been reporting disturbing trends for years, but few are paying her heed."
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Snake with foot found in China
Snake with foot found in China - Telegraph:
"Dean Qiongxiu, 66, said she discovered the reptile clinging to the wall of her bedroom with its talons in the middle of the night."
2 flu strains in 1 pig led to new H1N1
2 flu strains in 1 pig led to new H1N1 -- chicagotribune.com:
" Somehow, a single pig became simultaneously infected with that virus and a pure swine flu strain found in pigs in Europe and Asia. The two strains swapped genetic material to produce the new H1N1 strain, which then began to infect humans."
Giant Stone-age Axes Found In African Lake Basin
Giant Stone-age Axes Found In African Lake Basin:
"ScienceDaily (Sep. 14, 2009) — A giant African lake basin is providing information about possible migration routes and hunting practices of early humans in the Middle and Late Stone Age periods, between 150,000 and 10,000 years ago."
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Necessary Process In Forming Long-term Memory Identified
Necessary Process In Forming Long-term Memory Identified:
"ScienceDaily (Sep. 10, 2009) — A new study that was carried out at the University of Haifa has identified another component in the chain of actions that take place in the neurons in the process of forming memories. This discovery joins a line of findings from previous studies that together provide a better understanding of the most complex processes in nature – the process of memory formation and storage in the human brain. The new study has been published in the Journal of Neuroscience."
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Supreme Court hears arguments for corporate funding of candidates -- latimes.com
Supreme Court hears arguments for corporate funding of candidates -- latimes.com:
"Big companies, industries and possibly unions may be allowed to fund ads for and against candidates. A decision could reshape American politics starting with the 2010 congressional campaign."
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Saddle Up for the U.S. Army's Robotics Rodeo | Popular Science
Saddle Up for the U.S. Army's Robotics Rodeo | Popular Science:
"At the first Robotics Rodeo, hosted this week by the U.S. Army and the Fort Hood III Corps in Texas, war machines replaced bulls and horses. Soldiers and civilian contractors used the opportunity, starting on Wednesday, to inspect a lineup of robots that could potentially find a place on the battlefield."
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Digiprotect Admits It Shares Files Just To Find People To Demand Settlement Money From | Techdirt
Digiprotect Admits It Shares Files Just To Find People To Demand Settlement Money From | Techdirt:
"'We get the legal rights from the companies to distribute these movies to stores, and with these rights we can sue illegal downloaders. Then we take legal action in every country possible, concentrating on the places where such action will be profitable.' "
Monday, August 31, 2009
Don't Exhale: EPA Expected to Declare Carbon Dioxide a Dangerous Pollutant - Political News - FOXNews.com
"The Environmental Protection Agency is expected in the next few weeks to declare that carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases are pollutants, a move that would require the federal government to regulate them -- even without legislation. "
Africans 'under siege' in Moscow
BBC NEWS | Europe | Africans 'under siege' in Moscow:
"Nearly 60% of black and African people living in Russia's capital Moscow have been physically assaulted in racially motivated attacks, says a new study."
Voyage confirms plastic pollution
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Voyage confirms plastic pollution:
"Scientists have confirmed that there are millions of tonnes of plastic floating in an area of ocean known as the North Pacific Gyre."
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Reincarnated! Our son is a World War II pilot come back to life
Reincarnated! Our son is a World War II pilot come back to life | Mail Online:
"It sounds totally beyond belief. But read the tantalising evidence from this boy's family and you may start to wonder... The agonised screams pierced the air. 'Plane on fire! Airplane crash.' In the dark, a two-year-old boy was just visible, writhing on his bed in the grip of horror. 'He was lying there on his back, kicking and clawing at the covers like he was trying to kick his way out of a coffin,' remembers the boy's father. 'I thought, this looks like The Exorcist. I half expected his head to spin around like that little girl in the movie. But then I heard what James was saying.' Over and over again, the tiny child screamed: 'Plane on fire! Little man can't get out.' "
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Placebos Are Getting More Effective. Drugmakers Are Desperate to Know Why.
Placebos Are Getting More Effective. Drugmakers Are Desperate to Know Why.:
"Behind the scenes, however, MK-869 was starting to unravel. True, many test subjects treated with the medication felt their hopelessness and anxiety lift. But so did nearly the same number who took a placebo, a look-alike pill made of milk sugar or another inert substance given to groups of volunteers in clinical trials to gauge how much more effective the real drug is by comparison. The fact that taking a faux drug can powerfully improve some people's health—the so-called placebo effect—has long been considered an embarrassment to the serious practice of pharmacology."
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Arkansas puppy attacked by rabid bat in backyard in the middle of the day.
Arkansas puppy attacked by rabid bat in backyard in the middle of the day.:
"Last week a rabid bat in Arkansas flew down and attacked a three month old puppy in a fenced yard in broad daylight. The family saw the bat and destroyed it, taking all the precautions not to touch it. It had bitten the puppy on the face."
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
American Vice: Mapping the 7 Deadly Sins
American Vice: Mapping the 7 Deadly Sins:
"We're gluttons for infographics, and a team at Kansas State just served up a feast: maps of sin created by plotting per-capita stats on things like theft (envy) and STDs (lust). Christian clergy, likely noting the Bible Belt's status as Wrath Central, question the 'science.' Valid point—or maybe it's just the pride talking."
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Last Temptation
MichaelMoore.com : Last Temptation:
"The former mouthpiece for insurance giant Cigna divulges his role in misleading the public, the emotional day that led to his whistle-blowing, and what should really scare you. "
The Associated Press: Mexico decriminalizes small-scale drug possession
The Associated Press: Mexico decriminalizes small-scale drug possession:
"MEXICO CITY — Mexico decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin on Friday — a move that prosecutors say makes sense even in the midst of the government's grueling battle against drug traffickers."
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Banks to collect $38.5B in overdraft fees in '09
Banks to collect $38.5B in overdraft fees in '09 - report - Aug. 10, 2009:
"U.S. banks will collect a record $38.5 billion in overdraft fees this year, with nearly all the revenue paid by just 10% of customers, according to a research report released Monday"
Elsevier Caught Again: Published Ghost Written, Industry Supporting Articles As Scientific Resesarch
"This time, it involved people hired by certain pharma companies ghostwriting scientific 'review' articles that were supposed to give an overview of all the research on certain treatments, but... 'emphasized the benefits and de-emphasized the risks' of those treatments. And people wonder why we're so skeptical about allowing pharma companies to dictate both our healthcare plans and our patent laws..."
California Judge Declares Red Light Camera Program Illegal and Void
California Judge Declares Red Light Camera Program Illegal and Void | The Truth About Cars:
"Schwartz saw the error in the announcement timing as more than a technicality, citing the false assertion of Police Chief Paul Walters that motorists would be given 4.4 seconds of yellow time at enforced intersections. Records show that seventeen of the city’s eighteen camera intersections had yellow times of 4.0 seconds or less. The vast majority of red light tickets in the city were mailed to vehicle accused of entering an intersection less than half-a-second after the light had turned red."
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Strip clubs, marijuana eyed during budget crunch - CNN.com
Strip clubs, marijuana eyed during budget crunch - CNN.com:
"'You see this blizzard of fees popping up all over the country and in very unusual places,' CanagaRetna said.
One of the more controversial ideas is to legalize the sale of marijuana, as proposed in a bill introduced in California's state legislature by Democratic State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano this year. The bill proposed taxing pot by $50 per ounce. If legalized, marijuana could become California's No. 1 cash crop, bringing in an estimated $1 billion a year in state taxes."
EMI Quits Selling CDs to Indie Record Stores
EMI Quits Selling CDs to Indie Record Stores:
"The music industry knows how to hang out itself, even if it lacks the correct length pf rope. EMI, certainly reeling from declining physical album sales like the other Big 4 record labels, is now apparently telling independent album retailers that it will no longer sell them CDs."
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Lose your property for growing food?
Lose your property for growing food?:
"Some small farms and organic food growers could be placed under direct supervision of the federal government under new legislation making its way through Congress. "
Idaho police sodomize man with Taser
Idaho police sodomize man with Taser:
"Not only was the exchange documented on the cop’s own tape recorder, the suspect ended up with burns on the inside of his right buttock. These were evident in photographs taken ten and 13 days after the incident.
Also, another cop who taped an interview with the suspect at the jail later that night ended up erasing the taped interview."
Monday, July 27, 2009
and he said Jackson told him again -- quote -- 'They're trying to kill me
"KAYE: Right. Dick Gregory is a comedian, a good friend of Michael Jackson's. They met many, many years ago -- decades ago, in fact -- when they were doing 'The Wiz' together.
And he was actually with Michael Jackson during the second child molestation trial. And he told me that Jackson's parents called him and said that Michael wasn't well, can he come and help him. And a few days before the trial ended, Dick Gregory told me that he went back to Neverland with Michael Jackson, and that Jackson hugged him and said -- quote -- 'Please don't leave me. They're trying to kill me.'
Gregory says he asked Jackson when the last time he ate was, because he didn't look well, and that Jackson told him -- quote -- 'They're trying to poison me.' He asked him when he last drank water, and he said Jackson told him again -- quote -- 'They're trying to kill me.' "
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Bizarre theory suggests time may be running out
Bizarre theory suggests time may be running out | BreakingNews.ie:
"If time has been slowing down, and clocks are now running more slowly than they did long ago, it would appear from our perspective as if things have been speeding up. Looking back over billions of years, galaxies would seem to be travelling away from each other faster and faster at various intervals since the Big Bang. "
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Balkinization
"Put differently, Cheney sought to go around the Constitution's protections for persons arrested in the United States. The whole point of the enemy combantant theory was to avoid having to abide by constitutional guarantees. It is worth dwelling on this point: This is not a debate about whether the army would have to read Miranda rights to suspects captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan. It was a plan to have the military arrest people in the United States in order to get around civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. "
Friday, July 24, 2009
Dead Sea Sinkholes Swallowing Up Unwary
"The Dead Sea is the lowest spot of land on the planet, where the Bible says God rained fire and brimstone down on the misbehaving residents of Sodom and Gomorrah — and where now, the Earth occasionally opens up and swallows peop"
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Documents Reveal: Cops Planted Pot on 92-Year Old Woman They Killed in Botched Drug Raid | DrugReporter | AlterNet
"According to federal documents released this week, these are the events that led to Kathryn Johnston's death and the steps the officers took to cover their tracks."
9 reasons why there wasn’t stress in the good old days | ZME Science
9 reasons why there wasn’t stress in the good old days | ZME Science:
"Nowadays, people seem to be more and more stressed, even average people that at least apparently don’t take big gambles. Researchers have put a lot of time and money into the study of this problem, and came up with a whole lot of theories, but really, don’t let those fool you. Here’s the real deal, here’s why it was so easy in those days."
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Ethnic diversity – when black people are badly Photoshopped
"For some reason, black people and white people still don't seem to like taking photographs together.
Which makes it awfully difficult when a magazine, newspaper or brochure wants to demonstrate diversity.
"
Monday, July 13, 2009
Ireland Makes Blasphemy Illegal
Ireland Makes Blasphemy Illegal | Paliban Daily:
"# Atheists can be prosecuted for saying that God is imaginary. That causes outrage.
# Pagans can be prosecuted for saying they left Christianity because God is violent and bloodthirsty, promotes genocide, and permits slavery.
# Christians can be prosecuted for saying that Allah is a moon god, or for drawing a picture of Mohammed, or for saying that Islam is a violent religion which breeds terrorists.
# Jews can be prosecuted for saying Jesus isn’t the Messiah."
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Swine flu vaccine rushed through safety checks
Swine flu vaccine rushed through safety checks - Times Online:
"A vaccine against swine flu will be fast-tracked for use in Britain in just five days, with 130 million doses on order. "
Why play a losing game? Study uncovers why low-income people buy lottery tickets | Science Codex
Why play a losing game? Study uncovers why low-income people buy lottery tickets | Science Codex:
"'Some poor people see playing the lottery as their best opportunity for improving their financial situations, albeit wrongly so,' said the study's lead author Emily Haisley, a doctoral student in the Department of Organizational Behavior and Theory at Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business. 'The hope of getting out of poverty encourages people to continue to buy tickets, even though their chances of stumbling upon a life-changing windfall are nearly impossibly slim and buying lottery tickets in fact exacerbates the very poverty that purchasers are hoping to escape.'"
Toxic Substance Allows Birds to "See" Magnetic Field
Toxic Substance Allows Birds to "See" Magnetic Field:
"A toxic substance plays a key role in helping birds migrate, a new study says. Previous research had shown that birds seem to have an internal compass that allows them to 'see' Earth's magnetic field. This magnetic vision guides them on long journeys. "
Swearing can reduce the feeling of pain - Telegraph
Swearing can reduce the feeling of pain - Telegraph:
"Scientists have discovered that uttering swear words can help to lessen the feeling of physical pain.
The study by researchers at Keele University found that volunteers were able to withstand pain for longer when they swore compared to when they used words which were not offensive. "
FEMA: National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09)
FEMA: National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09):
"National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09) is scheduled for July 27 through July 31, 2009. NLE 09 will be the first major exercise conducted by the United States government that will focus exclusively on terrorism prevention and protection, as opposed to incident response and recovery."
Swine flu vaccine to be given to entire population
Swine flu vaccine to be given to entire population - Telegraph:
"The UK government has ordered enough vaccine to cover the entire population. GPs are being told to prepare for a nationwide vaccination campaign. "
Swine flu vaccine rushed through safety checks
Swine flu vaccine rushed through safety checks - Times Online:
"A vaccine against swine flu will be fast-tracked for use in Britain in just five days, with 130 million doses on order. "
Saturday, July 11, 2009
How doctors saved Adenhart crash survivor's life
"The chief spine surgeon was on duty past midnight. The firefighters, trained to extricate severe trauma patients, kept the patient's spine and head rigid. The ER physician, sensing unforgiving injuries, immediately called for a CAT Scan, which showed the skull had been separated from the spine."
'Put nothing in writing,' Browner told auto execs on secret White House CAFE talks
"Carol Browner, former Clinton administration EPA head and current Obama White House climate czar, instructed auto industry execs 'to put nothing in writing, ever' regarding secret negotiations she orchestrated regarding a deal to increase federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards."
Why The New Webcasting Rates Are A Death Sentence For Webcasters | Techdirt
Why The New Webcasting Rates Are A Death Sentence For Webcasters | Techdirt:
"Meanwhile, small webcasters don't get much of a break either. Live365 is pointing out that these rates will basically kill off every webcaster it hosts by requiring a $25,000 fee. As the company notes, the guy running the Armenian folk music station for $10/month isn't going to pay $25,000 and certainly isn't going to make enough revenue to pay up. "
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sperm Travels Faster Toward Attractive Females
Sperm Travels Faster Toward Attractive Females: Discovery News:
"New research found that males can adjust the speed and effectiveness of their sperm by allocating more or less seminal fluid to copulations. The determining factor is whether the male finds the female attractive."
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Pool Boots Kids Who Might "Change the Complexion"
Pool Boots Kids Who Might "Change the Complexion" | NBC Philadelphia:
"'When the minority children got in the pool all of the Caucasian children immediately exited the pool,' Horace Gibson, parent of a day camp child, wrote in an email. 'The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately.'"
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Weed-Whacking Herbicide Proves Deadly to Human Cells
Weed-Whacking Herbicide Proves Deadly to Human Cells:
"Used in yards, farms and parks throughout the world, Roundup has long been a top-selling weed killer. But now researchers have found that one of Roundup’s inert ingredients can kill human cells, particularly embryonic, placental and umbilical cord cells.
"
Monday, July 6, 2009
Clean Energy and Security Act brings auditors into your home
Clean Energy and Security Act brings auditors into your home:
"H.R. 2454 is a 1400-page promise to audit every aspect of your home and life under the guise of creating jobs, clean energy and a sustainable world. However, before we get into the bill lets examine the way it’s been handled.
The secrecy of the bill and the speed of which the legislation is being railroaded is quite alarming. The last two times I’ve seen this was with the Patriot Act and TARP legislation."
Nanomaterial turns radiation directly into electricity - tech - 27 March 2008 - New Scientist
Nanomaterial turns radiation directly into electricity - tech - 27 March 2008 - New Scientist:
"Materials that directly convert radiation into electricity could produce a new era of spacecraft and even Earth-based vehicles powered by high-powered nuclear batteries, say US researchers."
New Massachusetts Pot Law Has Cops in a Tizzy
New Massachusetts Pot Law Has Cops in a Tizzy | The Conscience of Abe’s Turn:
"Last November, in Massachusetts, the ballot asked voters whether to change the state’s marijuana laws. Under the new law, anyone caught with an ounce or less of pot, instead of being arrested and charged with a crime, would simply get a $100 ticket. According to the official election returns, 63% of the voters thought this was a good idea. (Only 33% disapproved, with 4% abstaining.) "
Cancer: Brain Tumour Leading Cause Of Cancer In UK Says Brain Tumour Research | UK News | Sky News
Cancer: Brain Tumour Leading Cause Of Cancer In UK Says Brain Tumour Research | UK News | Sky News:
"They kill more men under 45 and women under 35 than any other cancer, reveals Brain Tumour Research.
And brain tumours have overtaken leukaemia as the biggest cancer killer of children in the UK, with the number of children dying from a brain tumour in 2007, up 33% on 2001.
While overall mortality rates from cancer are falling despite an actual rise in cases, survival rates for brain tumour patients are getting worse."
Sunday, July 5, 2009
IRS: The Real Facts
"Many believe that they are required to pay an 'income tax' to a branch of the United States government called 'The Internal Revenue Service'. The origins and history of the IRS shows just how in error these beliefs are. Not only is there no law that requires most Americans to file an individual tax return, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wasn't even created by an act of Congress!"
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Nine Arctic Nukes Exploded in Eighteen Hours
"On November 17 and 18, 2008 nine H-Bombs were exploded below the Arctic Ocean near the North Magnetic Pole.
Do Police Always Lie, Or Does It Just Seem That Way?
Do Police Always Lie, Or Does It Just Seem That Way? « LewRockwell.com Blog:
"When Leake finally exited the car, a shaved fraction of a split second transpired before Jackson slugged the taller motorist twice before bull-dogging him to the pavement. During this whole time, as the video clearly shows, Jackson did nothing to provoke the violence; he neither hit nor threatened the officer, nor did he assume a ‘fighting stance.’
After the two of them hit the ground off-camera, a hissing noise and choking can be heard suggesting that the tax-feeder had pepper-sprayed the driver. Jackson is heard accusing the motorist of hitting him and tackling him."
Unveiling the Secret Yellow Printer Dots with the Eyeclops Bionic Eye
Unveiling the Secret Yellow Printer Dots with the Eyeclops Bionic Eye:
"One day, Tim, the boss, introduced me to the secret, invisible marks that our printer was fusing to every sheet that came out of the printer: The marks were designed to help prevent people from printing high-quality counterfeit money. "
Mark Easton's UK: How Portugal treats drug addicts
BBC - Mark Easton's UK: How Portugal treats drug addicts:
"Exactly eight years ago today, on July 1st 2001, Portugal decreed that the purchase, possession and use of any previously-illegal substance would no longer be considered a criminal offence. So, instead of police arresting users, at The End of the World, health and social workers now dispense the paraphernalia of heroin use. "
Nobel Prize genius Crick was high on LSD
Mayan Majix - Articles - Nobel Prize genius Crick was high on LSD:
"FRANCIS CRICK, the Nobel Prize-winning father of modern genetics, was under the influence of LSD when he first deduced thedouble-helix structure of DNA nearly 50 years ago."
Top 10 Famous Quotes About Propaganda
#08 - Robert A. Heinlein
"'When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, 'This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know,' the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives. Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything—you can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him.' —Robert A. Heinlein, If This Goes On, 1940"
Comics creator stopped by TSA for carrying script about writer under suspicion by TSA - Boing Boing
Comics creator stopped by TSA for carrying script about writer under suspicion by TSA - Boing Boing:
"Comics writer Mark Sable was detained and intensively questioned by the TSA for carrying a script for an upcoming comic book about a writer who is detained and intensively questioned by the TSA for writing a comic about terrorism. "
Friday, July 3, 2009
Battered Men
"‘Forget what you’ve heard about domestic violence,’ says Patricia Pearson, author of When She Was Bad: Violent Women and the Myth of Innocence. ‘The truth is that women are just as likely to batter as men.’
The largest and most recent survey, conducted three years ago by the U.S. Department of Justice, reported that 39 per cent of spousal assault victims are men. Professor John Archer of the University of Central Lancashire in England reached a similar conclusion after analyzing 17 international studies from the US, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom published over the last 20 years."
Step Away From the Vehicle: The Supreme Court imposes long-overdue limits on car searches. - Reason Magazine
"In August 1999 police saw Rodney Gant pull into the driveway of his Tucson home and arrested him for driving with a suspended license. After handcuffing Gant and locking him in a cruiser, Officer Todd Griffith searched his car, finding a bag of cocaine in the pocket of a jacket on the backseat. When he was asked at an evidentiary hearing why he searched the car, Griffith replied, 'Because the law says we can do it.'
Not anymore."
Australian scientists may have worked out the mystery of teleportation | The Daily Telegraph
Australian scientists may have worked out the mystery of teleportation | The Daily Telegraph:
"The research team from the Australian National University developed a new approach to generating quantum entanglement in beams of light using only two parts. Quantum entanglement is a process in which two objects are linked together in such a way that any changes to the properties of one can be measured from the other regardless of the distance between them."
Senate bill fines people refusing health coverage - Yahoo! Finance
Senate bill fines people refusing health coverage - Yahoo! Finance:
"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Americans who refuse to buy affordable medical coverage could be hit with fines of more than $1,000 under a health care overhaul bill unveiled Thursday by key Senate Democrats looking to fulfill President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the fines will raise around $36 billion over 10 years. Senate aides said the penalties would be modeled on the approach taken by Massachusetts, which now imposes a fine of about $1,000 a year on individuals who refuse to get coverage. Under the federal legislation, families would pay higher penalties than individuals."
Gov. Jindal approves new diploma — Baton Rouge, LA
2theadvocate.com | News | Gov. Jindal approves new diploma — Baton Rouge, LA:
"BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Gov. Bobby Jindal approved legislation Thursday creating a new public school curriculum with lowered academic standards, waving aside objections from education advocates who say the change will produce high school graduates who lack basic English and math skills.
Jindal said the new program is part of the state's effort to produce a better-trained work force. He also said the new curriculum, focused on training students for blue collar jobs, would reduce the state's dropout rate."
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Dinosaur mummy yields organic molecules
Dinosaur mummy yields organic molecules - Discovery.com- msnbc.com:
"The extremely well-preserved remains of a 66-million-year-old hadrosaur, known as a 'dinosaur mummy,' have just yielded soft-tissue skin structures and organic molecules, according to a new study. "
Pirates of the Mediterranean
Campaign For Liberty — Pirates of the Mediterranean:
"Meanwhile, California, which has become a failed state, has been denied bailout money from Washington. Israel, which has been a failed state for 60 years, can, unlike the American state of California, always count of Washington to deliver the money and the weapons to keep Israel going.
The same week that 'our' government in Washington told the Governor of California 'not one red cent,' President Barak Obama handed over $2.775 billion to Israel.
Online Journal (June 29) reported that the handover to Israel of the unemployed Americans' tax dollars took place in a 'tiny Capitol room' to which members of the press were denied access. I mean, really, who wants the media writing about US taxpayer dollars for Israel's nuclear weapons while Americans are being kicked out of their homes. Not that, of course, the 'Christian' supporters of Israel would mind. "
The science of voodoo: When mind attacks body
The science of voodoo: When mind attacks body - health - 13 May 2009 - New Scientist:
"Take Sam Shoeman, who was diagnosed with end-stage liver cancer in the 1970s and given just months to live. Shoeman duly died in the allotted time frame - yet the autopsy revealed that his doctors had got it wrong. The tumour was tiny and had not spread. 'He didn't die from cancer, but from believing he was dying of cancer,' says Meador. 'If everyone treats you as if you are dying, you buy into it. Everything in your whole being becomes about dying.'"
By-the-mile road tax could replace by-the-gallon federal fuel tax - Kansas City Star
By-the-mile road tax could replace by-the-gallon federal fuel tax - Kansas City Star:
"The idea of shifting to a by-the-mile tax has been discussed for years, but it now appears to be getting more serious attention. A federal commission, after a two-year study, concluded earlier this year that the road tax was the ‘best path forward’ to keep revenues flowing to highway and transportation projects, and could be an important new tool to help manage traffic and relieve congestion.
The decision by the 15-member National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission was unanimous, which surprised Robert Atkinson, the group’s chairman. But he said it became clear as the commission’s work progressed that a road tax on miles traveled was the best option. "
Americans Are Living And Dying In A Militarized Police State
Americans Are Living And Dying In A Militarized Police State:
"Today, police departments across the United States more closely resemble an occupying army than they do public servants responding to calls for help. Police officers can now be seen wearing helmets and body armor and carrying AR-15's, just to deliver simple warrants. The militarization of our police departments not only gives the appearance of a military dictatorship but places the public at great risk. "
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
EPA's own research expert 'shut up' on climate change
EPA's own research expert 'shut up' on climate change:
"Environmental Protection Agency officials have silenced one of their own senior researchers after the 38-year employee issued an internal critique of the EPA's climate change position.
Alan Carlin, senior operations research analyst at the EPA's National Center for Environmental Economics, or NCEE, submitted his research on the agency's greenhouse gases endangerment findings and offered a fundamental critique on the EPA's approach to combating CO2 emissions. But officials refused to share his conclusion in an open internal discussion, claiming his research would have 'a very negative impact on our office.'
His study was barred from circulation within the EPA and was never disclosed to the public for political reasons, according to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, or CEI, a group that has accessed four internal e-mails on the subject."
Loophole Helps GE Benefit From Bank Rescue Program - washingtonpost.com
Loophole Helps GE Benefit From Bank Rescue Program - washingtonpost.com:
"General Electric, the world's largest industrial company, has quietly become the biggest beneficiary of one of the government's key rescue programs for banks."
'I'm better off dead. I'm done': How Michael Jackson predicted his death six months ago | Mail Online
"Michael knew it and his advisers knew it. Anyone who caught even a fleeting glimpse of the frail old man hiding beneath the costumes and cosmetics would have understood that the London tour was madness. For Michael Jackson, it was fatal."
States brace for shutdowns - Los Angeles Times
States brace for shutdowns - Los Angeles Times:
" Indiana is one of five states -- along with Arizona, California, Mississippi and Pennsylvania -- bracing for possible shutdowns this week as time runs out for lawmakers to close billion-dollar gaps in their fiscal 2010 budgets. "
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Cap and Tax Fiction - WSJ.com
The Cap and Tax Fiction - WSJ.com:
"The biggest doozy in the CBO analysis was its extraordinary decision to look only at the day-to-day costs of operating a trading program, rather than the wider consequences energy restriction would have on the economy. The CBO acknowledges this in a footnote: 'The resource cost does not indicate the potential decrease in gross domestic product (GDP) that could result from the cap.'"
The real truth behind cap and trade
The real truth behind cap and trade:
"The purpose of cap and trade is to reduce the number of carbon emissions. The costs will be seen in all things that are manufactured, including gas, food, energy, clothing. If consumers are spending less, companies will be producing less. That leads to cut backs, job loss, and higher unemployment. Who will be hit the hardest? That would be low income families who spend the majority of their earnings on energy costs."
Evidence of the Great Flood?
AIMS Media Release - February 17, 2005:
"AIMS biologist Dr Dan Alongi said the expedition was surveying the impact of nutrients on coastal inshore areas when scientists unearthed mangrove forests in old river channels they believe may snake for 30 kilometres to the edge of the continental shelf.
Scientists have long theorised that sea level rose very gradually over several thousand years, but these remnant mangrove forests tell another story.
While it was previously known that relic river beds exist beneath the Great Barrier Reef, formed 9000 years ago when the sea level was lower than the continental shelf, their significance was never studied."
The Raw Story » Milk is a gateway drug to bourbon
The Raw Story » Milk is a gateway drug to bourbon:
"You have never before seen -- nor will you ever see again -- FBI director Robert Mueller so thoroughly humbled in a discussion about drug policy before the United States Congress.
In this instance, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) gets Mueller to admit that marijuana has never killed anybody, then smashes into tiny bits the decades-old 'gateway drug' argument with a unique analogy of milk and bourbon.
This video is from CNN, broadcast May 20."
Scientists Find that Low Self-Esteem & Materialism Goes Hand in Hand
Scientists Find that Low Self-Esteem & Materialism Goes Hand in Hand:
"Researchers have found that low self-esteem and materialism are not just a correlation, but also a causal relationship where low self esteem increases materialism, and materialism can also create low self-esteem. The also found that as self esteem increases, materialism decreases. The study primarily focused on how this relationship affects children and adolescents. Lan Nguyen Chaplin (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Deborah Roedder John (University of Minnesota) found that even a simple gesture to raise self-esteem dramatically decreased materialism, which provides a way to cope with insecurity."
US cities may have to be bulldozed in order to survive - Telegraph
US cities may have to be bulldozed in order to survive - Telegraph:
"Dozens of US cities may have entire neighbourhoods bulldozed as part of drastic 'shrink to survive' proposals being considered by the Obama administration to tackle economic decline."
Knife-wielding gorilla shocks zoo visitors
Knife-wielding gorilla shocks zoo visitors:
"'He grabbed the knife exactly in the correct position and he smelled it and looked at it,' said Calgarian Joe Scheffler, who was at the zoo with his wife, Heike. 'A few seconds later, another gorilla came and he was very interested.
'He tried to get the knife, but the gorilla with the knife lifted the knife for his buddy....It seems to me that the gorilla with the knife was a little bit angry, and he lifted his hand with the knife.
'It was just a scene from a crime,' added Scheffler, whose wife snapped photos of the morning incident."
Somalis watch double amputations
BBC NEWS | Africa | Somalis watch double amputations:
"Hardline Islamists in Somalia have carried out double amputations on four men for stealing phones and guns.
They have each had a hand and foot cut off after being convicted by a Sharia court in the capital earlier this week."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Deep in Bedrock, Clean Energy and Quake Fears - NYTimes.com
Deep in Bedrock, Clean Energy and Quake Fears - NYTimes.com:
"All seemed to be going well — until Dec. 8, 2006, when the project set off an earthquake, shaking and damaging buildings and terrifying many in a city that, as every schoolchild here learns, had been devastated exactly 650 years before by a quake that sent two steeples of the Münster Cathedral tumbling into the Rhine."
Friday, June 26, 2009
UN Backs Drug Decriminalization In World Drug Report
UN Backs Drug Decriminalization In World Drug Report:
"In an about face, the United Nations on Wednesday lavishly praised drug decriminalization in its annual report on the state of global drug policy. In previous years, the UN drug czar had expressed skepticism about Portugal's decriminalization, which removed criminal penalties in 2001 for personal drug possession and emphasized treatment over incarceration. The UN had suggested the policy was in violation of international drug treaties and would encourage 'drug tourism.'
But in its 2009 World Drug Report, the UN had little but kind words for Portugal's radical (by U.S. standards) approach. 'These conditions keep drugs out of the hands of those who would avoid them under a system of full prohibition, while encouraging treatment, rather than incarceration, for users. Among those who would not welcome a summons from a police officer are tourists, and, as a result, Portugal's policy has reportedly not led to an increase in drug tourism,' reads the report. 'It also appears that a number of drug-related problems have decreased.'"
Journalist Files Charges against WHO and UN for Bioterrorism and Intent to Commit Mass Murder
Journalist Files Charges against WHO and UN for Bioterrorism and Intent to Commit Mass Murder:
"The charges contend that these defendants conspired with each other and others to devise, fund and participate in the final phase of the implementation of a covert international bioweapons program involving the pharmaceutical companies Baxter and Novartis. They did this by bioengineering and then releasing lethal biological agents, specifically the 'bird flu' virus and the 'swine flu virus' in order to have a pretext to implement a forced mass vaccination program which would be the means of administering a toxic biological agent to cause death and injury to the people of the U.S. This action is in direct violation of the Biological Weapons Anti-terrorism Act."
Military Hush-Up: Incoming Space Rocks Now Classified
SPACE.com -- Military Hush-Up: Incoming Space Rocks Now Classified:
"For 15 years, scientists have benefited from data gleaned by U.S. classified satellites of natural fireball events in Earth's atmosphere – but no longer.
A recent U.S. military policy decision now explicitly states that observations by hush-hush government spacecraft of incoming bolides and fireballs are classified secret and are not to be released, SPACE.com has learned.
The satellites' main objectives include detecting nuclear bomb tests, and their characterizations of asteroids and lesser meteoroids as they crash through the atmosphere has been a byproduct data bonanza for scientists.
The upshot: Space rocks that explode in the atmosphere are now classified. "
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Peter Brimelow: Schultz paints bleak picture of future - MarketWatch
Peter Brimelow: Schultz paints bleak picture of future - MarketWatch:
"In its current issue, HSL reports rumors that 'Some U.S. embassies worldwide are being advised to purchase massive amounts of local currencies; enough to last them a year. Some embassies are being sent enormous amounts of U.S. cash to purchase currencies from those governments, quietly. But not pound sterling. Inside the State Dept., there is a sense of sadness and foreboding that 'something' is about to happen ... within 180 days, but could be 120-150 days.' "