World’s Smallest Hard Drive!
This is just too cool! Less than an inch long, 10 grams in weight, and can withstand 1000 Gs of force! And it holds 4 Gig! Dewd!
Check it out!
Month: July 2005
Frist, Stem Cells, and the Polls
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist changed his mind today and said that stem cell research SHOULD be allowed by the government. This is a move to put him in, what he thinks, will be a good position to run for President after President Bush’s current term is over. Here is a direct quote from his statement to the Senate:
“As we know, adult stem cell research is not controversial on ethical grounds — while embryonic stem cell research is. Right now, to derive embryonic stem cells, an embryo — which many, including myself, consider nascent human life — must be destroyed. But I also strongly believe — as do countless other scientists, clinicians, and doctors — that embryonic stem cells uniquely hold specific promise for some therapies and potential cures that adult stem cells cannot provide.” (emphasis mine)
So, OK, you believe that you are destroying human life when you kill an embryo to use stem cells for possible therapy… yet, you say that you want the govenment to fund and allow this? Sorry, but as a Christian, first, and a Certified Natural Health Professional, second, I object to your rationale. Abortion is murder. God says murder is wrong. Duh. Whether you are killing babies that are safe in their mother’s womb (a horrible notion for any thinking individual that isn’t motivated by insane liberal political thinking) or, whether you are creating a life in a test tube, and then killing it for “so-called” therapy, it is still killing. I can think of no circumstance where killing an unborn child is excuseable.
I think that even though the polls may indicate that a majority of Americans favor stem cell research, this will still come back to “bite” Frist among those of us that are strong Conservative Christians. Sorry, Senator, we don’t change our core beliefs just because the polls rise or fall. Some of us simply look at what the Bible says and say, “That settles it.” Hide and watch. As a “Conservative” candidate… Frist is done.
Ice Lake Found on the Red Planet
This is a very cool photo! An actual “ice pond” on Mars. Who would have thought we would have photos like this “back in the day?” Cool!
Ice lake found on the Red Planet
Now, if we can just get some folks up there to stick a flag in the ground! Oh, yeah!
CAFTA and Natural Health Freedom
CAFTA passed late last night… by only 2 votes. Section Six of CAFTA places the regulation of vitamins and supplements under the auspices of the World Health Organization. So, as Europe goes, so will we from now on. This is VERY bad news! No matter how you feel about CAFTA from the viewpoint of other issues, this is wrong from a Natural Health perspective. It was close, but in this case, our Natural Health freedoms lost one! Let’s set ourselves to be more determined to stand up for our Natural Health Rights!
Are We Closer to “Data” on Star Trek?
Those of us that are serious Trekkers (“trekkies” as you may know, is a derogatory term) know Commander Data on Star Trek: TNG was the android that was so determined to be “human.” Well, while I still don’t have a household robot that will clean my house (and “Roomba” doesn’t count), the Japanese have premiered a “human-like” android:
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Japanese develop ‘female’ android
OK, this is cool… but I still want a robot that will clean the house… and it can look like a toaster for all I care. Now THAT would be cool!
Geek Software of the Week: Prevx
Being safe on the Internet can be a chore, and it shouldn’t be… however, real life is what it is! So, what we need are tools to help keep our systems safe! This week’s Geek Software is one of those tools. Unlike most of my recommendations, it isn’t free, but it is fairly cheap. There is a 15 day free trial, then you have to license it for $19.95. Check it out:
Prevx – Host Intrusion Prevention Systems
The idea is if ANY software tries to do something that you don’t know about, it will stop it and ask you if you REALLY want to do whatever it is trying to do… so, if you hit a site that tries to install junk on your system in the background… boom! You get a notice and can stop it. Sounds like it is worth the $19.95! And, if you want my recommendations on how to be safe on the web, check out this article:
Geek Wives
Most fellow geeks I talk to (yes, I “are” one) are married to a “significant other” (as they called it in my college Sociology class) that have no clue AT ALL when it comes to computers, software, systems, etc.
That is not the case with yours truly. My wife, Belinda, is a geek too… OK, not an uber-geek like me, but geeky enough. She has a a degree in Computer Science and was a manager of software developers back at Ciba-Geigy Corporation. So, she finds it easy to keep up with the ol’ Computer Curmudgeon when I wax totally gear-head. But, she does have her head on straight, so she can keep me somewhat “on earth” when I have to be. So I am blessed! But, it is not that way for many…
Check this out:
Fedora XP: Getting Your Wife to Use Linux
I don’t need it, but you might (you know who you are!)
You Mean Splenda ISN’T made from Sugar?
OK, so they lied.
Splenda Not Made From Sugar
It is a chlorinated chemical, not made from, or containing, sugar at all. And, strangely enough, though the manufacturer says that it is the most tested product ever, Dr. Mercola says that it had only six human trial studies. One of those things that make you go, “Hummmmmm.”
Dvorak’s Take on “Vista”
John C. Dvorak is easily as much of a curmudgeon as I am, and he is definitely opinionated, but I have to admit, I think he is on to something with his recent article on the “ho hum” reaction to Windows Vista:
Read it and see what you think. Overall, I think he may be right!
Windows “Longhorn” Will Be “Vista”
So we go from Windows XP to Windows Vista. Will that bring it out any faster? And will it be worth it?
From what I have been reading, more and more is being stripped out because they aren’t going to be able to get it out in time. At this point, there is very little truly “exciting” about it. So… yawn!