Instead of hitting snooze, turn on a bedside lamp to help you wake up and get moving.
Also: 
Saturday, March 12, 2011
In The News
Mel Gibson gets a plea deal in his criminal abuse case. Am I the only one who thinks he should send Charlie Sheen a ‘thank you’ card?Donald Trump says he is serious about a run for President in 2012. You know it’s going to be a tough campaign when the candidate first has to convince everyone the whole thing isn’t a joke.
Suri, the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, is almost 5 and still uses a pacifier…because that’s what aliens do.
Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi says the West is hatching a plot to humiliate the Libyan people, reduce them to slavery and control the oil. He says he thought of it first.
Tom Green is going to Afghanistan to entertain our troops. I don’t think it’s a good thing when the choice of entertainment actually makes sniper fire look attractive.
Coffee prices are soaring as the climate in South America is warming and hurting crops. Which means that Starbucks might not be ridiculously overpriced, they were just ahead of their time.
Comedian Gallagher is now in the hospital after collapsing on stage, clutching his heart, during his sledge-o-matic routine. Audiences & fans are wishing him well…and happy he finally added new material to his performance.
A California couple is being accused of stealing $130 Million from several banks, including Bank of America. Apparently they felt that any bank that was dumb enough to buy Countrywide Mortgage would fall for anything.
Hugh Hefner’s fiancé is releasing a song and Phil Collins has official retired from music due to health problems. Talk about a punch in both balls for music lovers.
A voice coach says that 28 Million Americans experience voice problems daily. Now if we could just figure out how to quiet down the other 272 Million Americans we would be getting somewhere.
The “Real Housewives of Orange County” say Charlie Sheen needs help. That’s like Lindsay Lohan speaking out against burglars.
Former Yankee catcher Yogi Berra was treated and released after a clubhouse fall. The 85 year old Hall of Famer worried people after the accident when he started talking and actually made sense.
Lindsay Lohan is afraid her dad will embarrass the family when he shows up on TV in the latest season of Celebrity Rehab.
Researchers conducting a shark census off the California Coast have found just 219 Great White sharks. There may actually have been more, but census workers just seemed to keep disappearing.
Giffords walks, talks, grins at her own success
She can talk, even saying short sentences.
With some help, she can walk.
Her awareness has grown to the point that she knows she was shot.
Painted Trees In The Mountains Of Colorado
American artist Curtis Killorn paints dead trees in all the colours of the rainbow. He turns them into spectacular public art pieces which stand out vividly against their natural backgrounds.
Man caused $250,000 damage over $80 debt
For 12 years, Ron Morphis painstakingly built a life on a farm in Yoder in eastern El Paso County, restoring antique vehicles, finishing an addition to his home and putting up a garage. In one hour, his neighbor destroyed it all over a debt of $80, Morphis' sister said. Jack Herbst, 63, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of felony criminal mischief and booked into the El Paso County Jail on $10,000 bond, accused of going on a rampage through Morphis' property with a front-end loader. Morphis' sister, Loranne McLaughlin, said the front-end loader carved a path of destruction at 36630 Bellemont Road that caused $250,000 worth of damage.
The brick garage Morphis built was destroyed. The two-bedroom addition to his home was destroyed. Six vehicles, including a restored 1956 Willys Jeep and 1949 Chevy pickup owned by his father were overturned. Two campers and a trailer were damaged. A propane tank and farm equipment were destroyed. Electrical and phone lines were ripped out. Lastly, more than a dozen mature elm trees were ripped out of the ground with a chain attached to the front-end loader. All of it allegedly done by a neighbor, a man Morphis considered a friend whom he had helped out in the past. "Herbst lives on the property next to him," McLaughlin said. "Jack and my brother hayed together, they mowed together. When he lost part of his hand in an accident, my brother helped him out."
The two never had a falling out, she said, which made this week's events even harder to understand. Morphis, who works as a driver escorting tractor-trailer trucks carrying oversize loads, had agreed to buy a trailer from Herbst for $400, his sister said. Morphis paid Herbst $320 and was planning to pay him the rest when he got paid on Friday, she said. On Monday or Tuesday, though, Herbst left a voice mail on Morphis' phone saying "I want my $80 or I'm going to flatten everything" Ronnie owns, McLaughlin said. When Morphis returned home from work on Wednesday he found his property in ruins. When sheriff's deputies first questioned Herbst, he denied having anything to do with it, McLaughlin said deputies told her and her brother.
Herbst, whom the sheriff said is a hired hand at a neighboring property, later confessed, according to McLaughlin. Deputies said they found front-end loader tire tracks leading from Morphis’ property to Herbst’s employer’s property. "Jack told the deputies 'I would have flattened the house but I didn't want to hurt the dogs inside,'" she said. "He told them 'The government is after me, the creditors are after me and Ron owed me money. I got even.'" McLaughlin said her brother only had insurance on the structures and doesn't have the money to cover the damage to the rest of the property.
The brick garage Morphis built was destroyed. The two-bedroom addition to his home was destroyed. Six vehicles, including a restored 1956 Willys Jeep and 1949 Chevy pickup owned by his father were overturned. Two campers and a trailer were damaged. A propane tank and farm equipment were destroyed. Electrical and phone lines were ripped out. Lastly, more than a dozen mature elm trees were ripped out of the ground with a chain attached to the front-end loader. All of it allegedly done by a neighbor, a man Morphis considered a friend whom he had helped out in the past. "Herbst lives on the property next to him," McLaughlin said. "Jack and my brother hayed together, they mowed together. When he lost part of his hand in an accident, my brother helped him out."
The two never had a falling out, she said, which made this week's events even harder to understand. Morphis, who works as a driver escorting tractor-trailer trucks carrying oversize loads, had agreed to buy a trailer from Herbst for $400, his sister said. Morphis paid Herbst $320 and was planning to pay him the rest when he got paid on Friday, she said. On Monday or Tuesday, though, Herbst left a voice mail on Morphis' phone saying "I want my $80 or I'm going to flatten everything" Ronnie owns, McLaughlin said. When Morphis returned home from work on Wednesday he found his property in ruins. When sheriff's deputies first questioned Herbst, he denied having anything to do with it, McLaughlin said deputies told her and her brother.
Herbst, whom the sheriff said is a hired hand at a neighboring property, later confessed, according to McLaughlin. Deputies said they found front-end loader tire tracks leading from Morphis’ property to Herbst’s employer’s property. "Jack told the deputies 'I would have flattened the house but I didn't want to hurt the dogs inside,'" she said. "He told them 'The government is after me, the creditors are after me and Ron owed me money. I got even.'" McLaughlin said her brother only had insurance on the structures and doesn't have the money to cover the damage to the rest of the property.
Texas farmers say drug war making job dangerous
As Texas farmhands prepared this winter to burn stalks of sugarcane for harvest along the Rio Grande, four masked men on ATVs suddenly surrounded the crew members and ordered them to leave.
Breaking the protein rules
If dogma dictates that proteins need a structure to function, then why do so many of them live in a state of disorder?
Perhaps disordered proteins are more versatile. Disordered segments, like on tumour supressor p53 (pictured), can help the protein bind to hundreds of partners.
Global warming 'destroying relics'
Climate change is damaging archaeological treasures which have been frozen for thousands of years, scientists have warned.
The Top 10 Dinosaurs That Aren't What They Were
Dinosaurs are not what they used to be. As new studies and discoveries are made, dinosaurs are becoming so much different from the way we always imagined them that, today, many of us have trouble recognizing even our childhood favorites.
Here are ten classic dinosaurs that have changed radically due to new paleontological discoveries. And they may still change a lot in the future! Dinosaur before and after shots.
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:Gather input today from all sources and keep an open mind about what they may have to say.
Make an especially strong effort to connect with your family -- either in person, on the phone or online.
Even if there's no big issue to discuss, if you share the latest news with them you may get some inspiring feedback.
At work, remember that communication is a two-way street; put your energy into having real conversations with higher ups, not just one-sided reviews.
Good is coming.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Santander, Cantabria, Spain
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Quebec, Quebec, Canada
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Lille, Nord-Pas-De-Calais, France
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Brest, Brestskaya Voblasts', Belarus
Annecy, Rhone-Alpes, France
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
London, England, United Kingdom
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Quebec, Quebec, Canada
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Lille, Nord-Pas-De-Calais, France
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Brest, Brestskaya Voblasts', Belarus
Annecy, Rhone-Alpes, France
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
London, England, United Kingdom
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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 Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, Kansas City and more.
Today is:
Today is Friday, March 11, the 70th day of 2011.
There are 295 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Middle Name Pride day
and
Johnny Appleseed Day.
and
Johnny Appleseed Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Quakes, tsunami slam Japan
Hundreds are dead as a massive wall of water ravages cities and spawns apocalyptic scenes.
Also: 
TV cameras capture a massive surge of water sweeping away everything in its path after Japan's quake.
Also: 
And I Quote
"Many liberal Americans continue to scream about raising taxes to bring down the debt.
But that crushes economic expansion ..." ~ Bill O'Reilly, FAUX's lying Nazi whore
Clinton raised taxes on the super-rich and America prospered like never before.
The shrub cut taxes for the super-rich, drastically, and America went bankrupt.
It's that simple.
Meanwhile in Wisconsin
A former Wisconsin AG says last night's committee meeting which passed walker's agenda clearly violated the open meeting law.
Meanwhile, groups of real Americans have raised almost $2 million for the recall of the Wisconsin repugican legislators.
The richest 400 Americans have more money than the bottom 50% combined.
Also - remember to contribute to the Wisconsin recall fund @actblue
Meanwhile, groups of real Americans have raised almost $2 million for the recall of the Wisconsin repugican legislators.
And did you know ....
The richest 400 Americans have more money than the bottom 50% combined.
Also - remember to contribute to the Wisconsin recall fund @actblue
On The Job
For years, job seekers have been told that employers will frown on anything over a page.
Also: 
Employees who studied business typically earn more than $70K in midcareer.
Also: Who'll pay bigger fees for your debit card use?
Software Blamed for Ohioan's $200M Refund Promise
Ten overlooked deductions
You may be able to write off $1,500 for home improvements made in 2010.
Also: 
Japan quake causes day to get a wee bit shorter
You won't notice it, but the day just got a tiny bit shorter because of Friday's giant earthquake off the coast of Japan.
Daylight saving time facts
The hope is to save energy, but studies show the electricity conserved is nominal.
Also: World's Most Expensive Coffee's Key Ingredient?
Dung!
Single cups of this luxury brand have been known to sell for almost $100 in specialty outlets.
Couple Denied Adoption Because They're Vegetarian
Article continues: Couple Denied Adoption Because They're Vegetarian
Amazon village rejects tourists
Tourism is booming all around one town in Colombia — but they want none of it.
Also: 'Zero waste' family
The Johnson family's move to a much smaller home was the first of many drastic changes.
Also: The Ice is melting
Polar Ice Loss: Picking Up the Pace
Greenland and Antarctica are losing ice more rapidly every year and out pacing melt from glaciers.
Earth's Core ID's Natural and Human-Induced Warming
NASA geophysicists find natural cycles to Earth's warming that correlate to movement of liquid iron in Earth's outer core -- up until 1930.
Police may look into ugly NHL hit
Boston's Zdeno Chara won't be suspended for his brutal hit, but he could face trouble with the law.
Also: Bad Cops
Oregon police officers use Tasers on 2 men who had surrendered, costing city almost $140,000 to settle lawsuits
Tennessee cops posed as a defense attorney to get suspect to incriminate himself
Peace activist sues Minneapolis for police violence, withholding evidence
Michigan cop who quit when caught pleads no contest in steroids case
New Jersey sheriff charged with corruption
Indiana deputy convicted of domestic violence, weapons charges gets 19 days in jail
NYPD detective faces charges of conspiracy for using drugs to pay off snitches
The repugican's Anti-Clean Air Act Bill is an Assault on Science Itself
Photo: Let Ideas Compete, Flickr, CC
The GOP leadership has spent the last few weeks trying to pass a bill that prevents the EPA from ever regulating greenhouse gases as part of the Clean Air Act. The bill would also prevent the EPA from setting tailpipe emissions standards for cars and trucks, but the former is drawing more widespread controversy. And for good reason. Since the bill attempts to tear down a ruling based on the findings of our nation's top public health experts and scientists -- a ruling that a Supreme Court decision turned into a legal obligation to uphold -- we're witnessing a case wherein Congressional politicians are actually arguing that they know better than the conclusions of an entire body of science. Article continues: The GOP's Anti-Clean Air Act Bill is an Assault on Science Itself
The Ten Most Notorious Mafia Bosses On Earth
The following ten bosses are all still alive and have in their own ways displayed the ruthless conviction and fierce brutality necessary to rise to the top of their ranks. Here are the ten most notorious Mafia bosses on Earth.
King Henry VIII's Madness Explained
Could a genetic disorder and a rare blood type explain Henry VIII's health problems, his wives' miscarriages, and even his madness?
Taking Naps Could Boost Your Brainpower
To every nap lover's delight, it turns out that sleeping may play a larger role in learning than previously thought.
Amplify your intelligence
Plot of one second of human brain (EEG) activity, from the Sounds Of Complexity by Enzo Varriale via Flickr
Andrea Kuszewski writes about five ways to amplify your intelligence for Scientific American. I’ve added two additional techniques.
Kuszewski’s list:
1. Seek Novelty – “People who rate high on Openness are constantly seeking new information, new activities to engage in, new things to learn—new experiences in general.”
2. Challenge Yourself – “Individual brain training games don’t make you smarter—they make you more proficient at the brain training games,” Kuszewski writes. “Once you master one of those cognitive activities in the brain-training game, you need to move on to the next challenging activity. Figure out how to play Sudoku? Great! Now move along to the next type of challenging game.”
3. Think Creatively – “Contrary to popular belief, creative thinking does not equal ‘thinking with the right side of your brain.’ It involves recruitment from both halves of your brain, not just the right.”
4. Do Things the Hard Way “There are times when using technology is warranted and necessary. But there are times when it’s better to say no to shortcuts and use your brain, as long as you can afford the luxury of time and energy.”
5. Network “By networking with other people—either through social media such as Facebook or Twitter, or in face-to-face interactions—you are exposing yourself to the kinds of situations that are going to make objectives 1-4 much easier to achieve.”
Jaw-Dropping Picture Of The Sun
This picture of the Sun was taken by Alan Friedman who used a filter that lets through only a very narrow wavelength of light emitted by hydrogen, so this tracks the activity of gas on the solar surface.
He also inverts the image of the solar disk to increase contrast. Somehow this adds a three-dimensional quality to the picture, and reveals an amazing amount of texture.
High In The Mountains
Pianomaker Fined $35,000 for Smuggling Endangered Elephant Ivory
Image: FWS
The CEO of an Atlanta piano company has been fined $35,000 after pleading guilty to importing piano keys made from real ivory. The shipment of pianos imported from Africa was intercepted by US Fish & Wildlife agents two years ago, after being notified by a fishy documentation request made to an international endangered species protection group in Switzerland. The story reveals two things -- that the clumsy bureaucratic process we rely upon to catch importers of such stuff seems pretty easy to circumnavigate, and that, yes, evidently there are still rich folks prowling the black market for pianos made with real ivory.Article continues: Pianomaker Fined $35,000 for Smuggling Endangered Elephant Ivory
The Common Chicken Is Tyrannosaurus Rex's Closest Living Relative
Analysis by scientists from Harvard University and the Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, of a shred of 68-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex protein - along with that of 21 modern species and an extinct mastodon - confirms that dinosaurs share common ancestry with birds, particularly chickens and ostriches, and to a lesser extent, alligators.
Tyrannosaurus rex, the 'tyrant lizard,' has confirmed its place on the vertebrate family tree, thanks to the new study, which was made possible thanks to an extremely unusual Tyrannosaurus rex fossil found in 2003.
Seeing Eye Dog for Blind Man Goes Blind, Gets Own Seeing Eye Dog
Graham Waspe had been aided by his guide dog Edward for six years. When Edward himself began to lose his sight, Mr. Waspe acquired a new guide dog, Opal, who helps not only him, but Edward as well:Mr Waspe’s new dog is not just aiding his owner to carry out everyday tasks, but also helping Edward to get around.
Mr Waspe, of Stowmarket, Suffolk, received his new dog last November after Edward developed the inoperable problem which resulted in him needing both eyes removed.
And the two-year-old bitch has stepped in where Edward left off as they tour their old haunts together.
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