The Hollywood Liberal

Investing in Mars
The credit agencies have been busy with a new round of threats.

pic via andy z at flickr.com

The credit agencies have been busy with a new round of threats. Here’s one:

Standard & Poor’s said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s administration hasn’t made progress in tackling the public debt burden, an indication it may be preparing to lower the nation’s sovereign grade.

And another:

Portugal suffered a double blow Thursday after Fitch Ratings downgraded its debt to junk

And yet another:

Moody’s Investors Services warns it could downgrade the U.S. government’s top credit rating if Congress backs off $1.2 trillion US in automatic deficit cuts scheduled over the next decade.

I do believe the world’s credit agencies are readying their escape pods and are preparing to escape the gravity of the Earth they’ve helped create.

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Behold the Cyborg Spy Bugs of the Future
As if our current surveillance society wasn’t creepy enough, the wave of the spying future may come on the backs of creepy-crawlies. No joke—in tiny “backpacks” or perhaps hitched around their wing muscles. Read it and get skeeved out.  —KA BBC: The University of Michigan team of engineers published their study in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. The report noted that, despite major advances in micro-air-vehicle technology, no-one had been able to match the aerodynamic performance and manoeuvring capability of insects. However, it said that if insects were to be equipped with control mechanisms and other add-on kit, the equipment would require a power source. The team rejected the idea of using miniature solar panels because they would be dependent on available light. So the group decided to develop a vibration energy collector. The resulting device consists of a tiny three-layered spiral generator. Read more  

As if our current surveillance society wasn’t creepy enough, the wave of the spying future may come on the backs of creepy-crawlies. No joke—in tiny “backpacks” or perhaps hitched around their wing muscles. Read it and get skeeved out.? —KA

BBC:

The University of Michigan team of engineers published their study in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering.

The report noted that, despite major advances in micro-air-vehicle technology, no-one had been able to match the aerodynamic performance and manoeuvring capability of insects.

However, it said that if insects were to be equipped with control mechanisms and other add-on kit, the equipment would require a power source.

The team rejected the idea of using miniature solar panels because they would be dependent on available light. So the group decided to develop a vibration energy collector.

The resulting device consists of a tiny three-layered spiral generator.

Read more

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Obama’s Catholic Friends and Enemies
Any time the Obama administration touches issues related to the Roman Catholic Church, it seems to get itself caught in a rhetorical and moral crossfire that leaves all involved wounded and angry.

By E.J. Dionne, Jr.

Any time the Obama administration touches issues related to the Roman Catholic Church, it seems to get itself caught in a rhetorical and moral crossfire that leaves all involved wounded and angry.

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• November 24, 2011 Thanks for What?
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Arizona Mounts New Push To Fence Entire Southern Border
By AMANDA LEE MYERS and JACQUES BILLEAUD, The Associated Press PHOENIX — Arizona is taking on immigration once again, with state lawmakers collecting donations from…

Typo Leads To Wrong Candidate’s Election
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Gabrielle Giffords Serves Thanksgiving Meal At Arizona Air Base
TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords helped serve a Thanksgiving meal to service members and retirees at a military base in her hometown. Giffords…

Feds Recommend Significant Sentence In Jack Johnson Corruption Case
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This Thanksgiving, Beware The Sharia Turkey
You may think that when you buy a Butterball turkey this Thanksgiving you’re as American as apple pie. But, you’d be wrong. In fact, you’re the victim of a “stealth halal” conspiracy….

Glenn Beck’s Network Attempts Conservative Daily Show Knock-Off
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Last Chance for Justice: Will Khmer Rouge Leaders Finally Face Consequences for the Killing Fields?
Three senior Khmer Rouge leaders are on trial in what may be the last major legal case against the group’s leaders, but many call the trial a sham.

Occupy Toronto Evicted; Police Show Protesters Respect
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Big Oil Doesn’t Need Handouts
Here’s a scary fact: Last year, the biggest five oil companies alone scored $76 billion in profits. And here’s an even scarier fact: Last year, the oil industry received more than $4 billion in tax breaks. These numbers don’t lie…

David Brooks Smackdown
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Extreme Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving dinner battled the elements in 2011. Scientists tell us that these sorts of extreme weather events are exactly what we’d expect to see in a changing climate. Here’s the graphic from Resource Media [click to enlarge]:

Thanksgiving dinner battled the elements in 2011. Scientists tell us that these sorts of extreme weather events are exactly what we’d expect to see in a changing climate.

Here’s the graphic from Resource Media [click to enlarge]: