Propeller.com Stories submitted by friends of Ryan

Hands-free headsets live up to the task at hand

jeremytoday — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:12:03 EDT

Wireless Bluetooth headsets remind me of early seat belts.

Channel: Gadgets & Tech Tags: bluetooth headsets audio quality cellphones ban states

Analysis: HP licenses imaging IP for camera phones

jeremytoday — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:49:19 EDT

Late last year Hewlett Packard announced that it was exiting the digital camera market, citing a lack of growth in that business sector. But just because HP has quit the camera business doesn't mean it's abandoning all of its digital camera technologies

Channel: Gadgets & Tech Tags: HP camera phone cell phones digital camera

Digital Pens to Write on Any Paper

jeremytoday — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:03:22 EDT

Two new digital pens don't need special paper to write on.

Channel: Gadgets & Tech Tags: digital pens paper record pen handwriting

Ask.com closes Dictionary.com deal

jeremytoday — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:50:47 EDT

Ask.com, the fourth-ranked search engine, has completed its acquisition of Lexico Publishing Group, which owns Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com, and Reference.com.

Channel: Gadgets & Tech Tags: Ask.com search Dictionary.com

Iran remains a threat to Israel's very existence

_kam0_ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:36:26 EDT

Amid the winks and nudges about a reduction of tension between America and Iran, it should not be forgotten that Tehran's policy, enunciated most forcefully by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is the destruction of Israel. That is already apparent in Iranian support for Hamas and Hizbollah. Possession of nuclear weapons would give it a further edge.

Channel: Do No Evil Tags: Iran Israel Islamophobia war politics

The century of cheap energy is behind us

_kam0_ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:33:16 EDT

The century of cheap energy is behind us - in the future we are all going to have to work longer and harder to pay for it.

Channel: Money Tags: energy oil economy

The issue of bankers' pay cannot be ignored

_kam0_ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:33:10 EDT

Such are the miseries galloping through western economies at the moment that talk of regulatory reform of the global financial sector inevitably sounds like stable doors slamming. And it is true that no reform our political leaders push through now can change where we are. The credit crunch cannot be reversed.

Channel: Money Tags: credit crunch CEO pay banks financial regulation

It's always the poor who suffer from sanctions

_kam0_ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:30:31 EDT

Sanctions are pretty blunt instruments, rarely effective and having many unintended effects, some of them wickedly cruel. We should ponder that as Britain, the U.S. and the EU muse on the next stage in isolating Robert Mugabe, or indeed Iran. Borders are always porous; dictatorships can insulate themselves from hardship; the poor can't.

Channel: Do No Evil Tags: Mugabe sanctions poverty politics

The Second World: Empires and Influence in the New Global Order

_kam0_ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:27:20 EDT

Are empires as dominant today as they have ever been? It's an ambitious claim, but it's easy to quibble with this work's conclusions, says Niall Ferguson

Channel: Books Tags: Imperialism politics history

Sirius, XM Merger Could Cost Howard Stern

Wil — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:43:53 EDT

When Howard Stern's Sirius satellite radio contract runs out in 2010, the shock jock could be in for a rude awakening, assuming Sirius and XM merge, as many suspect they will.

Channel: Celebrities Tags: Howard Stern Sirius XM Satellite Radio Merger Shock Jock

Brilliant or a sham? Questions asked over Ingrid Betancourt rescue

Wil — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:35:23 EDT

Swiss public radio cited an unidentified source "close to the events, reliable and tested many times in recent years" as saying the operation [to free FARC's hostages] had in fact been staged to cover up the fact that the US and Colombians had paid $20 million for their freedom. [via reddit]

Channel: News Tags: Columbia FARC Hostages Betancourt CIA

Zoe's Tale Wallpaper from Tor

Wil — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:53:49 EDT

Scalzi says, "The folks at Tor.com are offering up a free computer wallpaper for folks, featuring John Harris' art for Zoe's Tale. Yes, now you can revel in the orange and green-ness of my book's cover, right on your computer! It's starship explody-licious."

Channel: Books Tags: John Scalzi Zoes Tale Tor Wallpaper Science Fiction Art Computers John Harris

First Algerians repatriated from Gitmo

Wil — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:52:18 EDT

In a first, the Pentagon said this week it sent home two Algerians from the Guantnnamo Bay detention center. The latest transfer operation from the remote U.S. Navy base in southeast Cuba reduced the prison camp population to "approximately 265," according to a Pentagon statement issued late Wednesday.

Channel: News Tags: Guantanamo Bay Algeria Detainees Pentagon Bush

What John McCain didn't learn in Vietnam

Wil — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:52:12 EDT

In spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the former POW insists we could have won. No wonder he talks of occupying Iraq for a century.

Channel: Politics Tags: Analysis John McCain Election 2008 Vietnam War Iraq

Most study participants understand research goals

GregD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:36:35 EDT

People who take part in clinical trials often do so out of a desire to advance scientific knowledge and to help others, a new international study demonstrates.

Channel: Health & Fitness Tags: studies research clinical trials science

John Edwards to Debate Karl Rove

Neophile — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:35:41 EDT

GOP strategist Karl Rove and former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards will debate the issues of the presidential campaign Sept. 26 as part of the university's Distinguished Speakers Series, The Buffalo News has learned.

Channel: Politics Tags: john edwards karl rove debate buffalo new york

Responding to Critics, Google Adds Privacy Link to Home Page

TechnologyExpert — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:26:16 EDT

On June 3rd a group of privacy advocates sent a detailed letter to Google CEO CEO Eric Schmidt, charging that the lack of a privacy link on Google's home page was not just "alarming," but violated the California Online Privacy Protection Act of 2003. One July 3rd, Google finally took action.

Channel: Gadgets & Tech Tags: Google Privacy California

Wildfire chases July 4th visitors from Big Sur

TechnologyExpert — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:30:27 EDT

Independence Day is normally a booming time for tourism here, with visitors settling into cliffside vacation homes or trekking out to campgrounds nestled among the redwoods. But this year, the only out-of-towners in Big Sur are firefighters working around the clock to save the storied community from flames.

Channel: News Tags: Big Sur Wildfires Lightning California

Adidas and Cynthia Rowley Move to China

Deidre — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:29:25 EDT

Today might be a slow news day here in the U.S., but WWD went all the way to China with not one but three stories about store expansions and luxury brands opening in the Middle Kingdom Ã;Â¢Ã¢â;;Â¬" right in time for the Olympics!

Channel: Shopping Tags: adidas cynthia rowley china

July 4th and Still Too Much Political Apathy?

lenseview — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:36:26 EDT

Author, former CNN writer/producer, writes of disappointing personal experience in her town -- so little interest in politics, big issues people need to face. Why confront the hard choices when we can have fun barbecuing, etc.? Interesting, smart, personal piece.

Channel: Do No Evil Tags: July 4 politics political apathy candidates president

Former Sen. Jesse Helms Dies At 86

TechnologyExpert — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:35:50 EDT

Jesse Helms, the five-term Republican Senator from North Carolina, has died, CBS News has confirmed. He was 86.

Channel: News Tags: Jesse Helms Obituary

A Man of Seasonal Principles

catstevens — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:28:26 EDT

Two weeks ago, I predicted that by Election Day Obama will have erased all meaningful differences with McCain on withdrawal from Iraq. I underestimated Obama's cynicism. He will make the move much sooner. He will use his upcoming Iraq trip to finally acknowledge the remarkable improvements on the ground and to formally abandon his primary season co

Channel: Politics Tags: Obama Left Center 2008 Presidential race

Explaining the Disfigured Shapes of Asteroids

GregD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:24:26 EDT

Unlike most of the individual celestial bodies in the universe, which tend to take the shapes of spheres (the geometrical object with minimum surface area in relation to volume), asteroids come practically in all the possible shapes and sizes, although why this happens remained largely unknown until now.

Channel: Science Tags: asteroids gravity space

Mimic molecules to protect against plague

GregD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:19:25 EDT

Bacteria that cause pneumonic plague can evade our first-line defences, making it difficult for the body to fight infection. In fact, a signature of the plague is the lack of an inflammatory response. Now, scientists have discovered a way to protect against death following infection with plague bacteria, by using molecules that can mimic the pathogens.

Channel: Science Tags: plague molecules infection pathogens

Jesse Helms dead at 86

catstevens — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:11:48 EDT

Jesse Helms dead at 86

Channel: News Tags: Jessie Helms dead at 86

Gold, DNA Combination May Lead To Nano-Sensor

GregD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:09:40 EDT

The ability to use genetic material to assemble nanoscopic particles of gold could be an important step toward creating tiny "spies" that will be able to infiltrate individual cells and report back in real time on the cell's inner workings.

Channel: Science Tags: nanoscopic gold dna spies

Study Shows Quantum Dots Can Penetrate Skin Through Minor Abrasions

GregD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:08:10 EDT

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that quantum dot nanoparticles can penetrate the skin if there is an abrasion, providing insight into potential workplace concerns for healthcare workers or individuals involved in the manufacturing of quantum dots or doing research on potential biomedical applications of the tiny nanoparticles.

Channel: Science Tags: quantum dots abrasions north carolina state university nanoparticles

Overlooked: Sonar and Navy

Dakota — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:07:35 EDT

Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to review the case of Winter v. NRDC, a case ostensibly about the Navy's use of sonar during military training exercises, but in reality about the extent of President Bush's power in influencing court decisions.

Channel: News Tags: sonar navy

Dramatic volcanism forged Mercury's surface

GregD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:04:15 EDT

Volcanic activity has played a central role in forging the surface of Mercury, scientists said on Thursday based on data collected by a NASA spacecraft that zoomed past the closest planet to the sun in January.

Channel: Science Tags: mercury planets volcanism

Call for sex lessons at age four

GregD — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:57:49 EDT

Children as young as four should be given compulsory sex education, two leading sexual health charities say.

Channel: Health & Fitness Tags: sex education children uk

United States of Anxiety

_kam0_ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:43:29 EDT

The floods, the California wildfires, and the violence in Chicago are nothing compared to what the slow-motion disaster of a crumbling economy is doing to us. A personal account of a breakdown.

Channel: Money Tags: USA economy recession credit crunch

Finally, A Windows Mobile Facebook App!

Ousama — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:40:41 EDT

For users of the Windows Mobile platform, visiting Facebook while on the go meant loading up the mobile web page in their device's browser. Meanwhile, Blackberry users have had their own downloadable app since late 2007. But now, as of today, there is at long last a downloadable application just for Windows Mobile users, FriendMobilizer.

Channel: Gadgets & Tech Tags: Windows Mobile Facebook Blackberry

Beauty and the release

Ousama — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:37:39 EDT

In the Miss Independence Day Pageant at Walden House, women halfway between prison and freedom let their self-esteem flourish.

Channel: Women Tags: Miss Independence July 4 Beauty

A lot of hot air! Cutting energy prices with compressed air

Ousama — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:34:50 EDT

An engineer at Sandia National Laboratories thinks compressed air stored in underground caverns could help cut in half the cost of electricity from generators.

Channel: Gadgets & Tech Tags: Sandia Hot air energy

Dubai Atlantis

Ousama — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:33:55 EDT

With 1,539 rooms and the world in the grip of a credit crisis, Atlantis " The Palm Jumeirah's $1.5 billion (Dh5.5bn) flagship resort " has a lot of space to fill. But with 40 years' experience in the hotel industry, Sol Kerzner, Chairman and CEO of Kerzner International, is confident a project of Atlantis's scale is sustainable.

Channel: Travel Tags: Dubai Atlantis Palm Jumeirah

Changing the face of education in the UAE

Ousama — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:30:22 EDT

The US's Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is the latest university to set up campus here. Although the project has yet to break ground, the first students will start at its temporary home at the Dubai Silicon Oasis headquarters in August. RIT is following other American colleges, including Harvard Medical School and Michigan State University

Channel: News Tags: Rochester RIT DSO Dubai UAE

AFA Launches Boycott Against McDonald's For 'Promoting The Homosexual Agenda'

TechnologyExpert — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:15:44 EDT

Today, the right-wing American Family Association (AFA) announced a boycott of McDonald's. According to AFA, Ronald McDonald and his gang are part of a "giant gay agenda."

Channel: Gay & Lesbian Tags: McCDonalds Boycott

Nas - Sly Fox (Fox News Diss)

Neophile — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:51:50 EDT

Nas goes in on the racist Right Wing news station.

Channel: Music Tags: nas sly fox fox news

Homeless People Die After Bird Flu Vaccine Trial in Poland

Neophile — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:46:40 EDT

Three Polish doctors and six nurses are facing criminal prosecution after a number of homeless people died following medical trials for a vaccine to the H5N1 bird-flu virus.

Channel: Health & Fitness Tags: homeless poland bird flu vaccine death trials

UK's Top Intelligence Official Falls Into Coma

Neophile — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:22:15 EDT

Britain's top intelligence official is in a coma in a London hospital after collapsing at home, police and his office said on Friday.

Channel: News Tags: united kingdom coma intelligence london