Dvorak News Blog

Is Texas turning back the clock on evolution?

By Eideard Thursday January 22, 2009

Daylife/AP Photo by Matt Slocum

Proponents of an old-fashioned Texas-style education

The latest round in a long-running battle over how evolution should be taught in Texas schools began in earnest Wednesday as the State Board of Education heard impassioned testimony from scientists and social conservatives on revising the science curriculum.

The debate here has far-reaching consequences; Texas is one of the nation’s biggest buyers of textbooks, and publishers are reluctant to produce different versions of the same material.

Many biologists and teachers said they feared that the board would force textbook publishers to include what skeptics see as weaknesses in Darwin’s theory to sow doubt about science and support the Biblical version of creation.

“These weaknesses that they bring forward are decades old, and they have been refuted many, many times over,” Kevin Fisher, a past president of the Science Teachers Association of Texas, said after testifying. “It’s an attempt to bring false weaknesses into the classroom in an attempt to get students to reject evolution.”

Cranky Geeks Episode #150 — Now on Cage Match

By KD Martin Thursday January 22, 2009

5 Comments

Click image to see Cranky Geeks.

Today’s Guests:

Sebastian Rupley, Co-Crank, PCMagCast.com
Chris DiBona, Open Source Program Manager, Google
Jason Cross, Senior Editor, ExtremeTech.com

The Topics:

Steve Jobs’ Exit: Turning Point for Apple?
Opera Sides With Europe, Against Microsoft
Steve Ballmer’s Biggest Regret
Pope Benedict the Next YouTube Star?
Is Google Looking for a Fast Lane?

Presto! Another fund manager disappears…

By Eideard Thursday January 22, 2009

44 Comments

Daylife/Reuters Pictures

Federal regulators on Wednesday charged a missing hedge fund manager with fraud, saying he misled investors and overstated the value of investments in the six funds by about $300 million.

The Securities and Exchange Commission won a court order freezing the assets of Arthur G. Nadel, of Sarasota, Fla., and other defendants in the case.

Nadel owed investors a $50 million payout, told his wife in a note he felt guilty and threatened to kill himself, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The authorities believe that Nadel, 76, planned his Jan. 14 disappearance.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Tampa, the SEC said Nadel recently transferred at least $1.25 million from two of the funds to secret bank accounts that he controlled…

The SEC said Nadel’s funds currently appear to have assets totaling less than $1 million — while he claimed in sales materials for three of the funds that they had about $342 million in assets as of Nov. 30. The materials also boasted of monthly returns of 11 to 12 percent for several of the funds last year, when they actually had negative results.

The SEC has been doing it’s usual “praiseworthy” job of oversight. Looks like their prime activity has been drawing their salaries.

Republicans delay Holder’s approval — want protection for torturers

By Eideard Thursday January 22, 2009

101 Comments

Daylife/Reuters Pictures

Republicans on Wednesday delayed a confirmation vote on attorney general nominee Eric Holder, some demanding assurances he would not prosecute U.S. agents for torture if they thought their methods were in compliance with the law…

With questions about torture and other matters, Republicans invoked their right to delay for one week the Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote on Holder, who had already been expected to endure one of the rockier confirmation processes in President Barack Obama’s new cabinet.

Holder still appears virtually certain to eventually win confirmation by the full Senate…

During his confirmation hearing before the Judiciary Committee last week, Holder broke with the Bush administration and said waterboarding, an interrogation technique that involves simulated drowning, was torture and thus illegal.

Asked if he would prosecute for torture, Holder said “no one is above the law.” But he also quoted Obama about the need to move ahead…

Holder said he would ensure that interrogations complied with treaty obligations and were effective. He pledged to review all Justice Department legal opinions on the matter.

I don’t recall Republicans defending the “Good Germans” who only “followed orders” while working in concentration camps.

Video — Celebrating 10 Years of Dr. Manhattan

By Gasparrini Thursday January 22, 2009

10 Comments

More info can be found at The New Frontiersman.

Death sentences in China tainted milk case

By John C Dvorak Thursday January 22, 2009

57 Comments

Death sentences in China tainted milk case – CNN.com — We should take a lead from China as we sort out the tainted peanut butter, the financial crises, and Bernie Madoff. No?

A Chinese court sentenced Tian Wenhua, former board chairwoman and general manager of the Chinese dairy company Sanlu Group, to life in prison for her role in a tainted milk scandal that killed at least six infants and sickened nearly 300,000 others. Police surround a court building in northern China in late December during the trial.

Three people were sentenced to death and two others to life in prison for their roles, while three others received prison terms of five to 15 years each. Many of those sentenced were middlemen who sold melamine to milking stations that added the chemical to the milk.

Dvorak Crew Review: The Newegg Mall

By SN Wednesday January 21, 2009

18 Comments

I’m sure most of the techies here have used Newegg.com. It’s my primary destination for all things tech. The fair prices, superfast shipping, knowledgeable customer reviews, and fantastic customer support all keep me coming back again and again.

I recently discovered that Newegg is branching out beyond mere tech to more consumer oriented products. Sort of like a Newegg version of Amazon or Target. You can buy clothes, automotive supplies, cosmetics, etc. It’s called the Newegg Mall.

When I say you “can” buy such stuff at the Mall, I’m speaking in purely hypothetical terms. Whether you’ll ever find exactly what you’re looking for is highly unlikely. Let me give an example…

Last night I saw a kid wearing a Rock Band t-shirt and I thought it’d be cool to get one for my son. So rather than hit Amazon, I decided to give the Newegg Mall a try. A simple search for “rock band t-shirt” (without the quotes) brought this as the first choice:

Sure it’s technically a band, but it is neither a t-shirt nor a rock. So it’s not even close. None of the 36 products offered on that first page were actual t-shirts with the Rock Band logo.

Still, the search was modified for lowest price. I decided to try the “best match” option. The results got even worse:

Sure, it’s a wedding band, but it’s not even close to being a t-shirt or a rock. At least the headband was made of cloth like a t-shirt and could be worn by rock stars. Nearly all of the 36 results on the “best match” page involved rings.

Former French Prez Jacques Chirac Hospitalized after being Mauled by Killer Poodle

By McCullough Wednesday January 21, 2009

21 Comments

Former French president Jacques Chirac was rushed to hospital after being mauled by his own ‘clinically depressed’ pet dog’. The 76-year-old statesman was savaged by his white Maltese dog – which suffers from frenzied fits and is being treated with anti-depressants.

The animal, named Sumo, had become increasingly violent over the past years and was prone to making ‘vicious, unprovoked attacks’, Chirac’s wife Bernadette said.The former president, who ruled France for 12 years until 2007, was taken to hospital in Paris where he was treated as an outpatient and sent home, VSD magazine reported.

Mrs Chirac said: ‘The dog went for him for no apparent reason. ‘We were already aware the animal was unpredictable and is actually being treated with pills for depression. ‘My husband was bitten quite badly, but he is certain to make a full recovery over the coming weeks.’ The former French First Lady did not reveal where on his body Chirac was bitten.

Har! Seriously folks, poodles can be vicious, but I have a hard time believing they can do that much damage.

‘Polite’ Britons died on Titanic

By John C Dvorak Wednesday January 21, 2009

22 Comments

BBC NEWS | Americas | ‘Polite’ Britons died on Titanic –Tally ho!

He said that in testimonies from inquiries in America and Britain just after the event, there were a lot of statements from women saying their husbands put them on lifeboats.

They then “went to the back of the boat to have a cigar, to stand around and be chummy, while basically the boat went down.”

Mr Savage said: “There was one gentleman who was rather wealthy… who went back downstairs after he put his wife on the [life] boat… put on his tuxedo…went back upstairs and smoked… with the idea that if I am going die, I may as well die as a gentleman and well-dressed.”

Conficker Worm in 6-Percent of All Computers

By John C Dvorak Wednesday January 21, 2009

5 Comments

Jan. 21 marked by no news. Everyone is on pins-and-needles over upcoming earnings reports.
Conficker in 6-percent of all computers says Panda.
Seagate hard disk fix doesn’t work right.
AMD dropping prices again.
Intel may take a loss for the first time in 22 years.
Linden buying virtual retailers.
HP CEO makes 42.5 million.
Google earnings tomorrow has everyone wondering.

click ► to listen:

Right click here and select ‘Save Link As…’ to download the mp3 file.

Automakers Struggling to find places to Stash Unsold Vehicles

By McCullough Wednesday January 21, 2009

25 Comments

The steep decline in worldwide car sales is causing automakers to stash over-produced cars in unlikely places, like on Nissan’s UK test track above. Below, a gallery of places other automakers are stashing un-sold cars.

Since the problems of over-productions are global, we’ve put together a selection of photos of cars stacking up around the world. Sometimes they’re being stacked in strange places like the above shot from Nissan’s test track. Usually, the location is more pedestrian with recently produced cars plopped out front of the factories they’re produced at. For instance, Land Rovers and Jaguars are now being stacked up outside a plant in Liverpool. Similarly, Ford F-150s are piling high in Detroit near their assembly facility.

I have a couple spaces in my driveway they can use. See gallery here.

Former KGB spy buys British tabloid for £1

By Eideard Wednesday January 21, 2009

10 Comments

Russian ex-KGB agent Alexander Lebedev is to buy the London Evening Standard newspaper for the sum of £1. The paper’s publisher – the Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT) – said it had agreed to the sale of a majority interest in the paper. The billionaire businessman is believed to have made an offer for approximately a 76% share of the paper.

He has previously revealed that he used the paper to find out information when he was a young spy based in London.

No wonder the Soviets lost the Cold War.

Mr Lebedev said: “We are strong supporters of a free and independent press and we greatly admire the Evening Standard as an iconic publication with its pedigree of fine journalism and commentary.

“We are committed to strengthening the newspaper’s competitiveness and look forward to working with Associated, which will continue to be involved as a minority shareholder.”

Mr Lebedev has also expressed an interest in buying out other struggling newspapers both in the UK and the United States.

Let’s start a bidding war. I offer $2.49 for the late Albuquerque TRIBUNE.

Postal Workers Caught Hoarding Undelivered Mail at their Homes

By McCullough Wednesday January 21, 2009

24 Comments

(These are not the actual culprits.)

DETROIT — There were jokes and snickers at a Michigan post office when customers learned that an overwhelmed carrier had rented a storage unit to hide thousands of pieces of mail. “I heard a couple of people come in and say, ‘Can I pick up my mail — or is it in storage?”‘ said Annette Koss, the postmaster in Howell, 50 miles northwest of Detroit. “We just didn’t understand it. It’s such a stupid thing to do.”

Jill Hull pleaded guilty Tuesday to deserting the mail, a misdemeanor. The case is rare but it happens: From North Carolina to North Dakota, carriers in recent months have been hauled to court for failing to fulfill their routes. Mail has been found in basements, garages and, in Hull’s case, a self-storage unit in Michigan’s Livingston County. In North Carolina, a mail carrier admitted to keeping junk mail buried in his backyard. In September, after she had failed to pay her bill, managers opened Hull’s unit and discovered thousands of pieces of unopened mail, including 988 first-class letters. Some had postmarks from 2005.

“I was unable to deliver all the mail,” Hull, 34, said during a brief hearing in federal court in Detroit.

In a court filing, postal investigator Douglas Mills said Hull had planned to catch up with late payments and apparently keep the mail under lock and key until she died. No one on the rural route had complained about missing any mail.

The Postal Service says there were 333 cases of theft, delay or destruction of mail by employees or contractors filed in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. A California postal manager was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing thousands of DVDs.

As long it’s bills and junk mail, in my book she’s a hero, promote her.

UK: Police Squander £170,000 in Attempt to Prosecute Male Stripper

By McCullough Wednesday January 21, 2009

6 Comments

article-1125202-0320bfb0000005dc-17_468x3121

Happy Birds at a Hen Party

Police have spent £170,000 of public money trying to prosecute a strippergram for playing an officer as part of his act. Stuart Kennedy, who performs under the stage name of Sergeant Eros, was last week cleared in court for the 22nd time. The case collapsed after the Crown Office dropped the charges against him. In the latest incident as part of an extraordinary two-year spat with police, Mr Kennedy was arrested while driving home from Aberdeen’s Tiger Tiger club dressed in full uniform.

He said he had been forced to flee the nightspot fully clothed after being threatened by an angry boyfriend. Since March 2007, the 25-year-old genetics student from Aberdeen University has been arrested six times and spent 123 hours in custody, without police securing a single conviction. Grampian Police have incurred the wrath of the public over the accumulated police, court and legal aid costs now mounting to an estimated £170,000. Mr Kennedy first came under the nose of the constabulary when he was waiting outside a bar in Aberdeen dressed in his uniform. He was spotted by two plain-clothes female officers who asked if he needed any help.

When Mr Kennedy said he was a stripper, the officers watched him perform his act with batons and a spray at the city’s Paramount venue before taking him in for questioning.

It must feel good to have all the real crimes solved.

Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmare

By John C Dvorak Wednesday January 21, 2009

18 Comments

More kitchen nightmares for Gordon Ramsay as credit crunch hits his business empire | Mail Online — Why is none of this a surprise? This is an excellent summary of Ramsay’s problems.

The slide began with this one.

Meanwhile, the culinary world is abuzz with suggestions that Ramsay’s restaurants are asking for extended time to pay suppliers – in some cases, as long as six to eight months, though the chef’s representatives strongly deny this.

Small wonder that rumours are gathering pace that it may not be long before Ramsay is stripped of at least one of his precious remaining stars because he is spreading himself so thin.

With a business that has expanded so fast – its £38 million turnover in 2006 has since crashed through the £100million barrier – there is growing disquiet about the health of Ramsay’s hastily constructed empire.

‘This is undoubtedly a tense time for Gordon because he is a competitive man and sets himself incredibly high standards,’ says food writer James Steen. ‘But his business is so big that it’s hard to keep standards up.

‘This is an operation which started off with the talents of a great chef, but has become an empire where food is less important than the brand.