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October 31, 2005

Prevent Halloween Injuries

NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2005 (CBS) - Children are gearing up for trick-or-treating and Halloween fun, but there are some things parents should consider to keep children safe.

A common misconception is that the biggest danger is the candy. That's not true says Alan Korn, the director of public policy for Safe Kids Worldwide.

He tells The Early Show it has been decades since there has been an incident like that. And though parents should not throw caution to the wind, the biggest concern is vehicles.

"This year, the day before Halloween, we turn our clocks back," Korn says. "So at 4:30 p.m., for most of the country, it is going to be pitch dark. Think about what happens on Halloween evening. Every adult you know is doing the exact same thing at the exact same time — heading home from work. And every child you know is also doing the exact same thing at the exact same time — running around outside, back and forth across the streets, in dark costumes acting excitedly, crazy."

Korn says that during Halloween a pedestrian death is four times more likely than any other time. This year, in particular, because of the time change.

However, since there is predictable behavior by both parties, there are things motorists can do to avoid an accident. [continue reading]

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October 30, 2005

Just Bag the Lame Sweets: Trick-or-Treaters have preferences

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Candy-savvy kids say some Halloween handouts are more trick than treat
By Kathy Stephenson
The Salt Lake Tribune

Don't assume that all trick-or-treaters will be grateful for the candy you drop in their bags tonight. They might be polite and say "thank you" at the door. But at home, they will groan and whine when they discover bad candy in the bag.
   

Could there really be a terrible treat? Absolutely, two-dozen children said in interviews.
   

Topping the list is just about any kind of hard candy. From butterscotch discs and root beer barrels to Jolly Ranchers and "especially those red- and white-striped mints," says 9-year-old Taylor Cleverly of Ogden. "They taste bad and are too hot and spicy."
   

The distaste is no surprise. Children just don't have the patience to savor anything for more than a few minutes. And many of their parents confiscate the hard candy, anyway, afraid their children will choke or break a tooth.
   

Many children gave a big "ick" to suckers, too. Thirteen-year-old Shawn Tatton called them nasty while 8-year-old Madison Thomas said they were just plain gross.

Candies with high "wax factors" such as candy corns, taffy and Tootsie Rolls also received some turned-down thumbs. "They get stuck in your teeth and don't taste very good," says 10-year-old Sarah Reed, of Sandy.

Others find the chalky-tasting candies like Smarties and Necco wafers ghastly. The same was true for candies with extreme flavors like black licorice, sour apple and cinnamon. Even pink bubble gum made the do-not-buy list.

There are a handful of other items that children don't want, either, not because they taste bad, but because they are simply in bad taste for this candy-themed holiday. These items include cans of soda pop, bags of potato chips or pretzels, mini boxes of raisins, apples, plastic toys and toothbrushes.

So with the bad candy list in place, one item stands out as the preferred Halloween candy: chocolate. From Kit Kats and Butterfingers to Reese's Pieces and M&Ms, those miniature packages of chocolate are king. The only thing better might be those same candies in full-size.

Most adults are already giving kids what they want. According to the National Confectioner's Association, 76 percent of families buy the bite-size chocolate candies at Halloween. Several of the Utah children said they do not like their chocolate mixed with "grown-up" flavors such as caramel and nuts. They prefer it plain or with familiar flavors such as peanut butter. "I hate candy with chocolate and mint," explains Addison Bowen, 9. "And I give my mom anything with coconut."

It's just as well, because if Addison didn't give away the Mounds or the Almond Joy, her parents probably would sneak it anyway. According to the candy statistics, 90 percent of parents admit to taking treats from their children's goodie bags. And, just like their offspring, 70 percent turn up their noses at the licorice, the bubble gum and the butterscotch and grab for the chocolate.

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So there you have it, parents. If you stocked up on things on the "bad" list, there's still time to rush out and snag some chocolate... And you can eat that lame stuff yourself!

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October 29, 2005

Nirvana Candy Contains Drugs

According to KVUE in Austin, Texas:

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The Colony [in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex] police stumbled across a not so sweet find. They confiscated 22 chocolate bars laced with drugs in the 4600 block of Ridgepointe Drive. Authorities said the chocolate bars contained dried mushrooms, hash and marijuana. The bars are called Nirvana and have a street value of more than $4,000. Two 19-year-olds face numerous charges including possesion of a controlled substance. Investigators said the candy looked like normal candy bars.

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Now listen up kids: If someone offers you a [$150] candy bar, just say NO! You do NOT want to find any Nirvana in your trick-or-treat bags this year. This is taking candy addiction to a new level.

Full story at KVUE (registration required.) Here’s a much better article and no registration required: NBC5i story

Via Candy Kid

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October 28, 2005

The F/A-22 Raptor -- America's Most Advanced Fighter Aircraft for the 21st Century

This and the linked photos are of the F/A-22 as the first aircraft delivery was being made to Langley AFB in VA.  Langley is to be first operational AFB for the F/A-22.

The aircraft flying along with the F/A-22 in several of these photos is the F-15 which is to be replaced by the F/A-22. Testing by the USAF has verified predictions that the F/A-22 will be several times more effective.

In actual in-flight (simulated combat) operations against the F-15, one F/A-22 was able to operate without detection while it went head to head against four F-15s, as did two F/A-22s against eight F-15s. The F/A-22s scored missile hits (kills) against each F-15 aircraft and were never detected by the F-15s or ground based radar.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lewis commented: "The Raptor operated against all adversaries with virtual impunity; ground based systems couldn't engage and no adversary aircraft survived."

Awesome!  Thanks Michael!

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October 27, 2005

With pumpkins, white is the new orange

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- These pumpkins look like something scared them. Eerie white pumpkins -- naturally white, not painted -- are finding their way into more and more homes this Halloween season.

The albinos are called ghost pumpkins, snowballs, luminas or Caspers -- presumably a reference to the friendly ghost. And the ones about the size of a baseball? Baby Boos.

White pumpkins are slightly more expensive than their orange cousins, but parents and party planners say they're more ghoulish and offer a better canvas for drawing or painting jack-o'-lantern faces. [...]

Those who carve the pumpkins will find they still have orange flesh beneath the white rind, adding to their ghostly appeal when a candle is put inside. [continue reading CNN article]

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October 26, 2005

Could the Drought End Tonight?

One night after winning the longest game in World Series history, the Chicago White Sox look to end one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history. They hope tonight's the night they win their first World Series since 1917. They lead the Houston Astros 3 games to none following last night's dramatic 14-inning victory.

Here’s what the Astros are facing heading into this Brandon Backe-led charge in Minute Maid Park: Of the 21 teams in World Series history to fall into the same 0-3 hole they’re in, not one of them was able to climb out. And of those 21 occasions, the team leading 3-0 has gone on to win Game 4 and sweep 18 times.

Tough odds, but the Astros may well surprise tonight and stretch the series. Maybe.

If the White Sox win, they'll be the second straight team to win the Series after a drought of almost a century. Last year, the Boston Red Sox won for the first time since 1918.

Should be exciting. Go Sox!

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October 26, 2005

So Long, Spam!

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Caller ID For Email

Jack M. Germain, newsfactor.com

When the telephone rings, most people check the caller ID window before answering. If they see the name or phone number of a family member, friend, or business associate, the conversation begins without fear or inconvenience.

The telephone equipment cannot be tricked. Even when the caller ID window displays "out of area" or "name blocked" messages, telephone users do not have to worry about risking their identity or placing personal information at risk if they decline to answer.

But this is not the case with e-mail. Malefactors can easily spoof the sender's address to trick the recipient into opening the message. Tricksters often make the subject line so inviting that the user cannot wait to click on a message that, once opened, might contain harmful computer code that installs ID-sniffing components or makes the computer susceptible to more unwanted e-mails, otherwise known as spam.

A solution to this problem might soon be available. The computer industry is fast-tracking a system called e-mail authentication, which will attempt to do for e-mail what caller ID does for telephone calls. E-mail authentication will assure the recipient that the sender actually is the person identified in the message header.

"I have no lack of confidence that, given time, it will be fully implemented, possibly within the next 18 months," said Tom Peterson, vice president of technology for IronPort Systems, an e-mail security firm. [continue reading]

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An idea long overdue. Fingers crossed, I'm counting the days...

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October 25, 2005

Hurrican Wilma/Miami Update from Larry 1

"We survived Wilma - it was pretty bad, but everyone is okay and no apparent structural damage to house or office.  Unfortunately, there's lots of debris to clean up, and no electricity - and I mean NO electricity - you can REALLY see the stars at night!!!

I went out to FIU, to help the Facilities Dept w/ damage assessment - I saw one building which may have to be demolished, but most damage is limited.

I'm sending this email from Dolores' computer - hers is one of 4 houses with partial power, and she's the only one I know with electricity.  It's now almost 7:00PM, which means I have to head home before curfew!!!!"

More photos here.

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October 25, 2005

ROSA PARKS -- 1913-2005

She Set the Wheels of Justice in Motion

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Rosa Parks, 92, Founding Symbol of Civil Rights Movement, Dies
By E. R. SHIPP, New York Times

Rosa Parks, a black seamstress whose refusal to relinquish her seat to a white man on a city bus in Montgomery, Ala., almost 50 years ago grew into a mythic event that helped touch off the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's, died yesterday at her home in Detroit. She was 92 years old.

For her act of defiance, Mrs. Parks was arrested, convicted of violating the segregation laws and fined $10, plus $4 in court fees. In response, blacks in Montgomery boycotted the buses for nearly 13 months while mounting a successful Supreme Court challenge to the Jim Crow law that enforced their second-class status on the public bus system. [...]

Her act of civil disobedience, what seems a simple gesture of defiance so many years later, was in fact a dangerous, even reckless move in 1950's Alabama. In refusing to move, she risked legal sanction and perhaps even physical harm, but she also set into motion something far beyond the control of the city authorities. Mrs. Parks clarified for people far beyond Montgomery the cruelty and humiliation inherent in the laws and customs of segregation. [more]

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Thank you Miss Rosa...

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October 24, 2005

The Tuskegee Airmen Fly Again...

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Tuskegee Airmen Suit Up, Head to Iraq

TUSKEGEE, Ala. -- Lt. Col. Herbert Carter is 86 years old and ready for deployment. More than 60 years after his World War II tour with the pioneering black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen, Carter's new mission will be shorter, though no less courageous.

Carter is one of seven aging Tuskegee Airmen traveling this weekend to Balad, Iraq -- a city ravaged by roadside bombs and insurgent activity -- to inspire a younger generation of airmen who carry on the traditions of the storied 332nd Fighter Group. [...]

The original Tuskegee Airmen were recruited in an Army Air Corps program created to train blacks to fly and maintain combat aircraft during World War II -- though some of the retired Airmen say it was really designed to try to prove that blacks were incapable of flying and fighting.

                                                                                                                                                                                                  AP Photo/Rob Carr

Eventually, the black airmen flew escort for bombers. They were credited with shooting down more than 100 enemy aircraft and never losing an American bomber under escort to enemy fighters. In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 1940 to 1946. About 450 (were) deployed overseas and 150 lost their lives in training or combat.

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Cool. Real men from my father's generation inspiring real men from my son's generation. Read the entire Washington Post article. Then rent the 1995 HBO movie, "The Tuskegee Airmen" for some great history.

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October 23, 2005

The Cult of Mac?

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iPod Shuffle cross cap

iBelieve is a replacement cap and lanyard to convert the iPod Shuffle into a cross. Celebrate the cult of Mac for just $12.95. From the iBelieve site:

Inspired by the world's obsession and devotion to the iPod, iBelieve... is a social commentary on the fastest growing religion in the world.

The iBelieve is constructed using the same materials and precision ball bearing snap fit as your existing Shuffle cap so you can relax knowing your precious soundtrack is safe.

Just toss your old cap habit, pop on the divine iBelieve and rejoice!

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But seriously , this might be a cool idea for Christians...

Via BoingBoing

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October 22, 2005

Thanks Larry!

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October 21, 2005

I suppose it was inevitable...

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Apple iPod delivers "iPorno" revolution

It hasn't taken the adult industry long to figure out how to transform Apple's iPod into the iPorn. Sites from the dark side of the Web are already rushing to buy QuickTime Pro licenses so they can create viral transmissions intended to pounce down the broadband pipe into Apple's new media players.

The adult industry is huge. It's no secret that it was adult-oriented sites that helped drive demand and technological advance for the Internet itself. The industry is also not scared to experiment. Playboy's decision in December last year to release an image gallery of some its models for the iPod photo proves this.

The move by adult sites to embrace Apple's mass market product is one Apple's competitors can only envy. Provision of such content may well drive iPod demand even higher. [...]

Suicide Girls deliver 'iPin-up'

The tech-savvy adult industry understands how to harness the Internet to stimulate audiences, create brand loyalty and drive demand. As expected, it is rushing to embrace this new iPod-driven, portable-video gold rush.

The fashionable Suicide Girls adult website last night revealed its own weekly three-minute video podcast, promising: "The lovely SuicideGirls set to music and showing off their pin-up appeal. Show your friends, your mum, the girl next to you on the bus." Apple already hosts a Suicide Girls radio show on its own podcast directory.

Suicide Girls aren't the only ones. Another adult site (HellHouse Video) began providing iPod-compatible adult video content earlier this week. Yet another adult outfit, Sin City has made a selection of trailers for its movies available in an iPod-compatible format. Finally, a company called Adult Digital Media is offering to transcode content from other adult industry players into the iPod format. [Macworld full article here]

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If you're thinking about putting one of these under the tree for your teenager this Christmas, be aware. Maybe a non-video model?

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October 21, 2005

Wi-Fi 4-megapixel camera. Cool!

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Death of the Digital Middleman

After a summer-long delay, Kodak has begun shipping the first digital camera with Wi-Fi technology that will allow consumers to send photos directly to friends and family by e-mail without a computer.

Owners of the new EasyShare-One, priced at $600, can send photos through a Wi-Fi transmitter at home or work, or pay $5 a month to connect the camera with any of T-Mobile USA's 6,000 hot spots at stores, airports, hotels and other establishments.

A menu on the EasyShare-One's liquid-crystal screen gives shutterbugs the option of e-mailing pictures and video clips or posting them to Kodak's online photography site. Though the photos are actually routed through the Kodak site, users can set up their accounts so the messages appear to arrive from a personal e-mail address.

Camera-equipped cell phones already offer photo-sharing capabilities but typically produce low-resolution images. The new 4-megapixel Kodak camera has storage room for up to 1,500 photos and a 3-inch touch screen -- big enough for the camera to double as a portable album. [Wired News ]

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Some reviews have been tepid, but here's one with more detailed info. And another.

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October 21, 2005

Hey Laarrry...

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October 20, 2005

Winning Powerball Ticket Worth $340 Million Sold

ABCNews

SALEM, Ore. — A Powerball ticket worth $340 million was sold in the Gold Rush town of Jacksonville, state lottery officials said Thursday morning.

No one has stepped forward yet to claim the largest jackpot in the game's history and the second-biggest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.

The winning numbers drawn Wednesday evening were 7, 21, 43, 44, 49 and 29.

Rats!

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October 19, 2005

El Dorado Hills: A nice place to visit, but don't drink the water

Officials in El Dorado Hills are advising residents to refrain from drinking tap water for the next 48 hours after the wrong chemical was applied to treated water at a local water treatment facility.

According to the El Dorado Irrigation District, workers were alerted to the problem when an alarm sounded at the treatment plant earlier today. An investigation revealed that fly ash, rather than soda ash, was delivered and improperly added to the water. Soda ash is used to reduce the acidity of treated waste water.

The county health department says fly ash does not cause an acute health hazard. It is believed to have a benign effect, if any, on human health.

Residents should not use the water for drinking, cooking or for ice. Pet owners should not give the water to their pets. The water can still be used for bathing, washing clothes and irrigation. [article: News10.net]

Thanks for the heads up, Shannon!

As of 9:00 PM, EID advises: "There is no health emergency. This is a precautionary step..."

I hope they're right. I drank a lot of water today, and I understand fly ash is used in cement...

As of 11 PM October 20, EID advises: the water is "safe to drink..."  and "the employee responsible...has been fired..."

We'll be drinking bottled water at least through Saturday, thank you very much...

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October 19, 2005

Wilma Intensifies

Hurricane Wilma quickly gathers strength and becomes the most intense Atlantic storm ever recorded. Packing 175 mph winds, Wilma is expected to hit Florida this weekend.

Wilma made history before hitting land. It is the 12th hurricane of the season, the same number reached in 1969, the highest since record-keeping began in 1851. It is also the 21st named storm, tying the record set in 1933.

The six-month hurricane season ends November 30. Wilma is the last on the 21-name list for storms this year. If any other storms form, letters from the Greek alphabet would be used for the first time, starting with Alpha.

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October 18, 2005

Democrats Outraged Over Iraqi Constitution. Mentions God and Doesn't Guarantee Abortion

BAGHDAD, Iraq --- Democrats expressed dismay and outrage at the new Iraqi constitution that appears set for passage today.  The document, that starts off with the phrase "In the name of God," does not guarantee a woman's right to choose or government-run healthcare.

"Bush is screwing it up again," said Howard Dean. "He had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a constitution that's even better and clearer than our own, and he blew it.  Blew it!  This place could be a paradise where God is not allowed to be mentioned in any government documents or on any government property.  Healthcare could be provided free of charge and run by the most efficient organization in the world -- the government.  And we could guarantee the rights of women across Iraq to choose what to do with their babies without interference from anyone.  I'm outraged!"

Jeremy Robb via Chronwatch

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October 17, 2005

Too funny not to share...

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NBC News Stunt Backfires

NBC’s staged onsite report of the flooding in the Northeast backfired when two men sloshed by in the ankle-deep water Michelle Kosinski was rowing in…

In one of television’s inadvertently funny moments, the NBC News correspondent was paddling in a canoe during a live report about flooding in Wayne, N.J. While she talked, two men walked between her and the camera -- making it apparent that the water where she was floating was barely ankle-deep.

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Breitbart via ALMTTR

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October 16, 2005

 We're back!

Dawn and I had a wonderful time in Texas visiting my brother Ken and his lovely family. While we didn't see a Dallas Cowboy game, we did see a Texas Rodeo, visited the former Texas Book Depository and Kennedy Museum (and the "grassy knoll") and danced at Billie Bob's. There are quite a few photos to post which I hope to get to soon... Meanwhile, you can "meet" Ashley and Zoey Arrington on the "This Month" page.

We enjoyed some real Texas hospitality; Ken, Margit and the girls were such gracious hosts! It was great getting reacquainted with my youngest brother and an opportunity for Dawn to meet his wonderful family for the first time. We can't wait to return! Yee Haw!!!

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October 13, 2005

And the winner is...

The $2 Million cash prize in the DARPA Grand Challenge 2005 was awarded to Stanford's "Stanley" as five autonomous ground vehicles completed the race. (see October 3 post) "Stanley" finished in 6:53:08 averaging 19.1 mph over 132 miles.

The Stanford Racing Team, largely comprised of students and faculty from Stanford's School of Engineering, configured a stock diesel-powered VW Toureg R5 modified with full body skid plates, a reinforced front bumper, and actuated by a drive-by-wire system.

All processing took place on six Pentium M computers and measurements were incorporated from GPS, a 6DOF inertial measurement unit, and wheel speed for pose information.

If you're unfamiliar with the Challenge and the grueling course these vehicles must traverse, this is no sissy task! The vehicles must navigate 132 miles of dust and grime guided only by their on-board computers and engineering -- without any guidance, control or intervention from humans! Sounds like fun, right? Definitely something I would have enjoyed in college! Ah, to be young and focused...

Visit DARPA's site for more information. And check out the photos in the web-cam section to get a taste of the race!

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October 5, 2005

Teletubbies In Cocaine Bust

SEPTEMBER 29 -- While we knew that Tinky Winky was gay, TSG was unaware of the Teletubbies cocaine connection. When federal officials in New York yesterday announced the arrest of 22 members of an international drug cartel, they revealed that cocaine shipments seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were labeled with a sweet portrait of the colorful cartoon quartet. The below photos, snapped by ICE investigators, show the ring's distinctive branding of its product. Smoking Gun has the story.

Weird little bastards. I always knew they were up to something...

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October 5, 2005

Gator-guzzling python comes to messy end

Incident heightens biologists' fears about Everglades ecosystem

MIAMI -- A 13-foot Burmese python recently burst after it apparently tried to swallow a live, six-foot alligator whole, authorities said. The incident has heightened biologists’ fears that the nonnative snakes could threaten a host of other animal species in the Everglades.

“It means nothing in the Everglades is safe from pythons, a top-down predator,” said Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor. (Continue reading)

Yikes! Careful Larry...

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October 4, 2005

PCWorld Posts Top 100 Products for 2005

PCWorld has released its picks for the top 100 products for 2005 -- and the year isn't even over! Some of them I use, others I wish I had, and a few leave me wondering. All in all, though, the list fairly represents the best offerings this year. You can view the entire list here, along with PCWorld reviews of most of their picks.

I was glad to see Firefox as the number 1 pick and Apple Mac OS X Version 10.4 (Tiger) in the number 3 position...

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October 3, 2005

DARPA Grand Challenge National Qualification Event

The DARPA Grand Challenge is an off road race like no other. There is only one vehicle category and it includes SUVs, trucks, military vehicles, ATVs, custom built racers, an 8 ton truck, and a motorcycle. The first vehicle to drive up to 175 miles in under 10 hours gets two million US dollars.

The race isn't really about size or power, but it's about intelligence. There are no drivers for these vehicles. Not on-board, not back in some control room, none.

They have to autonomously handle paved roads, dirt roads, (open) gates, stream crossings, switch backs, and under passes. All they get is a list of GPS "way points", speed limits, and how far they can safely stray from the given positions. [...] Each [robot] has a different approach to solving the intelligence, speed, and durability demands of the race.

Tune in next week for the race results. See the Grand Challenge web site for the details of the race, including links to all the teams.

Via Gizmag.

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October 2, 2005

Q: Rebuild in the bowl, or build up to above tank level first?

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October 1, 2005

This might explain why there wasn't looting in Texas...

Hat tip: Frank. And Mike.