Friday, July 04, 2014
Thursday, July 03, 2014
COULD WE LOSE THE MONARCH MIGRATION IN OUR LIFETIME
Monarchs need your help NOW! This year AGAIN marks the lowest number of over wintering Monarchs in the Mexican mountains in the last 20 years...and we have only known about their over wintering sites for a little more than 20 years!. There are 97% fewer than at their recorded height and 50% less than there were last year. This is a back to back 50% decline in their overwintering numbers. Researchers are worried we may lose a large part of their migration this year if immediate action is not taken and severly threaten all Monarchs if the pattern continues. This is a crisis situation! In 1991, over 75% of the wintering Monarchs from North America froze to death in Mexico as a result of three days of rain and sub-freezing conditions. Their numbers showed some recovery but now there is a nationwide shortage of milkweed. Freak weather patterns destroy habitat and kill millions of helpless Monarchs. But these natural events are not the only challenges that face the Monarch. Pesticide application and genetically modified crops cover important parts of the Monarch's migratory path and serve as killing fields for any Monarch that pass through these millions of acres of toxins and biological agents that kill them and their young. They are unintended casualties in a war to protect crops. Are our Monarchs worth our efforts to protect? Do we even know the total effects on our environment from the use of these agents? The Monarch habitat must be protected now to ensure their survival, before we see the day when this miracle of nature is only a memory. The Monarchs need your help NOW. Please plant seeds and ensure their survival. A Milkweed in every yard!
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
New Seat
The stock seat on the Disk Trucker was painful, replaced it with a slightly larger one that has some cushy gel padding. Have not had a chance to ride it yet, will do so in the morning. There maybe some trial and error finding a seat that works for me.
I'm really out of shape, well its the main reason I got the bike. My workouts:
May 20, 2014 1.16 miles around the neighborhood 8.28 minutes at 8.2 mph. Raised seat height.
May 20, 2014 1.24 miles 9.41 min at 7.7 mph.
Went on vacation.
May 30, 2014 1.99 miles 13.24 min at 8.9 mph.
July 1, 2014 2.83 miles 19.06 min at 8.9 mph.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Sustainable nuclear energy for a new generation
Scientist puts forward a sustainable energy plan where nuclear fuel is created using magnetic or laser fusion. News accounts are coming in daily confirming that the reliance on fossil fuels for energy is adversely affecting the world we live in: the National Climate Assessment detailed how climate change is creating havoc with our planet today and lists the burning of fossil fuels as the predominate cause; two teams of scientists just reported the irreversible glacial collapse of an Antarctic ice sheet as a result of warming ocean temperatures; and California's record drought and heat are producing wildfires and driving up food prices. It is evident that we must invest in alternative methods of energy production as soon as possible. Nuclear energy produces carbon free energy, and is responsible for 13% of the world's electricity today, but fission-based reactors present environmental hazards and utilize less than 1% of the fuel. Nuclear fusion has held promise that the process will provide clean energy with a limitless supply of fuel. However, decades of research have not produced a viable nuclear fusion power plant. Is there another path forward? In the June issue of the Journal of Fusion Energy, Dr. Wallace Manheimer has laid out a plan that would enable Fusion Breeding as a means to meet mid-century energy needs, based on the scientific underpinnings of current fusion technology and on current nuclear infrastructure. In this approach, a Fusion Reactor is designed to not only produce electricity, but also to create nuclear fuel that can run thermal nuclear reactors. A fusion breeder is about ten times as a prolific a fuel producer as a fission breeder, i.e. a fast neutron fission reactor such as the Integral Fast Reactor. The process, called Fusion Breeding, uses the energetic fusion neutrons to create fuel as well as heat water for the production of electricity. A Deuterium-Tritium fusion reactor is surrounded by a blanket that contains Thorium-232 and other materials to slow and multiply the neutrons. The additional neutrons can be used to breed uranium-233, an especially good nuclear fuel that can be used in today's light water reactors. The waste products from the U233 reactor come in two forms; fission products like strontium 90 which have half lives of about 30 years, and actinides like plutonium which have half lives of 24,000 years. The fission products could be stored for a few hundred years until they become inert. However the actinides, which would have to be stored for hundreds of thousands of years, can serve as fuel for an Integral Fast Reactor. The fuel produced by a single Fusion Breeder could supply at least 5 thermal nuclear reactors of equal power, and a single IFR could burn the plutonium waste of about conventional 5 light water reactors. This is the basis of the mid-century energy architecture suggested in the paper. The requirements for creating a fusion breeder in regards to power multiplication, wall materials and fractional on time are considerably relaxed when compared to a pure fusion reactor. Even making the most optimistic assumptions about pure fusion, fusion breeding would be achieved decades earlier and could serve as a bridge technology of real economic value. Dr. Manheimer's plan would leverage current research facilities, such as ITER in Southern France and the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, to facilitate an energy source that is sustainable, proliferation resistant, safe, and economically and environmentally sound. Dr. Manheimer, currently a consultant for Research Support Instruments in Lanham, Maryland, has gained extensive knowledge of both magnetic and laser fusion during his 44 years as a scientist for the Naval Research Laboratory. This paper represents 15 years of researching a more practical approach to fusion energy production. The paper is open access and can be read at on the Journal of Fusion Energy website. More information: Manheimer, Wallace. "Fusion Breeding for Mid-Century Sustainable Power." Journal of Fusion Energy 33, no. 3 (2014): 199-234. Provided by Research Support Instruments
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Monday, June 09, 2014
Asus PB287Q 28-Inch 4K Monitor Review: Ultra HD For $650
Compared to the 32-inch screens we looked at a few months ago, the PB287Q is more refined, especially when it comes to signal handling. Because we're dealing with a single scaler, the dual-HDMI option available on Asus' tiled PQ321Q is no longer available. Rather, if you want to run at 3840x2160 at 60 Hz, you need to use DisplayPort 1.2. I had no problems getting the monitor to work with my Radeon HD 7770 graphics card, which isn't even officially rated to support a resolution that high. If you're using a multi-GPU setup from Nvidia, make sure you have the company's newest driver first. The monitor's performance is generally good, especially considering Asus' price point. Color, grayscale, and gamma results are on par with other gaming screens and a tad below much more expensive professional displays. Even though contrast is decent compared to the average IPS monitor, we were hoping to see the greater dynamic range offered by the other TN panels we’ve reviewed. Our conclusion for now is that the extra pixel density of Ultra HD seems to lessen the contrast advantage of a TN-based product. We're glad to see a breakaway from the typical 6-bit with FRC bandwidth limitation of nearly every TN screen out there. The PB287Q uses an 8-bit/FRC panel, which means it can render 1.07 billion colors either by up-sampling an 8-bit signal or passing a 10-bit one. While this feature is of greater interest to photographers and graphics professionals, it's good to know you can have greater bit-depth and greater resolution in one product. It seems to us that the PB287Q is best suited for gaming. Its most attractive performance attributes surface in the response and input lag tests. Don't expect the PB287Q to match the speeds of a 144 Hz display; however, it competes quite favorably with the 60 Hz BenQ RL2460HT gaming monitor. We also like the inclusion of GamePlus, which we first saw on the VG248QE. Hardware-based aiming reticules are always a handy option, especially when they don’t introduce any processing overhead. If your gaming rig is well-equipped for high resolutions, but you can't fathom doubling its price (or more) with a first-gen 4K monitor, Asus' new PB287Q has to be looking tantalizing right about now. Really, it represents a new reason to get excited about Ultra HD, which was previously fun to read about, but prohibitively expensive. All of a sudden, testing high-end graphics configurations at 3840x2160 is going to become a lot more important, as the audience previously interested in QHD shifts focus to 4K. For its unprecedented value and respectable performance, we’re giving Asus' PB287Q our Tom's Hardware Smart Buy award.
Sunday, June 08, 2014
GOP Opposed Commerce Department Because It Was Run By "A Black Democrat"
Clinton's diatribe immediately followed a discussion of how he should pitch the successful outcomes of the administration's crime policy, which dovetailed into a larger discussion of Republican opposition to Clinton's administration. "I mean, they've taken a laundry list, and everything we did, if it's really working, they really want to get rid of it," Clinton said. That's when the president began griping about the Republicans targeting the Commerce Department for possible elimination, indicating that race was a factor. "They will get rid of the Department of Commerce so they'll never have to remember that Ron Brown, a black Democrat, was better than all their big, corporate muckety-mucks that make American jobs. I mean, it's crazy. It's unbelievable." An unnamed aide asked Clinton if that sentence should go into the State of the Union address. There was laughter in the room. "No," Clinton responded, "but I mean, they need a rabies shot."
Fasting triggers stem cell regeneration of damaged, old immune system
In the first evidence of a natural intervention triggering stem cell-based regeneration of an organ or system, a study in the June 5 issue of the Cell Stem Cell shows that cycles of prolonged fasting not only protect against immune system damage — a major side effect of chemotherapy — but also induce immune system regeneration, shifting stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal.
In both mice and a Phase 1 human clinical trial, long periods of not eating significantly lowered white blood cell counts. In mice, fasting cycles then “flipped a regenerative switch,” changing the signaling pathways for hematopoietic stem cells, which are responsible for the generation of blood and immune systems, the research showed.
The study has major implications for healthier aging, in which immune system decline contributes to increased susceptibility to disease as people age. By outlining how prolonged fasting cycles — periods of no food for two to four days at a time over the course of six months — kill older and damaged immune cells and generate new ones, the research also has implications for chemotherapy tolerance and for those with a wide range of immune system deficiencies, including autoimmunity disorders.
“We could not predict that prolonged fasting would have such a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell-based regeneration of the hematopoietic system,” said corresponding author Valter Longo, Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and director of the USC Longevity Institute. Longo has a joint appointment at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
“When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged,” Longo said. “What we started noticing in both our human work and animal work is that the white blood cell count goes down with prolonged fasting. Then when you re-feed, the blood cells come back. So we started thinking, well, where does it come from?”
Fasting cycles
Prolonged fasting forces the body to use stores of glucose, fat and ketones, but it also breaks down a significant portion of white blood cells. Longo likens the effect to lightening a plane of excess cargo.
During each cycle of fasting, this depletion of white blood cells induces changes that trigger stem cell-based regeneration of new immune system cells. In particular, prolonged fasting reduced the enzyme PKA, an effect previously discovered by the Longo team to extend longevity in simple organisms and which has been linked in other research to the regulation of stem cell self-renewal and pluripotency — that is, the potential for one cell to develop into many different cell types. Prolonged fasting also lowered levels of IGF-1, a growth-factor hormone that Longo and others have linked to aging, tumor progression and cancer risk.
“PKA is the key gene that needs to shut down in order for these stem cells to switch into regenerative mode. It gives the OK for stem cells to go ahead and begin proliferating and rebuild the entire system,” explained Longo, noting the potential of clinical applications that mimic the effects of prolonged fasting to rejuvenate the immune system. “And the good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the system that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the fasting. Now, if you start with a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system.”
Prolonged fasting also protected against toxicity in a pilot clinical trial in which a small group of patients fasted for a 72-hour period prior to chemotherapy, extending Longo’s influential past research.
“While chemotherapy saves lives, it causes significant collateral damage to the immune system. The results of this study suggest that fasting may mitigate some of the harmful effects of chemotherapy,” said co-author Tanya Dorff, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital. “More clinical studies are needed, and any such dietary intervention should be undertaken only under the guidance of a physician.”
“We are investigating the possibility that these effects are applicable to many different systems and organs, not just the immune system,” said Longo, whose lab is in the process of conducting further research on controlled dietary interventions and stem cell regeneration in both animal and clinical studies.
The study was supported by the National Institute of Aging of the National Institutes of Health (grant numbers AG20642, AG025135, P01AG34906). The clinical trial was supported by the V Foundation and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (P30CA014089).
Chia Wei-Cheng of USC Davis was first author of the study. Gregor Adams, Xiaoying Zhou and Ben Lam of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC; Laura Perin and Stefano Da Sacco of the Saban Research Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Min Wei of USC Davis; Mario Mirisola of the University of Palermo; Dorff and David Quinn of the Keck School of Medicine of USC; and John Kopchick of Ohio University were co-authors of the study.
Friday, June 06, 2014
Thursday, June 05, 2014
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
Tuesday, June 03, 2014
Monday, June 02, 2014
Sunday, June 01, 2014
Lie by Lie: A Timeline of How We Got Into Iraq
At A congressional hearing examining the march to war in Iraq, Republican congressman Walter Jones posed "a very simple question" about the administration's manipulation of intelligence: "How could the professionals see what was happening and nobody speak out?" Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, Colin Powell's former chief of staff, responded with an equally simple answer: "The vice president."
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Friday, May 16, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
http://www.territorialseed.com/product/wasabi/?r=NWGOOGA&gclid=CI_FwsaAo70CFbFaMgodwncAvQ
Wasabia japonica 'Daruma'
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Creamy Chanterelle Mushroom Soup
A hearty and delicious fall soup. This soup gets better the longer it sits. Feel free to simmer it longer than 45 minutes even though it will still taste great when served right away!
- PREP TIME
10 mins.- COOK TIME
45 mins.
- 1 TBS coconut oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped
- 1 15 oz can organic navy beans (or any other white creamy bean)
- 3-4 cups organic vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup organic coconut milk
- 2 TBS low sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
- a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup parsley, tough stems removed and diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Serves 4
Please use this recipe as a guide. Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. Always taste test as you go.
- Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes.
- Add chanterelle mushrooms and cook for about 5-8 more minutes stirring often. Add in the beans and vegetable stock (start with 3 cups of veggie stock and add more if the soup is too thick) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Add in the tamari and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Carefully with an immersion blender or regular blender, blend the soup until most of it is smooth but leaving some chunks to add some texture.
- Stir in the coconut milk salt and pepper. Let the soup simmer for about 10 more minutes.
- Serve the soup warm with a healthy pinch or two of minced parsley and more salt and pepper if necessary
Some recipes from YouTube.
Links
Fricassee of ChanterellesFresh Chanterelles with Shallots
Sauteed Garlicky Chanterelles
Lots of Chanterelle Mushroom Recipes
Chicken Thighs with Chanterelle Mushroom Sauce
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Record-Setting Power, Reliability, and Efficiency in a Low Mass, Free-Piston Stirling Convertor
Technology developed through a series of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with Ohio-based Sunpower, Inc., in partnership with NASA’s Glenn Research Center has resulted in the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC), an 80-watt free-piston Stirling power convertor that produces electric power from any source of heat. The ASC can be used in any application that requires conversion of heat into electric power with high efficiency and low mass.
The ASC provides a state-of-the-art power conversion system for potential future NASA deep space and planetary missions enabled or significantly enhanced by the application of radioisotope power systems. Other terrestrial applications being considered are a liquid-fueled, soldier-carried, portable power system and an efficient portable solar-to-electric convertor.
The ASC consists of a free-piston Stirling engine and an integral linear alternator that converts the piston reciprocating motion to electrical output. Weighing just 1.3 kg, the lightbulb-sized ASC has evolved to demonstrate 38-percent conversion efficiency, extended operation, and a twofold improvement in specific power over competing power sources. The higher efficiency reduces the amount of radioisotope material or fuel required by a factor of 4 or more, thereby decreasing costs.
Key technologies that enable high efficiency and low mass are hydrostatic gas bearings, moving-magnet linear alternators, high-frequency operation, high-temperature hot end materials and fabrication processes, and high-temperature, high-porosity regenerators. The ASC is similar in design configuration and size to thousands of commercial terrestrial Sunpower cryocoolers. The company has produced five generations of ASC-related hardware, evolving the technology progressively with each build. ASCs have been running continuously in Glenn’s test facilities to demonstrate their ability to be used in generators. Glenn has contributed its expertise in reliability testing, materials assessment and risk reduction, and has provided access to unique facilities that have allowed for more than 165,000 hours of testing and operation on ASC research and experimental models, as well as the prototypes for flight.
ASC development, funded by the SBIR program, began in 2001 as one of 10 competitively awarded contracts intended to address the power conversion needs of future radioisotope power systems. The convertor efficiency and low mass objectives were met early in Phase 1, with continued technology refinement and improvement in Phases 2 and 3. These successes led to NASA’s decisions to accelerate development by increasing technical support from Glenn and subsequently integrating the ASC in 2007 as a critical component of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) being developed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company for the Department of Energy. Dual opposed convertors are used in the ASRG to achieve balanced operation, and their use has led to more than a twofold increase in specific power when compared with radioisotope thermoelectric generators used in prior missions. The ASC’s small physical size, high conversion efficiency, capability for long-life operation, and high specific power make it a candidate for future deep space missions and military portable power systems. Potential space missions include providing electric power for deep space missions, surface rovers, and stationary power generators.
For more information, contact Office of Technology Partnerships and Planning, NASA Glenn Research Center, 216-433-3484 or TTP@grc.nasa.gov.
http://newslink.federallabs.org/2011/08/28/record-setting-power-reliability-and-efficiency-in-a-low-mass-free-piston-stirling-convertor/
Labels:
free piston,
generator,
Stirling
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comments
DLR team develops demonstrator of free-piston linear generator as range extender for EVs; technology transfer to Universal Motor Corp.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/02/dlr-20120220.html
Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) Institute of Vehicle Concepts in Stuttgart have developed a demonstrator multi-fuel free-piston linear generator (FPLG, or Freikolbenlineargenerator, FKLG in German) as a range extender for electric vehicles. The FPLG comprises an internal combustion component, a linear generator and a gas spring; the researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of the technology on a test bench specifically developed for this purpose.
The free-piston linear generator works in a similar manner to a conventional combustion engine, but instead of converting the linear movement of the piston into the rotational movement of the crankshaft, it generates electricity directly. A fuel-air mix is ignited in the combustion chamber. This expands and pushes the piston towards the gas springs. These springs decelerate the piston movement and push it back. The linear generator converts the kinetic energy of the piston into electricity and this in turn powers the electric motor.
Research on this type of drive unit has been fairly widespread. As one example, GM Global Technology Operations LLC and the Regents of the University of Michigan recently were recently awarded a US patent (Nº 8,261,860) for a plug-in series hybrid or range-extended electric vehicle powertrain using multiple free piston linear alternator (FPLA) engines. (Earlier post.) As another, researcher at the Nanjing University of Science & Technology has proposed a novel opposed-piston free-piston linear generator for use in series hybrid electric vehicles. (Earlier post.)
The DLR researchers says that through the installation of a gas spring in their system, they have now succeeded, for the first time, in operating such a system in a stable manner. The control system devised by the DLR engineers is able, for example, to control piston movement accurately to within one tenth of a millimeter. At the same time, it recognizes fluctuations in the combustion process and compensates for them.
The challenge here was to develop a particularly powerful mechanism with a highly dynamic control unit that regulates the complex interactions between the individual component.The core module operates at high efficiency even at partial load, with an indicated power of up to 35 kW per module; operating frequency is 40-50 Hz.
—Ulrich Wagner, DLR Director of Energy and Transport
SALSA
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (including seeds)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Stir all ingredients together. Refrigerate. Best to let marinate overnight. But several hours will suffice, if you can't wait to dig in! Serve chilled.
Saturday, September 07, 2013
Avocado and Tomato Salad
4 cups avocados, diced medium
2 cups grape tomatoes or 2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups cucumbers, peeled and diced medium
1 cup red onion, diced small
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
fresh black pepper
Lettuce (if you want)
Toss all ingredients in a bowl and top on a bed of lettuce (if desired)
Makes 8 servings
Calories 201.9 Total Fat 17.9 g Sodium 10.2 mg Total Carbohydrate 11.6 g Dietary Fiber 5.8 g Sugars 1.8 g
Jennie McDaniel Barker
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Cancer's Origins Revealed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130814132445.htm
Cancer's Origins Revealed: Genetic Imprints and Signatures Left by DNA-Damaging Processes That Lead to Cancer Identified
Labels:
Cancer
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Hawaii Food
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hys-steak-house-honolulu-2#hrid:ftUOBvZBs0KXvMr61qGTHw
Waikiki Park Heights Hotel 2440 Kuhio Ave, Ste A Honolulu, HI 96815 Neighborhood: Waikiki (808) 922-5555 http://www.hyshawaii.com
Labels:
Hawaii Trip
0
comments
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Fault Lines : Controlling the web
In January 2012, two controversial pieces of legislation were making their way through the US Congress. SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act, and PIPA, the Protect Intellectual Property Act, were meant to crack down on the illegal sharing of digital media. The bills were drafted on request of the content industry, Hollywood studios and major record labels. The online community rose up against the US government to speak out against SOPA, and the anti-online piracy bill was effectively killed off after the largest online protest in US history. But it was only one win in a long battle between US authorities and online users over internet regulation. SOPA and PIPA were just the latest in a long line of anti-piracy legislation US politicians have passed since the 1990s. "One of the things we are seeing which is a by-product of the digital age is, frankly, it's much easier to steal and to profit from the hard work of others," says Michael O'Leary, the executive vice-president for global policy at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The US government says it must be able to fight against piracy and cyber attacks. And that means imposing more restrictions online. But proposed legislation could seriously curb freedom of speech and privacy, threatening the internet as we know it. Can and should the internet be controlled? Who gets that power? How far will the US government go to gain power over the web? And will this mean the end of a free and global internet? Fault Lines looks at the fight for control of the web, life in the digital age and the threat to cyber freedom, asking if US authorities are increasingly trying to regulate user freedoms in the name of national and economic security.
Researchers Develop Algorithm to Trace Source of Computer Virus, Epidemics, More
Want to trace the source of virus that has infected your computer? Researchers at a Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland have the answer. The scientists have devised software capable of tracing computer viruses back to their source. Beyond computer viruses, the software can also trace terror suspects, rumor-mongers and even infectious diseases back to their source. Pedro Pinto, one of the researchers, explained that the algorithm works by going through information in a reverse direction back to the original source. He said, “Using our method, we can find the source of all kinds of things circulating in a network just by 'listening' to a limited number of members of that network.” notes Sky News. The team behind the algorithm published their research in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters and tested their software on a known data maze to check if their research actually pinpoints the individuals behind the 9/11 attacks. "By reconstructing the message exchange inside the 9/11 terrorist network extracted from publicly released news, our system spit out the names of three potential suspects -- one of whom was found to be the mastermind of the attacks, according to the official inquiry," he said. The same algorithm can be applied to a list of contacts on Facebook and check who among those was the person who started a particular rumor. Similar principles can be applied to identify the source of spam emails, computer virus. The team also applied the algorithm to water and transport networks in South Africa and traced the source of a cholera outbreak as well. Pinto said, “By modeling the network of water circulation, rivers and human transports, we were able to pinpoint the place where the first cases appeared”. Update [12/08/2012 9:34 AM UTC] In a phone interview with IBTimes, Pinto explained that the triangulation method used for a cell phone user has been applied and to networks with nodes under this algorithm. Considering the system to be monitored as an interconnection of lot of nodes, around 15 to 20 percent nodes are to be monitored said Pinto. According to him the best connected nodes can be the point of observation and monitoring to achieve the best required results.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
http://hurcan-reikage.blogspot.com/
Found a new website about Japanese girl bands, they've put a lot of effort into it.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Allegations are not evidence.
Hearsay is not evidence.
Unsubstantiated claims are not evidence.
Personal revelation is not evidence.
Anecdotes are not evidence.
Rumors are not evidence.
Wild speculation is not evidence.
Wishful thinking is not evidence.
Illogical conclusions are not evidence.
Disproved statements are not evidence.
Logical fallacies are not evidence.
Poorly designed/executed experiments are not evidence.
Experiments with inconclusive results are not evidence.
Experiments that are not and cannot be duplicated by others are not evidence.
Dreams are not evidence.
Hallucinations/delusions are not evidence.
Experiments whose methodology is not open for scrutiny are not evidence.
Data that requires a certain belief is not evidence.
Information that is only knowable by a privileged few is not evidence.
Information that cannot be falsified is not evidence.
Information that cannot be verified is not evidence.
Information that is ambiguous is not evidence.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Thursday, December 03, 2009
I just noticed if I copy files from my server to my desktop they transfer at about 1 MB/s, but if I copy them from the server to my new laptop they transfer at just under 6 MB/s. I always thought it was strange that the server was so slow but no matter what I did I could not get it to transfer any faster. Now it seems the problem has been the desktop all along.
Both the the desktop and the laptop have a wireless connection to the server, the desktop runs under Vista, and the laptop under Windows 7, can 7 be that more efficient than Vista?
Labels:
Windows 7
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Purity Test
The Republicans have their "Purity Test" now there is a proposal for a Democratic purity test, but it is even more stringent than the republican one; to qualify republicans had to past 8 out of 10 requirement the democratic test proposes meeting 10 out of 10. Here it is (from Daily Kos):
(1) We support the rights extended to Americans extended under the Constitution. All the rights. For all Americans.
(2) We support thoughtful, pragmatic solutions that protect American lives, American standards, and American pocketbooks. This includes finding solutions that don't require bombing anyone.
(3) We support an America that has diversity in race, thought, background, and religion not out of some hazy idealism, but because it is our nation's greatest strength.
(4) We oppose torture in any form, in any place, at any time, for any reason.
(5) We support American business, and recognize that an unregulated market is an unfair market, an unstable market, and a market doomed to failure.
(6) We support American workers, and know that when workers are allowed to organize they make their jobs, their companies, and their nation stronger.
(7) We believe that the reputation of our nation is valuable and must be zealously guarded against those who place expediency ahead of law.
(8) We believe in spreading democracy and human rights to the rest of the world by vigorously upholding those ideals here at home.
(9) We believe that access to our government is not for sale. Not in the courthouse, not in the White House, and not in the legislature.
(10) We believe that the health of our planet is not a zero-sum game, not a game of "you go first," and not a game.
Monday, November 02, 2009
I’d like a slate format computer, lots of connectivity, good hi-rez 7″ to 12″ (3:2 ratio) screen (1080p would be nice), multiple multi-core arm chips. The power of a desktop in a hand held system, with the ability to expand its capabilities cheaply and simply. I want a computer not so much a phone.
To work for me it has to be cheap to run, with a total yearly cost that’s under $100. It should be designed to use only open, non-proprietary software (and I should be able to chose the OS it runs), it should have no DRM of any kind. It should be reliable, modular, easy and cheap to repair, and designed to never become obsolete.
The main issue is that its internet connectivity should have immense throughput; each slate system should itself be a connected node on the internet that provides secure access to all the other systems in its range. You should be able to connect to any other slate system without going through a Sprint, AT&T, or other commercial network. Each slate system is part of a pervasive internet “cloud” that shares its connectivity and processing power.
I know it sounds improbable yet we have the capability to build it now, with its biggest technological issue being battery power.
Friday, July 10, 2009
George Foreman Grill
My George Foreman Grill died.
Sending an email to customerservice@georgeforemancooking.com lets see what happens.My George Foreman Grill died, for no apparent reason. It worked fine the last time I used it, I put it away and the next time I tried to use it, it would not even turn on. It is the 10th Anniversary model.
I like this grill; is there any reasonably priced way to get it fixed? Give me an option, such as a local shop in Austin Texas, or a parts list with instructions on testing and replacement of parts, or even some place I can ship it to where the total cost will be less than the $54.95 I paid for it.
I've put off buying another because of the difficulty I've preciously had, about 3 years ago, trying to get this grill fixed. If it can't be done I will never buy another of your products.
Please understand I am not angry or upset, I just really liked this grill; but it's against my policy to purchase products that are not well made, (product failure is an indicator of poor quality), and/or not well supported by their manufacturer. At the least if it is not possible to get this grill fixed give me a good reason to buy another, address the issue of reliability, and convince me you will in the future stand behind your products.
ed
Labels:
Customer Service,
Review
0
comments
Monday, July 06, 2009
Judy Jennings for State Board of Education District 10 Democratic Primary, March 2, 2010
Please vote for Judy Jennings, Cynthia Dunbar is trying to end public education in Texas.
Unlike incumbent Cynthia Dunbar, Sam Houston saw public education as a great boon. “No longer will the means of elementary learning be limited to those whose private resources are equal to the expense, but the road to distinction in every department of science and moral excellency, will be equally open to all,” he said. And the founders of Texas considered education so essential to “the rights and liberties of the people” that they charged our Legislature with establishing “an efficient system of public free schools” in our Constitution.
The Legislature, in turn, created the State Board of Education to set policy for public education in Texas. But lately, some board members have acted so irresponsibly that the Legislature actually considered stripping the board of many of its duties. The problem: too many members caught up in fighting “culture wars” at the expense of figuring out how to provide our children with an education that will prepare them for the challenges of this new century.
What would you do if your local school board trustee cared more about pursuing a personal agenda rather than seeing to the needs of your child's school? It's hard to imagine such a trustee getting re-elected in any school district in Texas, let alone the eighty-four ISDs that fall, in whole or in part, within the boundaries of SBOE District 10.
We need board members who will be guided by effective measures of what's working, not by ideology, pet peeves or partisanship. Dr. Judy Jennings will be just such a board member, well equipped to make important decisions about meeting the many needs of a diverse and growing state. Read more about Judy here.
“In effect, [Republican incumbent Cythina] Dunbar is on the board to sabotage public education. ... Dunbar should resign and leave the governing of this state's public schools to people who use them, serve them, care about them and understand that they are the future of Texas.”
Labels:
intelligent design,
Politics,
Republican
0
comments
Monday, June 22, 2009
NewEgg RMA
Edward Villarreal: Initial Question/Comment: RMA
Ruby has joined this session!
Connected with Ruby. Your reference number for this chat session is 576611.
Hello my name is Ruby. How may I help you today?
Edward Villarreal: I was chatting with Linda, but session unexpecticly ended.
Ruby: I see. Would you like me to transfer the chat to her?
Edward Villarreal: I had sent a
Recertified: SanDisk 1.8" Black 4GB MP3 Player Sansa e260
Item #: N82E16855125116 back, and received it today.
Edward Villarreal: It died just after I reloaded music. No response, screen black, does not show up in Windows
Ruby: I am so sorry to hear that. Do you have the original retail box, UPC code and accessories for this item?
Edward Villarreal: It is getting expensive to return, if I have to do it again its almost 50% of the cost of item.
Edward Villarreal: yes
Ruby: We are willing to offer you a shipping label to cover the return shipping fee.
Ruby: Can you please verify your current shipping address?
Edward Villarreal: 13313 Fieldgate, Austin Tx. 78753
Edward Villarreal: That would be good.
Ruby: I have created a replacement RMA for you. Please remember to return the retail box and all accessories originally included with the item. A conformation email has been sent to the email address listed on your account with the return instructions. A second email will be sent to you within the next 24 hours with a prepaid UPS shipping label. Please print the label and tape it onto the outside of your returning package. This label does expire in 7 days, so please make sure you send this package as soon as possible or you may have to incur the return cost.
Ruby has joined this session!
Connected with Ruby. Your reference number for this chat session is 576611.
Hello my name is Ruby. How may I help you today?
Edward Villarreal: I was chatting with Linda, but session unexpecticly ended.
Ruby: I see. Would you like me to transfer the chat to her?
Edward Villarreal: I had sent a
Recertified: SanDisk 1.8" Black 4GB MP3 Player Sansa e260
Item #: N82E16855125116 back, and received it today.
Edward Villarreal: It died just after I reloaded music. No response, screen black, does not show up in Windows
Ruby: I am so sorry to hear that. Do you have the original retail box, UPC code and accessories for this item?
Edward Villarreal: It is getting expensive to return, if I have to do it again its almost 50% of the cost of item.
Edward Villarreal: yes
Ruby: We are willing to offer you a shipping label to cover the return shipping fee.
Ruby: Can you please verify your current shipping address?
Edward Villarreal: 13313 Fieldgate, Austin Tx. 78753
Edward Villarreal: That would be good.
Ruby: I have created a replacement RMA for you. Please remember to return the retail box and all accessories originally included with the item. A conformation email has been sent to the email address listed on your account with the return instructions. A second email will be sent to you within the next 24 hours with a prepaid UPS shipping label. Please print the label and tape it onto the outside of your returning package. This label does expire in 7 days, so please make sure you send this package as soon as possible or you may have to incur the return cost.
Labels:
NewEgg,
RMA
0
comments
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Austin Restaurants
I've always meant to try The Clay Pit, but things never seem to work out. Its one of those places where I don't want to go alone, and I just can't get anyone to go with me. Admittedly none of my friend like Indian, (what's wrong with them), but I love it. Someday.
Labels:
food
0
comments
Friday, May 15, 2009
Gore vs Cheney
Gore said he wished Cheney would have given President Obama more time
in office before criticizing national security policy. A stern critic
of Bush policy over the years, Gore told CNN's John Roberts that "I
waited for two years after I left office to make statements that were
critical, and then of policy."
Labels:
Bush,
GOP,
Obama,
Politics
0
comments
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
IHOP
So disappointed. I just ordered the Chicken Fried Steak at IHOP, what I got was about as far from steak as you could get. It was a kind of fake steak, a formed meat substitute of some kind, if I had to guess I would estimate it's actual meat content at zero. It was on the verge of being disgusting.
The sides that came with it were good, and the service better. But overall I was not pleased, I will not be going back.
The sides that came with it were good, and the service better. But overall I was not pleased, I will not be going back.
Labels:
food,
Review
0
comments
Sunday, May 03, 2009
The Clueless Sheep
Fox viewers are misinformed more than users of any other media outlet.
In other words, Fox News viewers are literally less informed about these basic facts. They have, put simply, been led to believe things that are simply not true. These poor dupes would have done better in this survey, statistically speaking, if they received no news at all and simply guessed whether the claims were accurate.
And, in addition to a fun bash-Fox-athon, I wanted to add that the PIPA study also documented that those who relied on newspapers as their primary news source were better informed than those who watched any of the television news broadcasts. The only folks more informed than newspaper readers were NPR listeners.
Labels:
Fox News
0
comments
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