Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on Twitter • Be a Facebook Fan • Tumble us!

26 Dec 2009 15:07

tags

Tech: Kindle had a banner day on Christmas Day, Amazon says

  • eBooks > books and Amazon’s investors go wild source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 14:39

tags

U.S.: The new airline security rules: Hitting a gnat with a sledgehammer

  • Because consumers can’t be trusted to make up for failings caused by a security check that wasn’t done on a multi-part flight from Nigeria, people flying to the U.S. from another country will be subject to rules forcing them to new standards. To call these rules over-the-top is to point out that they’re punishing the wrong people for something one guy did. Here’s a quick overview of the rules, according to Air Canada:
  • one Multiple searches, both at the airport screening point and the aircraft boarding area.
  • two One carry-on item per person, which means you’re stuck paying fees to check your stuff.
  • three During the last hour of flight, you must remain seated with no access to carry-on items.
  • four If you see your own shadow on a flight, be scared of it. (We made that one up, guys.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 4 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 11:46

tags

Offbeat: “Tape Measure Tricks”: Like Spiderman for home improvement

  • Super-goofy. Possibly fake. Definitely pretty dang awesome. This guy can use his tape measure to do just about anything, it seems. We’d like to see him get us a beer with it.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 11:34

tags

U.S.: Poll: Do you think airplanes can be 100% safe from terrorism?


Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 11:15

tags

Tech: Montgomery County, Texas will do the drunk-Tweeting for you

  • It’s not a magic bullet that’s going to end DWIs, but its something to make people think twice before they get behind the wheel of a car and drive while they’re intoxicated.
  • Montgomery County Vehicular Crimes Prosecutor Warren Diepraam • On the county’s decision to out DWI suspects on Twitter, using the account of the District Attorney’s Office, @MontgomeryTXDAO, during major holidays. The decision is controversial for its public shaming aspect as well as the fact that using Tweets seems to go a lot further than simply newspapers or other sources used for this kind of policy in the past. On the plus side, they’ll only stick around for a couple of minutes, as long as someone doesn’t decide your moment of shame is worth a retweet. Or fifty. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 10:51

tags

Offbeat: Here’s a Jesus banana peel, for our sake as much as yours

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 10:44

tags

World: Twitter reflects on the Indian Ocean tsunami, five years ago

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

26 Dec 2009 10:28

tags

World: Today’s the fifth anniversary of the major Indian Ocean tsunami

  • 250,000 died in the quake’s aftermath – the largest disaster death toll in modern times, easily
  • 170,000 died on Indonesia’s Aceh province alone; those who survived were devastated source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 10:06

tags

U.S.: Jasper Schuringa reportedly the hero in the Detroit terror attack

  • My hands are pretty burned. I am fine. I am shaken up. I am happy to be here.
  • Jasper Schuringa • On reportedly subduing terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab after he tried to start a fire on board. He apparently was the hero – jumping over another passenger to reach him, grabbing the explosive device, and stripping off his clothes to ensure he didn’t have any others – but CNN has not been able to independently verify his role in the attack. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2009 09:52

tags

World: The Detroit terror incident stemmed from other security failures

  • Nigeria Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab flew out of Nigeria with explosives tied to his leg, a clear failure of Nigerian airport security policies.
  • Amsterdam Despite the fact he flew in from another continent, he wasn’t re-screened; if he were, his name would’ve lit up the screen. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
<< newer 
top tags
older >>