Not especially work-safe. Probably photoshopped, but it would be cool if it were forced perspective.
From "Norovirus strain strikes long-term care, cruises: a novel, highly transmissible strain emerges." from Hospital Infection Control, March 2003 v30 i3 p34(2), one finds several alarming features of norovirus, the virus formerly known as Norwalk-like virus:
While most of the data on gastrointestinal disease outbreaks is gathered assuming that the pathogen is spread by food, other information indicates that norovirus may be more easily spread from person to person, as indicated by how common it is in closed settings like cruise ships and nursing homes. This means that information gathered so far may not be terribly useful in controlling the disease.
The virus has a low infectious dose, multiple modes of transmission, and persists in the environment. Experimental research has indicated that immunity to the virus does not persist very long.
A fact sheet from the CDC indicates that the disease is contagious from the first indication of illness to anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks from recovery.
The virus can survive freezing, temperatures of up to 60 degrees C. and levels of chlorine in water that are higher than most municipal water system levels.
And in an interesting twist, people with type O blood may be most suceptible to infection.
"The disease ... strikes where there is inadequate sanitation - mostly in hospitals and schools or on cruise ships." I was initially just going to post this with an appropriate note of resignation about the cruise I'm destined to take next year. Then I actually read the quote. Inadequate sanitation in hospitals? What the?
Tiny motors. Neat. The article does not mention Eric Drexler or the Foresight Institute.
Oooooh! Gawker looks just about my speed for gossip, despite the fact that I neither live in NYC nor know anything about anybody current. But I can use the Internet in my cave, ya know.
It really is a small world after all. And who left the door open? 'Cause all the dogs seem to be outside now. Bonus phrase: "Cognitive itch"
Someone I know has recently completed training in hair balancing, which (as anyone who has seen me in the past few months can attest) is exactly what I need. Apparently there's a long tradition of people afraid to get their hair cut. So I'm not insane, just traditional.
(Thanks to Ursula, whose Google fu kicks the shit out of mine, for the links)
We might be able to see some aurora hereabouts soon. More satellites might blow up, too. Since I've never seen the aurora from the ground (and my view from the air was along a distant horizon through foggy airplane windows), I might consider it a reasonable trade. But only if I actually get to see it.
Late addition: The flare itself. <breathless>Priddy</breathless>.
Later addition: It arrived sooner than expected, so I missed it. It was also north-pointing, and therefore less damaging. Also, less spectacular, generally speaking.
Symmetry is truly a lovely, lovely thing; but perhaps it's the differences that make the difference.
John Wiley and CPSC are jointly recalling a Dummies book on soapmaking, just because of a small matter of boiling lye!
I don't usually come across books in the three figures with much general interest, but here's a big ole book of every dang Far Side cartoon, ever.
Some kind person in Norway has done us all the service of collecting all that crap that people send you. I was surprised how entertaining I found it to browse. Some of them are too, too cute.
News to me: it's not the flu that makes you feel like shit (and sometimes kills you); it's the immune response. Researchers at Imperial College London think they may have found a way to moderate that response.
Yeah, sure I'll crack my head open or at least be wet and miserable most days of the year, but can I please please have an electric scooter? Common sense is always trumped by cute euro styling.
Because the weather is frightful and some close pals (while always delightful) are going through a rough patch, I submit something that always brightens my day: FDA Import Alerts.
I tried (not all that hard) to find more recent status for Chess in the States, but I ended up finding (again) only this cache of a page that indicates that the only version of the show that can legally be performed in the States is the horrible Broadway re-write. The Yahoo discussion group seems to be members-only, and I don't quite feel energetic enough to sign up and see what more recent info might be available. Bad blogger, I am. No biscuit.
I was able to see a "concert" of the show, wherein talented people sang the songs and discussed the action between the songs, but no actual acting took place. The flow and music were clearly not from the horrible Broadway re-write, and it was a good show (I believe they said in the Q&A afterwards it was a mélange of the West End, US, and Australian versions). I did hate my fellow east-siders, though, for their audible consternation when the word "fuck" was uttered. Not quite as much as I hated the Seattleites at ACT when several of them said a line in the play along with the actor. And no, it wasn't a production of The Rocky Horror Show.
According to this article, "Having regular and enthusiastic sex ... confers a host of measurable physiological advantages, be you male or female." This seems similar to the earlier results that show frequent orgasms are helpful. Another tidbit: "Seminal plasma contains zinc, calcium and other minerals shown to retard tooth decay." Forbes declined to elaborate on the delivery mechanism.
There may be several of these excerpts to come, but here's a bit of medical advice from "It Cured Me!"
"When your children’s health is in question, and such symptoms are noticed as a variable appetite, with strange cravings, picking the nose, excessive thirst, low fever, bad breath, pale, sallow complexion, occasionally flushed cheeks, a wasting away, great nervousness, fitful sleep, grinding of the teeth, accompanied by weakness of the bowels -- they indicate that the child is troubled with those dreadful pests, WORMS, which worry its delicate system, and are producing such irritation and debility as will surely break down the constitution, and, if the cause is not removed, may bring on St. Vitus’ Dance or Convulsions, and render its after-life a burden. To save your child use DR. JAYNE’S TONIC VERMIFUGE, according to the directions, and you will not only destroy the Worms, but its Tonic properties will rebuild the general health, -- no other Worm Medicine possessing such qualities. When Worms are not indicated, and a gentle Tonic is required, the VERMIFUGE may be given with excellent results after each meal, in much smaller doses than for Worms."
I really like Lush's products, but I have had some trouble with their mail-order department. Which of course means that I must go to Vancouver to shop at their store, with the added bonus of eating some all-dressed chips.
The latest letter from ICANN telling VeriSign to cut that shit out.
When composing my earlier remarks regarding the Dr Who revival, I neglected to notice that Russell Davies, who will be writing the new series, was responsible for the excellent BBC movie The Second Coming, which you really must see (ideally unspoiled).
And yes, I'm exactly narcissistic enough to link to my own blog entry. Apparently.
Breaking addition: Holy shit! If true, they better hit DVD fast.
This strikes me as the kind of thing a friend of mine would enjoy. Next time I have several hours to burn, I'll see if it's actually all that entertaining.
Bruce Sterling runs down the technology that most deserves obsolescence.
An Air Force Academy cadet pled guilty to charges of running what is billed as a porn site, but actually sounds more like a "party" arranging site. In a separate story (which I can't recommend, due to obnoxious pop-ups), the charges are detailed: