Random News Stories

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_world_/2013/10/15/new_snowden_documents_the_nsa_is_collecting_millions_of_address_books_and.html

Oh my GOD, how I love unintended consequences! This is brilliant! Of course it would be Spam that is the last defender of privacy in America. Like herpes, much-loathed and quite inconvenient yet ultimately, fairly harmless and may end up holding the key to the HIV vaccine.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Speaking of which http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/news_events/news/2013/09-11-ohsu-vaccine-candidate-a.cfm

[LMNO]

I'm really hoping someone called this in the "Original Story Ideas" thread. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Which one, Spam saving privacy or herpes curing AIDS?

Really, both are pretty poetic.

[Junkenstein]

HA HA
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/uneven-enforcement-suspected-nuclear-plants-20578893

The number of safety violations at U.S. nuclear power plants varies dramatically from region to region, pointing to inconsistent enforcement in an industry now operating mostly beyond its original 40-year licenses, according to a congressional study awaiting release.

HA HA HA

The study also says that the NRC's West region may enforce the rules more aggressively and that common corporate ownership of multiple plants may help bolster maintenance in the Southeast.

However, the reasons aren't fully understood because the NRC has never fully studied them, the report says. Right now, its authors wrote, the "NRC cannot ensure that oversight efforts are objective and consistent.

"I believe the oversight process is totally arbitrary," said Paul Blanch, an engineer who once blew the whistle on problems from within the industry and later returned to work on safety. He also said the NRC isn't providing consistent training to inspectors and regional staff. Blanch was made aware of the GAO findings by the AP.

The report also indicates that some regulators may be missing small problems or giving them short shrift, safety experts said. And they said little violations can pile up and interact with one another to create bigger risks.

"Any time you start tolerating minor problems, you're just setting the stage for major safety problems down the road," said nuclear engineer David Lochbaum of the Union of Concerned Scientists. He once trained NRC staff

So that's just great. BET BET BET on the location of the US version of Chernobyl.

[Junkenstein]

The important missing words here are "Child pornography"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24563683

Gloria de Piero, the shadow minister for women and equalities, has accused a news agency of trying to obtain topless pictures of her taken when she was 15.

In a blog post, the Labour MP said the agency claimed to be acting on behalf of a national newspaper and was offering thousands of pounds to people who might have copies of the pictures.

She would find it "humiliating" if they were published, she told the BBC.

She had grown up in poverty and had posed topless for the money, she added.

"It's part of me, it's part of my life, it's part of my story," she told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.

We live in an era where kids are told that "sexting" could get you child pornography charges. We also live in an era where you can try and find topless photos of a 15 year old and not be considered a paedophile.

If anyone is able to explain to me how trying to obtain these photos (And actively stating you are after photos of a topless child) is not a crime, please do because I can't figure it out at all.

"There are reasons why I thought that they might be a way out for me, but I would respectfully say that I hope they are not published.

"I would find it embarrassing, humiliating."

Not to mention that publishing said photos would violate a number of laws. Resulting in substantial jail terms. For distributing child porn.

I know I'm harping on that a bit, but it seems to be rather a big deal that's being totally overlooked.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The nuclear plant issue has been in the making for a long time now. It's such a fucking trainwreck. There's tons of nuclear waste with no permanent home because nobody thought ahead that far, too, and don't be surprised when you read about unreported leaks in temporary storage sites, which I'm sure about because basically ALL the storage at Hanford is leaking and they don't really know what to do with it.

Yay.

[Salty]

The more things change...

http://www.elpasotimes.com/latestnews/ci_24307860/el-paso-police-release-name-man-who-died?IADID=Search-www.elpasotimes.com-www.elpasotimes.com

Why do I always find things that make other people so sad, but makes me just give this dry
chuckle and the assertion that, no matter what, you can't trust the white devil.

[Telarus]

Boy Scout Leaders kill a "Golbin", may face federal felony charges. (Ook Ook)

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24335439/boy-scout-leaders-destroy-ancient-formation-utahs-goblin

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Boy Scout Leaders kill a "Golbin", may face federal felony charges. (Ook Ook)

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24335439/boy-scout-leaders-destroy-ancient-formation-utahs-goblin

Saw that last night.

They should have got underneath it first.  Pigfuckers.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Boy Scout Leaders kill a "Golbin", may face federal felony charges. (Ook Ook)

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24335439/boy-scout-leaders-destroy-ancient-formation-utahs-goblin

What a bunch of fucking morons. "Let's go to this park named for a particular type of really cool formation and knock one over".

[Aucoq]

Boy Scout Leaders kill a "Golbin", may face federal felony charges. (Ook Ook)

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24335439/boy-scout-leaders-destroy-ancient-formation-utahs-goblin

Ugh.

http://news.yahoo.com/man-toppled-ancient-rock-suing-disability-183757302--abc-news-topstories.html

However Taylor is now facing additional scrutiny after it was revealed that he filed a suit claiming he has he endured "great pain and suffering, disability, impairment, loss of life" stemming from a 2009 car accident, according to ABC News affiliate KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City, Utah.

According to KTVX, Taylor said in the documents he has incurred an estimated $5,000 in medical related expenses.

Alan Macdonald, who is being sued by Taylor because it was his daughter who hit Taylor's car, told KTVX that he was "highly offended" by Taylor's actions.

"Somebody with a bad back who is disabled who can't enjoy life to me doesn't step up and push a rock right off its base," Macdonald said.

Calls to a number listed in Taylor's name and to his attorney were not immediately returned.

The dictionary definition of a scumbag, in my opinion.

[Junkenstein]

UK continues to ape the US

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-24666591

A 3D printer and suspected "homemade" gun components have been seized during police raids in Manchester.

A plastic magazine and trigger, which detectives suspect could be fitted together to make a firearm, were found in Wythenshawe on Thursday.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said forensic experts were assessing whether the parts could make a viable gun.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of making gunpowder and remains in custody.

You may recall the first 3d printed gun fired earlier in the year. I would suspect there's a lot more of these already in circulation than you'd expect.

It's a nice little justification for arming our police force though. Anyone could have a gun now so the police need them to protect themselves from us.  Expect to see a consistent rise in police shootings over the next few years.

[Junkenstein]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/24651576

The world's tallest dog has died at the age of seven at his home in Tucson, Arizona.

Giant George weighed more than 17.5 stone (111kg) and was able to reach a height of 7ft 3in (2.2m) standing on his hind legs.

For some reason, the location does not surprise me.

[Junkenstein]

HAHAHA

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24672344

The chief executive at Serco, a security firm at the centre of an overcharging scandal, has resigned.

Outgoing boss Chris Hyman said the best way for the company to move forward "is for me to step back".

Serco is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) after claims it had overcharged the government by "tens of millions" of pounds for electronic tags for criminals.

The government welcomed the news, describing it as a "positive move".

In July, Justice Secretary Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said an audit had revealed a "significant anomaly in the billing practices" of both Serco and G4S.

Mr Grayling said that since 2005, the companies had in some cases been charging for tagging offenders who were in prison, had left the country or were even dead.

No new contracts are being awarded to either of the firms until the audit is completed, the government said in September.

The head of G4S, Richard Morris, stepped down on Thursday.

Business as usual in the UK. A couple of token resignations and promises that "this will never happen again" and award them shiny new contracts to fuck up in new and interesting ways. FFS, UK governments consistently failed to learn these kind of lessons with Capita so expect the final fraud bill to be in excess of £100 Million+ with nothing to show for it and minimal (by which I mean no) recourse.

Edit to correct idiot typo.