Space probes spot a 3-billion-ton blast that emerged from the sun's surface without the usual warning signs.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Bizarre animals that are new to science
About 15,000 new species are still discovered every year, from psychedelic fish to pink millipedes, and from lungless frogs to the Dracula fish. Take a tour of some of the strangest species to be discovered in recent years.
Bizarre animals
Venom is key to Komodo dragon's killing power
The discovery of poison glands in the large predatory lizards makes them the biggest venomous animals on the planet.
Science News
From BBC-Science:
 |  | A beautifully preserved 47-million-year-old fossil gives scientists new insights into the early evolution of primates. |
'Stunning' fossil unveiled THE BIG PICTURE
Hate Mongers
Hate Mongers Howling
Hatemonger Boortz agrees with caller that Katrina refugees are "parasites"
Two screwballs in a mutual arse kissing fest I see.
Disney's Savage calls transgendered trolley driver "sick degenerate," "insane," says docs performing sex reassignment surgery "should be arrested"
This from a perverted insane degenerate is just too rich. Want to bet the trolley driver could get into Britain should they want to ... how about the degenerate - nope.
Operation Rescue's Randall Terry compares Obama to Nazi leaders
Here a NAZI goes again trying to divert attention from themselves by calling other Nazis. They never learn.
Hatemonger Boortz agrees with caller that Katrina refugees are "parasites"
Two screwballs in a mutual arse kissing fest I see.
Disney's Savage calls transgendered trolley driver "sick degenerate," "insane," says docs performing sex reassignment surgery "should be arrested"
This from a perverted insane degenerate is just too rich. Want to bet the trolley driver could get into Britain should they want to ... how about the degenerate - nope.
Operation Rescue's Randall Terry compares Obama to Nazi leaders
Here a NAZI goes again trying to divert attention from themselves by calling other Nazis. They never learn.
Dimbulb Spews
Dimbulb spews more bile and vitriol ...
Dimbulb says the Obama administration's objective is "unemployment", "more food stamp benefits", "more unemployment benefits", "an expanding welfare state", "to take the nation's wealth", and "forced reparations"
Pure horseshit ... now the shrub and the cabal worked diligently to those very ends and Lush pines for those days.
Behind Dimbulb's code words, what he's saying is, "There is a black man in the White House! Be very afraid!"
Yep, that's exactly what the pervert is howling ... and in not so subtle code as all that either.
'
Dimbulb: Obama's base "has anti-American opinion," "doesn't like this country"
Dead wrong - it is his base that is anti-American opinion and doesn't (hell, they flat out HATE America) like this country they have tried to destroy it for years and came damn near to doing it over the last eight years and the are pissed that we stopped them.
Pure horseshit ... now the shrub and the cabal worked diligently to those very ends and Lush pines for those days.
Behind Dimbulb's code words, what he's saying is, "There is a black man in the White House! Be very afraid!"
Yep, that's exactly what the pervert is howling ... and in not so subtle code as all that either.
'
Dimbulb: Obama's base "has anti-American opinion," "doesn't like this country"
Dead wrong - it is his base that is anti-American opinion and doesn't (hell, they flat out HATE America) like this country they have tried to destroy it for years and came damn near to doing it over the last eight years and the are pissed that we stopped them.
Gorilla Glue meet your Daddy
Researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa have discovered a sophisticated stone-age "superglue" that was used to make and reinforce tools:
Stone Age humans... knowingly tweaked the chemical and physical properties of an iron-containing pigment known as red ochre with the gum of acacia trees to create adhesives for their shafted tools.Archaeologists had believed the blood-red pigment--used by people in what is now South Africa about 70,000 years ago--served a decorative or symbolic purpose.
But the scientists had also suspected that the pigment may have been purposely added to improve glue that held the peoples' tools together.
Favorite sites to find free stuff online
These websites can help you find free and deeply discounted items like DVDs, books, toys, and magazine subscriptions.Free stuff
Also:
Dealer closings mean big car bargains
Shoppers are in position to reap great deals as auto dealerships rush to sell off their inventories.Car bargains
Also:
'Ridiculous' business ideas that made millions
Inventors — and investors — of seemingly crazy products like the Koosh ball have cashed in.'Ridiculous' business ideas
Also:
Trick yourself into getting more water
Mexican Resorts Offer "Flu-Free Guarantee"
While some of the fear may be unfounded, it's undeniable that swine flu has hit the Mexican tourist industry hard. As such, a group of resorts have come up with a gimmick to try to reassure people: a flu-free guarantee.
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Milan, Lombardia, Italy
Almaty, Almaty City, Kazakhstan
Jakarta, Jakarta raya, Indonesia
Gothenburg, Vastra gotaland, Sweden
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Palma, Islas Baeares, Spain
Maisuru, Karnataka, India
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Saint Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Cacais, Lisboa, Portugal
Venaria Reale, Piemonte, Italy
Reading, England, United Kingdom
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
Drammen, Buskerud, Norway
Kiev, Kyyvs'ka Oblast, Ukraine
London, England, United Kingdom
Harrow, England, United Kingdom
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
as well as Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the United States
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Milan, Lombardia, Italy
Almaty, Almaty City, Kazakhstan
Jakarta, Jakarta raya, Indonesia
Gothenburg, Vastra gotaland, Sweden
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Palma, Islas Baeares, Spain
Maisuru, Karnataka, India
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Saint Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Cacais, Lisboa, Portugal
Venaria Reale, Piemonte, Italy
Reading, England, United Kingdom
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
Drammen, Buskerud, Norway
Kiev, Kyyvs'ka Oblast, Ukraine
London, England, United Kingdom
Harrow, England, United Kingdom
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
as well as Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the United States
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
If you have a set plan for how you want this day to go, you should immediately toss it out the window!
If you are open to a last-minute postponement today, you will definitely not be disappointed.
Things such as romance, excitement and adventure have a way of showing up when it's least convenient -- but that doesn't mean you shouldn't rearrange your entire day to accommodate it!
You have the flexibility you need to put things off for another day.
All righty then.
If you have a set plan for how you want this day to go, you should immediately toss it out the window!
If you are open to a last-minute postponement today, you will definitely not be disappointed.
Things such as romance, excitement and adventure have a way of showing up when it's least convenient -- but that doesn't mean you shouldn't rearrange your entire day to accommodate it!
You have the flexibility you need to put things off for another day.
All righty then.
Monday, May 18, 2009
McDonald's wants be begin offering PhDs
McDonald's wants be begin offering PhDs.
You can add 'insert your own punchline here' - but really, no punchline could make this concept any funnier than it already is.
This so so not funny it is hilarious!
Read more here.
You can add 'insert your own punchline here' - but really, no punchline could make this concept any funnier than it already is.
This so so not funny it is hilarious!
Read more here.
Health News
In Health News:
Medicare's strong performance in consumer satisfaction, access to care, and other areas suggests that many adults under age 65 would choose a public health insurance option if it were offered as part of health reform
Climate change could be especially hard on allergy, asthma sufferers
Study suggests that healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes
Scientist suspects swine flu was created by human error
Early childhood health interventions could save billions in health costs later in life
Climate change could be especially hard on allergy, asthma sufferers
Study suggests that healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes
Scientist suspects swine flu was created by human error
Early childhood health interventions could save billions in health costs later in life
Garofalo hands jackass his ass
Ambushed by a Faux News-affiliated jackass with a camera and a few rude questions, Janeane Garofalo did a pretty good job ad libbing a quick, coherent response.
Read the rest here.
Read the rest here.
Wing Nuts
More wing-nuts
repugicans give up on changing its image, seeks to change Democrats' image instead, 'cause that'll work, right?
This comedy routine gets better and better ...
Glenn Brick: 'Gay marriage will make the universe collapse'
I think the laws of physics preclude such an event happening in reality in his warped delusional world, who knows and more importantly who cares.
Actress Morgan Brittany goes on Handjob's show to say: “I believe in the interrogation methods of Jack Bauer”
Hello, Space Camp, I think we found your lost cadet.
Dimbulb suggests CO2 can't be bad for the environment because "we exhale CO2"
In his case it is pure Methane - which is worse for the environment from both an immediate noxiousness to a long term eroding of the ozone.
Faux's O'Really says gay marriage could lead to goat, duck, dolphin, and turtle marriage
How to we know they don't already have marriage in those species? Oh, he means humans marrying goats, ducks, etc., well - so far I can only think of one repugican you proudly boasts of his 'marriage' to his mule on the farm as a kid.
Atheists are 'not fully human', says Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor
This from an automaton. Yeah, like we'll be listening to him.
Price (reject-Georgia) claims, that offshore drilling would create 36 million jobs
This is so stupid no comment really is necessary.
Sessions (reptile-Alabama) says Guantanamo detainees are lucky because they get ‘tropical breezes’
Fine, then you go there and stay a while.
Stossel says we should eat endangered species if we want to save them
This one takes the booby prize for nuttiest, fruitcake of the week.
Colson: First Amendment rights of Christians are now "now under brutal attack" from the gays
Wrong, but they should be!
repugicans give up on changing its image, seeks to change Democrats' image instead, 'cause that'll work, right?
This comedy routine gets better and better ...
Glenn Brick: 'Gay marriage will make the universe collapse'
I think the laws of physics preclude such an event happening in reality in his warped delusional world, who knows and more importantly who cares.
Actress Morgan Brittany goes on Handjob's show to say: “I believe in the interrogation methods of Jack Bauer”
Hello, Space Camp, I think we found your lost cadet.
Dimbulb suggests CO2 can't be bad for the environment because "we exhale CO2"
In his case it is pure Methane - which is worse for the environment from both an immediate noxiousness to a long term eroding of the ozone.
Faux's O'Really says gay marriage could lead to goat, duck, dolphin, and turtle marriage
How to we know they don't already have marriage in those species? Oh, he means humans marrying goats, ducks, etc., well - so far I can only think of one repugican you proudly boasts of his 'marriage' to his mule on the farm as a kid.
Atheists are 'not fully human', says Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor
This from an automaton. Yeah, like we'll be listening to him.
Price (reject-Georgia) claims, that offshore drilling would create 36 million jobs
This is so stupid no comment really is necessary.
Sessions (reptile-Alabama) says Guantanamo detainees are lucky because they get ‘tropical breezes’
Fine, then you go there and stay a while.
Stossel says we should eat endangered species if we want to save them
This one takes the booby prize for nuttiest, fruitcake of the week.
Colson: First Amendment rights of Christians are now "now under brutal attack" from the gays
Wrong, but they should be!
War Criminals
Like the shrub and cabal, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has denied crimes against humanity. Unlike the war criminals of the cabal and the shrub, al-Bashir is going to stand trial.
Read more here.
You remember the guy who wanted to see the source code on the breath alcohol detector?
He finally got to see it, and the results aren't pretty.
He finally got to see it, and the results aren't pretty.
Draeger, the manufacturer maintained that the system was perfect, and that revealing the source code would be damaging to its business.
They were right about the second part, of course, because it turned out that the code was terrible.
Liars and Fools
Liars and Fools: the Faux News edition
Faux's Brick suggests ACORN may kill him for his coverage of them
Nope. But it is a fleeting pleasant thought none the less.
Faux's Brick embraces "Patriot/militia" movement with call for "civilest war"
Anything to be able to play with boys is what Brick is all about - the foot tap under the bathroom stall was so last year ...
Faux's Brick, Cabutt-o promote militia-movement 'constitutionalist' theories on Faux
And they wonder why they are listed as the greatest threat to the nation? They are terrorists, pure and simple
Faux Nation asks: "Is Obama shredding the constitution?"
Actually he is taping it back together after the shrub and the cabal shredded it for the last eight years - remember, according to the shrub the Constitution of the United States is "just some goddamn piece of paper".
Faux News pushes repugicans' horror story of Obama setting Guantanamo terrorists loose in US
And this is news, how?
Faux's Wayne Simmons says the CIA will abandon their posts because of Pelosi and he calls her a 'pathological liar
And we are supposed to listen to a known Pathological Liar calling someone else a liar?
Faux's Brick suggests ACORN may kill him for his coverage of them
Nope. But it is a fleeting pleasant thought none the less.
Faux's Brick embraces "Patriot/militia" movement with call for "civilest war"
Anything to be able to play with boys is what Brick is all about - the foot tap under the bathroom stall was so last year ...
Faux's Brick, Cabutt-o promote militia-movement 'constitutionalist' theories on Faux
And they wonder why they are listed as the greatest threat to the nation? They are terrorists, pure and simple
Faux Nation asks: "Is Obama shredding the constitution?"
Actually he is taping it back together after the shrub and the cabal shredded it for the last eight years - remember, according to the shrub the Constitution of the United States is "just some goddamn piece of paper".
Faux News pushes repugicans' horror story of Obama setting Guantanamo terrorists loose in US
And this is news, how?
Faux's Wayne Simmons says the CIA will abandon their posts because of Pelosi and he calls her a 'pathological liar
And we are supposed to listen to a known Pathological Liar calling someone else a liar?
Wing Nut Yammering and Flap Doodle
Wing-nuts are always yammering and flap doodling ...
Gingrich (ret'd r-Georgia) accuses Obama administration of coddling terrorists
Only in his warped fantasy land, only in his warped fantasy land ... anyone named after a type of slithering slimy creature that hangs out under rocks has no room to speak on anything.
Inhofe (retard-Oklahoma) lies that Obama intends to let "hard-core terrorists" run "loose in the United States", and President has "completely devastated" the US military, because Obama "just doesn't believe that we need a military."
Damn, you can't write this stuff. Who knew repugicans were such comedians?
Sessions (reptile-Alabama) says Obama's plan is to "diminish employment and diminish stock prices." By doing so, Obama "intended to inflict damage and hardship on the free enterprise system, if not to kill it"
Someone should tell this buffoon that was the shrub's plan and it almost worked ... but we true Americans stopped him just before the total fruition of the plan and ousted him and his cabal and lackeys in the last election.
Steele: Dems want to take away our guns, move terrorists into our communities
Wrong - nothing more needs to be said.
Liz Cheney accuses Obama of siding "with the terrorists"
Wrong - if he did he would be siding with the shrub and the cabal (and that includes your daddy there sister)
Texas Governor Perry (repulsive) won't rule out secession
Let him secede, if he wants too. The state of Texas would be better off with out him. So, will the United States.
Only in his warped fantasy land, only in his warped fantasy land ... anyone named after a type of slithering slimy creature that hangs out under rocks has no room to speak on anything.
Inhofe (retard-Oklahoma) lies that Obama intends to let "hard-core terrorists" run "loose in the United States", and President has "completely devastated" the US military, because Obama "just doesn't believe that we need a military."
Damn, you can't write this stuff. Who knew repugicans were such comedians?
Sessions (reptile-Alabama) says Obama's plan is to "diminish employment and diminish stock prices." By doing so, Obama "intended to inflict damage and hardship on the free enterprise system, if not to kill it"
Someone should tell this buffoon that was the shrub's plan and it almost worked ... but we true Americans stopped him just before the total fruition of the plan and ousted him and his cabal and lackeys in the last election.
Steele: Dems want to take away our guns, move terrorists into our communities
Wrong - nothing more needs to be said.
Liz Cheney accuses Obama of siding "with the terrorists"
Wrong - if he did he would be siding with the shrub and the cabal (and that includes your daddy there sister)
Texas Governor Perry (repulsive) won't rule out secession
Let him secede, if he wants too. The state of Texas would be better off with out him. So, will the United States.
Craigslist wants apology from SC attorney general for Wrongful Accusations
And they deserve one, too!
The CEO of Craigslist is asking South Carolina's attorney general to apologize for threatening to prosecute the company if any advertisements on the Web site lead to a prostitution case.CEO Jim Buckmaster wrote on his blog Monday that Attorney General Henry McMaster (pictured) had wrongly accused Craigslist of criminal misconduct.
McMaster last week threatened to prosecute Craigslist executives for aiding and abetting prostitution if an ad leads to a prostitution case in South Carolina. His office did not immediately return a phone message Monday.
Craigslist has been under fire for its "erotic services" category. The site has pledged to eliminate the category and screen all submissions for a new "adult services" section.
Football announcer quits over phobia
Tony Kornheiser is giving up his spot in ESPN's "Monday Night Football" booth.Phobia
Swine flu death, outbreak prompt new warnings
Cities where homeowners are most 'underwater'
A whopping 67 percent of homeowners in one metro area owe more than their houses are worth.Homeowners 'underwater'
Energy drinks put to the test
See how these popular drinks, many of which claim to boost your physical and mental stamina, stack up.Energy drinks
Also:
Pregnant 66-year-old fuels debate
Older mothers like Britain's Elizabeth Adeney are testing science as well as ethical beliefs.
Pregnant 66-year-old fuels debate
Also:
Holidays and Celebrations
Speaking of Holidays and Celebrations we here at Carolina Naturally want to wish our many readers in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada Happy Victoria Day.
Headlines
Headlines Today include:
- Obama, Netanyahu to tackle Mideast issues, confront differences
- Sri Lanka declares 25-year-old civil war over, rebel leader killed
- Nations urge WHO to change swine flu assessment
- GOP keeps the heat on Pelosi over controversial CIA comments
- Study links cigarette design changes to one type of lung cancer
- Childrens' brains organized differently than adult brains: study
- Aussie surfer rescues helpless kangaroo from riptide
- Sri Lanka says war over, rebel leader killed
- WHO chief does not raise swine flu alert level
- Iran leader: Don't vote for pro-Western candidates
- Hamas wants acceptance without changing ideology
- Myanmar's democracy leader Suu Kyi goes on trial
- Afghan president's brother attacked, unharmed
- UK study: Postponing retirement may delay dementia
Quake rattles nerves near L.A.
The 4.7 tremor was felt by millions across Southern California but the region avoided major damage.Quake rattles nerves
Also:
Debt-collectors and credit card companies ...
... The psychologists of predatory lending
The New York Times has an in-depth look at the pop-psych training that bill collectors are getting, using profile data sucked out of card histories to figure out how to get inside debtors' heads and get them to cough up money they can't afford. This is driven by the long-term strategy of offering cards to poor credit risks on the grounds that they'd be apt to get into debt and cough up huge amounts in interest payment, unlike well-heeled yuppies who pay every bill on time.
The exploration into cardholders' minds hit a breakthrough in 2002, when J. P. Martin, a math-loving executive at Canadian Tire, decided to analyze almost every piece of information his company had collected from credit-card transactions the previous year. Canadian Tire's stores sold electronics, sporting equipment, kitchen supplies and automotive goods and issued a credit card that could be used almost anywhere. Martin could often see precisely what cardholders were purchasing, and he discovered that the brands we buy are the windows into our souls -- or at least into our willingness to make good on our debts. His data indicated, for instance, that people who bought cheap, generic automotive oil were much more likely to miss a credit-card payment than someone who got the expensive, name-brand stuff. People who bought carbon-monoxide monitors for their homes or those little felt pads that stop chair legs from scratching the floor almost never missed payments. Anyone who purchased a chrome-skull car accessory or a "Mega Thruster Exhaust System" was pretty likely to miss paying his bill eventually...To see how one company transforms thousands of low-paid employees into telephone psychiatrists, I attended a day of Bank of America's four-week training program at the company's Delaware offices. (I was allowed to attend on the condition that I neither identify nor interview the trainees during the course.) At the front of the classroom, a poster explained the company's "Customer Delight Model." The trainees were supposed to "provide a delightful opening," "employ delightful words," "acknowledge and empathize" and "personalize with a POWER close." They spent the morning discussing hypothetical cases, like a cardholder with twins whose husband announced he had fallen in love with another woman. He handed over divorce papers, had a moving truck outside and in short order took over the house and left the cardholder with two kids, only $400 a week and a ton of credit-card debt.
Cooking with lead
I have heard of cooking with gas ... but cooking with lead?
Clay bean pots made in Mexico and sold in Hispanic stores in the eastern United States as lead-free and safe for cooking actually contain high levels of the toxic metal, prompting a university lead-poisoning prevention program to warn against using them for cooking.
Clay bean pots made in Mexico and sold in Hispanic stores in the eastern United States as lead-free and safe for cooking actually contain high levels of the toxic metal, prompting a university lead-poisoning prevention program to warn against using them for cooking.
South Americans hit by dengue fever epidemic.
While the world continues to be on alert for a potential swine flu pandemic, South Americans have been suffering for months from one of the worst viral epidemics on record.
South Americans hit by dengue fever epidemic.
South Americans hit by dengue fever epidemic.
World at the tipping point
For the first time in human history, one out of every six people on the planet is going to bed hungry, according to the head of the UN world food program. Agencies are overwhelmed as emergencies caused by war and drought outrun their ability to feed the hungry.
Read more in the - Toronto Star: High food prices pushing world to tipping point.
Read more in the - Toronto Star: High food prices pushing world to tipping point.
Science News
Ultrasound weapon wipes out toxic algal blooms
Red tides and other poisonous algal blooms are vulnerable to a blast of high-frequency sound, researchers show
Nine games computers are ruining for humanity
Computers can now kick human rear at a wide range of games, from chess to rock-paper-scissors. New Scientist, for one, welcomes our new game-playing computer overlords
The art of science: Cement flowers and quantum cascades
Move over, C. P. Snow: Princeton University's Art of Science competition takes as its starting point Leonardo da Vinci's embracing maxim: study the science of art and the art of science
Incestuous moths scrimp on sperm
Moths don't mind incest, but only when it doesn't cost them valuable resources
Quantum poker: Are the chips down or not?
When quantum computers replace today's PCs, online poker players will have to master outlandish new strategies – such as betting and folding simultaneously
Puberty gene sets our sexual clocks
Researchers have uncovered the first genetic evidence to explain differences in the length of women's fertile lives – but the genes also seem to have a wider role
New e-readers will end black and white era
A full-color version of electronic paper is to be demonstrated later this month, while bendy readers should appear next year
Image: A dragonfly greets the world
This striking image of an emerging dragonfly was selected as a finalist of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition
Legendary wizard Merlin added to list of famous Glaswegians
The legendary wizard Merlin has been added to a list of famous Glaswegians, it was revealed today.
Council chiefs have included the wizard, who featured in Arthurian legend, on a list of well-known figures who come from the city.
Merlin joins the likes of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and comedian Billy Connolly on the list, which is on the authority’s website.
A council spokeswoman explained the wizard had been added after an amateur historian suggested Merlin had lived there.
Teen armed with banana eats evidence after failing to rob store
Police said a North Carolina teenager who was thwarted as he tried to rob a store with a banana ate it before they could arrive.
Winston-Salem authorities said 17-year-old John Szwalla held the banana under his shirt when he entered the store on Thursday, saying he had a gun and demanded money.
Owner Bobby Ray Mabe said he and a customer jumped Szwalla, holding him until deputies arrived. While they waited the teen ate the banana.
Mr Mabe said deputies took pictures of the banana peel. Forsyth County Sheriff’s office spokesman Major Brad Stanley said deputies joked about charging Szwalla with destroying evidence. Szwalla faces a charge of attempted armed robbery.
Pawn Shops Are Booming
In this tough economy, at least one industry is holding its own, and in many cases thriving.
-
- About 30 million Americans receive pawn loans each year, and about 70 percent to 80 percent of these people are repeat customers, according to the Pawnbrokers Association, and the average loan amount is about $80.
Pakistani Taliban vow to fight until 'last breath'
Again proving how stupid they truly are ...
The Pakistani Taliban have vowed to resist military advances in the northwest's Swat Valley until their "last breath," while the government Monday sought to bolster political support for the offensive ahead of potentially bloody urban battles.
The Pakistani Taliban have vowed to resist military advances in the northwest's Swat Valley until their "last breath," while the government Monday sought to bolster political support for the offensive ahead of potentially bloody urban battles.
America's strangest sports mascots
These colorful critters often leave fans wondering: What exactly are they supposed to be?America's strangest sports mascots
Also:
Dirty details of 'dream jobs'
Decorating cakes may seem like fun — but starting work at 3 a.m. may not be. Get the truth from insiders about these cool-sounding jobs.Dirty details
Also:
They said What?!
Some of the most frequently recited lines from iconic film scenes are not what was actually said.10 most misquoted movie lines
Oil road turns tribes into meat traders
A new road and free bus rides for Amazonian tribes have created a bushmeat trade that previously did not exist, say conservationists.
Oil road turns tribes into meat traders
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Bangkok, Krung Thep, Thailand
Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
New Delhi, Delhi, India
Krakow, Malopolskie, Poland
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain
Gosport, England, United Kingdom
Adana, Adana, Turkey
Tbilsi, Dushet'is Raioni, Georgia
Banjarmasin, Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia
Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
Cochin, Kerala, India
Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland and the United States
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Bangkok, Krung Thep, Thailand
Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
New Delhi, Delhi, India
Krakow, Malopolskie, Poland
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain
Gosport, England, United Kingdom
Adana, Adana, Turkey
Tbilsi, Dushet'is Raioni, Georgia
Banjarmasin, Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia
Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
Cochin, Kerala, India
Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland and the United States
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
A great deal of collaborative energy is humming around you now.
It'd be wise to take advantage of it to get some of your least pleasant errands over with.
Ask someone smart who you like on a personal level if they are available -- chances are they'll be only too glad to help you out.
With their good cheer and innovative thinking, you two can achieve lots together.
Combining forces is always a good way to get further faster.
It'd be wise to take advantage of it to get some of your least pleasant errands over with.
Ask someone smart who you like on a personal level if they are available -- chances are they'll be only too glad to help you out.
With their good cheer and innovative thinking, you two can achieve lots together.
Combining forces is always a good way to get further faster.
Now that you mention it - the lawn does needs mowing ...
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Free As A Bird
"Free as a Bird" is a song, single and video released by The Beatles in December 1995 as part of their "reunion" and promotion around the release of the video documentary Anthology and their Anthology 1 compilation album.
Kindle 2 Can't Pronounce Obama's Name
Over at technologyexpert they have this to say ...
I've written about the Kindle 2's text-to-speech functionality before, which is called "Read to Me" by Amazon.com. The Authors Guild has made a big issue about the functionality, despite experts stating that the vocal quality of the speech reading feature is by no means a threat to audiobooks, which are performed by professionals (with clear intonation and emotion).
So. Carolina eyes 'criminal investigation' of Craigslist
Craigslist Responds to the AG
The attorney general of South Carolina is ready to launch a criminal investigation of Craigslist in connection with erotic ads appearing on the classified ads Web site.Attorney General Henry McMaster (pictured) had given Craigslist until Friday afternoon to remove erotically charged material from its South Carolina listings. The AG's Web site now has this statement posted:
As of 5:00 p.m. this afternoon, the Craigslist South Carolina site continues to display advertisements for prostitution and graphic pornographic material. This content was not removed as we requested. We have no alternative but to move forward with criminal investigation and potential prosecution.
Craigslist responded Saturday with a blog post voicing exasperation with the attorney general's statement, comparing the "adult services" listings on Craigslist with the adult section of a Greenville, S.C., Web site and others like it elsewhere in the state, along with telephone yellow page listings and print publications.
Seriously? The CL "adult services" section for Greenville, SC has a total of 1 ad for the last 3 days, featuring a photograph of a fully clothed person. The "erotic services" section for Greenville, recently closed, has 8 ads total, images and text all quite tame.
Meanwhile, the "adult entertainment" section of greenville.backpage.com (careful with link, NSFW), owned by Village Voice Media, has over 60 ads for the last 3 days, and about 250 in total. In sharp contrast with craigslist, many of these ads are quite explicit, quoting prices for specific sex acts, featuring close-ups of bare genitalia, etc.
Craigslist views itself as unfairly targeted by the attorney general's office.
Of course, no one in mainstream legal circles thinks either company should be subject to civil suit, let alone a criminal investigation. But if for whatever reason you were so motivated, would you target a venue with 9 PG-13 rated ads, or one with 250 XXX rated ones?
The South Carolina Attorney General's office was not immediately available for comment.
On Wednesday, Craigslist bowed to pressure from authorities in a number of states and said that it would remove its "erotic services" section, replacing it with a more closely monitored "adult services" section for legal enterprises.
CEO Jim Buckmaster said at the time that Craigslist would be on the lookout for sex workers trying to outmaneuver the new restrictions. "We have blocking and filtering technologies in place site wide. And of course our flagging system remains fully in effect across all the categories, but we will be monitoring that situation," Buckmaster said.
On top of ongoing allegations that Craigslist--which runs a wide variety of classified ads, including job and apartment listings--had become an outsized Internet bordello, the company's image recently was tarnished by news stories about a so-called "Craigslist killer" in connection with a murder investigation in Boston.
Obama takes on divisive topic in graduation speech
The president calls for understanding and "fair-minded words" in the abortion debate during Notre Dame's commencement ceremonies.
Obama graduation speech
Also:
Warehouse club comparison reveals savings
See which warehouse club charges the least for 17 household staples and how the prices compare to grocery stores.Warehouse club savings
Also:
Science News
Science News: From the world of Anthropology
Humans Ate Neanderthals, Scientist Says
Neanderthal jawbone has marks similar to those left on bones of deer by early humans.
Humans Ate Neanderthals, Scientist Says
Neanderthal jawbone has marks similar to those left on bones of deer by early humans.
Don't muck with the Kilt
He Damned well better apologize!
The principal of a Utah middle school has been asked to apologize for forcing a kilt-wearing student to change his clothes.
Weber School District spokesman Nate Taggart (Clan Ross), says Craig Jessop has been asked to extend an apology to 14-year-old student Gavin McFarland of Hooper after the school official's comments Wednesday.
Gavin says he wore the kilt twice in the past two weeks to Rocky Mountain Junior High as a prop for an art project. Jessop told the boy that the outfit could be misconstrued as cross-dressing.
Taggart says the district recognizes the kilt as an expression of the boy's Scottish heritage and that the kilt was not inappropriate.
Kilts are traditional Scottish apparel generally worn by men for formal or special occasions.
Jessop needs a mental evaluation to probe his deep seeded fears of his own 'cross-dressing' desires!
Mob boss daughter Gotti fighting foreclosure
"I'm never going to lose the house," Victoria Gotti said after a court hearing about her New York mansion, the same one used on her reality TV show.Gotti fighting foreclosure
Also:
Learning the Language Of The Recession
Our buddy over at Acerbic Politics posted this a few days ago and we thought it was very appropriate so we're bringing it here ...
Now that is as accurate as you can get!NEW STOCK MARKET TERMS
- CEO: Chief Embezzlement Officer
- CFO: Corporate Fraud Officer
- Bull Market: A random market movement causing investors to mistake themselves for financial geniuses
- Bear Market: a 6- to 18-month period when the kids get no allowance
- Value Investing: The art of buying low and selling lower
- Broker: What my financial planner has made me
- Standard & Poor: Your life in a nutshell
- Market Correction: The day after you buy stocks
- Cash Flow: The movement your money makes as it disappears down the drain
- Institutional Investor: Past-year investor who's now locked up in a nuthouse
- Profit: An archaic word no longer in use.
Montreal cop cuffs, busts and fines student $450 for not holding escalator rail in subway
Cops are idiots - not all mind you, but as a general rule they are ignorant, egotistical louts on a power trip compensating for a distinct lacking in a certain anatomical feature (even the female cops who have a complete absence of that certain anatomical feature ... yet have the desire to have that same said anatomical feature), who know nothing of the or about the law.
A Montreal/Laval cop cuffed and dragged a university student away, throwing her in a holding cell and writing her a ticket for CDN$420 ...for failing to hold the handrail while she dug in her bag for her subway fare.
*****
A Montreal/Laval cop cuffed and dragged a university student away, throwing her in a holding cell and writing her a ticket for CDN$420 ...for failing to hold the handrail while she dug in her bag for her subway fare.
Bela Kosoian, a 38-year-old mother of two, says when she didn't hold the handrail Wednesday she was cuffed, dragged into a small holding cell and fined.
"It was horrible, disgusting behaviour [by police]," said Ms. Kosoian, a 38-year-old student of international law. "I did nothing wrong. They should go find the guys who stole my tires off the balcony."
Ms. Kosoian, who studies at the Université du Québec à Montreal, was riding an escalator down to catch a 5:30 p.m. subway from the suburb of Laval to an evening class downtown when she started rifling through her backpack looking for a fare.
Ms. Kosoian, who grew up in Georgia when it was still part of the Soviet Union, says she didn't catch the officer's instruction to hold the rail when he first approached.
When he told her again to hang on, she says she replied, "I don't have three hands." Besides, she had been sick and feared catching a new bug.
A Total of 43 Florida Kids Shot With Stun Guns in "Demos"
You'll recall a Florida corrections officer was fired after tasing two kids . Department of Corrections Secretary Walt McNeil said an investigation would be conducted, and it showed that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Remodeling tips
Giving a facelift to your kitchen doesn't have to break the bank.Cash-saving kitchen remodeling tips
Also:
Which cooking oil should you use?
Find out when to use peanut, olive, sesame, and other oils in your next lunch or dinner.Cooking oil
Also:
Abducted boy found, reunited with mother
A 3-year-old boy kidnapped nearly two weeks ago is back at home in Southern California after he was found wandering the streets in Mexico.
Found and reunited
Also:
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Almaty, Almaty City, Kazakhstan
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Helmond, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Azur, Tel Aviv, Israel
Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Beyrouth, Beyrouth, Lebanon
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Pori, Western Finland, Finland
Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Seri Kembangan, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
Palermo, Sicilia, Italy
London, England, United Kingdom
as well as Scotland, Indonesia, Wales and the United States
Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Almaty, Almaty City, Kazakhstan
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Helmond, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Azur, Tel Aviv, Israel
Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Beyrouth, Beyrouth, Lebanon
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Pori, Western Finland, Finland
Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Seri Kembangan, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
Palermo, Sicilia, Italy
London, England, United Kingdom
as well as Scotland, Indonesia, Wales and the United States
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
Beautiful words can turn anyone's head.
Unleash your creative writing skills and think outside the box.
It will get you noticed and show that you are someone who sees life in a unique way.
I shall do thus ...
Beautiful words can turn anyone's head.
Unleash your creative writing skills and think outside the box.
It will get you noticed and show that you are someone who sees life in a unique way.
I shall do thus ...
Saturday, May 16, 2009
America's best bargain cities
Low unemployment, decent salaries, and affordable housing make each of these metro areas a good deal. Best bargain cities
Also:
Three Little Birds
Connie Talbot doing Bob Marley's Three Little Birds.
Damn, that girl can sing! And she is only seven years old to boot!
Damn, that girl can sing! And she is only seven years old to boot!
Wedding traditions worth leaving behind
It's time to reconsider the wedding rituals that add more stress for everyone.Traditions worth leaving behind
Also:
Tiny bedbugs make a resurgence in U.S.
Officials are worried over the most widespread bedbug outbreak since World War II.Bedbugs make a resurgence
Also:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
