an egg-basket in a centrifuge

A children’s toy inspires a cheap, easy production method for high-tech diagnostic chips | Technology Review

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:57:00 +0000

A children’s toy inspires a cheap, easy production method for high-tech diagnostic chips | Technology Review:

‘She was experimenting with tiny liquid-filled channels in hopes of devising chip-based diagnostic tests, a discipline called microfluidics. The trouble was, the specialized equipment that she previously used to make microfluidic chips cost more than $100,000.’

‘Racking her brain for a quick-and-dirty way to make microfluidic devices, Khine remembered her favorite childhood toy: Shrinky Dinks, large sheets of thin plastic that can be colored with paint or ink and then shrunk in a hot oven. “I thought if I could print out the [designs] at a certain resolution and then make them shrink, I could make channels the right size for microfluidics,” she says.’

‘At the same time, she faced considerable skepticism. How on earth, critics wondered, could you use a toy to make a sophisticated device that’s normally forged from high-grade silicon? “People either love it or they laugh at me,” Khine says.’

(Via BoingBoing.)

Via My sentiments exactly

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:55:32 +0000

Via My sentiments exactly

The Adventures of Lil’Cthulu | TheZebu.

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:50:00 +0000

The Adventures of Lil’Cthulu | TheZebu.

"I admit that I remain baffled by adults who object to the sex in this book. Not because it’s..."

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:53:19 +0000

“I admit that I remain baffled by adults who object to the sex in this book. Not because it’s prudish to object, but because the off-camera sex occurs in the middle of a story that features rioting, graphic torture, and detailed instructions for successful truancy.” ”

-
— Locus Online Perspectives: Cory Doctorow: Teen Sex

Signature of Antimatter Detected in Lightning | Wired.com

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:44:09 +0000

Signature of Antimatter Detected in Lightning | Wired.com

xkcd - A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language - By...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:11:38 +0000

xkcd - A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language - By Randall Munroe

Celebrating St Guy Fawkes day | open Democracy News Analysis

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:44:14 +0000

Celebrating St Guy Fawkes day | open Democracy News Analysis:

What if Guy Fawkes had succeeded?

‘As the Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury said the other day: “Let us all enjoy our fireworks, and the burning of effigies of Luther and other heretics, this November 5th - especially the kiddies. But let as many of us as possible go to Mass as well, to remind ourselves what the day really is: the Commemoration of St Guido Fawkes, who saved England for Holy Mother Church.” ‘

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:42:35 +0000

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

Three-armed baby costume | Boing Boing

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:31:18 +0000

Three-armed baby costume | Boing Boing

Sacked drugs adviser Nutt may set up new body | guardian.co.uk

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:11:45 +0000

Sacked drugs adviser Nutt may set up new body | guardian.co.uk:

‘Nutt said that if the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was not given more autonomy in future he would consider setting up an alternative committee to provide independent advice on drugs.

“Unless this issue is resolved properly, you’re going to have to have an independent group. I know several members of the council will join me if things aren’t resolved next Tuesday,” he said. “It’s obvious the politicians are out of step, that the rest of the world has a more mature view about drugs than politicians.” ‘

Judith Collins interviewed by Paul Holmes | Q AND A News

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Judith Collins interviewed by Paul Holmes | Q AND A News:

Transcript of an interview on New Zealand television between Judith Collins, the police minister, and Paul Holmes. (To my untrained eye, it would appear that we already have something like this act in the UK.)

‘PAUL Yeah but the truth is, under the Criminal Proceeds Act, the Police can take your property if they suspect you’re dodgy.

JUDITH But you’ve got the right to get it back, you’ve got the right to claim it, and the Police &.

PAUL Yeah but then you’ve got a whole matter of procedure to go through because the cops have decided they suspect you got the property criminally.

JUDITH Well actually Police would lose all credibility if they went round doing that unnecessarily. They’ve got a lot of leads, they know exactly who they’re after, and they will be after them.

PAUL Search and Surveillance Bill - new powers for all enforcement officers, like Meat Board Inspectors, like the Overseas Investment Office, like the Civil Aviation Inspector, like the Pork Industry Board Inspector, like the Reserve Bank Inspector, the Dog Control Officer. When it comes to surveillance all of those people have the same powers now as the Police?

JUDITH It really is a terrible sounding list isn’t it Paul, and what is even more terrible is to know that those powers are already in legislation but they’re interested in a whole lot of different legislation, this bill has come in because of the work of the Law Commission looking at all the various powers and trying to put some rules around them.

PAUL The powers are extended. Look there’s two and a bit pages, I’ll read you a few. Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Inspector - Animal Products Inspector - Animal Welfare Inspector - Antarctic Marine Living Resources Inspector - Children Young Persons and their Families Inspector - the Extradition Act Inspector - Marine Mammals Protection Inspector. All of these people have the power to come into your premises, to command your IT provider to provide them with all their computer records, to detain you, to use reasonable force, to rub you down, pat you, search you - the Pork Industry Board Inspector.’

(Via On Our Radar.)

Secret copyright treaty leaks. It's bad. Very bad | Boing Boing

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:05:05 +0000

Secret copyright treaty leaks. It's bad. Very bad | Boing Boing:

Cory’s take on this is that it would be the end of the internet as we know it.

Gym owner warns against replacing windows | Telegraph

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:01:52 +0000

Gym owner warns against replacing windows | Telegraph:

The local council have apparently ordered this gym to replace its windows with ones more in keeping with the neighbourhood.

’ “Before the glass was frosted we had all sorts of people trying to look into the shop, and cars would stop in the road to see in,” she said.

“I’m worried it could cause a serious accident if we have to take it down - some of my girls could stop traffic.” ‘

’ “Pole dancing is great exercise for the upper body and the lower body and a lot of my pupils get confidence from doing it.” ‘

Via A Tenacious Memory.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:24:53 +0000

Via A Tenacious Memory.

"The crime of misunderstanding" | Comment is free

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:53:09 +0000

"The crime of misunderstanding" | Comment is free:

‘Mr Starmer QC says that “Human rights are universal, inalienable and perpetual,” but they have evolved over time, and I would like to propose a new one: the qualified right to clarity and simplicity from the state.’

It’s well worth reading the whole thing.

"Crazy law leaves a child out in the cold" | Times Online

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:58:21 +0000

"Crazy law leaves a child out in the cold" | Times Online:

‘Last winter a father I know went to collect his 12-year-old son from an evening at a youth club in a neighbouring village. It was dark and it was raining. There was only one other child left at the club — another 12-year-old whose mother had rung to say that she was delayed at work and couldn’t pick him up. My friend, who knew the family, offered to take him home.

The female youth worker was adamant. That was not allowed. No written permission had been given, so regulations forbade it. Nor could she drive the boy home, even though she, too, lived in the village; she wasn’t permitted, under child protection rules, to have an unaccompanied minor in her car. That left the boy with one option. He walked 1Å miles home, in the dark, along an unlit country road. He might have been hit by a car, or even abducted by a stranger; he certainly arrived back wet, bewildered and a little scared. That didn’t matter. All the rules had been followed, and whether a child was more or less safe as a result was beside the point.

This is the lunatic universe that we are creating in our attempts to use regulation and legislation to make society safer. And the situation is about to get a great deal worse.’

(Via No2ID.)

Ohio police appeal to identify six bodies in rapist's home | The Guardian

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:49:47 +0000

Ohio police appeal to identify six bodies in rapist's home | The Guardian:

Apologies for going all OT again, but does anyone else see think this headline is rather odd? I mean, rape is a truly evil thing, but I’m guessing that the guy is a murderer, too — which is at least more relevant to the idea of bodies, surely…

Police quash nude pumpkin run | BBC News

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:01:48 +0000

Police quash nude pumpkin run | BBC News:

‘Each year, dozens have run down the city’s streets wearing only shoes and a hollowed-out pumpkin on their heads.’

‘Up to 100 officers were deployed around Boulder this Halloween. As of early Sunday, local media reports said only one Halloween-related arrest was made.’

‘A Boulder police spokesperson said as of early morning Sunday only one Halloween-related arrest had been made, which was not connected to the Naked Pumpkin Run.’

Councillors resign en masse after criticism by blogger | guardian.co.uk

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:13:00 +0000

Councillors resign en masse after criticism by blogger | guardian.co.uk:

‘The walkout came after blogger Niall Connolly branded some members “jackasses” and referred to one leaflet as being “like a Nazi call to arms”.

A motion was then proposed that members step down, citing “impossible working conditions”.’

‘Fresh elections will be held as there are now not enough councillors to carry through decisions.’

(Via Earthman, Come Home.)

Criminal record checks gone too far | Telegraph

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:28:18 +0000

Criminal record checks gone too far | Telegraph:

‘In a victory against the growing Big Brother state, the justices, in their first judgment since the Supreme Court opened in Britain earlier this month, said there should no longer be a “presumption for disclosure” of such information, which could be “even mere suspicion or hints of matters which are disputed by the applicant”.

The ruling goes to the very heart of the Government’s controversial new barring and vetting scheme, under which at least 11 million people will have to undergo enhanced checks if they want to work withchildren or vulnerable adults.’