Still livin' in the Ukraine

Sound Politics: October 2005 Archives suggests that the corrupt election officials are still at it. They're not releasing logs that may show that computer records for the coup, ahem, election were altered after the fact.

Well, the First Amendment hasn't done the job so far...what's the next amendment again?

Hanlin's New eBook

Engadget.com has the poop on the new Hanlin eBook Model V2. An alternative to the Sony LIBRIe, the eBook doesn't appear to incorporate DRM.

Now how far through War and Peace can you get before the power runs out?

Of Mice and Men...Mutants, that is...

Wired has an article about the incredible ability of some altered mice to regenerate damaged tissue.

These mice have regenerated amputated digits, damaged heart, liver, and brain tissue and have even passed this newly acquired ability on to their offspring!!

Even more amazing, when researchers injected normal mice with cells from the mutant regenerators the normal mice gained the ability to regenerate!!

Looks like these mice are the first live version of the Marvel X-Men's Wolverine. Look out, Kitty...

Microsoft subs "Blogcast" for "Podcast"

(Via The Cult of Mac Blog)

Pretty much closing the barn after the horses have fled, Microsoft employees avoid using "Podcast" and sub the term "blogcast". (This is attributed to the Seattle Post-Intelligence also known as the Seattle PI...of course, here in the Pac NW many consider that to represent Probably Incorrect.)

Now, call me kooky, but it's called a podcast because you send the content to an iPod. As in broadcast, where you cast the content broadly. Notice the content itself isn't addressed, just the destination of transmission.

"Blogcast" suggests the type of content (one doesn't send the content typical of a podcast to a blog, after all) rather than the destination.

More importantly, how do they expect me to watch a blogcast on my iPod shuffle?

Besides, how does Microsoft think all the window manufacturers felt after they came out with Windows waaaaay back when? Did Andersen and Pella shift their product marketing from "windows" to "Planely Transparent"? Nope.

Strangely, I can't find any official Microsoft podcasts on the iTunes podcasting site. Mebbe there's something in their Communist-Dictatorship-Friendly blog portal...

Pigoen Poo Pegs Poor Parisian Powerbook!

A Parisian Powerbook pegged by pigeon poo in the Jardin Du Luxembourg.

Podcasts rock!!

Apple's newest version of iTunes provides a seamless interface to manage your subscriptions to podcasts. It's amazing for its simplicity and its built-in index of current podcasts. Everything from the President's Weekly Radio Address (formerly known as Podcast One) to some guy named Al Franken.

I subscribe to the Battlestar Galactica (presented by the executive producer), Halo 2 Podtacular, and a variety of other podcasts.

As a matter of fact, I have pretty much managed to recover the much-lamented loss of Tech TV's Call For Help and The Screen Savers, both of which did not survive the transition to G4 TV. It's called, "This Week In Tech" or "TWiT". (You can also access it from Leo's website--follow the link from his name, below.)
From the description:

Join Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose, John C. Dvorak, and other tech luminaries in a roundtable discussion of the latest trends in high tech. Winner of People's Choice Podcast and Best Technology Podcast in the 2005 People's Choice Podcast Awards. Released every Sunday at midnight Pacific.

In addition Leo LaPorte's KFI 640 AM (L.A.) radio show is available, commercial free and Kevin Rose and Alan Albrecht have two sets of podcasts. I say, "sets", because they have audio-only versions and VIDEO versions of both Systm and Diggnation. Check out their homepage Revision 3 which some people say refers to Tech TV being Rev One and G4 being Rev Two.

I'm even subscribing to a Chinese class and a French class, both via podcasts!

What has the Space Program/NASA/ISS/Space Shuttle done for us?

CNET News.com has the goods on a new breakthrough in the production of stem cells that may eliminate the whole embryonic stem cell controversy.

(H/T Instapundit)

Microgravity technology developed by NASA can multiply stem cells from a newborn's blood in large enough quantities to be used to regenerate human tissue, London scientists have found.

Telomerase and Stem Cells

Via Instapundit.

By making mice grow furrier coats, researchers have discovered that an enzyme known to serve as a last-ditch defense against cancer also activates adult stem cells, which the body uses to repair its tissues.

The insight could lead to new treatments for certain diseases, possibly even promoting hair growth in animals other than mice.

The research, reported by Steven E. Artandi and colleagues at Stanford University in Nature today, shows that adult stem cells can be activated by an enzyme called telomerase.

The finding is surprising because telomerase is well known in a quite different context, protecting against tumors by limiting the number of times a cell can divide. The new findings put the enzyme astride two major biological pathways, one that promotes the growth of new cells for maintaining tissues and the other that prevents the excessive growth that leads to tumors.

Telomeres have previously been thought to play a role in aging. They are structures on a genetic level that seem to reduce with each successive generation. In other words, they may be the "timer" that determines how long a given cell will continue reproducing. Telomerase evidently is the enzyme that reduces telomeres. This newly discovered role (activating adult stem cells) may provide a solution to slowing or stopping aging at the cellular level.

When Dolly, the cloned sheep, was created, the scientists discovered that her cells' telomeres were lacking the length that an actual 'newborn' sheep has. This suggests that clones of adult cells inherit the length of telomere that the donor cell possesses at the time of donation. (Philip Dick may have been prescient in Blade Runner, otherwise known as "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?".)

Mushroom Clouds

Instapundit.com - has an excerpt from Max Boot of the L.A. Times,

"It is hard to imagine how many more GIs and Tommies would have perished in 1944-45 had Anglo-American leaders flinched from using all the means at their disposal to hasten the end of the war. Indeed, if the U.S. had staged a blood-drenched invasion of Japan while holding back its atomic arsenal, President Truman would have been indicted for that decision too."

Actually, per the History Channel, our invasion plan for Japan called for the use of atomic bombs to clear an avenue of approach for our invading force to follow into the interior of Honshu! They were oblivious to the dangers of radiation back then and our troops would probably have ultimately succumbed to the exposure too. So, we would have used more atomic bombs in the course of an invasion of Japan than we did.

What is little known is that there was a coup attempt by the senior generals in Japan at the end. They did not want to surrender and took control of the country/armed forces. They had no plans to surrender even after both atomic bombs were dropped!

Ultimately, a conventional bombing raid by the US in the NW part of Honshu serendipitously eliminated the leaders of the coup, control reverted to the emperor, and Japan surrendered.

Furthermore, the Japanese had plans to attack San Francisco with a radiological "dirty" bomb on August 17th, 1945. There is speculation that had they succeeded the Bay Area would be uninhabitable even today. Fortunately for us, the required radioactive elements (heh, heh) for the attack were coming on a U-boat from Nazi Germany and were surrendered to the US by the U-boat commander. This was only after Germany had surrendered and the Commander decided to not continue the mission.

New SCOTUS Appointment

Fox News is reporting that John Roberts of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will be President Bush's pick to replace Justice O'Connor on the SCOTUS.

There is an interesting precedent set by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R, UT) during the appointments of Ruth Bader-Ginsberg (former lawyer for the ACLU) and Justice Breyer by President Clinton. Although the appointees were at the other end of the philosophical spectrum of the Senator (and a great many other Senators), both were overwhelming approved by the Senate. Justice Bader-Ginsberg received a 99-0 vote for her confirmation.

Here is the DOJ bio for Roberts. And here is a Law.Com article about the presumptive nominee. (H/T to ConfirmThem.)

Congressional Quarterly has a good summary of the confirmation process and history.

Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S

This is the car that my wife wants. Well, the burgundy and black version anyway. Guess it's time for a tip jar.

Iraq War Fatalities

This interactive map illustrates where all of the coalition casualties have occured in Iraq. After it has loaded, uncheck all of the country boxes. Then, go through them one by one and look at who is doing the work.

(H/T Instapundit)

Ukraine West

Sound Politics has a bunch of good Puget Sound stuff. The Dems are still carrying on as if there was a legitimate gubenatorial election last fall.

Asshat? LMAO!

Instapundit , as usual, has tons of great stuff...make sure you get to the asshat comment...the Prof has a way with words.

It's called sedition

Sen Durbin slanders his own country and Mark Steyn has the goods. (H/T to Instapundit. )

France, 'non' Turkey?

(HT to Instapundit)

John O'Sullivan of the Chicago Sun-Times, has a larger view of the looming European crisis.

The 'Non' vote in France this past weekend was really a 'Oui' for more socialism, more welfare handouts, and a shift away from Chirac's right-wing party. (Thanks to my brother-in-law, Hori, a naturalized Parisian, for explaining this to me.)

Consider that folks, in France Chirac is considered to the right because he's a de Gaullist. Here, he'd be left of Bill Clinton.

Memorial

Memorial
Originally uploaded by sashasdoc.

Note the addition of the black helmet and vest for the fallen members of the press.

Memorial Day

The following is an e-mail from a mate who served in Vietnam and continues to do so--as a civilian--in Iraq.

"I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth more than all the means...."
--John Adams


Good Morning from Baghdad,

I wanted to take a few minutes and tell you all that I hope you will have a Happy, Healthy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend. I realize to many Americans all that it represents is three days off from work and the herald of the summer vacation season.

Since most of you are "Warriors" (or the Family of) in you own right; and since most of you have served in the Military (or have Family that does) I would hope this weekend would be a little more. Please remember all the Troops and those "old-timers" (like me & my mates) who support them here (and in Afghanistan, the Korean DMZ) and hundreds of other places around the world & who are in "Harm's Way" this week end.

The operational tempo here is incredibly high as we have on-going or are opening new major anti-insurgency operations (that have been posted in the press in the last few days). For all of us it will be business as usual; there will be no picnics or parades.

The Marines & Soldiers out in western Iraq (Anbar Province) & many here in Baghdad and the northern Camps live and work in very Spartan conditions. For them a clean place to sleep,clean uniforms, a piece of ice or cold drink, hot meal, hot cup of coffee in the morning is often a fantasy. They live in conditions every bit as tough as the Vietnam era Fire Support Bases & Special Forces "A-Camps". Also for some of them this weekend will be their last. They don't whine or complain they drive on.

Please remember all who have gone before them since our great Nation's Birth and the sacrifices they have made (many gave "The Last Full Measure of Devotion"). Without them (the kids of today and those fallen before them) you would not have this weekend. Remember too all those with broken bodies and spirits from all of these outings; many who languish in Military Medical Centers (like Walter Reed Army Medical Center or Bethesda Naval Medical Center in Washington, D.C.) or Veterans Administration Domiciles across the US. Many who have no Families or "nobody wants" anymore. It is because of all of them; you and I have the job opportunities, nice houses, cars, or freedom to worship (or not if you choose) that we do.

This includes the Freedom of the Press- I often hear a lot of bad stuff about the Press Corps; but I have seen many honest Journalists and their "Shooters" (Camera-Men and Women like Sharon & Maya & others I have come to know.). More of them have been killed or badly wounded in the twenty-six months of this conflict than during the fifteen plus years of the US War in Vietnam/SE Asia. For our Democracy to work someone has to get our Government to remain honest and accountable to those they serve. Please remember that there are many good ones who are driven to get out the truth.

Many of them report the issues they are not responsible for what the issues may be. I can't help but think our Founding Fathers were smart enough to figure all of this out when they wrote our great Constitution and Bill of Rights. It's certainly not perfect but it is still working and is still one of the greatest documents ever drafted by human minds & hands. If we are such a bad place to live then I would suggest you come here and get one of these $5-$10/day jobs digging ditches, handling garbage or raw sewage with your bare hands while they are still available. If we are such a bad place then why do most of the poor of the world want that miraculous little "Green Card"? Why do they want to come to our shores?

For me personally; it's always a long weekend- because I have been blessed to live a life and have walked in the shadows of some truly great men; I have had the honor to have known and worked with six of the Special Forces & Infantry Medal of Honor Recipients. I have been blessed to live all my today's because many of my friends and absent comrades gave up all their tomorrow's. For many of you who have been there and done that I am sure you understand- and share the guilt I feel. I know that none of them would want that; but still that it how it is.

Please take care of yourselves; my best to you and your Families. Please don't forget to take a few minutes of silent reflection tomorrow at 15:00. Please pray to the God or Higher Power of your choice and belief system for all the Fallen; and remember that "Freedom Is Not Free".


De Oppresso Liber,

Doc Rakofsky Sends-

PS: This is a hyperlink I have sent to most of you before... It came my way thanks to SGM (Ret) Tony Bell an old SF Friend/Brother whose Dad was also SGM Bell of the US Army's SF; who I had the good fortune to have known in Nam and during his days as a Police Officer after retirement. I think it's well done, very moving and worth a re-visit this Memorial Day. It may give you an insight into the level of toil & sacrifice here by Our Troops... God Bless & Keep You All.

Click on the title to this post to follow the hyperlink that Doc sent.

The Future of TV?

Systm may be the next big thing. Check out the newest step in the evolution of on screen entertainment.

Cholesterol anyone?

Go check out this effort to create a 30,000 calorie sandwich! Uff da!