mrbluze - Slashdot User

Submission + - Standard Kilogram Gains Weight (huffingtonpost.com)

Submitted by mrbluze on Tuesday January 08, 2013 @09:50PM

mrbluze writes: The standard kilogram weights which are used by countries around the world for calibration have variably increased in mass by tens of micrograms. This poses a threat to the precision and comparability of measurements in science, engineering and trade. The problem is due to surface contamination, but a safe method of cleaning the weights has only recently been devised by the use of ozone and ultraviolet light.

Submission + - Private outsourcing of US intelligence services (salon.com)

Submitted by

mrbluze

on Friday June 01, 2007 @07:47PM

mrbluze writes: "It appears that more and more of data collection sanctioned by government is winding up in private hands according to a report in Salon.com

On May 14, at an industry conference in Colorado sponsored by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the U.S. government revealed for the first time how much of its classified intelligence budget is spent on private contracts: a whopping 70 percent. Based on this year's estimated budget of at least $48 billion, that would come to at least $34 billion in contracts.

What are the checks and balances of this method of handling national security?"

Submission + - Don't look sideways

Submitted by

mrbluze

on Tuesday March 27, 2007 @12:06AM

mrbluze writes: "The Telegraph has an opinion article about the future of the extensive CCTV network in the United Kingdom. Automated analysis of how and where people are walking or otherwise moving, and what objects they carry or leave behind, flags the attention of security staff. This is meant to preempt a crime and make suspects identifiable even by gait. The technology is of questionable public benefit since street crime has not decreased despite the presence of CCTV.

I for one can foresee the day when you will get locked up for goose-stepping (hate crime), get sent adverts for physiotherapy if seen limping, and get sent to the loony bin if for some reason you decide to walk backwards whilst talking to yourself."

Submission + - Pi fans have their day

Submitted by

mrbluze

on Sunday March 11, 2007 @09:53PM

mrbluze writes: "This Wednesday is Pi Day, writes Erin McClaim, Associated Press — a day where people go nuts about the number.

From the article: That day falls on Wednesday this year: March 14. Or 3.14. Obviously.... the world record [for reciting the number Pi] belongs to Chao Lu, a Chinese chemistry student, who rattled off 67,890 digits over 24 hours in 2005. It took 26 video tapes to submit to Guinness.

I think I'll be inviting mum over so she can bake a shepherd's pi for us on Wednesday."

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