Gongol.com Archives: July 2005
Brian Gongol



Aviation News (7.31.2005)
How About In-Air Refueling for Passenger Planes?
Could save a lot of environmental damage

Water News (7.31.2005)
Trees Don't Always Help the Water Supply

Weather and Disasters (7.31.2005)
Figuring Out the Best Way to Warn of Disasters

Health (7.31.2005)
Study: Doctors Leave Catheters in Too Long

Socialism Doesn't Work (7.31.2005)
Microsoft Abusing Intellectual Property
Aiming for 3,000 patents a year. That's just absurd; there aren't that many (even remotely) novel ideas to be had in one company. Google is creeping up the abuse tree, too.

Business and Finance (7.31.2005)
Employers Don't Have All the Power
Microsoft, Google in a big fight over a poached employee. Human capital still rules the roost.

Science and Technology (7.31.2005)
Tenth Planet Found
Larger than Pluto, it needs a cooler name than "2005 FY9"

Socialism Doesn't Work (7.31.2005)
UN Idiots Want to Take US Out of Internet Governance
Good thinking, geniuses: The US invented the Internet. Punish the creators.

Aviation News (7.31.2005)
NASA 90% OK with Letting Shuttle Land
But Virgin thinks you will be able to get a private flight to space in three years

News (7.31.2005)
China to Zimbabwe: Denied!
Mugabe wanted a $1 billion loan. He's not a good guy. Related: Food shortages continue throughout Africa. Much of the hunger isn't for lack of food; it's that the food is being used as a weapon.

Agriculture (7.31.2005)
Farmland Prices to Keep Rising
Low interest rates, good returns, improving profit margins, demand for hunting land. Big threat from South America, though.

Threats to Western Civilization (7.31.2005)
Uzbekistan Kicking US Out of Airbase
It's a six-month warning. Base had been used for operations in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Russia is complaining that the EU is hard to work with.

Threats to Western Civilization (7.31.2005)
Third Terrorist Cell Being Chased in London
Police think they are separate from, but "associated" with, the bombers from July 7th and July 21st. A big pile of fake passports were found at Heathrow. Another possible attack may have been thwarted in London after two suspicious women entered a train station with a cardboard box. Canadian imam refuses to condemn attacks, saying it's "obvious" he doesn't support them, even though a member of his mosque was a Bin Laden deputy.

Threats to Western Civilization (7.31.2005)
Iran Threatens to Resume Enriching Uranium on Monday
Supposed hardliner in charge there. Not a good sign. Britain says knock it off.

The United States of America (7.31.2005)
Dallas Newspaper Runs Study on Fixing City's Problems
Economic problems, troubles in government, lack of civic capital could put a big hole in the future of one of the country's largest cities

Water News (7.31.2005)
Colorado Taking Water Re-Use Seriously
Continued population growth strains already-dry region. Reusing partially-treated water is an important solution.

Election 2008 (7.31.2005)
Campaign Consultant Trying to Get Colorado Politicians to Run for Same Office, Multiple Parties

Iowa (7.31.2005)
Support Bus for Clive Team on RAGBRAI Loses Brakes
Jumped curb, caught fire. Two injured.

Business and Finance (7.31.2005)
University of Iowa Gets $16.5 Million to Study Replacement for Gas Tax
Funny...the answer doesn't seem to require $16.5 million. In fact, here's a gas-tax replacement proposal for free. Cash donations will be gladly accepted.

Business and Finance (7.31.2005)
Whirlpool Serious About Buying Maytag
Job losses likely, but it wouldn't make sense to shut Maytag down altogether