The Infinite Cat Project

From Collison Detection...

"It began simply enough. Someone on an Apple forum posted a picture of their cat looking at a flower. Then someone else posted a picture of their cat looking at the picture of the first cat, on a computer monitor. Then someone else posted a picture of their cat looking at that picture -- i.e. a cat looking at a cat looking at a cat. And then ... well, you can see where this is headed. The Project just reached its 300th cat." Clive Thompson, Collision Detection .net

Infinite Cat Project

One sweet ride

Des Moines Register story

Des Moines police got some help in stopping a stolen $50,000 car.

The car stopped itself.

"It was an Infiniti FX45, 315 horsepower V-8 with a real throaty sound," Detective Terry Mitchell said Friday. The driver "was blowing stop signs, driving fast; I don't even think he knew I was behind him."

The detective, in an unmarked vehicle, spotted the car Thursday night on the city's north side shortly before it was reported stolen.

Mitchell radioed for an officer in a squad car, who pulled in front of the Infiniti.

"The car just stopped," Mitchell said. "Apparently, it's got radar, and when it's on cruise control and detects an object in front of it, it will slow down.

"I don't know if it was on cruise or not, but it stopped right away."

Mitchell said that when suspected car thief Jeff Baugh, 37, was arrested, he offered some unsolicited comments about what happened.

"I didn't hurt the car," Baugh reportedly told officers.

Police said that after the owner, Dr. Philip Colletier, stopped to pick up his vehicle, Baugh - still handcuffed in the back of a squad car - shouted: "That's the fastest car I ever drove."

"The thief really liked that car," Mitchell said.

Baugh was listed on reports as homeless.

Anger Management

STUART, Florida (AP) -- A mental
health counselor with a history of
assault arrests ordered his two pit
bulls to attack a group of people
who were riding out Hurricane
Frances inside their office building,
police said. Two people were bitten and one of the dogs was stabbed.

Ryan C. Moore, 54, who treats anger management problems and addictions, was arrested Friday and charged with aggravated battery for allegedly releasing his dogs with the command "Go get them" while he and the others were riding out the storm on September 4 and 5.

The Story

High Tech Weapons

Apparently, American tanks now have an "electromagnetic force shield" to protect them from RPGs.


From Start & Stripes:
Trade secret?

When Iraqi police brought a load of captured weapons onto their Najaf compound last week, many of the rocket-propelled grenades had electrical tape wrapped around the top of the nose cones.

No, the tape wasn’t there to hold the warhead together; it’s there to defeat the electromagnetic force shield protecting American tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles.

Or so they believe.

One Iraqi said that the technique was brought from Palestinian fighters who have migrated to Iraq and passed on their “trade secret.”

Stick to the approved script...or else!

Reason reports on a 16 year old HS student arrested and charged with "inciting a riot" at the RNC. This type of overbearing "security" seems to be common at Republican political events. In many cases it appears people are being arrested not for breaking a law but for expressing views the Republicans don't want the public to hear. Read all about the the grieving mother of a soldier who died in Iraq who was arrested and charged with "defiant trespass" at a rally for Laura Bush.

Civics Lessons (9/17)
Benjamin Traslavina, a 16-year-old high school student, got an important lesson in politics and criminal justice at the Republican National Convention. Traslavina, vice president of his school's Honor Society, was selected to attend the convention by the Junior Statesmen Foundation, a group that tries to interest students in government. He was there when AIDS protestors tried to disrupt a speech by White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card. Traslavina stood up to get a photograph of the protest for his high school newspaper, which he edits. That's when Secret Service grabbed him. They turned him over to New York City police, despite the protestors telling them he wasn't part of their group and despite his credentials, which were seized along with his camera. He was handcuffed and his film thrown away. Traslavina was hauled off to jail. For the next 12 hours his family tried to find him. Police didn't let him make a call until after midnight. He was arraigned on a felony charge of inciting a riot and misdemeanor charges of assault and disorderly conduct and released the next afternoon. No word on what this did to his interest in government.

Following

Reason reports on a 16 year old HS student arrested and charged with "inciting a riot" at the RNC. This type of overbearing "security" seems to be common at Republican political events. In many cases it appears people are being arrested not for breaking a law but for expressing views the Republicans don't want the public to hear. Read all about the the grieving mother of a soldier who died in Iraq who was arrested and charged with "defiant trespass" at a rally for Laura Bush.

Civics Lessons (9/17)
Benjamin Traslavina, a 16-year-old high school student, got an important lesson in politics and criminal justice at the Republican National Convention. Traslavina, vice president of his school's Honor Society, was selected to attend the convention by the Junior Statesmen Foundation, a group that tries to interest students in government. He was there when AIDS protestors tried to disrupt a speech by White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card. Traslavina stood up to get a photograph of the protest for his high school newspaper, which he edits. That's when Secret Service grabbed him. They turned him over to New York City police, despite the protestors telling them he wasn't part of their group and despite his credentials, which were seized along with his camera. He was handcuffed and his film thrown away. Traslavina was hauled off to jail. For the next 12 hours his family tried to find him. Police didn't let him make a call until after midnight. He was arraigned on a felony charge of inciting a riot and misdemeanor charges of assault and disorderly conduct and released the next afternoon. No word on what this did to his interest in government.

RSR Top Ten Posts

RSR Top Ten Posts
-----------------------------
Vote for your favs via the comments.

#1 OPEC throws in the towel
#2 You don't own me, masturbation!
#3 "Those of you whose teeth have fallen out did not gnaw on bones"
#4 who battles killer diarrhoea?
#5 Olympic "water boarding"
#6 Paul Bremer denies US will crash Iraqi party
#7 Stickes & Stones will set you free
#8 When was the last time you had a Reuben sandwich?
#9 Thinking outside the box
#10 Rumor about Dennis Hastert molesting a puppy

Sheriff uses crime database to influence election

Reason Mag reminds us why government and databases don't mix.
"Former Shawnee County, Kansas, Sheriff David Meneley used FBI computer databases to check on people who organized a petition drive to recall him. Meneley said he was acting on a tip about their backgrounds, but he could not produce any documents to support that claim. And he found nothing incriminating about the people. Still, once word spread about what he was doing, several organizers withdrew from the campaign, and the drive didn't get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Organizers sued Meneley for violating their First Amendment rights. In the meantime, Meneley was removed from office by the state on unrelated corruption charges. Still, the U.S. 10th circuit Court of appeals has now ruled he did not violate the rights of his opponents by tapping into the FBI computers."

Driving test

Reason has a story for anyone who has ever failed a driving test...
"Drivers in Turkmenistan must not only pass a written test and a driving test to get a license. They must also take a 16-hour course on the historical and autobiographical writings of President Saparmurat Niyazov and pass a written exam on the material. Niyazov says the requirement will raise the moral values of the nation. He has also renamed months after himself and family members and banned men from growing facial hair. "

Alien Contact...

SETI reports possible Alien contact...and they arn't talking about Matt. The CNN story.