-Caveat Lector-
SkeptiNews 990809c - - - - - - - - - - - All The News That's Fit To Question
: Passages starting with ':' are editorial comments to provoke discussion.
: Nothing contained herein is ever endorsed for truth, accuracy or meaning.
: No masochists were gleefully punished during production of this bulletin.
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# UK Scientists Inhale Plutonium 'Without Risk' LONDON (Reuters) Two Brutish
scientists who inhaled plutonium in an experiment to mimic the effects of
a nuclear war have suffered no side effects. Got a nice healthy glow too:
http://news.excite.com/news/r/990809/05/science-health-plutonium
: Do you like to inhale radioactives? Should everyone inhale radioactives?
Do we already? How much? Are radioactives good for us? Do the ETs insist?
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# MEDICAL COSTS OF GUNSHOT INJURIES IN THE US. P.J. Cook et al (US) report a
study to develop reliable estimates of the medical costs of treating gunshot
injuries in the US. The authors conducted a cost analysis using records from
hospitals in New York, Maryland, and North Carolina, combined with data from
various national databases. The authors report that the 134,445 gunshot
injuries in the US in 1994 involved an average medical cost per injury of
US$17,000, and US$2.3 billion in lifetime medical costs, of which US$1.1
billion was paid by US taxpayers. Gunshot injuries due to assaults accounted
for 74 percent of total costs. The authors suggest that gunshot injury costs
represent a substantial burden to the medical care system, and that nearly
half this cost is borne by US taxpayers. (J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 99/282:447)
: Should personal firearms be taxed to pay for medical expenses? Should guns
be banned? Should guns be distributed freely? Should gunshot victims just be
left to die? Would you rather be shot by a pistol, rifle, shotgun, crossbow?
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# Students test robot subs. PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) College students
racing robot submarines may sound like fun and friendly competition, but
the technology at work also could help the Navy prevent casualties in
future wars. Navy officials are looking at the machines as a way to keep
sailors and Marines out of harm's way by performing such dangerous tasks
such as finding and neutralizing sea mines and underwater obstacles. The
second annual International Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition -
see http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560631325-75d
: Do you prefer robots that swim? Would you like to be a robot sub? Would it
be a glorious, glamorous career? Do you like to inflict casualties? On whom?
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# EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON NEUROCOGNITIVE FUNCTION. In a study of ageing,
fitness, and neurocognitive function, A.E. Kramer et al (US IL) report
that analysis of 124 previously sedentary adults 60 to 75 years of age,
who were randomly assigned to either aerobic (walking) or anaerobic
(stretching and toning) exercise, those who received aerobic training
showed substantial improvements in performance on tasks requiring execu-
tive control, compared with anaerobically trained subjects. The authors
point out that in the ageing process, neural areas and cognitive processes
do not degrade uniformly. Executive control processes and the prefrontal
and frontal brain regions that support them show large & disproportionate
changes with age. Executive control processes include planning, schedul-
ing, inhibition, and working memory. (Nature 99/400:418)
: Do you exercise to keep your brain fit? Does your alien implant force you
to exercise, prevent you from exercising, ignore your physical/mental state?
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# Suit against Black Muslims tossed. CAMBRIDGE, Mass.(AP) A lawsuit accusing
the Nation of Islam of discrimination for barring women from a public
speech by leader Louis Farrakhan has been dismissed. Judge Regina Quinlan
in Middlesex Superior Court ruled that the First Amendment guarantees of
freedom of religion and freedom of assembly protected the Nation of Islam.
Marceline Donaldson claimed her civil rights were violated when she was
turned away at the door of the Boston's city-owned Strand Theater. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560637968-ba3
: Do you hold meetings in public places? Do you prohibit entry to some? D'ya
turn away men, women, children, humans, aliens, robots, cyborgs, deities? Is
your belief system exclusive, discriminatory, secretive, popular, rational??
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Eclipse-O-Rama:
# Blinded American Warns Of Eclipse Dangers. LAND'S END, England (Reuters)
An American boy partially blinded by an eclipse pleaded Monday with
British eclipse-watchers: "Please don't ever look directly at the sun."
http://news.excite.com/news/r/990809/12/science-eclipse-blindness
# Mexico Tells People Eclipse Not End Of The World. MEXICO CITY (Reuters)
It's only an eclipse of the sun, not the end of the world, Mexico has
warned its people. Opposition figures denounced the ruling PRI party:
http://news.excite.com/news/r/990809/12/science-eclipse-blindness
# Zoo Seeks Help Recording Animal Eclipse Behavior. FRANKFURT (Reuters)
Frankfurt's Zoo has asked its visitors to become researchers by helping
to record how its 5,000 animals react to the solar eclipse Wednesday.
http://news.excite.com/news/r/990809/05/science-health-plutonium
# Clouds To Eclipse Eclipse In UK, Europe. LAND'S END, England (Reuters)
Gloomy forecasters warned that black clouds were looming ahead of
Wednesday's eclipse and an expected mass invasion of tourists to
the southwestern tip of England had so far failed to materialize.
http://news.excite.com/news/r/990809/09/science-eclipse-leadall
# British Braced For Eclipse Land, Sea, Air Invasion. LAND'S END, England
(Reuters) Even Samaritan suicide counselors have been called in to soothe
the frayed nerves of British drivers in expected traffic jams on the way
to viewing Wednesday's Eclipse. Britain, unlike any other on the path of
the last total eclipse of the 20th century, has been seized by eclipse
fever. http://news.excite.com/news/r/990809/03/science-eclipse-britain
# Eclipse tour company collapses. (BBC) An eclipse tour venture collapses
amid concern that poor weather forecasts and fears of traffic chaos are
keeping the crowds away. Or they're all at end-of-the-world orgies maybe.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_415000/415402.stm
# Also: Flop forecast for Europe's eclipse (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_415000/415310.stm
# And: Eclipse scientists in the swing. (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_415000/415273.stm
# And: Fanatics Travel World Seeking Perfect Eclipse (Reuters)
http://news.excite.com/news/r/990809/14/science-eclipse-fanatics
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"Is there actually any proof that batteries do go flat in [crop] circles
or is this just another bit of woo woo ?" --Townes de Wombat
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