Crazy News

Just in time for Mothers Day! (Reuters)

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 23:05:58 +0000

Reuters - If anyone was wondering where French avant-garde novelist Michel Houellebecq got his talent for character assassination, the answer is clear: his mother.

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Science Documentaries for Youngsters

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:05:47 +0000

An anonymous reader writes “My 7-year-old daughter is asking some interesting questions, such as, ‘How did everything get created?’ I’ve explained, in general terms, our family’s non-religious views on the subject of creation and the Big Bang. I’d like to find some documentary videos geared to this age level that may explain better these concepts and theories. I’ve found a few PBS specials online - Stephen Hawking stuff - but they seem to be geared for young adults and older. Does anyone have recommended titles that might be better geared to children of this age bracket?”

The Boss, Sinatra among N.J. Hall of Fame’s first inductees (AP)

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:05:18 +0000

AP - TRENTON, N.J. (AP)

Taser International Wins Lawsuit to Change Cause of Death

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:05:26 +0000

I Don’t Believe in Imaginary Property writes “Taser International recently started a legal campaign against medical examiners who claimed tasers contributed to the cause of death for several people. On Friday, an Ohio judge ruled in favor of the stun gun manufacturer (free registration may be required). While they do have a number of scientific studies on which they establish their claims, it’s interesting that the alternate cause of death they champion — excited delirium — appears only in police reports on the deaths of difficult or drug-addled inmates, not in medical textbooks. Of course, that may change soon — Taser is funding and promoting research on the subject. Coroner reports such as the ones in this case contributed to the UN’s opinion that taser use is torture.”

California teen gives birth in shower, walks to hospital (AP)

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:05:34 +0000

AP - A 17-year-old girl gave birth secretly at home, then walked four blocks to a hospital with the baby still attached by its umbilical cord.

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Chilean volcano town nearly deserted (AP)

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 20:05:28 +0000

AP - The Chaiten volcano spewed light ash on a nearly deserted village Saturday, two days after its first eruption in thousands of years.

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DNA tests reveal mystery surrounding playwright Schiller (AP)

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:05:10 +0000

AP - Who is buried in Friedrich Schiller’s tomb? Several people, apparently, but none of them the famous poet and playwright, according to new research.

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Space Shuttle Discovery Moves to Launch Pad (SPACE.com)

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 20:05:41 +0000

SPACE.com - The spaceshuttle Discovery rolled out to its Florida launch pad early Saturday as NASA preparesto launch a massive Japanese laboratory later this month.

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Extracting Meaning From the Structure of Networks

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:05:50 +0000

Roland Piquepaille writes “Networks are used to represent the structure of complex systems, including the Internet or social networks, but often these descriptions are biased or incomplete. Now, researchers at the Santa Fe Institute (SFI) have shown that it’s possible to extract automatically the hierarchical structure of networks. The researchers say their results ’suggest that hierarchy is a central organizing principle of complex networks, capable of offering insight into many network phenomena.’ They also think that their algorithms can be applied to almost every kind of networks, from biochemical networks (protein interaction networks, metabolic networks or genetic regulatory networks) to communities in social networks. But read more for additional references and some pictures about hierarchical networks and their applications.”

Marvel turns ‘Iron Man’ into gold with $100M-plus debut (AP)

Crazy News — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:05:14 +0000

AP - “Iron Man” was pure gold at the box office.

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