Rare Earth Metals Becoming Political Tools

International trade & commerce are good for us all - it is less likely that countries doing business with each other will go to war. There are however some potential risks as illustrated by this article.

China: All Your Rare Earth Metals Belong to Us | Danger Room | Wired.com:
"Rare earth metals are the key to 21st Century technology: Without them, we wouldn’t have smart phones, hybrid cars or precision weapons. And China, which mines most of the world’s rare earth metals, may be starting to catch on to their strategic value.

According to this alarming story in U.K. Telegraph, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is weighing a total ban on exports of terbium, dysprosium, yttrium, thulium, and lutetium — and may restrict foreign sales of other rare earth metals. But don’t panic yet: U.S.-based Molycorp Minerals is preparing to resume mining of rare earth ore deposits at a California facility . . ."

Private Spaceflight a boon to Scientists

History is happening around us.. Despite the problems in our world, we can see great progress in the frontiers that will eventually free humanity from this lonely single rock.

Scientists go suborbital - Cosmic Log - msnbc.com:
"The killer app for private spaceflight, at least once the millionaires and celebrities have had their turn, may well be scientific research.

'You spark this industry with tourists, but I predict in the next decade the research market is going to be bigger than the tourist market,' says Alan Stern, a planetary scientist at the Colorado-based Southwest Research Institute who is heading up a committee to link up researchers with future suborbital spaceflights.

Until recently, suborbital space trips were marketed primarily as the penultimate high for well-heeled thrill-seekers.
. . .
Virtually all the major players in the still-gestating suborbital industry now realize that research flights could make the difference in their drive to profitability.

One of the clearest signs of that came last month, when an Arab investment group bought a $280 million stake in British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic venture, putting special emphasis on the capability to fly scientific experiments and deploy small satellites.

. . .

There are other options for space research, of course, ranging from zero-G airplane flights to suborbital sounding rockets to unmanned orbital and deep-space flights to space station experiments. So why would researchers, and even NASA, opt for rides on private spaceships that have yet to be built?

Cost is just one reason, Stern told me. A $200,000 ticket for a space ride may sound expensive for a tourist, but it's peanuts compared to the $2 million or more charged for the launch of a NASA sounding rocket, he said.

. . .

"If you could go at [an experiment] every day of the year and see the atmosphere changing, how powerful would that be?" Stern said. "This becomes a laboratory-like experience."

Piloted spaceships are also likely to provide a more robust environment for research. Scientists would be more likely to get their experiment back and less likely to lose it in a hard landing.

. . .

Experimenters could also fly along with their experiments - not just once, but multiple times. "Graduate students will be doing their own Ph.D.s in these vehicles," Stern predicted.

. . .

"This is so cheap, and the applications are so good, that I expect NIH, NSF, DOD, DOE, a whole slew of federal agencies will have space efforts, just like federal agencies have boats and airplanes that they use," he said. "Literally, Aruba could afford to have a spaceflight program. ... Every country that wants to have their own space program with astronauts can go.""

"The Angry White Liberal"

For quite a while, we've had this extreme political tension where one side seems incapable of seeing that another side might have a point - or at least might not be insanely evil. This author captures some of the problem very well:

The Angry White Liberal:
"We've spent the month of August talking about alleged right-wing rage, but it's really time we started discussing the Angry White Liberal. When things aren't going his way, the Angry White Liberal wails and gnashes his teeth, rends his garments, and hurls invective at the opposition. His rhetoric and prose is so heated, it's gotten to the point where you need to put on oven mitts before opening the paper. He is so convinced of the righteousness of his positions that he lashes out uncontrollably at anybody who disagrees with him. For the Angry White Liberal, dissent is anathema. Antagonism is illegitimate. Only conformity to prevailing liberal opinion is enough to still his rage.

. . . even though "health care" is not the top voter priority, even though the budget deficit stands at more than a trillion dollars, President Obama decided that this was the moment to remake one-sixth of the American economy.

The more Obama talked about health care reform, the further his numbers dropped. The country seemed caught in a time-warp. We'd been catapulted back to 2005, when another president attempted a major overhaul of the American welfare state. Then, too, the president deferred to Congress to come up with a plan. Then, too, as the president crisscrossed the nation, warning of the dangers of out-of-control entitlement spending, the public increasingly tuned him out. The innate conservatism of the American people--an instinctual resistance to sudden changes in existing social arrangements--came to the fore.

. . . Protest, which a few years ago was the highest form of patriotism, is now considered artificial, dishonest, misinformed, cynical, and mean-spirited. "An ugly campaign is underway," Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer wrote in USA Today on August 10, "not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue. . . . Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American."

Meanwhile, Harry Reid referred to the town hall protestors as "evil-mongers." Senate finance committee chairman Max Baucus preferred "agitators." Congressman Eric Massa, Democrat of New York, accused Iowa Republican senator Charles Grassley of "treason" for criticizing the health care plan.

. . .

Times columnist Frank Rich warned that the current debates surrounding health care resemble the "walk up to the Kennedy assassination."

. . .

The Angry White Liberal finds it simply incomprehensible that somebody might honestly and in good faith disagree with the Democrats' efforts. On August 14, blogger Steve Benen wrote on the Huffington Post that the "far-tight apoplexy is counter-intuitive." After all, "Why would people who stand to benefit from health care reform literally take to the streets and threaten violence in opposition to legislation that would help them and their families?"

Forget Benen's exaggerated claim of threatened violence. Note, instead, that Benen cannot conceive that someone might actually think the costs to the Democrats' program outweigh the unrealized and perhaps unachievable benefits. Hence he divides Obama's critics into five camps: the "partisans," the "tin-foil hats," the "greedy," the "dupes," and the "wonks." The "wonks," we are told, compose the "smallest of the groups." In Benen's view, then, millions of opponents of health care reform have no reasonable grounds for their opinion."

Making Social Media work for you.

No big surprises except the prejudice against smiley faces :-)
An oft-repeated rule of thumb is to assume that anything you type on your computer today could be on the front page tomorrow.

Social Media News, Insights and Tips:
"The top examples on why employers didn't hire a candidate after seeing them on sites such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn were not surprising. According to the survey, the posting no-no's were inappropriate photos or information (53 percent), content about the candidate drinking or using drugs (44 percent) and badmouthing previous employers, co-workers or clients (35 percent).

Something that did surprise me was the number of employers who disregarded a candidate because they sent a message using an emoticon such as a smiley face (14 percent).

. . .

When it comes to posts online, here are some tips from CareerBuilder:

- Before starting a job search, remove digital stuff you wouldn't want a potential employer to see, including photos, content and links.

- Consider establishing a professional group on sites like Facebook to establish relationships with business leaders.

- Keep gripes offline, especially about former employers.

- Keep in mind that others can see your friends, so be selective about who you accept. Also consider using the "block comments" feature or setting the profile to private so only designated friends can view it.

- Don't mention being on a job search online if you're still employed. "

Studying Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

This is of particular interest to my family, having lost at least one to this condition.

Woodruff Health Sciences Center | Emory University | Atlanta, GA | NIH Bioengineering Grant Links Emory, Georgia Tech in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Research:
"Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a major cause of illness and death in the United States. A widening and bulging of the large artery that runs through the body from the heart into the abdomen, these aneurysms - which can go undetected until they suddenly rupture -- are the 10th leading cause of death in men over age 55. Approximately nine percent of men over age 65 have an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Through a Bioengineering Research Partnership (BRP), a team of scientists at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology will conduct in-depth studies of abdominal aortic aneurysms to discover exactly why and how they form and how they can be prevented. The partnership is supported by a new five-year, $6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

. . .

Abdominal aortic aneurysms often have no symptoms, but if the aneurysm ruptures, the patient often dies within minutes. Previous studies have documented the risk factors associated with the condition, but researchers do not understand exactly why and how it develops. The risk increases with age, so as people live longer the magnitude of the problem continues to increase.

. . .

Predicting the likelihood of aneurysm rupture is extremely difficult and patients often don't notice them until they already are leaking or ruptured, Taylor points out. Even small aneurysms often expand rapidly and progress to rupture. And although traditional cardiovascular risk factors are related to the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms, the risk factors are different from those for coronary artery disease or peripheral vascular disease."

Other links:

USC Center for Vascular Care:
"Smoking is the most influential of all the risk factors. Although the mechanism by which smoking causes or worsens aneurysms is not known, it is known that the number of cigarettes and years smoked, increasing depth of inhalation, and the presence of COPD significantly impacts AAA prevalence, size, rate of expansion and risk of rupture.

Signs and Symptoms

Most AAA's are asymptomatic (lack symptoms), which leads to difficulty in detection. Occasionally, aneurysms may be felt as a “mass” or "lump" in the abdomen that pulsates with each heartbeat. Some aneurysms are found during evaluation of pain in the back or side that can occur as the aneurysm grows and presses on the spinal column and nearby nerves. Today, AAA's are most frequently found on X-rays that are done for other reasons, such as an ultrasound of the gallbladder or an MRI or CT scan of the back. When AAA's become symptomatic it is usually because of a rupture of the aneurysm. When rupture occurs, the person experiences severe pain in the back and/or abdomen and may feel faint or become unconscious due to internal bleeding and a sudden fall in blood pressure. Unless the leaking aneurysm is surgically repaired immediately, death results.

Treatment
Most experts agree that almost all AAA's larger than 5.0 cm in diameter should be repaired. In some instances, smaller aneurysms may be considered for treatment. If surgical repair is deferred because the AAA is smaller than 5.0 cm, then periodic ultrasound examinations (i.e. every six months) of the aneurysm must be done to monitor the AAA for an increase in size. If during monitoring the AAA expands to larger than 5.0 cm, repair should be done."

Imaging of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms - April 15, 2002 - American Family Physician:
"Given the high rate of morbidity and mortality associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), accurate diagnosis and preoperative evaluation are essential for improved patient outcomes. Ultrasonography is the standard method of screening and monitoring AAAs that have not ruptured. In the past, aortography was commonly used for preoperative planning in the repair of AAAs. More recently, computed tomography (CT) has largely replaced older, more invasive methods. Recent advances in CT imaging technology, such as helical CT and CT angiography, offer significant advantages over traditional CT."

Early Detection of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Prevents Emergency Situation:
"Abdominal aortic aneurysms can develop over time. Patients with this type of condition sometimes will have back or pelvic pain or cold, numb or tingling sensation in the feet due to blocked blood flow to the legs. But most patients have no symptoms at all, which is cause for concern because if the aneurysm ruptures, the result is a life-threatening situation. Sometimes, AAA is detected incidentally when patients undergo an X-ray, ultrasound or a CT scan for some other abdominal complaint. A mass may also be detected through a hands-on abdominal exam.

An ultrasound screening is suggested for people who are considered high risk. Patients at the greatest risk for AAA are usually older than 65 and have atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or a connective tissue disorder. It tends to be more common in males. Smokers have a higher risk of occurrence. You should also be screened if anyone in your family has had an aneurysm.

With early detection, we can catch an abdominal aortic aneurysm before it becomes an emergency situation. If we detect an aneurysm that is smaller than 5.5 cm in diameter, we can monitor it with regular ultrasounds. If it’s over 5.5 cm in diameter, the risk of rupture increases and surgery may be necessary.

Symptoms of a ruptured AAA can be severe pain in the lower abdomen and back; nausea and vomiting; clammy, sweaty skin; lightheadedness and rapid heart rate. The internal bleeding from the rupture can cause shock, which is a life-threatening condition. "

New Telephone Services Available

It's funny how some folks assume you'll always answer your cell phone even if you're at home (my cell is usually in another room being charged), and some assume you'll always hear and respond to a voice-mail right away. Services that allow you to be reached regardless of whether you're near your home, work, or mobile phones are becoming cheap enough for "regular" folks to consider. I'm not currently using either of these, but I think Google Voice might be just what I need.

Services That Eliminate Telephone Tag - BusinessWeek:
"The primary appeal of Google Voice, which is still in a testing phase, is that all of your phone lines—up to six in total—are consolidated into a single phone number. This may not be ideal if your spouse or kids use your home phone, because the call is routed to whichever line answers first. But on the Google Voice Web site you can set rules that allow the home phone to ring only if no other location picks up. I chose to have calls ring through to my cell, home, and office phones at once, and I sometimes adjust the rules to ring phones I use temporarily while traveling.

Few important calls ever fall through the cracks, and when they do, Google Voice provides ingenious voice mail options. All messages go to a single Web-based account, eliminating the need to juggle different greetings and PIN numbers. Messages are stored as audio files, which you can grab off the Web from any computer and forward in e-mails or download as MP3 files. Messages can also be transcribed as text (with mixed results) and sent to you as e-mail. You can then delete the voice mails without listening if you want."

Hacker Steals 130 Million Credit Card #s

This kind of theft will only get worse for the next several years - there's lots of money to be made and that is strong motivation for these criminals.

I advise keeping your funds in multiple institutions, being careful when you shop both online and in stores, and signing up with a credit reporting service so you can learn of breaches ASAP.

Hacker Indicted For Stealing 130 Million Credit Cards -- InformationWeek:
"A federal grand jury has indicted Albert Gonzales, 28, of Miami, Fla., for allegedly hacking into computers belonging to retail and financial companies and stealing more than 130 million credit and debit cards.

Gonzales, . . . and two unidentified co-conspirators located in or near Russia, are charged with conducting SQL injection attacks on corporate computer networks.

The U.S. Department of Justice says the indictment represents the largest data breach indictment ever brought in the United States.

. . .

The companies compromised by the alleged hackers are known for being compromised in some of the biggest data breaches in recent years have been reported. They include: Heartland Payment Systems, 7-Eleven, and Hannaford Brothers.

Two other major U.S. retail companies are mentioned in the indictment but they are identified only has "Company A" and "Company B," presumably because they are not under an obligation to publicly report the breaches attributed to the alleged hackers.

Gonzales was indicted in New York in May, 2008, and in Massachusetts in August, 2008, for alleged involvement in the theft of over 40 million credit and debit cards from other companies including TJX Companies, BJ's Wholesale Club,OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX), Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Forever 21, DSW and the Dave & Buster's restaurant chain.

The indictment claims Gonzales and alleged co-conspirators relied on sophisticated techniques to avoid detection, like connecting to corporate computers through proxy servers, testing approximately 20 different antivirus programs to determine whether their malware might be detected, and using malware that attempted to erase signs of its presence.

. . . "

The Diverse Uses of d3o

The 3 Ms - measurable, meaningful, & marketable. This is the kind of common sense evaluation often missing in some organizations.

The Incredibly Wide World of Smart Material d3o | Popular Science:
. . .
"What we aim for is what I call the ‘three m’s’ of a technology adoption. First, whatever you’re saying should be measurable. If it’s not measurable than how can you say it exists? Secondly, that measurement should be meaningful. It should make a difference that the consumer actually wants. Third, it has to be marketable. So somehow we have to be able to communicate effectively the benefit that exists on the product. And once you have those three, then you have a story."

The main topic of the article is also very interesting - a thin, soft product that becomes a rigid shield when impacted. Click on the link for more.

Bigelow Proposes "Orion Lite" Spaceship

We can purchase over 300 discrete models of cars, trucks, and SUVs, so maybe at least 2 different space vehicles isn't a bad idea . . .

Space Hotel Visionary Proposes Modified "Orion Lite" Spaceship for NASA | Popular Science:
"Future space hotel moguls can get nervous when NASA's next-generation spaceship plans begin to founder. So one company has come up with a modified 'Lite' design of the planned Orion vehicle to carry astronauts and paying passengers into orbit.

Bigelow Aerospace has long envisioned launching inflatable space station called Sundancer, and so improving passenger access to low Earth-orbit has remained a priority."

Lots of interesting links in this article . . .

NASA Finally Tests a New Rocket

Wow - talk about Jimmie Carter's "malaise" - a quarter of a century has slipped by since NASA last tested a new rocket design!

NASA Builds First New Test Rocket in 25 Years - Gearlog:
"The new Ares I rockets will eventually take humans back to the moon; this first one will launch on October 31st in a maiden test flight designed to show that the rocket is capable of carrying astronauts inside an Orion spacecraft into orbit. Ares I is a two-stage rocket that consists of a solid-fueled first stage and a larger, liquid-fueled upper stage,"

We had developed the technology to establish a small colony on the Moon by the late 1970's. How much wealth could we have created for Earth by mining our solar system since then? Working & living in space isn't just about scientific research - it has real benefits to everyone living here.

More Sensors Mean Better Forecasts

It's a simple premise - if their models are equivalent, the service taking the most readings will usually deliver the most accurate forecasts.

Many projects over the years have shown that massive quantities of cheap sensors can produce a better aggregate result (better information) than a few very high quality sensors.

I wonder if home weather stations connected to the Internet could be useful, perhaps for tornado if not hurricane prediction.

Sensors Mounted On Commercial Airliners Networked For Most Accurate Weather Forecasts Ever | Popular Science:
"Since 2004, AirDat has honed an entirely different method for gathering more-accurate daily atmospheric data and delivers it to airlines, energy companies with mid-ocean drilling rigs and wind-turbine platforms and, on occasion, to NOAA. The key to AirDat’s success is its wallet-size, airplane-mounted Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting (Tamdar) sensors. The sensors, which test the same variables as weather balloons, provide data from the ground up to 25,000 feet, the key atmospheric segment for short-range forecasting because it’s where most severe weather forms. AirDat now collects info from 160 sensor-equipped planes making daily flights out of 225 airports from Alaska to Florida, and it is in the process of adding another 320. The fleet produces some 6,000 “soundings”—reports created from millions of Tamdar measurements—per day. AirDat scientists run these high-resolution data packages through computer weather models to make up-to-the minute forecasts."

On another tangent, this can also work with audio drivers (lots of "cheap" speakers can produce better sound than a few very good speakers) . . .