Self-cleaning fabrics could revolutionize the sport apparel industry. The technology, created by scientists working for the U.S. Air Force, has already been used to create t-shirts and underwear that can be worn hygenically for weeks without washing.
Hurrah! No more racing stripes!
The new technology attaches nanoparticles to clothing fibers using microwaves. Then, chemicals that can repel water, oil and bacteria are directly bound to the nanoparticles.
I'm not an engineer, much less an underwear engineer, but it seems like if the little nanothingummymabobs are busy repelling water, oil and bacteria, presumably in the form of bodily fluids and secretions and stuff, that they have to be repelled elsewhere. So does the "elsewhere" mean your trousers? Maybe it'd be better to stick with Depends...
These two elements combine to create a protective coating on the fibers of the material. This coating both kills bacteria, and forces liquids to bead and run off.
"Good job, men! The enemy are all dead! That one over there looks like it might be Mullah Omar! Take ten and let your liquids run off!"
The U.S. military spent more than $20 million to develop the fabric, deriving from research originally intended to protect soldiers from biological weapons. Jeff Owens, one of the scientists who worked to develop the process, said, "During Desert Storm, most casualties were from bacterial infectionsnot accidents or friendly fire. We treated underwear for soldiers who tested them for several weeks and found they remained hygienic. They also helped clear up some skin complaints."
"How're you today, Anderson?"
"Much better, sir! The crotch rot is almost gone!"
"Well, give it another couple days before changing your underwear. You don't want to rush things!"
Posted by: Fred ||
01/07/2007 10:13 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under:
Posted by: Jonathan ||
01/07/2007 11:53 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Big deal. I've just came to the conclusion that if I wish to keep my clothes clean, I'll just have to go butt-nekkid to work. I'm sure my coworkers will be delighted.
Vladimir Luxuria, Italy's first trans-gender member of Parliament, told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that she intends to champion gay rights in the Muslim world and become an Italian diplomat in the Middle East.
Uhuh. That makes sense. A dickless Euro will champion that is, talk about, to the point of putting entire counties to sleep gay rights in the part of the world where diddling little boys is a cultural staple, even though talking about it isn't...
Outrageous Vladimir Luxuria, formerly Vladimiro Guadagno, belongs to the Rifondazione Comunista Party. Though still biologically male, she now attends Parliament sessions in elegant outfits and prefers to be addressed and treated as a female.
I see. S/He's not quite dickless, just a commie. Well, maybe not just a commie, but the Italian equivalent of a New Biplobi Commie...
Last year she was at the center of a fierce dispute when a female MP from Alleanza Nazionale wanted to have her banned from using the ladies restrooms in Parliament.
Because s/he likes looking at real women's pee-pees. Some of us use the toiders to do our business and then move on. Others use it as a source of entertainment and sexual jollification...
Luxuria said her first target would be Turkey, though not because of the pope's visit. Turkey is not one of the 80 countries in the world who have banned homosexuality, though it may be frowned upon. We have to start somewhere. I can't go straight to Tehran with a bang, she said.
Why not? Turbans feel free to come to Italy and start ranting as soon as they step off the boat...
I'm not going to Mauritania to propose the recognition of gay couples; we have problems enough at home. I'm not going to Saudi to propose Gay Pride. There were enough problems in Israel for that, said Luxuria, who stressed she did not want to engage in gay colonialism and that she wanted to defend gay rights, "naturally, without the use of bombs."
Lemme see, here. Y'wouldn't want to defend gay rights using bombs. In the wonderful world of Islam they drop walls on public homos the ones who won't stay in their own bathrooms. So maybe you should buy some bricks and mortar and a trowel...
After the Turkish experiment, Luxuria plans to meet the ministers of culture for Egypt, Tunisia and Lebanon, where homosexuality may be de facto tolerated but is liable to be punished with five years' imprisonment. Critics object that Luxuria picks on the Muslim world but goes easy on the repression imposed in Cuba (imprisonment or one year forced labor) and China (no definite article, but imprisonment of up to five years).
#3
"I'm not going to Saudi to propose Gay Pride. There were enough problems in Israel for that, said Luxuria, who stressed she did not want to engage in gay colonialism and that she wanted to defend gay rights, "naturally, without the use of bombs."
Goodness no! Just because the Temple of Elemental Evil would behead this cock-in-a-frock is no reason to impose Western values such as tolerance and individual liberty.
And I think transgendered (wo)men need to stop parodying women if they are going to be taken as anything more than a drag act. I know if I was wandering around in a dress kissing Muslim ass this guy gal would be an embarrassment and that is saying something.
#7
I think in this case I will make an exception and demand it wear a burkah.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
01/07/2007 13:55 Comments ||
Top||
#8
looks like John Cazale in drag
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/07/2007 14:30 Comments ||
Top||
#9
So what is he/she gonna wear when he/she arrives in customs at Saudi? Better think this one through real well, Vladimir(a), your life may depend upon it.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/07/2007 14:40 Comments ||
Top||
State doctors on Friday continued boycotting work as nurses in the second largest city of Bulawayo were reported to have also begun striking to press for more pay and improved working conditions. Conditions have deteriorated at state hospitals with patients reportedly dying of diseases that could be treated since intern doctors downed tools two weeks ago to pressure the government to increase their salaries and other perks.
Health Minister David Parirenyatwa was on Friday morning quoted by state-owned media as having said that doctors had agreed to return to work after he told them during a Thursday meeting that their grievances were being looked into. But Hospital Doctors Association president Kudakwashe Nyamutukwa told ZimOnline that the industrial action by intern, or junior doctors as they are commonly known in Zimbabwe, had now spread to other major centres across the country.
The junior doctors, who effectively run the public health delivery system because senior doctors spend most of their time at their private rooms, earn a salary of $56 800 per month plus $57 000 in housing, transport and on-call allowances. They want their salaries hiked to $5 million to cushion them against rampant inflation. To exacerbate the situation at state hospitals the source of health for the vast majority of Zimbabweans - senior doctors who were spending more time at public hospitals in the absence of interns were said to have now also joined in the industrial action in solidarity with their juniors demands for better pay.
In Bulawayo nurses at the state-run Mpilo and United Bulawayo Hospitals were said to have either stopped going to work or were on a go-slow to press the government to increase salaries from the $40 000 to $600 000 per month.
Meanwhile striking workers at the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority and who on Thursday switched off power supplies to Harare had yesterday agreed to return to work while negotiations on a new salary increase were in progress. The workers want a 1 150 percent salary hike. But management at the power utility that is virtually bankrupt due to years of maladministration and corruption are prepared to only pay 144 percent.
Analysts predict more work stoppages as workers both in the public and private sectors attempt to pressure employers to pay them more money in order to make ends meet in a country where inflation is pegged at 1098.8 percent and is rising.
#1
With the inflation rate that high, do ya really think it necessary to carry it out to a decimal?
to the common person, 1099% would still get the message across.
Posted by: Inflation B. Bad ||
01/07/2007 12:05 Comments ||
Top||
Bangladeshs opposition vowed on Saturday to paralyse the country for weeks if the government did not cancel a national election slated for January 22, which it condemned as a farce. That's as opposed to the usual state of Bangladesh, which is... ummm... mostly paralyzed.
The opposition has called a nationwide transport blockade for Sunday and Monday unless the interim government agreed to reforms that it said were crucial for free and fair elections. We will not accept farcical elections. We will shut down the country for weeks if the government goes ahead with holding the elections on January 22, opposition spokesman Abdul Jalil said.
Jalil said the shutdown would continue non-stop unless reforms were implemented that ensured the elections were not tilted in favour of the outgoing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Jalil said the temporary administration, charged with holding the polls before the end of January, had arrested at least 500 opposition activists ahead of the planned 48-hour blockade.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/07/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Bangladeshs opposition vowed on Saturday to paralyse the country for weeks...
The Bolivian Government conceded that 30 Venezuelan military officers have entered the country over the last week, but denied any violation to the Bolivian Constitution, as the troops are pilots and technicians providing support to two "Superpuma" helicopters President Hugo Chávez lent to Bolivia.
This is the camel's nose under the tent.
Minister of Defense Wálker San Miguel admitted that the Venezuelan troops arrived in the airport of Santa Cruz, 900 km east La Paz, but rejected claims from opposition parties that the Bolivian laws were infringed, AFP reported. San Miguel said the legal grounds supporting this operation is "the Regulations on Operations, Overflight and Landing," newspaper La Razón said on Thursday.
Óscar Ortiz, a senator for Bolivia's major opposition Podemos party, said the Venezuelan military officers entered the country without prior consent from Congress, the public power entrusted with the capacity to authorize entry and transit of foreign troops in Bolivian soil.
San Miguel claimed that the Venezuelan military are pilots that are replacing their colleagues to pilot two helicopters borrowed from Chávez' Government for personal use by Bolivian President Evo Morales. San Miguel added that the group includes personnel to verify the aircraft and install spare parts.
The word 'help' is mighty elastic.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/07/2007 00:48 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
the troops are pilots and technicians providing support to two "Superpuma" helicopters President Hugo Chávez lent to Bolivia.
Hahahahhahahahahaha!
Roberto Lavagna, the former economy minister who is widely credited with engineering Argentinas rapid economic recovery since its collapse in 2001, has announced that he will run for president in elections due in October.
Mr Lavagna, who was sacked from the cabinet in November 2005 because of disagreements with President Néstor Kirchner, has criticised the governments shift to the left in the past year. He also warned of increasing signs of authoritarianism and an economic policy that deters foreign investment.
By challenging the presidency, Mr Lavagna has ended months of speculation, although the centre-left Mr Kirchner has yet to make clear if he will seek re-election. Mr Kirchners high approval ratings, which some pollsters put above 70 per cent, mean that he is widely expected to win the elections. If he does not run, it is likely that he will be replaced by his wife, Cristina Fernández, an influential senator who would also be expected to win.
It remains to be seen whether the weak and fragmented opposition will unite behind Mr Lavagna against the formidable popularity of the government. Mr Lavagna told the daily La Nación that it would be a mistake to have several opposition candidates.
Without a united opposition, Mr Lavagna stands little chance of winning, says Sergio Berensztein, a political analyst based in Buenos Aires.
A key ally for Mr Lavagna, who claims to represent the progressive centre, would be the main centre-right candidate, Mauricio Macri, who owns Boca Juniors football club. They have been in talks for several months, although Mr Macri reacted coolly to Mr Lavagnas announcement on Friday.
If Lavagna and Macri run separately that will basically assure the president a victory in the first round of voting, said Mr Berensztein. If they pooled resources they might be able to push the elections to a second round of voting, which would be held if the winner gets less than 45 per cent of the vote without a 10-point lead. The only way the opposition has a chance is with a solid coalition.
According to a recent poll by Graciela Römer, if there were elections now Mr Kirchner would win with 55 per cent of the vote, while his wife would get 39 per cent. Against Mr Kirchner, Mr Macri would come second with 11.8 per cent, while Mr Lavagna and Elisa Carrió, a centre-left candidate, would both receive more than 5 per cent.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/07/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
MOSCOW - Russia hit back on Saturday at the United States after Washington had imposed sanctions on three Russian firms for exporting weapons to Libya and Iran, branding the US action illegal. The United States are not for the first time trying to extend their national laws illegally to foreign countries, forcing them to work according to Aemrican rules, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Washington announced sanctions Friday against 24 foreign entities, including Russian, Chinese and North Korean firms, for allegedly selling banned weapons to Iran and Syria. Russian businesses had already strongly contested the measures on Friday, saying they were respecting international law.
The move drew a sharp protest from Moscow. Russias state-run arms exporter Rosoboroneksport was among the highest profile firms hit by the measures, imposed under the 2005 Iran and Syria Nonproliferation Act. The US had already imposed similar sanctions on Rosoboroneksport and Russian plane maker Sukhoi in August 2006 for providing Iran with material that Washington said could be used to make weapons of mass destruction.
Ultimately, all these decisions constitute an interior problem for the American authorities, the Russian foreign ministry said on Saturday. The American state is forbidding itself and American companies from cooperating with our leading businesses. In business terms, that means wasted opportunities, the ministry said.
Russia is one of the worlds leading arms exporters. In 2005, it sold weapons to 61 countries for a record total of more than six billion dollars.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/07/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
"Look, we gotta unload this crap to somebody..."
The International Seminar on Drama and Religion opened at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran today. Twenty-one papers discussing the connection between religion and theater will be presented by foreign scholars from nine countries and Iranian academics during the two-day seminar. This is the first time in the world that a seminar on the theme of religion and theater is being held, seminar secretary Majid Sarsangi said during the opening ceremony. With more study, we hope to be able to take great steps in the future in promoting religious culture, particularly the humanistic and religious-based art of performing plays, he added.
Iranian Deputy Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister for Art Affairs Mohammad-Hossein Imani-Khoshkhu also spoke at the opening ceremony, saying, All fields of art in the world have been established based on a specific ideological system, in which the elevation of mankind is its main aim. Due to Irans long history of civilization and art, the country will be able to develop its art and thought in an arena as large as the world, he said. The Hurr-e Riahi tazieh, a passion play telling the story of Yazids commander Hurr, who joined the troops of Imam Hussein (AS) on the eve of Ashura, was also performed during the opening ceremony.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/07/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
(KUNA) -- Commander of Thai armed forces Sonthi Boniaratglin denied anew reports on disputes within the army and possible military coup. There are no difference of views among senior military officers who are members of the National Security Council, he told the fifth channel of the Thai TV.
The NSC was formed after the September coup d'etat that deposed the government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The military leader deemed the rumors on possible coup d'etat by some officers who were unhappy with the September 17 coup d'etat and described the incumbent military regime as "totally groundless." "There are no problems in the army or in the NSC," he defied.
Reacting to the recent bombings that hit the capital city of Bangkok on the New Year's Eve, Prime Minister Surayut Chulanon warned against more unrest, raising speculations about possible counter coup d'etat.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/07/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Hmmm, a coup to overthrow the recent coup. I gotta ask, coup's on first?
If you built it, they will come. If you don't pay them decently, they will go somewhere else.
This isn't unusual. Lots of IMGs (international medical graduates, the PC term) come to the US and work as nurses, lab techs, research techs, orderlies, etc., for a period of time. They work on their English and try to get some rotations as 'externs' -- visiting medical students -- at U.S. hospitals. Eventually they try to get into a residency at a U.S. hospital and develop their careers from there.
#1
He will do well. Basilan, his home, is a shit hole full of corruption and the hospital is empty. he would be living in a bamboo hut on Basilan. Good for him.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/07/2007 17:07 Comments ||
Top||
See Page 90 of publication 17. Under the heading of 'other income'. Under 'stolen property' it says: 'If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in that year you return it to its rightful owner!'
#2
Submit official petition to Congress to investigate the IRS under RICO statute?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act
#6
iirc, the IRS filings can not be used in a court of law towards any criminal conviction because of the 'self incrimination' clause specifically for identifying the 'gain' as less than lawful. As mojo mentioned, its the Capone clause. They get you for tax evasion rather than the actual criminal process.
Algeria will reduce oil output by 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) from Feb 1 in compliance with OPEC's latest production cut, Energy and Mines Minister Chakib Khelil said on Saturday.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/07/2007 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
I don't know what this means. 25k barrels does not sound like much to me.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Vladimir Luxuria, Italy's first trans-gender member of Parliament, told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that she intends to champion gay rights in the Muslim world and become an Italian diplomat in the Middle East. 
State doctors on Friday continued boycotting work as nurses in the second largest city of Bulawayo were reported to have also begun striking to press for more pay and improved working conditions. Conditions have deteriorated at state hospitals with patients reportedly dying of diseases that could be treated since intern doctors downed tools two weeks ago to pressure the government to increase their salaries and other perks. 
The International Seminar on Drama and Religion opened at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran today. Twenty-one papers discussing the connection between religion and theater will be presented by foreign scholars from nine countries and Iranian academics during the two-day seminar. This is the first time in the world that a seminar on the theme of religion and theater is being held, seminar secretary Majid Sarsangi said during the opening ceremony. With more study, we hope to be able to take great steps in the future in promoting religious culture, particularly the humanistic and religious-based art of performing plays, he added.
