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.


Wednesday, December 30, 2009

This just in ...

Just reported.

'Dentist' Repaired Tooth 71 Times

Swedish authorities said a dentist accused of malpractice by a patient who had the same tooth repaired 71 times may not ever have been licensed to practice.

'Dentist' Repaired Tooth 71 Times

Errant Chinese Smoker Stops World's Fastest Train

The world's fastest train hit its first speed bump in the form of a disobedient smoker less than a week after it began running in southern China.

Errant Chinese Smoker Stops World's Fastest Train

Wisconsin man's bank quip earns him Champion Liar title

A jab at the woes of the nation's banks has been named the top tall tale of 2009.

Wisconsin man's bank quip earns him Champion Liar title

Officials reveal another thwarted attack

Officials reveal another thwarted attack

A Somali man tried to board a plane last month with chemicals, liquid, and a syringe.

Second-grader organizes massive aid effort

Second-grader organizes massive aid effort

Jonathon Slack was moved to help the homeless by an experience he had on a city street.

How to kick-start your fitness resolutions

How to kick-start your fitness resolutions

Setting unrealistic goals can cause you to give up on your diet quickly.

Picky homebuyer's epic hunt for 'The One'

Picky homebuyer's epic hunt for 'The One'

People visit 10 to 12 homes on average before buying, but Lidia Pringle has seen hundreds more.

The best U.S. cities for business

The best U.S. cities for business

The verdict seems to be that slow and steady wins the economic race.

Heart attacks more common in winter

Heart attacks more common in winter

Learn why our bodies are more prone to heart attacks in the cold and how to prevent them.

The not-so-romantic side of fireplaces

The not-so-romantic side of fireplaces

Many people mistakenly believe that a roaring fire can warm the house and save energy.

'Cash for appliances' rebates could go fast

'Cash for appliances' rebates could go fast

Starting in early 2010, shoppers can get as much as $200 back on certain new appliances.

Russia targets asteroid headed for Earth

Russia targets asteroid headed for Earth

In a plot straight out of Hollywood, Russia mulls plans to knock an asteroid off course.

What your astrological sign says for 2010

What your astrological sign says for 2010

Get your horoscope's predictions for your career and love life in the coming year.

Man losing vanity plate held since 1970s

Man losing vanity plate held since 1970s

William Sullivan's state tells him that he can no longer use a plate he's held for decades.

Tropical Plant Uses 'Mind Control' Chemical to Make Ants Do Its Bidding

From Treehugger:

ant mind control photo
Photo via Marietta

The relationship between the tropical acacia plant and 'guard' ants that defend it from predators has long been a fascinating example of symbiosis in nature: the ants feed on the acacia's sugary nectar, and in turn aggressively sting and bite other animals that would eat and damage the plant. But it turns out that this arrangement might not be as friendly as previously thought. New research reveals that the acacia plant actually produces a chemical that drives the ants into a defensive frenzy--alternately persuading them to fight to protect it and banishing them from its flowers when convenient.

Gamblers Smoking Vulture Brains for Good Luck

From Treehugger:

two vultures photo

In Africa, vultures are facing the threat of extinction from an unlikely source--gamblers who want to smoke their brains. Some people believe that inhaling the smoke from the burning vulture brain will give them insight into the future, which will help them place wiser bets. And, with increased gambling around the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, environmentalist groups fear that the practice may be on the rise.

Snail with vanishing spots

Shelleelelel The flamingo tongue snail Cyphoma gibbosum appears to have a shell decorated with bright spots (top of image). Amazingly though, the spots aren't actually part of the shell, but rather the animal's flesh! When the animal retracts into its stark white shell, so do the spots (bottom of image).

Beautiful microscope pictures

bioscapes2009.jpg

You're looking at a water flea, as captured by Dr. Jan Michels of the University of Kiel, Germany. It's the top-prize winner in the 2009 Olympus BioScapes contest—a competition focused on images taken via microscope. The winners gallery is full of gorgeous pictures in striking, day-glo purples, greens and reds. Worth browsing, for both art and science nerds.

Olympus BioScapes 2009 Winners Gallery

Aurora Borealis

From Treehugger:

swirling aurora photo
Image credit: nick_russill/Flickr

Named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn, and Boreas, Greek for "northern wind," the aurora borealis is more commonly known as the "northern lights."

"Polar lights," however, is a more accurate name, as they occur in both the northern and southern hemispheres, but intensify with increasing proximity to the magnetic poles.

There is a lot more to this seemingly magical phenomena than pretty lights.

Aurora Borealis: Nature's Holiday Light Display (Slideshow)

Weird and Wacky Endangered Birds

From Treehugger:

rhinoceros hornbill photo
Photo via Steve aka Crispin Swan @ flickr

If you live in the kind of place where pigeons and robins are pretty much de riguer for bird sightings, then you're missing out on a whole world of birds that look--well, to be honest, atypical in comparison. Short bodies, huge wings, giant beaks, and rainbows of feathers make these weird and wacky birds must-sees--but since they're all classified as vulnerable or endangered, you'd better catch these feathered friends while you can.

Science News: 2009 in Review

From NewScientist:

2009 review: Most popular articles of the year

From space storms to vampires to porn, here's a countdown of the year's most-read articles. Warning: contains sex stories. A lot of them.

2009 review: In sickness and in health

It was a year as hopeful as it was scary, with a flu pandemic, genome hackers and fresh hopes for Alzheimer's disease and HIV.

It's the environment, stupid

Thoughts of climate change were never far away, but with ice on fire and a salamander uglier than ET, there was more to 2009 than political brouhaha.

The year in space

Astronomers found water on the moon and saw the most distant object yet, but space radiation hit a record high and the Spirit rover struggled for life.

In green tech we must trust

More brainpower than ever before has been expended on technologies to cut the damage we do to the environment – here are some of the most interesting.

Top 10 physics stories of 2009

The most popular physics stories of the year include a report on an artificial black hole and an investigation into the best way to slice a pizza.

Obama slams intelligence breakdown

Obama slams intelligence breakdown

Clues should have been pieced together before the attack, the president says.

Credit cards find ways to add new fees

Credit cards find ways to add new fees

Card issuers are rolling out or expanding methods to collect millions more in fees.

Conviction of man for killing his father upheld

A state appeals court has upheld the conviction of a man sentenced to life in prison for killing his father and dumping his remains in North Carolina.

Conviction of man for killing his father upheld

NY's Tavern on the Green Restaurant Bites the Dust

NY's Tavern on the Green Restaurant Bites the Dust

Tavern on the Green, once America's highest-grossing restaurant, is singing its culinary swan song.

From $38 million a year to bankrupt

A N.Y. hotspot that was once America's highest-grossing restaurant will serve its last meal on New Year's Eve.

History
Also:

Florida man wanting ride to bar calls 911, arrested

From the "They walk among us" Department:

Authorities say a Florida man who called 911 claiming he'd been beaten and shot at was hoping the tale would get him a ride to a bar.

Florida man wanting ride to bar calls 911, arrested

Watch for moon's New Year's Eve rarity

Watch for moon's New Year's Eve rarity

Something that only occurs once every 19 years will light up the sky Thursday night.

Formating the new year

With the new year our readers will see a couple of posting format changes. Nothing to radical.
Just a combination of some daily posts.

Xmas Eve tragedy turns into miracle

Xmas Eve tragedy turns into miracle

A devastated father watched as his wife died in labor, then his son was born not breathing.

Unusual Holidays and Celebrations

There are none today.

Daily Almanac

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 30, the 364th day of 2009.

There is 1 day left in the year.

Today In History December 30

Our Readers

Some of our readers today have been in:

Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
London, England, United Kingdom
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Coburg, Bayern, Germany
Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Bergen, Hordaland, Norway
Horgen, Zurich, Switzerland
Ibiza, Islas Baleares, Spain
Cagayan De Oro, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
Saint John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Bydgoszcz, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland
The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania
Linkoping, Ostergotlands Lan, Sweden
Munich, Bayern, Germany
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Daily Horoscope

Today's horoscope says:

Contending with wild mood swings, either yours or other people's, could consume most of your energy, leaving you with little to show at the end of the day.
Although stops and starts normally wouldn't bother you so much, you're feeling an intense urgency right now to push forward.
Running in place leaves you frustrated and exhausted.
Instead of fighting these conflicting forces, take control by making a plan of action.
Write it down if you must and encourage yourself to follow it.

Is it that time of the month again all ready!?