JavaMoose

Wired News

2005-11-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

Wired News: "DuPont's Dangerous Game
DuPont buried studies that revealed risks associated with a chemical used in food containers, according to internal company documents and a whistle-blower's statements. The chemical Zonyl -- used to line candy wrappers, microwave popcorn boxes, etc. -- can rub off and get into food. Once ingested, Zonyl breaks down into perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts, known as PFOA. The Environmental Working Group released the DuPont documents Wednesday, including memos indicating Zonyl caused liver and kidney damage in test animals and leached into foods at three times the limit set by the Food and Drug Administration, the Associated Press reported. 'They are toxic,' said former DuPont chemical engineer Glenn Evers of the PFOA chemicals. 'They get into human blood. And they are also in every one of you.' DuPont maintains that PFOA poses no health risk.
-- Lewis Wallace "

Well, isn't that just dandy...

+//+ 14 year-old wins against anti-video game lawyer: Jack Thompson on CroQaudile.com +//+

2005-10-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

+//+ 14 year-old wins against anti-video game lawyer: Jack Thompson on CroQaudile.com +//+

Sorry...link to the emails...

+//+ 14 year-old wins against anti-video game lawyer: Jack Thompson on CroQaudile.com +//+

2005-10-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many of you are aware of the current saga going on in the gaming world regarding Jack Thompson. Well, here is an excellent set of emails sent to Jack and his less-than-lawyerly replies. Great read.

Wired News

2005-09-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "When Dolphins Turn Deadly
Among the innumerable individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina, military-trained dolphins may also have gotten lost in the shuffle. Trouble is, the U.S. Navy's 36 cetaceans may be armed and dangerous. The Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, which have been taught to use toxic dart guns to shoot terrorists attacking military vessels, may have been swept out to sea when the storm breached their coastal compound. 'My concern is that they have learned to shoot at divers in wetsuits who have simulated terrorists in exercises,' said accident investigator Leo Sheridan. 'The darts are designed to put the target to sleep so they can be interrogated later, but what happens if the victim is not found for hours?'
-- Jenny McKeel "

Holy crap, we have trained dart-shooting Dolphins?! That has to be the coolest thing I have ever heard. One step closer to sharks with frickin' lasers...

Wired News: In France, Push Comes to SUV

2005-09-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

What a bunch of dicks. I can't wait until the follow-up story about them getting their asses kicked.

Wired News

2005-09-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "Laura Bush Strikes Back
To all those detractors fulminating against President Bush over relief efforts for the disproportionally black hurricane victims, the first lady has this to say: 'I think all of those remarks are disgusting, to be perfectly frank, because of course President Bush cares about everyone in our country.' Laura Bush's comments, aired in an interview with American Urban Radio Networks, were directed at rapper Kanye West and Democratic chairman Howard Dean. Both men have publicly blamed her husband for the preponderance of black and poor Katrina casualties. 'I mean, I'm the person who lives with him,' said Mrs. Bush. 'I know what he's like and I know what he thinks and I know how he cares about people.' You tell 'em, Laura!
-- Jenny McKeel "

The Truth About Violent Youth and Video Games - Game Revolution

2005-09-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

The Truth About Violent Youth and Video Games - Game Revolution: "Thanks to the current media frenzy and barrage of lawsuits surrounding violent video games, I can't tell people what I do for a living without getting a lecture on the current plague of youth violence and the scourge that is Grand Theft Auto. I decided it was time for a rebuttal more effective than shrugging and saying, "Well, I think you're wrong."

So I sat down to write this article, and started doing some research. What I discovered startled me.

First off, I have absolute proof that video games are not the cause of this epidemic of youth violence in America. No, really, I do. Ready?"

Finally, someone with some breains that uses the facts to disprove the bullshit lie about video games. He also links to a really great article on Overcriminalized.Com.

Hillary Clinton Presses Bush on Sex Offender Bill

2005-08-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton Presses Bush on Sex Offender Bill

Eww. Just, eww...

Wired News

2005-08-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "Separation of Church and Science
President Bush told reporters Monday that schools should teach the conservative Christian doctrine of intentional or divine creation, called 'intelligent design,' along with evolution. He refused to discuss his personal beliefs but said, 'I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought. You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes.' A rebuttal can be found in a 1999 statement from the National Academy of Sciences: 'The claim that equity demands balanced treatment of evolutionary theory and special creation in science classrooms reflects a misunderstanding of what science is and how it is conducted. Creationism, intelligent design and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of life or of species are not science because they are not testable by the methods of science.'
-- Debra Jones "

Well, if you allow one religion to be taught - you better allow them all. I look forward to a 'Red-State Scandal' when a Teacher decides to talk equally about Creationism, Wicca, Buddhism, Islam, etc. in school. Hey, fair is fair, right?

DIY underwater ROV for $100 - Engadget - www.engadget.com

2005-08-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

DIY underwater ROV for $100 - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Looks like Engadget is running it as well!

Slashdot | Homebrew Underwater ROV

2005-07-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Slashdot | Homebrew Underwater ROV'A very geeky member of TechReport has built himself a homebrew Underwater ROV to use while on vacation. For what they said was 'Version 1', I would have to say the results were great. Full build log, with videos, can be found here. Good job guys! 'Being the geeks that we are, we always come up with some sort of project to bring up to the lake and play with. This year, two weeks before vacation, we decided to build an Underwater ROV. For those not familiar, an ROV is a Remotely Operated Vehicle. Generally 'real' ROVs cost anywhere from $8,000 up to Millions of dollars. We had two weeks and a $100 budget. Usually they have high-resolution camera systems and high powered thrusters to maneuver. We had two weeks and a $100 budget.''"

I've been slashdotted!

Wired News

2005-07-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "Liquidated Art
Did a dehydrated art thief drink a watery artistic statement about global warming? That's one theory behind the mystifying disappearance of Weapon of Mass Destruction, a 2-liter clear plastic bottle filled with melted Antarctic ice and valued at $74,137, according to Scotsman.com. The artwork, by American-born artist Wayne Hill, disappeared during a U.K. art show. 'It looked like an ordinary bottle of water, but it was on a plinth, labeled, described and in the program of the whole festival,' said Hill, baffled by the mysterious H2O heist. 'It was very, very clear what it was -- a work of art.' The biggest mystery of all? Who placed the hefty price tag on the piece.
-- Lewis Wallace"

Fuck that, I would have drank it too...

Che Brought to you by Capitalism tshirt

2005-07-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

Che Brought to you by Capitalism tshirt

I love it. I already ordered mine.

Be sure to check out their excellent "Hippies Smell" shirt too!

Wired News

2005-07-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "An F for Effort
Fearing a bruising blow to underperforming students' precious self-esteem, some British educators are mounting a campaign to eliminate the concept of failure. Retired teacher Liz Beattie wants the Professional Association of Teachers to 'delete the word fail from the educational vocabulary to be replaced with the concept of deferred success.' Beattie painted a picture of slow-but-steady students who, um, fail to complete tests in the allotted time, and whose tender egos might be traumatized if they received poor marks. While Beattie's idea will be debated at the next meeting of the teachers' association, it looks like sanity will trump oversensitivity: Education Secretary Ruth Kelly dismissed the cuddly concept outright, according to BBC News.
-- Lewis Wallace "

Well, it is good to hear that someone has some common sense (the Education Secretary) to dismiss this. I don't understand why a retired teacher thinks this is a good idea? Most teachers I know are firm believers that kids need to learn responsibility. Changing to wording of 'failing' to be kinder is a cop-out and doesn't teach the kid anything - even more so when they get into the 'real world' and find out that you can fail.

Supreme Court Justice may have to fight Eminent Domain for the rights to his house...

2005-06-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

It seems that Justic Souter, who was among the other Justices who voted to expand Eminent Domain, may have to fight to keep his house. A private developer is seeking to use this very law to build a hotel on Souter's land. The name of the to-be-built hotel? "The Lost Liberty Hotel", which will feature the "Just Desserts Café". The original letter sent to Town of Weare Code Enforcement Office is also featured on their website.

As we say last week, the Supreme Court has ruled that private property can now be seized under Eminent Domain for commercial development. Justice Souter's vote in the "Kelo vs. City of New London" decision allows city governments to take land from one private owner and give it to another if the government will generate greater tax revenue or other economic benefits when the land is developed by the new owner. I, for one, welcome the use of these unconstitutional laws like this to prove just how unfair they really are.

Monday...

2005-06-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Well, vacation is fast approaching and my new project is nearing completion. Can't wait to finish it and find out if it works!

Went and saw 'Land of the Dead' with the lady this weekend. Overall it was pretty good. Found myself laughing quite a bit, especially when they were taking out the Zombies with Dead Reckoning. No matter how Romero portrays the Zombies I still don't feel bad when they are slaughtering them. I'll buy the box-set on DVD when it comes out.

Lunch: Mmm...homemade chili.

Wired News

2005-06-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "Scaling Mount Feces
Climbers tackling North America's tallest mountain face challenges aside from high altitudes and low temperatures. They also must dodge piles of human crap. 'They think they're going out on a pristine climb, and there's virus-laden poo all around them,' said Dr. Bradford Gessner, a mountaineer and author of a study published in Wilderness and Environmental Medicine. The abundant human waste sickens many climbers: More than a quarter of the 132 adventurers interviewed on Mount McKinley for the study suffered from diarrhea, which can worsen mountain sickness and cause other problems. While the report offered sanitation suggestions, a mountaineering ranger said harsh conditions at McKinley's high camp exacerbate the problem. 'It's just an ice pack up there,' he said. 'You really can't dig down and bury anything.'
-- Lewis Wallace "

Why not just treat this the same way as we treat Antartica. You carry-out eveything you bring in - including your waste. You're climbing a mountain, so we can safely assume you aren't lazy - that leaves inconsiderate.

IMDb Top 250

2005-06-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

How many movies from the "IMDb Top 250" have you seen?

I've seen 85 so far.

Wired News

2005-06-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "Here Come the Hooker Huts
A German city is bracing for some intense ball-handling action when the World Cup comes to town: Dortmund expects an influx of up to 40,000 extra prostitutes during the soccer tournament. While prostitution is legal in Germany, it's restricted to certain areas. 'In Dortmund we have an official red-light district on the outskirts, but there is a problem,' a city official told Reuters. 'There is not enough space for everyone to park.' In an effort to keep the post-game action off the streets and out of residential areas, city officials plan to erect wooden, Dutch-designed 'sex garages' -- flanked with condom machines and a snack bar -- to handle the hooker onslaught.
-- Lewis Wallace "

I don't even know what to say...

Coming in out of the cold: Cold fusion, for real | csmonitor.com

2005-06-07T12:09:00.000-07:00

Coming in out of the cold: Cold fusion, for real | csmonitor.com: "PASADENA, CALIF. For the last few years, mentioning cold fusion around scientists (myself included) has been a little like mentioning Bigfoot or UFO sightings.
After the 1989 announcement of fusion in a bottle, so to speak, and the subsequent retraction, the whole idea of cold fusion seemed a bit beyond the pale. But that's all about to change..."

This is really exciting! Sure, commercial product may be a long way off - but if they really have it this time...

Wired News

2005-06-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
Odors affect the way motorists drive, and fast food smells could increase road rage, according to a new study by a British motoring organization. Peppermint, however, may improve concentration. 'More than any other sense … smell circumnavigates the logical part of the brain,' said a psychologist with the organization. Good odors to have on a road trip are cinnamon, lemon and coffee. A hit of salty sea air encourages deep breathing and can help relieve stress. But the smell of fast-food wrappers or fresh bread can make drivers feel hungry, so they may become irritable and hurry to find food. Other dangerous scents are camomile, jasmine and lavender, commonly used to treat insomnia -- they can cause drivers to relax or fall asleep.
-- Beverly Hanly"

Wired News

2005-06-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "First Pack Is Free
In the past, many women's health complaints were disregarded as female neuroses. Now a study from Harvard University's School of Public Health shows that the tobacco industry still thinks of women as neurotic -- and exploitable. The study reviewed millions of internal tobacco company documents for details on how the companies tried to get women hooked. A report from British-American Tobacco said women buy cigarettes to help them 'cope with neuroticism.' Phillip Morris recommended marketing a longer, skinnier cigarette to fool female consumers into thinking it contained less tar and nicotine. Other companies considered adding appetite suppressants to brandy- or chocolate-flavored cigarettes for weight-conscious females. 'Women should know how far the tobacco industry went to exploit them,' said Carrie Carpenter, the study's lead author.
-- Debra Jones "

You know it is bad when crap like this isn't even surprising anymore...

The Future of Television - Next Frontiers - MSNBC.com

2005-05-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Future of Television - Next Frontiers - MSNBC.com: "The Future of Television
Screens so small they fit inside coffee cups. Marriages arranged by TiVo. Production facilities on Mars. The king of late night peers into his plasma crystal ball."

Excellent!! Conan O'Brian kicks ass...

Wired News

2005-05-11T07:23:00.000-07:00

Wired News: "Gargantuan Glitter Gaffe
Cosmetic glitter can sure spice up a Halloween costume, but it's probably not the best thing to inject into someone's hip muscle. An undercover deputy is suing a Florida hospital, claiming he was injected with a shot of glitter -- instead of the Demerol he was anticipating -- during a visit in 2000. 'There was a lot of pain. I complained several times that something was wrong in my buttock, hip, in the area I got the shot,' said the deputy, whose identity WFTV, which reported the story, is concealing. Three months later, the deputy had a mass surgically removed from near the injection site, and analysis found 'green and red sparkling material' near the area. He now walks with a limp and has been hospitalized 12 more times.
-- Jenny McKeel "

I can't even start to figure out how this "mistake" happened? How do you fill up a syringe with glitter, and inject it, on accident?!

UnRealID.com

2005-05-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

UnRealID.com: "This Tuesday, the US Senate is scheduled to vote on the implementation of a national ID card system. The Real ID Act is nothing less than a Real National ID Act. The only thing left to the individual states is to decide which pretty picture they will choose to put on the card: everything else will be controlled by Washington DC bureaucrats. "

If you haven't already, make yourself heard!