Weird News of the World Thread

[Alex_Spider]

http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/13/this-french-tech-school-has-no-teachers-no-books-no-tuition-and-it-could-change-everything/

This French tech school has no teachers, no books, no tuition — and it could change everything

PARIS — École 42 might be one of the most ambitious experiments in engineering education.

It has no teachers. No books. No MOOCs. No dorms, gyms, labs, or student centers. No tuition.

And yet it plans to turn out highly qualified, motivated software engineers, each of whom has gone through an intensive two- to three-year program designed to teach them everything they need to know to become outstanding programmers.

The school, housed in a former government building used to educate teachers (ironically enough), was started by Xavier Niel. The founder and majority owner of French ISP Free, Niel is a billionaire many times over. He’s not well known in the U.S., but here he is revered as one of the country’s great entrepreneurial successes in tech.

He is also irrepressibly upbeat, smiling and laughing almost nonstop for the hour that he led a tour through École 42 earlier this week. (Who wouldn’t be, with that much wealth? Yet I have met much more dour billionaires before.)

Niel started École 42 with a 70 million euro donation. He has no plans for it to make money, ever.

More info in the link.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

That's a cool idea for a school, it will be interesting to see how it turns out

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Man Sues Hospital Claiming Surgery Shrunk His Penis

In 2011, an anonymous Canadian man fractured his penis while having sex with his wife. As if that indignity wasn't enough, surgery to correct the injury allegedly left him with a dick that was "about an inch" shorter than before.

Now, the man is suing the hospital for $155,000 Canadian (about $142,000 U.S.), claiming negligence and "indescribable anguish."

By his lawsuit's account, the man went to the hospital after his injury and was told by a nurse and an off-site urologist that it wouldn't require surgery. When he still couldn't have sex after three months, he came back in for the operation.

Before we go any further, the Daily Mail has background on penile fractures for anyone who needs a health class refresher:

A fracture can occur when there is trauma to the erect penis. If it is bent suddenly or forcefully while engorged, the trauma may rupture the lining of one of the two cylinders in the penis (corpus cavernosum) responsible for erections.

The injury is often accompanied by an audible cracking sound, then dark bruising as blood escapes from the cylinder.

The surgery allegedly left a "permanent scar" and a continued inability to have sex in addition to the shortened appendage. The man, who is paraplegic, claims the experience led to the end of his marriage. He described the trauma thusly:

"This has caused a greater impact on my life than when I lost the use of my legs."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...tml?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Talk about some bad luck, things really went from bad to worse

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Connecticut Hoarder Dies After Floor Collapses From Weight of Clutter

Police recovered the body of 66-year-old Beverly Mitchell from the basement of her home in Cheshire, Conn. Saturday. Police believe Mitchell, an apparent hoarder, to have died when the first floor of her house collapsed from the weight of clutter that was stacked to the ceiling.

The police received a request for a welfare check for Mitchell from her mailman after her mail had gone uncollected for more than a week. Because of the amount of debris and items in the home, police had to cut a hole in the side of the house and use a backhoe to clear away wreckage.

Authorities first checked on Mitchell last Thursday, when they believed that she just wasn't home. On Friday, they learned of the first floor's collapse. It took them until Saturday to find her body amongst the refuse, the Cheshire Citizen reports.

According to the Associated Press, police had been forced to make welfare checks on Mitchell many times before.

"It's unfortunate because...we've tried all along to get her assistance, but she was a very private and solitary lady," Police Sgt. Kevin O'Donnell told the Associated Press.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/06/15/cops-hoarder-dies-after-floor-in-home-collapses/

Crazy to think that your bad habit can kill you

 

[Teelie]

Man Sues Hospital Claiming Surgery Shrunk His Penis



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...tml?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Talk about some bad luck, things really went from bad to worse

I was going to joke about this but then I saw what happened and that is awful.

The hoarder thing is less awful but still a bit tragic.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Sunscreen Isn't Enough to Prevent Skin Cancer

Now that we've all finally gotten around to incorporating sunscreen and SPF 50 facial moisturizer into our morning routines, The Institute of Cancer Research has released a statement saying that sunscreen cannot be relied upon alone to prevent malignant melanoma. Oh, good!

Researchers at the ICR looked at the molecular impact of UV light on the skin of mice at risk of melanoma and tested whether or not disease formation was inhibited by sunscreen. The test revealed that while sunscreen can significantly lower the amount of DNA damage caused by UV, it didn't offer complete protection. UV light could still cause problems in the p53 gene, which, the study explains, typically helps protect the skin from the impacts of DNA damage caused by UV light.

Professor Richard Marais, study author and Cancer Research UK scientist, based at the University of Manchester, said:

"UV light has long been known to cause melanoma skin cancer, but exactly how this happens has not been clear. These studies allow us to begin to understand how UV light causes melanoma.

UV light targets the very genes protecting us from its own damaging effects, showing how dangerous this cancer-causing agent is. Very importantly, this study provides proof that sunscreen does not offer complete protection from the damaging effects of UV light.

He continued with how we might protect ourselves, if not by using ******** sunscreen alone:

This work highlights the importance of combining sunscreen with other strategies to protect our skin, including wearing hats and loose fitting clothing, and seeking shade when the sun is at its strongest."

Your new beach outfit is going to be a little bulky, but, hey, what can you do!

http://www.icr.ac.uk/press/press_archive/press_releases_2014/24882.shtml

And people wonder why I live right next to the beach and never go

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

One User Controls Over Half of Bitcoin Mining—and That's a Security Risk

For the first time in its history, a single user has begun to provide over half the computational power used to mine the digital coins. But with much of Bitcoin's security stemming from its decentralized structure, that could prove a large security risk.

Ars Technica reports that researchers from Cornell University have noticed that single mining pool contributes over 51 percent of the currency's hashing—the cryptographic process required to mint Bitcoins—repeatedly, for periods of 12 hours or more. The user is GHash, which proudly names itself the "#1 Crypto & Bitcoin Mining Pool." Clearly it's not lying.

While it might not sound too much of a problem on the face of it, such computational power could be damaging for the currency. Quirks of Bitcoin means that those who control over 50 percent of Bitcoin mining have the ability to spend the same coins twice, are able to reject competing miners' transactions, and even extort higher fees from people with large holdings. And if things get really nasty, a 51-percenter could wage a DDoS attack against the rest of the network.

While GHash has only maintained majority control for up to 12 hours at time, that figure is recent; in the past, it had only managed to for minutes or hours. In others words, its control is on the rise and, speaking to Ars Technica, the researchers suggest that even 12 hours would be enough for those aforementioned security threats to become a realistic threat.

While there's no firm evidence that GHash has acted, or plans to act, maliciously, it comes after pledges that it would never cross the 51-percent threshold and accusations that it once used its considerable hashing power to attack a gambling site. It remains to be seen whether its power share will continue to grow—but most Bitcoin users will agree that it would preferable for it stop.

http://arstechnica.com/security/201...red-by-anonymous-miner-with-51-network-power/

Well that isn't good news for any bitcoin miners out there

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Whooping Cough Is Now a Full-Blown Epidemic in California

Well, it's official. California's whooping cough outbreak is now officially classified as an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control. Thanks anti-vaxxers.

California has reported 3,458 cases of pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough, so far this year, with about 800 cases in the past two weeks alone. Babies are at the greatest risk of death from the disease, and two babies have indeed died in California so far this year.

"We urge all pregnant women to get vaccinated," Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health told the L.A. Times. "We also urge parents to vaccinate infants as soon as possible."

Babies can't be vaccinated until they reach 6 weeks of age, which is why public health officials often urge pregnant mothers to get vaccinated, giving their newborns some degree of immunity.

As Time notes, the last whooping cough epidemic in California back in 2010 was a direct result of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. That epidemic affected over 9,000 kids, due in no small part to the anti-vaccination movement that is currently spreading misinformation about vaccines. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that the vaccines are safe, anti-science idiots continue to insist that they cause things like autism.

And it's not just California that's suffering from a resurgence of whooping cough. It's been a particularly terrible year nationally as well. From the beginning of 2014 until April 14, 2014 the CDC reports that there have been 4,838 cases of whooping cough in the U.S. — a 24 percent increase over the same period last year.

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-whooping-cough-20140614-story.html

It's stuff like this that really pisses me off about the anti-vaccination people. 2 children have literally died because of their idiocy

 

[Teelie]

One User Controls Over Half of Bitcoin Mining—and That's a Security Risk

http://arstechnica.com/security/201...red-by-anonymous-miner-with-51-network-power/

Well that isn't good news for any bitcoin miners out there

I was going to post about this myself in the Bitcoin thread. Went ahead and reposted about it there anyways since it's more relevant and less likely to get overlooked there.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Ahh yes, thanks. I forgot we had a bitcoin thread. Should have searched for it

 

[Alex_Spider]

Sunscreen Isn't Enough to Prevent Skin Cancer

http://www.icr.ac.uk/press/press_archive/press_releases_2014/24882.shtml

And people wonder why I live right next to the beach and never go

unscree

Whooping Cough Is Now a Full-Blown Epidemic in California

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-whooping-cough-20140614-story.html

It's stuff like this that really pisses me off about the anti-vaccination people. 2 children have literally died because of their idiocy

I am both anti-sunscreen and anti-vaccination (actually I am in the stage of research about this one)
People should look more into it, than buying everything the gov't and corporations throw at them as "truth".

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

unscree



I am both anti-sunscreen and anti-vaccination
People should look more into it, than buying everything the gov't and corporations throw at them as "truth".

The government has nothing to do with it, vaccines are safe. They do not cause autism as a recent study has shown and they prevent things that will run rampant without them. Why do you think we are seeing a resurgence of thinks that were all but wiped out a years ago? By promoting not getting vaccinated you are doing a great disservice to everyone and possibly costing children their lives. You need to do some real research and not just believe anything on the internet. There is absolutely no evidence that vaccines have negative effects on the vast majority of people.

As far as sunscreen goes like the article says it helps but it isn't 100% effective. I'm hardly ever out in the sun for long periods of time anyway

 

[Teelie]

Vaccinations are so beyond studied for safety that it's ridiculous people still call them dangerous. I don't know of any other medical research done more than on vaccinations. Maybe cancer research but that's a whole different thing.

Vaccines have been proven time and again to be safe with a minor chance of actual harm. So minor that it's infinitely outweighed by the benefits and they're still trying to minimize even the minor chances of harm.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Sunscreen Isn't Enough to Prevent Skin Cancer

http://www.icr.ac.uk/press/press_archive/press_releases_2014/24882.shtml

And people wonder why I live right next to the beach and never go

Burkas on the Beach. That'll go really well.

 

[Anubis]

I was watching Law and Order SVU aka Depression Porn the other day and saw ep where some dumb b***h didn't get her kid vaccinated, and ended up giving measles to the baby of this Casey Anthony parody who died. She was brought up on charges of second degree murder or something. Super interesting.

 

[KevanG]

Vaccinations make sense even just as a mental exercise. Get a little bit sick now in order to build up an immunity to a much more severe sickness later. Unless it gets out of hand, and with modern medicine that is a very rare occurrence, then you'll have a decent headstart on that illness for several years against it. There is almost no downside at all and all that autism bullcrap has been recanted by the original doctor and disproven any number of ways by independant studies worldwide.

 

[Alex_Spider]

Vaccinations make sense even just as a mental exercise. Get a little bit sick now in order to build up an immunity to a much more severe sickness later. Unless it gets out of hand, and with modern medicine that is a very rare occurrence, then you'll have a decent headstart on that illness for several years against it. There is almost no downside at all and all that autism bullcrap has been recanted by the original doctor and disproven any number of ways by independant studies worldwide.

Can you be 100% certain that recent vaccinations have dropped mercury completely which contained in high levels and other detrimental toxins for the human body?

 

[KevanG]

Have you read up on any studies that show materials used in vaccines? Have you seen the resurgence of previously under control things like whooping cough that has helped lead to the death of at least two children?

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...icially-epidemic-california-officials-n132056

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/Thimerosal/Index.html

 

[Doctor Evo]

I am both anti-sunscreen and anti-vaccination (actually I am in the stage of research about this one)
People should look more into it, than buying everything the gov't and corporations throw at them as "truth".

Can you direct me to the peer-reviewed scientific literature on the subject that have led you to these opinions?

I want peer-reviewed scientific literature.

If you can't provide that, and/or you don't know what it is, then you need to consider the possibility that you are completely unqualified to arrive at an informed opinion on the matter.

 

[Alex_Spider]

Funny how with all this mass vaccination, kids still get sick and depend on medication to recover. And in a worst case scenario they die.
Pff, this is just another money business like the GMO cartel.
All I know is that no parent wants his kid to get sick or die. But the mega corporations who profit billions by controlling the drug industry? Oh, boy aren't they making loads of money by vaccinations.

 

[KevanG]

I spent about one minute on google for two articles about my side of the topic and got a news article about a new epidemic due to not vaccinating and webpage about Thimerosalfrom the CDC.

 

[Doctor Evo]

Can you be 100% certain that recent vaccinations have dropped mercury completely which contained in high levels and other detrimental toxins for the human body?

1) Hg was never present at "high levels" by virtually any standard.

2) The Hg was in a stable, non-toxic form, incorporated as part of a larger molecule.

3) What are these other "detrimental toxins?"

 

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