Here’s Trouble Brief Blogs for 2009-10-19
- Former British army commander tells UN that Israel did more to safeguard civilians in Gaza than any army in history: http://bit.ly/4lDYVV #
- American couple trade children for cockatoo: http://bit.ly/3jdzfY #
- How to flu-proof your home: http://bit.ly/h2lF0 #
- Secular Republic of Turkey falls to the dogs: http://bit.ly/1sbxiY #
- American stupidity: travellers to USA to be charged $10 when entering USA, to "attract tourists": http://bit.ly/2sBEQl #
- Crappy workplace of the week: Medicare Parramatta: http://bit.ly/ZsXpa #
- Australia a "soft target for ATM skimming" says International Expert: http://bit.ly/RYkrF #
- BBC Climate Change correspondent does U-turn on alarmist predictions: http://bit.ly/25r3FE #
- The ETS scheme – is it just a tax increase by stealth? http://bit.ly/HNtX9 #
- Australians want nuclear power: http://bit.ly/374wb9 #
- Newest superconductor sets world record for working temperature of 254 Kelvins (19 deg C): http://bit.ly/326RCQ #
- How to scab Australian residency: a guide for illegal immigrants: http://bit.ly/2M1rlR #
Here’s Trouble Brief Blogs for Week Ending 2009-10-12
- Australian Mining company Lihir Gold reckons that gold could reach $1500/oz: http://bit.ly/4CV2jK #
- Broke British government starts selling off assets to pay for their past mismanagement: http://bit.ly/K71ZQ #
- British Government to scare children at bedtime with latest global warming alarmism propaganda ad: http://bit.ly/2mNzF4 #
- Saudi Arabian man sentenced to 5 years prison and 1000 lashes for boasting about his sex exploits on TV: http://bit.ly/cxtIu #
- The days of blackface performances are truly over: http://bit.ly/yJKqp #
- Getting married? Don’t hire this photographer for your special day: http://bit.ly/1KVxCz #
- Italian Scientists create fake Shroud of Turin using 14th century techniques, adding to evidence that it is a fake: http://bit.ly/paF2l #
- Nope, Iranian madman Ahmadinejad is not of Jewish descent: http://bit.ly/AcZv #
- Science: Another Ice Age? From Time Magazine June 1974 – http://bit.ly/oMnvF #
- $15 device that allows Arab Women to fake their virginity causes outrage in Egypt: http://bit.ly/NRfcF #
- Aspiring book burning Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosni launches ‘war’ to avenge UNESCO election loss: http://bit.ly/15ZVqg #
- Blogger exposes falsehood of Goldstone report on Gaza: http://bit.ly/2rwTg0 #
- ANSTO and Australian National University join forces to develop clean nuclear power: http://bit.ly/h5V2J #
- Religious advisory panel opposes secular ethics classes for NSW primary school students: http://bit.ly/VOAs #
- Supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths agree to stop blocking competitors from leasing space in shopping centres: http://bit.ly/zhsJR #
- Idiots in public education – Queensland public school gives bullied autistic boy a ‘stop’ sign to ward off bullies: http://bit.ly/Wchl2 #
- Communications Minister Stephen Conroy announces plan to split Telstra: http://bit.ly/jWOu8 #
- Leading Lebanese Muslim cleric issues fatwa forbidding normal relations with Israel, even with a peace treaty: http://bit.ly/cZSNi #
- 12-year old Yemeni child bride dies giving birth: http://bit.ly/3u2W7N #
- In South Africa, a carrier pigeon provided faster connectivity than ADSL Broadband Internet: http://bit.ly/147rQa #
- Australian Idol accused of exploiting mentally ill people for entertainment: http://bit.ly/H7291 #
- Stupid Liberal MP Scott Morrison says porn should be treated like guns: http://bit.ly/dmR0n #
- Canada grants white South African asylum: http://bit.ly/AvqdN #
- No principles, no morals: UK prostitutes itself to Libyan Dictatorship: http://bit.ly/1YtTgU #
- Great Britain surely is the best place to commit a bank robbery: http://bit.ly/2PMUEz #
- Irresponsible, Lying French TV Journalist Charles Enderlin, who promoted Al-Dura hoax, awarded France’s highest honour: http://bit.ly/YoFdc #
- NSW Premier Nathan Rees the Super Hero: http://bit.ly/W2Igk #
- India and China have “complete convergence” on climate issues: http://bit.ly/n1Xld #
- Very scary – Israeli scientists discover how to fake DNA evidence without physical contact with the target: http://bit.ly/4nhrIS #
- He’s a really lucky prick: Crashed pilot rescued from Irish sea by rowing team attempting world record: http://bit.ly/1JwMSt #
- No more shots! Israeli researchers develop new tablet treatment for diabetes: http://bit.ly/Sriys #
- He had it coming: Rapper C-Murder convicted of murder: http://tinyurl.com/ouk5kq #
- Canadian Catholic Church pays $15 million in compensation for sexual abuse of children: http://tinyurl.com/lrdgnp #
- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu learns from predecessors’ mistakes: http://tinyurl.com/mb8roy #
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reckons that Australian home prices are overvalued by 20%: http://tinyurl.com/lxnwa7 #
Copper Doorhandles & Fittings Might Keep You Healthy
Infectious diseases are an increasing problem in big cities with high population densities. Indeed, fears of a swine flu (H1N1) pandemic have dominated media headlines this year. Diseases are frequently spread when people with dirty hands touch shared surfaces. For example, if a sick person covers their mouch when coughing, and then uses that same hand to open a door, the door handle may harbour their germs. Other people who touch that door handle may be infected.
Copper doorhandles may help prevent the spread of germs. The antimicrobial effects of copper have been known for thousands of years, but recent studies have shown that the antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA (Golden Staph) that is commonly found in hospitals, cannot survive on copper surfaces for more than 90 minutes:
- Could a copper door handle help to beat MRSA?
- Copper alloy hardware is naturally antibacterial:
- Putting copper into action: copper-impregnated products with potent biocidal activities
In contrast, the more common stainless steel surfaces allow germs to survive for days, and can only be effectively cleaned using antiseptics, which need to be frequently reapplied and can cause allergic reactions in some people.
This means that reducing the spread of germs around our homes and offices may be as simple as installing copper doorhandles, and copper versions of other fittings with frequent human contact like taps, faucets, push plates and elevator buttons. The copper-containing alloys brass and bronze are also effective, but take longer to kill germs.
Barack Obama Did Not Deserve A Nobel Prize
Nobel Prizes have traditionally been awarded for ACHIEVEMENT in a certain field, not INTENTION or ENCOURAGEMENT.
Barack Obama might have grand plans for his own vision of peace, but he has not made any sort of measurable achievement that deserves this kind of recognition.
In my opinion, the Nobel Prize for Peace completely lost all credibility long ago, judging from the long list of recent questionable [undeserving] recipients: Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan, Yasser Arafat, Mikhail Gorbachev, Henry Kissinger & Le Duc Tho.
My advice to the Nobel Committee: stick to prizes for solid science.
