Sunday, June 27, 2010
Endless Bummers
Jon Stewart gives them the business:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Endless Bummers | ||||
| ||||
BP blocking employees from speaking with Congress
Obviously BP is above the law.
The chairman of a House panel investigating the Gulf oil spill said Friday that BP won't let members talk to several employees who may have critical information about what led to the catastrophe.
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., told The Associated Press that BP PLC has cited its own investigation as its reason for denying access to the employees.
BP spokesman David Nicholas said in an e-mail that BP "has not objected to providing access to any of the specific BP employees that the committee has requested, and we continue to cooperate with the committee." He would not elaborate.
Federal judge who blocked oil drilling ban owns BP stock
Gee, conflict of interest , naw couldn't be?!
Comedian Wins Icelandic Election
A polar bear display for the zoo. Free towels at public swimming pools. A 'drug-free Parliament by 2020.' Iceland's 'Best Party,' founded in December 2009 by a comedian, Jón Gnarr Kristinsson, to satirize his country's political system, ran a campaign that was one big joke.At least it looked like a joke until they won the elections. Jón Gnarr is now the new mayor of Reykjavik. In his acceptance speech he said: No one has to be afraid of the Best Party because it is the best party. If it wasn't, it would be called the Worst Party or the Bad Party. We would never work with a party like that.
Time spent in the shower
Never paid that close attention, but the graph does seem to be fairly accurate
Library In A Phone Booth
A traditional red phone box has been recycled into one of Britain's smallest lending libraries, stocking 100 books. Villagers from Westbury-sub-Mendip in Somerset can use the library around the clock, selecting books, DVDs and CDs. Users simply stock it with a book they have read, swapping it for one they have not.
After witnessing their weekly mobile library disappear, this town wasn't going to let their iconic phone booth be taken away as well. Conceived by a local resident as a way to save a bit of history while satiating the curious minds of the township, the classic phone booth was recycled into what has now become the country's smallest library.
The No. 1 obstacle to your retirement
When it comes to saving enough to retire comfortably, most Americans face the same big problem.
Also: Orangutan learns to swim
Watch Suyia, a 7-year-old male orangutan, swim and dive underwater with his trainer. The great ape is able to swim up to twenty feet unaided using his rudimentary 'Borneo crawl', defying the common misconception that they are terrified of water.
Suriya looks comfortable retrieving hoops from the bottom of the pool and riding on the back of handler Moksha Bybee, 30, as she glides underwater. The ape staff at Myrtle Beach Safari, South Carolina, introduced the orangutan to their 67-foot-long pool after they noticed he had an unusual love for splashing around in the bath.
"The organutans went from playing in just a couple of inches of water to a couple of feet. They loved it so much they would splash around there for hours," Moksha Bybee said.
"One night, I decided to give the big oranguatan a lifevest, and immediately the light went on - Suyia understood that he could swim. Later we took him to the big pool and he learned all the new dimensions of what he could do underwater."
Suriya looks comfortable retrieving hoops from the bottom of the pool and riding on the back of handler Moksha Bybee, 30, as she glides underwater. The ape staff at Myrtle Beach Safari, South Carolina, introduced the orangutan to their 67-foot-long pool after they noticed he had an unusual love for splashing around in the bath.
"The organutans went from playing in just a couple of inches of water to a couple of feet. They loved it so much they would splash around there for hours," Moksha Bybee said.
"One night, I decided to give the big oranguatan a lifevest, and immediately the light went on - Suyia understood that he could swim. Later we took him to the big pool and he learned all the new dimensions of what he could do underwater."
The whole of Mars' surface was shaped by liquid water
The whole of Mars' surface was shaped by liquid water around four billion years ago, say scientists.
Read all about it, here.
Did you know ...
Carrots have not always been orange; originally they were purple and in the future, there may be rainbow colored carrots.The Secret to Biodiversity is in the Soil
Image: Photoshop Top Secret, via Flickr
Mankind has long been fascinated by biodiversity, even imagining species beyond the natural realm. We have learned to appreciate the value of biodiversity by enjoying the variety in nature, and by benefiting from products derived from many different species. But did you ever wonder why there is so much diversity on our planet? If "survival of the fittest" is the rule, is the planet naturally trending towards a time when just a few of the fittest survive? Article continues: The Secret to Biodiversity is in the Soil
New Champ Crowned
This year's top honor goes to a pooch that was found running in a street just a few months ago.
Also: Saturday, June 26, 2010
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:Today's reaction is stronger than you had expected, whether you're jumping for joy or howling with displeasure.
You might wish that you'd had a private moment to absorb the news prior to letting loose with your knee-jerk response -- but hindsight is twenty-twenty.
While those around you aren't used to you emoting so much, it doesn't mean they don't understand.
It may even end up being a good thing!
Some of our readers today have been in:
Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Sunbury, Victoria, Australia
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Iceland
Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Brighton, England, United Kingdom
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
London, England, United Kingdom
Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Poznan, Wielkopolskie, Poland
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Seoul, Kyonggi-Do, Korea
Hull End, England, United Kingdom
Coffs Harbor, New South Wales, Australia
Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Madgeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
as well as Scotland, Brazil, and the United States in such cities as Bacliff, Tewksbury, Coppell, Manteo and more
Today is Saturday, June 26, the 177th day of 2010.
There are 188 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
There are none.
President Obama's Weekly Address
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Weekly Address
Washington, DC
This weekend, I’m traveling to Toronto to meet with members of the G20. There, I hope we can build on the progress we made at last year’s G20 summits by coordinating our global financial reform efforts to make sure a crisis like the one from which we are still recovering never happens again. We’ve made great progress toward passing such reform here at home. As I speak, we are on the cusp of enacting the toughest financial reforms since the Great Depression.Saturday, June 26, 2010
Weekly Address
Washington, DC
I don’t have to tell you why these reforms are so important. We’re still digging ourselves out of an economic crisis that happened largely because there wasn’t strong enough oversight on Wall Street. We can’t build a strong economy in America over the long-run without ending this status quo, and laying a new foundation for growth and prosperity.
That’s what the Wall Street reforms currently making their way through Congress will help us do – reforms that represent 90% of what I proposed when I took up this fight. We’ll put in place the strongest consumer financial protections in American history, and create an independent agency with an independent director and an independent budget to enforce them.
Credit card companies will no longer be able to mislead you with pages and pages of fine print. You will no longer be subject to all kinds of hidden fees and penalties, or the predatory practices of unscrupulous lenders.
Instead, we’ll make sure credit card companies and mortgage companies play by the rules. And you’ll be empowered with easy-to-understand forms, and the clear and concise information you need to make the financial decisions that are best for you and your family.
Wall Street reform will also strengthen our economy in a number of other ways. We’ll make our financial system more transparent by bringing the kinds of complex trades that helped trigger this crisis – trades in a $600 trillion derivatives market – finally into the light of day.
We’ll enact what’s called the Volcker Rule to make sure banks protected by a safety net like the FDIC can’t engage in risky trades for their own profit. We’ll create what’s called a resolution authority to help wind down firms whose collapse would threaten our entire financial system. Put simply, we’ll end the days of taxpayer-funded bailouts, and help make sure Main Street is never again held responsible for Wall Street’s mistakes.
Beyond these reforms, we also need to address another piece of unfinished business. We need to impose a fee on the banks that were the biggest beneficiaries of taxpayer assistance at the height of our financial crisis – so we can recover every dime of taxpayer money.
Getting this far on Wall Street reform hasn’t been easy. There are those who’ve fought tooth and nail to preserve the status quo. In recent months, they’ve spent millions of dollars and hired an army of lobbyists to stop reform dead in its tracks.
But because we refused to back down, and kept fighting, we now stand on the verge of victory. And I urge Congress to take us over the finish line, and send me a reform bill I can sign into law, so we can empower our people with consumer protections, and help prevent a financial crisis like this from ever happening again.
Editorial Comment
There are some websites on the internet that are too full of themselves.
Of course this is also true in real life as well as there are people who are too full of themselves.
(Funny how the two coordinate almost seamlessly)
There are those sites that claim copyright when they do not have those rights.
There are those that are 'private' and 'exclusive' or at least they think they are - in the real world they're called snobs and are snubbed by all the important people - so they can go play with themselves alone while the rest of the world has fun being together.
Here at Carolina Naturally we do not claim any copyright we do not have nor are we private and exclusive.
We are pretty straight forward with our philosophy and as a result readership has grown wildly over the past few years.
This 'open philosophy' also tends to rankle those that are too full of themselves as well (an unintended but quite nice benefit) and some of the inbox missives we receive are really obscene in the use of expletives - not to mention poor spelling and atrocious grammar.
Thus proving we have the correct view on this thing called Life.
When those that think they are better than you continue to prove they are not you've done a good job.
Of course this is also true in real life as well as there are people who are too full of themselves.
(Funny how the two coordinate almost seamlessly)
There are those sites that claim copyright when they do not have those rights.
There are those that are 'private' and 'exclusive' or at least they think they are - in the real world they're called snobs and are snubbed by all the important people - so they can go play with themselves alone while the rest of the world has fun being together.
Here at Carolina Naturally we do not claim any copyright we do not have nor are we private and exclusive.
We are pretty straight forward with our philosophy and as a result readership has grown wildly over the past few years.
This 'open philosophy' also tends to rankle those that are too full of themselves as well (an unintended but quite nice benefit) and some of the inbox missives we receive are really obscene in the use of expletives - not to mention poor spelling and atrocious grammar.
Thus proving we have the correct view on this thing called Life.
When those that think they are better than you continue to prove they are not you've done a good job.
Things they're saying
About Carolina Naturally
When writing the editorial today we realized we haven't check the inbox in a few so we looked and the reaction was 'Holy, Crap!'.
There was over 2000 messages waiting on us - and yes any long time reader can tell you we are notorious for not reading them in a timely manner.
But here are a few recent comments:
(we left out the inane, insane, inept, etc., ones)
Honest and entertaining
Joaine in North Carolina
We'll post some more as we read the missives - and we do read them (maybe we should read them daily instead of whenever because 'whenever' takes forever)
When writing the editorial today we realized we haven't check the inbox in a few so we looked and the reaction was 'Holy, Crap!'.
There was over 2000 messages waiting on us - and yes any long time reader can tell you we are notorious for not reading them in a timely manner.
But here are a few recent comments:
(we left out the inane, insane, inept, etc., ones)
A refreshing look on events
Mark in ScotlandHonest and entertaining
Joaine in North Carolina
Keep hammering the wingnuts, we're loving it
Kyle and Carol in San FranciscoThere is always something to learn
Nyuen in SingaporeMy morning coffee and Carolina Naturally and I'm good to go
Pilar in MexicoWe'll post some more as we read the missives - and we do read them (maybe we should read them daily instead of whenever because 'whenever' takes forever)
Americans Kidnapped
A fresh account of the arrest suggests the three Americans weren't even in Iran when taken captive.
Also: World Cup Soccer
Damnit!
The U.S. soccer team's run comes to an end after losing in extra time to Ghana, 2-1
Also: 
Bob Bradley needs to be held responsible for his "lethal" mistakes, a writer says.
Also: 
Expect plenty more thrilling moments in Saturday's showdown with Ghana, a writer says.
Also: 
Coach Bob Bradley has harsh words for players who writhe on the ground with make-believe injuries.
Also: 
Landon Donovan gets emotional after watching soccer fans react to his heroic game-winning goal.
Also: 
Spain scores from nearly 50 yards out after Chile's Claudio Bravo makes a costly decision.
Also: 
During a match, a Danish player is sent to the sidelines to draw on his socks with a red marker.
Also: 
Trainers often use a mysterious substance when a player gets injured during a game.
Also: 
After correctly predicting Germany's first three matches, "Paul" has become a celebrity.
Also: What It Takes To Be A FIFA Referee
Officiating at the FIFA World Cup is the greatest career challenge a football referee will face. The eyes of the world are on the referees and the scrutiny is intense. Becoming a FIFA referee entails strenuous fitness evaluations, workshops and aptitude tests to prepare physically and psychologically for the challenge.For officials, the road to the World Cup is as competitive and demanding as it is for players. Referee and assistant referee candidates have their fitness monitored monthly in the three years leading up to the Cup. They meet with a psychologist who analyzes their game demeanor. They attend seminars on the rules in an attempt to apply them equally across every continent where soccer is played. They go online to a virtual classroom to discuss their doubts and concerns with instructors and colleagues.
And I Quote
The President of the United States hears a hundred voices telling him that he is the greatest man in the world.
He must listen carefully to hear the one voice that tells him he`s not.
~ President Harry S. Truman
Be active this summer
Activities like hiking burn up to 400 calories an hour and improve heart health.
Also: Man gets no reward for calling 911 before hotline
From the "That's Whack!" Department:
A Florida man who reported a suspect wanted in a string of bomb threats will not get a $5,000 reward because he called 911 before the local crime hotline.
Lightning strikes three of the tallest buildings in Chicago at the same time!
Lightning strikes three of the tallest buildings in Chicago at the same time!
Pool with a view
If you fancy a dip in this pool, you’ll need a head for heights – it’s 55 stories up at the Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore.
But swimming to the edge won’t be quite as risky as it looks. While the water in the infinity pool seems to end in a sheer drop, it actually spills into a catchment area where it is pumped back into the main pool. At three times the length of an Olympic pool and 650ft up, it is the largest outdoor pool in the world at that height.
But swimming to the edge won’t be quite as risky as it looks. While the water in the infinity pool seems to end in a sheer drop, it actually spills into a catchment area where it is pumped back into the main pool. At three times the length of an Olympic pool and 650ft up, it is the largest outdoor pool in the world at that height.
Via: Bits & Pieces
Most expensive cities in the world
In the priciest city on the planet, expect to pay $22 for a movie ticket and $18 for a restaurant lunch.
Also: Scientific Minds Want To Know
Scientific Minds Want To Know
 |  | Scientists rediscover an ancient fern on one of Britain's overseas territories |
A new interpretation of pathological evidence from the boy king's mummy suggests he succumbed to an inherited blood disorder
A newly discovered sub-sea ridge stopped warm water melting an Antarctic ice shelf – but what are its prospects now a gap has appeared?
Musical instruments at war
The carnyx, a Celtic instrument.
The carnyx (plural: carnyces)... was a Celtic-Dacian variant of the Etruscan-Roman lituus and belongs to the family of brass instruments. It was an ſ-shaped valveless horn made of beaten bronze and consisted of a tube between one and two meters in length, whereas the diameter of the tube is unknown. Archaeological finds date back to the Bronze Age, and the instrument itself is attested for in contemporary sources between ca. 300 BC and 200 AD. The carnyx was in widespread use in Britain, France, parts of Germany, eastward to Romania and beyond, even as far as India, where bands of Celtic mercenaries took it on their travels...
The sound of the carnyx was described as lugubrious and harsh, perhaps due to the loosened tongue of the bell... The carnyx was held vertically so that the sound would travel from more than three meters above the ground...
In addition the bronze jaw of the animal head may have been loosened as well in order to produce a jarring sound that would surely have been most dreadful when combined with the sound of a few dozen more carnyces in battle. The demoralizing effect of the Gallic battle music must have been enormous: When the Celts advanced on Delphi under Brennus in 279 BC, the unusual echoing effects of the blaring horns completely overawed the Greeks, before even a single fight could commence...
Brass instruments were regularly used as a means of communication during battle, relaying orders for troop positioning, movement and tactics...
Science Headlines
Should We Worry About the Polio Outbreak in Tajikistan?
Should We Worry About the Polio Outbreak in Tajikistan?
Earthquakes Rock in Synchrony, Study Suggests
Faults can fall in sync, causing earthquakes to trigger other temblors.
Lice and Human Migration
Over the years, lice have evolved in parallel with their human hosts. Studying the differences between lice from different geographic regions can actually provide insights into how and when human populations migrated.
Should We Worry About the Polio Outbreak in Tajikistan?
Earthquakes Rock in Synchrony, Study Suggests
Faults can fall in sync, causing earthquakes to trigger other temblors.
Lice and Human Migration
Over the years, lice have evolved in parallel with their human hosts. Studying the differences between lice from different geographic regions can actually provide insights into how and when human populations migrated.
Rarest Animal on Earth
On the Galapagos Islands, "Lonesome George" is the only known survivor of his species.
Also: 
Surprisingly Lethal Animals
Everyone knows cobras, sharks and lions are killers. But there are plenty of other animals that are just as dangerous as the usual suspects. There are some rather surprising, not to mention frightening, species that if bothered, can kill humans.
Whether it's their bite, sting or strong limbs, these animals are some of the most lethal in the world, so find out which wild things not to mess with.
In Matters Of Health
In Matters Of Health
Image via Crooks and Liars
Note: The higher the number the worse the rating
US spends the most on health care, gets the least
From NPR:
The U.S., by contrast, was last in every category except quality, where it was second to last, squeaking in ahead of Canada. At $7,290 in annual spending per person in 2007, the U.S. also dwarfed second-place Canada at $3,895 and third-place Netherlands at $3,837.What's the big deal? A waist circumference of more than 35 inches may put you at risk for metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that raises your risk for diabetes and heart disease, even if you're at a healthy weight.
About the only good news for America, said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis, who was also the study's lead author, is that the new health law could put the U.S. on a path towards improvement.
With a steep incline, you can burn 482 calories during a half-hour workout.
Also: See what you can catch if a walrus sneezes on you
Culinary DeLites
Culinary DeLites
This all-beef link comes with relish, onion, cucumber, pickle, tomato, sport pepper, and celery salt.
Also: Helpful Hints
Helpful Hints
Keep annoying pests away from your outdoor activities with these five strategies.
Also: Winter Relaxation Spiritual Flute
Winter Relaxation 2 Spiritual Flute
Just what we need during this heat wave ... cool scenery and soothing sounds
It's The Economy Stupid
It's The Economy Stupid
Sweeping new rules on banks are meant to protect consumers from greedy lenders.
Also: 
Several Idaho officials wanted to show solidarity with state workers who were having their wages cut.
Also: Americans blame repugicans for the bad economy
From Media Matters Action's Political Correction:
Earlier this week, former Gov. Jeb Bush (retard-FL) criticized President Obama for blaming the nation's economic troubles on the previous administration. "It's childish," said Bush. "This is what children do until they mature. They don't accept responsibility." The former governor's comments echoed other repugican leaders, who claim that Obama's policies have "failed" while averting any blame for the disastrous policies that led to the downturn.
However, a new poll shows that the American people aren't fooled by the repugican spin. Asked which party is "more responsible for the country's current economic problems," the clear answer was "the repugicans"..
BP bets on Kevin Costner's oil machine
The actor's mostly self-funded solution gets taken more seriously after success in trial runs.
Also: 
Planet Earth
Planet Earth
Since the oil spill, 47 dolphins have beached themselves on Gulf shores.
Also: 
A partial eclipse set for early Saturday could look supersized to some lucky viewers.
Also: Just the News
Just the News
An extremely rare, 220-pound piece of change is snapped up for four times its face value.
Also: 
An eerie and fast-moving storm collapses buildings and splits trees in half.
Also:
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