An Interest Piqued.

ikenbot:

Netherlands Rejects Acta, and Forbids Any Similar Legislation

The Dutch government has decided that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta) is not good for privacy or internet freedom and therefore shouldn’t be signed. In doing so, the Netherlands has opted not to wait for the EU’s vote on Acta, scheduled for June.

Not only that, however, but Dutch MPs have also ruled that the government will never sign any treaties that are similar to Acta. A motion was passed promising to reject any future treaty that might harm a “free and open” internet. Acta needs to be ratified by the European and national parliaments in order to enter into full effect.

(via scinerds)

project-argus:

lord-kitschener:

sageoflogic:

the-free-gator:

ryking:

Steve Greenberg, “Commercial spaceflights.”

Just a reminder that government can always do the job cheaper and more efficiently than private enterprise — and altruistically, too. Government’s job is not to turn a profit.

The words “government”, “cheap”, and “efficient” don’t belong in the same sentence. Unless you’re saying “Hey, so I know of a cheap and efficient way to get rid of government!”

Cool.

Have fun without roads.

And fire departments. 

And public schools.

Really? This is the first step in reviving the US’s space exploration program and you’re worried about someone making a profit?
Think of what the private market has done with things like computers, robotics, and vehicles.
It’ll do the same for space exploration, given enough time.

gingerhaze:

Shadowfax doesn’t always start up too smoothly.

And here it is, a Broship of the Ring anniversary offering! I drew it while watching The Fellowship of the Ring with my family tonight, just like old times. It should be big enough to use as a desktop wallpaper if you should so desire!

Today’s going to be a good day

(Source: shogunofyellow, via project-argus)

invaderxan:

Space ships!

(via scinerds)

strawbiery:

Picture of the eclipse on May 20, 2012 over China.

my god

(Source: c0rnfields, via scinerds)

scientiafidei:

skandolous:

Ink Calendar designed by Oscar Diaz. The ink will slowly color each day of the month as time passes by.

where do i buy this where

(via project-argus)

futuramb:

Kinect imaging lets surgeons keep their focus - tech - 17 May 2012 - New Scientist

On Tuesday last week, a surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London began trials of a new device that uses an Xbox Kinect camera to sense body position. Just by waving his arms the surgeon can consult and sift through medical images, such as CT scans or real-time X-rays, while in the middle of an operation.

Maintaining a sterile environment in the operating room is paramount, but scrubbing in and out to scroll through scan images mid-operation can be time-consuming and break a surgeon’s concentration or sense of flow. Depending on the type of surgery, a surgeon will stop and consult medical images anywhere from once an hour to every few minutes. To avoid leaving the table, many surgeons rely on assistants to manipulate the computer for them, a distracting and sometimes frustrating process.

meme-meme:

Amputee Space Fox. Now we know.