U.S. develops yet another tool for abusing civilians... · Friday January 26, 2007 by colin newell
The US military has given the first public display of what it says is a revolutionary heat-ray weapon to repel enemies or disperse hostile crowds.
Called the Active Denial System, it projects an invisible high energy beam that produces a sudden burning feeling.
Military officials, who say the gun is harmless, believe it could be used as a non-lethal way of making enemies surrender their weapons.
Officials said there was wide-ranging military interest in the technology.
Heat energy up to 54C (130F) penetrates less than 0.5mm of skin
Manufacturers say this avoids injury, although long-term effects are not known… link
Ok. Here is the deal. I worked with a variety of microwave transmitting systems* (for the Canadian Federal Government) for about 4 years. The hazards of heating from microwave radiation are well known and published widely.
This kind of radiation damages your eyes and it can damage your D.N.A.
Anything AND I MEAN ANYTHING that the U.S. military says about this system is utter bull$hit.
For the record, I am a federally and provincially certified journeyman electronics and telecommunications technician fully qualified to operate, design and rebuild all manner of high power transmitting and receiving equipment.
Deal or no Deal? [4]
Yoga in schools - Don't give Satan a break! · Thursday January 11, 2007 by colin newell
Parents in the small rural area of Quesnel in BC’s interior are upset that their school has introduced yoga as part of physical activity classes. Parents feel that yoga is a religion and shouldn’t be taught in schools, but educators counter that it is no such thing, but rather that it is only stretching.
Local rancher Audrey Cummings doesn’t believe Christian children should be doing yoga at all. “There’s God and there’s the devil, and the devil’s not a gentleman. If you give him any kind of an opening, he will take that.”
While yoga may contain elements of eastern religions, it is not a religious practice. Yoga moves are simply exercises and stretches that include elements of philosophy that attempt to connect the individual back with their body.
A school program to fight childhood obesity that includes yoga is drawing complaints from some Christian parents in the area.
They say yoga is a religion, and shouldn’t be taught in public schools.
Chelsea Brears, who has two children in the school system, said her son was asked to do different poses and “to put his hands together.”
Brears, a Christian, said she doesn’t want her children exposed to another religion during class time.
I have been doing some basic Yoga for years. I used to suffer from Tall Skinny Man Syndrome (yes, I made that syndrome up!) and I have not suffered from one twinge of back pain since I started…
Nor have I been drawn to Satan… I mean…
anymore than usual!
Yes, I do some of the basics from the various Yoga books I have.
No, I know nothing of any of the basic Yoga teachings or Sutras
I figure – in a World dominated by junk food, television and general slothfulness, anything that gives kids a leg-up in the battle against obesity is a good thing.
Enough of celebrity hounding crazies! · Saturday January 6, 2007 by colin newell
Veteran soap star Drake Hogestyn has filed a restraining order against a man who attacked him in his California home.
The actor, who has played John Black on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives for over 20 years, claims Carl Raymond Cheney assaulted him and “physically tried to exorcise the devil from me.”
In court papers, obtained by website TMZ.com, Hogestyn reveals he was relaxing at home with his family when Oregon native Cheney found his way onto his property and charged at the actor’s daughter.
Hogestyn reveals Cheney was carrying a Bible and screaming, “Where is he? I will cast him out!”
The actor adds Cheney was “calling me by my stage name… recalling past storylines, especially the demonic possession of several years past. But more important, he thought I was dead, because the show that aired on Friday 12/29/06 left my character John Black shot and presumed dead.”
Hogestyn spent 10 minutes grappling with Cheney until he and his 25-year-old son Ben were able to restrain him and call the police.
Drake. If you are reading this, come up to Vancouver Island for a nice family weekend away from it all – with my wife and I! We imagine that you must tire of all the crazies down in California.
We can rent a big cabin on the west coast and sit out and watch the sunset over the Pacific while your wife and my wife compare celebrity horror stories.
While we sip single malt scotch and smoke some fat Cuban cigars we can collectively plan the demise of that Stephano Dimera once and for all!
Beware seasonally excessive coffee consumption · Thursday December 14, 2006 by colin newell
Ok. So you have been to one too many office parties.
And they say that you are better off drinking coffee instead of booze.
There is a downside.
It is believed (from the legendary photo above), that if you are an attractive and unmarried young woman…
and you drink too much espresso at an office party…
that you can acquire the power of the flippining
...the ability to spin a mouse-deer… in mid-air…
with just your thoughts…
Apparently this gift only really appeared in the sixties.
So drink all you want.
And drive safely.
Simple rules to drinking coffee... · Wednesday November 29, 2006 by colin newell
So. I am taking enthusiastic sips of my coffee today…
And…
Let’s back up shall we.
This brew was a blend of Cafe Misto (Hines Coffee) Decaf (Sumatra I think) and Level Ground Trading Organic Bolivian; full bodied, sweet and chewy enough to enjoy with one of my home made pumpkin spice muffins.
The Level Ground Coffee (a wonderful local roaster who only does Organic Co-op grown beans purchased direct from the farm and from the farmers. No middle people.) is a regular pick for me when I am between shipments of sample beans.
I sample coffee from everywhere. And profile it. If it’s good, I will plug it. If it’s bad, mum’s the word!
Fast forward.
Here is a good rule for coffee drinkers: If you are doing something at your desk (surfing net, sending e-mail…), make sure you leave a few CPU Cycles for actually watching what you are really doing in the real world.
I didn’t for a second.
I placed my almost full coffee mug down on top of an object on my desk. And then I let go of the coffee cup. Which, by the law of probability, fell in my direction instead of the other direction (more towards the computer and keyboard). Good thing I guess.
It’s easier to launder me (or my clothes) than it is to remove coffee from a keyboard and flat-screen monitor.
So. Coffee on my sweater (one of my favorites)
Coffee on my pants (my beige jeans). Coffee on my ergo-seat.
Coffee on the floor.
Next time, I’ll try and keep the coffee in the cup… or between the cup and my face.
