Why do Republicans keep voting against their own best interests?

America`s new radio-controlled smart bullets

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A new type of weapon is on the battlefield and it is hailed as a game changer. 



 The DailyMail has an interesting article about a new weapons technology the Americans are deploying on the battlefield in Afghanistan.

The U.S. army is to begin using a futuristic rifle that fires radio-controlled 'smart' bullets in Afghanistan for the first time, it has emerged.

The XM25 rifle uses bullets that be programmed to explode when they have travelled a set distance, allowing enemies to be targeted no matter where they are hiding.

The rifle also has a range of 2,300 feet making it possible to hit target which are well out of the reach of conventional rifles.

The XM25 is being developed specially for the U.S. army and will be deployed with troops from later this month, it was revealed today.

The rifle's gunsight uses a laser rangefinder to determine the exact distance to the obstruction, after which the soldier can add or subtract up to 3 metres from that distance to enable the bullets to clear the barrier and explode above or beside the target.

Soldiers will be able to use them to target snipers hidden in trenches rather than calling in air strikes.

The 25-millimetre round contains a chip that receives a radio signal from the gunsight as to the precise distance to the target.

Lt. Col. Christopher Lehner, project manager for the system, described the weapon as a ‘game-changer’ that other nations will try and copy.

Read more about this amazing weapon at the DailyMail website.

Inflatable Packet Monster Art

Great street art by Joshua Allen Harris. He makes air packet monsters from trash and refuse bags and turns them into amazing works of art.

Largest man made lake in the world

What is the largest man made lake in the world? Well it seems this question needs some clarity and more Google love. When you search for the largest man made lake in the world you seem to get a lot of different answers.

I have seen a variety of answers but very few of them seem right. So using the powers of interstellar divination and um Google I can with some authority state that the biggest man made lake in the world is Lake Kariba on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

To quote Wikipedia:

By volume, Lake Kariba is the largest artificial lake and reservoir in the world. It is located on the Zambezi river, about halfway between the river's source and mouth, about 1300 kilometers upstream from the Indian Ocean, and lies along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba was filled between 1958 and 1963 following the completion of the Kariba Dam at its northeastern end, flooding the Kariba Gorge on the Zambezi River.

Sauce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Kariba

Obviously when you are working out the biggest you would use volume. However if you were perhaps judging the largest not by volume but by surface area then Lake Volta in Ghana comes first. Some quick figures for you.

List of lakes/reservoirs by volume

1. Lake Kariba (180 km3 or 43 cu mi; Zimbabwe, Zambia)
2. Bratsk Reservoir (169 km3 or 41 cu mi; Russia)
3. Lake Nasser (157 km3 or 38 cu mi; Egypt, Sudan)
4. Lake Volta (148 km3 or 36 cu mi; Ghana)
5. Manicouagan Reservoir (142 km3 or 34 cu mi; Canada)
6. Lake Guri (135 km3 or 32 cu mi; Venezuela)
7. Williston Lake (74 km3 or 18 cu mi; Canada)
8. Krasnoyarsk Reservoir (73 km3 or 18 cu mi; Russia)
9. Zeya Reservoir (68 km3 or 16 cu mi; Russia)

The following are the world's ten largest lakes/reservoirs by surface area:

1. Lake Volta (8,482 km2 or 3,275 sq mi; Ghana)
2. Smallwood Reservoir (6,527 km2 or 2,520 sq mi; Canada)
3. Kuybyshev Reservoir (6,450 km2 or 2,490 sq mi; Russia)
4. Lake Kariba (5,580 km2 or 2,150 sq mi; Zimbabwe, Zambia)
5. Bukhtarma Reservoir (5,490 km2 or 2,120 sq mi; Kazakhstan)
6. Bratsk Reservoir (5,426 km2 or 2,095 sq mi; Russia)
7. Lake Nasser (5,248 km2 or 2,026 sq mi; Egypt, Sudan)
8. Rybinsk Reservoir (4,580 km2 or 1,770 sq mi; Russia)
9. Caniapiscau Reservoir (4,318 km2 or 1,667 sq mi; Canada)
10. Lake Guri (4,250 km2 or 1,640 sq mi; Venezuela)

Hope you found this information useful!

8 Year old Angelo 'lil demon' shows the older boys how to dance

Angelo 'Lil Demon' Baligad is only 8 years old, but he's already pitting his incredible break dancing skills against much more experienced. Below is the video from Bboy City Hawaii, of Lil Demon dancing off against Joshua Lee 'Milky' Ayers, a great dancer himself.

Brad Pitt on Religion

Ever what some famous stars and actors have to say about religion? Have a look at this Bill Mahr interview with Brad Pitt. It is great to see he is a rationalist.

Main difference between Liberals and Conservatives

Online Alarm Clock

Ever needed an alarm clock when you where out and about and did not have one handy? Do not worry any more. The Swiss have come up with a solution for you. Check out the KuKu Klok if you ever need an online alarm clock.

Even pigs are cute

Religious do not have monopoly on virtue, Queen tells synod

The Guardian has an interesting article on the Queen and her perspective on Atheism, Theism and morality.

People of faith do not have a monopoly on virtue as British society was now "more diverse and secular", the Queen told the Church of England today in an address to its governing body.

Speaking at Church House, central London, she told members of General Synod that believers and atheists were equally able to contribute to the prosperity and wellbeing of the country.

The Queen, who is supreme governor of the Church of England, said: "In our more diverse and secular society, the place of religion has come to be a matter of lively discussion. It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue and that the wellbeing and prosperity of the nation depend on the contribution of individuals and groups of all faiths and none."

Pretty interesting words coming from the Queen of England who is technically head of the Church of England. More information and background can be read up at the Guardian.