I have heard of overdraft fees, but this is a new one. Fifth Third Bank began charging a $19 fee if credit card borrowers had no account activity in 12 months. Also, there are quasi-inactivity fees -- Citigroup has a policy on some cards where if you don't spend up to a certain amount you'll be charged a fee up to $90.
Bank of America will start experimenting with new annual fees from $29 - $99. Citi now has a policy where credit card borrowers who pay late, have to pay a reinstatement fee in order to redeem accumulated rewards points and you may be charged if you get a paper statement instead of an electronic one. Hmmm! Pay me if you use me, pay me if you forget to pay me, pay me if you don't use me, pay me for paper.
Jan 13, 2010
Half Cocked
Back in the days of loading flintlock pistols and rifles, the hammer had to be cocked halfway back in order to load the weapon and put in a new fuse. Sometimes a person would make a mistake and the hammer would come down after loading the powder and the gun would go off. That is how we get the saying to "not go off half cocked."
Trees Are Bad?
I read that cutting the rain forest is part of causing global warming, because trees absorb Co2, and greenies say we should plant trees. Well, here is an article that says trees can cause warming.
"Although temperatures have risen throughout the globe, they've gone up most dramatically in the Arctic. Past warm periods indicate that deciduous tree (deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter) expansion into the Arctic is a common occurrence when the region warms up, so a new study has looked into the impact trees could have on the regional climate.
As expected, the increase of the leafy trees would result in less reflective ground, but the study suggests they could also induce more cloud cover and an increasingly warm surface and ocean that have more turbulent weather patterns. The simulation indicated that the expansion of leafy trees, by their ability to increase water vapor and absorb light, would result in an increase of the surface temperature in the Arctic region of about a Kelvin (1K is about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) over the next 20 years. " Taken from ARS Technica Dec, 30, 2009. Trees cause clouds, warm up the earth and are bad - trees are good and eat Co2. Hmmm, The trees I sit under in the summer seem to cool me off quite nicely and their leaves drop in the fall, so they don't block the sun in the winter.
"Although temperatures have risen throughout the globe, they've gone up most dramatically in the Arctic. Past warm periods indicate that deciduous tree (deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter) expansion into the Arctic is a common occurrence when the region warms up, so a new study has looked into the impact trees could have on the regional climate.
As expected, the increase of the leafy trees would result in less reflective ground, but the study suggests they could also induce more cloud cover and an increasingly warm surface and ocean that have more turbulent weather patterns. The simulation indicated that the expansion of leafy trees, by their ability to increase water vapor and absorb light, would result in an increase of the surface temperature in the Arctic region of about a Kelvin (1K is about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) over the next 20 years. " Taken from ARS Technica Dec, 30, 2009. Trees cause clouds, warm up the earth and are bad - trees are good and eat Co2. Hmmm, The trees I sit under in the summer seem to cool me off quite nicely and their leaves drop in the fall, so they don't block the sun in the winter.
Quotable
When confusion ceases, tranquility comes;
when tranquility comes, wisdom appears; and
when wisdom appears, reality is seen.
when tranquility comes, wisdom appears; and
when wisdom appears, reality is seen.
Cultured Pork
Sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it. Scientists from Eindhoven University in The Netherlands have for the first time grown pork meat in the laboratory by extracting cells from a live pig and growing them in a petri dish.
The scientists, led by Professor of Physiology Mark Post, extracted myoblast cells from a living pig and grew them in a solution of nutrients derived from the blood of animal fetuses (although they intend to replace the solution with a synthesized alternative in the future).
Professor Post said artificially cultured meat could mean the meat of one animal could be increased to a volume equivalent to the meat of a million animals, which would reduce animal suffering and be good for the environment. As long as the final product looks and tastes like meat, Post said he is convinced people will buy it. Wow, pork with no methane. . .
At present the product is a sticky, soggy and unappetizing muscle mass, but the team is seeking ways to exercise and stretch the muscles to turn the product into meat of a more familiar consistency. Post described the current in-vitro meat product as resembling wasted muscle, but he is confident they can improve its texture. Nobody has yet tasted the cultured meat because laboratory rules prevent the scientists tasting the product themselves.
The research is partly funded by the Dutch government, but is also backed by the Dutch sausage-making firm Stegeman, which is owned by Sara Lee. The scientists (and presumably, the sausage makers) believe the meat product may be available for use in sausages within five years.
Other groups are also working on trying to produce cultured meat. NASA has funded research in the US on growing fish chunks from cells and meat from turkey cells, with the idea that the technology could have wide application in future space travel, since growing edible muscle would allow future astronauts to avoid a range of problems associated with using live animals in space. In a June, 2009 paper in the journal Tissue Engineering another group of scientists proposed new techniques that could lead to industrial production of meat grown in cultures.
The reaction of vegetarian groups has been mixed. A representative of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) said as long as the meat was not the flesh of a dead animal there would be no ethical objection. Last year PETA even offered a prize of $1 million to the first person or group who could come up with a commercially viable cultured meat product.
The scientists, led by Professor of Physiology Mark Post, extracted myoblast cells from a living pig and grew them in a solution of nutrients derived from the blood of animal fetuses (although they intend to replace the solution with a synthesized alternative in the future).
Professor Post said artificially cultured meat could mean the meat of one animal could be increased to a volume equivalent to the meat of a million animals, which would reduce animal suffering and be good for the environment. As long as the final product looks and tastes like meat, Post said he is convinced people will buy it. Wow, pork with no methane. . .
At present the product is a sticky, soggy and unappetizing muscle mass, but the team is seeking ways to exercise and stretch the muscles to turn the product into meat of a more familiar consistency. Post described the current in-vitro meat product as resembling wasted muscle, but he is confident they can improve its texture. Nobody has yet tasted the cultured meat because laboratory rules prevent the scientists tasting the product themselves.
The research is partly funded by the Dutch government, but is also backed by the Dutch sausage-making firm Stegeman, which is owned by Sara Lee. The scientists (and presumably, the sausage makers) believe the meat product may be available for use in sausages within five years.
Other groups are also working on trying to produce cultured meat. NASA has funded research in the US on growing fish chunks from cells and meat from turkey cells, with the idea that the technology could have wide application in future space travel, since growing edible muscle would allow future astronauts to avoid a range of problems associated with using live animals in space. In a June, 2009 paper in the journal Tissue Engineering another group of scientists proposed new techniques that could lead to industrial production of meat grown in cultures.
The reaction of vegetarian groups has been mixed. A representative of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) said as long as the meat was not the flesh of a dead animal there would be no ethical objection. Last year PETA even offered a prize of $1 million to the first person or group who could come up with a commercially viable cultured meat product.
Deep Fried Strawberries
Some folks are out to prove that you can deep fry anything. here are some deep fried strawberries. Yumm!
Pig in a Poke
It is an offering or deal that is foolishly accepted without being examined first. 'Don't buy a pig in a poke' might seem odd and archaic language. It's true that the phrase is very old, but actually it can be taken literally and remains good advice.
The advice being given is 'don't buy a pig until you have seen it'. In British commercial law it is 'caveat emptor' - Latin for 'let the buyer beware'. This remains the guiding principle of commerce in many countries and supports the view that if you buy something you take responsibility to ensure it is what you intended to buy.
A poke is a sack or bag. It has a French origin as 'poque' and, like several other French words, its a diminutive is formed by adding 'ette' or 'et' - hence 'pocket' really means 'small bag'.
Poke is still in use in several English-speaking countries, notably Scotland and southeastern USA, and describes a type of bag that would be useful for carrying a piglet to market.
A pig that's in a poke might not be a pig. If a merchant tried to cheat by substituting a lower value animal, the trick could be uncovered by letting the 'cat out of the bag'. Many other European languages have a version of this phrase, with most of them translating into English as a warning not to 'buy a cat in a bag'. The advice has stood the test of time and people have been repeating it for at least five hundred years.
The advice being given is 'don't buy a pig until you have seen it'. In British commercial law it is 'caveat emptor' - Latin for 'let the buyer beware'. This remains the guiding principle of commerce in many countries and supports the view that if you buy something you take responsibility to ensure it is what you intended to buy.
A poke is a sack or bag. It has a French origin as 'poque' and, like several other French words, its a diminutive is formed by adding 'ette' or 'et' - hence 'pocket' really means 'small bag'.
Poke is still in use in several English-speaking countries, notably Scotland and southeastern USA, and describes a type of bag that would be useful for carrying a piglet to market.
A pig that's in a poke might not be a pig. If a merchant tried to cheat by substituting a lower value animal, the trick could be uncovered by letting the 'cat out of the bag'. Many other European languages have a version of this phrase, with most of them translating into English as a warning not to 'buy a cat in a bag'. The advice has stood the test of time and people have been repeating it for at least five hundred years.
Robots
The socialization of robots was an important area of research during 2009. Researchers believe that giving robots social skills will make them better at assisting people in homes, schools, offices, and hospitals. Andrea Thomaz created robots that can learn simple grasping tasks from human instructors who use social cues, such as verbal instructions, gestures, and expressions.
Another robot, made by a group at Carnegie Mellon University, guides conversations by making "eye contact" to suggest that it's time to speak.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, created a machine-learning program that lets a robotic head develop better facial expressions. By looking in a mirror, the robot can analyze the way its motors move different parts of the face, and create new expressions.
Some robots developed a quirky social skill, knowing when humans are angry. Researchers at the University of Calgary used a headband with physiological sensors to program a modified Roomba (that automated vacuum cleaner) to move away from a user when it detected stress in the form of muscle tension.
Researchers created a robot to check for signs of breathing and to deliver oxygen, if needed. The robot, based on a system originally developed for heart surgery, attaches to a stretcher so the patient can be monitored during transport.
Researchers from Harvard and Yale Universities have developed a simple, soft robotic hand that can grab a range of objects delicately, and which automatically adjusts its fingers to get a good grip. The new hand could also potentially be useful as a prosthetic arm.
Scientists at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) made a robotic "skin" out of a thin, flexible carbon that changes its resistance depending on pressure. This allows the robot hand to tell the shapes of an object, the amount of force placed upon it, and the direction of that force.
There is even a mini-robot vacuum picks breadcrumbs and more from your table.
Miniature robots will soon see the inside of our human bodies, and will send back images to everyone else, as the Technion company have created one of the world's smallest robots for use in surgery. Reminds me of an old Raquel Welch movie.
The ViRob robot, measuring 1mm in diameter, has been designed to move its way through spaces within the body as small as 3mm wide. It will be able to travel through veins, which can have a width of 6mm, and other passages with ease. It is powered by external magnetic fields and uses its 'arms' to crawl along the innner linings of the body.
A project was launched in 2005 and aims to make available to the general public at an affordable price, a humanoid robot with mechanical functions, electronic, and cognitive worthy prototype research. Nao should be available to the general public soon. It comes standard with basic behaviors, and is slated to become an autonomous companion for the whole family.
Japanese researchers said they have developed a "hummingbird robot" that can flutter around freely in mid-air with rapid wing movements. The robot, a similar size to a real hummingbird, is equipped with a micro motor and four wings that can flap 30 times per second. It is controlled with an infrared sensor and can turn up, down, right or left.
Another robot, made by a group at Carnegie Mellon University, guides conversations by making "eye contact" to suggest that it's time to speak.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, created a machine-learning program that lets a robotic head develop better facial expressions. By looking in a mirror, the robot can analyze the way its motors move different parts of the face, and create new expressions.
Some robots developed a quirky social skill, knowing when humans are angry. Researchers at the University of Calgary used a headband with physiological sensors to program a modified Roomba (that automated vacuum cleaner) to move away from a user when it detected stress in the form of muscle tension.
Researchers created a robot to check for signs of breathing and to deliver oxygen, if needed. The robot, based on a system originally developed for heart surgery, attaches to a stretcher so the patient can be monitored during transport.
Researchers from Harvard and Yale Universities have developed a simple, soft robotic hand that can grab a range of objects delicately, and which automatically adjusts its fingers to get a good grip. The new hand could also potentially be useful as a prosthetic arm.
Scientists at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) made a robotic "skin" out of a thin, flexible carbon that changes its resistance depending on pressure. This allows the robot hand to tell the shapes of an object, the amount of force placed upon it, and the direction of that force.
There is even a mini-robot vacuum picks breadcrumbs and more from your table.
Miniature robots will soon see the inside of our human bodies, and will send back images to everyone else, as the Technion company have created one of the world's smallest robots for use in surgery. Reminds me of an old Raquel Welch movie.
The ViRob robot, measuring 1mm in diameter, has been designed to move its way through spaces within the body as small as 3mm wide. It will be able to travel through veins, which can have a width of 6mm, and other passages with ease. It is powered by external magnetic fields and uses its 'arms' to crawl along the innner linings of the body.
A project was launched in 2005 and aims to make available to the general public at an affordable price, a humanoid robot with mechanical functions, electronic, and cognitive worthy prototype research. Nao should be available to the general public soon. It comes standard with basic behaviors, and is slated to become an autonomous companion for the whole family.
Japanese researchers said they have developed a "hummingbird robot" that can flutter around freely in mid-air with rapid wing movements. The robot, a similar size to a real hummingbird, is equipped with a micro motor and four wings that can flap 30 times per second. It is controlled with an infrared sensor and can turn up, down, right or left.
Jan 8, 2010
Canadian Healthcare
Couldn't help but share this one about our neighbors to the north. Seems like we are not the only ones with healthcare woes.
Health records scandals making all Canadians sick
Posted By LORRIE GOLDSTEIN Nov, 2009
Nine years ago, the feds and Canada's 13 provincial and territorial governments announced a $10-billion plan to develop computerized medical records for every Canadian.
Federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser will report next year on the progress of the Electronic Health Records (eHealth) project, based on her audit of federal efforts and similar probes by her counterparts in five provinces. But what we already know suggests billions of taxpayers' dollars may have been wasted.
Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter has just issued a scathing report on his province's EHR efforts, concluding the government lost control of the project, which began in 2002, and has spent $1 billion with little to show for it, leaving its future mired in controversy.
The scandal included the awarding of untendered contracts to high-priced consultants, in which public servants broke rules, similar to the federal sponsorship disaster. It has prompted the resignations of the health minister and chairperson of the agency in charge of the project, and the firing of its CEO.
Now, opposition parties want the head of the previous health minister, who oversaw the project from 2003 to 2008.
In Alberta, Auditor General Fred Dunn recently issued a report sharply critical of that province's EHR project, on which an estimated $615 million has been spent.
Dunn cited the province's inability to calculate the total cost of the initiative, make a business case for it or demonstrate it's achieving the expected results.
In British Columbia, a former top health ministry bureaucrat who oversaw that province's $200-million (at least) EHR project, is under investigation by the RCMP for alleged breach of trust, while a contractor is being probed for fraud. B. C.'s auditor general and comptroller general are also investigating.
These fiascos are not what Canadians were promised in 2000 -- a seamless EHR system allowing doctors and hospitals across Canada to instantly and securely access a patient's medical records, saving $6 billion annually by eliminating unnecessary duplication in diagnostic testing, while dramatically reducing deaths and suffering caused by prescription drug errors.
It's time to either fix or scrap EHR -- before Fraser uncovers even more horrors.
Health records scandals making all Canadians sick
Posted By LORRIE GOLDSTEIN Nov, 2009
Nine years ago, the feds and Canada's 13 provincial and territorial governments announced a $10-billion plan to develop computerized medical records for every Canadian.
Federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser will report next year on the progress of the Electronic Health Records (eHealth) project, based on her audit of federal efforts and similar probes by her counterparts in five provinces. But what we already know suggests billions of taxpayers' dollars may have been wasted.
Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter has just issued a scathing report on his province's EHR efforts, concluding the government lost control of the project, which began in 2002, and has spent $1 billion with little to show for it, leaving its future mired in controversy.
The scandal included the awarding of untendered contracts to high-priced consultants, in which public servants broke rules, similar to the federal sponsorship disaster. It has prompted the resignations of the health minister and chairperson of the agency in charge of the project, and the firing of its CEO.
Now, opposition parties want the head of the previous health minister, who oversaw the project from 2003 to 2008.
In Alberta, Auditor General Fred Dunn recently issued a report sharply critical of that province's EHR project, on which an estimated $615 million has been spent.
Dunn cited the province's inability to calculate the total cost of the initiative, make a business case for it or demonstrate it's achieving the expected results.
In British Columbia, a former top health ministry bureaucrat who oversaw that province's $200-million (at least) EHR project, is under investigation by the RCMP for alleged breach of trust, while a contractor is being probed for fraud. B. C.'s auditor general and comptroller general are also investigating.
These fiascos are not what Canadians were promised in 2000 -- a seamless EHR system allowing doctors and hospitals across Canada to instantly and securely access a patient's medical records, saving $6 billion annually by eliminating unnecessary duplication in diagnostic testing, while dramatically reducing deaths and suffering caused by prescription drug errors.
It's time to either fix or scrap EHR -- before Fraser uncovers even more horrors.
Bottled Water
The smug greenies have done it to themselves again. Many folks are back to opting for tap water, or filtered tap water, because of the nasty environmental effects of producing and shipping bottled waters and the cleanup of the bottles themselves.
An increasing number of restaurants are offering only filtered tap water to customers these days. Mario Batali (from TV fame) stopped selling bottled water at his New York City restaurants in 2009, and eateries in Florida and Massachusetts are also serving only tap.
New York is the 11th state to require a bottled-water deposit, and the list is expected to grow. Americans last year threw away an estimated 2.5 million bottles an hour, according to data provided by the Clean Air Council.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors voted in June, 2009 to recommend that City Halls stop serving bottled water even at special functions. I always said bottled water was the pet rock of the decade, now it looks like some folks are beginning to agree with me.
An increasing number of restaurants are offering only filtered tap water to customers these days. Mario Batali (from TV fame) stopped selling bottled water at his New York City restaurants in 2009, and eateries in Florida and Massachusetts are also serving only tap.
New York is the 11th state to require a bottled-water deposit, and the list is expected to grow. Americans last year threw away an estimated 2.5 million bottles an hour, according to data provided by the Clean Air Council.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors voted in June, 2009 to recommend that City Halls stop serving bottled water even at special functions. I always said bottled water was the pet rock of the decade, now it looks like some folks are beginning to agree with me.
Speaking of greenies
I heard of a new bumper sticker. "Go Green - Recycle Congress." Seems like great advice.
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