A moderate earthquake in the mountains of Riverside County was also felt in northern San Diego County, but there are no reports of damage or injuries.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
A 3.7 Magnitude Quake Hits Near Idyllwild
A moderate earthquake in the mountains of Riverside County was also felt in northern San Diego County, but there are no reports of damage or injuries.
USDA approves corn engineered for biofuel use
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has cleared farmers to plant a variety of corn engineered solely for making fuel ethanol, despite objections from the food industry.
Contrary to Reuters and BBC reports, farting is still legal in Malawi
Whew, that's a relief!
The international media uproar amazed Chikosa Silungwe, a lawyer with the Malawi Law Commission, the country’s independent law reform organization. “There’s nothing like that happening in Malawi. There’s no farting law being introduced in our Parliament and there has never been a farting law in Malawi,” Silungwe says.
The alleged ‘farting ban’ is in fact a clean air provision, much like you would see anywhere else in the world. The provision against ‘fouling the air’ is nothing new: it has been in place since Malawi adopted a penal code 70 years ago. The provision has never been used to prosecute public farting. Rather, it has been used to prosecute people who have left large amounts of rubbish in public spaces, for example.
More confusing about the media’s recent interest in clean air provision is that it is not even up for debate in Parliament. What is currently being tabled is a bill to re-introduce a localized court system in the country, in which the clean air provision is included only in passing.
Boston planetarium reopens after $9M renovation
The skyline of Boston shrinks away and before long is replaced by the blue-green orb that is planet Earth.
Cars
You can get one of these ...
With gas prices rising, these four top-rated sippers are worth a closer look.
Also: Or you could get one of THESE
New Camaros, Chargers, and Mustangs hit the scene, all boasting powerful horsepower numbers.
Also: 
Riker's Island, New York City 1903
Photographed May 9, 1903.
Thomas A. Edison, Inc.
Camera: Edwin S. Porter
The island is named after Abraham Rycken, a Dutch settler who moved to Long Island in 1638 and whose descendants owned Riker's Island until 1884, when it was sold to the city for $180,000.
The film was photographed from a boat going around Riker's Island. Located on the East River north of Hell Gate between The Bronx and Queens, Riker's Island was the site of a massive New York City landfill operation at the time of the filming (originally eighty-seven acres, by 1939 the size of the island had increased to four hundred acres). The film includes scenes of heavy equipment at work, including pile drivers constructing the seawall and steam shovels unloading rubbish from barges. On one of the steam shovels, a sign reading ''Water Front Improvement Co., 220 Broadway, New York'' can be distinguished at 1:54. Near the end of the film, a narrow-gauge steam engine with five open cars loaded with landfill comes into view [2:00]. The island is currently the site of a New York City penitentiary.
The World's Largest Toy Collection Is For Sale
The world’s most comprehensive collection of American and European toys and trains is currently for sale through Sotheby’s and this is the first time it has been shown to the public. The owner, Jerry Greene, the son of a toy train dealer, has been compiling the rare toys for fifty years. This is the largest collection of its kind with pieces from every European and American manufacturer in operation between 1850-1940. The Jerni collection consists of thirty five thousand top quality miniature works of art, 20% of which are on exhibit at the company’s New York headquarters until the end of this month.
Make over your body with yoga
Yoga is a total-body workout that will tone and slim more than you might think.
Also: What eyes tell about health
Bumpy yellowish patches on the eyelid could indicate you have high cholesterol.
Also: 
Fruits and veggies may not lower kids' allergy risk
Eating more fruits and vegetables may not protect children from developing allergies, according to a large Swedish study that questions earlier hints of benefit.
Nearly 12% of disposable income goes to food
As Canadians reach the point where their earnings so far this year would pay for 365 days of groceries, economists say we can expect moderate increases in food prices over the next 12 months.
Seven popular diet plans and what they cost
Americans like big things, especially food.According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , the average annual food bill for 2009 was $3,929 per capita.
How being cheap can cost
Some things people do to save money can end up costing more in the long run.
Also: 
House that seems to float
A Boston architect designs a glass home that looks like it's defying gravity.
Also: DIY home projects that pay off
Cut energy costs, avoid expensive repairs, and protect your home against disaster.
Also: 
Human Spirit
After completing a 2,800-mile, coast-to-coast walk, Gastonia native Jeff Rudisill admitted to feeling a little lost knowing that for the first time in almost five months his day would not be spent moving from Point A to Point B at 3 mph.
Odds and Sods
If Madagascar is the kingdom of the weird, then the aye-aye surely wears its crown.
A Maine barred owl was caught inside a barn where it had been decapitating one chicken a day and flying off with the heads.
A Maine barred owl was caught inside a barn where it had been decapitating one chicken a day and flying off with the heads.
Malaysia's Valentine 'trap' warning
Heart-warming Valentine's Day breakfasts in bed
These 9 recipes are delicious, indulgent, and the perfect romantic treats to share between the sheets.
This Valentine's gift might bug your sweetheart
If lingerie is too intimate and dinner out is too expensive, the Bronx Zoo suggests another Valentine's Day gift: a Madagascar hissing cockroach.
Jack Russell in the dog house for his drinking
Squiffy the naughty Jack Russell had to be put in the dog house - after the cheeky hound kept stealing beer from the punters in his local pub. The seven-year-old terrier is a well-loved regular at the watering hole but owner Robert Hodgson had to impose a week-long ban on the pesky pooch after discovering he has a penchant for Guinness and Irish stout. The loveable rogue is so fond of his ales that he escaped from the garden during his booze embargo and meandered through the village to get to his favorite haunt - with Robert finding him outside waiting to get in. Now regulars have bought him a doggy-sized tankard so he can have a drop of his favorite tipple without ruining other peoples' pints.
Robert, 56, said: We always go to the pub after a walk and he gets excited as we get nearer to the pub because he knows he is going to see his friends. He is such a loveable character and all the regulars love him, he jumps on the stool and sits next to me at the bar. But we were in the pub recently and he was sat on his stool beside me as usual, I was talking to someone and when I turned round my glass was half-empty. Squiffy was sat there with a sheepish look on his face, the little blighter had helped himself. He had been stealing little slurps from others as well. After that I stopped taking him in the pub for a week or so to teach him a lesson, which I don't think he was too pleased about.
"I let him out in the garden a few days later and after about 10 minutes or so I realized he had gone. I walked down the street looking for him and calling his name and got to the pub.Squiffy was sat in the beer garden looking up at the front door. He looked like he was waiting for it to open. I gave him a good telling off and I think he knew he was in the dog house as he has behaved himself ever since". Squiffy's local is The Craven Arms in Appletreewick, where he is warmly welcomed by staff and customers when he comes in.
Robert and his friends have seen the funny side of Squiffy's antics and now his booze ban is up they bought him a pewter tankard. Robert said: "After his cheeky slurp of my pint I keep a more watchful eye on him and just put a couple of drops of beer in his water which keeps him happy. I always water down the drinks for Squiffy and the tankard is very small so he can't drink too much and I wouldn't want to cause him any harm because he's my best friend. A drop of Guinness is his favorite, he likes any kind of stout but he won't touch cider or lager, he turns his nose up at that."
Robert, 56, said: We always go to the pub after a walk and he gets excited as we get nearer to the pub because he knows he is going to see his friends. He is such a loveable character and all the regulars love him, he jumps on the stool and sits next to me at the bar. But we were in the pub recently and he was sat on his stool beside me as usual, I was talking to someone and when I turned round my glass was half-empty. Squiffy was sat there with a sheepish look on his face, the little blighter had helped himself. He had been stealing little slurps from others as well. After that I stopped taking him in the pub for a week or so to teach him a lesson, which I don't think he was too pleased about.
"I let him out in the garden a few days later and after about 10 minutes or so I realized he had gone. I walked down the street looking for him and calling his name and got to the pub.Squiffy was sat in the beer garden looking up at the front door. He looked like he was waiting for it to open. I gave him a good telling off and I think he knew he was in the dog house as he has behaved himself ever since". Squiffy's local is The Craven Arms in Appletreewick, where he is warmly welcomed by staff and customers when he comes in.
Robert and his friends have seen the funny side of Squiffy's antics and now his booze ban is up they bought him a pewter tankard. Robert said: "After his cheeky slurp of my pint I keep a more watchful eye on him and just put a couple of drops of beer in his water which keeps him happy. I always water down the drinks for Squiffy and the tankard is very small so he can't drink too much and I wouldn't want to cause him any harm because he's my best friend. A drop of Guinness is his favorite, he likes any kind of stout but he won't touch cider or lager, he turns his nose up at that."
Cheetah Cam
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park has installed a streaming webcam in a cheetah’s den, so that we can keep an eye on a mother cheetah and two cubs.Female cheetah Zazi is raising a cub she gave birth to and another mother’s cub, both born in December 2010. Cheetahs that give birth to only one cub, called a singleton, cannot produce enough milk to keep the cub alive. The cub born to Amani, a first-time mother, was hand-raised for 13 days before being placed with Zazi, creating a litter of two that will likely help stimulate milk production from Zazi. These cheetahs are at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia.Here is the link to webcam.
If you don’t see any action on the webcam, there is a gallery of baby cheetah pictures here.
Sick whale 'may have scoliosis'
This humpback whale is seen in the waters off the Hawaiian Island of Kauai may be suffering from scoliosis or curvature of the spine.Cat finds new home in school
This new classmate roams the halls, greets friends when they arrive, and catches lizards.
Also: 
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:Do you keep a diary?
Today might be a really good day to start, if you don't, or to restart if you did but don't anymore, or to keep going if you do.
Putting your thoughts and feelings into words can have a remarkable result.
You understand yourself more clearly, and you understand the world around you differently when you take time to process it all in words.
Happy writing!
Some of our readers today have been in:
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
London, England, United Kingdom
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Valencia, Comunidad Valencia, Spain
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Stoke On Trent, England, United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
London, England, United Kingdom
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Valencia, Comunidad Valencia, Spain
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Stoke On Trent, England, United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
as well as Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Israel, Finland, Austria, Norway, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden, Afghanistan, Belgium, Tibet, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Paraguay, Sudan, Vietnam, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Maldives, Qatar, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Paupa New Guinea, Moldova, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Norway, Finland and in cities across the United States such as Methuen, Severna Park, Tucson, Valdosta and more.
Today is:
Today is Saturday, February 12, the 43rd day of 2011.
There are 322 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:
Darwin Day
Oglethorpe Day
and
Paul Bunyan Day.
Oglethorpe Day
and
Paul Bunyan Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Witnessing Egyptian history
Between rounds of live ammo, the atmosphere in Tahrir Square was like a party, a reporter says.
Also: 
Largest-ever snowflake
The person who found it more than a century ago described it as "larger than milk pans."
Also: Expensive Snow Removal
In Boston, an elderly man paid $4,800 to have his roof cleared of snow. Salisbury man defends $4,800 roof shoveling charge.
The job took six hours, and he claimed six people were doing the shoveling. That's $133 per hour per person.One of the three men who police said charged an elderly Amesbury resident $4,800 to shovel his roof defended the cost of the job in an interview today, as details emerged of the family's prior legal problems in other states.
"I want people to know, I'm not scamming, I'm making a living," Kevin Snow Jr., 23, said in a phone interview.
Snow, his father Kevin Snow Sr., 47, and his brother George Snow, 21, all of Salisbury, charged the man for clearing his roof on Friday, but gave the money back on Saturday after Amesbury police said they could face criminal charges if they did not reimburse him, police said. No charges were filed.
The customer agreed on the price prior to the job and also requested that his garage roof be shoveled, which added to the cost, Kevin Snow Jr. said.
Fossil find gets Web buzzing
A new study saying that the 3.2-million-year-old hominid walked upright lights up the Web.
Also: Top 10 Lost Technologies
Some have since been rediscovered (indoor plumbing, road building), but many of the more mysterious lost technologies have gone on to become the stuff of legend.
Here are ten famous lost technologies.
Russian Obama
It is said everyone has a twin ...
This is not Obama playing a doctor, this is Zaur Akhmedov – a pediatrician from Samara city.
What will the wingnuts make of this ....
To repugicans: $1.6 billion for EPA bad but $4 billion for Big Oil is good
Only in their bizarro land does this make sense.
It makes it easier to get away with though when the opposition party isn't willing or able to make an issue out of such ridiculous policies.
It makes it easier to get away with though when the opposition party isn't willing or able to make an issue out of such ridiculous policies.
Teen Arrested For Sending Out School Threat Via Xbox Live
Authorities arrested a Maryland teenager who is charged with making threats of a mass shooting at a high school.
He's accused of impersonating another student while sending a threatening message to more than 100 people via Xbox Live.
He's accused of impersonating another student while sending a threatening message to more than 100 people via Xbox Live.
How Mubarak got so rich
Egypt's ousted leader may be richer than Bill Gates, according to one estimate.
Also: Man trades up from a single penny to a plot of land in Bulgaria
In fewer than six weeks gardener Luke Seall has turned 1p into a plot of land in Bulgaria, through a series of astute trade-ups. The 27-year-old started his project on New Year’s Day, planing to see how much he could make from his initial investment over the year. He began by buying three goldfish from a friend, before turning down the first offer for them – 2p and a can of beer.
Mr Seall, of Brighton, later swapped the fish for a guitar, saying: ‘The main advantage a guitar has over fish is you don’t have to feed it. And you can’t kill it.’ From there, the enterprise began to gain attention online on Mr Seall’s Twitter and Facebook sites – and the offers started flooding in. He swapped the guitar for a mountain bike, which in turn was sold for £50. Mr Seall followed up that transaction with an online appeal for suggestions on how to spend the money.
And he was astonished to receive a call offering him a 10sq m (107sq ft) plot of land near the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria. He said: ‘The seller said I can do anything with the land, including camp on it, build on it, grow things on it or even use it for a memorial for a dead dog. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I am now an international landowner.’ Mr Seall said he was already looking to swap the land for something more valuable, to build on his project’s impressive start.
He added: ‘I have absolutely no idea what will be next. I don’t really have any big aspirations of what to end up with. I just started it as a bit of fun and adventure.’ He could not remember the name of the village his land was in but said: ‘I would like to visit. It looks lovely from the photos.’ However, as soon as the land deal paperwork arrives, Mr Seall will try to trade the plot. ‘I’m willing to consider offers of cash or other items or land,’ he said.
Mr Seall, of Brighton, later swapped the fish for a guitar, saying: ‘The main advantage a guitar has over fish is you don’t have to feed it. And you can’t kill it.’ From there, the enterprise began to gain attention online on Mr Seall’s Twitter and Facebook sites – and the offers started flooding in. He swapped the guitar for a mountain bike, which in turn was sold for £50. Mr Seall followed up that transaction with an online appeal for suggestions on how to spend the money.
And he was astonished to receive a call offering him a 10sq m (107sq ft) plot of land near the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria. He said: ‘The seller said I can do anything with the land, including camp on it, build on it, grow things on it or even use it for a memorial for a dead dog. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I am now an international landowner.’ Mr Seall said he was already looking to swap the land for something more valuable, to build on his project’s impressive start.
He added: ‘I have absolutely no idea what will be next. I don’t really have any big aspirations of what to end up with. I just started it as a bit of fun and adventure.’ He could not remember the name of the village his land was in but said: ‘I would like to visit. It looks lovely from the photos.’ However, as soon as the land deal paperwork arrives, Mr Seall will try to trade the plot. ‘I’m willing to consider offers of cash or other items or land,’ he said.
How to increase sales
Monty Python puts their material on YouTube for free, sees their DVD sales increase by 23,000%
Well, what do you know ... it works.
(As it has always done, by the way)
Now if those idiots trying 'protect' their income flow would pay heed ... Lars?!
Tax return audit red flags
The agency knows precisely how much people at your income level typically write off.
Also; Frugal 91-Year-Old Woman Was A Secret Millionaire
A 91-year-old woman who passed away in Washington state shocked her community by leaving behind millions.
She was known for wearing tattered clothing and hanging onto broken furniture, but was sitting on $3 million.
Immortality Only 20 Years Away
Scientist Ray Kurzweil claims humans could become immortal in as little as 20 years' time through nanotechnology and an increased understanding of how the body works.
Kurzweil says that, theoretically, at the rate our understanding is increasing, nanotechnologies capable of replacing many of our vital organs could be available in 20 years time.
He adds that although his claims may seem far-fetched, artificial pancreases and neural implants are already available.
Kurzweil says that, theoretically, at the rate our understanding is increasing, nanotechnologies capable of replacing many of our vital organs could be available in 20 years time.
He adds that although his claims may seem far-fetched, artificial pancreases and neural implants are already available.
Gene tests inadvertently exposing cases of incest
New gene-based tests that map out a person's entire genetic code can help explain why a child has birth defects or developmental delays, but they are also exposing some dark family secrets.
Climate Change to Worsen Severe Water Shortages in US Southwest
Photo: Heat USA
We're already well aware that the American Southwest, which is naturally hot and dry, is seriously strapped for water. And the situation is getting worse every day, with populations in California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico continuing an unimpeded growth trend that began decades ago. The fact there are too many people vying for limited resources in the region have lead experts to predict a major water shortfall that will cost billions to ameliorate. But add in a new study that reveals climate change is going to dry out the region even further, and we're slated to see a potentially catastrophic water shortage.Article continues: Climate Change to Worsen Severe Water Shortages in US Southwest
New food safety law protects whistleblowers
Food industry workers who become whistleblowers gained protection against retaliation from their employers with a little-noticed provision in the sweeping food safety law President Barack Obama signed last month.The Food Safety and Modernization Act is best known for sections that aim to prevent foodborne illnesses, allow the Food and Drug ...
Rain in Saskatchewan, revolution in Egypt: How soaring food prices helped topple dictator
Heavy rains and flooding were widespread across Canada's prairie breadbasket last summer, helping to drive up food prices around the globe.
Indonesians fired up by soaring chili prices
In spice-crazed Indonesia, a meal without fresh chilies is almost unthinkable.But prices have soared as much as 10-fold in recent months - some say because of climate change - driving up inflation and pulling everyone from housewives to the president into the debate.
Buying Food In The Arctic
Some examples of High Arctic Food Costs.
These grocery shelves in the High Arctic community of Arctic Bay, Nunavut, have people talking this week — $38 for cranberry cocktail, $29 for Cheez Whiz, and a whopping $77 for a bag of breaded chicken.
While groceries in Canada's remote northern communities are generally more expensive than elsewhere in the country, due to shipping costs, Elliott said prices in his communities have skyrocketed since the federal government changed its northern food subsidy program in the past year.
Here's some spaghettini for you.
Keep in mind that the $13.29 price is in Canadian dollars. The equivalent U.S. price is $13.36.
These grocery shelves in the High Arctic community of Arctic Bay, Nunavut, have people talking this week — $38 for cranberry cocktail, $29 for Cheez Whiz, and a whopping $77 for a bag of breaded chicken.
While groceries in Canada's remote northern communities are generally more expensive than elsewhere in the country, due to shipping costs, Elliott said prices in his communities have skyrocketed since the federal government changed its northern food subsidy program in the past year.
Here's some spaghettini for you.
Always Declare Your Raspberries
This woman learned her lesson the hard way: Canadian woman says was groped at border.
A Canadian woman who owns a vacation home in Georgia says a U.S. Customs agent strip-searched and groped her at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit.
Loretta Van Beek, 46, of Stratford, Ontario, filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in Detroit, the Detroit Free Press reported. She listed two unnamed Customs Enforcement agents as defendants.
Van Beek said the Customs agents targeted her because she had not reported she was bringing raspberries in from Canada in March 2010. She was on her way to Georgia.
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:Don't push too hard.
Whether it's a big project at the office or a tricky family situation that's occupying your mind, don't make the mistake of acting too rashly too soon.
Ask yourself if you've already done all that you can reasonably do, and if your answer is yes, then realize that your continuing urge to act is understandable, but that it would be unwise to follow through on it.
Why not go to the movies and relax?
Some of our readers today have been in:
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Seoul, Kyonggi-Do Korea
London, England, United Kingdom
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Valencia, Comunidad Valencia, Spain
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
Bamberg, Bayern Germany
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Seoul, Kyonggi-Do Korea
London, England, United Kingdom
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Valencia, Comunidad Valencia, Spain
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
Bamberg, Bayern Germany
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
as well as Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Israel, Finland, Austria, Norway, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden, Afghanistan, Belgium, Tibet, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Paraguay, Sudan, Vietnam, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Maldives, Qatar, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Paupa New Guinea, Moldova, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Norway, Finland and in cities across the United States such as Elroy, Casper, Greer, Wayne and more.
Today is:
Today is Friday, February 11, the 42st day of 2011.
There are 323 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Be Electrific Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
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