Science, music and the nature of Existence

(This story was originally posted on http://www.spydaddy.net/)

Scanning boingboing.net today, I find a story on this.

In 2004 Dmitriy Plaks and several of his fellow students at the University of West Georgia tested whether sound waves can douse fires in hopes of using sound to extinguish flames in a spacecraft. They placed a candle in a large topless chamber with three bass speakers attached to the walls. The candle was lit and the Canadian rock band Nickelback's "How you remind me" was pumped through the subwoofers. Within roughly 10 seconds, once the song hit a low note, the flame was out, according to results published in 2005 in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

Of course, you could read this story and believe in their so called 'science'. My preferred explanation for this phenomenon relies on the fact that when I hear Nickelback I also want to die. I submit to you, gentle readers, that what this 'experiment' really demonstrates is that fire is a living thing with a clear sense of self which possesses a modicum of musical taste.

I'm not sure if they've conducted this experiment with primates, but I suspect the result would be the same. Death in less than ten seconds.

This experiment also explains why I seem to get burned a lot; it furthers our understandings of resistentialism.

Funky headgear - designed to help you remember where you put it!

Righty oh. Another 'science before it's ready' story. And I'll admit, that watching my grandfather progress rapidly through Alzheimer's provides an element of depth to the appreciation of this story. But the real feel-good component in this story comes from the photo.





Look at those geeks and their crazy headgear!
These guys are 'TEH HOTTNESS!!1!'

For a start, check out the headgear! It looks like it was designed to act as a Heat Sink for the Trollish Cranium. Or something from a nineties movie that heavily relied on 'Virtual Reality' as a plot device.

But the guys themselves are the real winner. Is it not written that the 'Geek shall inherit the Earth'? These guys are literally a trio pack of pocket protectors from World Domination (through inheritance). And I love em!

maybe this explains why i set this up

Just an excuse to do other things...

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Speaking of suffering

PARIS HILTON STIFFED screamed this headline in the NYPost.

Yes, I know I don't usually go for "quality" media such as this, but while it may cause some suffering for Paris at least we should now get some more column inches or bandwidth for some real news.

Worse news is that she will probably be spruiking more rubbish such as "Rich Prosecco" Champagne in a can...

I really wish I hadn't scanned the above wiki link. Twas bad enough coming across the term "Celubutant", and to see her described as a "business woman" but was even more disappointing to see that there was not a single review of her dreadful yet probably most viewed cinematic contribution which received the AVN Awards in 2005 for "Best Selling Title of the Year", "Best Renting Title of the Year", and "Best Overall Marketing Campaign – Individual Project"...

Still, I could swig a "Rich Prosecco" right down, and the can would still be "half full" even if empty to think that the outrageous extravagence (on the part of the media) may have to end.

Nah, there'll always be "a Paris".

But, do these count?

Muslim who helped stop NYC Hanukkah attack on Jews gets award says the headline in Newsday - which is a newpaper that specifically targets Long Island, NY.

A Muslim student who helped stop a Hanukkah attack on four Jewish subway riders is being honored for his actions.

Basically, 4 people on a train wish each other "Happy Hanukkah", 10 others (of un-named spiritual affliliations) take some exception and decide to do some biffo, and one muslim student gets involved to help and manages to put in some useful distraction.

Askari [the "hero"]tried to fight off the 10 attackers, giving Adler [one of the victims] a chance to summon police by pulling an emergency brake.

Is this "good news", or "bloody awful humanity at its worst with an intervention that prevented something really nasty happening"?

Quite possibly there was something published at the time of the initial attack (mid November).

Yes; it is good that
Someone Helped out strangers in need
Yes; it is good that
It was an act of inter-faith support against those less tolerant
Yes; it is good that he is being "recognised" for his good deed

BUT

Does the stopping of a wrong, in and of itself make it "Good News"?

In the standard definition, I would say "Yes definitely", but I must admit, I don't know whether or not this matches the "mission statement" I set up for this blog.

OK; by the same token is ‘Miraculous’ Recovery for Man Who Fell From Sky this "good news"?

"Alcides Moreno plunged 47 stories that morning last month, clinging to his 3-foot-wide window washer’s platform as it shot down the dark glass face of an Upper East Side apartment building. His brother Edgar, who had been working with him, was killed when the platform landed."

"He was given 24 units of blood and 19 units of plasma and underwent an operation to open his abdomen in the emergency room because, his doctor said, they did not want to risk moving him to an operating room. As December went on, he endured nine orthopedic operations."

You get the picture. And yes, he regained consciousness on xmas day.

So that makes it a nice "christmas miracle" - and the news doesnt get better than that.

But - of course, it shouldn't have happened in the first place. And of course, unfortunately, his brother perished in the fall.

Ok, I'm going all "glass half empty" here, which is NOT be at all, generally.

But maybe we only find "news fit to be published" when it is really empty, half empty, or Lindsay-bloody-Lohan.

Or when Bill Gates plows another 100 million into malaria, tb and aids. But then, I could (in this mood), argue that is not really good news because,

• Bill Gates made his money from all sorts of anti-trust monopolies on sloppy, buggy, insecure software (hey, that ain't my quote, and I do appreciate that he is doing more than most of the sovereign donors)
  
• malaria, tb, and hiv/aids are nasty in the first place anyway
  

So there we go.

Help me either define "good news", or help me find stuff that isn't based around "glass half empty".

Lost and Found in London

Published: December 20, 2007

To the Editor:

Re ''Lost an Item in a Subway? Good Luck for Its Return'' (news article, Dec. 14):

Twenty-five years ago I left a rain hat in the London Underground. I was on my way out of the city and didn't return for a week, at which time I visited the lost-property office. I gave the attendant the date, time, line and station, and in two minutes he came back with my hat.

His parting shot was, ''This wouldn't have happened in New York, would it?'' Judging from the article, I guess he was right.

Ann J. Kirschner
Brooklyn, Dec. 14, 2007

Thank Goodness it wasn't in Victoria Station - "A Handbag?, Mr Worthing"

Aids Orphans Rising

Succeed

POSTED: Wednesday, January 02, 2008

FROM BLOG: Reader Views - Book reviews, for readers, by readers.

The following blog post is from an independent writer and is not connected with Reuters News. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by Reuters.com.

There are alarming statistics that warn “every 14 seconds a Child Headed Household is formed.” Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd has written a guidebook to help alert concerned citizens of the magnitude of the problem and to provide the reader with answers the questions: “What should I know, and what can I do to help them succeed?” A Child Headed Household is defined as: children who have survived the death of their parents from AIDS. These households are made up of “little brothers and sisters struggling to stay alive and remain together as a family.” There are often three to eight children per household.

Sister Lloyd is quick to point out that the current view taken by most that these are victims dependent and powerless must be replaced with a vision of how these children have the courage to take control of their economic hardships, deprivations, and exploitation in positive ways so that they can remain together as family. It is this determination that became the motivation for Sister Lloyd to write this book.

All regions of the world are impacted by the enormity of the plight of these children. India, alone, is faced with 3,700,000 children orphaned. Statistics indicate that China has 2,300,000. Other countries around the world afflicted with the same dilemma bring the total orphaned children to over 16,000,000.

The book provides a broad selection of photos which depict bright-eyed children, resilient, with endurance and with promise, doing their best, struggling to stay together, taking the role of adults in caring for younger siblings.

Each chapter of the book offers suggestions for actions for the reader to take as members of a growing world community of concerned citizens. Comprehensive references with additional web links to organizations working with these children offer solutions which help insure that these children will survive, and will succeed.

Sister Mary Elizabeth opens her final chapter with a challenge for the reader to respond to Mother Teresa’s call to action: “If I look at the masses, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.”

“Aids Orphans Rising” will grip your heart. The needs will linger in your consciousness long after you have read the final word and closed the covers of the book. Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd has presented the case for these children. Now it is up to us, the readers, to decide which suggested action steps we can take to help them succeed.

AIDS Orphans Rising: What You Should Know and What You Can Do To Help Them Succeed
Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd, M.P.F, Ed. D.
Loving Healing Press (2008)
ISBN 9781932690477
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (01/08)

“A Pax on Both Our Houses” Interfaith Peace Effort Ignored By Mainstream Media

A Case in point of "good news" not getting up.

“A Pax on Both Our Houses,” a very significant interfaith call for peace in the Middle East, quickly and easily garnered support among leading progressive political, social, and religious organizations in Iowa. Vernon Naffier, President of the Progressive Coalition of Central Iowa, endorsed “A Pax on Both Our Houses.” So did the Catholic Peace Ministry; the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) of Iowa; and the Board of Church and Society, Iowa Annual Conference, United Methodist Church.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) sent an aide, Margaret Vernon, to the press conference to read a statement favoring diplomatic engagement with Iran. Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie attended the press conference and by all accounts delivered a moving statement of support for peace in the Middle East. In addition to Waskow, Cownie, Vernon, and Naffier, also speaking at the press conference were Dr. David Drake, former Clerk of the Des Moines Valley Friends Meeting and a member of the Iowa Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility who recently returned from a two week visit to Iran sponsored by the Fellowship for Reconciliation; Inez Ireland, on behalf of UMC Bishop of Iowa Gregory Palmer; Jeffrey Weiss, representing AFSC Iowa; and Eloise Cranke, representing MFSA Iowa.

So far, so-so, but then comes

The only people invited who didn’t bother to show up for the press conference were the reporters. All local and, with one exception, all national mainstream media organizations that had been contacted ignored the event.

We hear lots about and from the wing-nuts, but not that much about those willing to share and talk at grass roots. More's the pity.

California and other states challenge U.S. on car emissions

Go Arnie!! In Australia we think we have some interesting "States' Rights" issues, but at least they are not usually beholden to big business.

Pertinent quotes :

"The EPA has done nothing at the national level to curb greenhouse gases and now it has wrongfully and illegally blocked California's landmark tailpipe emissions standards, despite the fact that 16 states have moved to adopt them," said Jerry Brown, California's attorney general.

"On December 19, the EPA rejected California's bid for a waiver from U.S. law that would allow it to impose emissions restrictions that are tougher than federal standards. California has for years been permitted to set its own targets on pollutants and has received EPA waivers in other cases. This is the first bid to limit carbon emissions from autos."

In rejecting the waiver, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson cited newly enacted federal standards to boost automobile fuel efficiency as robust and comprehensive.

So "robust and comprehensive", but nowhere near as effective as the proposed Californian ones.

AUTOMAKERS FEAR COSTS

The new U.S. energy law would require autos average 35 mpg by 2020, a 40 percent efficiency increase that could cut greenhouse gasses by 30 percent. The California law would boost mileage goals to more than 40 mpg by 2016.

Automakers lobbied the administration to reject the California proposal, arguing a mix of state and federal rules would be too complex. Industry mainly fears substantial cost increases associated with sharp efficiency improvements for vehicles.

This silly antipodean obviously can't read American, coz from reading the US EPA's published mission I can only see that it is to "P" the "E" (and human health)

"P the E"
where
"P" = "protect", and
"E" = "environment"

NOT

"P the A"
- where
"P" = "prop up", and
"A" = "auto industry"

Kidney Disease Screening

Gotta love it; a not-for-profit organisation (Kidney Care Australia) put this press release out on 13 November 2007. Gist of the release is:

A market stall in the centre of the South Australian mining town Roxby Downs will provide the grass roots start of one of Australia's most important primary health care programs; Kidney Health Australia with the support of the Federal Government and BHP Billiton (emphasis is mine) will launch "Kidney Evaluation for You" KEY an early detection program which will evaluate kidney function, cardiovascular health and diabetes in high risk individuals.
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director of Kidney Health Australia said until now a primary heath care program for chronic kidney disease (CKD) detection has not existed.

This was not picked up anywhere that I could see via this google news search, until today when the Sydney Morning Herald published "Corporate deal to test for silent, overlooked killer."

While there is much the same in the article as in the press release, this time there are some more news worthy quotes :

"Desperate for money, Kidney Health Australia lobbied the mining giant BHP Billiton and was given $120,000. The Federal Government then kicked in another $200,000."

"The chief executive of Kidney Health Australia, Anne Wilson, said yesterday the Howard government had ignored kidney disease and there had been no primary health care detection program until now."

(Doesn't exactly add up if the funding was in place to be announced prior to the election, but hey; something else to blame the previous government for, and to get the article past the editor and not spiked)

"BHP Billiton has identified 140 employees as suitable to be screened. Samantha Evans, the media relations manager for BHP Billiton Asia Pacific, said: "Because we know we have the potential to have a big impact on the community we want to make sure that we have a lasting positive impact … it's an important health issue.""

Yep; I know that good mining companies do take the health of their workers seriously - it makes good economic sense to prevent or treat chronic conditions so that employees can remain productively on payroll.

But I reckon that it sucks that a national health promotion and advocacy can't get "good news" up, but the PR manager for a trans-global miner can.

Still; it is good news, and therefore good to see.

(skid?) Marks-not-Sparks

Well, here in Australia there has been what seems to be a huge number of house fires in which families, or elderly, or toddlers, or pets have died; and they seem to have (as always) disproportionally hit those least enabled to recover.

So it was rather nice to see this (courtesy of BBC, via the SMH, and Google News) appear - a self deprecating and amusing story about disaster averted.

"John and his cousin Darren, 23, were cooking, when they went to answer a knock at the door, only to return to a blazing kitchen.

Mrs Marsey said: "When they found the pan on fire they did what most people do and panicked.

"But they found a pair of my knickers in a washing basket and basically used them as a fire blanket to put out the fire."

Mrs Marsey, who is also mother to Sarah, 23, Joanne, 24, and Donna, 27, added: "I think if they had been my daughter Sarah's skimpy knickers they wouldn't have done any good. "