"Nectar of the gods making a comeback; Mead fulfilling a public thirst" by Lisa Rathke | Associated Press, September 02, 2013
GROTON, Vt. — Once called the nectar of the gods, the oldest fermented beverage is seeing a renaissance.
Beekeepers and vintners are rediscovering mead, an alcoholic drink made of fermented honey and water. These days, fruits, spices, and even carbonation are being added for distinct flavors that aren’t a far cry from the beverage favored by the Vikings and ancient Greeks and during the Middle Ages.
‘‘People have been drinking fermented beverages for a couple thousand years, so it’s just an extension of that,’’ said Mark Simakaski, who with his wife made his first batch while in the Peace Corps in Paraguay and launched a meadery called Artesano in Vermont in 2008....
Some of the new mead makers are beekeepers looking to find other ways to sell their honey. Others are former craft beer brewers.
‘‘It is of growing interest,’’ said Tim Tucker, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation, which has about 1,300 members, many of whom make mead.
There’s even an international mead competition each year in Boulder, Colo.
I wonder who came up with that idea.
David Myers, owner of Redstone Meadery in Boulder, attributes the growth in mead to more demand for craft beverages and locally made foods — from small batch craft beers to ciders and artisanal wines.
‘‘I think there’s a movement in the American drinking culture for a smaller craft artisanal mentality,’’ said Myers....
Historically, the choice of mead as a beverage went by the wayside as grapes and grains became cheaper to produce. But now it’s back, out of the Dark Ages.
‘‘Good enough for Zeus, good enough for you’’ is one of the taglines at Redstone Meadery.
Feel like a Gid after drinking it?
--more--"
I guess colony collapse disorder is no longer a problem.
Speaking of bees:
"Robot ‘fly’ is big step for Harvard researchers" by Carolyn Y. Johnson | Globe Staff, May 06, 2013
Harvard University researchers have for the first time replicated in a tiny, bug-like robot the agility of the common fly. With a gossamer body of microscale electronics, the penny-sized robot can lift off, hover, and maneuver — albeit only while tethered to a leash that supplies power and provides information about its location in mid-air.
And you thought the Terminator was only a movie.
“It’s the goal of creating the most agile manmade thing that’s ever existed,” said Rob Wood, an engineering professor at Harvard and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering.
The progress reported Thursday in the journal Science is the culmination of more than a decade of work, and is an important step toward building a colony of RoboBees that can fly by themselves and coordinate their collective movements to achieve tasks.
It is still unclear what the best application would be for a fleet of airborne bug-sized robots, but the technology could have a wide range of uses, from surveillance to pollinating crops.
Wood said he tries to steer clear of discussing the applications of his wing-flapping fly robots, in part because he is wary of the bias that appears in nearly every work of science fiction.
Once a robot appears in the plot, Wood notes, things most likely won’t end well for the people. He does not see that as an issue for his tiny robots.
For one thing, the delicate feats of flying are impressive, but they are not all that robust yet. Nearly every trial ends with a crash, and the prototypes don’t last forever.
Wood sees the real, short-term rewards of his robot-building efforts in technologies that may have little to do with mimicking insect flight: the lighter, smaller electronic components necessary to build the robots could spur a new generation of gadgets.
A former student has founded a Cambridge start-up company called Vibrant Research that is working on commercializing some of the technologies and manufacturing techniques developed in the laboratory.
--more--"
Related: Globe Building a Better Bee
Also see: Sunday Globe Special: The Ringing Silence of Drone
"Texas tightens rules on use of drones; State gives police broad authority, but not residents" by Will Weissert | Associated Press, September 15, 2013
AUSTIN — A hobbyist using a remote-control airplane mounted with a digital camera just happened to capture images last year of a Dallas creek running red with pig’s blood. It led to a nearby meat packing plant being fined for illegal dumping and two of its leaders being indicted on water pollution charges.
Yet, a Texas law that took effect Sept. 1 tightened rules not on polluters but on taking such photographs, an effort to better protect private property from drone surveillance.
Yeah, but from who?
More than 40 state legislatures have debated the increasing presence of unmanned aircraft in civilian airspace, with most of the proposals focused on protecting people from overly intrusive surveillance by law enforcement.
But the Texas law tips the scales in favor of the police — giving them broad freedoms to use drones during investigations and allowing them to bypass a required search warrant if they have suspicions of illegal activity — while also limiting use of small drones by ordinary residents.
Texas's total surveillance! Shoot the damn things down, cowboys!
‘‘Texas is really the outlier,’’ said Allie Bohm, an advocacy and policy strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union.
The law makes using drones to capture images of people or property without permission punishable by a fine up to $500, while also allowing those improperly photographed or filmed to collect up to $10,000 in civil penalties if they can show that images were collected or distributed with malice.
Supporters say it makes Texas a national leader in ensuring privacy protections keep pace with technology while curbing possible corporate espionage and other unauthorized snooping. But critics worry it gives police too much leeway while trampling on the rights of private citizens and media outlets.
The Texas police state!
Republican state Representative Lance Gooden said he introduced the bill to address concerns that ordinary Texans could use drones to spy on private property, as well as in response to fears that animal rights groups or environmentalists could keep tabs on livestock ranches or oil pipelines. But he said exceptions were added after law enforcement agencies worried the bans would make their jobs harder.
Yeah, God help the police they would ever have to do any actual work.
‘‘We didn’t think that the Constitution gives someone the right to invade someone else’s privacy,’’ said Gooden, from Terrell, east of Dallas.
That's a complete misreading of the document because IT APPLIES to GOVERNMENT, not people, businesses, or even the media!
Congress has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to provide drones widespread access to domestic airspace by 2015, and the agency predicts that perhaps 7,500 small commercial unmanned aircraft could be operating domestically five years after that.
No turning back, huh?
Seven states have passed drone restrictions nationwide, with measures in Illinois, Florida, Montana, and Tennessee mostly protecting individual privacy rights, requiring that law enforcement obtain warrants when using drones or prohibiting images collected from being used in court. Virginia, meanwhile, declared a two-year moratorium on drone use by law enforcement so it can study the privacy implications.
Only Texas and Idaho restrict drone use by private citizens as well as public entities, however, and the broad exception in Texas allows police or law enforcement contractors to forgo a search warrant if they ‘‘have reasonable suspicion or probable cause.’’ Other states only waive warrant requirements in cases of catastrophe or terrorist attack.
Lon Craft, director of legislative affairs for the Texas Municipal Police Association, said it still goes too far.
‘‘I’m OK if they want to limit citizens, but don’t tie the hands of law enforcement,’’ said Craft, who said he used to employ drones as part of a narcotics task force in Harris County, which includes Houston.
Why, can't shoot us with their gun then? Law enforcement already has enough free hands over here.
That use is one of more than 40 exceptions in the Texas law. Others permit drone use anywhere within 25 miles of the border and by everyone from students conducting scholarly research to real estate brokers taking promotional pictures.
Still, clamor for the law was such that, with time running out to pass bills in May, a chant of ‘‘Drones! Drones! Drones!’’ filled the House chamber. It was approved with more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors.
Related: The Birth of the Perry Presidency
Todd Humphreys, director of the University of Texas’ Radionavagation Laboratory, said he believes the state has struck fair balance but also noted that much of what’s prohibited is still acceptable for anyone with a camera and a long lens in a car, helicopter, or plane.
I think it's all weighted to one side.
--more--"
I think I'll just have a beer:
Related:
"How Boston Beer’s founder became a billionaire; Jim Koch has just 1.3% of the market, but a powerhouse niche it is" by Brendan Coffey | Bloomberg News, September 16, 2013
Armed with a family recipe and a flair for marketing, C. James ‘‘Jim’’ Koch popularized craft beer in the United States and turned Boston Beer Co. into the second-largest American-owned brewery. It also made him a billionaire.
Craft beer such as Sam Adams has been a bright spot in an otherwise stale US beer market. Total American beer sales fell 2 percent in the first half of 2013, according to data compiled by Bloomberg....
Then there is no economic recovery at all if beer sales dropped!
Related: Globe Building a Better Bee
Also see: Sunday Globe Special: The Ringing Silence of Drone
"Texas tightens rules on use of drones; State gives police broad authority, but not residents" by Will Weissert | Associated Press, September 15, 2013
AUSTIN — A hobbyist using a remote-control airplane mounted with a digital camera just happened to capture images last year of a Dallas creek running red with pig’s blood. It led to a nearby meat packing plant being fined for illegal dumping and two of its leaders being indicted on water pollution charges.
Yet, a Texas law that took effect Sept. 1 tightened rules not on polluters but on taking such photographs, an effort to better protect private property from drone surveillance.
Yeah, but from who?
More than 40 state legislatures have debated the increasing presence of unmanned aircraft in civilian airspace, with most of the proposals focused on protecting people from overly intrusive surveillance by law enforcement.
But the Texas law tips the scales in favor of the police — giving them broad freedoms to use drones during investigations and allowing them to bypass a required search warrant if they have suspicions of illegal activity — while also limiting use of small drones by ordinary residents.
Texas's total surveillance! Shoot the damn things down, cowboys!
‘‘Texas is really the outlier,’’ said Allie Bohm, an advocacy and policy strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union.
The law makes using drones to capture images of people or property without permission punishable by a fine up to $500, while also allowing those improperly photographed or filmed to collect up to $10,000 in civil penalties if they can show that images were collected or distributed with malice.
Supporters say it makes Texas a national leader in ensuring privacy protections keep pace with technology while curbing possible corporate espionage and other unauthorized snooping. But critics worry it gives police too much leeway while trampling on the rights of private citizens and media outlets.
The Texas police state!
Republican state Representative Lance Gooden said he introduced the bill to address concerns that ordinary Texans could use drones to spy on private property, as well as in response to fears that animal rights groups or environmentalists could keep tabs on livestock ranches or oil pipelines. But he said exceptions were added after law enforcement agencies worried the bans would make their jobs harder.
Yeah, God help the police they would ever have to do any actual work.
‘‘We didn’t think that the Constitution gives someone the right to invade someone else’s privacy,’’ said Gooden, from Terrell, east of Dallas.
That's a complete misreading of the document because IT APPLIES to GOVERNMENT, not people, businesses, or even the media!
Congress has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to provide drones widespread access to domestic airspace by 2015, and the agency predicts that perhaps 7,500 small commercial unmanned aircraft could be operating domestically five years after that.
No turning back, huh?
Seven states have passed drone restrictions nationwide, with measures in Illinois, Florida, Montana, and Tennessee mostly protecting individual privacy rights, requiring that law enforcement obtain warrants when using drones or prohibiting images collected from being used in court. Virginia, meanwhile, declared a two-year moratorium on drone use by law enforcement so it can study the privacy implications.
Only Texas and Idaho restrict drone use by private citizens as well as public entities, however, and the broad exception in Texas allows police or law enforcement contractors to forgo a search warrant if they ‘‘have reasonable suspicion or probable cause.’’ Other states only waive warrant requirements in cases of catastrophe or terrorist attack.
Lon Craft, director of legislative affairs for the Texas Municipal Police Association, said it still goes too far.
‘‘I’m OK if they want to limit citizens, but don’t tie the hands of law enforcement,’’ said Craft, who said he used to employ drones as part of a narcotics task force in Harris County, which includes Houston.
Why, can't shoot us with their gun then? Law enforcement already has enough free hands over here.
That use is one of more than 40 exceptions in the Texas law. Others permit drone use anywhere within 25 miles of the border and by everyone from students conducting scholarly research to real estate brokers taking promotional pictures.
Still, clamor for the law was such that, with time running out to pass bills in May, a chant of ‘‘Drones! Drones! Drones!’’ filled the House chamber. It was approved with more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors.
Related: The Birth of the Perry Presidency
Todd Humphreys, director of the University of Texas’ Radionavagation Laboratory, said he believes the state has struck fair balance but also noted that much of what’s prohibited is still acceptable for anyone with a camera and a long lens in a car, helicopter, or plane.
I think it's all weighted to one side.
--more--"
I think I'll just have a beer:
Related:
"How Boston Beer’s founder became a billionaire; Jim Koch has just 1.3% of the market, but a powerhouse niche it is" by Brendan Coffey | Bloomberg News, September 16, 2013
Armed with a family recipe and a flair for marketing, C. James ‘‘Jim’’ Koch popularized craft beer in the United States and turned Boston Beer Co. into the second-largest American-owned brewery. It also made him a billionaire.
Craft beer such as Sam Adams has been a bright spot in an otherwise stale US beer market. Total American beer sales fell 2 percent in the first half of 2013, according to data compiled by Bloomberg....
Then there is no economic recovery at all if beer sales dropped!
--more--"
Related: The Beer Stimulus Theory
The billionaire is asking for a tax break?
What is he, drunk?
Related: The Beer Stimulus Theory
The billionaire is asking for a tax break?
What is he, drunk?
