When science and espionage unite for the common good

The UK Register is reporting that an unnamed U.S. spy agency has funded the development of a silicone implant to generate electricity by way of natural body movements. The science comes from Princeton professor Michael McAlpine and funded by the U.S. Intelligence Community, cooperative of federal intelligence and national security agencies.
Spies who make electricity from silicone implants? I think that we have the plot for our next Austin Powers movie.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

Editor's notes:
Extras

• District Attorney investigates Holden selectmen for possible Open Meeting violation 
• Landmark story, DA probes talks on Bullock contract (available to subscribers only)
• Telegram version -DA probes Open Meeting allegation 
• Llamas may have been on the lloose.
• There were 10 suspicious items this week.

Holden

Monday, January 18

12:36 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle on Industrial Dr.; trucker taking a break
12:42 a.m. Vehicle lost rear wheels on Main St.
6:43 a.m. Campaign signs taken from residence lawn overnight on Holden St.
8:39 a.m. Neighbor complaining that neighbor put snow on his property on Bullard St.
10:32 a.m. 911 Stop sign at Main and Sunnyside Ave. knocked over
10:52 a.m. Caller reports town DPW too fast through neighborhood on Valley Hill Dr.
12:32 p.m. Failure to license dog on Nola Dr
4:13 p.m. Street sign on Sunnyside Ave. down
6:32 p.m. Snow embankment at Park Ave. and Main St. too high and needs to be removed
7:27 p.m. Caller reports daughter calling his cell leaving unbecoming messages
9:09 p.m. Neighbor reports someone blowing snow into the roadway on Main St.
11:09 p.m. Vehicle parked on Wachusett St. posing a hazard

Tuesday, January 19

12:42 a.m. Suspicious person going into closed dealership; truck driver attempting to sleep somewhere
4:36 a.m. Search area of Shrewsbury Street/Pinecroft for suspect in West Boylston robbery
4:41 a.m. Lookout issued by Worcester for robbery suspect
8:51 a.m. 911 Caller reports car on property for several days
9:48 a.m. Suspicious vehicle on High St.
9:48 a.m. Large pile of snow in the middle of Summer Lane
10:26 a.m. Failure to license dog on Main St.
1:29 p.m. Failure to license dog on Surrey Lane
7:49 p.m. Well-being check on house on Flagler Dr.; garage door open, no lights on; ok, owner is home
7:55 p.m. 911 misdial

Wednesday, January 20

2:16 a.m. Secondary road conditions getting slick
8:29 a.m. Vehicle out of gas on Shrewsbury St.
10:38 a.m. Failure to license animal on Main St.
1:29 p.m. Rutland advising of vehicle driving erratically on Rte. 68
2:01 p.m. Failure to license dog on Wachusett St.
2:37 p.m. Dog loose in road on Rte. 31

Thursday, January 21

6:02 a.m. Light out at Shrewsbury and Holden/Chapel St. intersection
8:27 a.m. Party dropping off found gun and ammunition to be destroyed
9:21 a.m. Failure to license dog on Mixter Rd.
10:14 a.m. Failure to license dog on Fisher Rd.
12:15 p.m. Vehicle rolling backwards in parking lot on Highland St.
12:53 p.m. Beef company soliciting on Harris St.
1:11 p.m. Broken down school bus reported on Brattle St.
1:15 p.m. Failure to license dog on Summit St.
1:45 p.m. Report of strange pickup truck backed into unoccupied house on Bullard St.
9:22 p.m. Caller reports sister locked herself in room and refused to come out; well-being check

Friday, January 22

9:15 a.m. Payment issue at restaurant
2:00 p.m. Wallet missing since before Christmas reported
11:24 p.m. Kids behind business on Main St.
11:46 p.m. 911 Two females reported walking on roadway on Main St.

Saturday, January 23

10:45 a.m. 911 abandoned; accidental dial
7:28 p.m. 911 accidental call from Nelson St.

Sunday, January 24

1:51 a.m. Lights at center functioning erratically
11:08 a.m. Open gas door and gas cap hanging on vehicle on Main St.
11:36 a.m. Ice on hill on Miles Ave.
6:35 p.m. 911 hang-up; no answer on callback
7:07 p.m. Well being check requested on friend not heard from for over a week; ok, no need for wellbeing check; she’s fine, just home sick
7:15 p.m. Suspicious white van on Greytstone Dr.
10:05 a.m. Bullard Street wet and icy

Paxton

Monday, January 18

2:00 a.m. Report of power outage after light department did repair, Pleasant St.
7:49 a.m. Caller reports front door of home open for long time, Pleasant St. All set
8:11 a.m. Caller’s vehicle stuck in driveway, sticking into travel lane, West St.

9:51 a.m. Caller had verbal altercation with another about snow plowing and trash barrel knocked over, Woodland Dr.

Tuesday, January 19

3:27 p.m. School bus stuck on Brigham Rd. Another bus sent to pick up students
4:36 p.m. Caller reports he slid off the road twice, Pond St.
5:20 p.m. Caller reports unknown motor vehicle at end of his driveway, Suomi St. Found to be neighbor who put it there while driveway was being plowed
6:01 p.m. Holden PD requests officer at Rte. 31 at town line to stop traffic until sander can pass through

Wednesday, January 20

1:44 p.m. 911 hang-up, child playing with phone, Richards Ave.
3:24 p.m. Report of “strange” male walking on Rte. 122 who swore at caller, made a funny face as she drove by, Pleasant St.

Thursday, January 21

12:30 p.m. Caller reports her water meter is making strange noises, Pleasant St.
12:40 p.m. Caller reports their meter is making strange noises, Martin/Crystal Sts.
3:10 p.m. Water main break, Cotter/Crystal Sts.
3:16 p.m. Alarm company received signal that phone line at library failed, Richards Ave.
3:30 p.m. Concern about large snow pile at Brooks Rd./Richards Ave.
6:13 p.m. Called reports no water, Crystal St. Told of water main break

Friday, January 22

1:50 a.m. Intoxicated female being removed from campus wants to speak with an officer regarding a past incident, Sunset Ln.
2:41 p.m. Police at E. Brookfield District Court

Saturday, January 23

6:36 p.m. Ice on road in front of highway dept., Holden Rd.

Sunday, January 24

12:14 p.m. Report of dangerous patch of ice, Crystal/Pleasant Sts. Vehicles sliding through stop sign

Princeton

Monday, January 18

9:33 a.m. Person complaining about snow plowed onto fence on private property, Ball Hill Rd.
4:29 p.m. Caller wants to speak with animal control officer about his own dog, Worcester Rd.

Tuesday, January 19

7:52 a.m. Two dogs running on Sterling Road almost got hit and may cause accident. Police unable to find dogs
1:13 p.m. Report of tractor trailer off the side of Mountain Rd. OK, delivering items
4:18 p.m. Report of person riding horse on Bullard Rd. during snowstorm, creating hazard; ongoing problem
4:48 p.m. Report of electric meter knocked off home, Brooks Station Rd. Light dept. will check
6:58 p.m. While assisting motorist stuck in snowbank, person became locked out of his vehicle, Pine Hill Rd.

Wednesday, January 20

2:11 a.m. Request for highway department, townwide
3:32 p.m. Police investigation, Esty Rd.

Thursday, January 21

7:55 p.m. Police transport person to Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, Mountain Rd.

Friday, January 22

12:50 p.m. Police assist property owner with flooded basement, Worcester Rd.
7:20 p.m. Assist with motor vehicle lockout, Mountain Rd. AAA called
10:05 p.m. Police conduct traffic control after speeding complaints, Merriam Rd.

Saturday, January 23

1:31 p.m. Police transport person to station to call for a ride, Town Hall Dr.
2:43 p.m. Caller complaining about dog, ongoing problem, Beaman Rd.
6:25 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at state reservation, Mountain Rd.
11:16 p.m. Police secure gate at state reservation, Mountain Rd.

Sunday, January 24

9:44 p.m. Report of icy conditions on Merriam Rd., Ball Hill and Hubbardston Rd.

Rutland

Monday, January 18

2:58 p.m. Complaint about loose dog, Sycamore Dr.
3:50 p.m. Small white dog with brown spots, no collar, loose on Maple Ave.

Tuesday, January 19

10:22 a.m. Two loose black dogs acting aggressively, Cool Sandy Beach
11:49 a.m. Suspicious vehicle parked in front of house, Orchard Hill Dr. Person using laptop computer
10:53 p.m. Caller wants to speak with officer, Wildbrook Dr.

Wednesday, January 20

3:12 a.m. Person wants to speak with officer regarding parking problem, Maple Ave.
5:09 a.m. Vehicle off the road, no one around, E. Hill Rd. Vehicle will be towed, not a hazard.
5:48 a.m. Police drop off paperwork, Miles Rd.
6:24 a.m. Caller’s car blocked in by another vehicle, Maple Ave.
8:49 a.m. Request for assistance, keys locked in vehicle that is running, Pleasantdale Rd.
8:56 a.m. Vehicle off the road into utility pole, East Hill Rd. Same vehicle reported earlier
4:09 p.m. Suspicious male walking on Campbell St. Transported to UMass

Thursday, January 21

12:33 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Maple Ave.
3:09 p.m. 911 hang-up call, accidental, Miles Rd.
3:37 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer regarding fingerprints, Main St.

Friday, January 22

12:20 a.m. Caller locked out of apartment, Maple Ave.
8:08 a.m. Gold-colored dog loose in neighborhood, Central Tree Rd.
8:09 a.m. Report of workmen on premises, E. County Rd.
8:13 a.m. Records check, Main St.
3:34 p.m. Caller reports phone calls with no one talking, Glenwood Rd.
5:00 p.m. Large raccoon at front door of home, Glenwood Rd.
5:41 p.m. Suspicious phone call from distraught female, Blair Dr.
6:15 p.m. Request for police assistance for crowd control at home, Watson Ln.

Saturday, January 23

7:41 a.m. Report that llamas may be on the loose, Campbell St.
3:42 p.m. Complaint about snow plowed into Glenwood Rd., making it hard to see around corner
11:48 p.m. Police had people remove vehicle from Watson Ln.

Sunday, January 24

10:47 a.m. Report of person lying in snowbank, Pleasantdale Rd.
12:18 p.m. Person concerned about length of time of flashing light at intersection, Wachusett St.
3:19 p.m. Two dogs loose, Hickory Dr.
6:36 p.m. Person complaining about upstairs neighbor jumping on trampoline, Maple Ave.

Sterling

Tuesday, January 19

4:07 p.m. Three horses loose, Wilder/Beaman Rds. area
5:43 p.m. Group of youths on side of road throwing ice chunks at vehicles, Beaman Rd./Quail Roost Dr.
7:51 p.m. Disabled motor vehicle with flashers, out of gas, Leominster Rd.

Thursday, January 21

10:00 a.m. Caller tried to have large piece of equipment returned from person in town, Spratt Technology Way. Advised it is a civil matter
10:47 a.m. Suspicious male in pickup truck parked at Sandy Ridge intersection
6:13 p.m. Motorists reports flares in roadway on each side of Pratts Jct./Albright Rds.
6:16 p.m. Motorist reports large object in travel lane obstructing traffic, found to be mattress, I-190
8:04 p.m. Attempt to serve no-trespass notice, Redemption Rock Trl.

Friday, January 22

4:53 p.m. Medium-sized dog on median strip, Leominster/Laurelwood Rds.
8:43 p.m. Officer investigation, Wilder Rd.

Saturday, January 23

3:55 a.m. Complaint about barking dog, Ashton Ln.
6:24 p.m. Caller reports someone was trying to tow her vehicle, Leominster Rd.
6:29 p.m. Report of kids possibly throwing snow at passing vehicles, N. Row Rd.
7:41 p.m. Report of snowmobilers driving around on top of leach fields, Circle Ave.
8:16 p.m. Snowmobiles riding alongside train passing through area, Clinton Ave.
8:37 p.m. Male with rifle, dressed in black, walking up Maple St. by Kendall Hill.

Sunday, January 24

1:00 p.m. Caller wants to speak with animal control officer regarding loose dog “pooping” on hill where kids slide, Griffin Rd.
4:29 p.m. Two youths in black walking down School St. with BB gun, shooting at signs
8:21 p.m. Youths with firearms walking down Main St., shooting at signs. Police off with three youths with air soft gun

Civility in political discourse

via Monty Python - An Apology (1972)

More on technical documentation

Last night I attended a presentation and discussion regarding recent developments in the tools and technologies associated with technical documentation. The forum is sponsored by the DITA Boston Users Group (ditabug). (If you want to know more about DITA and you're not in techdoc, you might want to think about what kind of example you're setting for your children.)
There were plenty of graybeards in attendance, increasing the risk that the conversation would devolve into a fog of long-gone and best-forgotten applications and acronyms.
But, occasionally, there is a point in all this reflection on the past.
Y'see, what's really curious about many of these types of discussions is that we've been having them for at least the 30 years that I've been involved in this business. We've sought to develop methods and tools that would let us write concise descriptions and procedures and easily publish those items in print and online.
There are various other aspect to these goals, including integration with product development (so that the documentation describes the particular version of the product you are using), facilitating translation (so that the same content can be made available in three or 17 languages at the same time that the product is released), reuse (sharing pieces of information among multiple writers), and accessibility (ensuring that people with vision, hearing, or dexterity limitations can use the product and information).
The curious and ultimately frustrating thing about all of this is that we've solved it at least a half dozen times. Like Twain knowing how to quit smoking, we as individuals and as an industry know how to do the right things. We know how to fix these things; we just haven't figured out how to stop breaking them.

see more There I Fixed It

More on the SOTU

• It really surprises me that most folks believe that Barack Obama is a liberal. He's a liberal in the Bill Clinton/Jack Kennedy mode, which means not very liberal.
  His attitudes and policies on topics ranging from nuclear energy to war to the role of business are remarkably centrist, remarkably because commentators on the left and right were leading us to believe that we were electing Eldridge Cleaver. 
What distinguishes Obama from Kennedy and Clinton is personal integrity. He knows how to keep it holstered.
• I wish that Obama had named names, wish that he'd spoken directly to
  
  
  
  • Harry Reid, that the secrecy surrounding the health care negotiations was unacceptable.
    
  • John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, that  the pattern of obstructionist whining might work for a bunch of fourth-graders, but not to adults in the government.
  • the senators who are holding judgeships and cabinet appointments hostage, such as Jim Bunning (who'll never be forgiven for pitching a no-hitter  against the Red Sox in 1958) because Canada has a law against candy-flavored cigarettes, and Kit Bond, who is holding up an appointee because he's waiting for approval of a federal office building in Kansas City. (Slow Pace of Confirmation Strands Many Obama Nominees - NYTimes.com)
  
  
  
  
• Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell gave the Republican response. It reminded me of several pretty good high school valedictorian speeches. The Democrats should be really ashamed that they lost to this guy.
  

Happy Birthday, Mike

We wish we could let you in.

Liberal Arts majors, there's a job for you.

International hotel chain Holiday Inn  is offering a trial human bed-warming service at three hotels in Britain this month.
If requested, a willing staff-member at two of the chain’s London hotels and one in the northern English city of Manchester will dress in an all-in-one fleece sleeper suit before slipping between the sheets.
via Holiday Inn to test human “bed-warmers” « Bits & Pieces

You must be 151, what's-your-name

According to people who know us better than we know our selves, we can't have more than about 150 friends.

Robin Dunbar, professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, has conducted research revealing that while social networking sites allow us to maintain more relationships, the number of meaningful friendships is the same as it has been throughout history.
Dunbar developed a theory known as “Dunbar’s number” in the 1990s which claimed that the size of our neocortex — the part of the brain used for conscious thought and language — limits us to managing social circles of around 150 friends, no matter how sociable we are.
via Brains Can’t Handle All Our Facebook Friends, Can Manage 150 Friends Max « ResourceShelf

A couple of additional tidbits.

1. Dunbar's research indicates that this number, 150, has held true for most of human existences and across multiple societies. Even though technology has allowed us greater contact and rich connections with many thousands of people, our brains haven't advanced very fast at all.
   We might have invented sneakers that let us run 100 meters in 1.2 seconds, but our legs and feet can still only go at whatever rate that really fast guy can run.
2. Dunbar's research seems to have held up, even as the pace of technological advances have accelerated. His findings on the neocortex were published in 1992 (draft here, final publication here.)
   

The perils of free trade

The US government said it is planning to relax the ban on imported meats which prevents the sale of haggis.
- BBC News - US planning to relax haggis ban

If the Scots made Spam^® from sheep, haggis would be made of the part of the sheep that would be rejected for Spam^®.

The dish is traditionally served with neeps and tatties on Burns night (25 January).

More on the Burns Supper here - Burns Supper - History Feature on the Traditional Burns Supper.

And, for that special effect, it's best to don the traditional festive garb.