From ninemsn via wtf_nature, this bird-eating spider. The photos are alleged to have been captured in a backyard in Atherton, in north Queensland (inland from Cairns). The spider: a Golden Orb Weaver. The bird: a native finch called a Chestnut–breasted… Read More ›
Science
Plucked from the wire: blogs are dead, dancing boobies, detention debt, NSW health, and Oz net use
Blogging is dead, long live multimedia-sharing and Twitter Wired says blogs are dead. Blah blah linkbait, blah blah everyone’s on Twitter these days, blah blah. Read it if you can be bothered. Most amusing moment: the author complains that blogs… Read More ›
So when did you last back up your computer?
Luckily, mr tog did a full back up only two days ago. He clicked on the site which rebooted his computer and installed something evil on his boot sector late last night. Seeing as his is the primary computer for… Read More ›
Mandatory Australian Internet Censorship: Conroy’s Bait and Switch
[Edit 24 Oct 08: The current post on this issue can be found here: “Wild claims hysteria enthusiastic commentary on internet censorship: Ludlam in Senate Estimates”] Australia’s Labor government is now set on instituting mandatory across-the-board internet censorship for every… Read More ›
Midwifery-led care, the AMA, and the Cochrane Collaboration: who do you believe?
The Australian Medical Association on midwifery-led care in maternity services, September 2008: “[…] midwifery services were expanded without any reference to the medical profession and without any clear evidence base around the impact on safety and clinical outcomes for patients…. Read More ›
“What do the gorgons represent?”
Today’s school holidays lazyblogging draws on our referrer logs. I’ve edited out those without both hands on the keyboard, which leaves very little, percentage-wise. Here’s a sampling of search terms used by this week’s googlers. very fantastic hairy women with… Read More ›
Quickhit: another gynaecologist comes under scrutiny
This one worked at Lismore Base Hospital. There’s a lot less detail of exactly what malfeasance he’s accused of committing, but there is mention of a history of failed sterilisations due to alcohol consumption in New Zealand, and a paper-trail… Read More ›
Sunday Science links
Image Source: National Geographic: Best Science Images of 2008 Announced (Honorable Mention, Photography: “Squid Suckers: The Little Monsters That Feed the Beast” by Jessica Schiffman) Ig Nobels The Annals of Improbable Research has just had its annual big night out:… Read More ›
CSIRO report: levels of childhood obesity have remained largely unchanged for the past decade
Research casts doubt on ‘obesity epidemic’ New government research shows that levels of childhood obesity have remained largely unchanged for the past decade. For the first time since the mid 1990s, government scientists asked a large number of Australian children… Read More ›
“Pro-life” Archbishop Hart’s murderous misogyny
The Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008 can be read in its entirety at Austlii. The emergency provisions are not complicated or difficult to understand. They are as follows: Despite any conscientious objection to abortion, a registered medical practitioner is under… Read More ›
Hoyden About Town 