Archive for June, 2009
Boy Discovers Microbe That Eats Plastic
June 23rd, 2009Via: Mother Nature Network: PhDs have been searching for a solution to the plastic waste problem, and this 16-year-old finds the answer. It’s not your average science fair when the 16-year-old winner manages to solve a global waste crisis. But such was the case at last May’s Canadian Science Fair in Waterloo, Ontario, where Daniel […]
Google Analyzes Your Vacation Snaps to Figure Out Where You Were
June 23rd, 2009Via: Popular Science: Where were we when this was taken? Do you remember, dear? Tired of trying to identify landmarks in your endless folders of travel photos? Google’s image recognition engine could help. Just upload the mystery image to an online album, point the engine at it, and zap — turns out it was the […]
U.S. Credit Rating a “Solid Triple-A”: Moody’s
June 23rd, 2009“As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you’re fired.” —Glengarry Glen Ross Via: Reuters: Moody’s Investors Service said on Tuesday that the U.S. government’s triple-A credit rating was safe but added that it could be […]
Canada’s Swine Flu Vaccination Plan
June 23rd, 2009Via: Windsor Star: Five-to-40-year-olds and Canada’s aboriginal communities should be the first to get vaccinated against human swine flu, experts say as Canadian officials decide who gets priority for the flu shots. Under Canada’s official pandemic plan, the entire population would ultimately be immunized against the H1N1 swine flu. But the vaccine will become available […]
White House to Abandon Spy-Satellite Program
June 23rd, 2009Via: Wall Street Journal: The Obama administration plans to kill a controversial Bush administration spy satellite program at the Department of Homeland Security, according to officials familiar with the decision. The program came under fire from its inception two years ago. Democratic lawmakers said it would lead to domestic spying. The program would have provided […]
Possible Gold Bounce Setting Up
June 23rd, 2009WARNING: This is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any financial instrument. Gold is right around a its pennant support line. I also drew a “last change” pennant support line on the chart, in case it decides to pay attention to that one. If gold breaks down and out of this pennant… Well, […]
South Carolina Governor’s Whereabouts Unknown, Even to Wife
June 23rd, 2009Update: Hiking —End Update— I’ll put this in Economy until I have reason to add it to other categories. Via: AP: Where is South Carolina’s governor? The lieutenant governor doesn’t know, and neither does a state senator who’s a close confidante. Even Gov. Mark Sanford’s wife is in the dark. And while his staff said […]
Swiss Offer Millionaires a Haven Away from the Poor
June 22nd, 2009Via: Guardian: The plans of a Swiss canton to attract the super-rich by offering them the chance to buy property in exclusive, previously out of bounds locations has sparked a political row and accusations that the country is encouraging apartheid of the rich and poor. The canton of Obwalden is planning to launch “special living […]
China: Hundreds of Riot Police Battle the People of Shishou
June 22nd, 2009The text below is an AP piece, but you should really click through to see the images and videos. This is just a sample. Via: AP / East South West North: Hundreds of baton-wielding police on Sunday dispersed protesters and cordoned off a city hotel in central China after a young man’s mysterious death sparked […]
More Green Shoots: States Turning to Last Resorts in Budget Crisis
June 22nd, 2009Via: New York Times: In Hawaii, state employees are bracing for furloughs of three days a month over the next two years, the equivalent of a 14 percent pay cut. In Idaho, lawmakers reduced aid to public schools for the first time in recent memory, forcing pay cuts for teachers. And in California, where a […]
