Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Miss Brazil Got Robbed in Front of her Own Home!
Are traffic cameras unfair?
Cities too often use the systems as just another way to generate revenue, say critics.
Also: Speedtrap
Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, a State Police Officer sees a car puttering along at 22 MPH. He thinks to himself, this driver is just as dangerous as a speeder!” So he turns on his lights and pulls the driver over.
Approaching the car, he notices that there are five old ladies - two in the front seat and three in the back - eyes wide and white as ghosts. The driver, obviously confused, says to him, “Officer, I don’t understand, I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the problem?”
Ma’am,” the officer replies, “You weren’t speeding, but you should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers.”
“Slower than the speed limit? No sir, I was doing the speed limit exactly … Twenty-Two miles an hour!” the old woman says a bit proudly.
The State Police officer, trying to contain a chuckle explains to her that “22” was the route number, not the speed limit.
A bit embarrassed, the woman grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out her error.
“But before I let you go, Ma’am, I have to ask… Is everyone in this car OK? These women seem awfully shaken and they haven’t muttered a single peep this whole time.” the officer asks.
“Oh, they’ll be all right in a minute, officer. We just got off Route 119.”
Approaching the car, he notices that there are five old ladies - two in the front seat and three in the back - eyes wide and white as ghosts. The driver, obviously confused, says to him, “Officer, I don’t understand, I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the problem?”
Ma’am,” the officer replies, “You weren’t speeding, but you should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers.”
“Slower than the speed limit? No sir, I was doing the speed limit exactly … Twenty-Two miles an hour!” the old woman says a bit proudly.
The State Police officer, trying to contain a chuckle explains to her that “22” was the route number, not the speed limit.
A bit embarrassed, the woman grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out her error.
“But before I let you go, Ma’am, I have to ask… Is everyone in this car OK? These women seem awfully shaken and they haven’t muttered a single peep this whole time.” the officer asks.
“Oh, they’ll be all right in a minute, officer. We just got off Route 119.”
World's first 150-year-old already born?
An expert on aging thinks doctors could have all the tools they need to "cure" getting old.
Also: Space shuttle program's legacy
Atlantis's final launch marks the end of a program that was costly in more ways than one.
Also: School found using bomb as bell
A mine awareness team in Uganda was horrified to find an unexploded bomb being used as a bell when they visited a school to teach children how to spot bombs, a local newspaper reported.
Unmanned Glider May Hold Secret To Perpetual Flight
Coldest places on Earth
North America's lowest temperature doesn't come close to the record spot.
Also: The Hórreo
The Singular Symbol Of Spain 
If you travel through north eastern Spain the chances are that you will see something like the structure in the picture above. Known as hórreo and often centuries old, these structures served a vital purpose for the local communities. Can you guess what they were for?
Campaign to save Texas fossilized dinosaur tracks
Some fossilized tracks housed in a small building outside the Texas Memorial Museum on the University of Texas campus tell the story of two beasts.
Monkey Takes Photos
We ran this story yesterday but here are some details and monkey took photos:
In Indonesia: Shutter-happy monkey turns photographer.
In Indonesia: Shutter-happy monkey turns photographer.
Photographer David Slater, 46, was visiting the park when he decided to try to get close to the animals. He teamed up with a local guide and over three days got to know the creatures. "I walked with them for about three days in a row," said Slater. "They befriended us and showed absolutely no aggression – they were just interested in the things I was carrying," he said.Proving everybody's a ham! Self portraits ...
"They aren't known for being particularly clever like chimps, just inquisitive. Despite probably never having any contact with humans before, they didn't seem to feel threatened by our presence."
Slater said the photoshoot that resulted in these pictures took place after he set up a camera on a tripod. He left the equipment for a few moments and when he returned one of the creatures was, well, monkeying around with it.
A man's idle camera becomes more than a toy for one enterprising animal.
Also: Bahamas Turns Nearly 250,000 Sq Miles Of Ocean Into Permanent Shark Sanctuary
Photo by WJ Harrison via Flickr CC
The Bahamas is the latest in a string of countries that are putting shark conservation at the top of the priority list. The Bahamas have converted 243,244 square miles of the country's waters into a shark sanctuary, prohibiting any commercial fishing of the animals. 
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:From the moment your alarm clock goes off this morning until the time you rest your head on the pillow tonight, this day will drag.
Instead of getting frustrated, make use of your exaggerated sense of time by taking a good look at your surroundings.
Some obvious (and easy) improvements will occur.
Relax through the day and remind yourself that you're not running any races.
Things are moving slowly in a new relationship too -- and this meandering schedule the healthiest one to adhere to now.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Hennef, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
London, England, United Kingdom
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Segamat, Johor, Malaysia
Berne, Bern, Switzerland
The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Brighton, England, United Kingdom
Lippstadt, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Hennef, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
London, England, United Kingdom
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Segamat, Johor, Malaysia
Berne, Bern, Switzerland
The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Brighton, England, United Kingdom
Lippstadt, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
as well as Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Israel, Finland, Austria, Norway, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden, Afghanistan, Belgium, Tibet, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Paraguay, Sudan, Vietnam, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Maldives, Qatar, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Paupa New Guinea, Moldova, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Norway, Finland
and in cities across the United States such as Boston, Chicago, Portland, Dallas and more.
and in cities across the United States such as Boston, Chicago, Portland, Dallas and more.
Today is:
Today is Tuesday, July 5, the 186th day of 2011.
There are 179 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Bikini Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Tax-friendliest U.S. states
One state known for stunning vistas, zero income tax, and a 4% sales tax leads the list.
Also: The United States Of ...
The landscape of the United States is one of the most varied among those of the world's nations. A vast, diverse country, take a look at he U.S. from various perspectives.
Stunning U.S. landmarks
Some are easy to access, but this dazzling rock formation in Arizona requires special effort.
Also: 
Preventing Heart Trouble
"Studies also show that pessimists and people who lack self-confidence have a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes than their more optimistic friends."
A new study has found that being satisfied with life, especially one's job, family, sex, and self, reduces the risk of heart disease.
A new study has found that being satisfied with life, especially one's job, family, sex, and self, reduces the risk of heart disease.
We May Not Live in a Hologram After All
Things that make you wonder ...
From the "DUH!" Department:
You know some dumbass did exactly that - tweeted about the building being on fire before exiting the building during a fire for this sign to even be necessary.
Propaganda Techniques "Faux News" Uses to Brainwash Americans
From "The Big Lie" Department: 
TRUTHOUT has a great article by Dr. Cynthia Boaz, "14 Propaganda Techniques "Faux News" Uses to Brainwash Americans" that is worthy of your attention.
Here's the first five:
1. Panic Mongering
2. Character Assassination/Ad Hominem
3. Projection/Flipping
4. Rewriting History
5. Scapegoating/Othering
Click on the link for the rest, and explanations.
TRUTHOUT has a great article by Dr. Cynthia Boaz, "14 Propaganda Techniques "Faux News" Uses to Brainwash Americans" that is worthy of your attention.Here's the first five:
1. Panic Mongering
2. Character Assassination/Ad Hominem
3. Projection/Flipping
4. Rewriting History
5. Scapegoating/Othering
Click on the link for the rest, and explanations.
Killer sues prison for calling him an 'inmate'
The sister of a cold-blooded killer serving 25 years to life in a New York prison for shooting a man in the head complains he is being stigmatized by the use of the term "inmate." The label "implies that our brother is locked up for the purpose of mating with other men," Marie Domond claimed in a lawsuit against New York State Correctional Services Department.
The Brooklyn federal court filing demands that officials immediately stop calling Gerard Domond "an inmate" - along with a $50 million claim for damages for "mental anguish." In 1987, Gerard, then a 24-year-old with a lengthy rap sheet, killed a man in Brooklyn in a drug deal gone wrong.
Now 49, he is at the Clinton Correctional Facility and eligible for parole in May 2013. Acting as her own lawyer, Marie insists: "The suggestive nature of the word is disgraceful. This cruel psychological programming has weighed heavily on our emotional and psychological well-being."
"It's something that's bothered me for a long time," Marie said. "I couldn't understand why no one recognized that somebody being labelled an inmate, why they wouldn't recognize that. To me it just sounded very wrong."
The Brooklyn federal court filing demands that officials immediately stop calling Gerard Domond "an inmate" - along with a $50 million claim for damages for "mental anguish." In 1987, Gerard, then a 24-year-old with a lengthy rap sheet, killed a man in Brooklyn in a drug deal gone wrong.
Now 49, he is at the Clinton Correctional Facility and eligible for parole in May 2013. Acting as her own lawyer, Marie insists: "The suggestive nature of the word is disgraceful. This cruel psychological programming has weighed heavily on our emotional and psychological well-being."
"It's something that's bothered me for a long time," Marie said. "I couldn't understand why no one recognized that somebody being labelled an inmate, why they wouldn't recognize that. To me it just sounded very wrong."
Mexican man tries to escape prison in suitcase
Police say a woman was caught trying to sneak her common-law-husband out of a Mexican prison in a suitcase following a conjugal visit.
Son of Austria's emperor dies
Otto Habsburg-Lothringen lived through world wars, the Cold War, and Europe's unification.
Also: The Shocking True Tale Of The Mad Genius Who Invented Sea-Monkeys
Did you ever order Sea Monkeys from an ad in the back of a comic book? The man behind the “Bowlfull of Happiness” was Harold von Braunhut, who’s life was so much more than sea monkeys.
The accounts Von Braunhut gave of his adventures in American kitsch are consistently winning. Granted, he makes some claims that a skeptic is inclined to independently confirm. At some point in the years after he raced motorcycles as The Green Hornet, von Braunhut worked as a talent agent of sorts. He tells Planet X about a stunt performer he used to manage—the article has von Braunhut calling him “a fella by the name of Henry Lamore”—who would dive from a height of 40 feet into a kiddie pool filled with 12 inches of water. I began to lose faith while trying to verify this doozy, but it turns out that the Internet allows you to watch a man named Henri LaMothe still pulling off this feat at 71 years old, as an opening act for Evel Knievel.Von Braunhut was best known for his Sea Monkeys, but it was only one of his 195 patents. Even more unusual was his association with the Aryan Nation.
As anyone sold by the Sea-Monkey ads could tell you, it was hard to say exactly where von Braunhut was walking on the terrain between truth, embellishment and con. That was his gift. He convinced us to look at the jazz hands and lose sight of the footwork. Von Braunhut’s inventions were not quite what they seemed to be. Neither was he.
Why parents have grey hair
The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees was absent but had not phoned in sick.
So he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. 'Hello?'
'Is your daddy home?'
'Yes, he's out in the garden,' whispered the small voice.
'May I talk with him?'
The child whispered, 'No.'
So the boss asked, 'Well, is your Mommy there?'
'Yes, she's out in the garden too.’
The boss asked; 'May I talk with her?'
Again the small voice whispered, 'No.'
Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, 'Is anybody else there?'
'Yes,' whispered the child, 'a policeman.'
Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, 'May I speak with the policeman?'
'No, he's busy,' whispered the child.
'Busy doing what?' 'Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the police dog men.'
Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background, the boss asked,
'What is that noise?'
'It's a helicopter,' answered the whispering voice.
'What is going on there?' demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.
'The search team just landed a helicopter'
'A search team?' said the boss.
'What are they searching for?'
Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle.... 'ME!'
So he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. 'Hello?'
'Is your daddy home?'
'Yes, he's out in the garden,' whispered the small voice.
'May I talk with him?'
The child whispered, 'No.'
So the boss asked, 'Well, is your Mommy there?'
'Yes, she's out in the garden too.’
The boss asked; 'May I talk with her?'
Again the small voice whispered, 'No.'
Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, 'Is anybody else there?'
'Yes,' whispered the child, 'a policeman.'
Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, 'May I speak with the policeman?'
'No, he's busy,' whispered the child.
'Busy doing what?' 'Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the police dog men.'
Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background, the boss asked,
'What is that noise?'
'It's a helicopter,' answered the whispering voice.
'What is going on there?' demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.
'The search team just landed a helicopter'
'A search team?' said the boss.
'What are they searching for?'
Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle.... 'ME!'
Eight and Three
8 ways to be happier at your job
Number 1. Terrible idea.
Number 2. There are so many simpler ways to accomplish that goal.
Turns out, job satisfaction is as easy (and law-abiding) to obtain as an iced coffee.
Here, eight research-proven ways to have more fun, be more creative, and get the most out of your hours spent on the clock.
3 Surprising Culprits of Work Burnout
Does Money Make You Happy?
Maybe Not
Outrageously costly items
A $2,600 bottle of water and a $530 towel make for one expensive day at the beach.
Also: Worst housing markets in U.S.
Homes in Miami have lost nearly 55 percent of their value over the past six years.
Also: 
Cheerwine Doughnuts Are Back
Krispy Kreme's Cheerwine doughnuts are back.
The company says that the chocolate-iced doughnuts with a slightly fizzy filling that tastes like the cherry-flavored soft drink are rolling into stores for July.
The company says that the chocolate-iced doughnuts with a slightly fizzy filling that tastes like the cherry-flavored soft drink are rolling into stores for July.
High Hopes For Cliff-Top Lake District Cafe
A welcome sight for weary hikers.
Perched on a ridge near the summit of Helvellyn in the Lake District, David and Owen Holmes are selling bacon butties and a range of hot and cold drinks for weary walkers and climbers.
Culinary DeLites
The Grillin' Edition
Buttermilk chicken and simple pizzas with no-cook sauce shine after a turn on the grill.
Also: 
High price doesn’t mean great taste when it comes to livening up your summer grilling.
Also: 
Experts explain why you shouldn't apply marinade throughout the cooking process.
Also: History Cookbook
Do you know what the Vikings ate for dinner? What a typical meal of a wealthy family in Roman Britain consisted of, or what food was like in a Victorian Workhouse?
Drop into the History Cookbook and find out?
This project looks at the food of the past and how this influenced the health of the people living in each time period. You can also try some of the recipes for yourself.
Drop into the History Cookbook and find out?
This project looks at the food of the past and how this influenced the health of the people living in each time period. You can also try some of the recipes for yourself.
Southern swamp holds clues about runaway slaves
The oppressive heat, venomous serpents and boot-snatching muck that made the Great Dismal Swamp a barrier to European settlement ever since colonial times also made it a haven for thousands of people escaping slavery before the War Between the States.
A 5,200 year-old Ancient Egyptian drawing unearthed
Egypt's Antiquities Authority says archaeologists have unearthed a 5,200-year-old rock drawing depicting a royal festival during Ancient Egypt's earliest dynasty.
How Tibetan Singing Bowls Work
Ceremonial Tibetan “singing bowls” are beginning to give up their secrets.
The water-filled bowls, when rubbed with a leather-wrapped mallet, exhibit a lively dance of water droplets as they emit a haunting sound.
Now slow-motion video has unveiled just what occurs in the bowls; droplets can actually bounce on the water’s surface.
A report in the journal Nonlinearity mathematically analyses the effect and could shed light on other fluid processes, such as fuel injection.
The Mysterious Minaret Of Jam
The Minaret of Jam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Afghanistan. It is located in the Shahrak District, Ghor Province, by the Hari River. The 213 feet high minaret was built in the 1190s, entirely of baked-bricks.
It is famous for its intricate brick, stucco and glazed tile decoration, which consists of alternating bands of kufic and naskhi calligraphy and geometric patterns.
Wild camels at Archeï oasis in Chad
"Knee-deep wading is bliss for camels in Chad's Archeï, a canyon whose trapped waters hold a zoological surprise. Fertilized by beasts' droppings, algae are eaten by fish that are preyed upon by an isolated group of crocodiles."
Warring ants know their enemies
Ants can recognize their worst enemies by smell, aggressively fighting slave-makers ants but only carrying away less threatening foes, a study shows.
Cyclist swallows insect during ride
Frank Schleck couldn't tell by the taste if it was a bee or wasp. He was merely happy not to develop an allergic reaction after being stung inside his mouth when he swallowed an insect while riding in the Tour de France.
Trappers Profit From Uganda's Taste For Bugs
In Uganda, where grasshoppers are regarded as a delicious seasonal snack, the appetite for the crispy critters has created a booming informal trade that has turned some trappers into wealthy men.
Monkeys take over photoshoot
There was quite a lot of monkey business when a group of macaques got their hands on a digital camera and started snapping away.
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