-
vote for the next story
-
Google turns 10
The biggest name on the internet turns 10, can you believe it's been a decade already?
-
Cyclist cleared in Times Square shove
A judge has dismissed criminal charges against the bicyclist who was body-checked by a New York City policeman in a widely viewed YouTube video. A judge has dismissed criminal charges against the bicyclist who was body-checked by a New York City policeman in a widely viewed YouT... more
-
Pink Warcraft Pepsi
What is a Pink Warcraft Pepsi? Check out this episode of Current Virals to find out.
To watch the full versions of all five videos just click on the links in the comments section below. What is a Pink Warcraft Pepsi? Check out this episode of Current Virals to find out. ... more -
Microbes in dirt provide electricity for African villagers
Providing electricity to people in countries where either the grid is not reliable, or nonexistent and unlikely ever to be built, can make a huge difference in people’s quality of life in very practical ways. We’ve written before about companies such as D.Light Design which have solar-powered replacements for kerosene lanterns , and efforts to bring small-scale solar panels to off-grid villages in Laos. Hand cranked cell phone chargers, radios and flashlights are other proven options that have received attention.
Microbial Fuel Cells Provide Enough Power for Small Devices
One option which is being investigated in a pilot project by Cambridge, Massachusetts company Lebônê Solutions is using microbial fuel cells to provide electricity to villagers in Tanzania. While the power produced by microbial fuel cells isn’t great, it does provide enough electricity for the small DC powered devices that the villagers want to run, Lebônê co-founder Hugo Van Vuuren told Technology Review. Compared to other renewable energy options such as solar panels or small-scale wind turbines they are also less expensive to produce and easier to set up.
A What Type of Fuel Cell?
Lebônê gives us a very basic rundown on how microbial fuel cells work:
These inexpensive fuel cells run on animal and plant waste and naturally occurring soil microbes, and are framed around a flexible substrate (wood, steel, etc) that can vary by geographic availability. This is truly electricity right out of the ground. These fuel cells are used to charge a battery or cheap supercapacitor, which in turn will be used to power a high-efficiency efficient LED or PLED lamp.
And Technology Review gives us a bit more detail:
To make the fuel cell, the team put graphite cloth--the anode--in the bottom of a bucket along with chicken wire--the cathode--and microbe-laden waste, either mud, cow manure, or residue from coffee crops. A layer of sand acts as an ion barrier while salt water helps the protons travel more easily. The team adds a power management board (the only device that the villagers will most likely have to import, says [Lebônê co-founder Aviva] Presser) to regulate the power and send it to a battery. Such a fuel cell can run a cheap, efficient light-emitting diode (LED) for four to five hours per evening. "We're hoping the entire system will be around $10 when we're ready," says Presser.
Namibia Next Up For Fuel Cell Trial
After Tanzania, Lebônê’s second trial, funded by a $200,000 grant from the World Bank, will be an 18-month pilot project in Namibia where the the firm will couple their fuel cell design with the the next generation of LEDs. Providing electricity to people in countries where either the grid is not reliable, or nonexistent and unlikely ever to be built, can ... more -
Medical marijuana's eco boomtown
It's estimated that $143 million in medical marijuana sales have netted $11.4 million in state and local taxes annually, based on registered businesses, California State Board of Equalization spokesperson Anita Gore said. And those estimates are small compared to a 2006 report co-authored by California NORML state coordinator Dale Gieringer, which said that Californians consumed between $870 million and $2 billion worth of medical marijuana per year.[more] It's estimated that $143 million in medical marijuana sales have netted $11.4 million in state and local taxes annually, based on... more
-
How will you and your state cast ballots in November?
This year, as a result of a lot of changes in voting machines around the country, numerous voting districts across many states will be using new voting equipment that has either never been used in an election or has never been used in a national election involving millions of voters.
When new systems are used, problems often arise either with the equipment itself or with election officials and voters who are unfamiliar with it.
To see what equipment you and your state will be using in November and to familiarize yourself with it before the election, VerifiedVoting.org, an election integrity group that led the movement to get voter-verified paper audit trails added to touch-screen voting machines, has produced a comprehensive interactive map identifying the voting systems being used in election districts across the country. As far as I know, this is the most up-to-date list of voting equipment that exists.
The map offers several options for viewing. You can look at systems at a statewide macro level or click on a state to get a micro view of the various systems being used in each county or voting district, including the accessible equipment being offered for disabled voters. At the district level, you'll also find information about the maker of the voting machines and contact information for the election office.
The voting machine landscape has changed a lot since the 2000 presidential election when punch-card voting systems and dangling chads spawned a heated national debate and Supreme Court battle.
As a result of the 2000 debacle, the Help America Vote Act was passed in 2002 allocating federal funds to replace antiquated punch-card and lever machines with newer election technologies. Election officials quickly spent millions of dollars to buy paperless touch-screen voting machines -- also known as Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) machines -- that were touted by their makers as faster, more accurate and easier to use than punch-card machines.
But in 2003, technical reports began surfacing about serious security issues with the machines as well as reports about breakdowns and other problems. Public opinion has forced some voting districts to back away from the equipment since then. In some cases entire states -- such as California and Florida -- have outlawed DRE machines for use by anyone other than disabled voters and have recently replaced their touch-screen systems with new optical-scan machines.
In the last two years, 131 counties across 9 states -- California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia -- have abandoned their DRE machines in favor of paper ballot voting systems, according to statistics collected by VerifiedVoting.
While some states like Nevada and Utah have added paper trails to their DRE machines, the District of Columbia and six states -- Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey and South Carolina -- still use DRE's without paper trails statewide. A handful of other states use mixed systems -- paperless DREs in some districts and paper-based voting systems in other districts. This year, as a result of a lot of changes in voting machines around the country, numerous voting districts across many states will be... more -
Sublime & Sensual Smoke Art
Natural smoke (and its Photoshop variety) seem to become more and more a media of choice for artistic expression. Artists inherently like smoke for its flux and dynamic properties, and the public seem to enjoy asking the perennial question "What were they smoking?" when seeing a radical and challenging piece of art.
Today, we'll feature some examples of "smoke art", and marvel at how such an elusive substance can be possibly herded into fascinating shapes. Natural smoke (and its Photoshop variety) seem to become more and more a media of choice for artistic expression. Artists inherently l... more -
Writing starts on Ghostbusters 3
Columbia has reportedly hired two producers from the US version of 'The Office' to write the script for the new Ghostbusters film.
They're hoping to reunite the film's original stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. Columbia has reportedly hired two producers from the US version of 'The Office' to write the script for the new Ghostbusters... more -
Who do you call when the police are the problem?
Censorship at it's worst!
-
UN: Wealthy failing the poor
The world's wealthiest countries are failing to deliver on their promises to give money to the world's poorest nations, a UN report says.
The UN report on progress towards the millennium development goals says this is threatening targets for drastically reducing world poverty by 2015. The UN report says there has been some improvement but not enough.
World leaders signed up to ambitious goals eight years ago aimed at reducing poverty, hunger and disease by 2015. Now the UN report says wealthy countries are not living up to the commitments they made at the Gleneagles summit in 2005 - and aid needs to be increased by $18bn a year.
A UN official urged the US, Japan and the European Union to give the money they had already pledged. The world's wealthiest countries are failing to deliver on their promises to give money to the world's poorest nations, a UN... more -
Congress is about to pour lighter fluid on Iran
The U.S. Congress may inadvertently lay the foundations for war against Iran when it reconvenes in Washington this month.
-
Insects in morning dew
Slightly older blog post this, but seriously worth a look. Martin Amm brings us an amazing gallery of hyper-close-up photos of insects covered in morning dew. Even the mantis has that towselled, just woken up look... Slightly older blog post this, but seriously worth a look. Martin Amm brings us an amazing gallery of hyper-close-up photos of insect... more
-
Citizens being randomly nabbed off the streets by Police in St Paul
At 4:00 with music playing at the rally at the Capitol a team of one to two dozen bike-mounted police officers swept in from clear across the capitol lawn directly up to two young people, a man and a woman, who were lounging in the grass, formed a circle around them and arrested them. According to Sgt. John Lazoya of the St. Paul Police Department, the young man was a suspect in the shattering of the Macy’s store window. Lazoya said police officers had been given information with details about the young man on fliers before the concert. When they circled the suspects, the growd gathered to hear the music surrounded the officers chanting “Let them go” and, as the pair were taken away in plastic handcuffs, “This is what a police state looks like.”
At 4:52, Lazoya approached in a vehicle with a PA system, announcing, “Your parade permit will expire at 5 pm… If you continue with your parade, you will be in violation of city ordinance CH366A.” As he pulled away, people were heard yelling, “They can’t hear you.”
Immediately the march began filing out as riot police took positions along the edge of the capitol building. The crowd chants, “What do we want? Troops out. When do we want it? Now!”
At 4:57, police are running to new positions as the march appears to be taking an unsanctioned route — directly down the capitol lawn. Police in riot gear are at the ready.
More at link… At 4:00 with music playing at the rally at the Capitol a team of one to two dozen bike-mounted police officers swept in from clear acr... more -
Community Organizers Respond To Palin’s Attack
Last night during her speech to the Republican National Convention, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) sought to play up her experience as mayor of a small town in Alaska by mocking community organizing:
PALIN: And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a “community organizer,” except that you have actual responsibilities.
Center for Community Change: When Sarah Palin demeaned community organizing, she didn’t attack another candidate. She attacked an American tradition
Assn. of Community Organizations for Reform Now: ACORN members, leaders and staff are extremely disappointed that Republican leaders would make such condescending remarks on the great work community organizers accomplish in cities throughout this country.
USAction: These groups, and the millions of individuals they represent, are dismayed by the recent dismissal of their efforts in the form of political attacks. Community organizations have been at the heart of every major reform in modern history – from the Boston Tea Party to the civil rights movement for example, the quest for civil rights began when community organizers mobilized the disenfranchised.
Community Organizers of America: The last thing we need is for Republican officials to mock us on television when we’re trying to rebuild the neighborhoods they have destroyed. Maybe if everyone had more houses than they can count, we wouldn’t need community organizers.
Should They be offended by her Remarks?
From ThinkProgress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/04/organizers-respond-... Last night during her speech to the Republican National Convention, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) sought to play up her experience as mayor ... more -
Defiant Cheney vows Georgia will join Nato
The US vice-president, Dick Cheney, yesterday issued a direct challenge to Moscow's sway over Georgia, pledging Washington's support for its eventual membership of Nato, while denouncing Russia's "illegitimate" invasion. "Georgia will be in our alliance," Cheney said after talks with President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Cheney used his one-day visit to Georgia to reinforce battle lines in the increasingly direct struggle between Washington and Moscow for the upper hand along Russia's southern border. His visit to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine was aimed at stressing America's "deep, abiding interest" in the region, in response to the claim by Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev, that Moscow had "privileged interests" in former Soviet states.
The US challenge was undermined by the collapse of Ukraine's pro-western coalition on the eve of Cheney's arrival in Kiev at the end of his three-country trip yesterday. The crisis threatened to derail President Viktor Yushchenko's efforts to win Ukraine Nato and EU membership.
Cheney made clear however that it would not shake Washington's deep involvement in the region, now focused on Georgia after last month's conflict with Russia over South Ossetia.
Shrugging off Russian recognition of the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he declared the Bush administration's "strong commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity". The US would stand with Georgia, he said, "as you work to overcome an invasion of your sovereign territory and an illegitimate attempt to change your country's borders by force".
He also made a point of reaffirming US support for Saakashvili, who Moscow has derided as "a political corpse". In pointed contrast, Cheney told the Georgian leader: "You have been fearless in response to the occupation of your country and steadfast in your principles. We respect you."
The two men made a joint appearance near an aircraft factory destroyed by Russian bombing, to watch a US military transport plane unload blankets, part of the $1bn in emergency aid the US has offered Georgia to help the country rebuild. The package makes Georgia the biggest recipient of US aid after Israel, Egypt and Iraq.
US officials stressed the package did not include aid to rebuild Georgia's military. That will be decided later this year.
Georgian membership of Nato is due to be discussed at an alliance ministerial meeting in December. Russia insisted yesterday that such a move remained a red line in east-west relations. Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's representative to Nato, said Moscow would respond by halting co-operation with Nato over Afghanistan.
Cheney's trip coincided with the collapse of Ukraine's government after a split between Yushchenko and the prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko. Their coalition collapsed over Russia's invasion of Georgia - with Tymoshenko positioning herself as a rival candidate to Yushchenko in Ukraine's presidential election next year. Yushchenko has lambasted Russia's occupation of Georgia, while Tymoshenko has refused to criticise the Kremlin directly. The US vice-president, Dick Cheney, yesterday issued a direct challenge to Moscow's sway over Georgia, pledging Washington's... more -
Bloggers tear gassed at Republican National Convention 08
My web journalist friends Brian Bartelt and Marta Costello of the gnooze were tear gassed at the Republican National Convention. They uploaded a video containing raw footage of the tear gassing. My web journalist friends Brian Bartelt and Marta Costello of the gnooze were tear gassed at the Republican National Convention. They ... more
-
Palin's convention speech brings in cash for Obama
Sept. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is bringing in campaign cash for the Democrats as well as her own party.
Barack Obama, 47, reported raising at least $10 million from more than 130,000 donors today after Palin, the Alaska governor, addressed the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, and criticized the Democratic presidential nominee.
``Sarah Palin's attacks have rallied our supporters in ways we never expected,'' Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said. ``And we fully expect John McCain's attacks tonight to help us make our grassroots organization even stronger.''
The money followed an e-mail solicitation campaign manager David Plouffe sent out right after Palin's speech.
``You know that despite what John McCain and his attack squad say, every day people have the power to build something extraordinary when we come together,'' he wrote.
McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, raised $10 million after Palin was selected as his running mate Aug. 29, part of his record $47 million haul last month.
``She's energized the base,'' said former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato, who has raised at least $250,000 for McCain, 72. ``Money will not be a problem.'' Sept. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is bringing in campaign cash for the Democrats as well as he... more -
GOP pulling O'Reilly strings with Obama Interview.
So instead of the interview being aired tonight , as promised, during the RNC, we got a small preview of the interview we've all been waiting for.
FNC only aired about 10 minutes worth of the interview. And now Lindsey Graham is speaking at the RNC and the first line of his speech is about how the surge in Iraq worked?
Why does this all feel strangely set-up?
O'reilly airs the part of the interview where he tries to get Obama to "admit that he was wrong" about the troop surge in Iraq.
They spend a few minutes "analyzing" on air, and of course commenting on the segment.. and now Lindsey Graham goes on a "rampage" about the troop surge?
It's almost as if they were watching the interview in the back room, and came out running with an immediate response.
Yeah, this was definitely set up . F.N.C and G.O.P. .. K.I.S.S.I.N.G So instead of the interview being aired tonight , as promised, during the RNC, we got a small preview of the interview we've all ... more -
Palin switched colleges 6 times in 6 years
Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin seems to have switched colleges at least six times in six years, including two stints at the University of Idaho before graduating from there in 1987.
Federal privacy laws prohibit the schools from disclosing her grades, and none of the schools contacted by The Associated Press could say why she transferred. There was no indication any were contacted as part of the background investigation of Palin by presidential candidate John McCain's campaign.
"Our office was not contacted by anyone," said Tania Thompson, spokeswoman for the University of Idaho in Moscow.
Palin, the governor of Alaska, was born in Idaho. Her family moved when she was only a few months old to Alaska, where she was raised.
According to a biography — "Sarah" by Kaylene Johnson — Palin and three friends went to the University of Hawaii at Hilo after graduation from high school in Alaska in 1982. But they left after a few weeks because of the constant rain there, the book said.
The registrar at Hawaii-Hilo has no record that she ever enrolled, school officials said Thursday.
Palin, then known as Sarah Louise Heath, and a friend then traveled to Honolulu and enrolled at Hawaii Pacific University, a private, nonsectarian school. She attended only as a freshman during the fall of 1982, school spokeswoman Crystale Lopez said.
She was in the business administration program as a full-time student, Lopez said Thursday.
"We're trying to track down someone who knew her," Lopez added.
From Hawaii Pacific, Palin transferred to North Idaho College, a two-year school in Coeur d'Alene, about 30 miles east of Spokane. She attended the college as a general studies major for two semesters, in spring 1983 and fall 1983, spokeswoman Stacy Hudson said.
"We were not able to track down club affiliations or anything," Hudson said.
The school identified one of her professors but he did not remember her, Hudson said.
Prior to her selection by McCain, the North Idaho College Alumni Association notified Palin in June she would be the recipient of its 2008-2009 Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award.
From North Idaho College, Palin transferred 70 miles south to the University of Idaho, the state's flagship institution. She majored in journalism with an emphasis in broadcast news. She attended Idaho, whose mascot is the Vandals, from fall 1984 to spring 1985.
She then returned to Alaska to attend Matanuska-Susitna College in Palmer in fall 1985.
Then she returned to Idaho, for spring 1986, fall 1986 and spring 1987, when she graduated. Despite her journalism degree, she does not appear to have worked for the college newspaper or campus television station, school officials said. She worked briefly as a sportscaster for KTUU in Anchorage after she graduated college.
The McCain campaign did not have an immediate comment on Palin's higher education record.
Palin's biography on her Alaska governor's website indicates only that she graduated from Idaho in 1987.
A recent profile of her in the school's alumni magazine, before her selection to run on the GOP ticket, listed only Hawaii Pacific, North Idaho and Idaho as schools she attended. She also explained in the profile that her curiosity and love of writing made journalism a natural choice.
"I was always asking everyone the questions, and I still am today," Palin told the magazine.
The University of Idaho is taking advantage of Palin's nomination. A prominent photograph of her is featured on the school's Web site. Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin seems to have switched colleges at least six times in six years, including two stin... more -
Dead Prez Rap at The RNC
Underground hip-hop duo, Dead Prez shows up at the RNC to support a cause, not a candidate. Protesting war and poverty, they sit down with the Daily Fix to discuss issues on social justice. Underground hip-hop duo, Dead Prez shows up at the RNC to support a cause, not a candidate. Protesting war and poverty, they sit down ... more
-
Rage Against the Machine ask fans to fight “Fascist Republican Agenda”
Clad in Guantanamo-style orange jumpsuits with black hoods cinched over their heads and their hands behind their backs, Rage Against the Machine were led onstage to deafening air raid sirens and cheers in Minneapolis last night. Clad in Guantanamo-style orange jumpsuits with black hoods cinched over their heads and their hands behind their backs, Rage Against t... more
-
The little things DO matter, don’t think otherwise
Oftentimes we hear reports about how changing a light bulb will not make a bit of a difference in the fight against climate change and that everyone must make huge sacrifices in order to have any effect. I say don’t listen to them! You should do what you can and what you feel comfortable with; if you feel fine moving into an earthship and living off the grid, then by all means please do! But if you only feel like you can change a light bulb and maybe buy organic bananas, then please…do that as well and do not feel guilty about it.
All the small acts by millions of people really do add up, and you have to keep that in mind as you do your little part.
All anyone can ask you to do is something small, as asking people to change their entire lifestyle, ride only their bikes, grow all their own food, install solar panels on everything, etc., will only serve to turn some people off from doing anything at all! Of course the more we all do the better off we will be, and doing more than the average person will benefit everyone in the long run. But while climate change is real and could be very, very bad for the human race, sometimes those of us involved in the movement forget that not everyone is willing to forgo some comforts to try to save the planet…myself included. Do I want every person on the planet to get onboard and do as much as they can? Of course. Do I think they will? Nope. So encouraging even the smallest changes from people is way more tactful than proclaiming them “enemies of the environment”. Don’t you think?
--Continued-- Oftentimes we hear reports about how changing a light bulb will not make a bit of a difference in the fight against climate change and... more
-
-
current tv
-
make tv
-
rising news
-
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at the RNCcaseygane added this
-
The Man Behind Palin's Speechjessilee23 added this
-
GOP ought to declare War on ErrorCabal added this
-
