Yearly Archives: 2009

Sausages in Financial Reform

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The old saw says that the two things no one wants to see being made are laws and sausages.  That's probably unfair to sausages:

Buried in a 239-page amendment to the U.S. House of Representatives' financial regulatory overhaul is a provision that appears to do just one thing: exempts financial-services company USAA from some of the bill's tougher provisions.

The carve-out is one of a number of exceptions that allow companies to avoid fresh scrutiny envisioned by the White House, which is aiming to overhaul the nation's financial-regulatory apparatus. The beneficiaries run from corporations such as General Electric Co. and Pitney Bowes Inc. to USAA, which caters to members of the military and their families, to so-called fraternal benefit societies.

But for those of you who think more financial regulation is necessary to avoid future financial crises, and that therefore exempting certain companies is problematic, no need to worry:

Referring to USAA, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D., Mass.) said ... "There's no remote prospect of them being a problem."

Minnesota DFL may have a Big Problem on its hands for 2010: Lynne Torgerson

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by Eric Dondero

American "Jane Six-Pack" vies for Congressional seat held by Radical Muslim

Talk about an odd duck Democrat. Well, not exactly a 'D' more like a Joe Lieberman sort running as an Independent in the Democrat primaries.

Meet firebrand anti-Islamist crusader and candidate for US Congress Lynne Torgerson. Ms. Torgerson ran once before, in 2008 for the Minnesota House of Reps. She sought the GOP nomination in District 59. Ironically, she was blocked by a cadre of Ron Paul supporters. The Paulists opposed her foreign policy views. Many suspect that might have been the reason for putting the squash on her candidacy.

From Minnesota Independent:

Carleton Crawford, who chairs the Republican Party of Minnesota’s Fifth District committee, told MnIndy by email that Torgerson failed to get the GOP endorsement in 2008 because delegates sought someone more in line with U.S. Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential candidacy.

An Independent-Democrat, with a Conservative streak

Unfortunately, the move by Paul's followers, may have also pushed this attractive and outspoken candidate right out of the Republican Party. For 2010 Torgerson is planning to run in the Democrat primary as an "Independent." She may also simultaneously seek the Independence Party nomination for the general. (Jesse Ventura's old party.)

She shares a number of mixed views on a variety of issues. For example; She's stridently Anti-Bail Outs for big corporations, Pro-Gun and Pro-2nd Amendment, anti-Immigration in general, Pro-Life, Anti-Gay Marriage, and for Tax Credits for Oil Exploration. At the same time, she's almost liberal on Environmental Policy, and Health Care; favoring a public option, and policies that would promote "Clean Energy."

Fighting back against Minnesota's Somali Terrorists

It is her Foreign Policy views, specifically her views on Israel, and Muslim extremism, that put her in direct confrontation with the man she seeks to unseat.

There has been a recent wave of Somali immigrants to Minneapolis/St. Paul who have participated in homegrown terror plots, and American Somalis have traveled to Somalia to participate in Jihad.

StoptheACLU blog reported that might be a reason for the rise in anti-Islamist sentinment among regular Minnesotans:

The Huffington Post reports “the growth of anti-Muslim sentiment in Minnesota..." the tuberculosis they brought with them and their habit of never... integrating into society.

Yet the local media, and politically correct politicians have been almost completely silent on the increasing threat from the Somalis.

In Torgerson, regular Minnesota Joe and Jane Sixpacks may have found a new champion for more restrictive immigration policies for Somalis and other Muslim immigrants.

Going after the record of Radical Islamist Keith Ellison

From her website:

Who is Keith Ellison? He is my opposing candidate for the Fifth Congressional District seat. Keith Ellison is a Muslim, a person who was raised Christian and converted to Islam. He became associated with the Muslim faith and Louis Farakhan. Louis Farakhan also espoused hatred of Jews. Keith Ellison also has ties to CAIR. Its members donated to his campaign. Additionally, high ranking members of CAIR have been speakers of honor at his campaign fundraisers. Keith Ellison has spoken at CAIR's fundraising dinners. All people should definitely look at the list of Keith Ellison's donors. The list can be found at fec.gov, which is the Federal Election Commission website or opensecrets.org. Approximately $700,000 came from OUTSIDE THE STATE OF MINNESOTA into Ellison's campaign. Why would so many people outside of the State of Minnesota be so interested in a Minnesota congressperson?

Now, with all due respect, America, and its people, should be lauded for its goal of promoting to public office and other high ranks, people of color, women, minorities, etc. However, quite frankly, in our zeal, we simply went too far with Keith Ellison. Keith Ellison simply is not a proper person to have in our federal government. Ellison, in the past year or so, introduced a bill entitled "Global Peace." "Global." I think that word is telling. Globalization of Islam. It is also my understanding that when people of the Muslim faith use the word peace, that "peace" to them means the elimination of Christians and Jews. Yassar Arafat, a known terrorist who began the PLO (the Palestinian Labor Organization), also often called for "peace." Also, it should be pointed out that during a recent vote regarding funding to support the needs of our troops, Keith Ellison voted against the bill. He later has voted to fund many other things, but, again, he voted against funding for the needs of our troops at war.

So, we have Keith Ellison with ties both to Islam and to CAIR. We have him also voting against funding the needs of our military. Keith Ellison has no business in our federal government.

Radical Islam is anti-Constituion

Torgerson sees opposing Islamism as wholly Constitutionalist. Continuing from MinnIndy:

Indeed she frames several of her objections to Islam in terms of the U.S. Constitution. Islamic teachings advocate murder of non-Muslims, she charges, putting the religion at least partly outside the protection of the First Amendment, which is also contravened by Islam’s goal to “Islamize the entire world,” as she puts it. Islam’s oppression of women, she contends, violates the Constitution’s equal-protection clause.

Torgerson cites as well the 2004 assassination of Dutch director Theo Van Gogh for making a short film based on Islam critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s book “Infidel.”

Muslims “have teachings that are essentially criminal,” Torgerson said.

“Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush.” (Sura 9:5)

"Idolaters are anyone who is not Muslim. Slay means to kill. Therefore, the Quran says to kill anyone who is not a Muslim. Simple."

Minnesota's 5th District is the most Progressive in the State, by far. Republicans have little hope of winning this seat. While candidate Togerson may not be a consistent libertarian, she may be the best hope for libertarians and conservatives concerned about the rising threat of Radical Islam.

TorgersonforCongress.com

Magnetic Dance of Titan and Saturn To Be Main Attraction during Flyby

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Artist's concept of Cassini's Dec. 11, 2009, flyby of Saturn's largest moon, TitanWhen it flies by Saturn's largest moon, Titan, this weekend, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will study the interactions between the magnetic field of Saturn and Titan. The flyby will take place the evening of Dec. 11 California time, or shortly after midnight Universal Time on Dec. 12.

As Titan plows through the magnetic bubble, or magnetosphere around Saturn, it creates a wake in the magnetic field lines coming away from the planet. This flyby will allow Cassini's fields and particles instruments to study that wake about 5,200 kilometers (3,200 miles) away from the moon, a relatively unexamined region. Other instruments will also be taking a closer look at Titan's clouds.

At closest approach to Titan, Cassini will swing to within about 4,900 kilometers (3,000 miles) of the surface of the moon.

Cassini last zoomed by Titan two months ago. Although this latest flyby is dubbed "T63," planning changes early in the orbital tour have made this the sixty-fourth targeted flyby of Titan.

Titan is a kind of "sister world" to Earth because it has a surface covered with organic material and an atmosphere whose chemical composition hearkens back to an early Earth.

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Connecticut Students Set for Cosmic Conversation with Space Station Commander

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Fifth grade students in Connecticut will talk science with International Space Station commander Jeff Williams as he orbits 200 miles above Earth on Dec. 15. The education downlink will take place from 12:50 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. EST from the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Conn.

Williams is a NASA astronaut and commander of the Expedition 22 mission to the station. He has been aboard since Oct. 2. The students attend McAlister Intermediate School in Suffield, Conn., and East Hartford Glastonbury Elementary Magnet School in East Hartford, Conn.

Student questions will focus on the importance of water recycling aboard the orbiting outpost and the effects of the space environment on the life cycle of the painted lady butterflies recently brought aboard the station. The conversation with the space station is part of an educational event at the museum.

Reporters interested in attending the event should RSVP to Caroline d'Otreppe at the New England Air Museum at 860-623-3305, ext.13, by 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14.

Students have been preparing for the downlink by participating in activities that will help them identify the problems that need to be solved in order for people to live and work in space. Hamilton Sundstrand in Windsor Locks, Conn., and CUNO in Meriden, Conn., have partnered with the museum and participant schools to allow students to interact directly with scientists and engineers.

The downlink is one in a series with educational organizations in the U.S. and abroad to improve teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is an integral component of Teaching From Space, a NASA Education office. Teaching From Space promotes learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education community using the unique environment of human spaceflight.

NASA Television will air video from the space station during the event. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

For information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

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Launch of NASA’s Wise Spacecraft Delayed Until Dec. 14

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The launch of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, spacecraft aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California has been rescheduled for Monday, Dec. 14. The launch window extends from 9:09 to 9:23 a.m. EST. The first launch attempt scheduled for Dec. 11 was delayed because of a problem with the motion of a booster steering engine.

Mission managers have implemented a plan to resolve the issue. This plan includes removing and replacing a suspect component today. The current weather forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of acceptable weather at launch time on Monday.

NASA TV coverage of the countdown and WISE launch will begin at 7 a.m. on Dec. 14 and also will be available on the NASA Web site at:

http://www.nasa.gov

The WISE mission news center is operational at the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office. Reporters can call 805-605-3051 for launch information. Recorded status reports are available by dialing 805-734-2693.

For more information about the WISE mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/wise

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Water on the Moon, Drought on Earth: NASA Experts Available for Radio And Podcast Interviews During Major Science Meeting

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Two NASA researchers will discuss the agency's latest findings about our home planet and its nearest neighbor in live interviews from the 2009 fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco on Monday, Dec. 14, and Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Monday, Dec. 14, 5:30-7 p.m. EST (2:30 - 4 p.m. PST)

"Back to the Moon, With Water." Michael Wargo, NASA Headquarters
NASA's most recent missions to the moon have uncovered startling new information, including the confirmation of water in a permanently shadowed crater. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, now circling the moon, also is mapping Earth's dusty satellite in unprecedented detail from many perspectives. NASA's Chief Lunar Scientist Michael Wargo describes what we've discovered this year and previews next directions. To book, contact Grey Hautaluoma at 202-358-0668; grey.hautaluoma-1@nasa.gov

Tuesday, Dec. 15, 5:30-7 p.m. EST (2:30 - 4 p.m. PST)

"Where Has California's Water Gone?" Matthew Rodell, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
"Follow the water" has been NASA's mantra in solar system exploration, but what about our home planet? NASA hydrologist Matthew Rodell discusses new findings from the GRACE satellite that show the aquifers in California's Central Valley and the Sierra Nevadas have lost significant water volume since 2003. Rodell can discuss causes and implications of this loss and its impact on California and the U.S. To book, contact Steve Cole at 202-358-0918; stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov

The AGU meeting runs from Monday, Dec. 14, through Friday, Dec. 18, at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. NASA scientists and researchers will present a wide range of Earth and space science findings during the meeting.

For more information about NASA presentations at the meeting, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/agu/index.html

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Now Online: Aeronautics Goes E-Book

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The X-15 hypersonic research aircraft flew 199 missions and gathered valuable data to help future generations of high-speed aircraftE-book readers are expected to be among the hottest holiday gifts this year and their growing popularity has stirred NASA to begin reformatting its most popular aviation books to be compatible with the digital devices.

Available on the NASA aeronautics research Web site, the e-books can be downloaded at no charge for use with the Kindle™, SONY® Reader and, eventually, the nook™. Other formats for those without an e-book reader will be available as well.

The first NASA book to be made available is X-15: Extending the Frontiers of Flight by Dennis R. Jenkins. The book tells the story of the pioneering rocketplane that tested the limits of aviation during the 1960s and directly influenced the design and operation of the space shuttle.

"NASA's contributions to aviation affect everyone who has ever stepped foot inside an airplane. Now anyone can read about this historic aeronautical research with the convenience of a hand-held device," said Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.

NASA aeronautics research has kicked off an ongoing project to format archived and government-published books that can be read on digital devices

Next up on the list of books offered is Apollo of Aeronautics: NASA's Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program, 1973-1987 by Mark D. Bowles. This award-winning publication details the innovative research to improve aircraft and jet engine design in order to reduce fuel consumption by 50 percent.

And even as all archived NASA aeronautics books are being reformatted for use with the various e-book readers, plans are set for all future government-published books covering NASA's aeronautics research to be made available in e-book format.

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Our Favorite Lifehacker Posts of the Week [Roundups]

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This week we've got classy (wireless) desktops, Thunderbird 3, a way to fetch deleted photos and a way to install Windows 7 from a thumbdrive.

• Add lyrics to iTunes with Get Lyrical
• Rescue deleted photos from your camera with Exif Untrasher
• Lifehacker's favorite Gizmodo posts of the week (See what they like about us)

• Install Windows 7 from a thumb drive
• Get a better deal from your ISP
• The key to success is doing things

• Run Google Wave on Thunderbird 3
• The Wire Loom Workspace (Hide your wires)
• Thunderbird 3 is officially done







Time to Focus on the Big Picture in Copenhagen

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The first week of the Copenhagen climate summit is already over.  Yvo de Boer, UNFCCC executive secretary, gives us his daily press conference for Friday December 11th.

“Addressing the media at the end of the first week of the conference, Yvo de Boer spoke of “an important step-change in the negotiating process.” This follows the tabling of new texts this morning by the Chairs of the negotiating tracks under Kyoto Protocol and the Convention that provide the framework for an agreed outcome.  He said it is now time to focus on the big picture – namely, a shared vision on long-term cooperative action and what the long-term goal will be.”

In the plenery, the chairs of the two working groups presented papers that begin to capture the framework of what will be agreed upon at the end of the negotiations.  The underlying elements continue to be negotiated.  According to de Boer, one thing holding this process back has been lack of clarity on how short-term support wil be given to developing countries.  He also says Europe has now put a figure on the table.

Other groups want something far more aggressive as far as emissions cuts that are not even on the table.  The Klimaforum09 has been going on all week and they have  released a formal Declaration of their own, calling for massive emissions cuts “immediately”.  It’s a very interesting document and makes some great points.  You can download their declaration here. (PDF)  It’s titled,  System Change, not Climate Change. Confusing, because many people want a system change, but no one is calling for climate change.

If the declaration were followed, we’d have more of a chance of surviving climate change, that much is certain.  But there are also several problems with it, even thought it’s a big improvement on the formal documents from COP15 — so far.   The reason it’s a big improvement is because it gets to the heart of the problem – wars and over-consumption of resources are wrecking our planet and all life on it.  Consumption with no guilt and the growth of super-capitalism is going to be the end of all of us if it isn’t stopped. Cap and trade can’t even begin to fix these social problems.

But — reparations are in the document and they will never happen, and shouldn’t.  Climate change money should be saved for aid, medical care, rescue operations, food, water, transportation and refugee facilities.  Those things alone could cost billions a year.  Money should also go towards technology and new renewable energy installations in poor and developing countries.  Reparations are not necessary if all the needs of the poorer countries are met in adapting to or surviving climate change.  Climate change migration will be a huge problem, and borders will therefore be a huge problem. We have to get governments to recognize that opening borders more, not less, makes the most sense.

The declaration is almost anti-technology in nature, insinuating technology itself is a ‘false solution’.  Whoever [...]

Remainders – The Good, Bad and Ugly Things We Didn’t Post (and Why) [Remainders]

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Buckle the eff up for Remainders today, because we've got: A man in a chicken suit playing "What Is Love," two separate Christmas-themed videos (one Muppet, one Guitar Hero), minor Apple updates, and a severed hand crafted of breakfast foods.

Man in a Chicken suit plays "What is Love" on Pianica from Ring Mod on Vimeo.

Man in a Chicken Suit Plays "What Is Love" on Melodica

If that headline isn't enough to make you watch this video, I'm really not sure if the internet is your cup of tea. Because this is exactly what the internet should be used for. [Boing Boing]

A Very Muppet Christmas YouTube Video

I am so, so glad that a lot of the first 1080p YouTube clips are Muppet-related. I am a Muppet freak. I can't count how many times I've seen The Muppet Movie and (my personal favorite) The Great Muppet Caper, and I've even seen Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3D, which is a real thing, believe it or not. So as my menorah's candles slowly burn down, marking the first night of Chanukah, I am watching this Christmas-themed YouTube video and giggling, over and over again. Enjoy. [YouTube]

A Very Guitar Hero on the Side of a House Christmas YouTube Video

So I'm pretty sure this Guitar Hero Christmas light extravaganza is just a preset pattern, and not actually playable, but it's still cool and wheedlywheedlywheedly. [Crunchgear]

Nao Robot Performs Star Wars Impersonations

Nao, a pint-sized robot from Aldebaran Robotics, does a pretty good impersonation of various Star Wars characters—Darth Vader, R2D2, and more. It's pretty adorable and physically it's actually one of the more nimble robots I've seen, although nobody can seem to think of anything to do with it other than make 50-second YouTube clips like this one. Still: Cute. [Engadget]

Evil Empire Google Wants Your Email

Okay, so maybe it's not so evil—Google just wants users of its Google Voice service to allow access to both original voicemails and the transcriptions Voice supplies. Right now, there's a rating system to measure how accurate the transcriptions are, but that doesn't help Google improve the system that much. With a healthy supply of voicemails, Google could figure out how to work around tricky roadblocks like external noise and accents. So, not as evil as it sounds. [Neowin]

iTunes App Pages Redesigned

Not that much to say, really—iTunes redesigned the app pages in the Store, and, well, they look better. Bigger pictures, shorter descriptions, slicker layout. Looks nice! [Twitter]

Severed Pancake Hand Grasps Waffle With Last Delicious Ounce of Strength

You guys, HELP. There is a man made of pancakes running around without a hand, bleeding jam, and he's probably hungry since he left his waffle with the hand. Why did this amazing work of art end up in Remainders? Because despite what noted breakfast-eater Rosa Golijan thinks, Gizmodo is not typically a pancake-themed site. Disappointing, I know, but true. [Serious Eats]







Verizon Customer Service Rep: That DSL Upgrade Will Burn Your House Down [Customer Service]

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Michael just wanted to upgrade his DSL to a faster plan. Yet Verizon jerked him around, each successive rep saying something different, until he was told the upgrade would burn his house down. What?

This poor guy was a Verizon customer for seven years, dutifully paying his bills on time, until he decided it was time to upgrade to a faster plan than the one he had. His neighbor had that faster plan, and when he checked his address online, Verizon's site told him the upgrade was available. But when he tried to make that upgrade...well, it didn't go quite as planned.

The summary? Seven phone calls, 1 hour and 42 minutes between 11:50am and 12:42pm. What did that earn me? Absolutely nothing but utter frustration and torture.

Each of the seven reps told him something totally different, from "that's not available at your address" to "that's not available for an upgrade" to "that's only available online"—and four more. But the best one has to be the last.

I directly asked "why is it I can open a new account with 7MB but I cannot order it as an existing customer?". Her response: "your home cannot handle the 7MB speed. If I put in the order for 7MB, it will burn your house down".

The upgrade will burn your house down. That has to take the cake as one of the craziest things ever said by an ISP rep. Needless to say, Michael is no longer a Verizon customer. [Consumerist]







Earn Pizza and Fame by Sharing Your Holiday Horror Stories [Contest]

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Many of you have stories of Decembers gone technologically wrong, but telling them to friends over the dinner table only gets you laughs and sympathetic looks. Telling them to Gizmodo can get you pizza and fame. Pizza and fame.

Basically, we want to hear your holiday-themed tales of gadget horror and technology disasters. As incentive to open up and share, we've got some free pizza for the very best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) story. What we'll do is post that story along with some of our favorite runner-ups so you'll become Internet-famous and a part of Gizmodo history.

Sounds good, no? I know it might be scary to share a traumatizing tale, but you're safe here and we won't laugh too much. So, email me your stories with the subject line "Holiday Horror" and make me want to give you pizza and a post on Gizmodo.







H20 Audio’s Waterproof iPod Nano Case Is Built for Surfer-Videographers [Accessories]

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The iPod Nano's camera isn't the greatest, but now I see its virtue: With this waterproof case, it's a perfect surfing companion. Why let someone else capture your painful aquatic bails when you can do it yourself?

The H20 Audio Capture Case is specifically designed for the current-gen iPod Nano, allowing full use of the video camera up to 12 feet underwater. Seems pretty cool—you can listen to the latest NPR Planet Money podcast while you catch some waves (that's what surfers like, right?) and then when you fall, you can take a video of the pretty fish while you grope your way to the surface. They'll be available next week for $80, which is fairly reasonable, but they don't include waterproof headphones—you'll have to buy those separately.

Oh, and that guy up there? That's Laird Hamilton, friend of Gizmodo and expert surfblogger. [H20]