CAROLINA NATURALLY

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

First Photos of Snowflakes For Sale

From Treehugger:

snow flake.photo
Image from the Guardian

Maybe everyone is getting sick of looking at snow, but these vintage photographs of snowflakes will be gone soon so better look now... Taken by a self-educated Vermont farmer, Wilson A. Bentley at the end of the 1800's, they are the first photos of snow ever taken.

Ten of them are up for auction but in fact the photographer was a little obsessive and took thousands (as in 5,000) of the images. And no two were ever alike. He began by trying to draw them but the snow melted before he could finish. So his parents got him a camera and that's how a life's work started...

Article continues: First Photos of Snowflakes For Sale

Musings on Nature and Man's Place in It

From Treehugger:

Cowpie and flower
Photo credit: Florian Möllers for Wild Wonders of Europe

Do you ever feel like the shit rolls in faster than you can get out from under it? Then take a minute to relax and think about the bigger picture. The more you expand your mind, the smaller your concerns will appear. Here are some gorgeous images and musings to help you wander away from your daily cares. Learn from Mother Nature: she'll teach you how to turn shit into flowers.

Article continues: Musings on Nature and Man's Place in It

DEA continues raids on medical marijuana growers

Chris Bartkowicz

On Thursday, a Denver news station interviewed Chris Bartkowicz about his medical-marijuana operation in the basement of his home. Bartkowicz, confident of his compliance with state laws, boasted of its size and profitability.

“I’m definitely living the dream now,” he told 9News.

The following day, the dream was over.

Drug-enforcement agents raided his home, placed him under arrest, and carried off dozens of black bags of marijuana plants and growing lights.

The Obama administration promised in October that the federal government would respect state laws allowing the growing and selling of marijuana for medicinal use, but the Drug Enforcement Agency sent a loud message with the arrest of Bartkowicz.

Despite Obama admin’s promise, DEA continues raids on medical marijuana growers

What turns a tadpole into a killer?

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the temporary rainwater pond: a deadly predatory infant amphibian is lurking.

Zoologger

Health News

A proposed new category of childhood disorder has been brought into focus by the conviction of a mother for killing her daughter;

Child psychiatric diagnosis on trial

Science News

From BBC-Science:

Ancient giant cattle genome first

Scientists are publishing details of their research of the DNA of large wild cattle that died out almost 400 years ago.

Polar bear skull defies DNA test

Shuttle astronauts make last walk

Astronauts complete their third and final spacewalk of the current shuttle mission to the International Space Station.

No 'extensive hunt' of rare whale

One of the rarest whales in the world was not a victim of extensive whaling as previously supposed, a study says.

Surrogate savior

'Cross-fostering' aims to save marsupial species.

Why 'love birds' point their tail feathers to the Sun

Wolf-Girl

Meet Wolfie Blackheart: a non-neurotypical, animal-identified teen in Texas who finds herself at the center of controversy: allegations of animal torture, mental health, and the wrath of /b/.
"I would never kill a canine," the self-described 'wolf woman' said, "I am a canine."

Iko Iko

Dr. John plays Iko Iko

And I Quote

You won't get anything unless you have the vision to imagine it.

~ John Lennon

Burger King heats up the coffee wars

With help from Starbucks, Burger King goes up against McDonald's breakfast items.

Menu changes in the works

Also:

Thirty-Six Percent Of U.S. Homes Without Broadband

A new Commerce Department report shows just why Google wants to jump into ISP-land. The report states that approximately 40 percent of Americans do not have high-speed Internet access at home.

Full Story

Nielsen study shows there's a long road ahead to get people to pay for online content

From the "DUH!" Department:

Here's a shocker: When given the choice between paying for something or getting it for free, most people will choose free.
That's just one of the insightful findings from "Changing Models: A Global Perspective on Paying for Content Online," a new study from Nielsen.
The research company interviewed almost 30,000 people around the globe about pay models for the Internet -- and if there's one thing the world is united on, it's that free is better.

Full Story

Speaking of dogs ...

Great Scot! Sadie the Scottie wins Westminster

A Scottish terrier is America's new top dog. Sadie the Scottie walked off with the title Tuesday night by winning best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club.

Dickens' dog collar fetches $11,590 in NYC auction

A dog collar that belonged to Charles Dickens has fetched $11,590 at a New York City auction.

Doc to gastric bypass patient: Go on a fucking diet!

A New Zealand surgeon was reprimanded by officials for being unprofessional after he told a severely obese patient to a "go on a fucking diet."

Full Story

As the fortune cookie crumbles ...

It is nice to be remembered, but it is far cheaper to be forgotten.

You Know the Flying Dragons in Avatar?

From Treehugger

Photo: Reddit user Biophilia_curiosus

Can't Wait Until They Find the Full-Sized Species...
A Reddit.com user by the name of Biophilia_curiosus posted a few photos that he took in Indonesia. They show an amazing species of gliding lizard which basically looks like a miniature dragon. Fans of the film Avatar will be reminded of the flying Toruks... More photos below.

Article continues: Y'Know the Flying Dragons in Avatar? Tiny Real-Life Version Discovered in Indonesia

I Dig A Pony

The Beatles

Today is ...

Today is February 17, the 48th day of 2010.

There are 317 days left in the year.

Today In History February 17

Today's unusual holidays and celebrations are:

My Way Day

and

World Human Spirit Day

Our Readers

Some of our readers today have been in:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
Colchester, England, United Kingdom
Prague, Hlavni Mesto Praha, Czech Republic
Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania
Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Halifax, England, United Kingdom
Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Maidstone, England, United Kingdom
Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile

as well as Scotland, Korea, and the United States

Daily Horoscope

Today's horoscope says:

Part of you really and truly wants to keep quiet about what you're feeling, especially if it concerns a touchy subject.
But a much more insistent part of you just won't have it, and is determined to let it all out.
You're currently involved in a heated internal battle, and while neither side has officially won, deep down you know who to bet on.
Your feelings are written all over your face.

Wow, deep.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Unusual shortage could thwart innovation

Rare-earth elements are necessary for everything from light bulbs to TVs.

Who produces most of global supply

Also:

Suburbs hard-hit by homelessness

Women and families are straining shelters in rural and suburban U.S. towns.

'There's just no work'

Also:

World's oldest barber still going strong

Anthony Mancinelli, 98, started cutting hair when Calvin Coolidge was president.

Price then and now

Also:

Some cities have more 'snowphistication'

There are reasons why the deluge of snow that crippled D.C. would barely affect Chicago.

Dallas has no plows

Also:

Marine walks away from sniper shot

Lucky marine walks away from sniper shot

An insurgent sniper hit Lance Cpl. Koenig in the forehead, but his gear saved him.

Miracle

Also:

Best new guilt-free foods this year

These new foods on the grocery store shelves are delicious but low in fat and calories.

6 tasty items you'll want to try

Also:

What happiest U.S. states have in common

Nine of the top 10 spots are in the West and Midwest — but geography isn't their only connection.

Keys to well-being

Also:

Three worst industries for job losses

More than 7 million jobs have been lost in the recession, but these sectors have seen the worst of it.

Some giving up

Also:

Failed marriage proposal a hoax?

Thousands at a hockey game thought they saw a big-screen proposal end in embarrassment.

The story

Also:

More proposal pranks

Jordan wants to buy the Bobcats

NBA legend battles to buy team

Michael Jordan makes moves to buy a club, but a former exec may be blocking his shots.

'He wants it badly'

Also:

Mystery of King Tut's death solved by DNA

Egypt's famous boy-king suffered from "multiple disorders," an extensive study reveals.

New clues to family tree, too

Also:

King Tut—plus 10 other royal mummies—recently became the first ancient Egyptians to get their DNA analyzed. The results, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, turned up a treasure trove of new information about the famous boy king, his family and Egyptian royalty in general.

Among the discoveries:

Tut had a bone disorder that would have forced him to walk with a cane, and which may have been a result of royal inbreeding.
A mummy known as KV55 has turned out to be Tut's father, Akhenaten, a controversial pharaoh best known for his failed attempt at converting Egypt to monotheism. Based on sculptures and art that depict a feminized Akhenaten, researchers had long suspected that he suffered from a genetic hormone disorder called gynecomastia. But the DNA evidence says otherwise. Instead, Akhenaten's feminine features are likely to have been an artistic conceit, added for symbolic, religious reasons.
Other previously unidentified mummies are now known to be Tut's grandfather, grandmother and mother.
Contrary to speculation, Tut's mother probably wasn't his father's chief wife, Nefertiti. She and Akhenaten are never described as being related, and Tut is definitely the product of brother/sister incest.
King Tut had malaria. He likely died from a combination of that disease and complications of his bone disorder. The malarial DNA found in Tut's body is the oldest genetic evidence of the disease ever found.

National Geographic News: King Tut was disabled, malarial and inbred

http://www.boingboing.net/kingtutdna.jpg

Woman faces $555,000 in student debt

Dr. Michelle Bisutti's ordeal shows how school loans can quickly spiral out of control.

Even bankruptcy may not help

Also:

Inside incredible 'Crystal Cave of Giants'

Deep below the surface, a deadly-hot chamber is filled with the world's largest crystals.

See pics

Also:

911 operator saves his own son's life

Chris Scott was training to be a dispatcher when he answered a shocking call.

How it happened

Also:

Teabaggers beware, Scalia says you can't secede

This is going to be make Teabagger Nation very cranky.

As opposed to their 'normal' cranky.

One of 'their own' dashes their dreams!

*****
Don't you just love it when idiots make themselves even more idiotic.

A very wise man once said ...

In the beginning, the universe was created.
This made a lot of people very angry, and has been widely regarded as a bad idea.

~ Douglas Adams

Obama reverts to campaign tactics

As criticism mounts, the president's team taps into the strategies that made his campaign famous.

New emphasis

Also:

Unusual bank stumbles into spotlight

A bank with a single location and an odd history is suddenly stirring up big buzz.

Helping state sail through recession?

Also:

Cherokee to add resort to N.C. casino

Since it opened in 1997, Harrah's Cherokee Casino and Hotel has funneled $1.2 billion in gambling profits to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Now, even as its gambling business is wilting, the tribe is investing $633 million in the idea that it can transform the state's only casino into something even more profitable: a classy resort where visitors can not only gamble, but golf, visit a spa and shop.

Full Story

Gorcery shopping ain't what it used to be

New frugality shows up in local checkout lanes

For the first time, the Charlotte market's leading grocer by sales isn't a grocery store at all - at least, not exclusively.

It's Walmart.

Science Headlines

"I'm Against It"

We've posted this before but it bears a re-posting:

Groucho Marx sings the repugican theme song.

How to boost happiness on and off the job

A writer discovers how to feel more satisfied while making less money.

Her practical tips for everyone

Also:

Deductions you can't actually write off

Every year, taxpayers claim deductions for expenses that the IRS does not allow.

Most common mistakes

Also:

Taliban's top military commander captured

More on the capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar

Taliban's top military commander captured

A joint CIA-Pakistani raid nabs a close associate of Osama bin Laden.

Most significant arrest since 2001

Also:

Man burglarizes Trenton police station

Trenton police say a man sneaked into police headquarters and stole a police radio, a computer monitor and a sergeant's attache case.

Man burglarizes Trenton police station

Libya bars European visitors in bizarre dispute

Libya is refusing to issue visas for visitors from nearly every European country in a bizarre escalation of a dispute that began when Swiss authorities arrested the son of Moammar Gadhafi on suspicion of beating up his servants.

Libya bars European visitors in bizarre dispute

Are macho TV chefs changing your kitchen?

Foul-mouthed TV chefs are beginning to have an effect on the once sedate world of kitchen cookware, according to one department store.

Are macho TV chefs changing your kitchen?

Man sentenced for trying to hack ex-girlfriend's head off with pen-knife

A man who tried to cut off his ex-girlfriend's head after he suffered psychotic delusions that she was planning to kill him will be sentenced today.

Full Story

Cop News

In Cop News

Infamous nutball Arizona sheriff is sanctioned by court for destroying evidence

Virginia deputy resigns after being charged with assault

Retired Massachusetts cop arrested in connection with a large scale drug ring

Fourth lawsuit seeks $33 million over taser-crazy cop at Illinois junior high

Kentucky couple sues over wrongful arrests, shooting

New Orleans police officer is (finally) under investigation in shooting in days after Katrina

Presidents

Animaniacs

To the point ...

England and America are two countries separated by a common language.

~ George Bernard Shaw

Facebook venting ensnares teacher

In a case of jesus freaks trying to bully others:

Wake County middle school teacher suspended for posts about misdeeds of students.

Caustic remarks on a Facebook page by a Wake County middle school teacher and her friends about her students, the South and christianity could get the educator fired.

Full Story

Reading the comments from the jesus freaks is nauseating - they can do and say what they please but no one else can. The teacher should not be on suspension ... the students should be expelled and their parents fined for being a nuisances.

SEC deal won't end BofA woes

Bank of America shareholders probably won't get rich off any settlement the bank makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission, but they might get some ammunition for future lawsuits.

SEC Deal

Brand names fight to stay in stores

Don't be shocked if you can't find your favorite salad dressing or mouthwash on your next trip to Wal-Mart. Large retailers are wrestling with having too many types of brand-name products.

Full Story

A lethal business model targets Middle America

Immigrants from an obscure corner of Mexico are changing heroin use in many parts of America.

Farm boys from a tiny county that once depended on sugar cane have perfected an ingenious business model for selling a semi-processed form of Mexican heroin known as black tar.
Using convenient delivery by car and aggressive marketing, they have moved into cities and small towns across the United States, often creating demand for heroin where there was little or none.
In many of those places, authorities report increases in overdoses and deaths.

Full Story

Man gets prison, hard labor for casting spell on neighbor

An African man has been sent to prison with hard labor for casting a spell to block rain from falling on his neighbor's field.

Full Story

Cost-Competitive Algae Jet Fuel Just Months Away

From Treehugger:

fighter jets on fly by photo
Image credit: US Department of Defense

I'm not sure whether the Pentagon's clean energy projects count toward the idea that environmentalism is socialist, or whether they get a free pass because, well, they are the Pentagon and they know a thing or two about the importance of energy independence—but I guess we'll see in the comments that follow. Matthew reported early last year on the Pentagon's investment in algae-based jet fuels. At the time, claims by insiders that the air force could get itself very close to a zero carbon footprint within a decade seemed somewhat optimistic, to say the least. But the Defense Department is reporting that its development of algae-based fuels is well ahead of schedule. In fact, it is claimed that it could be cost competitive with fossil fuels within months.

Article continues: Cost-Competitive Algae Jet Fuel Just Months Away: Pentagon

Family gives up on small-town life

A Miami family plans to leave the North Dakota town that drew them in with cash and free land.

The struggle to fit in

Also:

Burma sentences four activists as UN envoy visits

The four women were arrested last October after being accused of offering Buddhist monks alms that included religious literature, said Nyan Win, spokesman for the opposition party headed by detained Nobel Peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

Full Story

TSA forces traveling policeman to remove his disabled four-year-old son's leg-braces

In yet another story of the TSA's incompetence:

Philadelphia TSA screeners forced the developmentally delayed, four-year-old son of a Camden, PA police officer to remove his leg-braces and wobble through a checkpoint, despite the fact that their procedure calls for such a case to be handled through a swabbing in a private room. When the police officer complained, the supervising TSA screener turned around and walked away. Then a Philadelphia police officer asked what was wrong and "suggested he calm down and enjoy his vacation."

Ryan was taking his first flight, to Walt Disney World, for his fourth birthday.
The boy is developmentally delayed, one of the effects of being born 16 weeks prematurely. His ankles are malformed and his legs have low muscle tone. In March he was just starting to walk...
The screener told them to take off the boy's braces.
The Thomases were dumbfounded. "I told them he can't walk without them on his own," Bob Thomas said.
"He said, 'He'll need to take them off.' "
Ryan's mother offered to walk him through the detector after they removed the braces, which are custom-made of metal and hardened plastic.
No, the screener replied. The boy had to walk on his own.

Another case of TSA incompetence

Lack of fog hurting Redwoods

http://www.flowersociety.org/images/Essences/Research/Redwood/redwood-trunk.jpg

The California coast has seen fewer foggy days in the last century, threatening the health of the region’s majestic redwood trees.

Over the last century, new research suggests the average daily fog has decreased more than three hours, causing the coast redwoods to lose more water in the dry summer season, leaving them more susceptible to drought.

“Redwoods are an iconic species and we all love them, but I think it’s important to note that lots and lots of species depend on fog,” said climate scientist Phil Duffy of climate central in Palo Alto, California, who was not involved in the study. “So if you really do increase or decrease the fog, then that will have effects on whole entire ecosystems in these coastal hills.”

Full Story

Today is ...

Today is Tuesday, February 16, the 47th day of 2010.

There are 318 days left in the year.

Today In History February 16

Today's unusual holidays and celebrations are:

Paczki Day,

Do A Grouch A Favor Day

and

Mardi gras

Our Readers

Some of our readers today have been in:

Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
London, England, United Kingdom
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Craiova, Dolj, Romania
Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany

Daily Horoscope

Today's horoscope says:

They'll sit down across from you, or stand right there in front of you, cross their arms and look you straight in the eye.
Then they'll ask if you'd please share your opinion of the current situation with them -- one-on-one -- as a favor and in confidence.
Try not to be rude.
You were already getting ready to let the world know your take, but it wouldn't hurt to let them think they were responsible for the big revelation.

Oh goodie!

Welcome to ...

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Wake County middle school teacher suspended for posts about misdeeds of students.

Naturally Friends

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