18207764
submission
healeyb writes:
This morning, just a few days after the Senate voted to repeal the controversial military policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, President Obama signed the legislation into law, effectively ending the 17-year reign of military discrimination. In front of a thrilled crowd of supporters, many shouting the familiar chant of 'yes we can' from the 2008 campaign, Obama declared that 'no longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie. This will strengthen our national security and...
18186410
submission
healeyb writes:
Today, the Census Bureau unveiled the results of the 2010 census and it appears that Massachusetts will be losing 1 of the current 10 representatives in the House. The challenge to come will be determining where the new district lines will be drawn and how this will impact the forthcoming senatorial elections in 2012 and the political future of Republican Scott Brown, who many expect will face fierce competition. he actual population of the United States according to the census is...
18184468
submission
healeyb writes:
If you are still of the opinion that the most creative and artistic minds are the byproduct of a troubled soul, you may want to refer to a study to be released in the journal Association for Psychological Science and conducted by Ruby Nadler, a graduate student at the University of Western Ontario. It seems, according to her research, that the mind is most ripe for creative thinking and critical problem solving when it is put in a good state. When different groups of people were induced into...
18167056
submission
healeyb writes:
Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have announced the completion of a massive experimental observation telescope, situated amidst nearly a mile of ice at the south pole, the purpose of which is to study with never-before-achieved precision the neutrino. The project required nearly a decade of planning and construction and contains 5,160 optical sensors, having been completed on-time and under budget, as boasted by a University press release available on their website. — Since the 1970s we have dreamed of building a detector of this size, and we have spent 20 years working toward...
18166348
submission
healeyb writes:
CNN is reporting that Phillip R. Greaves, the controversial self-published author who released a book on Amazon.com outlining the most effective methods for engaging in pedophilia, has been arrested. The felony warrant, issued in Florida by Sheriff Grady Judd, was executed in Colorado, where he awaits transport. While the subject matter is of particular sensitivity, Christopher Finan, the President of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, has argued that the book falls under the purview of free speech, as the book contains no pictures and cannot be classified as child pornography. However, the non-profit organization Enough is Enough, which works to...
18164848
submission
healeyb writes:
Julian Assange, the embattled figurehead of the whiste-blower group WikiLeaks, has publicly stated that information regarding a big U.S. bank would be released in 2011, and the belief is that the forthcoming leak is in relation to Bank of America. While the efforts of the organization are currently focused entirely on the now-infamous diplomatic cables that continue to be leaked daily, Bank of America has evidently struck back, refusing to fulfill payments made to WikiLeaks...
18053188
submission
healeyb writes:
According to several news reports, the tension in North Korea, previously believed to be subsiding, has risen sharply. Bloomberg is reporting that Admiral Mike Mullen has called upon China to leverage its power to calm the situation, and Reuters is reporting that Russian forces have been put on alert. Russian General Staff Chief Nikolai Makarov is quoted as saying...
18048652
submission
healeyb writes:
The Voyager 1 spacecraft, originally launched in 1977 and designed to tour the four major gas giants of the solar system, is continuing its march out of the area, and has now completely escaped the effects of the sun. As reported by Universe Today, the spacecraft is now 10.8 billion miles from Earth and is no longer able to detect the solar wind, the plasma that is continuously emanating from the sun...
18048232
submission
healeyb writes:
The latest round of diplomatic cables released by the controversial whistle-blower organization WikiLeaks continue to outline worldwide political unrest. Of specific note are two cables concerning Iran and one concerning the indigenous peoples of Chile, all of which I outline below. While the tensions of these politically charged regions of the world are not shocking, the details of the releases are nonetheless interesting, showcasing a curious relationship between the various nations. In one such cable from February of 2008, it is revealed that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband expressed the intention of the United Kingdom to...
18033918
submission
healeyb writes:
Julian Assange, the figurehead of the infamous whistle-blower organization WikiLeaks, has been rumored to be the target of an American investigation into possible violations of the Espionage Act of 1917. His lawyers have suggested that a secret grand jury has convened in Alexandria, Virginia to determine that validity of the charges the US Attorney General wishes to press, and many have speculated that an announcement of indictment could come as soon as this evening. The behavior of the Attorney General is the latest in a long line of political statements directed against Assange and the WikiLeaks organization. The release of...
18032336
submission
healeyb writes:
In a surprise move, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson issued a ruling today that the universal healthcare law that was pushed through by the Obama administration is unconstitutional. Specifically, he invalidated the section of the law that requires all citizens to purchase healthcare insurance, arguing that it does not fall under the purview of Commerce Clause of the constitution, as has been asserted by the government. — The ruling represents the first major setback for President Barack Obama on an issue that will likely end up at the Supreme Court. Two other courts have shot down challenges to the law...
18030598
submission
healeyb writes:
SVT has released an intriguing documentary about WikiLeaks, entitled WikiRebels. It has a slant in favor of Assange and his infamous whistle-blower organization, but it does offer a window into the mindset of the people behind the group responsible for one of the biggest security leaks in American history. Be forewarned: Some content is for mature audiences only...
18029010
submission
healeyb writes:
Forbes is reporting on the sudden development of a number of WikiLeaks copycat websites, in addition to OpenLeaks, which includes BrusselsLeaks, which focuses on the European Union, BalkanLeaks, which focuses on the nations of the BalkanPeninsula, and IndoLeaks, which focuses on Indonesia and has already published revealing documents. These are but a few in what is sure to be a precipitous rise in competing websites, all echoing the cry for information freedom and governmental accountability...
18028742
submission
healeyb writes:
Scientists from the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, demonstrated in a study released yesterday in the journal Nature, have created functioning human intestinal tissue using pluripotent stem cells. The implications of the creation are far reaching, and include possible future development of tissue for transplantation in individuals who suffer from intestinal diseases, such as "...necrotizing enterocolitis, inflammatory bowel disease and short bowel syndromes," according to James Well, Ph.D., the senior investigator attached to the study...
18011978
submission
healeyb writes:
Scientists at the University of Victoria have completed revolutionary research into the genetic structure of the HIV virus and uncovered some interesting and important results. After biomedical researcher Stephanie Willerth sequenced the genetic structure of nearly 15,000 strains of the virus, they uncovered the reason for the ability of the virus to resist drug therapy. And the techniques used have applications to other viruses, setting the stage for an improvement in treatment for an array of ailments...
