INTERSTING: Training crows

Friday, October 30, 2009

http://www.crowboxunleashed.com/

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At the time, I taught some captive crows, remotely, through basic operant conditioning, to feed coins into a vending machine so they could get peanuts. The idea is that a group of wild crows would teach other crows, including their offspring, to find the coins and put them into the vending machine to get peanuts. For this experiment, I received coverage all over the globe – from the New York Times, TED.com, Gizmodo and even Oprah covered the experiment! But now – it’s your turn. The crowbox experiment is open source and this site exists to let the whole world know how to make a crow machine and then share the results.

*** end quote ***

Fascinating idea?

Wonder if it could be done and show an roi?

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RANT: Dial 911 and die!

Friday, October 30, 2009

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/arrest_is_made_in_killing_of_p.html

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The pastor, Edward Hinds, had called police from his cell phone around 5 p.m. Thursday, authorities told CNN, but the phone went dead. A 911 operator called back, and the janitor, Jose Feliciano, allegedly picked up the phone, saying there was no need to send an officer, then hung up. Police could not trace the call, and no officer was sent.

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Yes, I guess it was too much trouble for the doughnut eaters to go “protect and serve”. Wonder if the mayor, police commissioner, or one of the other komisars would get that response? Nah, I’m sure they have armed security details. Paid for by the taxpayers, of course.

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: Meme – Yahoo’s Twitter

Thursday, October 29, 2009

http://meme.yahoo.com/home/

Meme – Yahoo’s Improvement on Twitter

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I don’t care for the name. Meme, like gene, is supposed to represent a defining concept. Paradigm is perception. Meme is the mental construction that we can share. (A meme can be “wrong” like government. But it’s something (an idea) we can exchange and understand. I think Yahoo has muddled the pond. IMHO!

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FUN: Use the stairs?

Thursday, October 29, 2009

http://www.wimp.com/peoplestairs/

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TECHNOLOGY: Nuke power from Japan?

Thursday, October 29, 2009

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.314f8f63df41800c448cd89e0a88dd31.331&show_article=1

Japanese firms to develop small nuclear reactors

Oct 24 01:08 AM US/Eastern

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Japan’s major nuclear reactor manufacturers have begun developing small nuclear power systems for both developed and emerging countries, a report said on Saturday.

Toshiba Corp. is developing an ultra-compact reactor with an output of about 10,000 kilowatts and has started procedures for approval in the United States, the Nikkei business daily said.

The new reactor, the Toshiba 4S, is designed to minimise the need for monitoring and maintenance, with an automatic shutdown function to ensure safety in case of problems, the newspaper said.

Toshiba plans to market the reactor first in the United States, while foreseeing demand from emerging countries in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe as well as in Africa, it said.

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For America’s “lost generation” of nuke engineers, I’m sure the approval of this will really put a knot in their shorts.

At one time, America “owned” the nuclear engineering niche.

France gets 80% of its power from nukes; we get near zero.

Argh!

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SOCIALISM: More GMAC aid?

Thursday, October 29, 2009

http://www.freep.com/article/20091028/BUSINESS01/91028022/1322/GMAC-may-get-3rd-helping-of-aid

Posted: 8:40 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009 | Updated: 9:51 a.m. today
GMAC may get 3rd helping of aid
BY GREG GARDNER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

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GMAC, the financial lifeline for General Motors Co., Chrysler Group LLC and their dealer networks, is asking the U.S. Treasury for more federal aid beyond the $12.5 billion it’s already received, because it remains billions of dollars short of a capital reserve requirement all bank holding companies must meet.

The request, which is subject to ongoing negotiations, comes as GMAC is caught in a financial game of chicken with Chrysler Financial that could drive some large Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers out of business or force them to sell their operations.

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More taxpayer participation required!

Argh!

More good money after bad.

Bankruptcy would have been so much cleaner.

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JOBSEARCH: Allan Hoving “GameChanging” podcast

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/GameChanging

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Change the Game

As fresh faced little kids we were all told … “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” Then we went out there and found out it really did matter.

More than that, we found out that life wasn’t always fair. You didn’t always get the breaks. Sometimes the game didn’t go your way.

There’s a lot of things in life you can’t change. You can always change the game.

We’re fascinated by people, ideas and events that do just that – change the game.

Join us every Monday night at 5 pm Pacific/8 pm Eastern and prepare to look at business, collaboration and the real time internet in a totally new way.

*** end quote ***

Know Allan Hoving from my “love affair” with Execunet. (Not their fault that no one wants “old dogs”.) If Allan has something to say I’m sure it’s informative and interesting.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Roach ruins a photo op for the gooferment skool!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2009/10/27/2009-10-27_kids_buggin_out_for_rays_tacos.html

Sixth-graders give dining diva Rachael Ray’s lunch menu passing marks
BY Mark Morales and Corky Siemaszko
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
Tuesday, October 27th 2009, 4:00 AM

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Dining diva Rachael Ray unveiled her healthy new lunch for students at Public School 89 in Tribeca on Monday before a gaggle of reporters – and one brazen cockroach.

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Speechless.

OK, not really.

The roach will survive a nuclear war. But, the liberals think that they don’t exist.

Why should the State be “educating” (aka indoctrinating) children?

Parents should be in charge; not overpaid bureaucrats.

Bet home schoolers don’t have this problem.

Finally, it’s sad when we allow the gooferment to run our lives.

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NEWJERSEY: Gooferment theft by stupidity

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091025/NEWS/910250315&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Municipal workers’ unused sick, vacation time costing NJ taxpayers nearly $1 billion
By ANDREA CLURFELD • GANNETT NEW JERSEY • October 25, 2009

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CENTRAL JERSEY — Call it the billion-dollar retirement bill.

New Jersey’s taxpayers owe almost $1 billion to municipal workers for not taking sick, vacation and comp time during their careers, budget figures show.

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Time to welcome ALL gooferment workers into the “real world”.

Use it or lose it.

And the ever popular 401k.

No unfunded liabilities. No golden days.

Same as the rest of us shlubs.

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FUN: The next “cash for” program

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

“President Obama announced he wants to give every senior citizen $250 next year. This is part of his ‘Cash for Geezers’ program.”
–Jay Leno

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Probably will work as well!

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