December 25, 2013
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Merry Christmas!
Fate Stay Night's Rin and Saber by Megumi Ishihara
For those of you who prefer to celebrate X-mas...
Everyone have a wonderful Holiday!
Everyone have a wonderful Holiday!
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December 24, 2013
45 Years Ago
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The JASDF
...is not bored right now.
Not sure what is going on there with the Russians, but team red is certainly keeping them busy.
Not sure what is going on there with the Russians, but team red is certainly keeping them busy.
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Meanwhile in Space
" Hi. We're the HVAC guys."
The astronauts on the International Space Station just successfully replaced a coolant pump via an emergency Christmas Eve spacewalk. There have been several issues, not the least of which was a potentially dangerous malfunction yesterday in one of the 35 year old suits.
As I type this, they are decontaminating in the airlock prior to re-pressurization. It seems that there was an ammonia leak while they replaced the pump.
As I type this, they are decontaminating in the airlock prior to re-pressurization. It seems that there was an ammonia leak while they replaced the pump.
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If You See a UPS Driver Today
....be nice to them.
They are having a hard day. They cannot return to the building until all residential packages on their trucks are delivered.
They have quite a few this evening.
Oh look...winter clothing.
They are having a hard day. They cannot return to the building until all residential packages on their trucks are delivered.
They have quite a few this evening.
Oh look...winter clothing.
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December 23, 2013
OK This is New
One of The Brickmuppet's Crack Team of Science Babes takes time from her eggnog to alert us to a surprising development in the fight against terminal decrepitude.
For years we've heard stories about how some mouse had its lifespan radically extended by something or other...however, this never seems to result in any human trials...until now.
Of course the treatments will be hideously expensive for the foreseeable future and they are tests...so they might not pan out. However, human tests of a life extension treatment are going to be conducted next year! This could be very, very big!
"Science Babe" is actually Rin Tezuka, from Katawa Shoujo.
"Sadly it does not seem to regrow limbs"
Human
trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are
anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the
equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year old. - See
more at:
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/anti-aging-formula-slated-begin-human-trials#sthash.RBZvhED8.dpuf
For years we've heard stories about how some mouse had its lifespan radically extended by something or other...however, this never seems to result in any human trials...until now.
Human trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year old.
- See more at: http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/anti-aging-formula-slated-begin-human-trials#sthash.RBZvhED8.dpufHuman
trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are
anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the
equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year old. - See
more at:
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/anti-aging-formula-slated-begin-human-trials#sthash.RBZvhED8.dpuf
Human trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year oldHuman trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year old.
- See more at: http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/anti-aging-formula-slated-begin-human-trials#sthash.RBZvhED8.dpufHuman trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year old. - See more at: http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/anti-aging-formula-slated-begin-human-trials#sthash.RBZvhED8.dpufHuman trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year old.
- See more at: http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/anti-aging-formula-slated-begin-human-trials#sthash.RBZvhED8.dpufHuman trials of NAD+ treatments will begin in 2014. If the results are anything like what was experienced by the mice, it will be the equivalent of a 60 year old having the fitness of a 20 year old.
- See more at: http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/anti-aging-formula-slated-begin-human-trials#sthash.RBZvhED8.dpuf
Of course the treatments will be hideously expensive for the foreseeable future and they are tests...so they might not pan out. However, human tests of a life extension treatment are going to be conducted next year! This could be very, very big!
"Science Babe" is actually Rin Tezuka, from Katawa Shoujo.
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Amazon Has Doomed Us All
Last night I checked to see if the hard to find second half of Last Exile 2 is available there. It is not. I did see something there unrelated...Perhaps in an effort to make good on what has been an off year in retail sales, Amazon was announcing that he deadline for free shipping to be delivered by Christmas had been extended...to midnight last night.
I took this as an ill omen.
It was.
I've been at UPS 22 years, I've never seen a day like today. I imagine tomorrow will be similar.
Oh look...seasonal fashions:
I took this as an ill omen.
It was.
I've been at UPS 22 years, I've never seen a day like today. I imagine tomorrow will be similar.
Oh look...seasonal fashions:
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December 22, 2013
Aren't We Lucky?
The popular leader of a comedy troupe that looks like a zombie version of ZZ Top has made a somewhat edgy and vulgar comment that has the ministry of acceptable discourse all in a tizzy. The fellow has been fired. There are thoughts i generally agree with on this matter of great importance here, here, here, here and from the always interesting Camille Paglia here. This is at once silly, disturbing and perhaps even a bit heartening...
You see, so quiet is the domestic and international stage that it is the only news story worth talking about.
more...
You see, so quiet is the domestic and international stage that it is the only news story worth talking about.
more...
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December 20, 2013
A Blitzkrieg of Boxes
...continues . Yesterday nearly a fifth of our workforce called in sick, I was, for several hours, the only person processing the "irregulars"....that's parcels that are really big, sharp edged, cutty, painful, and/or 70-150 pounds. This is normally a six person job and usually doesn't involve me in any way, or any of my blood. Yesterday and today were complicated by the fact that a weather delay earlier in the week caused three quarters of a metric buttload of parcels to show up all at once. Today may have been the longest day I have ever worked at UPS that I was not driving.
A few minutes ago, I got home, changed my bandages and discovered via Don that some quisling has revealed by dark secrets to the world, resulting in my being struggled against.
This could potentially complicate my plans to steal the Pueblo next summer.
I feel as sore as I was in boot camp...I'm gonna go to bed. Blogging will resume briefly this weekend.
Oh look:
A Santa hat...
A few minutes ago, I got home, changed my bandages and discovered via Don that some quisling has revealed by dark secrets to the world, resulting in my being struggled against.
This could potentially complicate my plans to steal the Pueblo next summer.
I feel as sore as I was in boot camp...I'm gonna go to bed. Blogging will resume briefly this weekend.
Oh look:
A Santa hat...
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December 17, 2013
Cardboard Cascade Continues
Here is some more Christmas cheer...
Art by Shinobu
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December 16, 2013
Ordinarily,
not wearing gloves would invoke some flack from a health inspector.
However, I don't thing that's the case here, because:
1: It's Old Delhi
2: The germs probably aren't an issue thanks to the temperature.
Here we have a guy with actual super-powers and he's using them to fry fish instead of fight crime.
One can only assume that this is just a cover for his secret identity as Asbestos Man.
However, I don't thing that's the case here, because:
1: It's Old Delhi
2: The germs probably aren't an issue thanks to the temperature.
Here we have a guy with actual super-powers and he's using them to fry fish instead of fight crime.
One can only assume that this is just a cover for his secret identity as Asbestos Man.
"I HATE this guy!"
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December 15, 2013
Oh, So THAT Explains it....Wait, No It Doesnt!
So a friend sent me this the other day asking the perfectly logical question "Whaa...?" To which my response was "Derp."
It appears to be traditional Chinese, and appears to be about the Christmas story so one would guess that it's a Sunday school flyer except for the little matter of Pinky Pie there glaring at the savior....
Fortunately, Suburban Banshee is on this...
more...
It appears to be traditional Chinese, and appears to be about the Christmas story so one would guess that it's a Sunday school flyer except for the little matter of Pinky Pie there glaring at the savior....
Fortunately, Suburban Banshee is on this...
more...
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While We Weren't Looking
Dominica is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles, variously described as the Northernmost of the Windward islands or Southernmost of the Leeward Islands. The first British Colony governed by a majority black Legislature (in 1838 ), it was granted full independence in the 1970's.
Dominica boasts the second largest hot spring in the world, Boiling Lake. This was only discovered in 1878, because,the island is rugged enough that despite its small size and having been visited on Columbus's second voyage and colonized soon after, parts were not fully explored for centuries One happy result is that Dominica is home to one of the few remaining populations of of the Carib People, with 3,000 on a small self governing reservation that was established on the northeast coast in 1901. The island's vegitation ranges from lush jungles to xeric
Dominica lacks a good natural harbor but its position at the juncture of the Leeward and Windward chains makes it a fairly strategic location. This is of particular interest now that the Chinese have bought the isla...
....Wait WHAT!
While this is getting very little play here, it is eliciting some notice in the Caribbean.
Note that China has been doing this throughout the Caribbean ( there's more on that here) and has already signed a deal with Nicaragua to build a much larger compliment to the Panama Canal (that they already effectively control ). This seems to be related to their so-called "Cabbage Strategy" that is causing such alarm in Asia right now. They gradually become so heavily invested in an area that it defacto becomes a Chinese vassal.
China's military might relative to us is not great with two major exceptions, their vast army and their nuclear arsenal. Their army is located on the other side of the world with no real way to threaten anyone outside of Asia. Their nuclear arsenal is nowhere near as big as the US or Russia and they lack delivery systems...only about 80-150 warheads can reach USA (up from 20-30 last year thanks to their SSBNs). Depending on yield though, that might represent 20-80 of our cities pulverized and their citizens killed or rendered destitute...a fairly consequential capability. This could become more worrisome if staging areas were available on our doorstep.
The prospect of a million or so troops launching an attack from various of our Central American or Caribbean neighbors, and/or Chinese fighter planes delivering airstrikes that might include nukes, is, of course, laughable now, but China thinks very long term. If current trends continue, 20 years down the road, it might be rather less funny.
Dominica boasts the second largest hot spring in the world, Boiling Lake. This was only discovered in 1878, because,the island is rugged enough that despite its small size and having been visited on Columbus's second voyage and colonized soon after, parts were not fully explored for centuries One happy result is that Dominica is home to one of the few remaining populations of of the Carib People, with 3,000 on a small self governing reservation that was established on the northeast coast in 1901. The island's vegitation ranges from lush jungles to xeric
Dominica lacks a good natural harbor but its position at the juncture of the Leeward and Windward chains makes it a fairly strategic location. This is of particular interest now that the Chinese have bought the isla...
....Wait WHAT!
Dominica and China have signed a new 300 million dollars cooperation agreement that includes the construction of a hotel, construction of an international airport and building a new hospital. The sum involved is equivalent to a third of the small Caribbean island GDP, which could mean Beijing virtually is 'purchasing' the small territory.
While this is getting very little play here, it is eliciting some notice in the Caribbean.
Note that China has been doing this throughout the Caribbean ( there's more on that here) and has already signed a deal with Nicaragua to build a much larger compliment to the Panama Canal (that they already effectively control ). This seems to be related to their so-called "Cabbage Strategy" that is causing such alarm in Asia right now. They gradually become so heavily invested in an area that it defacto becomes a Chinese vassal.
China's military might relative to us is not great with two major exceptions, their vast army and their nuclear arsenal. Their army is located on the other side of the world with no real way to threaten anyone outside of Asia. Their nuclear arsenal is nowhere near as big as the US or Russia and they lack delivery systems...only about 80-150 warheads can reach USA (up from 20-30 last year thanks to their SSBNs). Depending on yield though, that might represent 20-80 of our cities pulverized and their citizens killed or rendered destitute...a fairly consequential capability. This could become more worrisome if staging areas were available on our doorstep.
The prospect of a million or so troops launching an attack from various of our Central American or Caribbean neighbors, and/or Chinese fighter planes delivering airstrikes that might include nukes, is, of course, laughable now, but China thinks very long term. If current trends continue, 20 years down the road, it might be rather less funny.
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December 14, 2013
This Looks Promising
The last post was deficient in optimism.
This at least hints that something good may yet await us as we travel down the unlit path that is the future.
This at least hints that something good may yet await us as we travel down the unlit path that is the future.
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05:23 AM
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December 13, 2013
Friggatriskaidekaphobia
more...
The end times: They are upon us.
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December 12, 2013
So...Many...Boxes.....
December at UPS continues.
In lieu of content, here is some more Christmas themed cheesecake...
...or more accurately, Christmas themed General Tso's Chicken.
In lieu of content, here is some more Christmas themed cheesecake...
...or more accurately, Christmas themed General Tso's Chicken.
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11:04 AM
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December 07, 2013
72 Years
Never forget that those who wish to do one harm can be at least as smart as one assumes oneself to be. Furthermore, when they make their move it will often be when and where one feels least threatened.
Last seconds of USS Arizona
It also bears remembering that one should not start a fire one cannot reasonably expect to contain, because winds are fickle and the flames one sets care not who they burn.
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December 04, 2013
ACME Content Substitute
I am still pretty swamped with cramming for exams, papers and working at UPS during December. I've already worked more overtime this week than I worked straight time last week (admittedly a short week).
In lieu of content here's yet more holiday cheesecake.
Given that there was no love for the G.u.P. girls, we'll try Kannagi.
Of course...I suspect that Steven has simply out-bid me in this regard. (Link totally NSFW!)
...It is a testament to my wasted life that I never knew that about Tuesday.
In lieu of content here's yet more holiday cheesecake.
Given that there was no love for the G.u.P. girls, we'll try Kannagi.
Of course...I suspect that Steven has simply out-bid me in this regard. (Link totally NSFW!)
...It is a testament to my wasted life that I never knew that about Tuesday.
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08:06 PM
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Cobalt 60 (UPDATED)
One of the Brickmuppet's Crack Team of Science Babes takes time to tell us about Cobalt 60:
In 1735 Swedish scientist Eric Brandt determined that the blue tint used in stained glass was a previously unknown element, Cobalt, and not a compound of Bismuth as had been previously supposed. Cobalt is a bluish metal that aside from being quite brittle, has a lot of properties in common with iron. Quite unusually, this includes the fact that it can be magnetized. Cobalt is used for various sensors, and alloys due to its very great temperature stability. Cobalt also has applications in pigments, and lithium ion batteries. However, of primary interest to us today is an unstable isotope of Cobalt, Cobalt 60,
Cobalt 60, is used in food sterilization, radiation therapy and various sensors. It is a powerful gamma emitter with a half life of 5.27 years and is near the top of the IAEA's list of hazardous nuclear wastes. It has been involved in several tragic incidents previously and can be used in a radiological weapon.
In other news, a truck carrying a load of the stuff was just stolen outside of Mexico City. The IAEA is sufficiently concerned that the story has made the papers in India.
Authorities are saying that there is no reason to be alarmed as it is likely that this was a simple theft and the nasty, deadly substance was not intentionally stolen. After all, who in Mexico would want a bunch of materials for a dirty bomb? Indeed, as I typed this news came over the wires that the truck hasd been located abandoned and the container for the cobalt 60 was found nearby so this wouldn't even be a story except for the minor detail that the container for the Co60 was found....empty....yes, empty.
Well then.
UPDATE: The Old Grey Lady is saying that part of the Co60 shipment has been found. Other reports just say the cargo was found. In any event, if the thieves did not have really good radiation suits when they opened the box, they are expected to be dead in 3 days.
"Science babe" is actually Rikka from Love, Chuunibyou and other Delusions, which I suspect is way more enjoyable than radiological terrorism.
In 1735 Swedish scientist Eric Brandt determined that the blue tint used in stained glass was a previously unknown element, Cobalt, and not a compound of Bismuth as had been previously supposed. Cobalt is a bluish metal that aside from being quite brittle, has a lot of properties in common with iron. Quite unusually, this includes the fact that it can be magnetized. Cobalt is used for various sensors, and alloys due to its very great temperature stability. Cobalt also has applications in pigments, and lithium ion batteries. However, of primary interest to us today is an unstable isotope of Cobalt, Cobalt 60,
Cobalt 60, is used in food sterilization, radiation therapy and various sensors. It is a powerful gamma emitter with a half life of 5.27 years and is near the top of the IAEA's list of hazardous nuclear wastes. It has been involved in several tragic incidents previously and can be used in a radiological weapon.
In other news, a truck carrying a load of the stuff was just stolen outside of Mexico City. The IAEA is sufficiently concerned that the story has made the papers in India.
Authorities are saying that there is no reason to be alarmed as it is likely that this was a simple theft and the nasty, deadly substance was not intentionally stolen. After all, who in Mexico would want a bunch of materials for a dirty bomb? Indeed, as I typed this news came over the wires that the truck hasd been located abandoned and the container for the cobalt 60 was found nearby so this wouldn't even be a story except for the minor detail that the container for the Co60 was found....empty....yes, empty.
Well then.
UPDATE: The Old Grey Lady is saying that part of the Co60 shipment has been found. Other reports just say the cargo was found. In any event, if the thieves did not have really good radiation suits when they opened the box, they are expected to be dead in 3 days.
"Science babe" is actually Rikka from Love, Chuunibyou and other Delusions, which I suspect is way more enjoyable than radiological terrorism.
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