Sammy, a foxhound mix, uses a paintbrush attached to a rubber bone to paint a canvas on June 12, 2007, at a gallery at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Md. Mary Stadelbacher, owner of Shore Service Dogs, has a collection of abstract paintings daubed by her three service dogs in training. (Photo: AP Photo/Matthew S. Gunby)

Better than the cats that use their paws

I wonder if they shout out what attack they're about to do.

Danger Room - Wired Blogs

When: Always June 18th

Today is International Panic Day, a day for everyone to be worried and concerned. We're not sure what is so big, and so widespread, to create an international incident of this magnitude. But, here it is on the calendar folks......an international day of panic.

Cool! I guess tonight I'll go running through the streets screaming. Nothing better to do...

International Panic Day - June 18th

Statistics show that driving while talking on the cell phone increases the chance of an accident by 400 %. Though speaking on the cell phone while driving is not a crime in many states as of yet taking into consideration the statistics it will eventually be banned in all the states. A new company Highway and Safety control is releasing a device to automatically detect drivers talking on their cell phones. Instead of police officer needing to observe a cellphone in use, the system automatically detects a cell phone call and records which car was making the call. Already in use in a few European countries the system will make it to the US this fall it is designed to detect, identify and cite drivers who break cell phone us laws." . The company attaches a paint gun to mark the car, or even an EMP gun that can disable the offending cell phone.

So much for hands free...

New system detects calls while driving - Newlaunches.com

Shots of the various self-made weapons seized by Russian army and police in Chechnya. There is even self-made machine gun.

Make magazine should do a special issue.

English Russia - Chechen Self-Made Weapons

They probably should have read this. Too bad they turned off their net access.

skullaria wrote:
The Browns said on a Coast to Coast Interview last night... "Show me a law that we have to pay...and we will pay. No one has shown us a law."

I don't know if that is true or not, but why can't someone very publically show them a law?
---------------------------------------------------------------

"CBS/AP) Federal authorities have cut phone, power and Internet service at the fortified compound of a couple convicted of tax evasion who have refused to report to prison.

It's unclear what effect that has on Ed and Elaine Brown, who have solar and wind power generators at their 110-acre spread, where they have been holed up for months. "

RE: Feds Corner Hmoe of Ed and Elaine Brown Over Tax Issue

Creating a thinking society starts with education.

The problem isn't _just_ that the news is for entertainment (in some ways that can be useful), but it's more a problem that people choose to stick to one news source for everything. And their interest is in things that don't matter not just because of the flash, but also because most people don't feel in control of the things that DO matter. People are largely under the impression that what they say doesn't matter and that any crisis will be taken care of by those that are in the position to do so. They might as well discuss the Sopranos rather than Iraq because people are interested in extending social commonalities rather than arguing. There is more to this than simply media. There is a huge portion of the populace that is unable to discuss things that matter because they can't let go of the truth they think they have. Too many people don't understand the nature and use of discourse. Too many people can't decide for themselves. This is a problem because we live in a Democracy.

The first thing you're taught in most educational systems is subjugation. For the most part, the rest of the grade school/high school systems are geared to make two things - Reliable worker bees AND - Soldiers. Those who try to think outside this box are nearly entirely ostracized by the system. Students have little to no control over the things that affect their education and must accept what they are fed no matter what that is. The only exceptions are extra-curricular activities like sports, drama, music and such. Listen to the loudspeaker broadcast, and that's what you hear about. It's more important to have school spirit than it is to pursue and control your own educational future or personal path. If you look at the market for media, it reflects exactly this. Our culture is the shit that it is fed, not about making better menus.

Memorize, regurgitate, and copy. At the most critical point in brain development, this is what we instill. Kids should talk back if we expect a culture that is capable of critical thought. There can be only one truth to anything and the answer is on a test somewhere. You only need one book/opinion for any given subject. Teachers can do no wrong and MUST be respected. You will be shown what is good and you will like it, or be punished. Stay in line. You eat when you're told to eat, not when you're hungry. In middle school we'll give you a choice between A and B, so long as you agree not to imagine C. We'll trust you to go where you're told too, since those lines trained you so well. In High School, you can pick your classes, so long as you fill our requirements as we know what you need. Play sports...support sports... go to the pep rally, OR ELSE. You're school is the best school, if you ever had any doubt you had better not say so out loud. Carry out your assignments exactly as ordered. Pay attention to how things work and find your place in ... [ Read More (0.2k in body) ]

RE: Full text of Blair's speech on politics and media | Uk News | News | Telegraph

Roadside billboard ads set out in consecutive order to deliver their message are nothing new. However when the message is as poignant as this campaign, drivers sit up and notice.

Using the old flick book art form of animation and motion the individual images create a fast moving clip to a driver speeding by them at high speeds. Quite literally, for a speeding driver life can flash by them in a split second. By Andy G

This reminds me of the memorials they put up for suicide bombers in the middle east.

thecoolhunter.net - SLOW DOWN

Decius wrote:

Talk to any public service leader and they will tell you not that they become totally demoralised by the completely unbalanced nature of it.

It is becoming worse? Again, I would say, yes. In my 10 years, I've noticed all these elements evolve with ever greater momentum.

It used to be thought - and I include myself in this - that help was on the horizon. New forms of communication would provide new outlets to by-pass the increasingly shrill tenor of the traditional media. In fact, the new forms can be even more pernicious, less balanced, more intent on the latest conspiracy theory multiplied by five.

I agree with nearly everything Blair says here. And ironically, I think these comments are getting incorrectly respun by the media and bloggers.

I agree with his description of the problem, but not his solution. I think reputation of the news agency might be preferable to any sort of official regulation which would be more dangerous than doing nothing at all.

RE: Full text of Blair's speech on politics and media | Uk News | News | Telegraph

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SCI FI Tech | SCIFI.COM