Drudge Retort: Zatoichi's blog

Galactic Glare Reveals Birthplace of Cosmic Rays

Zatoichi — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:31:55 -0500

Cosmic rayscharged particles that hurtle through space at nearly the speed of lighthave long baffled scientists. How do they acquire such tremendous velocities? Two new astronomical resultsone in this week's issue of Science and the other published online this month in Naturesuggest that the physicist Enrico Fermi nailed the answer 60 years ago: They get their oomph from exploding stars.

Earth 'heading for 6C' of warming

Zatoichi — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:21:01 -0500

Average temperatures across the world are on course to rise by up to 6C.

Emissions rose by 29% between 2000 and 2008.

Einstein's Theory of Gravity, the Problem of Missing Mass

Zatoichi — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:44:19 -0500

The observed matter in the universe accounts for just 5% of the observed gravity. A possible explanation is that Newton's and Einstein's theories of gravity fail where gravity is either weak or enhanced. The modified theory of Newtonian dynamics (MOND) reproduces, without dark matter, spiral-galaxy orbital motions and the relation between luminosity and rotation in galaxies, although not in clusters.

Wednesday Night Nerdy Music

Zatoichi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:44:47 -0500

Start with Weird Al

Bear Kills Militants in Kashmir

Zatoichi — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:33:50 -0500

A bear killed two militants after discovering them in its den in Indian-administered Kashmir, police say. Two other militants escaped, one of them badly wounded, after the attack in Kulgam district, south of Srinagar. The militants had assault rifles but were taken by surprise.

New Warship Built from WTC Steel

Zatoichi — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:30:58 -0500

The USS New York, a warship built with steel salvaged from the World Trade Center, has arrived in New York City. The ship sailed up the Hudson River near Ground Zero and fired a 21-gun salute as the families of 9/11 victims observed the ceremony. "It's a transformation of it from something really twisted and ugly," said Rosaleen Tallon, whose brother was a firefighter killed in the attacks. "I'm proud that our military is using that steel."

Giant Jellyfish Sinks Japanese Fishing Trawler

zatoichi — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:33:48 -0500

A 10-ton fishing boat has been sunk by gigantic jellyfish off eastern Japan. The Huge Nomura's jellyfish can weigh up to 440 pounds and have been inundating the waters around Japan this year.

Government drugs adviser resigns

Zatoichi — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:58:24 -0500

An adviser to the government has resigned in protest at the home secretary's sacking of his chief drugs adviser, Prof David Nutt.

Dr Les King quit the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), saying Home Secretary Alan Johnson had denied Prof Nutt's "freedom of expression".

Prof Nutt was sacked after saying cannabis is less harmful than alcohol or nicotine.

He said the drug had been upgraded to Class B against scientific evidence.

The reclassification had been for political reasons and "on the whim of the prime minister", Prof Nutt claimed.

After being sacked via e-mail by Mr Johnson, Prof Nutt predicted there would be resignations from the government advisory body that he headed.

15 Shot Dead at Mexico Ranch

Zatoichi — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:32:58 -0400

Fifteen people have been killed on a remote ranch in Sonora state, Mexico, including a prominent union leader. The killings bear the hallmarks of drug gang murders. More than 15,000 people have died in drug-related violence in the country since 2006.

Swine Flu Deaths Jump 700 in Week

zatoichi — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:34:00 -0400

The number of swine flu deaths reported worldwide has jumped by more than 700 in a week, latest World Health Organization figures reveal. More than 5,700 swine flu deaths were reported by Oct. 25, compared to nearly 5,000 the week before. The biggest rise was in the Americas where 4,175 deaths have been reported, up 636 from the week before.

Astronomy is an Ultra Deep Field

Zatoichi — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:31:47 -0400

Scientist Tony Darnell of DeepAstronomy.Com uses the images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope's "Ultra Deep Field" experiment to illustrate the immensity of the universe. "One of the most profound and humbling images in all of human history," Darnell says.

Coyotes Kill Canadian Folk Singer

zatoichi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:50:06 -0400

Two coyotes have attacked and killed a 19-year-old woman in a national park in eastern Canada. Taylor Mitchell, 19, an acclaimed young folk singer from Toronto, was attacked as she hiked alone in Cape Breton park, Nova Scotia.

People of Walmart

zatoichi — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:49:26 -0400

It's self explanatory. Recognize anyone?

DEA personnel among 14 dead in Afghan copter crashes

zatoichi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:39:10 -0400

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Three Drug Enforcement Administration personnel were among 14 Americans killed when three helicopters went down in Afghanistan on Monday, a law enforcement source said.

They were the first DEA personnel to be killed in Afghanistan. NATO's International Security Assistance Force said that in all, 10 people died in one incident and four in the other.

It was the largest number of Americans killed in Afghanistan in a single day in more than four years, according to CNN records. ISAF ruled out enemy fire in the crash that killed four Americans and said that enemy action was not thought to be the cause of the other.

Scientists Fear Coral Reefs Are Doomed

Zatoichi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:34:01 -0400

The prospects of saving the world's coral reefs now appear so bleak that plans are being made to freeze samples to preserve them for the future. A meeting in Denmark took evidence from researchers that most coral reefs will not survive even if tough regulations on greenhouse gases are put in place.