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If high-quality headphones are too big and bulky for you — or ruin your marvelous hair — and you're sick of having to replace earbuds every few months because the wires inevitably break in some fashion, Rich Lee has a solution for you. Mr. Lee implanted magnetic headphones into his ears.
The idea behind Lee's implants isn't actually too complicated, though it's definitely not for the squeamish. The magnetic implants work similarly to the bone vibration method we see in so many movies and video games today, which is actually available in real-life products such as Google's Glass. Rather than vibrating your facial bones, the magnets are stimulated using a magnetic coil — conveniently disguised as a necklace — that is hooked up to an amplifier.
Thankfully, you don't need to cut open your earlobes and implant magnets to get the headphones working — as you can simply create earbuds out of them — but then you wouldn't have secret headphones, and you could've just bought some earbuds in the first place. Perhaps surprisingly, Lee went through with the project himself, which makes these headphones a DIY endeavor, one that we highly recommended you don't try at home.
Basically, that's the project. Quite simple, right? However, Lee has some more complex and intriguing plans for his system. Aside from just listening to music or podcasts, he plans to also use the earlobe-phones in conjunction with his phone's GPS so he can get directions beamed right into his head. Perhaps a little worrisome amidst this whole NSA spying scandal, Lee plans to hook up the earlobe-phones to a directional microphone in order to listen in on conversations. He even envisions connecting the directional microphone to a voice stress analysis app running on a phone to help suss out if people are lying.
If that weren't enough, Lee feels he can create an echolocation system for his earlobe-phones. By connecting the rig to an ultrasonic range finder, the magnetic earpieces will hum whenever objects get close, which sounds like a feature straight out of a survival-horror video game. Aside from just being a cool way to, for example, see in the dark, this feature could help people who are blind navigate the world a little better as well.
Currently, the rig isn't perfect, as different stimuli — such as sticking something in your ear — affect the quality of the sound. However, if your head had built-in headphones, you wouldn't really need to keep something in your ear for very long. There are other issues at hand as well; you can't remove the magnets after all, and that won't always be ideal. An MRI wouldn't be thrilled about having a couple of magnets inside, nor would your ears be thrilled about being around high-powered magnets.
A less intrusive project in a similar vein can be found on Instructables, which is where Lee got the idea for his implants. We follow the transhumanist movement quite a bit, and you could call Lee's ear-magnets part of that movement. However, you probably shouldn't call his project a do-it-yourselfer, because then you might inspired people to cut open their ears and put magnets inside of them.
Now read: Gold nanoparticle artificial skin could sense touch, humidity, temperature all at the same time.


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Anti-Aging Skincare: Read This and You'll Never Need Plastic Surgery
Look, no knife! The newest face products plump up skin.
Ready for some interesting news? After years of rising plastic surgery rates, women are starting to avoid the scalpel. In fact, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, almost 30,000 fewer surgical cosmetic procedures were performed in 2009 than the year before. The reason? "Patients just don't want face-lifts; they're asking me about nonsurgical options instead," says New York City dermatologic surgeon Ariel Ostad, M.D. Those options exist at every price, and many focus on preventing skin troubles before they happen. Here's what you can do today, at every age.
Use sunscreen every day (even in winter). Yes, you've heard it before, but it's that important: UV rays cause aging. They actually make your cells lazy, especially the spots where skin naturally creases. To keep cells strong, slather your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen containing at least SPF 15, says NYC dermatologist Francesca Fusco, M.D. If you're going to be outside all day (hello, Labor Day picnic!), choose SPF 30 or more. Reapply every two hours, and don't forget the cake rule: Put on sunscreen like you're spreading icing. Use that much.
Be a label reader. Yes, it does make sense to start using anti-aging products now—you don't need the serious stuff yet, but a great moisturizer is key, says Dennis Gross, M.D., a dermatologist in NYC. Look for anti-wrinkle creams and lotions that contain: antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, pomegranate, acai, and apple stem cells, which can help protect collagen and elastin; anti-inflammatory agents, like mushroom and aloe; or hyaluronic acid, lipids and amino acids, like peptides and ceramides, to maintain skin's hydration.
Work out and get more sleep. "Exercise reduces the accumulation of free radicals inside your body, protecting your skin," Dr. Gross says. And seven to nine hours of quality snooze time promotes collagen production and cell repair. Good night!
Quit smoking. Every time you light up, you're sucking on a wrinkle stick, Dr. Fusco says. Smoke is loaded with free radicals that damage healthy skin cells, and pursing your lips around a cigarette can create lines.
Avoid crash diets. If you lose weight too fast—generally two pounds per week—you're probably shedding water, not fat, and that loss tends to first show up in your face. "I've seen so many women go nuts over a little tummy bulge, only to end up with sagging faces," Dr. Fusco says. Instead, whether you're trying to lose weight or not, stick with a vitamin- and mineral-rich diet made up of lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Also, add foods high in zinc, copper and selenium to your plate—they're skin-firming minerals, says Paula Simpson, a celebrity nutritionist who's worked with Drew Barrymore and Sandra Bullock. Great sources: chicken, oysters, walnuts and chickpeas.
Look for targeted wrinkle fighters. As skin cells get older, they lose their ability to prevent moisture loss, Dr. Gross explains. Lotions and creams are fine—they lock in water and prevent dehydration. But serums pack a bigger anti-aging punch because they have higher concentrations of active ingredients (that's why they're pricier). Look for a serum that features antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, acai and green tea, says Dr. Gross, and apply it before your sunscreen. Another powerful name to know: retinoids—one of the few families of ingredients really proven to diminish the appearance of lines. "Retinoids have more than 25 years of hard data proving that they improve collagen and elastin production, reduce wrinkles, shrink pores and minimize brown spots," Dr. Fusco says. (They're also prescribed to treat acne, giving women in their teens and twenties an anti-aging head start.) Look for retinol and retinaldehyde in drugstore creams, or ask your doc for retinoic acid.
Wear a big pair of sunglasses. No, not to hide anything: You're gorgeous! The idea is to protect the thin skin around your eyes, says Dr. Fusco. "Squinting in the sun etches the lines in deeper." Use an eye cream morning and night, too—or a fragrance-free gel if creams make you puffy.
Fight dryness from the inside out. Don't rely just on guzzling water. Noshing on juicy fruits and veggies (cucumber and melon are good) gives skin a bigger boost, says Howard Murad, M.D., a Los Angeles dermatologist, in his new book, The Water Secret. They're packed with nutrients that strengthen cells so your skin is better able to hold on to the water you give it. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in nuts, seeds and fish, help keep skin supple too.
Find stuff that fixes age spots. They're caused by the sun, so use sunscreen religiously to prevent new ones. To lighten existing spots, try a brightening treatment with vitamin C (they're available over the counter). Those magical retinoids help here, too, by encouraging skin to turn over faster, revealing fresh cells underneath. To avoid irritation, apply brightening products in the A.M. (before SPF) and retinoid creams at night, Dr. Fusco says. An illuminating foundation is an ally too, says NYC makeup artist Dara Klein: "It can cover any flaw."
Take deep breaths. Stress is a big ager too. "When you produce more adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol, your skin's firmness and elasticity suffer," Dr. Gross says. "Plus, you tend to frown more, which enhances wrinkles." To unwind, try yoga, meditation, walking or chatting with a friend (the calm one, not the soap star).
Learn how to fake great skin. Sure, makeup conceals age spots, says Klein, but it can also make wrinkles more prominent if the pigments pool into them. The fix: Use a silicone-based primer first to fill in little lines, and swap powders for more-forgiving cream formulas.
Consider high-tech gadgets. "There's been a paradigm shift," Dr. Ostad says. "I have patients asking for laser treatments rather than full-on face-lifts." The benefits are big: A laser can jump-start collagen and elastin production, firm skin, plump wrinkles, and shrink pores—fixing the things women in their late thirties and forties complain about most. But treatments can cost $1,000 a pop. The budget option: An at-home device that emits red light (Ansr: Beam, $148, is a popular one) might get you similar effects. "There is data that shows light therapy promotes collagen regeneration, but I'd like to see more concrete evidence," Dr. Ostad says.
Stop obsessing. Even Dr. Gross, who regularly uses Botox on his patients, says, "when gorgeous women come in for wrinkles' I can't see with a magnifying glass, they don't get Botox from me. Instead, I offer some life advice: If a virtually invisible flaw upsets you now, no procedure will ever make you happy when the real wrinkles show up." Our Rx? Perspective and confidence—now, as ever, the best beauty tools around.

subset: commoncrawl


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The iHeartCountry Festival is back for the fifth straight year, and 2018's festivities will be the ultimate celebration of country music, as many of country's biggest superstars will be taking the stage at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas this year.
This year's lineup is full of some of the hottest artists in country music, including Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Dustin Lynch, Cole Swindell, Maren Morris, Sugarland, Luke Combs, Billy Currington, Dan + Shay, Jon Pardi and Brett Young, with more to be announced. And taking on hosting duties once again this year will be Bobby Bones.
This year's iHeartCountry Festival will take place Saturday, May 5th at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. The Frank Erwin Center enforces a Clear Bag Policy. For more on this guideline, please click HERE.
Tickets will be available through an exclusive AT&T THANKS Priority Pre-sale beginning February 27th at 10 a.m. CT through March 1 at 10 a.m. CT via the AT&T THANKS app. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 2 at 12 p.m. CT via TexasBoxOffice.com.
And if you can't make it to Austin this year, we've got you covered. iHeartMedia's Country music radio stations will broadcast the event live in their local markets and at iHeartRadio.com. Streaming details will be announced soon.
For more information visit iHeartRadio.com/countryfestival. See you in Austin!


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' Northernlights: Operator Manual Northernlights M643
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Sox finish home season by beating Blue Jays
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 2
David Ortiz and Jackie Bradley Jr. homered to lead the AL East champion Boston Red Sox to a 5-2 victory over the last-place Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday in the regular-season finale at Fenway Park.
Felix Doubront (11-6) pitched seven strong innings in his last start before moving to the bullpen for the playoffs. The Red Sox clinched the division title on Friday and, with 95 wins, have the lead in the race for home-field advantage through the AL playoffs.
Koji Uehara pitched a perfect ninth for his 21st save.
Kevin Pillar homered and added an RBI single for Toronto. Reigning NL Cy Young-winner R.A. Dickey (13-13) allowed five runs on six hits and a walk, with a season-high 11 strikeouts in his third complete game of the season.
Doubront gave up two runs on four hits and two walks, striking out two in his first appearance since Sept. 6. He will move to the bullpen next weekend.
Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Pillar's single, but Boston scored four in the bottom half on three singles and Bradley's three-run homer.
After the Blue Jays cut the lead to 4-2 on Pillar's homer off the top of the Green Monster, Ortiz made it a three-run game with a towering shot into the Toronto bullpen.
Ortiz was also given a double in the third inning even though replays showed he slid into second baseman Ryan Goins' glove and should have been out.
NOTES: Rajai Davis stole his 45th base of the season in the Toronto eighth. ... The Red Sox unveiled a statue of Carl Yastrzemski outside the ballpark before the game. .. Red Sox manager John Farrell said he is optimistic CF Jacoby Ellsbury (broken bone in right foot) will be able to return on Wednesday, in time to get ready for the playoffs. ... The Red Sox won 95 games for the seventh time since 2003. ... Toronto travels to Chicago for a makeup game Monday against the White Sox, then on to Baltimore. The Red Sox have a day off before playing two in Colorado and three in Baltimore.


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New Durham woman accused of starving boy sentenced
Christina Thomas sentenced to 10-30 years behind bars
A woman convicted of withholding food from a boy living in her New Durham home will spend the next 10-30 years behind bars.
Christina Thomas, 33, was convicted of first-degree assault in February. She was accused of starving a boy in her care and forcing him at times to stay in a dog cage in her basement.
"At best it involved conduct that was depraved and callous and at worst her conduct was evil and sociopathic," said Alysia Cassotis, the deputy Strafford County attorney.
Prosecutors said the incidents happened from 2006 to 2010, when the boy was 3 to 6 years old.
At one point, the 6-year-old boy in her home weighed just 23 pounds. He wore toddler size 3 clothing when he was removed from Thomas' care.
The boy's biological mother, who has since signed over parental rights to adoptive parents, and is an alleged victim of Thomas, spoke at the sentencing.
"He was a normal healthy baby until Tina Thomas coerced me into leaving the care of my son to her," said Erin Albin, the boy's biological mother. "Due to the crimes committed by Tina Thomas to my son, my son has suffered the following ... he was beaten and not fed, which stunted his growth and his development."
Tim Landry, the boy's biological grandfather, said he was satisfied with the judge's sentence.
"The court did well and my personal opinion is I hope she rots in jail," said Landry.
Thomas' attorney had asked the judge to consider a shorter sentence of two and a half to 10 years because of a diagnosed personality disorder.
Thomas also faces new perjury charges related to her trial. She was arraigned on the new charges Monday morning.
Thomas' mother, Peggy Star, has been charged in connection with the case.
Prosecutors said the boy is now with an adoptive family, and has grown and put on weight.


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U.S. Open Notebook: Graeme McDowell's Slide Continues at U.S. Open
PINEHURST, N.C. | Graeme McDowell spent as much energy Saturday fighting frustration as he did the demanding conditions at the U.S. Open.
Three strokes back after the first round, the 2010 Open winner had seven bogeys in a 5-over 75 that left him 7 over after 54 holes. It was his second straight day over par, sliding him further down the leaderboard after a promising start at Pinehurst No. 2.
"It's very, very difficult mentally, to stay in it," McDowell said. "You start thinking to yourself, 'I'm not even sure if I want to play tomorrow.' It's not really enjoyable. It's not enjoyable. It's very difficult. But it's the U.S. Open."
McDowell opened with a 68 on Thursday, playing conservatively but putting the ball where he wanted it in a nearly mistake-free performance. But he fell back Friday with a 74, making four bogeys and a double bogey.
Things did not get any better Saturday as the course got harder and faster with unforgiving pin placements.
His sixth hole started a run of four straight bogeys before the turn, with two more coming on the 13th and 16th holes.
"This is a hard golf course for me because it's so long," McDowell said. "I don't get a lot of wedges in my hands, short irons in my hands. That's the strength of my game. ... My iron play hasn't been bad. I just haven't given myself enough opportunities.
"It's the US Open, golf's toughest test. And they were right today."
Kenny Perry's final U.S. Open now includes what he figures is the longest shot of his career.
Perry eagled the par-4 14th with a 220-yard shot out of a bunker. The ball bounced on the green and rolled straight to the pin with enough speed that last he thought it might zip right by the hole.
"Came out like a dream," he said.
The 53-year-old Perry, who plays on the Champions Tour, is playing in the Open for the first time since 2010. Last year's U.S. Senior Open winner played Saturday with Billy Horschel — who at 27 is the same age as Perry's youngest daughter.
"I still hit my drivers as far as Billy hits it, but his irons are different," Perry said. "They're coming out higher, softer, more spin. My irons are a lot flatter now with less spin.
"It makes it very difficult to compete in a major championship, but it does just fine on the Champions Tour."
He was 7 over after a 74.
Retief Goosen earned a 10-year exemption to play in the U.S. Open after winning his second title in 2004.
That comes to an end this year, meaning Goosen is hoping to finish high enough this weekend to secure a spot at Chambers Bay in 2015.
The top 10 and ties earn exemptions into the following year's Open.
The 45-year-old Goosen, ranked 214th in the world, finished Saturday with his second straight 1-over 71, putting him at 5-over 215.
"I've had a good run in the U.S. Open," he said, "and if I make it into next year, great."


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1. "Creamed" Corn
Cut kernels from 8 ears corn; scrape cob juices into 4-quart saucepan; add kernels and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook on medium for 15 minutes, stirring often. Transfer 1 1/2 cup cooked corn to food processor; puree until almost smooth and return to pot with corn, stirring.
2. No-Cook Summer Squash
Toss 12 oz. summer squash, thinly sliced, with 1/2 cup crumbled feta, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3. Tomato & Parsley Mini Penne
Toss 8 oz. cooked mini penne with 12 oz. tomatoes, grated; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
More From Good Housekeeping
4. Olive & Red Pepper Couscous
Toss 3 cups cooked couscous with 1 large grilled red pepper, thinly sliced, and 3/4 cup pitted green olives, cut into quarters.
5. Roman-Style Green Beans
Toss 1 1/2 lbs. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces and steamed, with 1/3 cup packed fresh mint leaves, torn; 1/3 cup shaved Pecorino cheese; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; and 1/2 teaspoon salt.


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Interested in translating Finnish plays? Finnish Literature Exchange FILI promotes the publication of Finnish literature in translation around the world. Read more about their travel grants and residency programme.
www.naytelmat.fi is an online-library of Finnish plays, both classic and contemporary. Main part of the texts are in Finnish, but some translations are included. The service is provided by the Finnish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild.
Long plays4377
Short plays1567
Translation Grants
Acquire a license
Theatres, directors and teachers can acquire a licens for a yearly fee. The licens gives you access to www.naytelmat.fi on-line library of Finnish classical and contemporary plays.


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Top Items:
Google Investor Relations:
GOOGLE ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER 2009 RESULTS — Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2009. — "Google had a good quarter given the depth of the recession—while revenues were down quarter over quarter, they grew 6% year over year, thanks to continued strong query growth.
Greg Sterling / Search Engine Land: Google Q1 Revs $5.5 billion, Down 3 Percent Vs. Q4
Rich Miller / Data Center Knowledge: Google CapEx Continues To Trend Lower
Terrence Russell / VentureBeat: Google defies economy, ekes out decent Q1
Om Malik / GigaOM: And Another Google Senior Executive Shake-up
Brier Dudley / Brier Dudley's blog: Google gets thrifty: sales fall 3% in quarter, stock jumps 5% (briefly)
Jeff Baumgartner / Contentinople: Google Reports First-Ever Sequential Drop in Revenues
Larry Dignan / Between the Lines: Google earnings deliver; Sales growth slows; Economy still in 'uncharted territory'
Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins / The SiliconANGLE: Even in Failure, Google Outperforms Expectations
John C Abell / Epicenter: Google Q1 Surprises, Shares Rally After Hours
Thomas Claburn / InformationWeek: Google's Earnings Positive But In 'Uncharted Territory'
Jason Wilk / tinyComb: GOOG Beats Earnings
Henry Blodget / Silicon Alley Insider: Google Earnings Preview: Pray For Upside
MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
Google Shows a 3% Sequential Dip In Revenues: First One Ever — Google has just announced its Q1 2009 results, and for the first time ever, there has been a dip. Revenue fell 3% for the quarter versus the fourth quarter of 2008. But, for the year, revenues were still up.
Discussion: The Register, BetaNews, eWeek and GigaOM
Austin Modine / The Register: Google money machine records Q1 choking sound
Angela Gunn / BetaNews: Google posts its first-ever revenue decline
Nicholas Kolakowski / eWeek: Google Q1 Profit, Revenue Drop amid U.S. Recession
Kevin Kelleher / GigaOM: Google's Eric Schmidt Talks Twitter
Joseph Tartakoff / paidContent.org:
Earnings: Google Beats Expectations; Net Revenues Up 10 Percent
Earnings: Google Beats Expectations; Net Revenues Up 10 Percent
Discussion: Bloomberg, CNNMoney.com, CNET News, Tech Trader Daily, Agence France Presse, Dow Jones Newswires, paidContent and Mercury News
Julianne Pepitone / CNNMoney.com: Google profit beats estimates
Stephen Shankland / CNET News: Search growth helps loft Google over profit estimate
Elise Ackerman / Mercury News: Google profits up but growth slows
Greg Sandoval / CNET News:
YouTube signs Sony, preps site for studio content — Move over Hotforwords, Lonelygirl15, and all the other YouTube stars. The video site is bringing in more professionally made content and plans to make it a marquee product. — The Internet's largest video site on Thursday announced …
Discussion: Ars Technica, Epicenter, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Between the Lines, The Biz, Reuters, PSFK and Hollywood Reporter
Jacqui Cheng / Ars Technica: YouTube launching premium section with movies, TV shows
Chris Snyder / Epicenter: YouTube Edges Cautiously from Roots Towards Hollywood
Jason Kincaid / TechCrunch: YouTube Takes Aim At Hulu With "Party Of Five"
Hilary Lewis / The Biz: YouTube Reaches Deals With Sony, Starz, Lionsgate And Others
Susan Zeidler / Reuters: YouTube clinches deal with studios
Piers Fawkes / PSFK: YouTube Does Movies
Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:
YouTube Preps Its (Sort of) Hulu Answer: Movies, TV Shows From Sony, Others — Here's Google's sort-of answer to Hulu: A newly designed page to showcase TV shows and movies, along with new players and a new ad strategy. — What's not included: almost any first-run TV show or newly released movie.
Discussion: VentureBeat
Anthony Ha / VentureBeat: YouTube takes 'baby step' towards countering Hulu
Stephen Shankland / CNET News:
Google bringing pay-per-view to YouTube
Google bringing pay-per-view to YouTube
Justin Mann / TechSpot: Paid videos inching closer to YouTube
Frederic Lardinois / ReadWriteWeb:
Operation Basement Dad: How 4Chan Could Beat CNN & Ashton Kutcher — While Ashton Kutcher and CNN are trying to be the first to hit 1 million followers on Twitter, Joseph Frieschel, an inconspicuous Australian MD, is quickly catching up. Frieschel only opened his Twitter account last night, but he already has over 200,000 followers.
Discussion: L.A. Times Tech Blog, All Facebook, Guardian, Silicon Alley Insider, Laughing Squid, TechCrunch, VentureBeat and Inside Facebook
Nick O'Neill / All Facebook: Ashton Kutcher Surpasses 1 Million Fans On Facebook. Take That Twitter!
Jack Schofield / Guardian: Kutcher catching CNN in Twitter race, Oprah starts late
Nicholas Carlson / Silicon Alley Insider: 4chan Enters Into Race For 1 Million Twitter Followers
Camille Ricketts / VentureBeat: Watch it live: Kutcher vs. CNN race to a million Twitter followers
Justin Smith / Inside Facebook: Ironically, Kutcher Crosses 1 Million Fans on Facebook Before Twitter
MG Siegler / TechCrunch:
Oprah's First Tweet Will Be Tomorrow On Her Show. Soccer Moms To Take Over The Service? — Talk show host Oprah Winfrey has taken control of her own Twitter name, @oprah, she announced on her Facebook page today. And tomorrow, she'll start using it, on her show.
Discussion: Between the Lines, TechFlash, Bits, PC World, CNET News and dot.life blog
Eric Engleman / TechFlash: Oprah to Twitter; Kindle 2 sales; HomeSavvi expands, and more
Claire Cain Miller / Bits: Twitter Gets the Oprah Treatment
Caroline McCarthy / CNET News: Hey, Twitter guys, quit teasing us!
Maggie Shiels / dot.life blog: Twitter and The Oprah Effect
Nate Anderson / Ars Technica:
They're gone! After outcry, Time Warner uncaps the tubes — After a public outcry and the attention of several members of Congress, Time Warner Cable has stopped its trial of Internet data caps, but not before making "metered billing" a tough sell for all other American ISPs.
Discussion: Democrat And Chronicle, Engadget HD, Obsessable and Save the Internet Blog
Donald Melanson / Engadget HD: Time Warner Cable scraps broadband capping plan in Rochester, NY
Karl Bode / DSLreports:
Time Warner Backs Off Metered Billing - Consumers: 1 Time Warner Cable: 0
Time Warner Backs Off Metered Billing - Consumers: 1 Time Warner Cable: 0
Discussion: Techdirt, WHAM-TV, Epicenter, paidContent.org, eWeek, Between the Lines, Stop the Cap!, Big Download Blog and InformationWeek
Michael Masnick / Techdirt: Time Warner Backs Off Metered Billing... Until It Can Figure …
Rachel Barnhart / WHAM-TV: Time Warner Cable Drops New Internet Price Plan
Ryan Singel / Epicenter: Time Warner Cable Cancels Download Cap Plans
Tom Steinert-Threlkeld / Between the Lines: What Price Bandwidth? Time Warner Cable Should Not Back Off
Phillip Dampier / Stop the Cap!: We Won! Time Warner Killing Usage Caps "In All Markets" …
John Callaham / Big Download Blog: Time Warner Cable backs off (for now) on broadband Internet cap pricing
Antone Gonsalves / InformationWeek: Time Warner Shelves Bandwidth Caps For Now
Richard Bennett / Broadband Politics:
Time Warner Cable bides its time
Time Warner Cable bides its time
Cecilia Kang / Post I.T.: Time Warner Stops Pay-As-Use Internet Tests
Roy Mark / eWeek: Time Warner Broadband Plan Sparks Tiers of Fear
Stephanie Clifford / New York Times:
Video Prank at Domino's Taints Brand — When two Domino's Pizza employees filmed a prank in the restaurant's kitchen, they decided to post it online. In a few days, thanks to the power of social media, they ended up with felony charges, more than a million disgusted viewers, and a major company facing a public relations crisis.
Frederic Lardinois / ReadWriteWeb:
Domino's: How One YouTube Video Can Ruin a Brand
Domino's: How One YouTube Video Can Ruin a Brand
Discussion: USA Today
Bruce Horovitz / USA Today: Domino's nightmare holds lessons for marketers
Josh Lowensohn / CNET News:
National Geographic's Infinite Photograph will mesmerize you — National Geographic has a fun new feature called the Infinite Photograph that takes over 300,000 photos collected from its archives and submitted by users, and turns them into a giant photo mosaic.
Discussion: BetaNews and Photography Blog
Tim Conneally / BetaNews: You can build your own photo mosaics with National Geographic
Zoltan Arva-Toth / Photography Blog: National Geographic Infinite Photograph
Nicholas Carlson / Silicon Alley Insider:
Meet Google's New Global Sales Boss, Nikesh Arora — President of international operations Nikesh Arora — best known for running Google Europe until April — will replace Omid Kordestani as Google's (GOOG) global sales boss, according to a note in the company's quarterly filing.
Discussion: Gawker
Owen Thomas / Gawker: Google's Top Salesman Ditches the Company at Its Peak
Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:
Google Still Shaking Up Sales Force: Nikesh Arora Replaces Omid Kordestani
Google Still Shaking Up Sales Force: Nikesh Arora Replaces Omid Kordestani
Discussion: paidContent.org
Caroline McCarthy / CNET News:
Ning hits 1 million social networks — It launched just over two years ago. — Ning now has 22 million registered users, about 6.1 million of whom are considered active. Out of the million networks, about a fifth are currently active. — While these numbers are still small compared …
Discussion: ReadWriteWeb, TechCrunch, bub.blicio.us, VentureBeat, Ning Blog, Silicon Alley Insider, Pulse2 and Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim
Frederic Lardinois / ReadWriteWeb: Ning Now Hosts 1 Million Social Networks
Jason Kincaid / TechCrunch: Ning: 1 Million Social Networks Strong
Michellelentz / bub.blicio.us: Ning Hits 1 Million Niche Networks
Athena von Oech / Ning Blog: One Million Social Networks on Ning!
Dan Frommer / Silicon Alley Insider: Ning Growth, Traffic Soaring
Amit Chowdhry / Pulse2: Ning Milestone: 1 Million Social Networks Created
Frank Reed / Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim: Ning Shows Some Zing
Eric Krangel / Silicon Alley Insider:
Excel-Lookalike Twitter Client Helps You Goof Off At Work — For a full-featured Twitter client, we like TweetDeck. But if we had a real job — something other than tech journalist, where we're obliged to goof off on Twitter at the office — we'd use Spreadtweet.
Discussion: Channel 10
Sarahintampa / Channel 10: Hide Your Tweets in Fake Excel Sheet
Mark Zuckerberg Today / Facebook Blog:
Voting Begins on Governing the Facebook Site — Today, we take the next step in opening our site governance to everyone who uses Facebook with our first user vote. Through an application developed by Wildfire Promotion Builder, you can now vote on which documents you want to serve as the foundation for governing the Facebook site.
Discussion: CNET News, Between the Lines, All Facebook, Inside Facebook and Mashable!
Steven Musil / CNET News: Facebook opens up vote on new terms of service
Nick O'Neill / All Facebook: Facebook Opens Up Voting For Site's Terms Of Service
Justin Smith / Inside Facebook: Facebook Site Governance Vote Begins - Proposed Terms Out to Early 71% - 29% Lead
Adam Ostrow / Mashable!: Facebook: Vote for the Terms of Use You Want
Declan McCullagh / CNET News:
Tax-free Internet shopping may be at an end — If a little-known but influential alliance of state politicians, large retailers, and tax collectors have their way, the days of tax-free Internet shopping may be nearly over. — A bill expected to be introduced in the U.S. Congress as early …
Michael Masnick / Techdirt: More Digitial Download Taxes On The Way
Eric Engleman / TechFlash: Will U.S. Congress put a stop to tax-free online shopping?
Rory Maher / paidContent.org:
Price Hikes Dampened iTunes Sales — Last week was the first week of iTunes's new, steeper pricing on some tracks, and consumers voted with their wallets, according to Billboard. Sales figures from iTunes show that tracks that now sell for $1.29, up from $.99, sold 12.5 percent fewer units …
Discussion: BetaNews, Between the Lines and AppleInsider
Tim Conneally / BetaNews: Simple economics: Week one of the iTunes price change
Katie Marsal / AppleInsider: iTunes price changes deliver mixed results
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
300,000 Kindle 2s Sold To Date — Amazon's Kindle 2, which first shipped in late February, is selling at roughly double the rate of the first generation device, says a source close to Amazon. Approximately 300,000 of the Kindle 2s have been shipped to date, suggesting Amazon …
Discussion: Technologizer and Silicon Alley Insider
Ed Oswald / Technologizer: Kindle: It's a Certifiable Hit
Dave McClure / Facebook Developers:
Want to Get Connected? Apply for fbFund '09 Incubator Program and Come to California! — Guest post by Founders Fund startup investor and geek blogger Dave McClure, who will be running the fbFund 2009 Incubator Program. — "Everything that can be invented has been invented."
Discussion: VentureBeat, CNET News, All Facebook and Inside Facebook
Harrison Hoffman / CNET News: Facebook's fbFund to launch incubator program
Nick O'Neill / All Facebook: Facebook Announces fbFund Incubator Program
Justin Smith / Inside Facebook: fbFund Application Deadline Approaching Monday …
Arik Hesseldahl / Business Week:
Mac vs. PC: What You Don't Get for $699 — A 17-in. PC may cost a lot less than a 17-in. Mac. But you get less, too, including security, multimedia tools, and, some say, satisfaction — I'm a sucker for a well-made TV ad. — Inspired by the Nike (NKE) "Just Do It" and "Air Jordan" …
Discussion: AppleInsider, MacRumors, The Toybox and CNET News
Prince McLean / AppleInsider: Apple responds to Microsoft ads: "a PC is no bargain"
Andrew Nusca / The Toybox: Apple: 'PC is no bargain when it doesn't do what you want'
Ina Fried / CNET News: Microsoft's 'Apple Tax' faces another audit
Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:
So much for recession proof: U.S. video game sales take a 17 percent dip in March — U.S. video game sales have held up in the recession, until now. Sales of console games, hardware and accessories fell 17 percent in March to $1.43 billion from $1.72 billion a year ago, according to market researcher NPD Group.
Discussion: The Technology Chronicles, TechFlash, Digits, Ars Technica, CNET News and Big Download Blog
Yukari Iwatani Kane / Digits: Did Easter in April Hurt March Videogame Sales?
Daniel Terdiman / CNET News: Video game industry sales finally take a hit
Chris Ziegler / Engadget Mobile:
Verizon chief talks LTE iPhones, hates on rival: "I don't know what Sprint thinks it is" — In a refreshingly open, straight-shooting interview with the Wall Street Journal, Verizon boss Ivan Seidenberg — who has a reputation for being candid — talked about virtually every hot-button topic facing …
Discussion: AppleInsider, Wall Street Journal, MacRumors, Phone Scoop and Gizmodo
Roger Cheng / Wall Street Journal: Verizon CEO Eyes Global Assets
Matt Buchanan / Gizmodo: Verizon CEO Admits They Want iPhone, Won't Happen 'Til iPhone 4G
CBC News:
Cybercriminals create botnet using Mac computers — A piece of malicious software unwittingly shared over a peer-to-peer network in January was the key tool in what security researchers are saying was the first known attempt to create a botnet of Mac computers.
Discussion: eWeek, Zero Day, Guardian, The Register and Edible Apple
Larry Seltzer / eWeek: Mac Vulnerability to Botnets Proven in Real-World Case
Ryan Naraine / Zero Day: iBotnet: Researchers find signs of zombie Macs
Jack Schofield / Guardian: World's first Mac botnet
Dan Goodin / The Register: Researchers dissect world's first Mac botnet
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
Announcing The TechFellow Awards With Founders Fund — I'm very pleased to announce a new startup investment program today called The TechFellow Awards in partnership with Founders Fund. The goal is to honor technology innovators and stoke new investment in great early stage ideas.
Discussion: The LinkedIn Blog and Master of 500 Hats, Thanks:keremozkan
Mario Sundar / The LinkedIn Blog: The TechFellows Award - Investing in Startups
Eric Slivka / MacRumors:
Apple's US Market Share Slips in 1Q 2009 — Gartner has released a preliminary report detailing U.S. and worldwide PC shipments for the first quarter of 2009. The report pegs Apple's U.S. market share in fourth place among vendors at 7.4%, down from 8.0% in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Discussion: The Register, IDC, Gartner, TUAW, InformationWeek, Ars Technica, Technologizer, Guardian and Boy Genius Report
Gavin Clarke / The Register: Analyst postpones PC industry recovery
Mike Schramm / TUAW: Apple market share drops slightly in the past year
Antone Gonsalves / InformationWeek: HP Topples Dell From No. 1 Perch In U.S.
Chris Foresman / Ars Technica: Apple growth turns negative as worldwide PC shipments plunge
Jack Schofield / Guardian: PC sales down 7%, Dell toppled in the US
Zach Epstein / Boy Genius Report: PC sales down in Q1, Apple loses market share
Arn / MacRumors:
Apple Researching Movement-Aware Interfaces for iPhones, Depicts Front-Facing Video Camera — Apple has been conducting ongoing research into how to further improve their mobile device interfaces as evidenced by a couple of patent applications published over the past couple of weeks.
Discussion: The Register, TechSpot, Gearlog, IntoMobile, CrunchGear, DailyTech, The Apple Core, CNET News, I4U News and Gizmodo
Rik Myslewski / The Register: Prepare for Apple's self-resizing iPhone interface
Jose Vilches / TechSpot: Patent filings provide glimpse at future iPhone features
Brian Heater / Gearlog: Apple Patents Hint at Gesture-Based Input
Will Park / IntoMobile: Apple iPhone patent application hints at dynamic UI and front-facing camera!
Nicholas Deleon / CrunchGear: Apple patent shows front-facing camera: Hello, video calls
Jason D. O'Grady / The Apple Core: Front-facing video camera spotted in Apple patent application
Marguerite Reardon / CNET News: Apple patent filings hint at iPhone evolution
Luigi Lugmayr / I4U News: Apple files Patents for Future iPhone Features
Leena Rao / TechCrunch:
Yelp's New And Improved iPhone App Officially Hits The App Store — Yelp's version 2.0 of its iPhone app has officially hit Apple's App store. We reported on Yelp's focus on the mobile space and its importance here. — As we wrote recently, the new app gives consumers even more ease …
Discussion: Gizmodo, ReadWriteWeb and AppScout
Mark Wilson / Gizmodo: WSJ's Free iPhone App Is Already Better than the NYT App
Marshall Kirkpatrick / ReadWriteWeb: Should Governments Build iPhone Apps During a Recession?
Kyle Monson / AppScout: Take This iPhone App to the Ballgame
HTC Press Release:
New HTC Touch Diamond2™ and HTC Touch Pro2™ Signal a New Wave in Communication — New phones simplify information access with HTC Push Internet and unify personal communication with single-view contact integration — HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile phones …
Discussion: Unwired View, The Toybox, Mobility Site and MobileCrunch
Ilinca Nita / Unwired View: HTC Touch Pro2 priced: it will retail for about $880
Andrew Nusca / The Toybox: HTC makes Touch Diamond2, Touch Pro2 official
Chris Leckness / Mobility Site: HTC Touch Pro 2 hits retail for almost $900


text:
We use only the freshest finest ingredients. Our fish is flown in from the east coast weekly. Always fresh, Never Frozen.
We use Thuman's Deli meats, also shipped weekly from the east coast as well as Hebrew National Salami and all beef hot dogs.
Open 7 Days a week - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Catering: (503) 242-0055
We make Deli Trays: Meat and Cheese, Vegi and Dip, Fruit Trays, Smoked Fish Platters, Bagel and Cream Cheese.
Please call for prices and allow 1-2 days notice in most cases.
$12.50 per person
8 person minimum
A bountiful arrangement of Corned Beef, Turkey, Salami, Roast Beef, Swiss and Cheddar Cheese, served with Lettuce, Tomato and Onion. We garnish with Pickles and accompany with freshly baked Rye Bread, Whole Wheat and Sourdough,and an assortment of condiments.
*Add potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Macaroni Salad or Potato Chips for $1.00 more per person
**Substitute freshly baked Bagels for Rye Bread for $1.00 more per person
$15.50 per person
8 person minimum
A selection of our tasty Smoked Fish, Professionally arranged on a bed of Greens with Red Onions, Tomatoes, and Capers. Fish includes Nova Scotia Lox, Whitefish Salad, Herring Salad and Herring in Wine or Sour Cream. Served with fresh baked Bagels and Cream Cheese. Other Fish choices are available.
Delivery: (503) 242-0055
Please allow a minimum 2 hour notice. $50 minimum order inside the neighborhood and $100 minimum order outside the neighborhood. Delivery charges vary according to distance.
For bagel orders of more than 1 dozen please call 24 hours ahead.
New York Times review: http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/best-in-the-northwest-village-kornblatts-deli-portland/
Stumptown Lunch review: http://www.stumptownlunch.com/2011/08/16/review-kornblatts-deli-nw-portland/


text:
Watch the October 2016 Winning Short Screenplay.
Genre: Drama
A young man confronts his teacher from high school
NARRATOR – Hugh Ritchie
YOUNG MAN – Benjamin Camenzuli
MISS PATTERSON – Becky Shrimpton
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your screenplay about?
A young man confronts his teacher from high school.
What genres does your screenplay under?
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
To get people talking about mental health and the voting system.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Dramatic confrontation
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Reservoir Dogs
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
2 Months
How many stories have you written?
5 Short films 5 Feature scripts
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
People I know and don't know with mental health issues
What obstacles…
View original post 64 more words


text:
(visited by Daniel Klein)
25-Apr-2000 -- Eastern Wisconsin near
Lake Winnebago is gently rolling farmland. Dairy is the name of the
game, and you get cheese with everything here. This part of the country
is also under the migratory flyways of geese, cranes, larks, ducks,
terns, etc. so in April, you can see a wide variety of bird species.
Redwing blackbirds and mallards abound, and I saw my first sandhill
crane and my first meadowlark, and a juvenile bald eagle. There are
also some medium to large marshes, and 44N88W is located right in the
middle of one of these.
Starting in Fond du Lac, I drove north around the eastern shore of
Lake Winnebago (it's named after an Indian tribe, not a camper :-).
About mid-way up, I turned East, heading towards Manitowoc. Soon, I was
deep in farmland, with houses spaced about a half-mile apart. Turning
on to county road "C", I finally stopped about .56 miles from
the confluence.
It started as a gentle hike across a boggy field, rutted with last
year's furrows. Then, to a small copse of trees (and discourteously
ignoring the "No Trespassing" sign), I proceeded another 100
meters across a squelchy field of last year's tallgrass (in the full of
summer, this will be 8 feet tall). Then through a sparse blackberry
thicket, a slightly more dense hawthorn thicket (good thing I was
wearning thick denim), and finally into the full of the swamp. The
marsh marigolds were blooming buttercup-yellow, the skunk cabbage was
just starting to turn green, and the muddy water was easily thigh deep.
Hummocks of grass and fallen, rotting trees provided an unsteady footing
until I was within about 375 meters from the confluence. By that time,
I was making progress measurable in fractions of meters per minute.
It was decision time. I was more than a mile from the nearest
building, alone in the middle of a thick swamp. The footing was
unsteady, sunset was only 40 minutes away, and from the evidence at my
feet, the bear did shit in the woods. Nobody knew that I was
out here, and the swamp only got thicker and deeper nearer to the
confluence (the topographic map confirmed that). There is a line
somewhere between "fun" and "stupid", and I was
about to cross it.
The birds were beautiful (but they could fly), the frogs were singing
("get out"), and the thought of falling into the muck and then
hiking back to the car with another hour's drive wasn't too appealing.
I tried 4 separate approaches to the confluence in 30 minutes, and each
time it got too wet or too thick to proceed. It might be
easier in August(and I'm not too sure), but in April, getting within 375
meters was close enough.
I took a few pictures in the dying light, and headed back.


text:
Downloads & Documentation
Product Video
Manufacturer: Elkay
Model Number: ELUH1317
Elkay ELUH1317 Lustertone Stainless Steel 14" x 17-1/2" x 7-1/2", 1-Bowl Undermount Kitchen Sink
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An Elkay Lustertone sink looks as great on day 3,000 as it does on day one. Our signature finish is handcrafted with a rich, uniform grain that adds to the beauty of the sink. Light scratches, which occur with everyday use, naturally blend into the finish with time.
Product Features
- LUSTERTONE FINISH: Durable, handcrafted finish looks as great on day 3,000 as on day one. Light scratches naturally blend into sink finish with time.
- UNDERMOUNT INSTALLATION: Sink is installed beneath the countertop creating a seamless appearance between the sink and the countertop.
- SINGLE BOWL: Bowl gives you uninterrupted space for washing and stacking dishes or other household tasks.
- 18-GAUGE STAINLESS STEEL: Highest quality 18-gauge thickness and Type 304 stainless steel for lasting durability, performance and lustrous beauty.
- QUIET: Sound-deadening pad(s) minimizes sound and vibration for a quieter time at the sink.
- OFFSET DRAIN: Drain placement provides more usable space on the bottom of the sink and in the cabinet below.
- LARGE CAPACITY: Straight sidewalls give the sink a flat bottom and offer more usable space for stacking, soaking and washing dishes; easy to clean.
- MADE IN THE USA: This Elkay product is proudly made in the USA.
- DRAIN OPENING: Sink drain opening measures 3-1/2".
- CABINET SIZE: Minimum cabinet size for this sink is 18".
Technical Specifications
- Length: 14"; Width: 17.5"; Height: 7.5"
- Sink Depth: 7.5"
- Style: Transitional
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Finish: Lustertone
- Intended Use: Residential/Multi-Family
- ADA: No
- Installation Type: Undermount
- Mounting Hardware: Undermount brackets sold separately
- Template Included: Yes
- Recommended Installation Hardware: LKUCLIP8
- Number of Bowls: 1
- Bowl 1 Length: 11.5"; Bowl 1 Width: 15"; Bowl 1 Depth: 7.5"
- Drain Size (Bowl 1): 3.5"
- Soundproofing: Sides and Bottom pads
- Minimum Cabinet Size: 18"
- Optional Soap Dispenser: LKHA1054
- Optional Grid: LKWOBG1115SS
- Optional Rinsing Basket: LKWRB1115SS
- Optional Drain: LK99; Optional Faucet: LKHA3042
- Gauge: 18
- Base Material: 304
- Code Compliance: ASME A112.19.3/CSA B45.4, BUY AMERICAN ACT, IAPMO (cUPC_sinks)


text:
Hate going into AT&T stores and interacting with real humans? Worry not, as unlocking your AT&T iPhone is turning out to be a simpler process than expected for some users. The process can still be performed in-store by AT&T personnel, but it can also be done at home with the help of AT&T chat, Apple, and iTunes.
We reported on Friday that AT&T would begin unlocking iPhones for qualified customers beginning Sunday, April 8. That was yesterday, and readers have begun reporting back with their experiences. As it turns out, all you really need is an active Internet connection and your iPhone's IMEI number to get started (you can get it from your iPhone under Settings > General > About). After logging into AT&T's website with your account credentials, you can then bring up AT&T's Wireless Support Chat where you can request your device be unlocked.
As long as you meet the criteria—your phone isn't associated with an active-term commitment, you're out of contract, and your account is in good standing—AT&T will likely approve the request. But then it comes down to Apple, which has to push your unlock code to your e-mail address before you can proceed (this happens within 72 hours, but many users have said it took an hour or less). Once you receive the code, you must perform a backup and restore of the device through iTunes while tethered to a computer.
As with most processes that are user-facing, the unlock process doesn't always work smoothly. AT&T's own documentation on the process points to this Apple support document on troubleshooting unlock issues, though there are a number of forum threads dedicated to discussing the nuances of performing the unlock procedure as well. Do you have any extra tips to offer for those who have yet to go through the process?
Update: We have begun hearing that AT&T is making users call to initiate the unlock process instead of using the website chat feature. Still less effort than going into a retail outlet, but human interaction is somewhat required.
Read the comments on this post
Visit link:
No human interaction required: AT&T iPhone unlock can be done via iTunes (Updated)


text:
The welfare state is a nightmare.
Programs such as Medicaid are fiscal catastrophes. The food stamp program is riddled with waste. The EITC is easily defrauded, even sending checks to prisoners. And housing subsidies are a recipe for the worst forms of social engineering.
The entire system should be tossed in the trash.
But what's the alternative? Some libertarians argue that we should eliminate the dozens of Washington programs and replace them with a government-guaranteed minimum income. I address this issue in an essay for Libertarianism.org.
Some libertarians argue that the state should provide a minimum basic income, mainly because this approach would be preferable to the costly and bureaucratic amalgamation of redistribution programs that currently exist. It's hard to disagree with the notion that the current system is a failure. The Cato Institute's Michael Tanner has produced a searing indictment of the modern welfare state, pointing out that more than $1 trillion is spent every year on redistribution programs for the ostensible purpose of alleviating economic hardship, yet (or more likely as a result) the poverty rate is at an all-time high. Perhaps one reason poverty remains high is that such programs make leisure more attractive than work, as painstakingly illustrated in a study produced by Tanner and Charles Hughes. Moreover, welfare programs create very high implicit marginal tax rates, making it very difficult for poor people to improve their living standards by engaging in additional productive behavior. It's almost as if the system was designed to create permanent dependency.
In other words, it seems that nothing could be worse than the current system. And if you want more evidence, here's a very powerful video on the failure of the modern welfare state.
But what about the idea of trashing what we have today and instead offering everyone some sort of basic income? As I noted in my essay, there are "…some very iconic libertarian figures who support at least some version of their approach, including Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, and Charles Murray."
I agree, but only sort of. I like the idea of radical reform, but I think there's a better road to Rome. It's called federalism.
The bottom line for advocates is that anything would be better than the current system, so why not try something new? They're right, but there's actually a better way of approaching the issue. Why not take all income-redistribution programs, put them into a single block grant, and then transfer the money – and responsibility – to state governments?
Here's my argument for decentralization and federalism.
In an ideal world, the block grant would gradually diminish so that states would be responsible for both the collection and disbursement of all monies related to welfare. But that's a secondary issue. The main benefit of this federalist approach is that you stop the Washington-driven expansion of the welfare state and you trigger the creation of 50 separate experiments on how best to provide a safety net. Some states might choose a basic income. Others might retain something very similar to the current system. Others might try a workfare-based approach, while some could dream up new ideas that wouldn't stand a chance in a one-size-fits-all system run out of Washington, DC. And as states adopted different systems, they could learn from each other about what works and what doesn't work. And since it's easier to influence decisions that are closer to home, taxpayers at the state level almost certainly would have more ability to impact what happens with their money.
And here's the bottom line on why a federalist approach is the libertarian solution to the welfare state.
It also will satisfy the libertarian desire to get Washington out of the business of income distribution, while presumably producing a system that actually does a better job of helping the less fortunate escape government dependency. In other words, all the advantages of the basic income plan without the potential system-wide downsides.
By the way, I explain in the article that the 1996 welfare reform legislation was a test case for the decentralization model. The analogy isn't perfect, I admit, but there's a very strong case to be made that replacing the federal welfare entitlement with a block grant was good for taxpayers and good for the poor…and that it shows why states do a better job of dealing with redistribution than Washington.
Last but not least, I'm just a policy wonk, but I think the federalism strategy also has political appeal. As just noted, it worked with welfare reform. And I suspect a lot of non-libertarians and non-conservatives will intuitively understand that you'll get better results if you allow diversity and experimentation at the state level.
P.S. There would be some bad news if we decentralized the welfare state. It could mean an end to the Moocher Hall of Fame.
P.P.S. Replacing the welfare state with a (hopefully shrinking) block grant only addresses the problem of "means-tested" programs. If you also want to solve the problem of old-age entitlements, that requires Medicare reform and Social Security reform.


text:
Welp, it's been a minute (literally) since Rihanna debuted a new hairstyle, so naturally it was time for a change. In true RiRi fashion, the singer unveiled her latest look on her Instagram while hanging out in her hotel room in NYC, and it might surprise you! The look is a totally new–and way less edgy–direction for the singer.
The vintage-inspired blunt bob is totally '60s, with bangs framing her gorgeous face! While the singer has been all about the '90s recently, even rocking a goth-inspired look for a new music video, this new 'do is super classic, making us wonder if her style will follow suit?
Or with her MAC makeup collection coming to an end, could a hair product line be in the works? We sure hope so!
More From Seventeen
Sound off what you think about @BadGalRiRi's latest look in the comments below!


text:
New Age Nuclear
by Tim Dean
(Editor's Note: We already looked at the Pebble Bed reactor on March 27th. Dennis Morrisseau of the Second Vermont Republic told me to Google "Thorium Reactors" to learn about an even better technology than the Pebble Bed Reactors. Here is what I found. Dear readers, you will have to wade through some dubious "global warming" stuff in the article, but take the time to learn about the Thorium reactors. These reactors could be the answer to our energy needs as well as a way to clean up the spent nuclear material stored over the last 70 years.
How does this relate to secession? Any state that contemplates independence and nationhood will have to become energy self-sufficient. Thorium reactors could provide that technology.)
Nuclear energy produces no greenhouse gases, but it has many drawbacks. Now a radical new technology based on thorium promises what uranium never delivered: abundant, safe and clean energy – and a way to burn up old radioactive waste.
What if we could build a nuclear reactor that offered no possibility of a meltdown, generated its power inexpensively, created no weapons-grade by-products, and burnt up existing high-level waste as well as old nuclear weapon stockpiles? And what if the waste produced by such a reactor was radioactive for a mere few hundred years rather than tens of thousands? It may sound too good to be true, but such a reactor is indeed possible, and a number of teams around the world are now working to make it a reality. What makes this incredible reactor so different is its fuel source: thorium.
Named after Thor, the warlike Norse god of thunder, thorium could ironically prove a potent instrument of peace as well as a tool to soothe the world's changing climate. With the demand for energy on the increase around the world, and the implications of climate change beginning to strike home, governments are increasingly considering nuclear power as a possible alternative to burning fossil fuels.
But nuclear power comes with its own challenges. Public concerns over the risk of meltdown, disposal of long-lived and highly toxic radioactive waste, the generation of weapons grade by-products, and their corresponding proliferation risks, all can make nuclear power a big vote-loser.
A thorium reactor is different. And, on paper at least, this radical new technology could be the key to unlocking a new generation of clean and safe nuclear power. It could prove the circuit-breaker to the two most intractable problems of the 21st century: our insatiable thirst for energy, and the warming of the world's climate.
BY THE END OF this century, the average surface temperature across the globe will have risen by at least 1.4˚C, and perhaps as much as 5.8˚C, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
That may not sound like much, but small changes in the global average can mask more dramatic localised disruptions in climate.
Some changes will be global: we can expect sea levels to rise by as much as 0.9 metres, effectively rendering a huge proportion of what is now fertile coastal land uninhabitable, flooding low-lying cities and wiping out a swathe of shallow islands worldwide.
The principal culprit is carbon dioxide, a gas that even in quite small quantities can have a dramatic impact on climate, and has historically been present in the Earth's atmosphere at relatively low concentrations.
That was until human activity, including burning fossil fuels, began raising background levels substantially.
Yet while we're bracing ourselves to deal with climate change, we also face soaring demand for more energy – which means burning more fossil fuels and generating more greenhouse gases.
That demand is forecast to boom this century. Energy consumption worldwide is rising fast, partly because we're using much more of it – for air conditioning and computers, for example. In Australia alone, energy consumption jumped by 46 per cent between the mid-1970s and the mid- 1990s where our population grew by just 30 per cent. And energy use is expected to increase another 14 per cent by the end of this decade, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Then there's China, which, along with other fast-growing nations, is developing a rapacious appetite for power to feed its booming economy.
And fossil fuels won't last forever. Current predictions are that we may reach the point of peak production for oil and natural gas within the next decade – after which production levels will continually decline worldwide.
That's if we haven't hit the 'peak oil' mark already. That means prices will rise, as they have already started to do: cheap oil has become as much a part of history as bell-bottomed trousers and the Concorde.
Even coal, currently the world's favourite source of electricity generation, is in limited supply. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that at current levels of consumption, the world's coal reserves could last around 285 years. That sounds like breathing room: but it doesn't take into account increased usage resulting from the lack of other fossil fuels, or from an increase in population and energy consumption worldwide.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, as of 2003, coal provided about 40 per cent of the world's electricity – compared to about 20 per cent for natural gas, nuclear power and renewable sources respectively. In Australia, coal contributes even more: around 83 per cent of electricity.
This is because coal is abundant and cheap, especially in Australia. And although a coal-fired power plant can cost as much as A$1 billion (US$744 million) to build, coal has a long history of use in Australia. Coal is also readily portable, much more so than natural gas, for example – which makes it an excellent export product for countries rich in coal, and an economical import for coal-barren lands.
But the official figures on the cost of coal don't tell the whole story. Coal is a killer: a more profligate one than you would expect.
And it maintains a lethal efficacy across its entire lifecycle.
One of the main objections held against nuclear power is its potential to take lives in the event of a reactor meltdown, such as occurred at Chernobyl in 1986. While such threats are real for conventional reactors, the fact remains that nuclear power – over the 55 years since it first generated electricity in 1951 – has caused only a fraction of the deaths coal causes every week.
Take coal mining, which kills more than 10,000 people a year. Admittedly, a startling proportion of these deaths occur in mines in China and the developing world, where safety conditions are reminiscent of the preunionised days of the early 20th century in the United States. But it still kills in wealthy countries; witness the death of 18 miners in West Virginia, USA, earlier this year.
But coal deaths don't just come from mining; they come from burning it. The Earth Policy Institute in Washington DC – a nonprofit research group founded by influential environmental analyst Lester R. Brown – estimates that air pollution from coal-fired power plants causes 23,600 U.S. deaths per year. It's also responsible for 554,000 asthma attacks, 16,200 cases of chronic bronchitis, and 38,200 non-fatal heart attacks annually.
The U.S. health bill from coal use could be up to US $160 billion annually, says the institute.
Coal is also radioactive: most coal is laced with traces of a wide range of other elements, including radioactive isotopes such as uranium and thorium, and their decay products, radium and radon. Some of the lighter radioactive particles, such as radon gas, are shed into the atmosphere during combustion, but the majority remain in the waste product – coal ash.
People can be exposed to its radiation when coal ash is stored or transported from the power plant or used in manufacture of concrete. And there are far less precautions taken to prevent radiation escaping from coal ash than from even low-level nuclear waste. In fact, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the U.S. estimates the amount of exposure to radiation from living near a coal-fired power plant could be several times higher than living a comparable distance from a nuclear reactor.
Then there are the deaths that are likely to occur from falling crop yields, more intense flooding and the displacement of coastal communities which are all predicted to ensue from global warming and rising oceans.
There's so much heat already trapped in the atmosphere from a century of greenhouse gases that some of these effects are likely to occur even if all coal-fired power plants were closed tomorrow. Whichever way you look at it, coal is not the smartest form of energy.
THERE ARE MANY REASONS to move away from coal as our primary source of electricity generation, but it's not an easy task. The list of required attributes for an ideal power generation technology looks intimidating.
First of all, it should offer abundant power.
It also needs to be clean, safe and renewable as well as consistent. And ultimately, it needs to be economical.
Solar power contains much promise as a clean and practically infinite renewable power source. But photovoltaics, the most common form of solar electricity generation, are still a very expensive form of electricity, and lack the consistency to be suitable as a primary source of power – to provide the 'baseload' that is, the kind of power you can rely on to be there to keep everyone's refrigerators humming all day and night.
Wind has seen application in specialised wind farms, both onshore and offshore, especially in Europe where solar power is less efficient than in sunnier climes such as Australia's. Germany alone accounts for around 40 per cent of the total wind power generated worldwide.
Wind is an effective and clean form of power, but it too has its drawbacks. First, it is uncommon for a wind generator to be operating at more than 35 per cent of capacity, and 25 per cent is more common. This means it's idle and not generating power for 65 to 75 per cent of the time. Wind power is relatively cheap, with a cost per kilowatt-hour similar to that of coal in some places, although the volume of wind power is limited and often the best locations for wind turbines are far from the populous areas where electricity is needed. Environmentally, wind power poses a minor threat to birdlife, as well as being considered an eyesore in some communities.
While solar power is relatively expensive, and wind is limited in its implementation, both have a highly important role in renewable electricity generation. Unfortunately, even granting considerable advances in technology and efficiency of both technologies, neither has the potential to become a primary source of electricity because of their intermittent nature: neither could ever be relied upon to meet baseload supply.
IN THE 1950s, nuclear power generation, or the so-called 'peaceful atom', promised to unshackle us from fossil fuels and provide our society with limitless clean power that was going to be "too cheap to meter". Like many utopian visions, the truth was considerably less appealing. While nuclear power has for the most part provided bountiful energy without significant environmental impact, what everyone remembers are the accidents: the Windscale fire at Sellafield in 1957, the meltdowns at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Chernobyl in 1986. At a time when the public psyche was reeling from the fear of global nuclear war, the threats from nuclear power plants were suddenly seen in a similar light.
Another issue that caused growing public concern was the disposal of high-level nuclear waste. Some of the by-products of nuclear power include spent fuel rods: mostly byproducts of nuclear fission, including some highly radioactive actinides with half-lives of many thousands of years – which means they remain lethally toxic for millennia. They have to be housed in waste dumps isolated from all possible contact with the environment for up to 10,000 years. This means building a structure that will survive for twice as long as the Great Pyramid of Egypt has to date.
Needless to say, the engineering difficulties involved in building facilities that can safely contain such waste for 100 centuries, are immense – as are the costs.
Then there are nuclear weapons. Some waste can be reprocessed into weapons-grade plutonium. In particular, the processing of plutonium for re-use as fuel for reactors is difficult and, as such, much of the waste is left to build in weapons-grade stockpiles that could pose a serious security threat were some to fall into the wrong hands.
All three of these issues result from the nuclear fuel cycle in conventional reactors.
The typical nuclear fuel cycle kicks off with a quantity of refined uranium ore. This ore is primarily composed of uranium-238 (U-238), the most common, weakly radioactive isotope that has a very long half-life and is not fissile.
This means U-238 doesn't easily undergo fission, the process in which the nucleus of the atom splits, releasing tremendous quantities of energy.
Usually, a very small percentage of the ore will be U-235. Unlike U-238, U-235 is fissile, and makes up the primary fuel for most nuclear reactors. It is also, incidentally, the uranium isotope that can be used to make nuclear weapons.
This is because when a U-235 atom splits, it releases a spread of high-energy neutrons.
If one of these neutrons then collides with another U-235 atom, it can cause the atom to split, releasing more neutrons in the process.
This runaway chain reaction is responsible for the fantastic explosive power of an atom bomb – and for the meltdowns at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.
However, there is too little U-235 in mined uranium ore to maintain enough fission for a nuclear reactor or a bomb. The ore needs to be 'enriched', boosting the proportion of U-235 in the ore. Nuclear reactors require around 3 per cent to 5 per cent of U-235, while nuclear weapons often require 85 per cent or more. One of the most popular methods of enriching uranium is a gas centrifuge, where the uranium in the ore is converted into uranium hexafluoride gas and rapidly spun, forcing the heavier U-238 gas to the extremities for separation.
Once a sufficient proportion of U-235 is achieved, the ore can be made into fuel suitable for a reactor. Also, while U-235 is busily destroying itself in the reactor, the U-238 in the fuel is not sitting idly by. This is because U-238 is 'fertile', which means it can transmute into other, fissile elements in a process called 'breeding'. In this process, if an atom of U-238 absorbs a neutron, such as one thrown out by a nearby splitting U-235 atom, it can transmute into the short-lived U-239. This then rapidly decays into neptunium-239, which itself quickly decays into plutonium-239 (Pu-239). Pu-239 is another possible fuel for nuclear reactors because, like U-235, it is actively fissile and can maintain a chain reaction. The problem is that many reactors are not optimised for burning plutonium, and as a consequence large quantities of Pu-239 remain as a waste by-product in spent fuel rods.
Pu-239 can be reprocessed from spent fuel rods and turned into a compound called MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuel. This can then be reused in some nuclear reactors in the place of conventional enriched uranium. However, it is Pu-239 that also represents the greatest weapons proliferation threat. So reprocessing plutonium becomes a very costly and a politically sensitive business. This means it is less likely to be used as a nuclear fuel for a civilian power plant and is less likely to be reprocessed.
Nuclear physics is a complex and messy business, especially when dealing with large unstable elements such as uranium. When the U-235 in nuclear fuel burns down to around 0.3 per cent concentration, it's no longer of use in a reactor. At this point, the proportion of U-238, along with other fission by-products, including some very radioactive isotopes of americium, technetium and iodine, is too high. Many of these elements are called 'neutron poisons' because they absorb neutrons that would otherwise be happily colliding with other U-235 nuclei to spark off more fission.
This spent fuel can be reprocessed – but this is a much more difficult job than basic enrichment because of the high number of fission by-products in the spent fuel. This means that a great deal of spent fuel – highly radioactive as it is – becomes waste that needs to be stored. For a very long time.
THIS IS WHERE THORIUM steps in. Thorium itself is a metal in the actinide series, which is a run of 15 heavy radioactive elements that occupy their own period in the periodic table between actinium and lawrencium. Thorium sits on the periodic table two spots to the left (making it lighter) of the only other naturally occurring actinide, uranium (which is two spots to the left of synthetic plutonium). This means thorium and uranium share several characteristics.
According to Reza Hashemi-Nezhad, a nuclear physicist at the University of Sydney who has been studying the thorium fuel cycle, the most important point is that they both can absorb neutrons and transmute into fissile elements. "From the neutron-absorption point of view, U-238 is very similar to Th-232", he said.
It's these similarities that make thorium a potential alternative fuel for nuclear reactors. But it's the unique differences between thorium and uranium that make it a potentially superior fuel. First of all, unlike U-235 and Pu-239, thorium is not fissile, so no matter how much thorium you pack together, it will not start splitting atoms and blow up. This is because it cannot undergo nuclear fission by itself and it cannot sustain a nuclear chain reaction once one starts. It's a wannabe atom splitter incapable of taking the grand title.
What makes thorium suitable as a nuclear fuel is that it is fertile, much like U-238.
Natural thorium (Th-232) absorbs a neutron and quickly transmutes into unstable Th-233 and then into protactinium Pa-233, before quickly decaying into U-233, says Hashemi- Nezhad. The beauty of this complicated process is that the U-233 that's produced at the end of this breeding process is similar to U-235 and is fissile, making it suitable as a nuclear fuel. In this way, it talks like uranium and walks like uranium, but it ain't your common-or-garden variety uranium.
And this is where it gets interesting: thorium has a very different fuel cycle to uranium. The most significant benefit of thorium's journey comes from the fact that it is a lighter element than uranium. While it's fertile, it doesn't produce as many heavy and as many highly radioactive by-products. The absence of U-238 in the process also means that no plutonium is bred in the reactor.
As a result, the waste produced from burning thorium in a reactor is dramatically less radioactive than conventional nuclear waste. Where a uranium-fuelled reactor like many of those operating today might generate a tonne of high-level waste that stays toxic for tens of thousands of years, a reactor fuelled only by thorium will generate a fraction of this amount. And it would stay radioactive for only 500 years – after which it would be as manageable as coal ash.
So not only would there be less waste, the waste generated would need to be locked up for only five per cent of the time compared to most nuclear waste. Not surprisingly, the technical challenges in storing a smaller amount for 500 years are much lower than engineering something to be solid, secure and discreet for 10,000 years.
But wait, there's more: thorium has another remarkable property. Add plutonium to the mix – or any other radioactive actinide – and the thorium fuel process will actually incinerate these elements. That's right: it will chew up old nuclear waste as part of the power-generation process. It could not only generate power, but also act as a waste disposal plant for some of humanity's most heinous toxic waste.
This is especially significant when it comes to plutonium, which has proven very hard to dispose of using conventional means.
Current programs used for the disposal of plutonium reactor by-products and weapons-grade material using the MOX process are both expensive and complex. Furthermore, thorium proponents say that in conventional reactors, MOX fuel doesn't use plutonium as efficiently nor in the same volumes as thorium fuel would at lower cost.
So thorium might just be able to kill two birds with one stone. Not only does a thorium-fuelled reactor produce significantly less high-level waste, but it can also dispose of the decommissioned nuclear weapons and highly radioactive waste from nuclear reactors using more conventional fuels. Oh yes, it can also generate electricity.
SO WHY ISN'T EVERYONE using thorium reactors? The main drawback to thorium is that it's not vigorously fissile, and it needs a source of neutrons to kick off the reaction.
Unlike enriched uranium, which can be left to its own devices to start producing power, thorium needs a bit of coaxing.
Thorium also cannot maintain criticality on its own; that is, it can't sustain a nuclear reaction once it has been started. This means the U-233 produced at the end of the thorium fuel cycle doesn't pump out enough neutrons when it splits to keep the reaction self-sustaining: eventually the reaction fizzles out. It's why a reactor using thorium fuel is often called a 'sub-critical' reactor.
The main stumbling block until now has been how to provide thorium fuel with enough neutrons to keep the reaction going, and do so in an efficient and economical way.
In recent years two new technologies have been developed to do just this.
One company that has already begun developing thorium-fuelled nuclear power is the aptly named Thorium Power, based just outside Washington DC. The way Thorium Power gets around the sub-criticality of thorium is to create mixed fuels using a combination of enriched uranium, plutonium and thorium.
At the centre of the fuel rod is the 'seed' for the reaction, which contains plutonium.
Wrapped around the core is the 'blanket', which is made from a mixture of uranium and thorium. The seed then provides the necessary neutrons to the blanket to kick-start the thorium fuel cycle. Meanwhile, the plutonium and uranium are also undergoing fission.
The primary benefit of Thorium Power's system is that it can be used in existing nuclear plants with slight modification, such as Russian VVER-1000 reactors. Seth Grae, president and chief executive of Thorium Power, and his team are actively working with the Russians to develop a commercial product by the end of this decade. They already have thorium fuel running in the IR-8 research reactor at the Kurchatov Institute in Moscow.
"In the first quarter of 2008, we expect to have lead test assemblies in a full-size commercial nuclear power plant in Russia," said Grae.
He believes mixed thorium fuels can not only dispose of weapons-grade plutonium, but also be developed into a fuel for many conventional reactors to prevent production of any further plutonium as a by-product.
Thorium Power believes there is a market for about four thorium-powered reactors each in Russia and United States just for plutonium disposal. It's also aiming for reactors dealing with commercial plutonium by-products in Europe, Japan, Russia and the USA.
Grae is also enthusiastic about the benefits thorium fuels offer the environment. "All nuclear compares well to coal, in terms of no emissions into the atmosphere, including no carbon dioxide," he said. The environmental credentials of his company are also boosted by the presence of environmental lawyer and former member of the Centre for International Environmental Law, David MacGraw, he added. Grae muses that Thorium Power may be the "only nuclear company in the world with an environmentalist on the board".
AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN does away with the requirements for uranium or plutonium altogether, and relies on thorium as its primary fuel source. This design, which was originally dubbed an Energy Amplifier but has more recently been named an Accelerator Driven System (ADS), was proposed by Italian Nobel physics laureate Carlos Rubbia, a former director of one of the world's leading nuclear physics labs, CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research.
An ADS reactor is sub-critical, which means it needs help to get the thorium to react. To do this, a particle accelerator fires protons at a lead target. When struck by high-energy protons the lead, called a spallation target, releases neutrons that collide with nuclei in the thorium fuel, which begins the fuel cycle that ends in the fission of U-233.
A nuclear reactor that requires a particle beam to keep it running might seem a bit strange. But on the contrary, this is one of the ADS design's most attractive features. If the particle beam is switched off, it is impossible for the fuel to enter a chain reaction and cause a meltdown. Instead, the rate of fission will immediately begin to slow and the fuel will eventually cool down and die out. According to Sydney's Hashemi-Nezhad, a sub-critical reactor such as this has clear safety benefits over uranium reactors. "It has zero chance of a Chernobyl-type accident," he said.
Another major advantage of this design is that it only requires thorium as fuel.
Hashemi-Nezhad also says thorium is a highly abundant resource "550 times more abundant in nature than uranium-235".
It's also an element in which Australia is well blessed – we have the largest known thorium reserves in the world. Thorium mining is also less complex than uranium mining; and the ore doesn't even require enrichment before use in an ADS reactor.
In a non-proliferation sense, there are also good reasons to prefer a sub-critical thorium reactor, as it is impossible to make weapons-grade materials from thorium.
Even traces of unburnt U-233 in thorium reactor waste products are more difficult to convert into a usable nuclear weapon than U-235 or Pu-239. Imagine the West offering thorium-fuelled ADS reactors to countries such as Iran or North Korea: this would satisfy their demands for cheap nuclear power, but entirely avert the risk of the civil nuclear program leading to the development of nuclear weapons.
The other key advantage of the ADS design is that it can be used to dispose of dangerous weapons-grade material and commercial reactor by-products in a similar way to mixed thorium fuel.
While the ADS design has promise, it presents challenges. First, there's the design itself: while lab tests have proven the concept of using a particle beam to start the thorium fuel cycle, the physics of scaling it up to the size of a commercial reactor are unproven and could be more complex. Then there's the way the particle beam interacts with the spallation target and the fuel in order to operate efficiently. Also, while there are plenty of existing conventional nuclear reactors that can be fairly inexpensively converted to mixed thorium fuel, an ADS reactor would have to be designed, built and paid for from scratch.
Retrofitting old reactors is not an option.
Does this make a large-scale ADS reactor viable? CERN thinks so. It recently released a detailed report covering the financial viability of the ADS design for power generation, and found it to be at least three times cheaper than coal and 4.8 times cheaper than natural gas. Any nuclear reactor will have a high establishment cost, but CERN stresses that a long-life reactor will be highly competitive compared to fossil and renewable energy fuels.
Hashemi-Nezhad has been working on the ADS reactor concept with colleagues in Germany, Russia, India and Eastern Europe, and is enthusiastic about it. "The future of nuclear reactors is in ADS because it operates in a sub-critical condition. Only under this condition it is possible to transmute waste isotopes while gaining energy and producing fuel at low cost. And it's safe," he said.
He also thinks Australia could play a leading role in the development and promotion of thorium-fuelled reactors. "It is up to the Australian government to make an investment in this research. Huge thorium resources in Australia can provide green energy at low cost for several centuries." An enticing prospect, to say the least.
CAN ATOMIC POWER be green? Physics suggests it can. And our consumption of energy is accelerating at the same time the climate is being affected by power generation.
Unless we start seriously exploring energy alternatives to burning fossil fuels, erratic and destructive weather conditions could be with us for generations to come. Renewable energy such as wind and solar have bright futures, and will play a large role in any future energy program – but they can never hope to satisfy baseload requirements of a city.
Hydroelectric power is an option – but most of the economical sites have been exploited, and biodiversity suffers when valleys are flooded to create dams. So, unless some groundbreaking discovery in nuclear fusion is made, making it not only possible but efficient and economical – then nuclear fission will remain on the agenda for promising baseload energy alternatives.
Despite its drawbacks, conventional uranium-fuelled nuclear power is a realistic option that is likely to be continued worldwide.
But it is thorium reactors that present a real quantum leap forward. Humble thorium could potentially alleviate three of the most pressing issues facing modern civilisation in the 21st century: the hunger for energy, the spectre of climate change and the need to eliminate nuclear weapons.
Tim Dean is a science and technology journalist in Sydney, editor of the Technophile section of COSMOS, and a former editor of the computer magazine, PC Authority.
©2006-10 Luna Media Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.


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The jury deciding whether Android violates Oracle's Java-related copyrights has reached a unanimous decision on three of the four questions it is tasked with answering, but will break for the weekend and deliberate again Monday on the unresolved issue.
As you know, Oracle accuses Google of infringing Java copyrights and patents in the Android mobile operating system. The copyright portion of the trial has ended. Jurors reportedly told Judge William Alsup that they have reached a decision on all but one of the questions, and a court hearing was held today in which Alsup and the two sides' lawyers discussed whether to hear a partial verdict and then move on to the patent portion of the case.
Instead, Alsup told the jury to keep working on the copyright questions Monday, according to reports in ZDNet and other sources. Of the four questions, only three are consequential, because the fourth question was asked for advisory purposes to help Alsup make decisions that aren't left up to the jury. But it is one of the first three matters the jury has not ruled unanimously upon.
Exactly which question is holding things up has not been revealed. The jury is ruling on whether Google violated the law by using 37 Java API packages, whether Google's use of documentation related to the Java API packages counts as infringement, and whether other violations occurred involving the use of source code, English language comments in Java files, and methods.
If the jury is still deadlocked Monday, it could still deliver a partial verdict, allowing the trial to move on to Oracle's allegations of patent infringement.


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New law aims to protect agritourism operators and participantsPosted on Jun 27, 2012
FRANKFORT , Ky. — A new state law will provide Kentucky agritourism destinations with limited liability protection when it takes effect on July 11.
The law requires venues such as wineries, orchards, and corn mazes to warn visitors that they are assuming the risk of participating in the activities of the operation. The law, filed as House Bill 440, was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law earlier this year.
"Agritourism operations provide customers the opportunity to have fun on the farm while at the same time educating them about Kentucky's farm heritage," Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. "However, customers need to understand that there are inherent risks in any agritourism activity.
"This law protects agritourism participants and operators. We want people to have fun on Kentucky farms in a safe manner, and we want our farmers to take every precaution to keep their customers safe."
The law creates a new section of KRS 247.800 to 247.810 requiring agritourism attractions to post an 18-by-24-inch warning sign stating that, in the absence of operator negligence: "You are assuming the risk of participating in this agritourism activity." The law provides limited liability protection if the injury or death of a participant results from the inherent risks of the agritourism activity and/or in the absence of negligence.
If the agritourism operation chooses not to post a sign, the law requires the operator to show a written warning to participants and have them sign a waiver releasing the farm from liability should an injury or death occur.
"We're encouraging our agritourism operators to do both," Kentucky Agritourism Director Ben Shaffar said. "Farm families operating agritourism activities need to know that the new law doesn't prohibit lawsuits; it just provides a layer of protection in the event of a litigious situation. It's also in no way a substitute for insurance.
"Liability is the No. 1 inhibitor for farmers looking to diversify into agritourism. We hope this law will be a new catalyst for growth in Kentucky."
After Indiana passed a similar law last summer, that state received more than 100 applications for new agritourism operations, Shaffar said. Kentucky currently has more than 350 agritourism operations in its Kentucky Farms Are Fun program, which is the official state agritourism marketing program.
Previous attempts to turn the bill into a law failed in 2004 and 2006. North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia passed similar laws to protect their agritourism operators from lawsuits.
"This law has been 11 years in the making," Commissioner Comer said. "On behalf of our agritourism operators, I want to thank the legislators who sponsored this bipartisan bill, Rep. Mike Denham (D-Maysville) and Sen. Jimmy Higdon (R-Lebanon)."
Agritourism operators may purchase the plastic warning signs from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture at cost for $1.75 each. For more information, contact Shaffar at firstname.lastname@example.com or (502) 564-4983, extension 223.
Tagged Post Topics Include: Agritourism, Corn Mazes, General Assembly, House Bill 440, Law, Orchards, Wineries


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Timtales: Esteban and Doriano – Getting Fucked Bareback By A Huge Uncut Cock
We finally had time to watch the latest new amateur video from TimTales and holy fuck! Esteban is finally back! In case you have never seen Esteban before, he has done a few other adult videos for TimTales in the past and this skinny Spanish guy has one of the biggest uncut cocks you will ever see. I think his cock is literally bigger than my arm. Esteban is paired up with Doriano, a smooth muscle hunk with a tight ass. Tim was actually pretty worried whether or not Esteban's cock would even fit up Doriano's ass, but good news… he was able to take it all. The guys start off with some deep kissing in Tim's home gym. Doriano pulls down Esteban's pants and his huge uncut cock flops out. Doriano falls to his knees and starts sucking on that massive uncut cock, getting it rock hard. He plays with the foreskin in his mouth until Esteban tells him to bend over. Doriano has a little trouble taking that big uncut cock up his ass, but once he gets used to it, Esteban gives him a hard bareback fucking until Doriano is sore all over. They continue to fuck on the patio and in multiple positions until Esteban fucks the cum out of Doriano. Esteban shoots his load in Doriano's ass and then quickly pulls out and finishes shooting all over the hung muscle stud. Wow… another hot amateur video from our friends at TimTales. You definitely want to make sure to check this one out. It's fucking hot.
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Click here to download this full length amateur bareback gay porn video and hundreds more amateur gay porn videos at TimTales.


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Censored Tibet March 2008 protest photos
From WikiLeaks
Unless otherwise specified, the document described here:
- Was first publicly revealed by WikiLeaks working with our source.
- Was classified, confidential, censored or otherwise withheld from the public before release.
- Is of political, diplomatic, ethical or historical significance.
Any questions about this document's veracity are noted.
The summary is approved by the editorial board.
See here for a detailed explanation of the information on this page.
If you have similar or updated material, see our submission instructions.
- Release date
- March 20, 2008
The photos presented here cover the March 14-17 Tibetan protests and Chinese counter response. The Chinese government has censored many of the news organizations carrying photos taken from this collection.
See the browsable index here File | Torrent | Magnet .
See also Censored Tibet March 2008 protest videos - FLV format and Censored Tibet March 2008 protest videos - AVI format
Further information
- Context
- Tibet


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1 Village (1990 pop. 17,327), Cook and Lake counties, NE Ill., a residential suburb of Chicago; inc. 1903. The huge Sara Lee Bakery is its major industry, and there is other light manufacturing. 2 Town (1990 pop. 5,018), NW Mass., on the Deerfield River; inc. 1677. In a 1704 Native American attack nearly 50 inhabitants were killed; most of the survivors were taken to Canada, and some were killed on the way. Old Deerfield St. is lined with 18th-century houses. Deerfield Academy, one of the country's foremost private secondary schools, is in the town.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography


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Chiefs lose injury-prone tight end Tony Moeaki to fractured shoulder in preseason game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs have lost injury-prone tight end Tony Moeaki, who fractured one of his shoulders in Saturday night's preseason victory over Pittsburgh.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that Moeaki was undergoing further exams on the shoulder and did not say when the tight end would return. The Chiefs play their last preseason game Thursday night against Green Bay before making final roster cuts by Saturday.
It was unclear exactly when Moeaki got hurt, but Reid said it occurred late in the Steelers game. Moeaki was hit near the shoulder and then tackled to the ground on it.
The Chiefs were already banged up at tight end with rookie Travis Kelce dealing with a bruised knee. Reid said Kelce could be back in practice this week.


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