9:42 AM
Nobody (including DoD officials) seem to be able to explain how a company known for communications gear was able to get a $322 million no-bid contract to supply helicopters to Iraq. The records show that the Army actually tried to get a Russian company to say that ARINC was the only company that could provide the helicopter. When that wasn't true, the Army created an "urgent requirement" that only ARINC could provide the helicopter (even though they apparently had already found out that wasn't true). Someone *really* wanted ARINC to get the contract!
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/04/emails-reveal-u.html
The new defense budget (to be announced Monday) will apparently be brutal on big weapons programs like FCS (which could lose 6 of its 8 ground vehicles):
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/04/coming-monday-a.html
Japan plans to have a walking robot on the moon by 2020:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioijx5DLWQ4vTbjJmhNgHsNszNhwD97AVVSG0
Robot in the UK used artificial intelligence to come up with a scientific breakthrough all on its own! Robots could do original science research if this advance is followed up:
http://hsdailywire.com/single.php?id=7711
Article link
A computer program self-discovered the natural laws of physics even though it hadn't been given any knowledge of physics or geometry:
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/newtonai.html
New math formula can give advance warning of where a tsunami is likely to hit and how destructive it will be:
http://hsdailywire.com/single.php?id=7704
Remember how it was such big news when they discovered water on Mars? It turns out that Mars has a layer of *ice* just below its surface! Our Mars landers have actually revealed the ice without having to dig for it:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16867-subsurface-ice-on-mars-exposed-by-recent-impacts.html
Nearly unbreakable glass can withstand a drop from 10 feet high onto a concrete floor!
Article link
The latest food safety recall (pistachios) coming so soon after the previous recall (peanuts) may finally result in changes to our food safety system:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-salmonella3-2009apr03,0,7802452.story
Hackers are taking advantage of a flaw in PowerPoint that allows them to completely control a computer using a PowerPoint file flaw...there is NO security patch for this flaw yet! So, be careful when downloading PowerPoint files or when getting them as attachments:
Inforworld article
IBM is close to closing the deal to acquire Sun, the the purchase price dropping by about $1 per share in exchange for a strong commitment by IBM to complete the deal even if it gets close scrutiny by regulators:
Inforworld article
Strong BlackBerry sales helped RIM significantly beat market expectations and its stock shot up more than 20%. They actually credited Obama's public use of the BlackBerry for part of the reason for their success:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123870332148683695.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTam2h-gKNWLhiqM4PNO-wSpsB7QD97AIPJ00
Samsung will be releasing Android phones on T-Mobile and Sprint soon. I didn't realize that neither AT&T nor Verizon signed on to Google's OHA, so they cannot get Android phones:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/02/samsung-android-smartphones-technology-wireless-samsung.html
The cigarette tax increase has prompted a lot of people to try to quit smoking:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-04-02-smoking-hotlines_N.htm
A big battle is brewing in Boston where the NBC affiliate (the largest one independently owned in the country) is refusing to show the 10pm Leno show when it begins next season because they feel the ratings will be weak:
http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/04/boston-station.html
Massachusetts man went to a New Hampshire grocery store to shoplift shrimp on 4 occasions, stealing $500 worth of shrimp:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30020263/
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/04/emails-reveal-u.html
The new defense budget (to be announced Monday) will apparently be brutal on big weapons programs like FCS (which could lose 6 of its 8 ground vehicles):
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/04/coming-monday-a.html
Japan plans to have a walking robot on the moon by 2020:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioijx5DLWQ4vTbjJmhNgHsNszNhwD97AVVSG0
Robot in the UK used artificial intelligence to come up with a scientific breakthrough all on its own! Robots could do original science research if this advance is followed up:
http://hsdailywire.com/single.php?id=7711
Article link
A computer program self-discovered the natural laws of physics even though it hadn't been given any knowledge of physics or geometry:
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/newtonai.html
New math formula can give advance warning of where a tsunami is likely to hit and how destructive it will be:
http://hsdailywire.com/single.php?id=7704
Remember how it was such big news when they discovered water on Mars? It turns out that Mars has a layer of *ice* just below its surface! Our Mars landers have actually revealed the ice without having to dig for it:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16867-subsurface-ice-on-mars-exposed-by-recent-impacts.html
Nearly unbreakable glass can withstand a drop from 10 feet high onto a concrete floor!
Article link
The latest food safety recall (pistachios) coming so soon after the previous recall (peanuts) may finally result in changes to our food safety system:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-salmonella3-2009apr03,0,7802452.story
Hackers are taking advantage of a flaw in PowerPoint that allows them to completely control a computer using a PowerPoint file flaw...there is NO security patch for this flaw yet! So, be careful when downloading PowerPoint files or when getting them as attachments:
Inforworld article
IBM is close to closing the deal to acquire Sun, the the purchase price dropping by about $1 per share in exchange for a strong commitment by IBM to complete the deal even if it gets close scrutiny by regulators:
Inforworld article
Strong BlackBerry sales helped RIM significantly beat market expectations and its stock shot up more than 20%. They actually credited Obama's public use of the BlackBerry for part of the reason for their success:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123870332148683695.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTam2h-gKNWLhiqM4PNO-wSpsB7QD97AIPJ00
Samsung will be releasing Android phones on T-Mobile and Sprint soon. I didn't realize that neither AT&T nor Verizon signed on to Google's OHA, so they cannot get Android phones:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/02/samsung-android-smartphones-technology-wireless-samsung.html
The cigarette tax increase has prompted a lot of people to try to quit smoking:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-04-02-smoking-hotlines_N.htm
A big battle is brewing in Boston where the NBC affiliate (the largest one independently owned in the country) is refusing to show the 10pm Leno show when it begins next season because they feel the ratings will be weak:
http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/04/boston-station.html
Massachusetts man went to a New Hampshire grocery store to shoplift shrimp on 4 occasions, stealing $500 worth of shrimp:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30020263/