Welcome to ...

The place where the world comes together in honesty and mirth.
Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.


Thursday, December 10, 2009

This isn't good

Greece may have to declare bankruptcy next week, potentially threatening the survival of the Euro.

Homeless man gets the gift of sight

Homeless man gets the gift of sight

A severe case of nearsightedness was ruining Willie Bell's life until one doctor changed all that.

Legendary boxer's pardon not supported

Legendary boxer's pardon not supported

The Justice Department refuses to back a posthumous pardon for Jack Johnson.

Secret Santa gives away $14,000

Secret Santa gives away $14,000

An anonymous man carries on a tradition of handing out $100 bills to needy people.

Retirement-planning mishaps to avoid

Retirement-planning mishaps to avoid

These four common mistakes are likely to damage your retirement plans, experts say.

McDonald's heats up breakfast wars

McDonald's heats up breakfast wars

In a bid for cash-strapped diners, the chain adds some breakfast items to its $1 menu.

Natural ways to minimize gray hair

Natural ways to minimize gray hair

One herbal supplement rich in vitamins E and B can help reverse graying.

NY Times' gift guide sparks controversy

NY Times' gift guide sparks controversy

A special holiday section focused on "people of color" draws strong reactions from critics.

Massive Storm Kills 17 Nationwide

Freezing Temperatures, Snow Drifts, Sub-Zero Winds in Its Wake ...

At least 17 deaths have been blamed on a gigantic storm that stretched across the Midwest and New England, bringing howling wind, freezing temperatures and dumping more than a foot of snow in 12 states.

Full Story

Five put on leave after airport screening files posted online

Five Transportation Security Administration underlings who put airport screening manuals online were put on administrative leave Wednesday, but the boss who ordered the posting has yet to be found.

Full Story

A full investigation is underway.
I should say so.

Woman pours grits on sleeping boyfriend

Just goes to show ... you don't rile a Southern Girl.

A 44-year-old woman was booked with second-degree battery after allegedly pouring a pot of boiling grits onto her sleeping boyfriend.

Woman pours grits on sleeping boyfriend

Not Even A Cheetah Can Outrun H1N1

A cheetah living on a Northern California wildlife preserve has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, marking what wildlife officials believe is the first reported case of the virus in a zoological setting in the United States.

Full Story

Swine flu has killed 10,000 Americans since April.

Tigers try to eat their trainer

Dinner guests watched horrified as tigers hired to entertain them began to eat the cats' trainer.

Full Story

Man ripped off woman's toe with pliers for not paying debt

A Canadian man was sentenced to three years in prison for tearing off a woman's toe with pliers for an unpaid debt.

Full Story

Growing unease over climate change

Growing unease over climate change

"Climategate" fallout and shifting public opinion create dilemmas for those on both sides of the issue.

Obama
Also:

New star found in the Big Dipper

New star found in the Big Dipper

Scientists discover a previously unknown star in one of the most familiar formations.

How to explain 'Madoff' on your résumé

How to explain 'Madoff' on your résumé

Ex-employees of Bernard Madoff say they're being treated as "untouchable."

The top 10 real-life grinches

The top 10 real-life grinches

One xmas grump refused to play popular holiday songs on his radio show.

California has a Chihuahua crisis

California has a Chihuahua crisis

Shelters have so many of the small dogs that they are shipping them out of state for adoption.

Promotion day arrives for white firefighters

Promotion day arrives for white firefighters

Frank Ricci and 13 colleagues took their fight to the Supreme Court and ignited a national debate.

Mysterious sky spiral explained

Mysterious sky spiral explained

A bizarre light show over Norway captivated viewers and sparked several theories.

Down Home Funny

"So you're writing a down-to-earth story?"

"Yes, about a parachute jumper."

The 10 dumbest 'green' gadgets

The 10 dumbest 'green' gadgets

Saving the planet is in fashion, but these "energy efficient" items are nothing but useless toys.

Brain scan reveals who will keep their promises

The finding raises the possibility of using brain scans to determine the true intentions of criminals who are up for early release on parole.

Brain scan reveals who will keep their promises

Buckle Up For Catastrophe

When geologists like James Hutton and Charles Lyall first began to read the past of our planet in fossils and in the strata of rock 200 years ago, they noticed something ominous. There were fossilized seashells on mountaintops. Mountaintops had once been at the bottom of seas. What’s more, solid land had once been swamp. And coastal real estate had been the most unstable of all, ending up underwater or high and dry. We humans are coast-hugging creatures. As Plato put it, we are like frogs dotted around a pond. Over 60% of us live near coasts. And coasts are fragile places to be.

The bottom line? Weather change will come. Massive weather change. It will come with or without the mitigation of greenhouse gases. And—like the indigenous people of Indonesia’s Aceh who build their houses on stilts–we have to be prepared to triumph over disaster. We cannot waste trillions on just one form of climate change. We have to be prepared for both fire and ice. Or, to put it differently, we have to realize that Mother Nature is not nice.

Howard Bloom: Buckle Up For Catastrophe

Toxic chemicals found in 'pure' snow

Toxic chemicals found in 'pure' snow

The "clean" snow atop the Americas' highest peak is hiding something, scientists say.

Ancient Amazon civilisation laid bare by felled forest

Some 260 giant avenues, ditches and enclosures have been spotted from the air in a region straddling Brazil's border with Bolivia.

Ancient Amazon civilisation laid bare by felled forest

Unusual Holidays and Celebrations

Today is

Human Rights Day

and

Nobel Prize Day

Daily Almanac

Today is Thursday, Dec. 10, the 344th day of 2009.

There are 21 days left in the year.

Today In History December 10

Our Readers

Some of our readers today have been in:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Fourmies, Nord-Pays-De-Calais, France
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden
London, England, United Kingdom
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Calcutta, West Bengal, India

as well as Hong Kong, Brazil, and the United States

Daily Horoscope

Today's horoscope says:

It's in your best interest to finish old business before starting anew.
Accept help as it is offered and use it as needed.
Sharing the reward is a small price to pay for closure.
Compromise will bring much-needed peace and harmony into your life.
Conflicts with those in authority may leave you unsatisfied, but you can find balance through staying focused on what you need.
Getting it done is more important than getting all the glory.

You got it.