Overnight Open Thread (6 Aug 2013)

Hey there's some rocket action going on tonight on the East Coast. NASA's Lunar Atmosphere Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) will blast off from Wallops Island, VA tonight around 11:27pm.

The speeding rocket – barring any clouds – should be visible from eastern North Carolina, Richmond, Va., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Hartford, Conn., and Boston. It will be harder to see from eastern West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Binghamton, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., Montpelier, Vt., Bangor, Maine and Presque Isle, Maine.

The Walking Dead College Course

University of California, Irvine is sponsoring a free, online college course called Society, Science, and Survival: Lessons From AMC's The Walking Dead. I may sign up to check it out. I know I could spend an entire year talking about the mistakes our intrepid cast have made on the show.

Conducted by four Irvine professors, with the help of key clips from the show itself, the new Walking Dead online course will cover such topics as the spread of infectious diseases and interventions, social orders, structures, and roles (i.e., locations such as the farm, Woodbury, the prison, and leaders like Rick and the Governor), managing stress in disaster situations, and — of course — nutrition in a post-apocalyptic world.

Mad Max

So here's the look for the new Mad Max movie.

Nicotine Ban

Pure genius. Not. Flagler County, FL bans nicotine. Note they don't have the stones to outright ban cigarettes, just nicotine. Never mind that you just denied smokers access to devices that actually help them to quit smoking.

The justification for these policies is tied to the increased health-risk associated with tobacco use, especially with regards to employment and health insurance. A provision in the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, allows smokes to be charged 50 percent more than non-smokers by insurance companies. Thus, when employers exclude smokers, they can save money on employee health insurance.

In Flagler County the 635 current employees are exempt from the ban. The County Commission is also exempt including “those individuals who may run for office in the future.”

In other banning news, San Antonio passes ordnance banning anyone who opposes homosexuality from running for office, receiving city contract. The assimilation continues.

Twerking Is Dangerous

Pro-tip. Lock your doors.

TSA Tomfoolery

I'm pretty sure a terrorist can afford $85 to skip the screening process, at least as it pertains to having to take off your shoes and remove your electronics. I'm sure within a year one can pay the TSA $50 to not have their tatas touched or their junk adjusted.

Literary Cocktails

Great cocktail moments in famous literature.

Trampoline Video

Tonight's ONT brought to you by humorous dating tips for single ladies during the 1930's:

Notice: Posted by permission of AceCorp LLC. Please e-mail overnight open thread tips to maet or CDR M. Otherwise send tips to Ace.

PUT TEXT YOU WISH TO USE AS VISIBLE LINKING-LANGUAGE HERE &topic=world_news"> posted by CDR M at 09:50 PM

| Access Comments