Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Study: $16B - Estimated Costs of “Dirty Bomb” Attack In LA
Downtown Los Angeles from the sky. A recent study out of USC has found that if a "dirty bomb" was dropped on downtown the economical damage of long-term psychological effects would exceed the cost of short-term clean-up by $15 billion. feculent_figure/Flickr
Costs of 'Dirty Bomb' Attack In Los Angeles -- Science Daily
ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2012) — A dirty bomb attack centered on downtown Los Angeles' financial district could severely impact the region's economy to the tune of nearly $16 billion, fueled primarily by psychological effects that could persist for a decade.
The study, published by a team of internationally recognized economists and decision scientists in the current issue of Risk Analysis, monetized the effects of fear and risk perception and incorporated them into a state-of-the-art macroeconomic model.
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My Comment: My gut tells me that the costs will be greater than $16 billion.
Should Facebook And Twitter Be Monitored For Terrorists?
Monitoring Twitter And Facebook Could Foil Terrorists -- The TelegraphThe security services need to make greater use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter to track criminals and terrorists, the former head of GCHQ has said.
Sir David Omand said there was increasing use of social media to communicate and that the police and MI5 need to make use of the technology to keep suspects under surveillance.
If they failed to do so, there was a danger that such websites could become a “secret space” where criminals, paedophiles and terrorists could communicate unhindered, he said.
However, Sir David said the Government had to make it clear in what circumstances they would hack into an individual’s account.
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More News On The Former Head Of GCHQ Calling For Monitoring Facebook And Twitter
'We must be allowed to spy on Facebook and Twitter', says former Whitehall intelligence chief -- Daily Mail
Former spy chief calls for laws on online snooping -- The Guardian
Former GCHQ head calls for greater surveillance of Facebook and Twitter -- The Independent
My Comment: On the day that the former head of Britain's GCHQ calls for monitoring of social media sites, reports are leaked out that Al Qaeda is seeking cyber-attack skills. Is this a coincidence .... who knows.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Mind-Controlled Robot Unveiled
The robot that can be controlled by the brainwaves of a paraplegic person wearing an electrode-fitted cap Photo: Alain Herzog / EPFL
Mind-Controlled Robot For Paraplegics Unveiled -- The Telegraph
A robot that can be controlled by the brainwaves of a paraplegic person wearing an electrode-fitted cap has been unveiled.
A paralysed man at a hospital in the Swiss town of Sion demonstrated the device, sending a mental command to a computer in his room, which transmitted it to another computer that moved a small robot 37 miles away in Lausanne.
The system was developed by Jose Millan, a professor at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne who specialises in non-invasive interfaces between machines and the brain.
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Finding A 'Sugar-Daddy': A New High-Tech Social Trend In Paying ONe's University Fees?
SeekingArrangement.com has seen a major influx of students joining - and even offers such new members special benefits
Students Join Controversial Sugar Daddy Dating Site In Their Droves - As Founder Says Soaring British University Fees Are To Blame -- Daily Mail
Female students are flocking to 'sugar daddy' dating sites to meet rich older boyfriends as they struggle with debts which will average £53,000 for those starting degrees this year.
Faced with £9,000 annual tuition fees, increasing numbers of girls are using the sites to form relationships with rich older men who they hope will fund their studies.
Dating site SeekingArrangement.com has released figures showing the 20 British universities with the highest number of students joining the controversial site - and the numbers of girls who have signed up in the last year.
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My Comment: Older men and younger women being together is nothing new .... it's just that it has now gone high-tech.
A User's Guide For The Brain
The Brain: A User's Guide -- The TelegraphHow can a blind climber ‘see’? Will a machine ever outsmart the human mind? Is the internet making us more intelligent, or more stupid? David Eagleman, ‘rock star’ of neuroscience, has dedicated his life to finding the answers
It ought to be quite intimidating, talking to David Eagleman. He is one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, after all, known for his work on time perception, synaesthesia and the use of neurology in criminal justice. But as anyone who has read his best-selling books or listened to his TED talks online will know, he has a gift for communicating complicated ideas in an accessible and friendly way — Brian Cox with an American accent.
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How Bee Navigation May Assist Transportation And Travel
When landing, bees adjust their flight speed and altitude by measuring the optic flow generated by the ground. Credit: Xia Di
Bee Navigation Aids Robot Aircraft -- Cosmos
A scientist’s passion for bees and their remarkable flying skills is opening up undreamed-of possibilities in human transportation and travel.
Air travel is likely to become a great deal safer, more precise and efficient in future - thanks to the humble honeybee. From take-off to landing, both piloted and pilotless aircraft as well as ground vehicles are now starting to employ the vision and navigation strategies of these remarkable flying insects.
A wide range of aerial tasks that are repetitive or dangerous for humans, such as checking reservoirs, inspecting power transmission lines, bushfire and weather monitoring, mapping and exploring, and crop dusting as well as defence roles may soon be carried out based on what we have learned from bees. One day their abilities may even help us to explore Mars.
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My Comment: A detailed look on how they fly.
Six Traits Of Human Behavior
Human Nature: Six Things We All Do -- New Scientist
WHAT sort of creature is the human? The obvious answer is a smart, talkative, upright ape with a penchant for material possessions.
But what about the more subtle concept of human nature? That is more controversial. Some deny it exists, preferring to believe that we can be anything we want to be. They cannot be right.
Although we exhibit lots of individual and cultural variations, humans are animals, and like all animals we have idiosyncrasies, quirks and characteristics that distinguish us as a species. An invading alien would have no trouble categorising us but, being so close to our subject matter, we struggle to pin down the essence of humanness.
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My Comment: I am guilty of doing all six traits.
Where Is The Dark Matter?
An illustration of the Milky Way shows the expected distribution of dark matter as a blue halo. Illustration courtesy L. Calçada, ESO
Dark Matter Is Missing In Sun's Neighborhood? -- National Geographic
Substance isn't "where we needed it" to match theories, researcher says.
Dark matter is mysteriously missing from the sun's neighborhood, according to a new study that could provide ammunition for skeptics who argue that the invisible substance is just an illusion.
"There will be people claiming dark matter doesn't exist because of this result," predicted study leader Christian Moni-Bidin, an astronomer at Chile's University of Concepción.
"These observations alone do not prove that dark matter does not exist. Still, it is not where we expected it and where we needed it."
Read more ....
Robots That Can Be Blown Up But Keep On Working
Bombs Away Click here to get a bigger view of this amazing image. Reuters/Saad Shalash
The Robots That Can Be Blown Up and Keep On Detecting IEDs -- Popular Science
The homemade bombs known as IEDs accounted for 60 percent of all U.S. military injuries in Iraq and have killed more than 21,000 Iraqi civilians. Last November, a month before the last U.S. troops departed, Iraq’s federal bomb squad paraded with bomb-disposal robots in Baghdad. QinetiQ North America has sold 16 of the $100,000 remote-controlled Talons to the Iraqi police.
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My Comment: Better robots than our dedicated soldiers.
is There A Drone Site In Your Neighborhood?
Exposed: Location of sites where licences have been granted for the use of drones within the U.S. There are 63 active sites based in 20 states. Red flags show active sites and blue show those locations where licences have expired since 2006
Is There A Drone In Your Neighbourhood? Rise Of Spy Planes Exposed After FAA Is Forced To Reveal 63 Launch Sites Across U.S. -- Daily Mail
* Unmanned spy planes are being launched from locations in 20 states and owners include the military and universities
There are at least 63 active drone sites around the U.S, federal authorities have been forced to reveal following a landmark Freedom of Information lawsuit.
The unmanned planes – some of which may have been designed to kill terror suspects – are being launched from locations in 20 states.
Most of the active drones are deployed from military installations, enforcement agencies and border patrol teams, according to the Federal Aviation Authority.
Read more ....
More News On Drone Sites In The U.S.
FAA Reveals 63 Drone Launch Sites On US Territory -- Business Insider
Drones for “urban warfare” -- Salon
Report: 63 Active Drone Sites in the U.S. -- Newsroom America
Here Are the 61 Organizations With Permission To Fly Drones -- Gizmodo
Should We Blame Robots For Mistakes On The Battlefield?
Credit: Human Interaction with Nature and Technological Systems Lab / University of Washington
Should Robots Be Blamed For Battlefield Mistakes? -- Discovery News
If a robot in combat accidentally kills a civilian, who is to blame?
This isn't as straightforward of a question as it sounds. A team of scientists presented a study at the International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction and found that although robots don't have free will, people sometimes treat them as if they do.
The researchers had 40 undergraduate students play a scavenger hunt game with a human-like robot named Robovie. The robot was controlled remotely, but it appeared autonomous to the students.
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My Comment: I would blame both .... and if the programmers did their jobs properly .... the majority of the blame should then be on the human operators.
Aging Genes Highlighted As Potential Targets For Anti-Aging Therapies
Researchers have identified key genes that switch off with aging, highlighting them as potential targets for anti-aging therapies. (Credit: © Sandor Kacso / Fotolia)
Key Genes That Switch Off With Aging Highlighted As Potential Targets For Anti-Aging Therapies -- Science Daily
ScienceDaily (Apr. 19, 2012) — Researchers have identified key genes that switch off with aging, highlighting them as potential targets for anti-aging therapies.
Researchers at King's College London, in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, have identified a group of 'aging' genes that are switched on and off by natural mechanisms called epigenetic factors, influencing the rate of healthy aging and potential longevity.
Read more ....
Monday, April 23, 2012
Deleting Yourself From The Internet
How To Delete Yourself From The Internet -- CNetYou may not feel like the flotsam and jetsam that make up the facts of your life are important, but increasingly companies are using that dry data to make your every online step as indelible as if written in blood. Here's how to take back your digital dignity.
The Internet companies that power your online life know that data equals money, and they're becoming bolder about using that data to track you. If they get their way, your every online step would be not only irrevocable, but traceable back to you. Fortunately, there are some positive steps you can take to reclaim your online history for yourself.
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My Comment: Some good points here .... if you want your online presence gone .... start reading this article.
Men Prefer Women In Red
Men Prefer Women In Red Because They Think They Will Sleep With Them On First Date -- The Telegraph
It has long been a colour which is guaranteed to turn heads.
But now researchers believe they have found the real reason why men prefer ladies who wear red. Put simply, they think a scarlet-clad woman is more likely to sleep with them on a first date.
Psychologists who studied 120 male students aged 18 to 21 discovered that most thought choosing to wear red meant a woman had “greater sexual intent” and was more likely to jump into bed with a man than someone who opted for more neutral colours.
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My Comment: We are not that easy .... hmmmm .... maybe.
Google's 'Eye On The World' Releases Gallery Of Best Shots
Space Shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, awaiting launch to the International Space Station - its last flight
Google's 'Eye On The World' Releases Hand-Picked Gallery Of Best Shots Of Our Changing Planet - As Seen From 425 Miles Up -- Daily Mail
The GeoEye-1 satellite is capable of capturing details as small as a dustbin as it hurtles past our planet at 17,000mph - and its creators have hand-picked views that show off the majesty of our planet.
GeoEye provides exclusive imagery to the Google Earth and Google Maps applications.
It captures around 270,000 square miles of Earth's surface ever day - an amount of geographical data equivalent to the size of the State of Texas.
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My Comment: The images are stunning.
Is Marijuana-Infused Wine The New High?
Marijuana-Infused Wine: The New High? -- This WeekLooking for a new way to get buzzed? You're in luck: California winemakers are livening up bottles of syrah and cabernet sauvignon by adding weed.
Travelers making their way through California's Central Coast may smell a pungent new aroma coming from their wineglasses — thanks to a little marijuana. What began as a novelty in the 1980s is becoming more commonplace as California winemakers look to ferment grapes with the sticky, THC-laden leaves. Here, a brief guide to the munchy-inducing trend:
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My Comment: Not for me.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner Marks It's First U.S. Passenger Flight
Japan Airlines' Boeing 787 arriving at the gate at Boston's Logan International Airport. Photo: GE Aviation
Boeing 787 Dreamliner Begins First U.S. Passenger Flights -- Autopia
Sunday marked the first U.S. passenger flight for Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner, with Japan Airlines flying non-stop between Tokyo and Boston. The airline is the second to receive the efficient new composite airliner after fellow Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways. But JAL is the first to fly the Dreamliner to a U.S. city. The flight also marks Boston’s first non-stop service to Asia and the 787′s first transpacific flight.
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My Comment: A few years late .... but better late than never.
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