Rod Serling monologue about dictatorship and the destruction of human rights — via Youtube
Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has pardoned jailed Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, along with 100 prisoners, the presidency and official media reported.
Presidency spokesman Alaa Youssef said the two Al-Jazeera colleagues were among the pardoned group, which also included women activists Sana Seif and Yara Sallam.
Fahmy, Mohamed and their Australian colleague Peter Greste were sentenced in a retrial last month for broadcasting false
news that harmed Egypt and aiding the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Fahmy and Mohamed were released from prison within hours of their presidential pardon being announced.
Greste was deported in February through a presidential decree and his name did not appear on the list of those pardoned. It is not clear whether the pardon will also apply to him.
The pardons came on the eve of the Muslim holidays of Eid, when prisoner releases often take place in Muslim countries — via redwolf.newsvine.com
Former prime minister Tony Abbott’s own department discussed setting up an investigation into the Bureau of Meteorology amid media claims it was exaggerating estimates of global warming, Freedom of Information documents have revealed.
In August and September 2014, The Australian newspaper published reports questioning the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BoM) methodology for analysing temperatures, reporting claims BoM was wilfully ignoring evidence that contradicts its own propaganda
.
With seven of Australia’s 10 warmest years on record being in the last 13 years and warnings climate change will bring disastrous impacts for Australia, the accuracy and integrity of temperature information is crucial.
The BoM strongly rejected assertions it was altering climate records to exaggerate estimates of global warming.
Nevertheless, documents obtained by the ABC under Freedom of Information show just weeks after the articles were published, Mr Abbott’s own department canvassed using a taskforce to carry out due diligence
on the BoM’s climate records — via redwolf.newsvine.com
In 1978 the Notional Health Service was struggling to cope with its lack of funds. Overspending was unavoidable and the threat of closure was ever present. However, Scarfolk Council’s department for health and knitting hit upon a simple method to radically reduce spending.
Firstly, taking its lead from a household insurance policy, the council recategorised many serious (thus expensive) illnesses as ineligible for treatment. Cases were dismissed due to general wear and tear
or acts of god
, and the council even went as far as to recommend that patients with serious physical ailments contact the manufacturer for further assistance
. Secondly, the spread of disease in hospitals was cut by 90% by removing and prohibiting sick patients.
Patients with cheaper, non-threatening conditions were admitted to NHS hospitals, but only if they understood that they might share a bed with up to 9 other patients and/or a startup business that had rented the bed as office space. Patients were also subjected to virtually costless placebo trials. In fact, all treatments in 1979 were placebos consisting of either sherbet infusions (the town mayor was a major stakeholder in a Scarfolk confectionery factory) or daily rituals conducted by a coven of witches, who chanted in hospital car parks around an effigy of a nature deity made from balloons.
The cost-cutting scheme was successful and other regions adopted the same model. Not treating people was the only way to keep the NHS a viable, going concern, permitting it to continue what it has always done best: treat people — via Scarfolk Council
Blade Runner One / Christopher Shy — via Cinephilia and Beyond
Flowering Crabapple (Malus) originally uploaded by Red Wolf
No animals were harmed during the filming of this commercial. The scenes in this commercial are the result of awesome visual effects — via Youtube
Sunlight can be brutal. It wears down even the strongest structures, including rooftops and naval ships, and it heats up metal slides and bleachers until they’re too hot to use. To fend off damage and heat from the sun’s harsh rays, scientists have developed a new, environmentally friendly paint out of glass that bounces sunlight off metal surfaces — keeping them cool and durable — via Youtube
Four baby Rock Hyraxes have been born at Chester Zoo, in the UK. The tiny quartet arrived on 25 July, after a seven-month gestation — via ZooBorns
JW Stekervetz‘s method of forging a knife from wire rope — via Youtube
Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister
Originally aired on ABC TV: 17/09/2015 — via Youtube
This home in England, designed by Eldridge London, has a sunken backyard garden with triangular terraced planters. There’s also a slide for the kids and a sandbox to play in — via CONTEMPORIST
I said a lot of cringe worthy things in middle school, and this wasn’t one of them — via eringeebees
— via Youtube
The third attempt at turning a giant jawbreaker — via Youtube
Red Peach Blossoms (Prunus persica) originally uploaded by Red Wolf
— via Youtube
Malcolm Turnbull is set to become Australia’s 29th prime minister after toppling Tony Abbott 54 votes to 44 in a Liberal leadership ballot at Parliament House in Canberra.
Julie Bishop convincingly defeated Kevin Andrews 70 votes to 30 in a ballot for deputy leader.
Mr Turnbull resigned from Cabinet after today’s Question Time and told Mr Abbott he would challenge for the leadership.
The Liberal party room gathered at 9:15pm (AEST) and just over 30 minutes later, the result was announced — via redwolf.newsvine.com
A Spanish cancer patient is the first person in the world to receive a titanium 3D-printed sternum and rib cage, designed and manufactured by an Australian company.
The 54-year-old needed his sternum and a portion of his rib cage replaced.
The CSIRO said chest prosthetics were notoriously tricky
to create due to the complex customised geometry and design for each patient.
Thoracic surgeons typically use flat and plate implants in the chest, but they can come loose over time and create complications, the CSIRO said.
A 3D-printed implant was a safer option for the patient because it can identically mimic the intricate structures of the sternum and ribs.
Almost a fortnight since the surgery, the CSIRO confirmed the patient was discharged and had recovered well — via redwolf.newsvine.com
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