Blog Heap of Links for the day 5 July 2012

BUCKNER, Ark. [One 17yo teen dead, another injured] after they taped sparklers together and ignited them, causing an explosion. …exploded prematurely as one of the teens put a 5-gallon bucket on top of the fireworks.

LANSING, KS… [44yo male] volunteer was killed Wednesday night while cleaning up after a fireworks show when one exploded near him.

Intel… acquisition of Israeli start-up IDesia Biometrics… proprietary technology can attach to every heartbeat a unique “electro biodynamic signature” that is practically immune to forgery. Ideally… will surpass… fingerprint-based biometric scanners, which can be fooled easily. …[maybe someday in] consumer devices, … more likely… [at] airports… to identify plane passengers. [Yes, there's a double-edged sword. Better security, but your presence can become readily identifiable by BigBro anywhere there's an open mic.

During Frank’s Flag Campaign 2012, more than 4,000 U.S. flags were placed across Bartlesville and along the primary streets by Friends of Frank Phillips Home board members, friends, church groups and schools. The flags covered more than 13 actual miles of city streets, or 26 total miles of flags (both sides).

A raid on a marijuana dispensary in Long Beach was caught on video showing officers smashing surveillance cameras and stepping on a suspect, moves that prompted accusations against the officers of excessive force.

The pregnant 17-year-old came waddling out of her single-wide trailer. During the lesson she argued with my basic motoring advice: "If I can't turn right from the left lane, how can I get into Walmart?" How, indeed.

By creating a new and unlimited power to lay punitive taxes on inactivity, Roberts has obliterated any meaningful constitutional constraint on federal power.

A subset of the Marine Corps band struck up one of Mitt Romney's walkout songs while President Obama was greeting visitors at the White House Independence Day celebration. A White House pool report said the band struck up Rodney Atkins's "It's America," and described it as an "awkward moment."

From a grateful Canadian to a nation that is responsible for a gaping interruption in the eternal history of human misery, Happy Birthday!!!!!!! —mr.x. July 4, 2012 at 11:26 am