Thursday, September 9, 2010
Accusations of child witchcraft on the rise in Africa
This is so wrong:
Child witchcraft allegations are increasing in parts of Africa, as thousands of children have been attacked, beaten or killed, according to a new report.
The accused children are mostly boys, ages 8 to 14 — with orphans, street children, albinos, and disabled as the most at risk, said the United Nations Children’s Fund in its report.
The accused children often suffer from extreme physical or psychological violence as a result of being branded a “child witch,” the report said.
Five Worries Parents Should Drop, And Five They Shouldn’t
According to a survey conducted by Christie Barnes, author of the top 5 things parents are worried about:
1. KidnappingAnd the top 5 ways kids actually get hurt:
2. School snipers
3. Terrorists
4. Dangerous strangers
5. Drugs
1. Car accidents
2. Homicide (usually committed by a person who knows the child, not a stranger)
3. Abuse
4. Suicide
5. Drowning
In Matters Of Health
In Matters Of Health
Companies blame Congress' landmark health care legislation for the expected rise in premiums.
Also: And pure unadulterated greed has absolutely nothing to do with it, huh?
Gulf Doctors Advised to Learn to Treat Oil-Related Illnesses
Photo via News One
Less dramatic than the fiery explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the multiple month-spanning underwater oil geyser that followed it are many of the BP Gulf spill's side effects. And oil-related sicknesses are undoubtedly among the thorniest -- many fishermen-turned cleanup workers have already been afflicted by close contact with oil and the chemical dispersents used to combat it. But there will probably be many more. As such, "Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill", a paper recently published in the Journal of the American Medicine Association (JAMA), is advising physicians around the Gulf and beyond to learn to treat oil and dispersent-related sicknesses.Article continues: Gulf Doctors Advised to Learn to Treat Oil-Related Illnesses
On The Job
On The Job
Some seemingly innocuous interview questions are actually against the law.
Also: Oh, by the way you're dead
In order to buy a home, Jessica Winter had to convince two agencies she was, in fact, still alive.
Also: Colonel who? KFC founder forgotten
Most young Americans don't know who the man in the KFC logo is, troubling the fast-food chain.
Also: Romania witches win tax fight ... for now
Abracadabra, we'll turn all of you into toads!
That's what Romanian senators may have been fearing when they rejected a proposal to tax witches and fortune tellers.The NFL could shut down in 2011
Concerns over a possible lockout are becoming very real, a writer says.
Also: The Boon in Bedbugs
Companies are selling pest control services that can run as much as $70,000.
Also: Small Town Big Gas
And no we are not talking about the Hash House's three alarm chili either
Companies scrambling to grab a piece of a massive underground fuel deposit run into an unusual obstacle.
Also: Cuban Economic Model A Failure
This is from the 'horse's mouth' mind you.
Cuba's ex-president admits that his country's communist economic model doesn't work.
Also: 
Beck and Palin cash in on 9/11
What patriot doesn't try to raise money on the backs of thousands of dead Americans?
Surely just a coincidence.
Surely just a coincidence.
The wingnut hacks are set to appear together in Alaska on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks in an event that costs a minimum of $65 to attend.Yeah and the check's in the mail, too
"We can count on Glenn to make the night interesting and inspiring, and I can think of no better way to commemorate 9/11 than to gather with patriots who will 'never forget,'" said Palin on her Facebook page earlier this week. "Hope to see you there!"
But in sharp contrast to the free event in Washington last month, tickets to this latest Palin-Beck affair run as high as $225 – a price tag that some Democrats are making hay about given the somber timing of the event.
But Christopher Cox, the Anchorage-based promoter of the event, told the Anchorage Daily News the date is purely coincidental and was originally scheduled for a week earlier.
U.S. economy continues to drop
After losing the top spot last year, the U.S. takes another step back among competitive economies.
Also: 
No Quran Burning Saturday
The Rev. Terry Jones says he expects the controversial NYC mosque to be moved in exchange.
Also: Lunatic Fringe
Lunatic Fringe
Otherwise known as the Seditionists
When dealing with wingnuts ... Remember the rule:
If they accuse someone of something, then they're already guilty of it.
Liars and Fools
Faux's Andrew Napolitano lies: 1970s-era terror group Weather Underground is among the "radicals that have influenced and are continuing to influence" Obama administration.
Still deluded I see.
Wingnut hate radio loudmouth Lush Dimbulb lies: "Obama's philosophy would have been considered tyranny," "would have been rejected" by the Founding Fathers.
Wrong, that is the philosophy of you and those of your ilk espouse and it was 'rejected' when we ousted the shrub and the cabal.
Washington Times just keeps getting crazier and crazier: Columnist Kuhner says President’s socialist takeover must be stopped.
The socialist 'take over' was stopped back in November of 2008, asshole.
Wingnut hate radio loudmouth Lush Dimbulb lies: "The country is in a fight for its life ... we're in a fight for our liberty".
We were in the fight for its life and its life was saved in November of 2008 - all you're 'fighting' for is to return to the wanton destruction wrought upon this nation by the shrub and the cabal.
Need we say more?
Would you like 1 hump or 2
Would you like 1 hump or 2 on a dino?
Also:
Palaeontologists uncover a new dinosaur with what may be the earliest evidence of feathers.
Ancient Greeks spotted Halley's comet
Halley's comet and a meteorite the size of a "wagonload" triggered a turning point in ancient Greek astronomy
Ancient Greeks spotted Halley's comet
Popping Pills 2,000 years ago
Medicine found in a millennia-old shipwreck in the Mediterranean is the first physical evidence for ancient Greek prescriptions.
Thank the ur-worm for Shakespeare's brain
The hallmark of the human brain – its enormous cortex – can be traced back 600 million years to the ancestor of a primitive worm.Thank the ur-worm
Cane toads aren't quite the bad guys we thought
It's invaded Australia, but the cane toad has not triggered the ecological catastrophe that some predicted.
Cane toads aren't quite the bad guys we thought
Invasive 'killer' shrimp found in UK
Invasive 'killer' shrimp found in UK An invasive species of predatory shrimp has been found in the UK for the first time. Astronomical News
The next generation of telescopes could reveal the presence of oceans on planets beyond our Solar System. Star Spiral
This is an image taken by the Hubble telescope of a binary star system (named AFGL 3068) in which one star is a a carbon star, a dying red giant, which throws off material in which appears to us to be a spiral pattern. The explanation of this very strange star system is at Bad Astronomy.
Tractor Beams Are Now Real!
Okay, that may be overstating it just a bit. But Australian scientists claim to have moved small particles five feet using only light:The device works by shining a hollow laser beam around tiny glass particles. The air surrounding the particle heats up, while the dark center of the beam stays cool. When the particle starts to drift out of the middle and into the bright laser beam, the force of heated air molecules bouncing around and hitting the particle’s surface is enough to nudge it back to the center.
A small amount of light also seeps into the darker middle part of the beam, heating the air on one side of the particle and pushing it along the length of the laser beam. If another such laser is lined up on the opposite side of the beam, the speed and direction the particle moves can be easily manipulated by changing the brightness of the beams.
How To Become An Early Riser
Some people aren't made for waking up early, and that's okay. It's not a character flaw or a sign of laziness; your sleep cycles are just geared for staying up late and sleeping in. But if you read the biographies of history's greatest men, you'll find that most were early risers.
They used each morning to write, read, ponder, and plan for their day. The benefits of waking up early are increased productivity, creativity, fitness, and decreased stress. Learn how to become an early riser.
They used each morning to write, read, ponder, and plan for their day. The benefits of waking up early are increased productivity, creativity, fitness, and decreased stress. Learn how to become an early riser.
First Klingon Opera Set To Launch In The Netherlands
The first authentic Klingon opera on Earth will be hosted in the Netherlands at the Zeebelt Theater, The Hague from the 9th to the 12th of September 2010. The opera, while attracting Star Trek fans from around the world, also invited some honoured guests. On April 18, a radio message was broadcast to the assumed location of Qo'nos, the Klingon home planet, approximately nine light years away.
Klingon opera uses the principle of musical combat. Beauty in Klingon music comes from the impact of two opposing forces. To quote a well known Klingon proverb 'qa’ wIje 'meH masuv' or 'We fight to enrich the spirit.' The Klingon orchestra is made up of various indigenous Klingon instruments, some that have never been heard on earth before.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:A special opportunity comes along that gives you independence and creative freedom.
This opening may not be crystal clear, so keep your eyes and ears open in all directions (even the most unlikely).
After all, you don't want to miss your main chance due to closed-mindedness, do you?
Some skills of yours will really come into play when it comes to identifying your chances.
Look to your wizardry with words and images to reach your goal.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Pawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
Petaling, Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
London, England, United Kingdom
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Toulouse, Midi-Pryenees, France
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Swindon, England United Kingdom
Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Coffs Harbor, New South Wales, Australia
as well as Singapore, Italy, Belgium and in cities across the United States such as Highlands, Costa mesa, Dubuque, Plainsboro and more.
Today is:
Today is Wednesday, September 8, the 251st day of 2010.
There are 114 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
World Physical Therapy Day
It is also Peregean Spring Tides
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Two asteroids to buzz the earth today
Two asteroids are expected to pass within 154,000 miles of Earth on Wednesday -- closer than the distance between the Earth and the moon, NASA announced.
Neither will hit the planet, NASA was quick to add.
It's nice to know we spend trillions on defending ourselves against each other and fighting pointless wars, but no one is looking up. These two asteroids were only discovered on Sunday.
Neither will hit the planet, NASA was quick to add.
It's nice to know we spend trillions on defending ourselves against each other and fighting pointless wars, but no one is looking up. These two asteroids were only discovered on Sunday.
A world wide food shortage
Extreme weather is driving up the price of food and causing instability around the globe.
Also: Giant rats put noses to work on Africa's land mine epidemic
Niko Mushi hated rats, as did most people in his village near Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro -- until he learned the critters had a nose for land mines.
Boat crash triggers international drama
A strange encounter at sea sparks an escalating tug of war between China and Japan.
Also: Fires leave dramatic scenes in Detroit
Dozens of homes were ignited by strong winds that toppled power lines across the city.
Also: 
America's best 24-hour hot spots
Grab a pizza at Hound Dog's in Ohio, or a sweet treat at Oregon's Voodoo Doughnut any time of day.
Also: Culinary DeLites
Culinary DeLites
Two chains take top honors for their freshly made burgers, a survey finds.
Also: 25 Best Nutrition Secrets
The way you like to eat is the way you should eat. If you want to make big changes to your health, forget about following somebody else's diet. Just make a bunch of little changes to the diet you're already following.
Here are 25 of the best new nutritional tweaks you can make that will improve the way you look and feel.
Hidden hazards in your home
A clogged dryer exhaust duct and a dirty chimney are lesser-known fire risks.
Also: Bright spots in the U.S. economy
With all the gloomy headlines, it's easy to forget that a recovery is indeed happening.
Also: A fired up Obama blasts repugicans and Boehner (by name)
Obama was in Cleveland, Ohio today and delivered one of his "fired up" kind of speeches. He blasted the Republicans and called out John Boeher (the tan who could be Speaker) by name eight times.
Obama laid down the gauntlet on the Bush tax cuts. Would be good to see more of this Obama on the campaign trail and in the White House.
From the transcript:
Obama laid down the gauntlet on the Bush tax cuts. Would be good to see more of this Obama on the campaign trail and in the White House.
From the transcript:
I’ll give you one final example of the differences between us and the Republicans, and that’s on the issue of tax cuts. Under the tax plan passed by the last administration, taxes are scheduled to go up substantially next year -- for everybody. By the way, this was by design. When they passed these tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, they didn’t want everybody to know what it would do to our deficit, so they pretended like they were going to end, even though now they say they don't.
Now, I believe we ought to make the tax cuts for the middle class permanent. (Applause.) For the middle class, permanent. These families are the ones who saw their wages and incomes flat-line over the last decade -– you deserve a break. (Applause.) You deserve some help. And because folks in the middle class are more likely to spend their tax cut on basic necessities, that strengthens the economy as a whole.
But the Republican leader of the House doesn’t want to stop there. Make no mistake: He and his party believe we should also give a permanent tax cut to the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.
AUDIENCE: Nooo!
THE PRESIDENT: With all the other budgetary pressures we have -– with all the Republicans’ talk about wanting to shrink the deficit -- they would have us borrow $700 billion over the next 10 years to give a tax cut of about $100,000 each to folks who are already millionaires. And keep in mind wealthy Americans are just about the only folks who saw their incomes rise when Republicans were in charge. And these are the folks who are less likely to spend the money -- which is why economists don’t think tax breaks for the wealthy would do much to boost the economy.
So let me be clear to Mr. Boehner and everybody else: We should not hold middle-class tax cuts hostage any longer. (Applause.) We are ready, this week, if they want, to give tax cuts to every American making $250,000 or less. (Applause.) That's 98-97 percent of Americans. Now, for any income over this amount, the tax rates would just go back to what they were under President Clinton.
Unusual turn in Quran-burning controversy
As more big names speak out against a Fla. church's plan, a source close to the pastor adds a new wrinkle.
Also: Why aren't the repugicans protecting the troops and criticizing Quran burning pastor?
Why do the repugicans want to put the US military in danger?
Why do repugicans hate America?
Why do repugicans hate America?
...Whose side are they on? With the exception of Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who appeared on Faux News to defend the right of American Muslims to build an Islamic community center two blocks from the World Trade Center site (on the principle that owners of private property should be able to do as they please), elected repugicans—have ducked and run.
In September 2007, the Senate voted 72-25 to condemn the anti-war group MoveOn.org for running a full-page newspaper ad that denounced Gen. Petraeus, then the U.S. commander in Iraq, as "General Betray Us."
If the senators want to show their genuine support for Petraeus (and not just indulge in an easy political stunt), they should denounce Terry Jones for endangering the troops and providing aid and comfort to the enemy—and, better still, send federal marshals to Gainesville, Fla., to help the local fire chief (who has ordered Jones not to burn the books) maintain public safety.
Lunatic Fringe
Lunatic Fringe
Otherwise known as the Seditionists
When dealing with wingnuts ... Remember the rule:
If they accuse someone of something, then they're already guilty of it.
Liars and Fools
Faux's Andrew Napolitano offers baseless fearmongering about the government "confiscating" gold and guns.
Are we surprised by this?
Wingnut loudmouth Molotov Mitchell hints at support for overthrow of Obama.
Only from the Taliban (both the foreign and domestic ones).
Batshit crazy loon Ann Coulter lies: the "end goal" for environmentalists (and by implication, liberals) is the "elimination of humans".
Deluded as ever I see.
Faux's Andrew Napolitano lies: miniscule but perpetually Faux-hyped activist group New Black Panthers "seem to have some pull" with Obama.
He can't keep his lies straight, now can he?
Fauxx's Glenn Beck lies: universities are "re-education camps" where "our children are being submerged in the filth of communism", and "are as dangerous" as North Korea and Iran.
Since he couldn't cut it on campus in the first place - how would he know?
Need we say more?
Burma's bizarre, bullying tax collection system
Tax collection in Burma is made by anyone in a uniform - police, soldiers, navy, militia, customs inspectors - but almost none of it is recorded or put to use for the public good.
Grandad boosted pension by dealing crack
A grandad became a crack dealer because he couldn't survive on his pension, a court heard yesterday.
Gamer suspended over name of W.Va. town
Microsoft Corp. and the chief rules enforcer for Xbox Live are apologizing to a small West Virginia town and a 26-year-old gamer accused of violating the online gaming service's code of conduct by publicly declaring he's from Fort Gay, a name the company considered offensive.
On The Job
On The Job
An older population and technology demands will create a critical need for these workers.
Also: *****
*****
*****
Things They Won't Tell You
Things They Won't Tell You
Educators may not say "I'm not a marriage counselor," but they may think it.
Also: 
Reporter Live Tweets His Heart Attack
Opportunity + Instinct = Profit. A good journalist can sense the moment that a story is developing and seize the moment. That’s why when White House correspondent Tony Christopher started having a heart attack, he immediately logged into Twitter and started covering it:Approximately at 6pm on Sunday afternoon Christopher wrote, “I gotta be me. Livetweeting my heart attack. Beat that!” Presumably a few minutes later the paramedics arrived to tell Christopher he will be stable after his crisis.
An hour later Christopher joked about needing to own a cardiac cat, referencing a viral video in which a cat is trying to revive his dead feline friend. He also updated his followers about the pain he was feeling, “even after the morphine.”
Insulin may reduce several inflammatory factors induced by bacterial infection
Treating intensive care patients who develop life-threatening bacterial infections, or septicemia, with insulin potentially could reduce their chances of succumbing to the infection, if results of a new preliminary study can be replicated …
Test could confine 'manflu' to history
Men beware – scientists have come up with a test to prove whether they really are suffering from flu or just a cold. Researchers say that they will soon be able to differentiate between "manflu" and the real thing through a simple blood test. They claim that looking at an individuals blood make-up can be used to quickly diagnose and treat ill patients.
While the breakthrough could predict the onset of a pandemic, it could also spell the end of manflu – the phenomenon in which men exaggerate the effects of a cold in order to get more sympathy. Dr Aimee Zaas, at Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, said the technique could help cut down on the overuse of antibiotics.
"Current methods for accurate diagnosis are time and labour intensive and are not always accurate. This means GPs are sometimes overcautious and may prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily, for viral infections. During a pandemic, this has real consequences as there is an increased risk of spreading infection."
The study, which was presented at the Society for General Microbiology's conference in Nottingham, looked at the blood of otherwise healthy individuals who had been exposed to respiratory infections including rhinovirus, the cause of the common cold and influenza. The team found each viral infection stimulated the body to produce a very specific set of immune molecules that could be detected in the blood. Recording the distinct blood signatures for each virus in a database and matching them against blood samples from other ill patients pinpointed the cause of disease with more than 95 per cent accuracy.
While the breakthrough could predict the onset of a pandemic, it could also spell the end of manflu – the phenomenon in which men exaggerate the effects of a cold in order to get more sympathy. Dr Aimee Zaas, at Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, said the technique could help cut down on the overuse of antibiotics.
"Current methods for accurate diagnosis are time and labour intensive and are not always accurate. This means GPs are sometimes overcautious and may prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily, for viral infections. During a pandemic, this has real consequences as there is an increased risk of spreading infection."
The study, which was presented at the Society for General Microbiology's conference in Nottingham, looked at the blood of otherwise healthy individuals who had been exposed to respiratory infections including rhinovirus, the cause of the common cold and influenza. The team found each viral infection stimulated the body to produce a very specific set of immune molecules that could be detected in the blood. Recording the distinct blood signatures for each virus in a database and matching them against blood samples from other ill patients pinpointed the cause of disease with more than 95 per cent accuracy.
NASA satellites reveal surprising connection between beetle attacks, wildfire
If your summer travels have taken you across the Rocky Mountains, you’ve probably seen large swaths of reddish trees dotting otherwise green forests. While it may look like autumn has come early to the mountains, evergreen trees don’t change color …
Risk of beetle outbreaks rise, along with temperature, in the warming West
The potential for outbreaks of spruce and mountain pine beetles in western North America’s forests is likely to increase significantly in the coming decades, according to a study conducted by USDA Forest Service researchers and their colleagues …
Study may help predict extinction tipping point for species
What if there were a way to predict when a species was about to become extinct — in time to do something about it?
Findings from a study by John M. Drake, associate professor in the University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology …
Giant fish photo makes waves on Web
A fisherman’s huge catch sparks buzz and raises debate on whether the picture is real or not.
Also: Holy Shit Batman!
The rock star goes without face paint to dress up as his favorite TV character.
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