Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Interstellar Fluff has a strong magnetic field
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Using data from Voyager, we have discovered a strong magnetic field just outside the solar system. This magnetic field holds the interstellar cloud together—"The Fluff"—and solves the long-standing puzzle of how it can exist at all.
The Fluff is much more strongly magnetized than anyone had previously suspected. This magnetic field can provide the extra pressure required to resist destruction.
The Voyagers are not actually inside the Local Fluff. But they are getting close and can sense what the cloud is like as they approach it.
...
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Canadian Supreme Court libel ruling in favour of journalists
In a landmark ruling on freedom of expression, the Supreme Court of Canada has created a new legal defence to libel lawsuits that would shield journalists who fairly and responsibly report stories of public interest.
The new defence, dubbed "responsible communication" by the country's top court, gives greater protection to broadcasters, writers and bloggers who diligently try to verify the accuracy of information in their reports, even if every statement cannot later be proven to be true.
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009
A more entertaining Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - 70 minute review in 7 parts
This is amusing and lays open all that was wrong with this movie.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Harper acting like an elected dictator
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The extent of Harper's misuse of power becomes clearer when you realize that the Conservatives are replicating some of the worst practices of the Republicans under George W. Bush and Dick Cheney:
Consolidating executive power; eviscerating the legislative branch; operating under extreme secrecy (by keeping an iron grip on information, through endless court challenges and censoring/redacting documents); riding the coattails of the military and questioning the patriotism of political opponents; and forcing out public servants who refused to fall in line.
...
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Science Stories of the Decade
There is no doubt that science has become more like science fiction in the past decade, with amazing innovations and discoveries that increased our understanding of the universe. We list ten of the biggest science stories from the past decade.
This was the decade of the first face transplant, the first extinct species brought back from the dead, and printable human tissue; a decade that brought us closer to synthetic life forms and the invisibility cloak. But we've whittled it down to ten of the decade's biggest science stories, with discoveries, advances, and topics that are sure to change our lives in the next ten years.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Obama administration pushing Afghan war into Pakistan
US considering drone attacks on Pakistani city of 850,000: report
Senior US officials are pushing to expand CIA drone strikes beyond Pakistan's tribal region and into a major city in an attempt to pressure the Pakistani government to pursue Taliban leaders based in the city of Quetta -- a city with some 850,000 people, according to a report Monday.
The Obama Administration is eyeing Predator aircraft strikes in Quetta in an effort to decapitate the Taliban, according to the LA Times. But the prospect of launching a major attack in a highly populous city has struck some officials as unwise, officials who apparently leaked news of the program to a major US newspaper.
Pakistani officials have also warned that the fallout would be severe.
"We are not a banana republic," the Times quoted a senior Pakistani official as saying. If the United States follows through, the official said, "this might be the end of the road."
Read the top link for more on this story.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Book of Eli - post apocalyptic movie out mid-Jan 2010.
Denzel Washington vs Gary Oldman in a Fallout 3-like future.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Iraq: The Proof is in the pudding...
As Britain's inquiry into the origins of the 2003 Iraq War goes ahead full steam, "shocking" revelations already abound.
I use the word shocking in quotes because, to be humbly honest, these revelations so far merely confirm what has been known for years: that the Bush administration had no valid reason to go to war with Iraq other than securing oil resources, and that the Blair government simply went along for the ride to get its fair share of said resources.
Read on for more details...
Stephen Harper - Will people kick him and call him names?
Canada To Be Turfed From Commonwealth For Being A Nation Led By Assholes?
NO WONDER STEPHEN HARPER HATES ATTENDING THESE INTERNATIONAL GATHERINGS. Because people everywhere hate him. He's like a George Bush mini-me and nobody liked Bush, as you'll recall.Well, now poor Stephen is in Trinidad for the Commonwealth conference - that's a meeting of the countries that were once British colonies but still get together to make fun of the Queen and laugh at what a shit-hole the UK is these days. "Sun never sets on the British Empire? Ha. They can't even get enough hot water to fill their bathtubs."
It is something of a big deal, mind you, representing 53 countries with over 2 billion people. The British Empire was big once. So, to be kicked out of the club is really to be told that one-third of the world think you're a bunch of assholes. Well, that's what a coalition of politicians, campaigners and scientists are pushing for in Trinidad. Why? Because we suck when it comes to climate change. The folks in Alberta - the sphincter in the asshole that is our country, if you will - are happily digging up oil in the tar sands, which is several times more damaging than even regular oil extraction. And, oh yeah, we hand people over to be tortured in Afghanistan.
Read on at the link above...
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Michael Moorcock to write a Dr. Who novel
Michael Moorcock's announcement that he'd be writing a Doctor Who novel for release next year has prompted all manner of questions from concerned fans wondering about his Who credentials. Thankfully, Moorcock is happy to provide what they're looking for.
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Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Jenny McCarthy's Body Count page
Number of preventable illnesses and the number of preventable deaths.
(thanks Lindsay!)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Abbas Quits Election - Palestinians tired of waiting
"It's time for you to find another donkey." With those words, according to Palestinian sources, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas told the Palestine Liberation Organziation (PLO) executive committee that he would not seek re-election in January. The 74-year-old leader, on whom U.S. peace efforts in the Middle East are heavily dependent, reiterated that message later on Thursday in a televised address from his home in Ramallah. "This decision does not at all amount to bargaining or political maneuvering. While I appreciate the views expressed by brothers [in the PLO, who rejected his move], I hope they will understand my wish."
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Atheists vs religion on morality
... The difference between the bold claims of atheists and the bold claims of christians is that the atheists can actually back theirs up. The christians have a book that advises wholesale slaughter of enemies and their children and the willingness to sacrifice one's own son to please one's deity.
Atheists can actually point to a thing called "humanism" for guidance in moral matters. ...
Read the link for the full post.
