Wait for it, wait for it ... in just two minutes it will be 2009.
Wait for it!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Top 10 Cryptozoology Stories of 2008
(4) Giant Manta Ray Discovery.
During 2008, Marine biologist Dr. Andrea Marshall confirmed that a larger and more elusive manta ray was, in fact, a distinct species. Until then, it was thought that there was only one manta ray species.
The newly-discovered species (above) leads a different lifestyle than its smaller cousin and is migratory rather than residential. The new giant manta ray has large triangular pectoral fins, which can span almost 26 feet or 8 meters in width and can weigh more than 4409 pounds or 2,000 kilograms.
See the rest of the 2008 Top Ten at Cryptomundo.Psychology News
Religion may have evolved because of its ability to help people exercise self-control
Self-control is critical for success in life, and a new study by University of Miami professor of Psychology Michael McCullough finds that religious people have more self-control than do their less religious counterparts. These findings imply that religious people may be better at pursuing and achieving long-term goals that are important to them and their religious groups. This, in turn, might help explain why religious people tend to have lower rates of substance abuse, better school achievement, less delinquency, better health behaviors, less depression, and longer lives.
Science News
Scientists plan to ignite tiny man-made star
While it has seemed an impossible goal for nearly 100 years, scientists now believe that they are on brink of cracking one of the biggest problems in physics by harnessing the power of nuclear fusion, the reaction that burns at the heart of the sun.
In the spring, a team will begin attempts to ignite a tiny man-made star inside a laboratory and trigger a thermonuclear reaction.
Its goal is to generate temperatures of more than 100 million degrees Celsius and pressures billions of times higher than those found anywhere else on earth, from a speck of fuel little bigger than a pinhead. If successful, the experiment will mark the first step towards building a practical nuclear fusion power station and a source of almost limitless energy.
Pagan Party: New Year’s traditions that hail from the depths of antiquity
If your head really hurts on New Year's Day, you could point your finger at the Babylonians who started this new year revelry nonsense. Though the ancient Romans added the idea of alcoholic excess, or at least perfected it.
Julius Caesar fixed the start of the year on January 1st by letting the previous year run to 445 days rather than the traditional 365. The Roman citizenry made their winter festival Saturnalia a celebration without rules. So, let's blame the Romans.
Any way you slice it, New Year's is among the very oldest and most persistent of human celebrations.
Read the rest here.
Top Ten Green Architecture Projects Of 2008!
“As the holiday season winds to close we’re counting down the days to the new year with a look at some of Inhabitat’s most exciting stories of 2008! It’s been an outstanding year in green building and today we’re looking back at ten of the most impressive green architecture projects of 2008. From LEED platinum superstructures to innovative recycled and reclaimed buildings to ground-breaking monuments that integrate incredible new technologies, read on the year’s best and brightest developments!”
Read the rest at Inhabitat.
Medical News
A prototype of a therapeutic ultrasound device, developed by a Cornell graduate student, fits in the palm of a hand, is battery-powered and packs enough punch to stabilize a gunshot wound or deliver drugs to brain cancer patients. It is wired to a ceramic probe, called a transducer, and it creates sound waves so strong they instantly cause water to bubble, spray and turn into steam.
No Mug? Drug Makers Cut Out Goodies for Doctors
Remember that self-regulation thingy that worked so well in our financial industry?
Now it's being applied to our medical 'industry'.
Some skeptics deride the voluntary ban as a superficial measure that does nothing to curb the far larger amounts drug companies spend each year on various other efforts to influence physicians. But proponents welcome it as a step toward ending the barrage of drug brands and logos that surround, and may subliminally influence, doctors and patients.Now it's being applied to our medical 'industry'.
*****
OK, Kiddies, let's all raise our hands if we believe this 'self-regulation' thingy will work any better for the medical field than it did for the financial field ...
Hell yeah, that's just what Jesus would do.
A New Jersey church has evicted a homeless shelter because its operators didn't require guests to say grace before eating Christmas dinner.
So, now you know what the answer is to all those WWJD wristbands you've seen on the wrists of the relige-o-nuts.
So, now you know what the answer is to all those WWJD wristbands you've seen on the wrists of the relige-o-nuts.
Read the full story in the Wall Street Journal
Al Franken should avoid private planes
Al Franken (D) has inched ahead of Norm Coleman (r) in the very, very close Minnesota Senate race.
Next will be the loud complaints that everything's been unfair, and then there will be lawsuits from Coleman's camp.
Of course it goes without saying that Franken should avoid flying in private planes.
Next will be the loud complaints that everything's been unfair, and then there will be lawsuits from Coleman's camp.
Of course it goes without saying that Franken should avoid flying in private planes.
Read the rest at Talking Points Memo.
NTSB report on Michael Connell
Here's a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board on the wreck that killed repugican computer whiz Michael Connell.
The NTSB still doesn't know or isn't saying what caused the crash.
The NTSB still doesn't know or isn't saying what caused the crash.
From At Largely.
GMAC, which is now classified as a bank, gets its bailout billions.
OK, so now I wonder ... amid all the giant banks and Wall Street financiers being bailed out how many real banks - small-town banks and local banks with just a few branches that are struggling and destined to go under or be bought by one of the big banks will get any bailout cash.
Can the little banks get even a paltry hundred grand of the bottomless billions the big banks are tapping like a fifth avenue whore (and without having to pay her for 'it' either)?
Can the little banks get even a paltry hundred grand of the bottomless billions the big banks are tapping like a fifth avenue whore (and without having to pay her for 'it' either)?
See more in New York Times.
The US Justice Dept seeks to prosecute a President who authorized torture
The US Justice Dept seeks to prosecute a President (of Liberia) who authorized torture.
(Insert punchline here.)
(Insert punchline here.)
Full story at Salon.
Our Readers in Real Time
Right now readers in:
the Netherlands, Iran, India, Brazil, Finland, Denmark, the United States, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, Spain, Mexico, Indonesia and Venezuela
are enjoying Carolina Naturally.
I know this is the second listing for the day, but for whatever reason December 31, 22008 appears to be the day everyone is reading Carolina Naturally.
This is a good thing.
Police arrest Shiite cult leader in Iraq
Police in Iraq today announced the arrest of a leading figure in a messianic Shiite cult that has battled with Iraqi and U.S. forces, possibly thwarting plans by the group to carry out attacks against hundreds of thousands of pilgrims that will gather next week at one of Iraq's holiest shrines.
The arrest came as the Iraqi government made final preparations for what it considers a restoration of its full sovereignty when a new security agreement with the United States goes into effect on New Year's Day.
Under the agreement, Iraqi authorities will have oversight over U.S. military operations and formally assume control of the Green Zone in central Baghdad.
A top adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Sadiq al-Rikabi, described January 1, 2009, as a "historic day" during which "the symbols of sovereignty, which are highly cherished by Iraqis, will be restored."
The arrest came as the Iraqi government made final preparations for what it considers a restoration of its full sovereignty when a new security agreement with the United States goes into effect on New Year's Day.
Under the agreement, Iraqi authorities will have oversight over U.S. military operations and formally assume control of the Green Zone in central Baghdad.
A top adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Sadiq al-Rikabi, described January 1, 2009, as a "historic day" during which "the symbols of sovereignty, which are highly cherished by Iraqis, will be restored."
The Freegans
I posted a piece earlier this month about Survival by Dumpster Diving having to do with the Freegan Movement.
Today I found their website and you can take a look for yourself at what they are about here.
With the economy tanking as it is, we all may become 'freegans' and not by choice either!
Today I found their website and you can take a look for yourself at what they are about here.
*****
With the economy tanking as it is, we all may become 'freegans' and not by choice either!
Crazy English
Have you ever wondered why English is the hardest language on the face of the earth to learn?
Even if you have not, here is an example of just why English IS the hardest language to learn:
Crazy English
1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
12. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
13. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
14. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
15. They were too close to the door to close it.
16. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
17. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
18. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
19. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
20. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
21. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
Even if you have not, here is an example of just why English IS the hardest language to learn:
Crazy English
1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
12. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
13. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
14. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
15. They were too close to the door to close it.
16. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
17. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
18. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
19. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
20. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
21. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which an alarm goes off by going on. English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which, of course, isn't a race at all). That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
*****
I found this at Beautiful Perth and it struck me as a good example of why English gives the devil to those trying to learn it - and American English is the hardest of the hardest to learn, to boot!
Our Readers in Real Time
Right now readers in:
Germany, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Mexico, England, Canada, Bangladesh, Portugal, Spain, the Czech Republic, France, Sweden, Venezuela, Norway, Slovakia, Turkey, South Africa, Poland, Romania, Russia, Kuwait, Austria, Indonesia, India, Switzerland, the United States and Finland
are enjoying Carolina Naturally.
Germany, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Mexico, England, Canada, Bangladesh, Portugal, Spain, the Czech Republic, France, Sweden, Venezuela, Norway, Slovakia, Turkey, South Africa, Poland, Romania, Russia, Kuwait, Austria, Indonesia, India, Switzerland, the United States and Finland
are enjoying Carolina Naturally.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
