August 30, 2005
Most scientific papers are probably wrong
"Most published scientific research papers are wrong, according to a new analysis. Assuming that the new paper is itself correct, problems with experimental and statistical methods mean that there is less than a 50% chance that the results of any randomly chosen scientific paper are true."New Scientist Breaking News
PLoS Medicine: Why Most Published Research Findings Are False
Posted by Martin Sewell at 11:21 PM
Americans and Chinese Differ in Their World View--Literally
"A study of Chinese and American students has found that the two groups looked at scenes in photographs in distinct ways. The findings indicate that previously observed cultural differences in judgment and memory between East Asians and North Americans derive from differences in what they actually see."Science & Technology at Scientific American.com
Posted by Martin Sewell at 11:12 PM
Stand up and be counted: Edinburgh's 50 best jokes
"More than 400 performers are currently demonstrating the art of cutting-edge comedy on and beyond the Fringe. Louise Jury presents a selection of the gags that have gone down well"Published: 21 August 2004
Independent Online Edition
Posted by Martin Sewell at 5:41 PM
August 27, 2005
Hamster-powered phone charger
"A 16-year-old boy invented a hamster-powered mobile phone charger as part of his GCSE science project."Ananova
"The teenage inventor was given a C for his project and has been awarded a D overall for the course."
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:52 AM
New exhibit at London Zoo - humans
"London Zoo unveiled a new exhibition -- eight humans prowling around wearing little more than fig leaves to cover their modesty."Yahoo! News
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:49 AM
August 26, 2005
Rotting Teeth: US Health Care
THE MORAL-HAZARD MYTHThe bad idea behind our failed health-care system.
by MALCOLM GLADWELL
The New Yorker: Fact
Link thanks to Michael.
Posted by Martin Sewell at 2:03 PM
August 25, 2005
Google Talk
- Google Talk
- smash's world: I'm on Google Talk right now. _ the offical homepage of Ben Guild (smash)
- » GTalk Tweaks
- Google Talk's First Hack - How to Broadcast MP3's, Podcasts and other audio over Google Talk
- Google Talk gets mixed reception - ZDNet UK News
Posted by Martin Sewell at 2:01 PM
American Legion Declares War on Protestors -- Media Next?
'The American Legion, which has 2.7 million members, has declared war on antiwar protestors, and the media could be next. Speaking at its national convention in Honolulu, the group's national commander called for an end to all “public protests” and “media events” against the war, even though they are protected by the Bill of Rights.'Editor & Publisher
Posted by Martin Sewell at 1:46 PM
'Men cleverer than women' claim
"A study to be published later this year in the British Journal of Psychology says that men are on average five points ahead on IQ tests."BBC NEWS
Posted by Martin Sewell at 1:42 PM
August 23, 2005
Iraq Body Count
- 24,865 civilians were reported killed in the first two years.
- Post-invasion, the number of civilians killed was almost twice as high in year two (11,351) as in year one (6,215).
- Women and children accounted for almost 20% of all civilian deaths.
- US-led forces killed 37% of civilian victims.
- Children were disproportionately affected by all explosive devices but most severely by air strikes and unexploded ordnance (including cluster bomblets).
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:45 PM
Computer characters mugged in virtual crime spree
"A man has been arrested in Japan on suspicion carrying out a virtual mugging spree by using software "bots" to beat up and rob characters in the online computer game Lineage II. The stolen virtual possessions were then exchanged for real cash."New Scientist
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:36 PM
London Police Continue Deadly Force Policy
"London's Metropolitan Police said Saturday the department has reviewed the use of deadly force against suspected terrorists after the killing of an innocent man, but has made only minor changes."Guardian Unlimited
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:31 PM
US relents on Islamic law to reach Iraq deal
"The United States has eased its opposition to an Islamic Iraqi state to help clinch a deal on a draft constitution before tonight's deadline."Guardian Unlimited
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:24 PM
Death by Caffeine
"How much of your favorite caffeinated drink would it take to kill you? Take this quick test and find out:"Energy Fiend » Death by Caffeine
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:21 PM
Boing Boing's $250,000 Intelligent Design challenge (UPDATED: $1 million)
"We are willing to pay any individual *$250,000 if they can produce empirical evidence which proves that Jesus is not the son of the Flying Spaghetti Monster."Boing Boing
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:15 PM
Police knew Brazilian was 'not bomb risk'
"Police officers from the team involved in the fatal shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes did not believe he posed 'an immediate threat'."The Observer
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:09 PM
Climate change sceptics bet $10,000 on cooler world
Two Russian climate change sceptics, who believe the dangers of global warming are overstated, have put their money where their mouth is and bet $10,000 that the planet will cool over the next decade.Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:07 PM
Army Planning for Four More Years in Iraq
"WASHINGTON - The Army is planning for the possibility of keeping the current number of soldiers in Iraq — well over 100,000 — for four more years, the Army's top general said Saturday."Yahoo! News
Posted by Martin Sewell at 12:01 PM
Police foil gas attack on Commons
"SCOTLAND YARD believes it has thwarted an Al-Qaeda gas attack aimed at ministers and MPs in parliament. The plot, hatched last year, is understood to have been discovered in coded e-mails on computers seized from terror suspects in Britain and Pakistan."Sunday Times - Times Online
Posted by Martin Sewell at 11:59 AM
Brits happy to ditch civil liberties
"Three out of four Brits would happily hand over their civil liberties in exchange for better security against terrorist attacks, according figures from pollsters ICM."The Register
Posted by Martin Sewell at 11:45 AM
August 22, 2005
A Letter to America
"They're not children in Iraq" begins the third paragraph in 'Peace Mom's' marriage a metaphor for Dems in the Chicago Sun-Times. What, not even the children? Not even the Iraqi children? Not even the dead Iraqi children?
- Stop being so isolationist (in terms of understanding)
- Stop behaving like political missionaries (enforcing poorly implemented, unworkable and unwanted regime changes)
- Stop thoughtless globalization (Hello, McWorld!)
- Stop going on about God (he can't save you, he doesn't exist)
- Stop conducting one-dimensional politics (see the Political Compass)
- Stop being proud to be American (be proud of your achievements, not where you are from)
- Stop asking the British for help (the French won't like us)
- Stop Bush (obviously)
Posted by Martin Sewell at 6:08 PM
Under US noses, brutal insurgents rule Sunni citadel
"Guardian gains rare access to Iraqi town and finds it fully in control of 'mujahideen'""The executions are carried out at dawn on Haqlania bridge, the entrance to Haditha. A small crowd usually turns up to watch even though the killings are filmed and made available on DVD in the market the same afternoon."
Guardian Unlimited
Posted by Martin Sewell at 4:02 PM
"Intelligent Design"
An enjoyable attack on "Intelligent Design" by Jon Carroll.
Amusingly (for a populist article), he refuses to even define ID [in their own words, "The theory of intelligent design (ID) holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause rather than an undirected process such as natural selection."] but instead begins by correctly highlighting the fallacy of false compromise.
My argument against Creationism is that there is no evidence for it and plenty of evidence for a mutually exclusive hypothesis. Whilst the case against "Intelligent Design" is that the evidence adequately explains a simpler hypothesis. It really is that simple!
SF Gate (link thanks to David)
Posted by Martin Sewell at 2:16 PM
August 21, 2005
Theft!
my car
Going cheap on eBay or in and around the Bedford area:
- Kenwood KDC-5090R CD Receiver
- Pioneer GM-X554 amp
August 19, 2005
Jean Charles de Menezes Family Campaign Vigil and Demonstration on Monday
"She urged supporters to attend a vigil to be held outside 10 Downing Street at 1800 BST (1700 GMT) on Monday."BBC NEWS
"The Jean Charles de Menezes Family Campaign announced that a vigil and demonstration would be held on Monday, one month to the day since the shooting, at 6pm outside Downing Street."
Guardian Unlimited
August 18, 2005
Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New 'Intelligent Falling' Theory
'KANSAS CITY, KS—As the debate over the teaching of evolution in public schools continues, a new controversy over the science curriculum arose Monday in this embattled Midwestern state. Scientists from the Evangelical Center For Faith-Based Reasoning are now asserting that the long-held "theory of gravity" is flawed, and they have responded to it with a new theory of Intelligent Falling.'The Onion
Met chief tried to stop shooting inquiry
"Britain's top police officer, the Scotland Yard commissioner Sir Ian Blair, attempted to stop an independent external investigation into the shooting of a young Brazilian mistaken for a suicide bomber, it emerged yesterday."Guardian Unlimited | Special reports
De Menezes family murder charge call
"Relatives of the Brazilian man shot dead by anti-terror police on a London Tube train want them to be charged with murder."ITV
August 17, 2005
Mistakes led to tube shooting
"ITV News has obtained secret documents and photographs that detail why police shot Jean Charles De Menezes dead on the tube."ITV
Man charged over bizarre conduct
"An Atlanta man was arrested Thursday afternoon after he smeared feces on himself and walked around a department store in Columbus, police said."Ledger-Enquirer
August 13, 2005
Big Brother 6
In Formula 1 the most interesting track, Monaco, creates the dullest race. The lack of overtaking opportunities leads to little interaction and little interest. Similarly, Endemol's deliberate selection of disparate characters simply wasn't conducive to interesting discourse.
In selecting house mates, Big Brother 6's predictable bias towards the superficial combined with a strange predilection towards the stupid ensured that the little communication we witnessed was banal. A randomly chosen group of undergrads would be more interesting to watch.
Big Brother UK series 6 - Wikipedia
- Craig Coates, 20
- Roberto Conte, 32
- Kieron Harvey aka Science, 22
- Sam Heuston, 23
- Saskia Howard-Clarke, 23
- Anthony Hutton, 23
- Kinga Karolczak, 20
- Derek Laud, 41
- Vanessa Layton-McIntosh, 19
- Orlaith McAllister, 26
- Makosi Musambasi, 24
- Mary O'Leary, 31
- Lesley Sanderson, 19
- Kemal Shahin, 19
- Eugene Sully, 27
- Maxwell Ward, 24
- BB1: 4.7m/26 per cent share
- BB2: 4.6m/24 per cent share
- BB3: 5.8m/28 per cent share
- BB4: 4.6m/22 per cent share
- BB5: 5.0m/25 per cent share
- BB6: 4.4m/22 per cent share (not consolidated, does not include tonight's final)
August 12, 2005
'Too fat' BB6 winner put on bench
"Big Brother winner Anthony Hutton has been put on the bench by his local football team - because his manager says he has got too fat."BBC NEWS | England | Wear
Physics enlisted to help singles
"Successful couples are said to have chemistry, but a study by an Oxford graduate suggests that dating may actually have more to do with physics."BBC NEWS | Technology
b3ta
The usual end-of-working-week goodness.B3TA : NEWSLETTER : ISSUE 193: "THANK GOODNESS FOR AIDS"
Nude man in ski mask enters sandwich shop
"A man who police say showed up at a sandwich shop wearing nothing but a ski mask will face several charges once he's released from the hospital, police said Thursday."ABC7Chicago.com
White House "Lost In Space" Scenarios
"Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace."The Smoking Gun
3 Wives Greet British Man After Surgery
"British police confirmed that after Melvyn Reed woke from his triple bypass heart operation earlier this year, his complicated marital affairs took a turn for a worse. All three of his spouses had turned up at the same time, despite his efforts to stagger their visits."washingtonpost.com
People Try to Lose Weight at McDonald's
"Inspired by the documentary "Super Size Me," Merab Morgan decided to give a fast-food-only diet a try. The construction worker and mother of two ate only at McDonald's for 90 days — and dropped 37 pounds in the process."Yahoo! News
Man dies after 50 hours of computer games
"SEOUL, South Korea - A South Korean man who played computer games for 50 hours almost non-stop died of heart failure minutes after finishing his mammoth session in an Internet cafe, authorities said on Tuesday."MSNBC
Makosi dated polygamous Mugabe cousin
"BUSTY Zimbabwean Big Brother babe Makosi Musambasi has dated President Robert Mugabe's cousin Phillip Chiyangwa, it was claimed Monday."New Zimbabwe.com News
Link thanks to Nancy
August 11, 2005
Big Brother actress claim denied
"An agency has denied that Big Brother contestant Makosi Musambasi is an actress they supplied for the show."BBC NEWS
August 9, 2005
National Security Levels
The newswires have reported that the French Government has announced that it has raised its terror alert level from 'Run' to 'Hide'. The only two higher levels in France are 'Surrender' and 'Collaborate'. The rise was precipitated by a recent fire which destroyed France's White Flag factory, effectively disabling their military.
The Italians have increased their alert level from "shout loudly and excitedly" to "elaborate military posturing". Two more levels remain, "ineffective combat operations" and "change sides".
The Germans also increased their alert state from "disdainful arrogance" to "dress in uniform and sing marching songs". They have two higher levels, "invade a neighbour" and "lose".
Seeing this reaction in continental Europe the Americans have gone from "isolationism" to "find somewhere else in the Middle East ripe for regime change". Their remaining higher alert states are "take on the world" and "ask the British for help".
Finally in Great Britain they've gone from "pretend nothing's happening" to "make another cup of tea". Their higher levels are "remain resolutely cheerful" and "win".
Thanks to Newty.
Behaviors of the Blogosphere: Understanding the Scale, Composition and Activities of Weblog Audiences
comScore Networks pdfMan forgets wife at gas station
"A Macedonian man left his wife at an Italian service station and only realized he had driven off without her six hours later, news agency Ansa said."CNN.com
Iraqis rally to demand restoration of public services
"Rallies were held across Iraq over the weekend to demand the restoration of basic public services, including steady food, water and electricity supplies."RIA Novosti
August 7, 2005
Art prankster sprays Israeli wall
'Secretive "guerrilla" artist Banksy has decorated Israel's controversial West Bank barrier with satirical images of life on the other side.'BBC NEWS | Entertainment
Al-Qaida is now an idea, not an organisation
"Bin Laden may not be capable of organising terror attacks directly, but then he does not need to"Guardian Unlimited | Special reports
Intelligence chiefs warn Blair of home-grown 'insurgency'
"Intelligence chiefs are warning Tony Blair that Britain faces a full-blown Islamist insurgency, sustained by thousands of young Muslim men with military training now resident in this country."Independent Online Edition > UK Politics
Inside the sect that loves terror
'AN undercover investigation has caught leaders of a radical Islamic group inciting young British Muslims to become terrorists and praising the Tube bombers as “the fantastic four”.'Sunday Times - Times Online
I still fight oppression
Nick Cohen"The liberals who say I have deserted the left should ask themselves where they stand on Islamism"
The Observer | Comment
August 6, 2005
War Of The Phantoms: Who Is ‘The Secret Organization Of al-Qaeda In Europe’?
"The mystery of the four British-Pakistanis and the alleged Egyptian mastermind of the London bombings adds to the growing puzzle of Iraq’s phantom menace: Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, not to mention their alleged godfather, Osama bin Laden. Is this the most fascinating chapter in the global game of espionage?"THE Islamabad Post
Thanks to Robert.
August 5, 2005
Web Frog Search Queries
Last 10 queries:- hairy legs
- com frog.com
- web frog
- Stockwell shooting blog
- frog sex
- transparent rucksack
- Ira sewell
- transparent rucksack
- web frog
- web blogs + amputee
August 4, 2005
Rap Marketing Comes to Nerdcore/Geeksta rap
Wired NewsEducationGuardian.co.uk | comment
Links thanks to Dave Newt
An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural
James Randi Educational FoundationHacking Elevators (sic) 101!
"Ever wonder how to hack an elevator (sic) to own it for your trip and not be stopped on any other floors?"TheDamnBlog.com
August 3, 2005
August 2, 2005
Woman convicted of groping screener
"A woman who was upset over being searched bodily at an airport was convicted Tuesday of assaulting a security screener by grabbing the federal officer's breasts."ABC7Chicago.com
Ancient book of Russian sexual traditions found in Russian province
'An ancient book with detailed descriptions of Russian sexual customs and traditions of the 18th century was found in a remote village. Collector Mikhail Surov, who found the book, said that instructions, which he could read on the pages, made him blush. "I thought that I was quite educated as far as sex was concerned, but I thought it wrong," he said.'PRAVDA.Ru
Cops find nude man looking for Gump's home
'A 26-year-old vagrant was charged with indecent exposure after police found him standing naked in a cornfield chewing on a cob near a country club. "He said he wanted to see the house where Forrest Gump lived," said Police Chief William Nale.'ABC7Chicago.com
Saddam's trial on live television
"The trial of Saddam Hussein will be shown on live television, Iraq's national security adviser said yesterday."Telegraph | News
Homeland Security radio-tags foreign visitors
"Starting this week, three US border crossings will begin to tag visitors to America with wireless RFID-cards, which contain visitors' personally identifying information and can be read from 12 yards away."Boing Boing
August 1, 2005
Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
"As he stared at her ample bosom, he daydreamed of the dual Stromberg carburetors in his vintage Triumph Spitfire, highly functional yet pleasingly formed, perched prominently on top of the intake manifold, aching for experienced hands, the small knurled caps of the oil dampeners begging to be inspected and adjusted as described in chapter seven of the shop manual."2005 Results