Sunday, October 30, 2016

Person Of Interest Was Anti-Prestige TV And Too Smart For Primetime

Person Of Interest Was Anti-Prestige TV And Too Smart For Primetime: "First, let me tell you what Person of Interest is. Person of Interest is the inverse of Game of Thrones. For every shock death from the HBO’s version of George R.R. Martin’s book series, it had Kevin Chapman getting maced by a model and beaten up with a handbag. For every Game of Thrones setpiece that sent 49 bloggers into an ejaculatory frenzy over the ambiguous motives and bloodlines of royals, Person of Interest had a scene where Jim Caviezel kicks seven shades of shit out of the cardboard archetype of a bad person. It’s weird watching Jesus throttle people, but you know what, we’re all going to Hell anyway."

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

On Landry’s Significant Court Victory Yesterday… | The Hayride

On Landry’s Significant Court Victory Yesterday… | The Hayride: "So Edwards will go back to the drawing board and rewrite those contracts. And then Landry will reject them not on the basis of legal minutiae but as a matter of policy. When he does, we’ll eventually get to the meat of the argument, which is going to be a very big deal soon – which is whether the governor of Louisiana has the unilateral power to hire lawyers to sue on behalf of the state, or whether anyone in state government holds a check on that power. And this is virgin constitutional territory of sorts in Louisiana, and something of a constitutional crisis that Edwards has brought on. We’ve not had such a controversy previously, because (1) this is a level of gubernatorial overreach we’ve not seen even from some of the rather tyrannical governors we’ve had in the state’s past, and (2) because Landry is the first truly independent attorney general Louisiana has had in memory. Previous governors who decided to be sue-happy had the whole state government behind them; this one is trying to go it alone. And that constitutional crisis is a hell of a lot more important than the petty question about hypothetical discrimination against gays and transsexuals in some obscure legal contracts. Which is why it’s such a disservice that the state’s mainstream media is spending all its time huffing and puffing about the latter."

'via Blog this'

Monday, October 17, 2016

Hospital Ward Gripped by Mysterious Hallucinations Quarantined After Five Fall Ill

Hospital Ward Gripped by Mysterious Hallucinations Quarantined After Five Fall Ill: "This week, an emergency room in the Pacific Northwest was briefly quarantined after five people—including two police officers and a hospital worker—experienced mysterious hallucinations from an unidentified illness believed to be spread by touch."

'via Blog this'

Friday, October 14, 2016

Valeroni: Killer Clowns from (insert town)

This has been an ongoing discussion in our house...people are dumb and the referenced law is an attack on civil liberties!


Valeroni: Killer Clowns from (insert town): "I guess it's easier to believe something absurd than to think rational. "

'via Blog this'

Friday, September 30, 2016

Is Elon Musk's Crazy Mars Plan Even Legal?

Bullshit! That would be the same as me licensing someone to breathe air in Antactica...no one on Earth has the authority to regulate what someone does on another planet.


Is Elon Musk's Crazy Mars Plan Even Legal?: "If you want to rove around on the surface, drill for precious metals, send a message back to Earth, or build a self-sustaining city, you’re going to need other licenses."

'via Blog this'

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

RE: Regulating the Cajun Navy

It's really funny(not funny) how some people will go to extremes to restrict liberty with the intention of making things easier/better.

We had a lot of people helped by "the Cajun Navy" during the flooding of 2016 in Louisiana. In case you are not familiar with the term, it was used to describe the unorganized group of civilians with personal boats who took to the flooded areas to rescue people stranded in their homes. Supposedly, some officials claimed to not want the civilians' help due to perceived liability. That did not stop the Cajun Navy from helping.

Now, Jonathan Perry, a politician from Kaplan is proposing legislation that would require anyone wanting to participate in rescue operations, similar to what the Cajun Navy did during the floods, would have to be trained, licensed, and have continuing education in those areas, at their own expense!

It seems to me that the result would be less people would want to participate just due to the hassle involved.

Mr. Perry posted a video explaining his reasoning. I have not watched it, but I cannot imagine any reasoning that would make me agree with it.

Usually when regulation is enacted, it is veiled as "for some group's safety"...when in reality, it actually is protecting or enabling another group or entity an upper hand. What are the possibilities here? Maybe someone has a rescue service and wants to be able to say all of our teams are certified...or maybe somebody has an interest in providing the training required by the regulation.

I don't know that either of these scenarios apply to the situation, but it begs the question "What is the real driver?

The other possibility is that Mr. Perry just doesn't realize that this type of regulation will almost guarantee that people will either not participate next time or will be breaking the law to rescue people. Does he really want that to happen?

Probably the best idea I have heard so far is from MACAOIDH (Scott McKay) over at The Hayride:

"If Perry really wants to promote the Cajun Navy and increase its access to disaster areas, there’s a good answer here which doesn’t involve state law at all. What we need isn’t legislation but rather a festival. If you want to keep the bureaucrats and the law enforcement control freaks from interfering with, as Dustin put it, people helping people, then let’s make the Cajun Navy a cultural phenomenon and let’s have an annual celebration of their heroism over a weekend in the middle of August every year. Let’s have it at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center or someplace similar, let’s have Bass Pro or Cabela’s bid to be the corporate sponsor of it, let’s have boat rescue safety courses or a seminar as part of the program along with chanky-chank music and jambalaya and beer and baby alligators or whatever else you want and let’s have the Cajun Navy get recognized annually as embodying our tradition of great citizenship and voluntarism."

You can read the whole article here: http://thehayride.com/2016/08/johnathan-perry-goes-to-video-explaining-his-cajun-navy-certification-idea-and-well/#ixzz4IGg8kCPq

Saturday, July 30, 2016

12 Amazing Free Plugins To Give Life To Your Mix - PSU

I haven't checked these out yet, but plan to in the near future...



12 Amazing Free Plugins To Give Life To Your Mix - PSU: "Thankfully, our DAWs are already packed full of great plugins. But sometimes it’s difficult to get the “character” we want out of them. What I mean by “character” is the way that certain pieces gear can add coloration to your tracks. For instance, if you use a vintage SSL console, you will get a certain sound due to the natural harmonics and distortion of the hardware. While it’s great that technology allows us to get a pretty much clean/un-colored sound with very little noise, sometimes it’s nice to have those extra artifacts to give life to our recordings/mixes. Luckily, we don’t need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on gear."

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Neither Charlie Hunnam Nor His Abs Will Return For Pacific Rim 2

Neither Charlie Hunnam Nor His Abs Will Return For Pacific Rim 2: "I can see the rewrite now. Charlie Hunnam will appear in a short cameo. The cameo would consist of the following scenes. Mako: The clock has reset, we have a category 2 event! Becket: We need to go now! Mako: Are you going to put a shirt on? Becket: There’s no time! (Becket runs across the screen, abs prominent) (Mako and Becket get intoGypsy Danger 2: Becket’s abs are still exposed. ) (Gypsy Danger marches out, as awesome guitar rift plays. A kaiju suddenly attacks) (Camera jostles, focuses on Becket’s abs.) Becket: It’s time to cancel this guy! Mako, Mega Zord attack number 5! Mako and Becket do a pseudo-kungfu move that looks like a series of vertical crunches, camera focuses on abs. (awesome explody C.G scene) Mako: Right, let’s finish him! (Kaiju feigns right and grabs Gypsy Dangers heads from the right. The claws sink through and evelope Becket. A finger covers his head, another his legs, camera can only see his abs.) Mako: Nooo! Becket: Kill em for me! (Set explodes as the Gypsy Danger’s head is ripped in half, the last we see of Becket is his nude torso and abs) Mako finishes off the kaiju single handedly, plot happens, and she gets all drifty and kinky with John Boyega."

'via Blog this'

Evil Dead 4 Movie Hopes Revived By Ash vs Evil Dead

Evil Dead 4 Movie Hopes Revived By Ash vs Evil Dead: "Starz presented a panel for season two of Ash vs Evil Dead, their series based on the Evil Dead films. Bruce Campbell, Lucy Lawless and producer Robert Tapert spoke with reporters in roundtables, where Tapert stated that the current focus is to produce more seasons of the TV series. However, success means a fourth movie is more likely down the line than it would have been without a TV show."

'via Blog this'

Halliburton sheds more jobs, looks to North America recovery

Halliburton sheds more jobs, looks to North America recovery: "Halliburton took a promissory note from "its primary customer" in Venezuela in exchange for $200 million of outstanding trade receivables, according to the statement. McCollum said at an investor conference last month that the company has a "need to really hit the brakes" in Venezuela because it’s not getting paid for the work being done there. The company said in May the amount it was owed in the country rose 7.4% in the first quarter to $756 million."

'via Blog this'

NEWS  |  Under May's New Government, a UK Gas Fracking Push Is Probable  |  Rigzone

NEWS  |  Under May's New Government, a UK Gas Fracking Push Is Probable  |  Rigzone: "As Theresa May’s new government prepares to take the U.K. out of the European Union, it’s likely to promote one technology shunned by most nations on the mainland - fracking. May, her predecessor David Cameron, and newly appointed members of her cabinet including former Energy Secretary Amber Rudd have supported hydraulic fracturing of Britain’s shale rock to reduce the nation’s increasing dependence on natural gas imports. May voted in line with government policy against additional regulation on exploration companies and an 18-month moratorium on the practice in 2015. Cameron’s government planned to go “all out for shale” and the new cabinet probably won’t change its view as officials are set to decide whether to approve applications to frack by companies from Cuadrilla Resources Ltd. to IGas Energy Plc.  Fracking has been banned or suspended in EU nations including France, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in Scotland and Wales. “The government policy on fracking hasn’t changed," May’s spokesman Greg Swift told reporters in response to questions about U.K. shale gas development."

'via Blog this'

Monday, July 11, 2016

NEWS  |  Oil Price Rout Slams Houston's Commercial Real Estate Market  |  Rigzone

NEWS  |  Oil Price Rout Slams Houston's Commercial Real Estate Market  |  Rigzone: "The prolonged slump in oil prices has slammed the office market in the U.S. energy industry hub of Houston, where more than 10 million square feet is available and vacancy rates are at their highest in 20 years, the real estate firm CBRE reported. Thousands of energy industry employees have lost jobs and companies have slashed their capital budgets during the steep slide in crude prices, which are still down more than 50 percent since 2014. CBRE found that 10.2 million square feet of commercial real estate was available to sublease at the end of June, as companies sought to shrink their footprint and get others to cover the terms of their leases."

'via Blog this'

Friday, July 8, 2016

Big Data Algorithms Optimize Oil Wells | Automation World

Big Data Algorithms Optimize Oil Wells | Automation World: "The global oil producing industry spends millions of dollars every week on preemptive well monitoring—sending technicians to remote sites to check wells for operational faults. Though the idea of operating oil wells with the help of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is catching on, labor costs still dominate operating expenses. Not only does the typical oil company still send field technicians out driving from well to well to regularly inspect the equipment and report back on findings, even using IIoT technologies in many cases does not resolve issues with labor costs, argues Nav Dhunay, president and CEO of Ambyint. “If you just analyze the data, all you’ve done is push the problem around,” Dhunay says, arguing that the main expense is still labor, albeit a different kind. “Now you have people staring at screens, looking at graphs, trying to understand the data. It just pushes up the labor cost.”"

'via Blog this'

Friday, June 24, 2016

Liberals Intolerant Towards Local Dork Self-Identifying As Patriotic Warrior And Constitutional Scholar | THE PUSH POLE

Liberals Intolerant Towards Local Dork Self-Identifying As Patriotic Warrior And Constitutional Scholar | THE PUSH POLE: "Liberals, who claim to practice love and tolerance of all people, decided to vilify a powerless dork incapable of shaping the country in any meaningful way.  Even though said dork’s biggest impact on society would never be more than sharing a string of regurgitated pro-gun Facebook memes ejaculated into a sea of cyber nonsense, self-important liberals decided he needed to be mercilessly mocked on social media."

'via Blog this'

Thursday, June 23, 2016

New FCC regulations may not give consumers true online privacy protection | TechCrunch

New FCC regulations may not give consumers true online privacy protection | TechCrunch: "Here’s the fundamental mistake in the way the FCC has framed the proposal. Google, Facebook, Amazon and a myriad of other “edge providers” are not covered by the eventual privacy rules that will be drafted. Their exclusion undermines the Commission’s laudable goals. There should be consistent, across the board rules for collecting and using consumer data regardless of the online company, platform, application or service being used. "

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Here are the FAA’s rules for commerical drone usage | TechCrunch

Here are the FAA’s rules for commerical drone usage | TechCrunch: "The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today published its final operational rules for the commercial use of small drones weighing under 55 pounds. These rules will guide the first major expansion of commercial drones after the FAA’s earlier limited exemption process for commercial operators. The rule also establishes a process for licensing commercial drone pilots."

'via Blog this'

Monday, June 13, 2016

This Parody Of Every TED Talk Ever Is Absolutely Perfect - Digg

This Parody Of Every TED Talk Ever Is Absolutely Perfect - Digg: "This Parody Of Every TED Talk Ever Is Absolutely Perfect 217 diggs Funny "Let's look at a picture of the planet for no reason. What happens if I put some words over it? How about a number? By doing this, I've now made you think that I know what I'm talking about.""

'via Blog this'

Friday, April 29, 2016

From TV trailblazer to IP afterthought: TiVo bought for $1.1 billion | Ars Technica

From TV trailblazer to IP afterthought: TiVo bought for $1.1 billion | Ars Technica: "Entertainment company Rovi announced that it has officially acquired DVR maker TiVo in a deal worth $1.1 billion. Rovi will pay for the deal mostly in stock at $10.70 per share, with approximately $277 million to be paid in cash at $2.75 per share. Rovi's CEO Tom Carson will continue to run the company, although it will now assume the "iconic TiVo brand" as its name."

'via Blog this'

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

5 New Cajun Reality Shows Airing This Fall | THE PUSH POLE

This is fucking hilarious!

"The chief export of Louisiana (besides oil and NFL talent) is reality TV shows. America can’t get enough of that spicy Cajun flavor, and they need it zapped straight into their brains through the airwaves. With demand at an all time high, five new Cajun-themed reality shows will be airing later this year. Below is a list of these exciting new programs."


5 New Cajun Reality Shows Airing This Fall | THE PUSH POLE:


'via Blog this'

Monday, April 4, 2016

Senator: let’s fix “third-party doctrine” that enabled NSA mass snooping | Ars Technica

Senator: let’s fix “third-party doctrine” that enabled NSA mass snooping | Ars Technica: "Let’s take some of these devices one by one. As your readers know, for weeks now we’ve been told that there is going to be a Burr-Feinstein bill in the United States Senate that in fact would be a piece of legislation that would, in effect, mandate that a private company weaken the security of their products so they would be to comply with a court order. The first thing that I want to do as part of our strategy is to block that legislation. And I’m going to argue that it should be blocked on the grounds that it will weaken the security of millions of Americans. The second thing that I want to do after we block that bill is pass affirmative legislation that I’ve introduced called the Secure Data Act, where we wouldn’t be talking about blocking legislation, but talking about affirmative action to ensure the security of the data of millions of Americans. So those would clearly be two steps that would be very relevant to today’s discussion. Beyond that, with respect to the third-party doctrine. I think that when people enter into a private business relationship, they don’t expect that that’s going to be public. And particularly now in an age of digital services I think it’s important that that law be re-written: that law stems from a decision that’s decades old. And I’m encouraged that even people like Justice Sotomayor thinks it ought to be rewritten. So that’s the third area."

'via Blog this'

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Oilpro.com founder indicted for hacking Rigzone - Fuel Fix

Ruh-Roh...!

Oilpro.com founder indicted for hacking Rigzone - Fuel Fix: "The founder of the Houston-based Oilpro.com networking website was indicted Wednesday for allegedly hacking Rigzone, a competitor that he created and later sold. David W. Kent, 40, of Spring, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit computer hacking and wire fraud for allegedly stealing information from more than 700,000 customer accounts in order to build up Oilpro’s network. He then recently tried to sell Oilpro, which he created in 2013, to Rigzone’s parent company, New York-based DHI Group, using beefed-up membership numbers, according to a U.S. Department of Justice’s statement. Kent founded Rigzone in 2000 with his father and sold it in 2010 for about $51 million to DHI. Kent left Rigzone one year after the sale. Oilpro, which was offline Thursday, is touted as a professional network for oil and gas professionals — essentially LinkedIn for the energy sector. Rigzone features oil and gas information as well as details on jobs in Houston and worldwide. The investigation and arrest were led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manhattan-based U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. “Instead of relinquishing control of his former company, subject David Kent continued to illegally access data and information from his former business to help benefit a competing business he formed after the sale,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriquez said in a prepared statement. “Unauthorized access to a protected computer system is a federal crime,” he added. “The FBI will investigate and bring to justice criminal actors who commit computer intrusions, whether the unauthorized access is to a personal computer or a corporate server.”"

'via Blog this'

Monday, March 28, 2016

A graphene patch that monitors and possibly treats diabetes | Ars Technica

A graphene patch that monitors and possibly treats diabetes | Ars Technica: "The device is activated when a sufficient amount of sweat is detected. Although diabetes is associated with blood glucose levels, studies have actually shown that these levels can be estimated from precise measurements of sweat glucose concentrations. The readings from the device exhibited a lag time that is consistent with results from previous investigations of sweat glucose (meaning that there's a consistent delay between changes in blood levels and when those changes show up in the sweat). The device contains the enzyme glucose oxidase, which is able to oxidize glucose and form hydrogen peroxide in the process. The hydrogen peroxide is then involved in another chemical reaction that results in noticeable electrochemical changes, which the glucose and pH sensors measure. The patch can be connected to a portable electrochemical analyzer that has a dual function: power source and wireless data transmitter. The device is rather user-friendly; the data can be easily sent to a smartphone or tablet."

'via Blog this'

SMBC Funny: The Scientific Happiness Fairy!

I am pretty sure the Scientific Happiness Fairy has already visited most of the US and taken away 92.837% of the population's will to achieve...

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal:

'via Blog this'

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Being Emotional Isn't a Form of Debate | Intellectual Takeout

Being Emotional Isn't a Form of Debate | Intellectual Takeout: "“It has become clear, for example, that we are suffering the tragic results of having cut logic and rhetoric from the standard college curriculum. When I say ‘logic,’ I’m not talking about modern ‘symbolic logic,’ which was an attempt to replace ordinary language with mathematical symbols. Nor am I talking about that diffuse, abstract thing called ‘critical thinking.’ We need the logic of ordinary language. And then we need our students to understand the nature and character, the strengths and weaknesses, of classical rhetoric. We need them to distinguish good arguments from bad, valid inferences from invalid, and we need them to recognize various rhetorical appeals and appreciate them for what they are or discount them for what they are not. A critical mass of the citizenry must once more come to recognize basic argumentative fallacies, value logical consistency, and prize the fine art of Socratic dialogue.”"

'via Blog this'

Friday, March 11, 2016

Halliburton-Baroid Selected for OTC 2016 Spotlight Award

Hey! Guess what?!? We got an award! This is for our automated Real Time Density and Rheology Unit. This is some of the stuff I have been working on for the last 5 years.

OTC picks 2016 Spotlight winners - OE Digital:

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), which takes place 2–5 May 2016 in Houston, announces that 13 technologies will receive the 2016 Spotlight on New Technology Award. The awards will be presented at 1600 hours, 2 May, in the NRG Center Rotunda Lobby.
The Spotlight on New Technology Awards—a program for OTC exhibitors—showcases the latest and most advanced hardware and software technologies that are leading the industry into the future.
Spotlight Winners for 2016:
  • AFGlobal Corporation, producer of Riser Gas Handling (RGH) System
  • Baker Hughes, producer of Integrity eXplorer Cement Evaluation Service
  • FMC Technologies, producer of InLine ElectroCoalescer (IEC)
  • GE Oil & Gas, producer of SeaPrime I Subsea MUX BOP Control System
  • Halliburton, producer of BaraLogix Density and Rheology Unit (DRU)
  • Lankhorst Ropes, producer of LankoDeep - Soft Rope Systems
  • Oceaneering International, producer of Remote Piloting and Automated Control Technology
  • OES Oilfield Services Group, producer of DOPP
  • OneSubsea, producer of OneSubsea AquaWatcher Water Analysis Sensor
  • OneSubsea, producer of OneSubsea HyFleX Subsea Tree System
  • SkoFlo Industries, producer of Subsea Back Pressure Regulator Valve
  • Teledyne Oil & Gas, producer of Electrical Optical Flying Lead (EOFL)

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Mac & Cheese Nation Electric Mac & Cheese Maker | www.kotulas.com | Free Shipping

Do we REALLY NEED an electric Mac N Cheese maker?




Mac & Cheese Nation Electric Mac & Cheese Maker | www.kotulas.com | Free Shipping: "This Mac & Cheese Nation electric mac & cheese maker is the all-in-one perfect mac & cheese cooker. This handy appliance is for you if you've ever found yourself at a buffet filled with fare such as standing rib roast; exotic fowl under glass; fancy vegetables sautéed, pureed, and julienned; and haute couture pastries of international renown, yet you've searched frantically for mac & cheese. You are a mac & cheese national. The quicker way to cook your favorite store-bought, boxed cuisine, this convenient unit features a built-in strainer to drain water in seconds, so you can add cheese ingredients through a handy slot and stir them with an ergonomic handle. An ideal gift for a college student whose priorities are in order, or for a family of well-established mac & cheese nationals. 3 settings: low, boil and simmer. Includes recipes for homemade mac & cheese, too. 8.65in.L x 7.5in.W x 8in.H. Bon appetit!"

'via Blog this'

Friday, February 26, 2016

DRM defeaters defeated? SlySoft ceases operations | Ars Technica

DRM defeaters defeated? SlySoft ceases operations | Ars Technica: "In a cryptic message posted on its website, SlySoft, a company that made several applications devoted to defeating DRM schemes, announced that it has shut down. “Due to recent regulatory requirements we have had to cease all activities relating to SlySoft Inc.,” reads the brief message. “We wish to thank our loyal customers/clients for their patronage over the years.”"

'via Blog this'

Monday, February 22, 2016

The Drink of Viking Warlords Could Help Fight Disease

The Drink of Viking Warlords Could Help Fight Disease: "The post-antibiotic future sounds terrifying, but here’s one upside you didn’t imagine: swilling Viking crunk juice to stay alive. New research suggests that mead, the vitality drink of gods and berserkers alike, was a potent medicine in ancient times. And with science, we can make it even better."

'via Blog this'

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Breakthrough: Scientists detect Einstein-predicted ripples - FOX 8 WVUE New Orleans News, Weather, Sports, Social

Breakthrough: Scientists detect Einstein-predicted ripples - FOX 8 WVUE New Orleans News, Weather, Sports, Social: " In an announcement that electrified the world of astronomy, scientists said Thursday that they have finally detected gravitational waves, the ripples in the fabric of space-time that Einstein predicted a century ago. MORE Scientists in Louisiana detect gravitational waves, 100 years after Einstein's prediction Scientists have made the first-ever detection of ripples in space, known as gravitational waves, from the collision of two black holes in the distant universe, officials announced Thursday morning.   The waves were first detected at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, LIGO, in Livingston, Louisiana.   The waves were detected on Sept. 14, 2015 by both LIGO Observatories in Livingston and Washington state. According to a news release, the detection of the gravitational waves confirms a major prediction of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, 100 years after that theory was published.   Based on their detections, LIGO scientists estimate the two black holes were 29 and 36 times the mass of the sun and the collision took place 1.3 billion years ago.  According to scientists, the collision of the black holes form a single black hole, converting a portion of the hole's mass into energy.  That energy is emitted as a final burst of gravitational radiation.  Some scientists likened the breakthrough to the moment Galileo took up a telescope to look at the planets. The discovery of these waves, created by violent collisions in the universe, excites astronomers because it opens the door to a new way of observing the cosmos. For them, it's like turning a silent movie into a talkie because these waves are the soundtrack of the cosmos. "Until this moment we had our eyes on the sky and we couldn't hear the music," said Columbia University astrophysicist Szabolcs Marka, a member of the discovery team. "The skies will never be the same." An all-star international team of astrophysicists used a newly upgraded and excruciatingly sensitive $1.1 billion instrument known as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, to detect a gravitational wave from the distant crash of two black holes, one of the ways these ripples are created."

'via Blog this'

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Halliburton Said to Plan Sale of Baker's Offshore Fluids Unit - Bloomberg Business

Halliburton Said to Plan Sale of Baker's Offshore Fluids Unit - Bloomberg Business: "Almost 16 months after announcing its takeover of oilfield services rival Baker Hughes Inc., Halliburton Co. is adding yet more assets to the list of businesses it plans to sell to appease antitrust regulators who’ve been stalling the deal. Halliburton plans to divest Baker’s offshore drilling-and-completions fluids division and the bulk of Baker’s completion systems, according to people familiar with the matter. The units join two other batches of overlapping business lines that Halliburton has said it will sell to assuage the U.S. Department of Justice’s concerns that the deal will hurt competition."

'via Blog this'

Monday, February 1, 2016

Houma Residents React To Brown Water | THE PUSH POLE

The PushPole is hilarious...Especially the latest post! They even end it with the No BS Truth about the situation.

Here are a couple of my favorite parts:






Houma Residents React To Brown Water | THE PUSH POLE: "The Truth: When installing new lines, water flows around the distribution system at velocities and directions it normally didn’t in the past. This causes lots of sediment (which has already been disinfected) to break free and get into circulation. Now, that gunk is coming to a faucet near you, and there isn’t much you can do about it. It has to make its way out of the system somehow, and hopefully it will be out soon.  The good news is that Terrebonne Parish has got some new water lines, and judging by the amount of gunk in the old ones, we really needed them. You can read more about what’s going on here."

'via Blog this'

Monday, January 25, 2016

SMBC Funny: An Alternative Path to Idiocracy!

Driverless Cars!

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal:

'via Blog this'

Investors, Issue 1099s NOW: Here's Who Needs to Receive Them

Investors, Issue 1099s NOW: Here's Who Needs to Receive Them: "The rule is that if you paid someone more than $600 during the 2015 year, then you may need to issue a 1099 to them. One common misunderstanding is that the $600 rule is by vendor, not by check amount. For example, let’s say you have a plumber that you call out to one of your rentals a few times a year. If each time he comes out he charges $300 and he came out a total of three times that year, then the total you paid your plumber is $900. In this scenario, you may need to issue him a 1099 since the total you paid him during the year is more than $600."

'via Blog this'