Translation -- "In early December UFOs began to frequent the skies of the capital of the republic of Kalmykia, located in southern Russia. Every ten days the residents of Elista seen UFOs of unknown nature in different parts of the city."
Directed links for emerging technologies, transhumanism, transgenics, biotechnology, astronomy, UFOs, conspiracies, paranormal and other miscellania that may have eschatological implications....
Friday, December 31, 2010
For Alex -- YouTube - Ovnis empezaron a frecuentar el cielo ruso en diciembre
Translation -- "In early December UFOs began to frequent the skies of the capital of the republic of Kalmykia, located in southern Russia. Every ten days the residents of Elista seen UFOs of unknown nature in different parts of the city."
Are the UFOs appearing in Russia skies in Dec. 2010 Fulham’s predicted UFO wave? - Seattle exopolitics | Examiner.com
Are the UFOs appearing in Russia skies in Dec. 2010 Fulham’s predicted UFO wave? - Seattle exopolitics | Examiner.com: "Russian Television (RT) is now reporting UFOs beginning to appear over the skies of Russia and has released a video and news article confirming these sighting.
Former NORAD officer Stanley A. Fulham released a statement just prior to his recent death from pancreatic cancer that stated that a regional galactic governance council would begin more frequent UFO appearances in 2011, starting with “a major UFO display over Moscow between the end of the first part of January 2011 and the second week of January 2011.”
Query: Is this wave of UFO sightings now beginning over Russia part of the UFO wave predicted by Stanley A. Fulham in his final statement?
The galactic governance council, whose predicted October 13, 2010 UFO sightings over New York in fact occurred, has announced its intention via dimensional communications to both Stanley A. Fulham and a former NATO-Spanish intelligence officer to intervene in Earth’s public affairs and begin to clean the earth’s ecology to avoid its permanent collapse"
Former NORAD officer Stanley A. Fulham released a statement just prior to his recent death from pancreatic cancer that stated that a regional galactic governance council would begin more frequent UFO appearances in 2011, starting with “a major UFO display over Moscow between the end of the first part of January 2011 and the second week of January 2011.”
Query: Is this wave of UFO sightings now beginning over Russia part of the UFO wave predicted by Stanley A. Fulham in his final statement?
The galactic governance council, whose predicted October 13, 2010 UFO sightings over New York in fact occurred, has announced its intention via dimensional communications to both Stanley A. Fulham and a former NATO-Spanish intelligence officer to intervene in Earth’s public affairs and begin to clean the earth’s ecology to avoid its permanent collapse"
Will Decreasing Scarcity Allow us to Approach an Optimal Meta-Society?
Will Decreasing Scarcity Allow us to Approach an Optimal Meta-Society?: "When chatting with a friend about various government systems during a long car drive the other day, it occurred to me that one could perhaps prove something about the OPTIMAL government system, if one were willing to make some (not necessarily realistic) assumptions about resource abundance.
This led to an interesting train of thought — that maybe, as technology reduces scarcity, society will gradually approach optimality in certain senses.
The crux of my train of thought was:
Marcus Hutter proved that the AIXI algorithm is an optimal approach to intelligence, given the (unrealistic) assumption of massive computational resources.
Similarly, I think one could prove something about the optimal approach to society and government, given the (unrealistic) assumptions of massive natural resources and a massive number of people.
This led to an interesting train of thought — that maybe, as technology reduces scarcity, society will gradually approach optimality in certain senses.
The crux of my train of thought was:
Marcus Hutter proved that the AIXI algorithm is an optimal approach to intelligence, given the (unrealistic) assumption of massive computational resources.
Similarly, I think one could prove something about the optimal approach to society and government, given the (unrealistic) assumptions of massive natural resources and a massive number of people.
I won’t take time to try to prove this formally just now, but in this blog post I’ll sketch out the basic idea…. I’ll describe what I call the meta-society, explain the sense in which I think it’s optimal, and finally why I think it might get more and more closely approximated as the future unfolds..."
Transcending the Human, DIY Style
Transcending the Human, DIY Style | Threat Level | Wired.com: "BERLIN — Lepht Anonym wants everyone to know the door to transcending normal human capabilities is no farther away than your own kitchen. It’s just going to hurt like a #%@$#%$#%#.
An articulate advocate for practical transhumanism.
Anonym is a biohacker, a woman who has spent the last several years learning how to extend her own senses by putting tiny magnets and other electronic devices under her own skin, allowing her to feel electromagnetic fields, or — if her latest project works — even magnetic north.
Since doctors won’t help her, she does it in her own apartment, sterilizing her equipment (needles, scalpels, vegetable peelers) with vodka. Good anesthetic is largely impossible to buy, so she screams a little, and sometimes passes out. But it’s worth it, for what’s on the other side.
“Bodily health takes a big @#$@-off second seat to curiosity,” she says. “Though it hasn’t really changed my life, it’s just made me more curious.”"
An articulate advocate for practical transhumanism.
Anonym is a biohacker, a woman who has spent the last several years learning how to extend her own senses by putting tiny magnets and other electronic devices under her own skin, allowing her to feel electromagnetic fields, or — if her latest project works — even magnetic north.
Since doctors won’t help her, she does it in her own apartment, sterilizing her equipment (needles, scalpels, vegetable peelers) with vodka. Good anesthetic is largely impossible to buy, so she screams a little, and sometimes passes out. But it’s worth it, for what’s on the other side.
“Bodily health takes a big @#$@-off second seat to curiosity,” she says. “Though it hasn’t really changed my life, it’s just made me more curious.”"
17 National Debt Statistics Which Prove That We Have Sold Our Children And Grandchildren Into Perpetual Debt Slavery - BlackListed News
17 National Debt Statistics Which Prove That We Have Sold Our Children And Grandchildren Into Perpetual Debt Slavery - BlackListed News: "What we have done to future generations over the past 30 years is absolutely criminal. 30 years ago the U.S. national debt was a bit under one trillion dollars, and at that time it was considered a huge national crisis. Today, the national debt is 14 times larger and the years ahead look absolutely apocalyptic at this point. We have literally sold our children and our grandchildren into perpetual debt slavery. We have accumulated the biggest mountain of debt in the history of the world, and our children and our grandchildren will be burdened with it for the rest of their lives. All of our politicians keep talking about how it is vitally important that we do something about all of this debt “soon”, but they just can’t seem to stop wildly spending our money. They keep telling us that now is not the time for deficit reduction because it would harm “the economic recovery”, but the “right time” for deficit reduction never seems to come along. The national debt statistics in this article are meant to shock you... "
WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS -- Next Year's Wars - Captions by International Crisis Group | Foreign Policy
Next Year's Wars - Captions by International Crisis Group | Foreign Policy: "Across the globe today, you'll find almost three dozen raging conflicts, from the valleys of Afghanistan to the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the streets of Kashmir. But what are the next crises that might erupt in 2011? Here are a few worrisome spots that make our list."
FLOODS - Australia floods larger than France strand 200,000
Residents were stocking up on food or evacuating their homes as rising rivers inundated or isolated 22 towns in the state of Queensland.Prime Minister Julia Gillard toured an evacuation center in the flood-stricken town of Bundaberg on Friday and announced that families whose homes had been flooded or damaged would be eligible for disaster relief payments of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child."
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Technology 25 Years Hence - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com
Technology 25 Years Hence - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com: "Thirty years ago, I realized that timing was the key to success as an inventor. Most inventions fail because the timing is wrong — the innovation needs to make sense for the world that will exist when the project is finished.
Consider how quickly the world changes; just a few years ago, most people didn’t use social networks, wikis or blogs. As an engineer, I gathered a lot of data to try to make sense of technology trends, and found a significant exception to the notion that “you can’t predict the future.”
If you plot the basic measures of the price to performance and capacity of information technologies (for example, computer instructions per second per constant dollar, bits of memory per dollar, or the total number of bits being moved around over the Internet), they follow remarkably smooth — and foreseeable — trajectories. This observation goes well beyond Moore’s Law (which says you can place twice as many transistors on an integrated circuit every two years); in the case of computation, it goes back to the 1890 American census, long before Gordon Moore was even born."
Consider how quickly the world changes; just a few years ago, most people didn’t use social networks, wikis or blogs. As an engineer, I gathered a lot of data to try to make sense of technology trends, and found a significant exception to the notion that “you can’t predict the future.”
If you plot the basic measures of the price to performance and capacity of information technologies (for example, computer instructions per second per constant dollar, bits of memory per dollar, or the total number of bits being moved around over the Internet), they follow remarkably smooth — and foreseeable — trajectories. This observation goes well beyond Moore’s Law (which says you can place twice as many transistors on an integrated circuit every two years); in the case of computation, it goes back to the 1890 American census, long before Gordon Moore was even born."
Space weather: Forecasters keep eye on looming 'Solar Max'
Space weather: Forecasters keep eye on looming 'Solar Max': "Space weather: Forecasters keep eye on looming 'Solar Max'
The coming year will be an important one for space weather as the Sun pulls out of a trough of low activity and heads into a long-awaited and possibly destructive period of turbulence.
Many people may be surprised to learn that the Sun, rather than burn with faultless consistency, goes through moments of calm and tempest.
But two centuries of observing sunspots -- dark, relatively cool marks on the solar face linked to mighty magnetic forces -- have revealed that our star follows a roughly 11-year cycle of behaviour.
The latest cycle began in 1996 and for reasons which are unclear has taken longer than expected to end.
Now, though, there are more and more signs that the Sun is shaking off its torpor and building towards 'Solar Max,' or the cycle's climax, say experts"
The coming year will be an important one for space weather as the Sun pulls out of a trough of low activity and heads into a long-awaited and possibly destructive period of turbulence.
Many people may be surprised to learn that the Sun, rather than burn with faultless consistency, goes through moments of calm and tempest.
But two centuries of observing sunspots -- dark, relatively cool marks on the solar face linked to mighty magnetic forces -- have revealed that our star follows a roughly 11-year cycle of behaviour.
The latest cycle began in 1996 and for reasons which are unclear has taken longer than expected to end.
Now, though, there are more and more signs that the Sun is shaking off its torpor and building towards 'Solar Max,' or the cycle's climax, say experts"
Canadian Supreme Court Decision Could Lead to Cloning Research
Last week, on a split 4-4-1 decision, the nation’s high court left what pro-life advocates say is a legal void that could lead to cloning research involving the fusing of humans with animals and results in the destruction of human embryos — unique human beings just days into their existence."
2011: A Brave New Dystopia
Nickelodeon's Illuminati-Theme Show "House of Anubis" Hits America | The Vigilant Citizen
Nickelodeon's Illuminati-Theme Show "House of Anubis" Hits America | The Vigilant Citizen: "Nickelodeon’s hit show House of Anubis, already airing in Belgium and Netherlands is due to air in the US for the first time in January 2011. An official trailer has been released and, boy oh boy, its hard to make things more obvious."
Top 10 Ways to Destroy Earth | LiveScience
SPACE.com -- The Top 7 Space Stories of 2010
SPACE.com -- The Top 7 Space Stories of 2010: "In the year 2010, humanity made first contact with extraterrestrials — at least according to the sequel to the acclaimed film '2001: A Space Odyssey.'
Nothing quite so earth-shattering happened in the real world this year. But space-science researchers did make a number of extraordinary discoveries in 2010, including finding what may or may not be the first habitable alien world and uncovering clues to the nature of dark matter.
1. The first habitable exoplanet?
It was news we had waited years to hear — that we might not be alone. In September, astronomers announced that they had discovered an alien world in the habitable zone of its star. The roughly Earth-size planet, called Gliese 581g, nestles in an orbit comfortable enough for liquid water, and thus perhaps life, to exist....."
Nothing quite so earth-shattering happened in the real world this year. But space-science researchers did make a number of extraordinary discoveries in 2010, including finding what may or may not be the first habitable alien world and uncovering clues to the nature of dark matter.
1. The first habitable exoplanet?
It was news we had waited years to hear — that we might not be alone. In September, astronomers announced that they had discovered an alien world in the habitable zone of its star. The roughly Earth-size planet, called Gliese 581g, nestles in an orbit comfortable enough for liquid water, and thus perhaps life, to exist....."
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Southern Russia becomes attraction for aliens - English pravda.ru
Southern Russia becomes attraction for aliens - English pravda.ru: "Unidentified flying objects began to appear in the sky above the city of Elista, the capital of the Kalmykia Republic (Southern Russia), in December of the outgoing year. The former head of the republic once claimed that he had personally met and communicated with extraterrestrial beings clad in yellow spacesuits. The official urged everyone not to be ashamed of speaking about the aliens in public.
In December of 2010, hundreds of Elista residents could see UFOs appearing in the sky above their heads every ten days of the month, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote. The most recent sighting took place on December 22: eyewitnesses said they saw two concentric circles in the sky from 3 to 7 p.m. local time. The inner circle was rotating clockwise, and the outer one was rotating anticlockwise. Others could see a triangle object with beams of light coming from it."
In December of 2010, hundreds of Elista residents could see UFOs appearing in the sky above their heads every ten days of the month, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote. The most recent sighting took place on December 22: eyewitnesses said they saw two concentric circles in the sky from 3 to 7 p.m. local time. The inner circle was rotating clockwise, and the outer one was rotating anticlockwise. Others could see a triangle object with beams of light coming from it."
‘Transhumanism’ may be defining step to our future | ASU News
In today’s world, the question is no longer a purely philosophical or religious inquiry.
The answer may in fact depend more and more on the potential impact of our advancing technological capabilities.
What will it mean to the definition of human if new technologies can enhance the abilities of the human body – and mind – to unprecedented levels?
And what if such technological enhancements are available to only a portion of the world’s population?
The intriguing social, political and ethical questions raised by these fascinating possibilities are explored in an interview with Brad Allenby on the subject of “transhumanism.”
Allenby is a professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, one of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. He’s also a professor of law and the Lincoln Professor of Engineering Ethics for ASU’s Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics."
AFP: Artificial intelligence to transform web: Russian tycoon
AFP: Artificial intelligence to transform web: Russian tycoon: "MOSCOW — The emergence of artificial intelligence is to transform the Internet industry and social networking over the next decade, Russia's leading web tycoon said in an interview on Tuesday.
The low-profile Yury Milner, chairman in the rapidly expanding Mail.ru Internet firm and CEO of DST Global investment company who built minority stakes in Facebook and other Western firms, made the comments in an rare interview with Vedomosti.
'I think that in 10 years if you ask a question on a social network and you get an answer you will not know if a computer or a person has answered you,' Milner told the financial daily.
'When you receive a question, you will not know if it has been asked by a person or an artificial intelligence. And by answering you help the computer create an algorithm.'"
Through The Wormhole - What Are We Really Made Of ?
Through The Wormhole - What Are We Really Made Of ? "Hosted by Morgan Freeman, Through the Wormhole explores the deepest mysteries of existence — the questions that have puzzled mankind for eternity.
What are we made of? What was there before the beginning? Are we really alone? These questions have been pondered by the most brilliant minds in history. Now, modern science may be able to provide us with answers"
What are we made of? What was there before the beginning? Are we really alone? These questions have been pondered by the most brilliant minds in history. Now, modern science may be able to provide us with answers"
Japanese show to televise live from Oregon hotel | Seattle Times Newspaper
Local News | Japanese show to televise live from Oregon hotel | Seattle Times Newspaper: "The ghosts at Oregon's Geiser Grand Hotel are going live.
A popular Japanese television show highlighting the supernatural will broadcast live on New Year's Eve from the restored 1889 hotel in the historic Old West town of Baker City, Ore.
That's live for Japan, that is: The broadcast begins Wednesday evening and concludes at 6 a.m. Thursday.
So will the ghosts that visitors have gossiped about for years, such as the Lady in Blue, make an appearance?
'I wish so,' Takayoshi Nakayama, director of the television show 'Unbelievable,' said through a translator. 'Other than news and sports, this type of live broadcasting is extremely rare in Japan.'
The broadcast is the first time the show is taping live at the Geiser Grand Hotel, but overall it is Nakayama's third visit. Twelve years ago, he was convinced he took a spirit home from the hotel in his suitcase after his toddler son spent days chatting with it."
A popular Japanese television show highlighting the supernatural will broadcast live on New Year's Eve from the restored 1889 hotel in the historic Old West town of Baker City, Ore.
That's live for Japan, that is: The broadcast begins Wednesday evening and concludes at 6 a.m. Thursday.
So will the ghosts that visitors have gossiped about for years, such as the Lady in Blue, make an appearance?
'I wish so,' Takayoshi Nakayama, director of the television show 'Unbelievable,' said through a translator. 'Other than news and sports, this type of live broadcasting is extremely rare in Japan.'
The broadcast is the first time the show is taping live at the Geiser Grand Hotel, but overall it is Nakayama's third visit. Twelve years ago, he was convinced he took a spirit home from the hotel in his suitcase after his toddler son spent days chatting with it."
BBC News - Earth project aims to 'simulate everything'
BBC News - Earth project aims to 'simulate everything': "An international group of scientists are aiming to create a simulator that can replicate everything happening on Earth - from global weather patterns and the spread of diseases to international financial transactions or congestion on Milton Keynes' roads.
Nicknamed the Living Earth Simulator (LES), the project aims to advance the scientific understanding of what is taking place on the planet, encapsulating the human actions that shape societies and the environmental forces that define the physical world.
'Many problems we have today - including social and economic instabilities, wars, disease spreading - are related to human behaviour, but there is apparently a serious lack of understanding regarding how society and the economy work,' says Dr Helbing, of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, who chairs the FuturICT project which aims to create the simulator."
Nicknamed the Living Earth Simulator (LES), the project aims to advance the scientific understanding of what is taking place on the planet, encapsulating the human actions that shape societies and the environmental forces that define the physical world.
'Many problems we have today - including social and economic instabilities, wars, disease spreading - are related to human behaviour, but there is apparently a serious lack of understanding regarding how society and the economy work,' says Dr Helbing, of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, who chairs the FuturICT project which aims to create the simulator."
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The Goal of Neural Enhancement | h+ Magazine
The A.I. Revolution Is On
The A.I. Revolution Is On | Magazine: "Diapers.com warehouses are a bit of a jumble. Boxes of pacifiers sit above crates of onesies, which rest next to cartons of baby food. In a seeming abdication of logic, similar items are placed across the room from one another. A person trying to figure out how the products were shelved could well conclude that no form of intelligence—except maybe a random number generator—had a hand in determining what went where.
But the warehouses aren’t meant to be understood by humans; they were built for bots. Every day, hundreds of robots course nimbly through the aisles, instantly identifying items and delivering them to flesh-and-blood packers on the periphery. Instead of organizing the warehouse as a human might—by placing like products next to one another, for instance—Diapers.com’s robots stick the items in various aisles throughout the facility. Then, to fill an order, the first available robot simply finds the closest requested item. The storeroom is an ever-shifting mass that adjusts to constantly changing data, like the size and popularity of merchandise, the geography of the warehouse, and the location of each robot. Set up by Kiva Systems, which has outfitted similar facilities for Gap, Staples, and Office Depot, the system can deliver items to packers at the rate of one every six seconds."
But the warehouses aren’t meant to be understood by humans; they were built for bots. Every day, hundreds of robots course nimbly through the aisles, instantly identifying items and delivering them to flesh-and-blood packers on the periphery. Instead of organizing the warehouse as a human might—by placing like products next to one another, for instance—Diapers.com’s robots stick the items in various aisles throughout the facility. Then, to fill an order, the first available robot simply finds the closest requested item. The storeroom is an ever-shifting mass that adjusts to constantly changing data, like the size and popularity of merchandise, the geography of the warehouse, and the location of each robot. Set up by Kiva Systems, which has outfitted similar facilities for Gap, Staples, and Office Depot, the system can deliver items to packers at the rate of one every six seconds."
Seeking the Connectome, a Mental Map, Slice by Slice - NYTimes.com
Seeking the Connectome, a Mental Map, Slice by Slice - NYTimes.com: "CAMBRIDGE, Mass — Dr. Jeff Lichtman likes his brains sliced thin — very, very thin. Dr. Lichtman and his team of researchers at Harvard have built some unusual contraptions that carve off slivers of mouse brains as part of a quest to understand how the mind works. Their goal is to run slice after minuscule slice under a powerful electron microscope, develop detailed pictures of the brain’s complex wiring and then stitch the images back together. In short, they want to build a full map of the mind."
Robot waiters in China never lose patience - WAVE 3 News - Louisville, Kentucky
Robot waiters in China never lose patience - WAVE 3 News - Louisville, Kentucky: "JINAN, China (AP) - Service with a smile also comes with an electronic voice at the Dalu Robot restaurant, where the hotpot meals are not as famous yet as the staff who never lose their patience and never take tips.
The restaurant, which opened this month in Jinan in northern Shandong province, is touted as China's first robot hotpot eatery where robots resembling Star Wars droids circle the room carrying trays of food in a conveyor belt-like system.
More than a dozen robots operate in the restaurant as entertainers, servers, greeters and receptionists. Each robot has a motion sensor that tells it to stop when someone is in its path so customers can reach for dishes they want.
The service industry in China has not always kept up with the country's rapid economic growth, and can be quite basic in some restaurants, leading customers in the Dalu restaurant to praise the robots.
'They have a better service attitude than humans,' said Li Xiaomei, 35, who was visiting the restaurant for the first time."
The restaurant, which opened this month in Jinan in northern Shandong province, is touted as China's first robot hotpot eatery where robots resembling Star Wars droids circle the room carrying trays of food in a conveyor belt-like system.
More than a dozen robots operate in the restaurant as entertainers, servers, greeters and receptionists. Each robot has a motion sensor that tells it to stop when someone is in its path so customers can reach for dishes they want.
The service industry in China has not always kept up with the country's rapid economic growth, and can be quite basic in some restaurants, leading customers in the Dalu restaurant to praise the robots.
'They have a better service attitude than humans,' said Li Xiaomei, 35, who was visiting the restaurant for the first time."
Christmas Unwrapped: How angels fell from their pedestals | Holy Post | National Post
Despite myriad artistic depictions through the ages that show Gabriel looking like the most serene of creatures, Mary may have been shocked out of her wits by his presence. Being a Jew of her times, she would have known about the angels of the Old Testament, and so would have had good reason to fear. Angels were serious business in those days, even terrifying. They often carried flaming swords or their faces appeared to emit lightning. They were not the feathery sweet angels of today that hang from Christmas trees or appear in school plays. They certainly were not “Smiley the Angel,” an image that puts wings on the ubiquitous “smiley face” logo."
From the X Files Dept: "We've Received a Message from ET Coded in the Laws of the Universe" -Radical New Theory
From the X Files Dept: "We've Received a Message from ET Coded in the Laws of the Universe" -Radical New Theory: "Most great scientific advances are first attacked by the the ruling status quo as heretical in either the religious or scientific sense or both: Giordano Bruno, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Einstein are vivid examples.
A new theory of evolution proposed by complexity theorist James Gardner which he terms biocosm proposes that the universe is not a random collection of inorganic matter and life. That intelligence is not some cosmic accident, and that intelligence and life are preprogrammed into the physical laws of nature."
A new theory of evolution proposed by complexity theorist James Gardner which he terms biocosm proposes that the universe is not a random collection of inorganic matter and life. That intelligence is not some cosmic accident, and that intelligence and life are preprogrammed into the physical laws of nature."
Monsanto to fight potential lawsuit by organic farmer whose land ruined by GMOs
Monsanto to fight potential lawsuit by organic farmer whose land ruined by GMOs: "Australian organic farmer Steve Marsh recently had his organic certification status pulled by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA) because his organic wheat field was contaminated by a nearby genetically-modified (GM) canola field. And after Marsh threatened to sue the GM farmer for the incident -- which has cost Marsh his entire business, by the way -- Monsanto, the owner of the GM canola, came out and said it would legally back the GM farmer 'in any way [it] could.'"
Gigantic Storm With Huge Tail Erupts on Saturn
Amateurs first sighted the storm earlier this month, but the Cassini spacecraft moved into a good position on Dec. 24 to photograph it from about 1.1 million miles away. Earth received the raw and unprocessed shots today.
The storm has a huge central funnel and a long tail that sweeps around Saturn’s northern hemisphere for tens of thousands of miles. A shot in blue light (left) reveals the extent of the tail, but infrared light (right) shows detail of the storm’s amorphous core. The photos were taken exactly a month after Cassini recovered from a solar-flare-induced error that temporarily silenced the spacecraft from Nov. 2 through Nov. 24.
Saturn’s weather is complex like Jupiter’s, but it’s often difficult to see such storms beneath Saturn’s hazy outer atmosphere, wrote Carolyn Porco, a planetary scientist and leader of Cassini’s imaging team, on Twitter."
S.Korea schools get robot English teachers
S.Korea schools get robot English teachers: "Almost 30 robots have started teaching English to youngsters in a South Korean city, education officials said Tuesday, in a pilot project designed to nurture the nascent robot industry.
Engkey, a white, egg-shaped robot developed by the Korea Institute of Science of Technology (KIST), began taking classes Monday at 21 elementary schools in the southeastern city of Daegu.
The 29 robots, about one metre (3.3 feet) high with a TV display panel for a face, wheeled around the classroom while speaking to the students, reading books to them and dancing to music by moving their head and arms.
The robots, which display an avatar face of a Caucasian woman, are controlled remotely by teachers of English in the Philippines -- who can see and hear the children via a remote control system."
The robots, which display an avatar face of a Caucasian woman, are controlled remotely by teachers of English in the Philippines -- who can see and hear the children via a remote control system."
Monday, December 27, 2010
Genetically Modified Food: We Are What We Eat!
These are the questions that this guide seeks to respond to a consumer audience who demand this information and is increasingly more interested in healthy eating.
Genetically Modified Food (GMO) in Mexico
96.5% of Mexican consumers ignore what are GMOs or don't know if you're eating and what foods, while 98 percent of Mexicans believes that companies must report their labels if their products contain GMOs.
Mexico imports from the United States over 6 million tons of corn each year, of which 45 percent is transgenic corn.
In Mexico, it is forbidden to sow transgenic corn because we are the center of origin of corn and is necessary to protect our varieties of Mexican maize transgenic contamination that may occur if the pollen from the GM maize crosses with our native and hybrid varieties.
However, permission has been granted for 'noncommercial' planting transgenic soybean and cotton.
The health authority allows marketing for human consumption 31 GM soybeans, canola, corn, cotton, potatoes, tomato and alfalfa. These ingredients come into our diets without any control and without our express consent."
Eugenics Alert: The use of GMO Food to deliberately sterilise humans | Sovereign Independent
Eugenics Alert: The use of GMO Food to deliberately sterilise humans | Sovereign Independent: "Much has been written this year about Rockefeller Foundation annual reports going back decades showing plans on how to sterilise undesirables without them knowing about it, but without connecting the dots no one would believe that they are actually doing it. The time for evidencing the theory is over. It is time to lay out cold the evidence that they are actually doing it now."
The Working Poor
The Working Poor: "As the middle class in America continues to be slowly wiped out, the number of working poor continues to increase. Today, nearly one out of every three families in the United States is considered to be “low income”. Millions of American families are finding that they can barely make it from month to month even with both parents working as hard as they possibly can. Blue collar American workers from coast to coast are having their wages decreased at a time when it seems like the cost of virtually every monthly bill is going up. Unfortunately, there is every indication that things are only going to get worse and that average American families are going to be financially squeezed even more in the months and years to come."
Five Types of Chinese Ghosts
Five Types of Chinese Ghosts: "Confucius once said “Ghosts? Damn son, I’m out of here.” In his infinite wisdom he knew very well that dead are perhaps best left that way because he owned a copy of Pet Cemetery.
Chinese culture has many types of ghosts, many of whom have a history so long that they influenced other Asian cultures and their beliefs. Though not always fitting with every belief, it’s generally accepted in Chinese folklore that the form of ghost a person’s spirit takes on when they die reflects how they lived and even how their lives ended. In many cases, these forms are seen as unique punishments for how the person carried themselves or treated others, and serves as an interim period while they await reincarnation."
Chinese culture has many types of ghosts, many of whom have a history so long that they influenced other Asian cultures and their beliefs. Though not always fitting with every belief, it’s generally accepted in Chinese folklore that the form of ghost a person’s spirit takes on when they die reflects how they lived and even how their lives ended. In many cases, these forms are seen as unique punishments for how the person carried themselves or treated others, and serves as an interim period while they await reincarnation."
Men With Red Eyes: Creepy Encounters in Chile, U.S., and U.K.
Monitoring America
Monitoring America | washingtonpost.com: "Nine years after the terrorist attacks of 2001, the United States is assembling a vast domestic intelligence apparatus to collect information about Americans, using the FBI, local police, state homeland security offices and military criminal investigators.
The system, by far the largest and most technologically sophisticated in the nation's history, collects, stores and analyzes information about thousands of U.S. citizens and residents, many of whom have not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The government's goal is to have every state and local law enforcement agency in the country feed information to Washington to buttress the work of the FBI, which is in charge of terrorism investigations in the United States."
The system, by far the largest and most technologically sophisticated in the nation's history, collects, stores and analyzes information about thousands of U.S. citizens and residents, many of whom have not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The government's goal is to have every state and local law enforcement agency in the country feed information to Washington to buttress the work of the FBI, which is in charge of terrorism investigations in the United States."
Sunday, December 26, 2010
How the Animated Series G.I. Joe Predicted Today's Illuminati Agenda
How the Animated Series G.I. Joe Predicted Today's Illuminati Agenda: "G.I. Joe is an iconic cartoon TV show that marked an entire generation of young boys during the 80s. Most fans still recall the main characters and the epic gun fights. But what about the storyline? A look at the TV series in today’s context is quite a strange experience: Many of Cobra’s “far-out” plots are actually happening today. Could G.I. Joe be a case of predictive programming? We will look at some G.I. Joe episodes describing the replacement of the US dollar and the usage of mind control on celebrities and civilians and see how they relate in today’s context."
Thousands of Documents Cover Half a Century's Reports of Close Encounters in New Zealand
Thousands of Documents Cover Half a Century's Reports of Close Encounters in New Zealand "(AP) WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Mysterious lights in the sky and even a flying saucer are among the reported UFO sightings detailed in classified documents released by New Zealand's military this week.
The thousands of documents cover more than 50 years of New Zealanders' reports of encounters with unidentified flying objects."
The thousands of documents cover more than 50 years of New Zealanders' reports of encounters with unidentified flying objects."
The truth is out there, and it's humiliating | Stuff.co.nz
The truth is out there, and it's humiliating | Stuff.co.nz: "OPINION: Right now, in a galaxy far, far away, an alien in the latter stages of holiday planning is peering at a map of our planet. His eyes hover over the image of New Zealand, and come to rest on two words. They are 'toilet stop'.
The truth is out there, and it's humiliating. There's a unifying theme emerging from the 2000-plus pages of top-secret reports into UFO sightings released by the Defence Force last week, and it is this: as far as extra-terrestrial life is concerned, we are a pit-stop on the road to nowhere.
Look at the evidence. Other countries get alien abductions by the truckload. But in the more than half a century of contact recorded in the Defence Force X-files, not a single alien has bothered to have any meaningful interaction with us.
Aliens do not want to introduce us to their leader, take us to new civilisations, grill us on the details of our daily lives, or entrust us with grave warnings about the future. They have never given us a ride in their spaceship. They can't even be arsed to mutilate our cattle."
The truth is out there, and it's humiliating. There's a unifying theme emerging from the 2000-plus pages of top-secret reports into UFO sightings released by the Defence Force last week, and it is this: as far as extra-terrestrial life is concerned, we are a pit-stop on the road to nowhere.
Look at the evidence. Other countries get alien abductions by the truckload. But in the more than half a century of contact recorded in the Defence Force X-files, not a single alien has bothered to have any meaningful interaction with us.
Aliens do not want to introduce us to their leader, take us to new civilisations, grill us on the details of our daily lives, or entrust us with grave warnings about the future. They have never given us a ride in their spaceship. They can't even be arsed to mutilate our cattle."
BOSNIAN “PYRAMID OF THE SUN” Analysis | O-fu
BOSNIAN “PYRAMID OF THE SUN” Analysis | O-fu: "Under the Bosnian Valley of the Pyramids exists a huge underground network of tunnels and chambers. These tunnels had been cut in conglomerate rock. Based on density and a phase of cementation it can be concluded that this conglomerate is of rather recent geological age (tens of thousands of years). It’s origin is in prehistoric glacial deposits. Conglomerate rock consists of rounded pebbles.
Huge quantities of conglomerate rocks had been extracted during the construction of underground labyrinth. This material had a potential to be used as a building material. Sure enough, blocks discovered under the layer of soil on Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun, show the presence of rounded pebbles in huge quantities. Material is exactly the same like the one present in underground tunnels.
It’s logical to conclude that the ancient builders had no waste of the material: what they extracted from the underground was used in process of coating of the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun."
Huge quantities of conglomerate rocks had been extracted during the construction of underground labyrinth. This material had a potential to be used as a building material. Sure enough, blocks discovered under the layer of soil on Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun, show the presence of rounded pebbles in huge quantities. Material is exactly the same like the one present in underground tunnels.
It’s logical to conclude that the ancient builders had no waste of the material: what they extracted from the underground was used in process of coating of the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun."
Dead or Alive? The Eyes Hold the Answer - ScienceNOW
Dead or Alive? The Eyes Hold the Answer - ScienceNOW: "With its technologically advanced animated characters, the 2004 film The Polar Express was supposed to change moviemaking. Instead, it gave audiences the creeps. Reviewers dissed it as 'the night of the living dead.' Why didn't the audience perceive the characters as alive? Something, they said, was wrong with the eyes.
Now, a new study shows just how important the eyes really are when we judge whether a face is that of a living person or an inanimate object. And that ability, the researchers say, is key to our survival, enabling us to quickly determine whether the eyes we're looking at have a mind behind them."
Now, a new study shows just how important the eyes really are when we judge whether a face is that of a living person or an inanimate object. And that ability, the researchers say, is key to our survival, enabling us to quickly determine whether the eyes we're looking at have a mind behind them."
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Can You Live Forever? Maybe Not--But You Can Have Fun Trying: Scientific American
BBC News - Guardian angels 'protect third of Britons'
BBC News - Guardian angels 'protect third of Britons': "Nearly one in three Britons believe they have a guardian angel watching over them, according to a survey.
Online research for the Bible Society and Christian Research into the views of 1,038 people suggests 31% believe in angels, with 17% unsure.
One in 20 told pollsters ICM last week they thought they had seen or heard an angel, with 29% saying they thought a guardian angel watched over them.
The Bible Society says it indicates that many people have a spiritual need.
Its programme director, Canon Dr Ann Holt, said: 'There is plenty of evidence that there are presences in this world beyond the human.
'An angel is God's messenger and the Bible affirms this through the many appearances of angels in different forms.'"
Online research for the Bible Society and Christian Research into the views of 1,038 people suggests 31% believe in angels, with 17% unsure.
One in 20 told pollsters ICM last week they thought they had seen or heard an angel, with 29% saying they thought a guardian angel watched over them.
The Bible Society says it indicates that many people have a spiritual need.
Its programme director, Canon Dr Ann Holt, said: 'There is plenty of evidence that there are presences in this world beyond the human.
'An angel is God's messenger and the Bible affirms this through the many appearances of angels in different forms.'"
Friday, December 24, 2010
Galaxies Beyond Human Comprehension
ESA’s Herschel infrared space observatory, with its ability for very sensitive mapping over wide areas, has seen thousands of these galaxies and pinpointed their locations, showing for the first time that they are packing themselves closely together, forming large clusters of galaxies by the force of their mutual gravity."
Can ET And Christmas Co-exist? : Krulwich Wonders… : NPR
The essential Christmas story is that Christ came in human form to live among us on Earth to save all sinners here. What if there are intelligent beings out 'there?' Do they have Christmas too?
If the question sounds silly, some people take it very seriously.
In a soon-to-be published book, First Contact, The Washington Post's Marc Kaufman quotes Gary Bates, the head of Creation Ministries in Atlanta, who says he is deeply uncomfortable with the notion of extraterrestrial life."
Mysterious creature found in Nelson County
Mark Cothren shot and killed an animal on Dec. 18 because he said he feared what it was, since he did not recognize it. He said the animal walked from the woods onto his front yard around 3 p.m. Cothren lives on Mount Carmel Church Road in Lebanon Junction.
'I was like: 'every animal has hair, especially this time of year!' What puzzled me is how something like that could survive through a winter with no hair,' Cothren said.
'Everybody is getting very curious, you know. [The] phone is ringing off the hook. It's kind of a mystery right now,' Cothren said.
Cothren described the creature as having large ears, whiskers, a long tail, and about the size of a house cat. He says many people have tried to guess what the animal may be. He said he's heard anything from raccoon to a dog to the legendary Chupacabra."
Why it's cold here but warm over Greenland: Diverted jet stream letting icy blast in from the Arctic | Mail Online
Why it's cold here but warm over Greenland: Diverted jet stream letting icy blast in from the Arctic | Mail Online: "The freezing conditions that have blasted Britain are being blamed on a series of weather patterns that are bringing Arctic temperatures to much of western Europe, California and even Australia.
One of the main factors is a change in the position of the jet stream - the fast-moving current of air that moves from west to east, high in the atmosphere.
Changes in the jet stream's path can cause massive changes in weather conditions across the globe and may be why Australians are now shivering their way through summer and the current freezing conditions in California.
In a normal British winter - when conditions are mild and soggy - the jet stream lies over northern Europe, at an altitude of between 35,000 to 50,000 feet."
One of the main factors is a change in the position of the jet stream - the fast-moving current of air that moves from west to east, high in the atmosphere.
Changes in the jet stream's path can cause massive changes in weather conditions across the globe and may be why Australians are now shivering their way through summer and the current freezing conditions in California.
In a normal British winter - when conditions are mild and soggy - the jet stream lies over northern Europe, at an altitude of between 35,000 to 50,000 feet."
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Part moth, part machine: Cyborgs are on the move | The Global Transition The Singularity, Transumanism, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics
Biopharming with human milk proteins
humanmilkpatentpending: Biopharming with human milk proteins: "Fields of rice growing in the heartland of the USA. Just rice? Or genetically engineered rice with human milk proteins to create a better infant formula, oral rehydration solutions, foods for adults, or antibiotics?
Don't believe it? Yeah, who would believe that standing in the farmer's field is our distant relative, call her, HuRice or HuBarley or HuMilkie or HuBucks($$$$). Ventria Bioscience is a company that believes in the science of creation. As the magician can pull a rabbit out of his hat, Ventria will pull human milk proteins from rice or barley or wheat or oats or rye or corn or millet or triticale or sorghum (all mentioned in their patents as possibilities). For now its just rice, growing in Kansas. The NIH (National Institute of Health) awarded Ventria a Phase II SBIR competitive grant of $724,628. Kansas Bioscience kicked in $144,744 as a partial match for the federal funding. I guess this is one way of our government supporting human milk feeding, just a little sarcasm. In reading government documents from about 10-20 years ago, one understands that US governmental research on human milk was driven by the idea of creating an infant formula as good as breastmilk or better than breastmilk. How would this be done? Genetic engineering."
Don't believe it? Yeah, who would believe that standing in the farmer's field is our distant relative, call her, HuRice or HuBarley or HuMilkie or HuBucks($$$$). Ventria Bioscience is a company that believes in the science of creation. As the magician can pull a rabbit out of his hat, Ventria will pull human milk proteins from rice or barley or wheat or oats or rye or corn or millet or triticale or sorghum (all mentioned in their patents as possibilities). For now its just rice, growing in Kansas. The NIH (National Institute of Health) awarded Ventria a Phase II SBIR competitive grant of $724,628. Kansas Bioscience kicked in $144,744 as a partial match for the federal funding. I guess this is one way of our government supporting human milk feeding, just a little sarcasm. In reading government documents from about 10-20 years ago, one understands that US governmental research on human milk was driven by the idea of creating an infant formula as good as breastmilk or better than breastmilk. How would this be done? Genetic engineering."
IBM Predicts Holographic Calls, Air-Breathing Batteries by 2015 - Bloomberg
IBM Predicts Holographic Calls, Air-Breathing Batteries by 2015 - Bloomberg: "By 2015, your mobile phone will project a 3-D image of anyone who calls and your laptop will be powered by kinetic energy. At least that’s what International Business Machines Corp. sees in its crystal ball.
The predictions are part of an annual tradition for Armonk, New York-based company, which surveys its 3,000 researchers to find five ideas expected to take root in the next five years. IBM, the world’s largest provider of computer services, looks to Silicon Valley for input, gleaning many ideas from its Almaden research center in San Jose, California.
Holographic conversations, projected from mobile phones, lead this year’s list. The predictions also include air- breathing batteries, computer programs that can tell when and where traffic jams will take place, environmental information generated by sensors in cars and phones, and cities powered by the heat thrown off by computer servers."
The predictions are part of an annual tradition for Armonk, New York-based company, which surveys its 3,000 researchers to find five ideas expected to take root in the next five years. IBM, the world’s largest provider of computer services, looks to Silicon Valley for input, gleaning many ideas from its Almaden research center in San Jose, California.
Holographic conversations, projected from mobile phones, lead this year’s list. The predictions also include air- breathing batteries, computer programs that can tell when and where traffic jams will take place, environmental information generated by sensors in cars and phones, and cities powered by the heat thrown off by computer servers."
Printing Ultra-Thin Circuits Into Banknotes Could Give Electronic Security to Paper Currency | Popular Science
Printing Ultra-Thin Circuits Into Banknotes Could Give Electronic Security to Paper Currency | Popular Science: "Earlier this month, it came to light that the new high-tech U.S. $100 bill was so difficult to counterfeit that even the U.S. mint couldn’t properly master the production process, causing printing problems that eventually led the Treasury Department to quarantine $110 billion in new currency. But rather than incorporating sophisticated printing tricks like 3-D security strips, watermarks, and color-shifting inks, a team of German and Japanese researchers have come up with an easier and potentially more effective way to secure banknotes: stamp tiny organic circuitry directly onto the bills."
BBC News - Ancient humans, dubbed 'Denisovans', interbred with us
BBC News - Ancient humans, dubbed 'Denisovans', interbred with us: "Professor Chris Stringer: 'It's nothing short of sensational - we didn't know how ancient people in China related to these other humans'
Scientists say an entirely separate type of human identified from bones in Siberia co-existed and interbred with our own species.
The ancient humans have been dubbed Denisovans after the caves in Siberia where their remains were found.
There is also evidence that this group was widespread in Eurasia.
A study in Nature journal shows that Denisovans co-existed with Neanderthals and interbred with our species - perhaps around 50,000 years ago.
An international group of researchers sequenced a complete genome from one of the ancient hominins (human-like creatures), based on nuclear DNA extracted from a finger bone."
Scientists say an entirely separate type of human identified from bones in Siberia co-existed and interbred with our own species.
The ancient humans have been dubbed Denisovans after the caves in Siberia where their remains were found.
There is also evidence that this group was widespread in Eurasia.
A study in Nature journal shows that Denisovans co-existed with Neanderthals and interbred with our species - perhaps around 50,000 years ago.
An international group of researchers sequenced a complete genome from one of the ancient hominins (human-like creatures), based on nuclear DNA extracted from a finger bone."
N. Korea threatens nuclear 'holy war' - World news - Asia-Pacific - North Korea - msnbc.com
N. Korea threatens nuclear 'holy war' - World news - Asia-Pacific - North Korea - msnbc.com: "POCHEON, South Korea — North Korea's minister of armed forces said on Thursday its military was prepared to wage a 'holy war' against the South using its nuclear deterrent after what he called Seoul's attempt to initiate conflict.
Minister Kim Yong Chun repeated Pyongyang's charge that the South had been preparing to start a war by conducting live-fire drills off the west coast, speaking at a rally to mark leader Kim Jong Il's rise to the country's top military post 19 years ago."
Scientists find evidence for 'chronesthesia,' or mental time travel
Scientists find evidence for 'chronesthesia,' or mental time travel: "(PhysOrg.com) -- The ability to remember the past and imagine the future can significantly affect a person's decisions in life. Scientists refer to the brain’s ability to think about the past, present, and future as 'chronesthesia,' or mental time travel, although little is known about which parts of the brain are responsible for these conscious experiences. In a new study, researchers have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of mental time travel and better understand the nature of the mental time in which the metaphorical 'travel' occurs."
Nephilim with Very Big Feet -- Alien with size 440 shoe among New Zealand UFO sightings - Telegraph
'Singing Mouse' Made With Genetic Modification : Discovery News
'Singing Mouse' Made With Genetic Modification : Discovery News: "Japanese scientists said Tuesday they had produced a mouse that tweets like a bird in a genetically engineered 'evolution' which they hope will shed light on the origins of human language.
A team of researchers at the University of Osaka created the animal in their 'Evolved Mouse Project,' in which they use genetically modified mice that are prone to miscopying DNA and thus to mutations.
'Mutations are the driving force of evolution. We have cross-bred the genetically modified mice for generations to see what would happen,' lead researcher Arikuni Uchimura said."
A team of researchers at the University of Osaka created the animal in their 'Evolved Mouse Project,' in which they use genetically modified mice that are prone to miscopying DNA and thus to mutations.
'Mutations are the driving force of evolution. We have cross-bred the genetically modified mice for generations to see what would happen,' lead researcher Arikuni Uchimura said."
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Extraterrestrial UFO Are Real - U.S. Air Force Computer Specialist Admitted In His Deathbed Confession
Extraterrestrial UFO Are Real - U.S. Air Force Computer Specialist Admitted In His Deathbed Confession: "Mr. William Pawelec was a U.S. Air Force computer operations and programming specialist with numerous credentials in security technologies and access control systems.
Mr. William Pawelec was a U.S. Air Force computer operations and programming specialist with numerous credentials in security technologies and access control systems.
He gave down below interview with Dr. Greer prior to the 2001 National Press Club Disclosure event and asked that it not be released until after his death.
Mr. William Pawelec passed away on May 22, 2007 and we received permission to release it in December 2010.
In interview he had talked about Underground Bases, Implant Microchip, Frozen CO2/Nitrogen Bullets, Four parallel world government, Alien Visitation Crafts and beyond black budget operations are real."
Mr. William Pawelec was a U.S. Air Force computer operations and programming specialist with numerous credentials in security technologies and access control systems.
He gave down below interview with Dr. Greer prior to the 2001 National Press Club Disclosure event and asked that it not be released until after his death.
Mr. William Pawelec passed away on May 22, 2007 and we received permission to release it in December 2010.
In interview he had talked about Underground Bases, Implant Microchip, Frozen CO2/Nitrogen Bullets, Four parallel world government, Alien Visitation Crafts and beyond black budget operations are real."
Mysterious Pyramid Baffles Chinese Scientists
Mysterious Pyramid Baffles Chinese Scientists: "No one seems to know the origin or the meaning behind a mysterious pyramid that sits atop Mount Baigong in western China that local legends claim is an alien UFO launch tower.
Nine scientists form the team that will travel to the western province of Qinghai and the mouth of this 165-198 foot tall structure known as the “ET Relics.”
“The pyramid has three caves with openings shaped like triangles on its façade and is filled with red-hued pipes leading into the mountain and a nearby salt water lake,” says China’s state-run Xinhua agency."
Nine scientists form the team that will travel to the western province of Qinghai and the mouth of this 165-198 foot tall structure known as the “ET Relics.”
“The pyramid has three caves with openings shaped like triangles on its façade and is filled with red-hued pipes leading into the mountain and a nearby salt water lake,” says China’s state-run Xinhua agency."
Killer Drones Converge on California, Ready to Take Off | Danger Room | Wired.com
Plus, if they crash or get shot down, nobody gets hurt. That means the military can assign drones to what a robot-industry insider from Boeing called the “worst down-and-dirty missions that even the nuttiest pilot wouldn’t want to do.”
But today’s drones are “fair-weather” killers, too slow to survive the sophisticated air defenses of, say, China or Iran. To bring the advantages of robot aircraft to high-intensity warfare, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency along with the Air Force and Navy sponsored J-UCAS starting in 2003. Boeing’s X-45 (pictured) competed with the Northrop Grumman-built X-47 to “demonstrate the technical feasibility, military utility and operational value for a networked system of high performance, weaponized unmanned air vehicles,” according to Darpa."
There's a mini ice age coming, says man who beats weather experts
The man who repeatedly beats the Met Office at its own game
Well, folks, it's tea-time on Sunday and for anyone involved in keeping people moving it has been a hell of a weekend. Thousands have had their journeys wrecked, tens of thousands have been delayed getting away for Christmas; and for those Londoners who feel aggrieved by the performance of any part of our transport services, I can only say that we are doing our level best.
Almost the entire Tube system was running on Sunday and we would have done even better if it had not been for a suicide on the Northern Line, and the temporary stoppage that these tragedies entail. Of London's 700 bus services, only 50 were on diversion, mainly in the hillier areas. On Saturday, we managed to keep the West End plentifully supplied with customers, and retailers reported excellent takings on what is one of the busiest shopping days of the year."
BBC News - Neanderthal family found cannibalised in cave in Spain
BBC News - Neanderthal family found cannibalised in cave in Spain: "Markings on the bones show the unmistakeable signs of cannibal activity, say the researchers, with the group having probably been killed by their peers.
The remains were found in a cave in the Asturias region of Northern Spain. Details of the find appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Although the highly fragmented bones of six adults and six children were found in a cave, it is thought they probably lived and died on the surface before the ground collapsed beneath them naturally after their death.
Their end was a bloody one, with distinct markings on the bones showing they fell victim to cannibalism.
'They all show signs of cannibalism. They have cut marks on many bones including skulls and mandibles,' said Professor Carles Lalueza-Fox of Barcelona's Institute of Evolutionary Biology, who lead the research.
'The long bones have been fragmented to obtain the marrow so all the signs of cannibalism that have been described... in other Neanderthal sites are present in all these individuals.'"
The remains were found in a cave in the Asturias region of Northern Spain. Details of the find appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Although the highly fragmented bones of six adults and six children were found in a cave, it is thought they probably lived and died on the surface before the ground collapsed beneath them naturally after their death.
Their end was a bloody one, with distinct markings on the bones showing they fell victim to cannibalism.
'They all show signs of cannibalism. They have cut marks on many bones including skulls and mandibles,' said Professor Carles Lalueza-Fox of Barcelona's Institute of Evolutionary Biology, who lead the research.
'The long bones have been fragmented to obtain the marrow so all the signs of cannibalism that have been described... in other Neanderthal sites are present in all these individuals.'"
Attorney General Eric Holder's Blunt Warning on Terror Attacks - ABC News
Attorney General Eric Holder's Blunt Warning on Terror Attacks - ABC News: "Attorney General Eric Holder has an urgent message for Americans: While he is confident that the United States will continue to thwart attacks, 'the terrorists only have to be successful once.'
'What I am trying to do in this interview is to make people aware of the fact that the threat is real, the threat is different, the threat is constant,' he said."
'What I am trying to do in this interview is to make people aware of the fact that the threat is real, the threat is different, the threat is constant,' he said."
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
5 revelations from the Post’s ‘Monitoring America’ investigation - Yahoo! News
Hyper-Active Black Holes: The Most Dangerous Object in the Universe?
Hyper-Active Black Holes: The Most Dangerous Object in the Universe?: "lA new study from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory tells scientists how often the biggest black holes have been active over the last few billion years. This discovery clarifies how supermassive black holes grow and could have implications for how the giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way will behave in the future."
5 Crazy and New Genetically Modified Foods | Care2 Healthy & Green Living
Thought Leader » Mandela Rhodes Scholars » What is genetic modification, really?
Thought Leader » Mandela Rhodes Scholars » What is genetic modification, really?: "If you think you’ve managed to stay clean of them GMOs (genetically modified organisms) by going “organic”, chances are you’ve unknowingly been eating them or wearing them. But don’t worry. After more than three decades of experimentation there’s still no convincing evidence that GMOs are harmful. It’s the paranoia of groups like Woolworths, who explicitly state this lack of evidence, yet choose to rid their fresh produce of the stuff because of concerned customers. Most people don’t know that genetic engineering is usually applied as an investigative tool in genetics to figure out what genes do rather than to make food."
Defence lifts lid on Kiwi X-files - national | Stuff.co.nz
Defence lifts lid on Kiwi X-files - national | Stuff.co.nz: "Thousands of secret files on New Zealand's UFO reports are set to be made public, nearly 32 years to the day after our most famous sighting.
The files include every witness account of unidentified flying objects reported to authorities since the early 1950s, including the 1978 Kaikoura mystery.
They had been held by Archives New Zealand, which was to make them available in February after requests from the public, but the Defence Force stepped in, saying it needed to remove personal identification to comply with the Privacy Act.
The Defence Force promised to release the files by the end of this year and is due to make them public this week.
More than 2000 pages of files will be issued in 12 volumes. Squadron Leader Kavae Tamariki said the Defence Force would not comment on the files' content."
The files include every witness account of unidentified flying objects reported to authorities since the early 1950s, including the 1978 Kaikoura mystery.
They had been held by Archives New Zealand, which was to make them available in February after requests from the public, but the Defence Force stepped in, saying it needed to remove personal identification to comply with the Privacy Act.
The Defence Force promised to release the files by the end of this year and is due to make them public this week.
More than 2000 pages of files will be issued in 12 volumes. Squadron Leader Kavae Tamariki said the Defence Force would not comment on the files' content."
YouTube - Sasquatch legend true
Bindernagel says his latest book was seven years in the making and he was compelled to publish it to try to make the subject less 'taboo' within the scientific community. The author also hopes awareness of the book will make it easier for members of the public who may be eyewitnesses to come forward.
Bindernagel says bigfoot sightings are more common than people realize but are often immediately discounted. He also predicts there are several people who have seen the creature but are afraid to talk about their encounters because they may have had bad experiences when recounting those sightings to friends or spouses."
Giant Stealth Planet May Explain Rain of Comets from Solar System's Edge - Yahoo! News
Giant Stealth Planet May Explain Rain of Comets from Solar System's Edge - Yahoo! News: "Our sun may have a companion that disturbs comets from the edge of the solar system — a giant planet with up to four times the mass of Jupiter, researchers suggest. A NASA space telescope launched last year may soon detect such a stealth companion to our sun, if it actually exists, in the distant icy realm of the comet-birthing Oort cloud, which surrounds our solar system with billions of icy objects. The potential jumbo Jupiter would likely be a world so frigid it is difficult to spot, researchers said. It could be found up to 30,000 astronomical units from the sun. One AU is the distance between the Earth and the sun, about 93 million miles (150 million km). Most systems with stars like our sun — so-called class G stars — possess companions. Only one-third are single-star systems like our solar system."
8000 year-old Sun temple found in Bulgaria
8000 year-old Sun temple found in Bulgaria: "The oldest temple of the Sun has been discovered in northwest Bulgaria, near the town of Vratsa, aged at more then 8000 years, the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on December 15 2010.
The Bulgarian 'Stonehenge' is hence about 3000 years older than its illustrious English counterpart. But unlike its more renowned English cousin, the Bulgarian sun temple was not on the surface, rather it was dug out from under tons of earth and is shaped in the form of a horse shoe, the report said.
The temple was found near the village of Ohoden. According to archaeologists, the prehistoric people used the celestial facility to calculate the seasons and to determine the best times for sowing and harvest. The site was also used for rituals, offering gifts to the Sun for fertility as BNT reported."
The Bulgarian 'Stonehenge' is hence about 3000 years older than its illustrious English counterpart. But unlike its more renowned English cousin, the Bulgarian sun temple was not on the surface, rather it was dug out from under tons of earth and is shaped in the form of a horse shoe, the report said.
The temple was found near the village of Ohoden. According to archaeologists, the prehistoric people used the celestial facility to calculate the seasons and to determine the best times for sowing and harvest. The site was also used for rituals, offering gifts to the Sun for fertility as BNT reported."
RedOrbit NEWS | Chinese Weather Manipulation Experiments To Increase
RedOrbit NEWS | Chinese Weather Manipulation Experiments To Increase: "Chinese officials have vowed to ramp-up efforts to control the weather, announcing on Thursday that they intend to try to use technology to reduce natural disasters and combat droughts.
According to the Xinhua news agency, Zheng Guoguang, the director of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), said that the weather-manipulation program will be used to aid the country's agricultural and rural development, provide additional airborne water resources, improve the ecology, and help prevent environmental calamities from occurring.
'By the mid 21st century, China will be a country short of water, with a per capita water source of 1,700 cubic meters,' Zheng told Xinhua reporters on Friday, 'thus we need to control the weather.'"
According to the Xinhua news agency, Zheng Guoguang, the director of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), said that the weather-manipulation program will be used to aid the country's agricultural and rural development, provide additional airborne water resources, improve the ecology, and help prevent environmental calamities from occurring.
'By the mid 21st century, China will be a country short of water, with a per capita water source of 1,700 cubic meters,' Zheng told Xinhua reporters on Friday, 'thus we need to control the weather.'"
Top Paranormal Events of 2010 - A review of the top paranormal events of 2010
Top Paranormal Events of 2010 - A review of the top paranormal events of 2010: "GHOSTS... WEIRD CREATURES... psychic phenomena... there's not a day goes by on this planet that some person does not have an experience or encounter with one of these mysteries. Only a small percentage of these experiences are reported, and an even smaller percentage makes the news. But among those that appeared in the news in the past year, there are a several that stand out. Here's a roundup of many of the most, interesting or important paranormal news stories of 2010."
Monday, December 20, 2010
The 1st Quantum Machine! The Most Significant Scientific Advance of 2010
The 1st Quantum Machine! The Most Significant Scientific Advance of 2010: "The theory that all human-made objects have moved according to the laws of classical mechanics. was blown asunder by a group of researchers who designed a gadget that moves in ways that can only be described by quantum mechanics -- the subversive set of rules that governs the behavior of tiny things like molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles. Physicists Andrew Cleland and John Martinis from the University of California at Santa Barbara and their colleagues designed the machine—a tiny metal paddle of semiconductor, visible to the naked eye—and coaxed it into dancing with a quantum groove. The machine proved that the principles of quantum mechanics can apply to the motion of macroscopic objects, as well as atomic and subatomic particles."
Strange Company - Military Encounters with UFOs in WWII
Almost every book I've ever read dealing with UFOs seems to start with either Kenneth Arnold's June 24, 1947 sighting, or the early July 1947 Roswell Incident. Sometimes there's a brief mention of the foo fighters from WWII too, and better researched histories might mention the ghost aircraft of WWI or even the phantom airships that made headlines across the United States in the late 19th century. But Keith Chester's Strange Company- Military Encounters with UFOs in WWII is the first book I've come across that exclusively deals with pre-1947 sightings. What follows is an interview with Keith Chester about his unique book and research."
Einstein was right, you can be in two places at once - Science, News - The Independent
Einstein was right, you can be in two places at once - Science, News - The Independent: "A device that exists in two different states at the same time, and coincidentally proves that Albert Einstein was right when he thought he was wrong, has been named as the scientific breakthrough of the year.
The machine, consisting of a sliver of wafer-thin metal, is the first man-made device to be governed by the mysterious quantum forces that operate at the level of atoms and sub-atomic particles.
Normal, everyday objects obey the laws of conventional Newtonian physics, named after Sir Isaac Newton, but these rules break down on the sub-atomic scale and a whole new branch of theoretical physics had to be invented to explain what happens on this sub-microscopic level."
The machine, consisting of a sliver of wafer-thin metal, is the first man-made device to be governed by the mysterious quantum forces that operate at the level of atoms and sub-atomic particles.
Normal, everyday objects obey the laws of conventional Newtonian physics, named after Sir Isaac Newton, but these rules break down on the sub-atomic scale and a whole new branch of theoretical physics had to be invented to explain what happens on this sub-microscopic level."
BBC - Rendlesham Forest UFO mystery still leaves questions
BBC - Rendlesham Forest UFO mystery still leaves questions: "Thirty years after claims that UFOs had been spotted in Rendlesham Forest, experts and enthusiasts still can't agree on what happened. Mysterious craft and lights around the airbases of Woodbridge and Bentwaters in Suffolk were reported around 26/27 December 1980. BBC Suffolk's Mark Murphy presented a special 30th anniversary radio show from the forest in December 2010. Mr Murphy promoted his favourite theory, but questions remained."
Alien Gods -- Ancient Astronauts
Notwithstanding these contentions, let us say that there is an axiom to the ancient astronaut theory. Then we need to ask, who were these beings? What did they represent to the inhabitants of earth? Where these beings the ancient Gods of antiquity?"
Phantoms and Monsters: Paranormal, UFOs, Cryptids and Unexplained Phenomena
Phantoms and Monsters: Paranormal, UFOs, Cryptids and Unexplained Phenomena: "The following are previous humanoid / cryptid encounter reports received by various agencies worldwide:
WILD MAN
Near Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - August 1978 - afternoon
Three Amish men were working in their field when a odd looking man approached them from the direction of a neighboring farm. The man was yelling and jumping about. The Amish men were alarmed and noticed that this 'man' had arms, legs and a face that seemed different...more animal than human. He had coarse dark hair on his limbs and face and wore what appeared to be a dark colored and tattered pair of old style boxer shorts. As the man-creature approached closer, he was yelling something but it was not understood by the men.
The men ran towards their house...the man-creature was right behind them. One of the Amish men ducked into the dairy barn and the other two immediately went in the house. An elderly Amish woman who had been in the garden, came to see what was going on. When the man-creature saw her it suddenly stopped running, sat down on the grass and remained quiet while staring at the sky."
WILD MAN
Near Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - August 1978 - afternoon
Three Amish men were working in their field when a odd looking man approached them from the direction of a neighboring farm. The man was yelling and jumping about. The Amish men were alarmed and noticed that this 'man' had arms, legs and a face that seemed different...more animal than human. He had coarse dark hair on his limbs and face and wore what appeared to be a dark colored and tattered pair of old style boxer shorts. As the man-creature approached closer, he was yelling something but it was not understood by the men.
The men ran towards their house...the man-creature was right behind them. One of the Amish men ducked into the dairy barn and the other two immediately went in the house. An elderly Amish woman who had been in the garden, came to see what was going on. When the man-creature saw her it suddenly stopped running, sat down on the grass and remained quiet while staring at the sky."
Solstice-eclipse overlap first in 456 years
Solstice-eclipse overlap first in 456 years: "OTTAWA — This year's winter solstice — an event that will occur next Tuesday — will coincide with a full lunar eclipse in a union that hasn't been seen in 456 years.
The celestial eccentricity holds special significance for spiritualities that tap into the energy of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and a time that is associated with the rebirth of the sun.
'It's a ritual of transformation from darkness into light,' says Nicole Cooper, a high priestess at Toronto's Wiccan Church of Canada. 'It's the idea that when things seem really bleak, (it) is often our biggest opportunity for personal transformation.
'The idea that the sun and the moon are almost at their darkest at this point in time really only further goes to hammer that home.'"
The celestial eccentricity holds special significance for spiritualities that tap into the energy of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and a time that is associated with the rebirth of the sun.
'It's a ritual of transformation from darkness into light,' says Nicole Cooper, a high priestess at Toronto's Wiccan Church of Canada. 'It's the idea that when things seem really bleak, (it) is often our biggest opportunity for personal transformation.
'The idea that the sun and the moon are almost at their darkest at this point in time really only further goes to hammer that home.'"
Scientists Reporting Mysterious shifting of the earth's core | Before It's News
Russian scientists are reporting that the Earth’s core has experienced a mysterious ‘shifting’, as yet for unexplained reasons, but has caused near simultaneous earthquakes in both the countries of Indonesia and its antipodal counterparts of Panama, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
United States Space Agency NASA stated; 'NASA scientists using data from the Indonesian earthquake calculated it affected Earth's rotation, decreased the length of day, slightly changed the planet's shape, and shifted the North Pole by centimeters. The earthquake that created the huge tsunami also changed the Earth's rotation.'
When North Becomes South: New Clues to Earth's Magnetic Flip-Flops
Our planet's magnetic field reverses about once every 200,000 years on average. However, the time between reversals is highly variable. The last time Earth's magnetic field flipped was 780,000 years ago, according to the geologic record of Earth's polarity. It is not a matter of whether it will happen, but when."
Disturbing cow mutilation evokes past Montana mysteries | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune
Disturbing cow mutilation evokes past Montana mysteries | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune: "There were just a few drops of blood around the cow — hardly what was expected considering the tongue and udder were removed and the flesh and tissue scraped clean to the bone.
In the days before its death, the cow showed no signs of being sick. The tongue and udder looked like they had been cut with precision — not ripped as a predator would do.
'I reached out to everybody I know to try to get an explanation,' Meagher County Sheriff Jon Lopp said. 'Everybody's got a theory — from insects to UFOs. I've actually read a lot about it. I'm still as confused as I was when I started.'
Though this incident was the first time Lopp has seen a cow mutilated in such a strange manner, it's been going on elsewhere for decades.
In England, accounts of mutilated cows, horses and goats date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first reports in America surfaced in Pennsylvania and Kansas in the 1960s."
In the days before its death, the cow showed no signs of being sick. The tongue and udder looked like they had been cut with precision — not ripped as a predator would do.
'I reached out to everybody I know to try to get an explanation,' Meagher County Sheriff Jon Lopp said. 'Everybody's got a theory — from insects to UFOs. I've actually read a lot about it. I'm still as confused as I was when I started.'
Though this incident was the first time Lopp has seen a cow mutilated in such a strange manner, it's been going on elsewhere for decades.
In England, accounts of mutilated cows, horses and goats date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first reports in America surfaced in Pennsylvania and Kansas in the 1960s."