Archive for the 'Rise of the Machines' Category
The First Bionic Hand that Can Feel
February 18th, 2013Via: Independent: The first bionic hand that allows an amputee to feel what they are touching will be transplanted later this year in a pioneering operation that could introduce a new generation of artificial limbs with sensory perception. The patient is an unnamed man in his 20s living in Rome who lost the lower part […]
Drones Are Taking to the Skies in the U.S.
February 18th, 2013Via: Los Angeles Times: While a national debate has erupted over the Obama administration’s lethal drone strikes overseas, federal authorities have stepped up efforts to license surveillance drones for law enforcement and other uses in U.S. airspace, spurring growing concern about violations of privacy. The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it had issued 1,428 permits […]
Germany: ‘Game’ to Destroy CCTV Cameras
February 6th, 2013Hide your face but then upload video of your crimes to a website? *chortle* I’d be astonished if this wasn’t a counterintelligence operation. As I was reading the piece, I was wondering if there were any upcoming protests in Berlin, because this activity would be a good way to come up with a list of […]
‘Between 60 and 80 percent of people’s time on the Internet at work has nothing to do with work.’
February 6th, 2013Not for long: Year after year, the software that runs computers and an array of other machines and devices becomes more sophisticated and powerful and capable of doing more efficiently tasks that humans have always done. Via: Kansas State University: Businesses must deal with weary-eyed office workers who are sitting behind computer screens and watching […]
City in Virginia Becomes First to Pass Anti-Drone Legislation
February 6th, 2013Via: U.S. News: Charlottesville, Va., has become the first city in the United States to formally pass an anti-drone resolution. The resolution, passed Monday, “calls on the United States Congress and the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia to adopt legislation prohibiting information obtained from the domestic use of drones from being introduced into […]
White House Memo on Assassinating Americans
February 6th, 2013Via: NBC: Legal experts expressed grave reservations Tuesday about an Obama administration memo concluding that the United States can order the killing of American citizens believed to be affiliated with al-Qaida — with one saying the White House was acting as “judge, jury and executioner.” The experts said that the memo, first obtained by NBC […]
British Army Uses Tiny Drones in Afghanistan; Just 10cm Long and Weighing 16 Grams
February 4th, 2013Via: Sky: British troops are using a nano drone just 10cm long and weighing 16 grams on the front line in Afghanistan to provide vital information on the ground. They are the first to use the state-of-the-art handheld tiny surveillance helicopters, which relay reliable full motion video and still images back to the devices’ handlers […]
The Rise of the Permanent Temp Economy
January 31st, 2013Via: New York Times: Politicians across the political spectrum herald “job creation,” but frightfully few of them talk about what kinds of jobs are being created. Yet this clearly matters: According to the Census Bureau, one-third of adults who live in poverty are working but do not earn enough to support themselves and their families. […]
China: Millions of People Getting Useless Degrees Wants Office Jobs that Don’t Exist
January 27th, 2013Wait until significant numbers of these men are unable to find wives and the option of working in the factories goes away… Via: New York Times: Jobs go begging in factories while many educated young workers are unemployed or underemployed. A national survey of urban residents, released this winter by a Chinese university, showed that […]
Maisto Fresh Metal Tailwinds 1:97 Scale Die Cast RQ-1 Predator with Display Stand
January 26th, 2013Check out the comments. Via: Amazon (This is not an Amazon affiliate link): Includes: US Air Force Medium Altitude, Long Endurance, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) RQ-1 Predator with Display Stand (Dimension: 6″ x 3-1/2″ x 1″) Detailed authentic replicas with display stand Die cast metal and plastic 1:97 Scale (Dimension: 6″ x 3-1/2″ x 1″) […]
