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Forget aliens — these NASA drones track methane

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Forget aliens — these NASA drones track methane

By on 23 Jan 2015commentsShare

Believe it or not, NASA doesn’t just launch scads of money into outer space: The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) may specialize in Mars Rover technology, but it’s also in the process of adapting its space-worthy sensors to detect methane leaks here on Earth.

The sensors in question were originally developed to help scientists sniff for life on Mars (because, ironically, methane is believed to be a good predictor of life on other planets). Since methane is the second most common greenhouse gas emitted in the U.S., and it makes up 95 percent of the natural gas in our pipelines, any technology that makes it easier to find and eliminate leaks could be hugely beneficial for the planet.

The martian detectors — officially known as tunable laser spectrometers — are one-foot long, hand-held devices that will help utility workers find leaks along natural gas pipelines. JPL is also partnering with Pacific Gas & Electric, a California-based utility, to put the methane sensors into drones. The new technology, according to the utility, is already 1,000 times more powerful than current utility companies’ detection methods. The finished product will be cheaper and easier to use, the scientists reported, just moments prior — we assume — to collectively shouting, “Eureka!”

And here’s where it gets weirder: Fast Company reported that NASA and PGE are testing the technology in a Hollywood-style movie set that looks like fake suburban town, with fake suburban homes, and little fake suburban garages. And, there in the little fake backyards, the scientists track down methane leaks with the handheld sensors. Oh, NASA, you never fail to fill us with awe, admiration, and the bigtime creeps.

This methane detector isn’t the first hand-me-down that NASA has shared with earthling companies. In fact, spacenaut research has already made its way into countless (but if you must count, here are 44 for starters) consumer products, from skin cream to scratch-resistant lenses to your precious memory foam mattress. Why pawn out their brain children so readily? Because, in fact, NASA collects revenue from licensing patents to third parties and partnering with outside organizations. Money!

Despite deploying some Stepford-worthy testing methods, NASA’s super scientists could slow methane from leaking all over the damn place — and we like that a lot. So keep bein’ creepy, NASA. It’s working for all of us.

Source:
HOW THE MARS CURIOSITY ROVER IS NOW… PREVENTING OIL PIPELINE LEAKS VIA DRONE!?

, Fast Company.

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Forget aliens — these NASA drones track methane

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Rechargeable Batteries: Are They the Best Alternative?

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Rechargeable Batteries: Are They the Best Alternative?

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READ: The Clinton Administration’s Internal Memo on the “Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy”

Mother Jones

In a 1995 internal memo, President Bill Clinton’s White House Counsel’s Office offered an in-depth analysis of the right-wing media mill that Hillary Clinton had dubbed the “vast right-wing conspiracy.” Portions of the report, which was reported on by the Wall Street Journal and other outlets at the time, were included in a new trove of documents released to the public by the Clinton presidential library on Friday.

The report traced the evolution of various Clinton scandals, such as Whitewater and the Gennifer Flowers affair allegations, from their origins at conservative think tanks or in British tabloids, until the point in which they entered the mainstream news ecosystem. Making matters even more complicated was new technology, the report explained: “Evidence exists that Republican staffers surf the internet, interacting with extremists in order to exchange the ideas and information.” The administration even had a name for the process: “The Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce.”

Per the document:

The Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce refers to the mode of communication employed by the right wing to convey their fringe stories into legitimate subjects of coverage by the mainstream media. This is how the stream works. Well funded right wing think tanks and individuals underwrite conservative newsletters and newspapers such as the Western Journalism Center, the American Spectator and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Next, the stories are re-printed on the internet where they are bounced all over the world. From the internet, the stories are bounced into the mainstream media through one of two ways: 1) The story will be picked up by the British tabloids and covered as a major story, from which the American right-of-center mainstream media (i.e. the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times and New York Post) will then pick the story up; or 2) The story will be bounced directly from the internet to the right-of-center mainstream American media. After the mainstream right-of-center media covers the story, Congressional committees will look into the story. After Congress looks into the story, the story now has the legitimacy to be covered by the remainder of the American mainstream press as a “real” story.

Chief among the White House’s frustrations was conservative reaction to the death of Vince Foster, the president’s former chief of staff. Right-wing outlets alleged that the Clintons had murdered Foster (or hired someone to do it) and covered it up as a suicide. According to the report:

The controversy surrounding the death of Vince Foster has been, in large part, the product of a well-financed right-wing conspiracy industry operation. The “Wizard of Oz” figure orchestrating the machinations of the conspiracy industry is a little-known recluse, Richard Mellon Scaife. Scaife uses his $800 million dollar inherited Mellon fortune to underwrite the Foster conspiracy industry. Scaife promotes the industry through his ownership of a small Pittsburgh newspaper, the Tribune-Review. Scaife’s paper, under the direction of reporter Chris Ruddy, continually publishes stories regarding Foster’s death. The stories are then reprinted in major newspapers all over the country in the form of paid advertisements. The Western Journalism Center (WJC), a non-profit conservative think tank, places the ads in these newspapers. The WJC receives much of its financial backing from Scaife.

(Ruddy went on to found Newsmax, a conservative media outlet now promoting the theory that Chelsea Clinton decided to have a baby in order to help her mother’s 2016 presidential bid.)

Read the document in all of its glory:

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Clinton Memos: “The Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce” (PDF)

Clinton Memos: “The Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce” (Text)

 Clinton Memos: “The Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce” (PDF)
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 Clinton Memos: “The Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce” (Text)

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READ: The Clinton Administration’s Internal Memo on the “Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy”

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Monsanto’s agrochemicals are poisoning Argentines, but Monsanto blames victims for misusing products

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Codex: Adepta Sororitas (eBook Edition) – Games Workshop

The Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Sisters of Battle, are an elite sisterhood of warriors raised from infancy to adore the Emperor of Mankind. Their fanatical devotion and unwavering purity is a bulwark against corruption, heresy and alien attack, and once battle has been joined they will stop at nothing until their enemies are utterly crushed In this b […]

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Sentinels of Terra – A Codex: Space Marines Supplement – Games Workshop

The Imperial Fists have defended the Imperium since the days of the Great Crusade. They stood with the Emperor at the Siege of Terra, and have continued his life’s work in the centuries since. They are indefatigable defenders of Mankind, and the foremost guardians of Terra itself. About this book: Sentinels of Terra is a supplement to Codex: Space Marines Th […]

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Sentinels of Terra – A Codex: Space Marines Supplement (eBook Edition) – Games Workshop

The Imperial Fists have defended the Imperium since the days of the Great Crusade. They stood with the Emperor at the Siege of Terra, and have continued his life’s work in the centuries since. They are indefatigable defenders of Mankind, and the foremost guardians of Terra itself. About this book: Sentinels of Terra is a supplement to Codex: Space Marines Th […]

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The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition) – Monks of New Skete

For more than thirty years the Monks of New Skete have been among America’s most trusted authorities on dog training, canine behavior, and the animal/human bond. In their two now-classic bestsellers, How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend and The Art of Raising a Puppy, the Monks draw on their experience as long-time breeders of German shepherds and as t […]

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Codex: Adepta Sororitas – Games Workshop

The Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Sisters of Battle, are an elite sisterhood of warriors raised from infancy to adore the Emperor of Mankind. Their fanatical devotion and unwavering purity is a bulwark against corruption, heresy and alien attack, and once battle has been joined they will stop at nothing until their enemies are utterly crushed In this b […]

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Codex: Space Marines (Enhanced Edition) – Games Workshop

The Space Marines are the chosen warriors of the Emperor, and the greatest fighting force of the Imperium. Each Space Marine is a genetically enhanced super soldier, easily a match for a dozen lesser men, armed with some of the deadliest weapons in the galaxy and encased in formidable power armour. This codex explores the formations and Chapters of the Space […]

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Giant George – Dave Nasser & Lynne Barrett-Lee

With his big blue eyes and soulful expression, George was the irresistible runt of the litter. But Dave and Christie Nasser’s “baby” ended up being almost five feet tall, seven feet long, and 245 pounds. Eager to play, and boisterous to the point of causing chaos, this big Great Dane was scared of water, scared of dogs a fraction of his size a […]

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Cesar’s Way – Cesar Millan & Melissa Jo Peltier

“I rehabilitate dogs. I train people.” —Cesar Millan There are at least 68 million dogs in America, and their owners lavish billions of dollars on them every year. So why do so many pampered pets have problems? In this definitive and accessible guide, Cesar Millan—star of National Geographic Channel’s hit show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan —reveals what do […]

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How to Raise the Perfect Dog – Cesar Millan & Melissa Jo Peltier

From the bestselling author and star of National Geographic Channel’s Dog Whisperer , the only resource you’ll need for raising a happy, healthy dog. For the millions of people every year who consider bringing a puppy into their lives–as well as those who have already brought a dog home–Cesar Millan, the preeminent dog behavior expert, says, “Yes, […]

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Trident K9 Warriors – Michael Ritland & Gary Brozek

As Seen on “60 Minutes”! As a Navy SEAL during a combat deployment in Iraq, Mike Ritland saw a military working dog in action and instantly knew he’d found his true calling. Ritland started his own company training and supplying dogs for the SEAL teams, U.S. Government, and Department of Defense. He knew that fewer than 1 percent of […]

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Monsanto’s agrochemicals are poisoning Argentines, but Monsanto blames victims for misusing products

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WATCH: The Tea Party Galaxy, Where Facts Are Lighter Than On Planet Earth Fiore Cartoon

Mother Jones

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Mark Fiore is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist and animator whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Examiner, and dozens of other publications. He is an active member of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists, and has a website featuring his work.

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WATCH: The Tea Party Galaxy, Where Facts Are Lighter Than On Planet Earth Fiore Cartoon

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The Economist Phones It In On the Falling Crime Rate

Mother Jones

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Obviously I’m a fan of lead as the primary explanation for the sharp rise in crime in the 60s and 70s followed by a sharp fall in the 90s and aughts. But you don’t have to buy this hypothesis hook, line, and sinker to be embarrassed by the Economist’s current cover story on the fall in crime. It’s just the usual endless succession of sociological explanations, all of which are supported by thin evidence—or even directly contradicted by the evidence—with only a single throwaway sentence about unleaded gasoline. Honestly, this article could have been written a decade ago with hardly a word needing to be changed. The laziness just oozes from the whole thing. Sheesh.

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The Economist Phones It In On the Falling Crime Rate

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7 New Revelations From Edward Snowden

Mother Jones

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Today, the Guardian hosted a live chat with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who disclosed classified information about top-secret NSA surveillance programs. Readers and journalists asked the 29-year-old, who was reportedly chatting over a secure internet connection, about his departure to Hong Kong, his new disclosures on the US hacking foreign countries, and his thoughts on the Obama administration. Here are the seven most significant revelations:

1. Snowden denies having any contact with the Chinese government…in colorful language.

Because Snowden is allegedly taking refuge in Hong Kong and recently disclosed information about US cyberattacks on China, he was asked whether he’s prepared to make a deal with the Chinese government in exchange for amnesty. Snowden insists that he has not had any contact with the Chinese government. He adds, “I did not reveal any US operations against legitimate military targets. I pointed out where the NSA has hacked civilian infrastructure such as universities, hospitals, and private businesses because it is dangerous.” He also says that “the US media has a knee-jerk ‘RED CHINA!’ reaction…If I were a Chinese spy, why wouldn’t I have flown directly into Beijing? I could be living in a palace petting a phoenix by now.” Snowden did not address the close relationship between the Chinese government and its military, business, and civilian institutions.

2. Snowden suggests that the NSA reviews the email and phone calls of Americans on a daily basis, without a warrant. But then he says there are some protections against this, even if the security measures are weak.

Addressing a question on whether the NSA can listen to domestic phone calls without a warrant, Snowden says, “Americans’ communications are collected and viewed on a daily basis on the certification of an analyst rather than a warrant. They excuse this as ‘incidental’ collection, but at the end of the day, someone at NSA still has the content of your communications.” Snowden adds that the only thing protecting Americans’ email is changing policy protections—which he says he doesn’t trust—and a filter that “is constantly out of date, is set at what is euphemistically referred to as the ‘widest allowable aperture,’ and can be stripped out at any time. Even with the filter, US comms get ingested, and even more so as soon as they leave the border.”

3. When the NSA taps into email, it collects content (not just metadata).

“If I target for example an email address…and that email address sent something to you, Joe America, the analyst gets it. All of it. IPs, raw data, content, headers, attachments, everything. And it gets saved for a very long time—and can be extended further with waivers rather than warrants.”

4. He doesn’t say whether the NSA listens in to calls without an order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC).

Asked what advice he would give whistleblowers and “what evidence do you have that refutes the assertion that the NSA is unable to listen to the content of telephone calls without an explicit and defined court order from FISC?” Snowden simply said, “this country is worth dying for.”

5. He claims that NSA warrants aren’t real.

“Even in the event of ‘warranted’ intercept, it’s important to understand the intelligence community doesn’t always deal with what you would consider a ‘real’ warrant like a Police department would have to, the ‘warrant’ is more of a templated form they fill out and send to a reliable judge with a rubber stamp.”

6. He explains why he decided not to go to Iceland.

“I had to travel with no advance booking to a country with the cultural and legal framework to allow me to work without being immediately detained. Hong Kong provided that. Iceland could be pushed harder, quicker, before the public could have a chance to make their feelings known, and I would not put that past the current US administration.”

7. He says there’s more information about “direct access” coming.

Tech companies deny that the NSA has “direct access” to their servers, but Snowden claims that “more detail on how direct NSA’s accesses are is coming.”

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7 New Revelations From Edward Snowden

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