UK retailer stops stocking floppy disks

UK retailer stops stocking floppy disks: "PC World, Britain's largest chain of computer superstores, will say goodbye to floppy disks once the current stash is gone.

The retailer said Wednesday it opted not to reorder any more disks because they do not hold enough data and better alternatives exist.

PC World has about 10,000 disks in stock. With 155 stores across Britain and nearly 50 more elsewhere in Europe, spokesman Hamish Thompson said the final stock of floppies will be gone 'in weeks, if not days.'"

Jason Leopold and Marc Ash | Cheney's Handwritten Notes Implicate Bush in Plame Affair

Jason Leopold and Marc Ash | Cheney's Handwritten Notes Implicate Bush in Plame Affair: "Copies of handwritten notes by Vice President Dick Cheney, introduced at trial by defense attorneys for former White House staffer I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, would appear to implicate George W. Bush in the Plame CIA Leak case."

The Hindu : Sci Tech / Information Technology : Triple fillip for Moore 's Law

The Hindu : Sci Tech / Information Technology : Triple fillip for Moore 's Law: "IN A week of extraordinary developments, three American technology players, have made separate but complementary announcements of research breakthroughs that could ultimately lead to a new generation of silicon semiconductors chips — smaller, faster, cooler and cheaper than anything the world has known so far."

Air Force pursuing antimatter weapons / Program was touted publicly, then came official gag order

Air Force pursuing antimatter weapons / Program was touted publicly, then came official gag order: "During the Cold War, the Air Force funded numerous scientific studies of the basic physics of antimatter. With the knowledge gained, some Air Force insiders are beginning to think seriously about potential military uses -- for example, antimatter bombs small enough to hold in one's hand, and antimatter engines for 24/7 surveillance aircraft."

LiveScience.com - Amnesia Victim Wandered for 25 Days

LiveScience.com - Amnesia Victim Wandered for 25 Days: "DALLAS (AP)—Joe Bieger walked out his front door with his two dogs one morning last fall a beloved husband, father, grandfather and assistant high school athletic director. Minutes later, all of that, indeed, his very identity, would seemingly be wiped from his brain's hard drive.

For 25 days, he wandered the streets of Dallas and its environs a lost soul, unable to remember his name, what he did for a living, or where he lived, until, finally, a contractor who was building a new house for Bieger and his wife happened to recognize him.

By that point, Bieger had somehow made his way to a suburb about 20 miles from his Dallas home, holes worn in the rubber soles of his canvas shoes. He had lost 25 pounds, and a full white beard covered the normally clean-shaven educator's face.

Bieger, 59, says he was diagnosed afterward as suffering from psychogenic fugue, an extremely rare form of amnesia."

Chip companies entering their metal period | Tech News on ZDNet

Chip companies entering their metal period | Tech News on ZDNet: "For almost 40 years, chipmakers have been building transistor gates--the basic switch in a transistor--out of silicon. But Intel, IBM and Advanced Micro Devices now plan to introduce new materials for transistor gates that significantly cut power leakage while dramatically improving performance, company executives said this week in separate announcements."

Military to beam in nonlethal ray guns - Los Angeles Times

Military to beam in nonlethal ray guns - Los Angeles Times: "MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, GA. — The military calls its new weapon an 'active denial system,' but that's an understatement. It's a ray gun that shoots a beam that makes people feel as if they are about to catch fire.

The technology is supposed to be harmless — a nonlethal way to get enemies to drop their weapons. Military officials say it could save the lives of civilians and service members in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. "

BBC NEWS | Americas | US military unveils heat-ray gun

BBC NEWS | Americas | US military unveils heat-ray gun: "The US military has given the first public display of what it says is a revolutionary heat-ray weapon to repel enemies or disperse hostile crowds.

Called the Active Denial System, it projects an invisible high energy beam that produces a sudden burning feeling, but is said to be harmless."

FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool | CNET News.com

FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool | CNET News.com: "The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phone's microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations.

The technique is called a 'roving bug,' and was approved by top U.S. Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organized crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him."

Fredericksburg.com - A missile punch at bullet prices

Fredericksburg.com - A missile punch at bullet prices: "A demonstration of the futuristic and comparatively inexpensive weapon yesterday at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren had Navy brass smiling.

The weapon, which was successfully tested in October at the King George County base, fires nonexplosive projectiles at incredible speeds, using electricity rather than gun powder."

Canadian coins bugged, U.S. security agency says

Canadian coins bugged, U.S. security agency says: "Canadian coins containing tiny transmitters have mysteriously turned up in the pockets of at least three American contractors who visited Canada, says a branch of the U.S. Department of Defence."

The Eyes of Honesty - New York Times

The Eyes of Honesty - New York Times: "For 10 weeks this spring, they alternately taped two posters over the coffee station. During one week, it was a picture of flowers; during the other, it was a pair of staring eyes. Then they sat back to watch what would happen."

For sale: World's smallest country with sea view�|�Oddly Enough�|�Reuters.com

For sale: World's smallest country with sea view�|�Oddly Enough�|�Reuters.com: "LONDON, Jan 8 (Reuters Life!) - For sale: the world's smallest country with its own flag, stamps, currency and passports."

Electricity building | Chicago Tribune

Electricity building | Chicago Tribune: "DETROIT -- If the Chevrolet Volt works as advertised, you could travel for weeks, if not months, without a drop of gasoline.

You can expect from 50 to 525 m.p.g., so get ready to thumb your nose at the gas pumps--at any price.

General Motors unveiled the high-mileage concept at a media preview of the Detroit Auto Show. The electric, powered by lithium ion batteries, is designed to go up to 40 miles before the need to recharge 6 to 6.5 hours in any 110-volt outlet.

After 40 miles, a 1-liter, turbo 3-cylinder gas engine fuels a generator to recharge the batteries. It also goes 600 miles before having to refill the 12-gallon gas tank.

That's 640 miles of driving range and better than 50 m.p.g. in fuel economy with regular unleaded or up to 525 m.p.g. with the E85 ethanol blend, GM estimates."

Gas cooker blows up island | Metro.co.uk

Gas cooker blows up island | Metro.co.uk: "This was the staggering scene after a faulty gas cooker exploded in a timber-framed shack – and devastated a tiny Caribbean island.

The blast caused an inferno that leapt from hut to hut, taking less than ten minutes to sweep across Soledad Miria.

Many of the 1,014 inhabitants dived into the sea or took to fishing boats to escape. More than a third – 348 – were injured but, amazingly, no one died."

2006: The year in environment - earth - 28 December 2006 - New Scientist Environment

2006: The year in environment - earth - 28 December 2006 - New Scientist Environment: "Despite a growing global awareness of the threat we face from climate change, humans have continued to have a massive effect on the atmosphere during 2006. In fact, NASA reported evidence in September that global temperatures are very nearly the warmest they have been for a million years."

Le Cnes va publier trente ann�es d'archives sur les ovnis

Le Cnes va publier trente ann�es d'archives sur les ovnis: "Le Centre national d'�tudes spatiales (Cnes) va mettre progressivement en ligne �partir de f�vrier et mars ses �archives sur les ph�nom�nes �a�rospatiaux non identifi�s, un terme officiel synonyme d'ovnis (objets volants non identifi�s)."

FAA blames UFO report on weird weather - CNN.com

FAA blames UFO report on weird weather - CNN.com: "CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- -- Federal officials say it was probably just some weird weather phenomenon, but a group of United Airlines employees swear they saw a mysterious, saucer-shaped craft hovering over O'Hare Airport in November."

BBC NEWS | Health | Housework cuts breast cancer risk

BBC NEWS | Health | Housework cuts breast cancer risk: "Women who exercise by doing the housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer, a study suggests.

The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing household chores was far more cancer protective than playing sport.

Dusting, mopping and vacuuming was also better than having a physical job.

The women in the Cancer Research UK-funded study spent an average of 16 to 17 hours a week cooking, cleaning and doing the washing."

George Lucas plans to shoot fourth "Indiana Jones" movie in 2007

George Lucas plans to shoot fourth "Indiana Jones" movie in 2007: "Director George Lucas said Friday filming for the much-anticipated 'Indiana Jones' movie will begin next year and he promised it will be 'the best one yet.'

Lucas said he and director Steven Spielberg recently finalized the script, which stars Harrison Ford, who appeared in the three earlier flicks."