Motion-Induced Blindness

This is also true for looking for auto traffic….

This is a great illustration of what we were taught about scanning outside the cockpit when I went through training back in the ’50s. We were told to scan the horizon for a short distance, stop momentarily, and repeat the process. I can remember being told why this was the most effective technique to locate other aircraft. It was emphasized repeatedly to not fix your gaze for more than a couple of seconds on any single object. The instructors, some of whom were WWII veterans with years of experience, instructed us to continually “keep our eyes moving and our head on a swivel” because this was the best way to survive, not only in combat, but from peacetime hazards (like a midair collision) as well.

We basically had to take the advice on faith (until we could experience for ourselves) because the technology to demonstrate it didn’t exist at that time. Click on the link below for a demonstration …

http://www.msf-usa.org/motion.html

NHK World (English-Language)

Says coldwarrior:

For actual earthquake reporting, and to bypass the western media spin on the reactor story (just in case some of yinz don’t have the link):

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/index.html

They stream the news and news conferences with instant English translation.

No spin, just news and interviews with people that are actually qualified to answer reactor questions.

Depending on your browser settings, you may need to authorize it to run an ActiveX process in order to see and hear the streaming video.

While I was listening to the streaming video, the announcer suggested that those wishing to donate search for the Japanese Red Cross website. Here it is:

Japanese Red Cross Society – Earthquake Donations

NHK World mobile phone site: http://k.nhk.jp/daily/

Update:

(Subbed) Nuclear Boy うんち・おならで例える原発解説
(h/t: Robomonkey)

From Japan, in their own inimitable style, comes the video “Nuclear Boy” by media artist Kazuhiko Hachiya providing commentary on the status of the Fukushima nuclear reactor.

Is central US prepared for a major earthquake?

While earthquakes sometimes kill people directly through mudslides and flooding, most earthquake deaths are actually caused by collapsing infrastructure; hence the oft-repeated statement, “Earthquakes don’t kill people, bad buildings do.” The earthquake body count, and the depth and breadth of hardship and economic disruption, depend on the level of earthquake preparedness. Up-to-date and well-enforced building codes, appropriate infrastructure, and well-equipped disaster response teams minimize the impact of earthquakes.

Windybon recently commented on another forum, comparing the January 12, 2010 magnitude 7 earthquake in Haiti to the February 27, 2010 magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Chile:

Yes, that’s huge, but you’re going to see the difference between a country that is prepared for earthquakes (Chile) and one that isn’t (Haiti).

I replied:

The central U.S. isn’t.

I’m wondering what will happen when stresses that have accumulated around the New Madrid fault zone erupt again, either directly on the fault itself or elsewhere in the central US.

The central US terrain transmits seismic forces a considerable distance, so that any major earthquake could cause widespread destruction. There are natural gas pipelines, densely populated areas, and busy transportation corridors, including the Mississippi River itself, close to the fault zone. Much of the infrastructure has not been earthquake-hardened.

The 1811-1812 earthquakes were fearsome, but caused comparatively little damage, owing to the sparse population and almost nonexistent infrastructure in the region at that time.

New Madrid Seismic Zone

1812 New Madrid Earthquake

Uncovering Hidden Hazards in the Mississippi Valley

St. Louis University Earthquake Center

Southern Illinois University New Madrid Earthquake Information Pages

Fastac 6‘s reply was telling:

Say goodbye to Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. None built for quakes, whatever that really means.

New Madrid fault is the basis for the 2011 national disaster drill. As a planner, let me be the first to say: we’d all be f—-d. A “Katrina level” event, and then some.

The lessons of history

Indeed, Chile has made the effort to prepare itself for seismic activity following the catastrophic magnitude 9.5 Valdivia earthquake in 1960, which is the strongest earthquake yet recorded. The epicenter of the Valdivia quake was not far from that of the 2010 quake, which was just offshore of the Maule Region.

When it comes to earthquakes, history does tend to repeat itself, though not always on a predictable time frame. There is evidence of a previous severe earthquake and flood in Valdivia in 1575, and of several subsequent, somewhat lesser earthquakes.

“What, me worry?”

It’s human nature to look for excuses to ignore situations that are difficult to deal with. The Cleveland Plain Dealer article, New Madrid fault no problem, geophysicists Seth Stein and Eric Calais say, reports that these two scientists claim that the New Madrid fault is shutting down, so that it isn’t worth the expense to strengthen the infrastructure in the fault zone. But other scientists warn that Stein and Calais base their conclusion on too little evidence:

“Politicians don’t get re-elected spending lots of money on an event that may not happen in the next 50 years — until Katrina,” said geologist Gary Patterson of the University of Memphis’ Center for Earthquake Research and Information, known as CERI. “That absolutely changed the paradigm.”

The New Madrid situation is further complicated by the lack of scientific agreement on what the new findings mean.

“I’d hate to stick my own neck out and say there’s not going to be [another] earthquake” in the fault zone, said seismologist and CERI director Charles Langston. “That’s really a radical statement, based on a piece of data that has other interpretations.”

…

Other scientists aren’t convinced Stein and Calais are right about the New Madrid. Several note that GPS readings in China showed similarly slight intraplate movements before the devastating Sichuan quake last August, which killed 69,000.

Yes, worry!

A careful reading of that same article reveals that Stein and Calais never actually claimed that there is no earthquake risk, but rather, that the seismic action could occur in the nearby Wabash fault zone instead of on the New Madrid fault itself:

Assuming Stein and Calais are right, where might the New Madrid strain migrate? What fault system would be the next to switch on, and when? The researchers don’t know.

“One would think that the most likely place is to move up north into either southern Illinois or southern Indiana,” Stein said. He and Calais are working with other researchers on a computer model that may help show what’s going on.

As the above map suggests, that’s certainly close enough for discomfort to major populated areas and transportation corridors. I am not a seismologist, but I would suggest that the seismic risk warrants further investigation in both the New Madrid and Wabash fault regions.

So any way you slice it, there’s a significant seismic risk in the central US, and residents and business owners in those states need to think about how to cope with it.

Federal boondoggles bleed money and attention away from real priorities

Not long ago, the New Madrid fault enjoyed a brief flurry of attention in the media and the trade press. I remember seeing a very informative show, part of the Mega-Disasters series on The History Channel, about present-day seismic dangers in the New Madrid fault zone. But as of this writing, only a cursory mention of the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquake – and no mention of the Mega-Disasters episode – is on their website.

The July 2007 issue of TVPPA News, which describes itself as the magazine for electric system management in the Tennessee Valley, featured an article entitled “New Madrid: Is the Valley Quake-Ready?”

When Don Drumm and several of his TVA colleagues dealt with a New Madrid fault earthquake late last year, it was only a drill. The consequence of the real thing, he said, could be described with one word. “I wouldn’t call it catastrophic,” he said. “I’d call it cataclysmic.”

As far as I have been able to determine, earthquake preparedness in the New Madrid zone has departed from the public’s radar screen. Little or nothing is being said about it at present. One obvious reason is that the pre-Climategate campaign against “global warming,” the current economic depression, and the misnamed “economic stimulus” tax-and-spend program, have bled away both attention and available funds.

With all the deceptive fanfare about the “economic stimulus money” that was supposed to be spent on “shovel-ready infrastructure projects” throughout the US, I have heard absolutely no mention whatsoever of any plans to strengthen the buildings, highways, rail corridors, fuel pipelines, and other infrastructure in the vicinity of New Madrid. Taxpayers’ money is being squandered on all manner of ridiculous, irrelevant, and counterproductive causes and beneficiaries – everything from bailing out Wall Street arch-criminals to nonexistent “green jobs” to crippling what’s left of domestic industry by enacting draconian regulations against “global warming.” There was never any intention of allowing states and cities, much less private companies and organizations, to set their own priorities regarding how best to prepare for the future.

Crying wolf

As readers of my other blog already know, the recent “Climategate” scandal has eroded the credibility of the scientific community in general. The long and the short of it is that the “powers that be” in the scientific community have been caught “crying wolf” for several decades. So when scientists tell us to account for seismic risks in our plans to build or upgrade infrastructure in the central US, it’s no surprise that financially beleaguered cities, states, contractors, utility companies, and other corporations and organizations ignore their warnings and go on with “business as usual.”

The answer? State sovereignty and local privatization

We need to oust the federal government from control over our finances, our commerce (including, but not limited to, health care), and our disaster preparedness. At the VERY least, we need a Constitutional amendment to repeal the flagrantly abused “commerce clause.” I do not believe that this is enough. I see the need for dismantling the federal government once and for all, in much the same way as the former Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact was dissolved. The federal government has failed in all of the duties for which it was originally formed. Even the smallest of the individual States are big enough to take care of themselves. It’s time for a new “velvet divorce” – stateside version. The way to get there without bloodshed is by educating people, and that is what this blog aims to do.

Watch this space for more on this topic!

Dixie flag flies as a symbol of liberty as the Berlin Wall comes down

New U.S. TSA rules take effect New Year’s Day 2008

In a nutshell: You will no longer be able to pack spare batteries in checked baggage, but, within limits, you will be allowed to pack spare batteries in carry-on baggage. Most lithium batteries for consumer electronic devices such as laptops and video cameras will meet the restrictions. But large, professional-grade batteries may exceed the limits; if you have any doubts, call the manufacturer before you pack your devices for travel.

Don’t Lose Your Batteries to Airport Security!

By Gary Krakow, TheStreet.com – 12/29/2007 10:34 AM EST

If you’re one of the millions of airline travelers who carry spare lithium laptop, cell phone and camera batteries with you, listen up: The government has some new rules which go into effect on New Year’s Day.

Fortunately, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is not worried about the batteries installed in your devices, be it an iPhone or laptop. Those are safe to bring along with you on the plane in your carry-on bag.

But the TSA is worried about loose, spare batteries. These are batteries with uncovered electrical contacts, which, if touched by other metal objects could cause an explosion and fire during a flight. So, the agency wants to make sure that any spare lithium batteries you take with you on your flight meet its new standards.

From the DOT Safe Travel site:

Effective January 1, 2008, the following rules apply to the spare lithium batteries you carry with you in case the battery in a device runs low:

• Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare batteries.
• You may not pack a spare lithium battery in your checked baggage
• You may bring spare lithium batteries with you in carry-on baggage – see our spare battery tips and how-to sections to find out how to pack spare batteries safely!
• Even though we recommend carrying your devices with you in carry-on baggage as well, if you must bring one in checked baggage, you may check it with the batteries installed.

The following quantity limits apply to both your spare and installed batteries. The limits are expressed in grams of “equivalent lithium content.” 8 grams of equivalent lithium content is approximately 100 watt-hours. 25 grams is approximately 300 watt-hours:

• Under the new rules, you can bring batteries with up to 8-gram equivalent lithium content. All lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below 8 gram equivalent lithium content. Nearly all laptop computers also are below this quantity threshold.
• You can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold. Examples of two types of lithium ion batteries with equivalent lithium content over 8 grams but below 25 are shown below.
• For a lithium metal battery, whether installed in a device or carried as a spare, the limit on lithium content is 2 grams of lithium metal per battery.
• Almost all consumer-type lithium metal batteries are below 2 grams of lithium metal. But if you are unsure, contact the manufacturer!

Click here for more information and useful photos.

Show your gratitude to US troops!

The Gratitude Campaign

Click on the logo to visit the site and learn more!

(H/T: Reaganite; posted on 1389 Blog and Fort Hard Knox)

For even more ways to support US troops, see:

FHK SitRep 12.15.07: How do we say we Love our Troops this Christmas? Let us count the ways….

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Visit Foehammer’s Anvil to learn why!

(Posted by mobile phone)

From the America Supports You Website
(US Department of Defense):

THE ASY THANKS CAMPAIGN

This holiday season, America Supports You is giving you a new way to send your thanks to the troops – by text message! When you send your message of thanks to 89279 (TXASY) between November 17th and 22nd, you’ll receive a special thanks in return. Also, we’ll be displaying those messages on our ASY Thanks widget far and wide across the internet. Just another way that you can support our brave military men and women around the world…

You can also send an email!

Do you have a blog, MySpace page, or other website?

Visit the ASY site and get the code to install the widget on your site. The widget comes from an official US military site, free from malware. And it’s easy to do!

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Send a soldier or a veteran a message of thanks, today or any day!

Email Our Military

Stein hoist to Dayngr!

(Posted by mobile phone)

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Saudis and Sickle Cell: Breaking Under “Takesser”

From the article:

In the United States people are often surprised when they learn that a person who is not African American has sickle cell disease. The disease originated in at least 4 places in Africa and in the Indian/Saudi Arabian subcontinent. It exists in all countries of Africa and in areas where Africans have migrated. The transatlantic slave trade was largely responsible for introducing the sickle cell gene into the Americas and the Caribbean. However, sickle cell disease had already spread from Africa to Southern Europe by the time of the slave trade, so it is present in Portuguese, Spaniards, French Corsicans, Sardinians, Sicilians, mainland Italians, Greeks, Turks and Cypriots. Sickle cell disease appears in most of the Near and Middle East countries including Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Yemen. Sickle-cell in the western part of Saudia is similar to the type that shows up in Africa however, the type of sickle-cell in Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia is called the “Indian” sickle-cell mutation and is thought to have been introduced from/to the sub-continent via ancient maritime trade routes hundreds of years ago.

Ironically, another study claims the reason sickle-cell has spread across so many diverse populations has everything to do with MALARIA. They propose that because people with sickle-cell are protected from malaria, they lived longer than their sickle-cell-free brethren in areas with high incidences of malaria enabling them to reproduce more thus, passing on their malaria-free though, sickle-cell tainted blood to their children. Judging by pictures like this of old Al-Hassa and how my house is filled with mosquitoes every winter during the “wet” season, I can go along with this theory as I imagine malaria used to be a big problem here.

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That radio-controlled toy may not be what it seems!

1389 Blog recently ran an article, They’re talking about a how-to video that you will NOT find on this blog! about the infamous Goose Creek Pipe Bomb Boys. One of them, Ahmed Mohamed, had made a terrorist-training video showing how to use a radio-controlled toy boat to make a remote-controlled bomb. This article connected some dots to let you know what you need to look for to keep yourself, your family, and your community safe.

Recently, the folks at Global Incident Map posted a notice, USA Airport Security Alert for Toys with Remotes. In a nutshell, although radio-controlled toys are not prohibited on aircraft at this time, passengers carrying such toys will be subject to additional screening:

Citing ‘credible specific information’ about terror tactics, Transportation Security Administration officers nationwide on Monday stepped up their scrutiny of passengers carrying remote-control toys aboard airplanes…

• TuscaloosaNews.com – Airport Security Alert for Toys With Remotes
• The Coloradoan – Airport security steps up searches; this time aimed at children’s toys

Do you enjoy RC toys? Here’s what you need to know to stay safe!

Radio-controlled toys should be good, safe fun for both children and adults. While it is disgusting enough that anybody would set off bombs as an act of terrorism, it is truly sick to put a bomb into a toy.

According to the article in The Coloradoan, an innocent person’s remote controller could accidentally trigger a remote bomb planted by a terrorist.

Remote controls on toys and items such as garage-door openers transmit radio waves and can be converted to crude detonators, though sophisticated terrorists shun them, said aviation security consultant Rich Roth, a former Secret Service agent. Such a bomb could be detonated prematurely, thus defeating a terrorist’s plans, he said.

“The problem has always been that there are so many kids with toys out there that if some kid fires up a toy and sets off a (terrorist) bomb, that’s not good,” Roth said.

So here are the take-home lessons for EVERYONE:

• Do not turn on the remote controller for any of your own radio-controlled toys in a public place. This is especially important in and around airports, train stations, buses, and other transportation facilities. You don’t want to affect anything else that might be using the same frequency.
• If you notice anything that looks like a radio-controlled toy left unattended outdoors or in a public place – use caution. Radio-controlled toys are fairly expensive and people normally don’t abandon them. Ask around to see if anybody knows whose it is and how it got there. If there isn’t a good reason for it being there, consider it a suspicious object and call the local authorities to check it out. Don’t just absent-mindedly touch it or push it aside. Take care not to step on it or run over it with your vehicle!
• If you see something, say something! Keep your eyes open for any type of terrorist-training or jihadist-recruitment videos when you’re exploring YouTube or other Internet video hosting services. Notify the video hosting service and the appropriate authorities. See the Reference Material resource page on 1389 Blog for specific information about where to report suspicious activities.

More news about the Goose Creek pipe bomb boys:

• Tampa Tribune: Megahed Essays Praise US (taqiyya…)
• Gateway Pundit: Goose Creek Terror-Brother Filmed Sending Hand Signals! (Video)
• http://1389blog.com/2007/09/15/today-were-going-to-send-you-away-from-our-blog/

  …To visit these other sites!

  

  Antijihadist 24×7: We need a break, but we never get to take one.

  Are you a blogger? Do you suffer from blogger burnout?

  • Blogging: Worse than transfats? has a funny PSA on what to do about it!
  • Here is the original, low-res version of this comical, yet oddly true-to-life, e-pamphlet. It appeared on the nonist, which is a beautifully designed art/photo/history site. But if you’re afraid of spiders, the nonist blog post for 9/15/07 is about a giant spider web!
  • Also see Are You a Blogaholic?

  Hungry for inspiration?

  • Read Miracle in Lebanon – High Holidays with Aish, and you’ll see some of the reasons why we have so much respect for Israel and for the Jewish people. It’s an amazing story.

  Just plain hungry?

  • The Fresh Loaf is a huge website all about bread and baking. Yum! They have a news aggregator, bread baking lessons, all sorts of things. Their email address is at the very bottom of their webpage.
  • Hmmm…that gives me an idea. Since The Fresh Loaf is a news aggregator, would any of you readers like to write to The Fresh Loaf and tell them about the problems with SonicWALL censorware on the Panera Bread WiFi?

  Into geography? The Northwest Passage may exist after all.

  • The explorers of old searched for centuries to find the fabled Northwest Passage from Europe to Asia by water. They never found it, because no such passage existed at that time. But that’s about to change.

    What we call “global warming” is part of a natural cycle, and it isn’t all bad. This article, Northwest Passage Ice Shrinks to New Low, explains that melting of the Arctic ice pack will soon allow ships to make the passage during the summer. It will also open up a potentially oil-rich region for exploration.

    When that happens, be prepared for a showdown here in the US. You can expect that left-wing environmentalists will render aid and comfort to the jihadists by doing all they can to stop any exploration for oil that could lessen our dependence on sources in the Middle East.

  Still keeping up on the counterterrorist beat…

  • “Jihad by Telecommute” shows evidence that e-jihadis are becoming more active all the time. Fortunately, the authorities are beginning to catch them. You can help by reporting anything suspicious that you see or hear.
  • Key Lockerbie witness admits to perjury – I wonder whether we will ever get to the bottom of this.
  • Michelle Malkin gives us an update on the Goose Creek pipe bomb boys, Yousef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed, who were caught with explosives near a South Carolina naval base. Visit her site and find out what their bizarre plot was all about!
  • Good news: The DHS is investigating ways to strengthen bridges against attack.

  • Evil jihadist “allies” that the US and EU inherited from Bill and Hillary Clinton: This article offers massive evidence that the Albanian KLA/UCK – not the Serbs – were responsible for the tide of Kosovo refugees during the 1999 NATO bombardment. The KLA has used many names for itself, but it continues to be a savage jihadist/narcoterrorist mob that is also the local branch of al Qaeda.

  Need something to write about for your own blog?

  • 1389 Message Blog is 1389′s other blog. It’s a place where 1389 puts links to interesting articles and news stories, both for future reference and for everyone’s use. Raid those links to your heart’s content!

  Freedom of speech in the blogosphere

  • If you are uncomfortable with the use of the word evil, be advised that there is a difference between good and evil. The attack on September 11, 2001, was, and is, evil. It is not “hate speech” to label evildoers and evil deeds for what they are.

    Society can survive only as long as enough people know good from evil and protect that which is good. We are not motivated by hatred, but by love for the Lord and for all His creation, especially our family, home, neighbors, friends, and country. Refusing to recognize evil when you encounter it will only leave you defenseless against it.

  • Why do we have to explain such a simple thing? By choosing to go up against jihadists, we have made some enemies, exactly as we expected would happen. Our adversaries are trying to shut down access to this blog, and other antijihadist/counterterrorist blogs, by falsely reporting it to content-filtering or “censorware” vendors as containing “hate/racism/violence”. This sharply reduces the number of places from which our audience can access our sites.

    But if you look at 1389 Blog, you will find that there is no hate speech on this blog. No trash talk. No incitement to violence. No mention of anything pertaining to racial issues. No ad hominem attacks. No bloody pictures. Comments are moderated, and we don’t even allow swear words.

    Any site that does not go along with the prevailing left-wing “political correctness” – especially sites that expose jihadist acivities – is at risk for the same type of de facto censorship. Follow this category link to keep track of our efforts to preserve freedom of speech in the blogosphere.

  
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  ]]> http://1389blog.com/2007/09/15/today-were-going-to-send-you-away-from-our-blog/feed/ 5 http://1389blog.com/2007/06/17/psa-ovarian-cancer-can-be-detected-from-early-symptoms/ http://1389blog.com/2007/06/17/psa-ovarian-cancer-can-be-detected-from-early-symptoms/#comments Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:51:00 +0000 1389 http://1389blog.com/2007/06/17/psa-ovarian-cancer-can-be-detected-from-early-symptoms/

  First National Consensus On Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Stresses Education For Earlier Diagnosis

  From the article:

  Researchers, including Dr. Barbara Goff, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington, have conducted conclusive research that demonstrates that the following symptoms are much more likely to occur in women with ovarian cancer than women in the general population. These symptoms include:

  • Bloating
  • Pelvic or abdominal pain
  • Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
  • Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

  Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. [emphasis mine]

  This is an important breakthrough because, up to now, ovarian cancer has been known as the “silent killer.” Without obvious, clear-cut symptoms, it has been difficult to detect ovarian cancer before it has spread too far for successful treatment. But now we know what to look for, and this can offer women stricken with this disease a much better chance for early detection and cure.

  Whether or not you yourself happen to be an adult woman at risk for ovarian cancer, please pass this information along to the women in your family. It could save someone’s life!

  Technorati tags:
  cancer
  ovarian cancer
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  More about ovarian cancer at Science Daily.

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