-------------------------- newsoutline.com: September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Brilliant Idea: A replaceable, building-wide system to help hospitals, apartment buildings and office towers survive severe seismic shaking

via Earthquake-Proof Collapsible Building Frame - Breakthrough Award Innovator - Popular Mechanics.

A ‘biblical clue’ found in computer virus attacking Iran’s nuclear program | Washington Examiner

A ‘biblical clue’ found in computer virus attacking Iran’s nuclear program | Washington Examiner.

A rather fascinating story in today’s New York Times:

Deep inside the computer worm that some specialists suspect is aimed at slowing Iran’s race for a nuclear weapon lies what could be a fleeting reference to the Book of Esther, the Old Testament tale in which the Jews pre-empt a Persian plot to destroy them.

That use of the word “Myrtus” — which can be read as an allusion to Esther — to name a file inside the code is one of several murky clues that have emerged as computer experts try to trace the origin and purpose of the rogue Stuxnet program, which seeks out a specific kind of command module for industrial equipment.

The U.S. and Israeli government have been curiously silent about the worm thus far. The Times also reports that Obama administration has “rapidly ramped up a broad covert program, inherited from the Bush administration, to undermine Iran’s nuclear program.”

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Did the Ancient Israelites Drink Beer? | Biblical Archaeology Review | Bible History Articles

Did the Ancient Israelites Drink Beer? | Biblical Archaeology Review | Bible History Articles. Ancient Israelites, with the possible exception of a few teetotaling Nazirites and their moms, proudly drank beer—and lots of it. Men, women and even children of all social classes drank it. Its consumption in ancient Israel was encouraged, sanctioned and intimately linked with their religion. Even Yahweh, according to the Hebrew Bible, consumed at least half a hin of beer (approximately 2 liters, or a six-pack) per day through the cultic ritual of libation, and he drank even more on the Sabbath (Numbers 28:7–10).

Monday, September 27, 2010

Warplanes: The F-35I Looks Pregnant

September 4, 2010: Now that Israel has placed an order for 20 American F-35 fighters, for $137.5 million each, preparations are well underway to customize the new aircraft. That's why they will be called the F-35I, because they will be fitted out with a lot of Israeli designed and made gear. This will include several bits of Israeli equipment in the cockpit, and a modification to the main computer that will allow easy connection to Israeli accessories. There will most notably be a detachable 2500 liter (600 gallon) fuel tank. While this reduces the stealth capabilities, the fuel tank can be jettisoned once the aircraft enters enemy territory. The pilots will also use an Israeli made "point and shoot" helmet (as will most F-35 drivers everywhere).

via Warplanes: The F-35I Looks Pregnant.

Warplanes: Mexico Puts Israeli Aircraft To Work

September 10, 2010: Mexico has bought at least two Israeli Hermes 450 UAVs and over a dozen Skylark micro-UAVs. Mexico is using its new UAVs for anti-drug operations. Mexico ordered these aircraft two years ago, and kept it quiet.

via Warplanes: Mexico Puts Israeli Aircraft To Work.

Submarines: Egypt Puts American Sonar On Their Chinese Ships To Seek Israeli Subs From Germany

September 16, 2010: The U.S. is selling Egypt a towed array sonar system, for $23 million. The three ton LFATS (Low Frequency Active Towed Sonar) system is compact and can be carried by small warships (large patrol boats or corvettes) and is very good at finding quiet submarines in shallow coastal waters. Egypt plans to equip its Chinese made patrol boats with the new system.

via Submarines: Egypt Puts American Sonar On Their Chinese Ships To Seek Israeli Subs From Germany.

Information Warfare: Who Shall Guard Israeli Cyber Space

September 20, 2010: There is a war going on in Israel, between Shin Bet (the internal security and intelligence agency) and the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces.) The object of this dispute is who shall control Cyber War activities.

via Information Warfare: Who Shall Guard Israeli Cyber Space.

Weapons: May The Best Bullet Lose

September 21, 2010: The U.S. Army and Marine Corps have parted company on the issue of what kind of rifle ammo is best for the troops. The army began to ship lead-free M855A1 5.56mm bullets to its troops over the Summer. The marines went with a slightly more expensive Mk308 or SOST round, that SOCOM Special Operations Command recently developed. SOST contains lead, but SOCOM considers it more effective in combat than any other 5.56mm round.All this came about because of years of political pressure on the army to use non-lead bullets. That's because training and combat use of army 5.56mm weapons puts 2,000 tons of lead back into the environment each year. This lead was originally taken out of the environment to be temporarily stored in the form of bullets.While this non-lead policy burnishes the army's image and environmental cred, it also provides troops with an inferior bullet;

via Weapons: May The Best Bullet Lose.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

The Associated Press: Worm hits computers of staff at Iran nuclear plant

The Associated Press: Worm hits computers of staff at Iran nuclear plant.

Commentary » Blog Archive » Northern Cyprus vs. Israel

Commentary » Blog Archive » Northern Cyprus vs. Israel.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

U.S. Bails Out Major Credit Unions - WSJ.com

U.S. Bails Out Major Credit Unions - WSJ.com.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Gallery: Whoops! The 10 Greatest (Accidental) Inventions of All Time | Popular Science

Gallery: Whoops! The 10 Greatest (Accidental) Inventions of All Time | Popular Science.

Loud Video: NASA Test Fires Largest-Ever Solid Rocket Motor | Popular Science

Loud Video: NASA Test Fires Largest-Ever Solid Rocket Motor | Popular Science.

Advanced Computer Worm Was Specifically Designed to Attack Iranian Nuclear Reactor, Experts Say | Popular Science

Advanced Computer Worm Was Specifically Designed to Attack Iranian Nuclear Reactor, Experts Say | Popular Science.

San Diego Reader | Escondido: Do Your Homework on the Portland Beavers

But Escondido wants to spend $50 million of taxpayer money to build a ballpark and infrastructure for the Portland Beavers, the Padres’ AAA affiliate, who have been pushed out of their longtime Oregon home because their stadium is being switched to soccer-only and no other place in the area wants them.

via San Diego Reader | Escondido: Do Your Homework on the Portland Beavers.

San Diego Reader | Who is the Union-Tribune's new owner?

San Diego Reader | Who is the Union-Tribune's new owner?. This is an awfully long article. Here are 2 items that stand out:

Hani Bawardi, the Arab-American scholar who chronicled Tom Joubran’s rise from impoverished immigrant to one of the richest men in Flint, says it is hard to predict just what the new Union-Tribune will look like under Platinum Equity’s ownership. The paper’s takeover by those with roots in Palestine, he notes, “is very unique. I’m kind of surprised, actually.

During that case, a former Joubran employee, Wayne Atwell, testified under oath that Joubran had told him he could have Busch and his family killed, according to an August 1995 Flint Journal account. Joubran denied the allegation. In court, Atwell said that he had four felony convictions and had been sent back to jail after Joubran accused him of taking $1700, the article said. Joubran said he was forced to plead nolo contendere to the gun charges because he didn’t want to risk a prison sentence for the three felony counts originally filed against him, according to a January 1996 Flint Journal report. He was sentenced to a term of three years’ probation, 200 hours of community service, and costs, according to Michigan court records.