What's in the news?

[Oniya]

The gravity calculations are also significantly different for a flat disk mass compared to a spherical mass.  On a sphere, the center of mass is uniformly 'down' in a direction perpendicular to the surface.  On a flat disk, the center of mass is only going to be 'down' in that manner at the center of the disk's flat surface.  Anywhere else, it's going to be angled towards that point. 

Launching a satellite without proper calculations generally ends up with a wasted satellite.

[TheGlyphstone]

Besides, he'll run out of money. $200,000 might buy a plain ordinary satellite, but he's a famous rap artist. He has to bling his satellite out in gold plating and diamonds and stuff.

[Shekinah]

Also how can he launch it into outer space? Isn't earth covered with this special dome kinda thing according to them?

[Valerian]

Maybe that's the idea.  He'll put it together, launch it, watch it crash into the dome and there will be his Proof of Earth Flatness^tm.  It seems like a terribly expensive test to me, but maybe he doesn't mind that since he'll be spending other people's money.   

[Sara Nilsson]

https://gizmodo.com/us-homeland-security-will-start-collecting-social-media-1818777094

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expanding the kinds of information that it collects on immigrants to include social media information and search results. The new policy, which covers immigrants who have obtained a green card and even naturalized citizens, will take effect on October 18th.

As someone who will be affected by this I must say I am rather alarmed, not that I really have much to hide. Yeah I been critical of trump on FB but I doubt that will do much for my case. Still I find it really scary that they are now implementing this and this is the first I hear of it. And remember this isn't just us, by extension anyone on my FB page would be included as well (Americans and not).

[Lustful Bride]

Yoda accidentally put into Saudi Textbooks alongside Saudi king Faisal.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/saudi-official-fired-after-textbook-with-yoda-image/ar-AAstGbY?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

Well to be fair he is slightly hidden.

[Eikichi]

https://gizmodo.com/us-homeland-security-will-start-collecting-social-media-1818777094

As someone who will be affected by this I must say I am rather alarmed, not that I really have much to hide. Yeah I been critical of trump on FB but I doubt that will do much for my case. Still I find it really scary that they are now implementing this and this is the first I hear of it. And remember this isn't just us, by extension anyone on my FB page would be included as well (Americans and not).

I have the opposite opinion on this matter. While it could be alarming, I think it's something that should have started long ago (if it didn't already start in secret). I don't mind them collecting data for the same of security, especially if they are already public. My line comes from social posts that are private or weren't shared in a public domain.

[Sara Nilsson]

I have the opposite opinion on this matter. While it could be alarming, I think it's something that should have started long ago (if it didn't already start in secret). I don't mind them collecting data for the same of security, especially if they are already public. My line comes from social posts that are private or weren't shared in a public domain.

Well I naturally disagree.

I do not think the government should be given a blank check to spy on its citizens without probably cause. What is next? Phonecalls? Which is basically the same as me having a conversation on FB between me and my friends. (No my FB is not set to public). But even if it was, they have to get permits if they want to spy on americans but now they can go around that very neatly. No we shouldn't give the government more power to intrude on peoples privacy.

Also search results is included. So they will demand comcast hand over my searches? And since I write here they include lots of interesting words, rifle, anarchist, terrorism, Minotaur sex, factorio toggle latch. Those are the ones i did yesterday.

If they sit down and go.. hmm sara seems to be suspicious lets go to a court and get an order to snoop on her.. I am fine with that, but NO i do NOT trust the government with blank checks to snoop on its citizens. The amount of information I already have to give them is silly, including sworn statements from doctors about various surgeries, statements from my neighbors, coworkers, my doctors here, I lost track of the number of fingerprints I have given (I stopped counting at 8 times they asked for them)

[Oniya]

Also search results is included. So they will demand comcast hand over my searches? And since I write here they include lots of interesting words, rifle, anarchist, terrorism, Minotaur sex, factorio toggle latch. Those are the ones i did yesterday.

There's a reason that merchandise like this exists.  I mean, can you imagine what Clive Barker's search history looks like?

[Sara Nilsson]

There's a reason that merchandise like this exists.  I mean, can you imagine what Clive Barker's search history looks like?

I need that mug in my life

[Eikichi]

Snip.

I can definitely agree with a lot of what you said. At the end of the day we just have a different mindset for it. All of what you said is true, or could very well be abused by some form of authority or another. The difference is that I do, generally, believe that knowing the government is collecting specific information does make it easier for the public.

But I would like to point out that there is a profound difference between collecting information, and actively monitoring information. The later I am again and the former I believe does nothing but over-all benefit most agencies. Of course the latter would obviously need to include caveats, assurances that all the information would remain private to government officials that needed it, and that companies or individuals would have no access to the information. But simply by collecting, not actively monitoring, the government receives a bank of information that they can use to to search and filter for what they need and what is pertinent to them.

Again, those are just my opinions. I tend to believe that a government can do more to benefit to than good. Their are obviously instances in which this can be abused or misused; however overall I do believe that if it can benefit the government or people than it should generally be explored.

[Beorning]

A couple of cannibal serial killers apprehended in Russia:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/09/26/russian-cannibal-couple-may-have-drugged-killed-and-eaten-as-many-as-30-people-police-say/

[Lustful Bride]

Massive explosion destroys Ukranian Weapons depot.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tens-of-thousands-evacuated-from-ukraine-arms-depot-sabotage-blasts/ar-AAsxjVJ?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

Some in the government call it an act of Sabotage as it is the second such incident to happen in regards to Ukranian weapon storage.

[SINless]

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/giant-coconutcracking-rat-finally-discovered-in-solomon-islands-after-years-of-rumors/

[Deamonbane]

Hugh Hefner passed away last night.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/27/media/hugh-hefner/index.html

[LisztesFerenc]

  The administration will not waiver the Jones Act for Puerto Rico, which it did for Florida and Texas. The Jones Act (or Merchant Marine Act of 1920) requires an american vessel for the transportation of goods from one american port to another.

http://nypost.com/2017/09/27/trump-says-shipping-industry-opposed-to-waiver-for-puerto-rico/

  The administration as a whole seems to cite damaged ports as the reason to not waiver the act, arguing more ships won't help as they won't be able to dock. However Trump and the industry are angling for more of "humans lives come second to profits" argument, which the President saying “But we have a lot of shippers and a lot of people that work in the shipping industry that don’t want the Jones Act lifted, and we have a lot of ships out there right now.” and people within the shipping industry arguing that waivering the act would cost American jobs.

[Lustful Bride]

Hugh Hefner dead at 91.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/celebrity/hugh-hefner-who-built-playboy-empire-and-embodied-it-dies-at-91/ar-AAsyk02?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Lustful Bride]

Trump Finally waives restrictions for Puerto Rico to have foreign ships arrive.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-latest-trump-waives-restrictions-to-help-puerto-rico/ar-AAsyKTR?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Lustful Bride]

North Korea accuses the US of exploiting the death of Otto Wambier. (Even though they are the ones that tortured him to the point of brain death)

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korea-accuses-us-of-exploiting-students-death/ar-AAszb2J?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Beorning]

  The administration will not waiver the Jones Act for Puerto Rico, which it did for Florida and Texas. The Jones Act (or Merchant Marine Act of 1920) requires an american vessel for the transportation of goods from one american port to another.

http://nypost.com/2017/09/27/trump-says-shipping-industry-opposed-to-waiver-for-puerto-rico/

  The administration as a whole seems to cite damaged ports as the reason to not waiver the act, arguing more ships won't help as they won't be able to dock. However Trump and the industry are angling for more of "humans lives come second to profits" argument, which the President saying “But we have a lot of shippers and a lot of people that work in the shipping industry that don’t want the Jones Act lifted, and we have a lot of ships out there right now.” and people within the shipping industry arguing that waivering the act would cost American jobs.

This is disgusting! 

[LisztesFerenc]

  Fortunately there's been a U-turn on that policy. Lustful Bride posted the story that the act has been waived about 2 hours after I posted.

[Beorning]

Yes, I've read about it. Still, the fact that they initially went with it is sickening...

On another note - an update on the Russian cannibal couple:

Horrific news bit inside

according to some news sources, they have not only eated their victims themselves, but also made canned meat out of them and sold it to restaurants...     

[TheVillain]

So one of Trump's latest lines is that the border wall has to be somewhat see-through because drug smugglers sometimes use catapaults and the bales of drugs can weigh hundreds of pounds, and sometimes these bales hit people.

Surprisingly, this is actually pretty close to right. It's rare, but sometimes drug smugglers really do use catapaults to get drugs over the border and there are a couple cases where the bale weighed a couple hundred pounds. There's no known instances of one of these bales hitting someone but it actually could happen in theory.


Dear God. He lies so often that he occasionally gets one right just from sheer blind luck.

[Oniya]

Surprisingly, this is actually pretty close to right. It's rare, but sometimes drug smugglers really do use catapaults to get drugs over the border and there are a couple cases where the bale weighed a couple hundred pounds. There's no known instances of one of these bales hitting someone but it actually could happen in theory.

In practice, of course, making the wall see-through will let the smugglers see where the border guards are, ensuring that they launch their contraband in places where it's less likely to be intercepted. 

[TheGlyphstone]

Yes, I've read about it. Still, the fact that they initially went with it is sickening...

On another note - an update on the Russian cannibal couple:

Horrific news bit inside

according to some news sources, they have not only eated their victims themselves, but also made canned meat out of them and sold it to restaurants...     

While I suspect that's probably sensationalist and false, if it's true the actual cannibalism isn't the scariest part. It's that the restaurants just buy canned meat from random strangers.