Category Archives: Silly

Monkey © Monkey D'oh!

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You may have read about photographer David Slater, and the tale of some monkey taking a self-potrait with a camera he left unattended. Techdirt wondered who owned the copyright. Monkey Business: Can A Monkey License Its Copyrights To A News Agency?

Technically, in most cases, whoever makes the actual work gets the copyright. That is, if you hand your camera to a stranger to take your photo, technically that stranger holds the copyright on the photo, though no one ever enforces this.

I pointed out the work-for-hire loophole in a tweet, but seriously doubt the macaque was in anyone’s employ. It gets better, though, because Techdirt got a takedown request, and inquired about the reason, given the questionable copyright claim.

Monkeys Don’t Do Fair Use; News Agency Tells Techdirt To Remove Photos

[W]e stand by our original analysis. We do not believe Caters News Agency has a legitimate copyright interest in the photo, and the company is in no position to issue a takedown of the images. Furthermore, even if it does turn out, through some convoluted process, that Caters does have a legitimate copyright interest in the photo, we believe that our use falls squarely into the classical confines of fair use under US copyright law. Thus, we have no plans to remove the photos or make any changes, barring Caters providing us with a sound basis for doing so.

Those Who Do not Learn Chemistry are Doomed to … Fail Chemistry

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Portland Reservoir Gets Drained After Man Urinates In It

Plenty of pee-pee jokes, too, in case you’re going through withdrawal after that Weiner^2 thing.

The coverage covers the right scientific issues.

“It’s inappropriate behavior. But how many animals are doing that or birds?” he said. “I don’t want to second-guess the city, but I can’t think of anything chemically that would have me be concerned.”

Dr. Gary Oxman, the Multnomah County health officer who advises the city on infectious disease issues, also explained to the The Oregonian that the typical bladder holds a mere 6-8 ounces of water, which should quickly dilute in the reservoir and pose negligible health risks. That news should relieve Portland residents.

A city official claimed that science doesn’t matter

Shaff said the Water Bureau regularly finds dead animals in the same drinking supply but doesn’t dump the water. “This is different,” he said.

“Do you want to drink pee?” he asked bluntly.

When questioned about scientific data and the small amount of urine in such a large reservoir, he interjected: “Answer the question. It has nothing to do with scientifically.

“Most people,” he added, “are gonna be pretty damn squeamish about that.”

But you are already drinking pee. Much of the water in the reservoir was inside of an animal at one time or another. Tell the people that it gets treated, for crying out loud!

h/t to PhDwannabe

DIY Electronic Curmudgeonry

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HOWTO make a Joule Thief and get all the power you’ve paid for

This wee beastie is a Joule Thief, a device whose sole purpose in life is to exhaust the power remaining in batteries that are too weak to do anything else. Simply build these and affix them to your “dead” batteries and thrill to the spectacle of the power you’ve paid for being available to you, right down to the last dribble.

Then go out on the porch, shake your fist, and tell those damn electrons to get off your lawn. If you want to skip the curmudgeonly comment, you can go straight to the instructable.

(I use rechargeables, so I have no need of an electron-marrow-sucking device)