See how much mercury you're exposed to when you break a compact fluorescent light bulb.Dangerous?
Also:
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Are broken CFLs really dangerous?
See how much mercury you're exposed to when you break a compact fluorescent light bulb.
School orders student to skip prom
This is Horseshit! But, typical of such 'schools'.
A Christian school threatens to suspend a student — and bar him from going to his own graduation — if he attends his girlfriend's prom.
A Christian school threatens to suspend a student — and bar him from going to his own graduation — if he attends his girlfriend's prom.School orders student to skip prom
Also:
Singing in the rain
A rare 1929 version of this iconic film song. Can you name the actors in this clip?
Kansas Teen Offers Sister For Sale on Craigslist
Craigslist has been in hot water lately, but this probably won't get them in trouble.
The teenager who jokingly tried to sell her four-year-old sister on Craigslist, that's a different story.
The teenager who jokingly tried to sell her four-year-old sister on Craigslist, that's a different story.
"Cahier's Check" Gets Man Arrested
I've always said crooks aren't the brightest.
In this case: learn to spell!
Counterfeit cashier's checks ended up getting a man arrested for forgery.
How did the victims know the checks were forged?
They knew they were counterfeit because the word "cashier’s" was spelled “cahier’s.”
In this case: learn to spell!
Counterfeit cashier's checks ended up getting a man arrested for forgery.
How did the victims know the checks were forged?
They knew they were counterfeit because the word "cashier’s" was spelled “cahier’s.”
Polar bear decision dismays environmentalists
shrub-era limits on protecting the iconic bear won't be rescinded by the new administration.Polar bear decision
Also:
Drought reveals ancient fossils
Worst gifts for Mother's Day
A Snuggie or a fitness DVD may land you in the doghouse, but one thing takes the cake.Worst gifts
Also:
Take a bite out of the blues with something crunchy.Science and Health News
Science and Health News
Early in our planet's history, volcanoes stopped spewing out lava for around 250 million years, leaving Earth in almost perpetual winter 
Often obscured by the glare of publicity that surrounds the Amazon rainforest, the Atlantic forest is a biodiversity hotspot – and it's in very bad shape 
The sun's new solar cycle will be the mildest in decades, a panel of experts predicts – but the panel's vote was not unanimous
Volcanic shutdown may have led to 'snowball Earth'
Early in our planet's history, volcanoes stopped spewing out lava for around 250 million years, leaving Earth in almost perpetual winter Brazil's other big forest in dire straits
Often obscured by the glare of publicity that surrounds the Amazon rainforest, the Atlantic forest is a biodiversity hotspot – and it's in very bad shape Medieval-style 'rack' stretches skin grafts
Slivers of skin have been stretched to twice their size in a week using a robotic device that is akin to an ancient instrument of torture
Solar cycle will be weakest since 1928, forecasters say
The sun's new solar cycle will be the mildest in decades, a panel of experts predicts – but the panel's vote was not unanimous Innovation: Computers to keep our emotions in check
We're used to software spotting mistakes in our spelling and grammar – but soon word processors may be advising us on our writing's emotional content too
Warm weather may not halt swine flu
If the spread of H1N1 influenza continues elsewhere as it has in the Americas, the virus could infect more than a billion people by July
Sunspot cycle on the rise, could vex gadgets
Your cell phone, radio, and GPS may be affected as the Earth enters a busier time for solar storms.Sunspot cycle on the rise
Also:
Saturday Jam
In this Saturday Jam we go Across The Universe (the film that is)
All you need is Love
If I fell
I've just seen a face
All my loving
It won't be long
All you need is Love
If I fell
I've just seen a face
All my loving
It won't be long
President Obama's Weekly Address
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Washington, D.C.
Good morning. I want to briefly share some news about our economy, and talk about the work that we’re doing both to protect American consumers, and to put our economy back on a path to growth and prosperity.
This week, we saw some signs that the gears of America’s economic engine are slowly beginning to turn. Consumer spending and home sales are stabilizing. Unemployment claims are dropping and job losses are beginning to slow. But these trends are far from satisfactory. The unemployment rate is at its highest point in twenty-five years. We are still in the midst of a deep recession that was years in the making, and it will take time to fully turn this economy around.
We cannot rest until our work is done. Not when Americans continue to lose their jobs and struggle to pay their bills. Not when we are wrestling with record deficits and an over-burdened middle class. That is why every action that my Administration is taking is focused on clearing away the wreckage of this recession, and building a new foundation for job-creation and long-term growth.
This past week, we acted on several fronts. To restart the flow of credit that businesses and individuals depend upon, we completed an unprecedented review of the condition of our nation’s largest banks to determine what additional steps are necessary to get our economy moving. To restore fiscal discipline, we identified 121 programs to eliminate from our budget. And to restore a sense of fairness to our tax code and common sense to our economy, I have asked Congress to work with me in closing the loopholes that let companies ship jobs and stash profits overseas – reforms will help save $210 billion over the next ten years.
These important steps are just one part of a broad effort to get government, businesses and banks to act more responsibly, so that we are creating good jobs and making sound investments instead of spending recklessly and padding false profits. Because American institutions must act with the same sense of responsibility and fairness that the American people aspire to in their own lives.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in our credit card industry. Americans know that they have a responsibility to live within their means and pay what they owe. But they also have a right to not get ripped off by the sudden rate hikes, unfair penalties, and hidden fees that have become all-too common in our credit card industry. You shouldn’t have to fear that any new credit card is going to come with strings attached, nor should you need a magnifying glass and a reference book to read a credit card application. And the abuses in our credit card industry have only multiplied in the midst of this recession, when Americans can least afford to bear an extra burden.
It is past time for rules that are fair and transparent. That is why I have called for a set of new principles to reform our credit card industry. Instead of an "anything goes" approach, we need strong and reliable protections for consumers. Instead of fine print that hides the truth, we need credit card forms and statements that have plain language in plain sight, and we need to give people the tools they need to find a credit card that meets their needs. And instead of abuse that goes unpunished, we need to strengthen monitoring, enforcement, and penalties for credit card companies that take advantage of ordinary Americans.
The House has taken important steps toward putting these principles into law, and the Senate is poised to do the same next week. Now, I’m calling on Congress to take final action to pass a credit card reform bill that protects American consumers so that I can sign it into law by Memorial Day. There is no time for delay. We need a durable and successful flow of credit in our economy, but we can’t tolerate profits that depend upon misleading working families. Those days are over.
This economic crisis has reminded us that we are all in this together. We can’t prosper by putting off hard choices, or by protecting the profits of the few at the expense of the middle class. We are making steady progress toward recovery, but we must ensure that the legacy of this recession is an American economy that rewards work and innovation; that is guided by fairness and responsibility; and that grows steadily into the future.
Thanks.
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Markham, Ontario, Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dourados, Mato Grosso Do Sul, Brazil
Goderich, Ontario, Canada
Prostejov, Olomoucky Kraj, Czech Republic
Puerto Montt, Los Lagos, Chile
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Iloilo, Iloilo City, Philippines
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Vasteras, Vastmanslands Lan, Sweden
Polesie, Skierniewice, Poland
Limoges, Limousin, France
Burnby, British Columbia, Canada
London, Ontario, Canada
Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom
Blackpool, England, United Kingdom
Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
Markham, Ontario, Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dourados, Mato Grosso Do Sul, Brazil
Goderich, Ontario, Canada
Prostejov, Olomoucky Kraj, Czech Republic
Puerto Montt, Los Lagos, Chile
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Iloilo, Iloilo City, Philippines
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Vasteras, Vastmanslands Lan, Sweden
Polesie, Skierniewice, Poland
Limoges, Limousin, France
Burnby, British Columbia, Canada
London, Ontario, Canada
Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom
Blackpool, England, United Kingdom
Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
It isn't hard to hold on to your idealistic attitude when you have great people behind you, supporting every step you take.
It's when you're stuck with negative people who love to complain that you start to get pessimistic about where things are going.
So make sure you're hanging out with positive forces, people who know how to keep you focused and on track.
Stick with the folks who aren't interested in tearing you down to make themselves feel better.
Negative people are so negative all right.
It isn't hard to hold on to your idealistic attitude when you have great people behind you, supporting every step you take.
It's when you're stuck with negative people who love to complain that you start to get pessimistic about where things are going.
So make sure you're hanging out with positive forces, people who know how to keep you focused and on track.
Stick with the folks who aren't interested in tearing you down to make themselves feel better.
Negative people are so negative all right.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Downfall of a forum
Just reading my email and catching up on the news about an old forum I used to visit.
The news is there is no news - the forum has gone further down the path to oblivion and is even more bland and null that it was when I left.
Well, they wanted wing-nut dogma unchallenged and they got it - as all who had a mind of their own and not afraid to use it left the forum around the same time and only a couple return every now and again to see the agony and report to the rest of us.
We are so glad there are numerous other forums that are vital and are not allowing the wing-nuts to even join so that there is an exchange of ideas across the spectrum in a civilized manner which was sorely lacking on the other forum and all attempts to have idea exchanges in a civil manner were and are shouted down by the wing-nuts there.
The news is there is no news - the forum has gone further down the path to oblivion and is even more bland and null that it was when I left.
Well, they wanted wing-nut dogma unchallenged and they got it - as all who had a mind of their own and not afraid to use it left the forum around the same time and only a couple return every now and again to see the agony and report to the rest of us.
We are so glad there are numerous other forums that are vital and are not allowing the wing-nuts to even join so that there is an exchange of ideas across the spectrum in a civilized manner which was sorely lacking on the other forum and all attempts to have idea exchanges in a civil manner were and are shouted down by the wing-nuts there.
Granny robs convenience store for grandkids
A gun-toting Texas granny, who robbed a Fort Worth convenience store Thursday, explained to the clerk that she was doing it "for my grandkids."
Where to treat mom to brunch
See what's on the menu for Mother's Day at these trusty and tasty chain restaurants.Brunch
Programs Obama wants to cut
The president has put a total of 121 government initiatives in the cross hairs as he tries to trim his budget.10 programs to cut
Also:
Statue of Liberty's crown to reopen
On the Fourth of July the landmark will reopen for the first time in nearly eight years.Crown to reopen
Experts warn of bird and swine flu mix
If the two viruses combined, the new bug might be both highly contagious and lethal, scientists say. Bird and swine flu mix
Also:
More than 30K told to flee Santa Barbara fire
Firefighters who saw the blaze more than double overnight face more hot, gusty weather.Santa Barbara fire
Also:
Five futurist visionaries and what they got right
Many imagine what the future might hold for the human race, but few have thought so sharply about it, or tried to make their vision come true.Five and what they got right
Virtual heart
This could be the best thing since sliced bread for heart patients ...
Virtual heart pumps up the realism
The super-realistic computer model makes it possible to explore the heart's anatomy in ways not possible in real patients.
It's all in the mind
Brainy men may be healthier men
A study that ties greater susceptibility to illnesses with lower IQ hints that health and intelligence are the result of common genetic factors.
Eight ways to boost your creativity
Have a good whinge at your boss, look at blue things, or just muck about – but don't get drunk. Our special feature explains how to unlock your imagination
Science News
From BBC-Science
 |  | Camera-trap footage reveals pygmy hogs are doing well following their release into the wild last year. |
Female gorillas clap their hands together to get the attention of male silverbacks and infants, scientists find.
 | | They make tools, perform amazing feats of memory and know who's who in the mirror - meet the brains of the animal world |
THE BIG PICTURE
Snake head found in man's vegetables at TGI Friday's
This is why you don't eat broccoli!
A New York man having dinner at a TGI Friday's claims he found a little something extra in his broccoli ... a severed snake head.
A New York man having dinner at a TGI Friday's claims he found a little something extra in his broccoli ... a severed snake head.
Man gets parking fine
Croatia resident Jove Vrljanovic has been fined for illegal parking - 13 years later.
Sexsomnia case prompts law change
The case of a man found not guilty of rape after a jury heard he may have been "sex sleeping" has prompted Northern Territory politicians to pass new laws.
Man jailed for stabbing lover nine times
A man who frantically stabbed his lover as she lay over her three children to protect them has been jailed for 11 years.
Wildfire rages near California city
Santa Barbara homes are torched as the powerful blaze moves dangerously close to heavily populated areas.Wildfire rages
Also:
Tips to make a tiny bathroom seem bigger
Some little tweaks can make a large difference in a small space.They say ...
The optimist says the glass is half full.
The pessimist says the glass is half empty.
The engineer says the glass is twice the size it needs to be.
The pessimist says the glass is half empty.
The engineer says the glass is twice the size it needs to be.
Hiring for new jobs an economic bright spot
Despite the jump in unemployment figures there are millions of job openings, even in industries that have fallen on tough times.Economic bright spot
Also:
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
Klang, Selangor, Malaysia
Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovkia
Sault Saint Marie, Ontario, Canada
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Motala, Ostergotlands Lan, Sweden
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Haldwani, Uttaranchal, India
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Pribram, Stredocesky Kraj, Czech Republic
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Surry, British Columbia, Canada
Porto, Porto, Portugal
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Lenin, Krasnodao, Russian Federation
Szczecin, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland
Hormozan, Yazd, Iran
Ceska, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Czech Republic
as well as Serbia and Montenegro, Aruba, Hong Kong, and the United States
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
Klang, Selangor, Malaysia
Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovkia
Sault Saint Marie, Ontario, Canada
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Motala, Ostergotlands Lan, Sweden
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Haldwani, Uttaranchal, India
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Pribram, Stredocesky Kraj, Czech Republic
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Surry, British Columbia, Canada
Porto, Porto, Portugal
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Lenin, Krasnodao, Russian Federation
Szczecin, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland
Hormozan, Yazd, Iran
Ceska, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Czech Republic
as well as Serbia and Montenegro, Aruba, Hong Kong, and the United States
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
It's a wonderful day to surprise yourself, so take a few chances where you might not have taken a chance before.
You need to try more things and worry about failure another time.
Life can be a numbers game, so the more new things you get involved with, the better your chances of finding your true purpose.
Let go of a past mistake, because you're holding yourself back by replaying it over and over again in your mind.
It's time to move on.
Moving on ...
It's a wonderful day to surprise yourself, so take a few chances where you might not have taken a chance before.
You need to try more things and worry about failure another time.
Life can be a numbers game, so the more new things you get involved with, the better your chances of finding your true purpose.
Let go of a past mistake, because you're holding yourself back by replaying it over and over again in your mind.
It's time to move on.
Moving on ...
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Obama proposes cutting 121 federal programs
The president boasts the cuts would save $17 billion, but critics argue it's a tiny fraction of the new spending he wants.
Cutting 121 federal programs
Tent Cities Multiplying and Growing
As the haunting images of another era come to mind ...
From USA Today:
From USA Today:
Tent cities and shelters from California to Massachusetts report growing demand from the newly homeless. The National Alliance to End Homelessness predicted in January that the recession would force 1.5 million more people into homelessness over the next two years. Already, “tens of thousands” have lost their homes, Alliance President Nan Roman says.
The $1.5 billion in new federal stimulus funds for homelessness prevention will help people pay rent, utility bills, moving costs or security deposits, she says, but it won’t be enough.
“We’re hearing from shelter providers that the shelters are overflowing, filled to capacity,” says Ellen Bassuk, president of the National Center on Family Homelessness. “The number of families on the streets has dramatically increased.”
Bigfoot hobbit could be ancient island human
Homo floresiensis, aka the hobbit, could be an ape-footed offshoot of Homo erectus, or much older, according to two new studies.
Science News
From BBC-Science:
 | | Sensitive shrimp stocks could plummet if the north Atlantic ocean warms up as predicted, say researchers. |
Exploitation is threatening the forests in central Asia, home to the fruit trees that could help secure our future food supply.
THE BIG PICTURE
Mansions, humble homes burn in California city
Firefighters in Santa Barbara expect another day of heat and potential destruction as the blaze swells.
Mansions, humble homes burn
Also:
Signs that the economy is in recovery mode
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There's growing evidence that the U.S. economy is on the brink of a lasting recovery.
There's growing evidence that the U.S. economy is on the brink of a lasting recovery.Signs that the economy is in recovery mode
Also:
Stress tests reveal how much banks need
The government's long-awaited results of the nation's top banks show the industry is vulnerable but viable.Stress tests
Also:
'Tough' 3-year-old survives days in forest
Joshua Childers disappeared into a wet, chilly forest that's home to bears and mountain lions.
'Tough' 3-year-old
Doctor receives package with 36 pounds of pot
Police in Georgia are trying to determine who sent a Stockbridge physician a large quantity of marijuana.
Police said the doctor thought the package contained a birthday present but inside the cardboard box was 36 pounds of pot wrapped in cellophane. The doctor, whose name was withheld, called police.
A Henry County police spokesman said the marijuana was worth between $36,000 to $40,000 on the streets. Police said the box was sent from Texas.
The best and worst paying jobs
Doctors strike it rich while other careers struggle on the list of highest and lowest salaries. The best and worst paying jobs
Also:
Greek robbers steal man's home
Police in Greece say robbers near Athens have stolen everything including the kitchen sink, lifting a prefabricated home off its foundation and spiriting it away.
Delaware family sets trap to nab teen joyriders
Two teens are in custody after a family set a trap to catch whoever was repeatedly taking their SUV in the middle of the night, driving it around and filling the tank up before returning it.
Cow may get new home after slaughterhouse escape
A cow nicknamed Molly who escaped from a New York City slaughterhouse may have a new lease on life.
Fifty-Three pounds of packed cocaine found on Texas beach
Beachcombers found more than seashells while strolling on a Texas beach: two dozen neatly wrapped packages of cocaine.
Sikh policemen to get bulletproof turbans
Flesh-eating bug devours man's body
A British man, vacationing on a romantic Mediterranean cruise with his wife, died within hours after mysteriously catching a deadly flesh-eating bug.
Speed Camera Company CEO Banned from Driving ... For Speeding
Serco supplies which supplies many of Britain's traffic enforcement cameras. Do as I say, not as I do, as Tom Riall, Chief Executive of Serco's home affairs division was caught speeding at over 100 MPH, and was banned from driving for six months on Wednesday as a result.
I Can Haz Cheezbuger
Jon Stewart once again proving he is the only true journalist left in this country ... and he is just as appalled by that as the rest of us are.
Celebrate Odd Day Oddly, and Win $579
Pi Day is one thing, but this is Odd Day, 05/07/09, which occurs when three consecutive odd numbers make up the date.
As a matter of fact, while Pi Day occurs 100x a century, today is one of only six times this will happen in a century.
As a matter of fact, while Pi Day occurs 100x a century, today is one of only six times this will happen in a century.
Question and Answer
Q. What do a hurricane, a tornado, and a redneck divorce all have in common?
A. Someone's going to lose their trailer ...
A. Someone's going to lose their trailer ...
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Jena, Thuringen, Germany
Tainan, Taiwan, Taiwan
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Quakers Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
London, England, United Kingdom
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Huddlesfield, England, United Kingdom
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Moscow, Moscow City, Russian Federation
Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Lebork, Slupsk, Poland
Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
Naumburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
Odense, Fyn, Denmark
Ulaanbaatar, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Nokia, Western Finland, Finland
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Lund, Skane Lan, Sweden
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Graz, Steiermark, Austria
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Szczecin, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland
Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands
Milan, Lombardia, Italy
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
Tetovo, Tetovo, Macedonia
Prague, Hlavni Mesto Praha, Czech Republic
as well as Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Wales, Northern Ireland and the United States
Jena, Thuringen, Germany
Tainan, Taiwan, Taiwan
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Quakers Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
London, England, United Kingdom
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Huddlesfield, England, United Kingdom
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Moscow, Moscow City, Russian Federation
Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Lebork, Slupsk, Poland
Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
Naumburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
Odense, Fyn, Denmark
Ulaanbaatar, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Nokia, Western Finland, Finland
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Lund, Skane Lan, Sweden
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Graz, Steiermark, Austria
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Szczecin, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland
Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands
Milan, Lombardia, Italy
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
Tetovo, Tetovo, Macedonia
Prague, Hlavni Mesto Praha, Czech Republic
as well as Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Wales, Northern Ireland and the United States
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
Making a compromise is not what your ego wants to do, but your brain understands that it's the best thing to do.
Letting go of something you really want can be an empowering experience -- you are keeping your desires from overpowering your common sense.
I have common sense, Wow, who knew?!
Making a compromise is not what your ego wants to do, but your brain understands that it's the best thing to do.
Letting go of something you really want can be an empowering experience -- you are keeping your desires from overpowering your common sense.
I have common sense, Wow, who knew?!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Woman faces theft charges for returning lost wallet
Top towns for living well
These small cities have educated workforces earning enviable salaries.Top towns for living well
Also:
Winner of 'best job in the world' selected
A British man beats out 35,000 applicants to be the new caretaker of a tropical island.
Winner selected
Race car runs on chocolate
Scientists use flax and carrots to build a biofuel car they say can reach speeds of 145 mph.Race car runs on chocolate
Also:
Stocks rally as fears ease over banks
The Dow Jones jumps after investors get word that America's biggest banks might not be as frayed as some had feared. Stocks rally as fears ease over banks
Also:
Southern California wildfire threatens 2,000 homes
Drier air and strong winds are raising concerns about a fire burning north of Santa Barbara.Southern California wildfire
Also:
Remember facts by cramming with fat
Indulging in a oily meal after studying for an exam could boost your results, a study in rats shows.
Science and art: Still two cultures divided?
In his 1959 essay, the novelist C. P. Snow argued that science and the humanities were dangerously divided – but is it still true in 2009?Science and art: Still two cultures divided?
Oh, those deadly blogs
Law prof Eugene Volokh blogs about a U.S. House of Representatives bill proposed by Rep. Linda T. Sanchez and 14 others that could make it a federal felony to use your blog, social media like MySpace and Facebook, or any other web media "To Cause Substantial Emotional Distress Through "Severe, Repeated, and Hostile" Speech."
Congress Critters are an amazingly stupid lot ...
This idiocy is tailor made for all the wing-nuts out there who are the most prolific purveyors of "Severe, Repeated, and Hostile" Speech to blow a gasket when any other point of view is expressed and accuse the person expressing the 'other' opinion of 'severe, repeated and hostile' speech toward them and their ideals and demand the other person be prosecuted all the while maintaining their 'innocence' as they continue to spew hate and vitriol.
If this proposed 'law' would be applied to those who actually are engaging in Severe, Repeated and Hostile" Speech instead of the way it would be perverted as the sentence before described, it would be a step in the correct direction ... however it wouldn't be and the Haters will continue to spew and others would be silenced - just what the Haters want.
Here's the relevant text:Jacob Sullum at Reason thinks the proposed law is stupid, too.Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated, and hostile behavior, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both....
["Communication"] means the electronic transmission, between or among points specified by the user, of information of the user's choosing, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received; ...
["Electronic means"] means any equipment dependent on electrical power to access an information service, including email, instant messaging, blogs, websites, telephones, and text messages.
It was bad enough that a grandstanding U.S. attorney successfully prosecuted Lori Drew, a Missouri woman who participated in a cruel MySpace prank that apparently precipitated the 2006 suicide of 13-year-old Megan Meier, under an anti-hacking law that clearly was not intended for this sort of situation. Now Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) and 14 of her colleagues want to make such prosecutions easier through a breathtakingly broad bill that would criminalize a wide range of speech protected by the First Amendment. The Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act would make it a felony punishable by up to two years in prison to transmit an electronic communication ("including email, instant messaging, blogs, websites, telephones, and text messages") "with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person...to support severe, repeated, and hostile behavior."
Congress Critters are an amazingly stupid lot ...
This idiocy is tailor made for all the wing-nuts out there who are the most prolific purveyors of "Severe, Repeated, and Hostile" Speech to blow a gasket when any other point of view is expressed and accuse the person expressing the 'other' opinion of 'severe, repeated and hostile' speech toward them and their ideals and demand the other person be prosecuted all the while maintaining their 'innocence' as they continue to spew hate and vitriol.
If this proposed 'law' would be applied to those who actually are engaging in Severe, Repeated and Hostile" Speech instead of the way it would be perverted as the sentence before described, it would be a step in the correct direction ... however it wouldn't be and the Haters will continue to spew and others would be silenced - just what the Haters want.
New Genetic Survey: Humans Originated Near Current Border of Angola and Namibia
(Photo: a cc-licensed snapshot from Namibia by Flickr user Waterwin.)
Part of a NYT article about a new study by a group of geneticists which pins the origin of humankind to a spot on the coast of southwest Africa near the Kalahari Desert. The study is said to be the largest ever of its kind on African genetic diversity. The researchers say Africans are descended from 14 ancestral populations that typically correlate with language and cultural groups.
Locations for the Garden of Eden have been offered many times before, but seldom in the somewhat inhospitable borderland where Angola and Namibia meet.The research team was led by Sarah A. Tishkoff of the University of Pennsylvania, and reported in in a recent issue of Science: "The Genetic Structure and History of Africans and African Americans."A new genetic survey of people in Africa, the largest of its kind, suggests, however, that the region in southwest Africa seems, on the present evidence, to be the origin of modern humans. The authors have also identified some 14 ancestral populations.
The new data goes far toward equalizing the genetic picture of the world, given that most genetic information has come from European and Asian populations. But because it comes from Africa, the continent on which the human lineage evolved, it also sheds light on the origins of human life.
Repugican clown college photos
Hebiclens / WMxdesign used an image editing program to strip the makeup off the faces of prominent wing-nuts to revel what they actually look like. They are so weak they're pastel you don't often see pastels on clowns.
Dying woman has 20 pets tattooed on her body to 'take them with her'
A terminally ill woman is having pictures of all her beloved pets tattooed on her body - so she can 'take them with her' when she dies.
Elderly man mistakes card for noisy neighbors
German police said an elderly man was so annoyed at hearing the same serenade over and over that he called authorities to report his neighbors - only to discover the culprit was a musical greeting card on his own windowsill.
Man sues for $1 over right to wear skirt in public
A man sued the New Orleans Police Department, claiming he was harassed by an officer who threatened to arrest him for wearing a black pinstriped skirt to municipal court.
Police nab naked man seen walking on bike path
A man faces an indecent exposure charge after celebrating his 21st birthday in only his birthday suit.
Lone Afghanistani pig quarantined
The only known pig in Afghanistan has been quarantined after concerns were raised that it could infect the public with the swine flu.
Farmers' crops keeping US cool
While cities create a warm bubble known as the urban heat island, most farms have an opposite effect and are counteracting climate change in the US, say researchers.
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Harlow, England, United Kingdom
Stockton-On-Tees, England, United Kingdom
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Semerang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
London, England, United Kingdom
Xanten, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Middlesbrough, England, United Kingdom
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Bedford, England, United Kingdom
Bratislavia, Bratislavia, Slovakia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Rome, Lazio, Italy
as well as Brazil and the United States
Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Harlow, England, United Kingdom
Stockton-On-Tees, England, United Kingdom
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Semerang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
London, England, United Kingdom
Xanten, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Middlesbrough, England, United Kingdom
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Bedford, England, United Kingdom
Bratislavia, Bratislavia, Slovakia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Rome, Lazio, Italy
as well as Brazil and the United States
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
You're getting closer on a personal level with an authority figure at work, but being more social with this person doesn't mean that you're going to be getting any special treatment.
But this is a good thing.
It would be insulting if they started treating you differently anyway, wouldn't it?
Not to mention the fact that it could negatively affect your reputation.
Plus, you need to be rewarded for the value you bring to the job, not how fun you are to hang out with.
Darn, all that smoozing and no special treatment?!
You're getting closer on a personal level with an authority figure at work, but being more social with this person doesn't mean that you're going to be getting any special treatment.
But this is a good thing.
It would be insulting if they started treating you differently anyway, wouldn't it?
Not to mention the fact that it could negatively affect your reputation.
Plus, you need to be rewarded for the value you bring to the job, not how fun you are to hang out with.
Darn, all that smoozing and no special treatment?!
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