Clipmarks | kearitheory's clips

Bees join hunt for serial killers

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:19:55 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Just as bees forage some distance away from their hives, so murderers avoid killing near their homes, says the University of London team.

The researchers' analysis describes how bees create a "buffer zone" around their hive where they will not forage, to reduce the risk of predators and parasites locating the nest. It turns out that this pattern of behaviour is similar to the geographic profile of criminals stalking their victims.

Understanding the geographic profiles of animals is interesting to biologists as it helps them predict the locations of important feeding grounds, and knowing these areas will inform more effective conservation measures.

Tags: animals crime research

Why high gas prices are a good thing

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:45:04 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory
clipper's remarks: I totally agree.

Clip Source: www.thewisdomjournal.com

1. High gas prices are causing America to rethink it’s dependency on foreign oil.

2. High gas prices are causing people to drive slower to conserve fuel. What’s the positive here? Fewer highway deaths. According to an article in USA Today, there have been fewer highway deaths every month since October of 2007…just when the current run up in gas prices began in earnest.

5. High gas prices are causing more people to ride bicycles or walk to work. What would happen to our society as a whole if a significant portion of the population had to exercise just to get to work? We would potentially see our health care costs go down and our life expectancies go up!

6. High gas prices are increasing interest in mass transit and van pools. What is the direct result? More interaction between people, fewer headaches trying to find a parking space, less fuel consumed, more ideas exchanged (in the van), and more revenue for cities that utilize mass transit systems.

Tags: transportation

Stabbed with her own shoe

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:09:11 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: seattletimes.nwsource.com

Seattle police are seeking a man who stabbed a woman with the stiletto heel of her own shoe, causing an infection that required emergency surgery.

According to a police report, the woman was at a barbecue at a friend's house in the 7600 block of Rainier Avenue South in Seattle on June 29 when an acquaintance asked her to perform a sex act on him.

When she refused, the man slapped her face, removed her boot and stabbed her in the left hand with the stiletto heel, police said. The woman fled, police said.

Several days later the woman sought medical assistance from Swedish Medical Center/First Hill after the wound became infected

Tags: weird crime

Will pet owners decide the election?

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:15:55 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — If the presidential election goes to the dogs, John McCain is looking like best in show.

The apparent Democratic nominee Barack Obama, on the other hand, doesn't have a pet at home.

"I think a person who owns a pet is a more compassionate person — caring, giving, trustworthy. I like pet owners," said Janet Taylor of Plymouth, Mass.

On the other hand, the poll found that among people who don't have pets, Obama leads McCain 48 percent to 34 percent.

But that still leaves McCain looking strong, since the majority of homes have a pet.

While he doesn't currently have a pet, Obama has reportedly promised his daughters a dog once the campaign is over.

In a spirit of helpfulness, the American Kennel Club is collecting opinions as to what kind of dog Obama should get.

So the AKC has narrowed the choices down to five breeds and is asking the public to vote at www.presidentialpup.com with voting to continue until mid-August.

Tags: politics, animals

Ray gun puts voices in your head

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:52:39 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: magheap.com

Corporation claimed this week that it is ready to begin production on the MEDUSA, a damned scary ray gun that uses the "microwave audio effect" to implant sounds and perhaps even specific messages inside people's heads.

MEDUSA creates the audio effect with short microwave pulses. The pulses create a shockwave inside the skull that's detected by the ears, and basically makes you think you're going balls-to-the-wall batshit insane. The MEDUSA can also "produce recognizable sounds" and is aimed primarily at military uses, but New Scientist revealed there are other uses in the works, too.

And those "other uses" hinted at above? Try subliminal advertising; or suggestive subconscious comments that you don't really "hear" but can influence decision-making anyway. Or, alternatively, the beam can be ramped up to 11 and just kill you outright. WIN!

Tags: technology\

Win the Nobel Prize by playing an online game

Fri, 09 May 2008 17:53:00 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: uwnews.org

A new game, named Foldit, turns protein folding into a competitive sport. Introductory levels teach the rules, which are the same laws of physics by which protein strands curl and twist into 3D shapes -- key for biological mysteries ranging from Alzheimer's to vaccines.

"[In protein folding] there are too many possibilities for the computer to go through every possible one," Baker said. "An approach like Rosetta@home does well on small proteins, but as the protein gets bigger and bigger it gets harder and harder, and the computers often fail.

The intuitive skills that make someone good at playing Foldit are not necessarily the ones that make a top biologist. Baker says his 13-year-old son is faster at folding proteins than he is. Others may be even faster. "I imagine that there's a 12-year-old in Indonesia who can see all this in their head," Baker says.

Tags: games, technology, medicine

Most useful hack ever

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:38:03 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: blog.wired.com

As someone who bikes to the grocery store and then lugs a messenger bag spilling over with goodies this bike hack is a must.

Tags: bike bicycle

Guide to good indie rock hair

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 22:13:17 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: www.catbirdseat.org

BOY STYLES- THERE ARE ONLY A FEW FOR TRUE INDIE ROCK, SORRY, BOYS

THE VOLCAN-STYLE

the secret is to not grow sideburns on your face, just let the hair there get real long and hang down.

THE STROKES STYLE

Here is a picture of the band the STROKES!!!

SHAGGY HAIR
HERE IS A PICTUR OF STEVE MALKMUS, WHO USED TO BE IN THE PAVEMENT! he is so cute.

THE HIVE

the secret is to just smash all your hair down, but then mess it up right at the back of your head, so it sticks up right there.

FOR GIRLS, LUCKILY THERE'S MANY STYLES! TOO BAD, ALL SHORT! THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE RULE OF INDIE ROCK GIRL HAIR IS TO BE SHORT HAIR! CHECK OUT HOW CUTE ALL THOSE GIRLS BELOW ARE!

very short = VERY CUTE!

short plus MESSED UP is also VERY CUTE!

guess what? CUTEY McCUTESWORTH!

CUTEY-SHORTY-WAVEY

!!!!!! HOTT PICK !!!!!!! THIS STYLE IS MOST POPULAR OF RIGHT NOW!!!! WHY YOU ASK, BECAUSE OF CUTE!

still a cutiePIE!

NOW THIS IS JUST A REGULAR GIRL. Not indie-rock anymore, because of the hair is too long, THAT'S WHY.

Tags: indie rock hair

Bees join anti-terrorist team

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:58:01 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: crave.cnet.com

Another member joins the anti-terrorism team: working bees.

Bees--or rather, bee tongues--are the olfactory key to the new "Vapor Detection Instrumentation" developed by a company called Inscentinel. The "instrument" detects explosives, cancer, drugs and pretty much anything else that stinks, according to the U.K. company.

Inscentinel uses Pavlovian principles to train the bees, the same way it's done with canines. For every successful sniff of contraband, the little guys are rewarded with food. The bees are taped to the "measurement device," and a camera alerts the operator when they stick their little tongues out in hunger.

"After their working shift the bees are returned to their hive where they happily live out the rest of their lives."

Tags: terrorism

Law of the day--Godwin's Law (definition + comic)

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 23:23:54 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory
clipper's remarks: Just something I've never heard of but thought was funny

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Godwin's Law (also known as Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies)^[1] is an adage formulated by Mike Godwin in 1990. The law states:^[2]

As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.

The rule does not make any statement as to whether any particular reference or comparison to Hitler or the Nazis might be appropriate, but only asserts that one arising is increasingly probable. It is precisely because such a comparison or reference may sometimes be appropriate, Godwin has argued,^[3] that overuse of Nazi and Hitler comparisons should be avoided, because it robs the valid comparisons of their impact.

Clip Source: xkcd.com

Tags: laws

Mr. Lee Cat Cam

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 21:55:53 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory
clipper's remarks: This is a followup on one of my other clips--"Cat Stalker Invents Camera"

Clip Source: www.mr-lee-catcam.de

One of his friends ?

Well, these eyes are more like killing...

Aha ! Watching the bird house for some fun... (see the cat protection on the rod)

After one hour the trip continues.

Look, is there a cat meeting under a car ?

Clip Source: www.mr-lee-catcam.de

Fence - no way through ?

Aha ! Thats the reason ! Beautiful cat lady...(*)

Clip Source: www.mr-lee-catcam.de

First shock of the day - a snake !

Mr. Lee is going into professional photography ?!

Tags: animals, cats, technology

Notes to Netflix

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 20:56:59 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory
clipper's remarks: I'm going to start doing this

Clip Source: flickr.com

Tags: netflix, flickr

Our brains are hardwired that way

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:37:26 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory
clipper's remarks: The rest of the article is interesting too

Clip Source: www.wired.com

I've been reading the fascinating work of Paul Slovic, a psychologist who runs the social-science think tank Decision Research. He studies a troubling paradox in human empathy: We'll usually race to help a single stranger in dire straits, while ignoring huge numbers of people in precisely the same plight.

We're very good at processing the plight of tiny groups of people but horrible at conceptualizing the suffering of large ones.

people were asked to donate money to help a dying child. When a second set of subjects was asked to donate to a group of eight children dying of the same cause, the average donation was 50 percent lower.

Slovic suspects this stuff is hardwired. Psychologists have long observed that our ability to discriminate among quantities is finely tuned when dealing with small amounts but quickly degrades as the numbers get larger.

We'll break the bank to save Baby Jessica, but when half of Africa is dying, we're buying iPhones.

Tags: math, brain

Floppy eared kitten photos (adorable!)

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:07:21 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory
clipper's remarks: The breed is called Scottish Fold

Clip Source: kittenwar.com

Clip Source: a4.vox.com

Clip Source: www.de-nobleblue.com

Clip Source: farm1.static.flickr.com

Tags: animals, kittens

A very good response to South Carolina's answer in Miss Teen USA

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:56:37 GMT

clipped by: kearitheory

Clip Source: youtube.com

[Video]

Actually, I think she did a very good job of showing why some Americans cant find America on a map.

60 million americans can't find the USA on a map but 20 million mexicans can find it on foot! lol

I personally believe, that the problem is not so much, um, that this Girl is unable to anwer the question, but that other people, such as, her president, would give the same answer

Tags: missteenusa