Mexican archaeologists have found two 1,300-year-old limestone sculptures of captured Mayan warriors that they say could shed light on the alliances and wars among Mayan cities during the civilization's twilight.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Mexico finds 2 sculptures of Mayan warriors
Mexican archaeologists have found two 1,300-year-old limestone sculptures of captured Mayan warriors that they say could shed light on the alliances and wars among Mayan cities during the civilization's twilight.
Team unearths first Roman-era basilica in Egypt
Egyptian officials say archaeologists have unearthed the first basilica erected in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria.
Intoxicated men took dead, flattened alligator off-roading
Three men are accused of stealing a 14-foot stuffed alligator from a Livingston County barn, strapping it to a pickup truck and going mud bogging with it. Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte credited the owner of the alligator, a Hartland man, 34, with tracking down the suspected thieves, questioning them, then alerting the sheriff’s department.
The alligator, valued at $5,000, was missing and the driveway gate was damaged when the owner visited the barn. He took photos of footprints and tire impressions, which led him a short distance where he saw three men mud bogging with an alligator strapped to a truck.
He took photos of the three men and the truck and even asked the men where they got the alligator, to which they replied from Florida, Bezotte said. The man then took the photos to the sheriff’s department. “He did a great job, he took photographs and got everything in order and called the police, sheriff’s department,” Bezotte said.
Roy A. Griffith, 60, of Linden; John E. Sanborn, 53, of Houghton Lake; and Douglas E. Ward, 55, of Harrison were arraigned and a preliminary exam has been set for July 29. Bezotte said the three men were intoxicated and Ward blew a 0.4 percent on a Breathalyzer. “Everybody thought it was cool until they got arrested,” Bezotte said. “They were beyond making intelligent decisions.”
The alligator, valued at $5,000, was missing and the driveway gate was damaged when the owner visited the barn. He took photos of footprints and tire impressions, which led him a short distance where he saw three men mud bogging with an alligator strapped to a truck.
He took photos of the three men and the truck and even asked the men where they got the alligator, to which they replied from Florida, Bezotte said. The man then took the photos to the sheriff’s department. “He did a great job, he took photographs and got everything in order and called the police, sheriff’s department,” Bezotte said.
Roy A. Griffith, 60, of Linden; John E. Sanborn, 53, of Houghton Lake; and Douglas E. Ward, 55, of Harrison were arraigned and a preliminary exam has been set for July 29. Bezotte said the three men were intoxicated and Ward blew a 0.4 percent on a Breathalyzer. “Everybody thought it was cool until they got arrested,” Bezotte said. “They were beyond making intelligent decisions.”
Wildlife Key to South Sudan's Future as New Nation
Group of giraffes in Badingilo National Park, South Sudan.
Photo credit: © Paul Elkan/Wildlife Conservation Society.
Ravaged by two civil wars over five decades, the world's newest nation has still managed to retain rich wildlands and massive populations of wildlife -- resources that conservationists say must become as important as oil for the new country to succeed in developing into a stable, economically viable state.Article continues: Wildlife Key to South Sudan's Future as New Nation
The Pink River Dolphin
The pink dolphin of South America is an interesting creature–it lacks the dorsal fin of its more familiar bottle-nosed cousin, and has unfused neck vertebrae, allowing it to make a quick 180ยบ turn from predators. You can see their pink coloring is mottled, with each dolphin sporting its own pattern of pink and grey.
Check out more pics and lots of info about the Amazon River Dolphin on the Ark in Space.
Six Species We've Almost Killed Off For Dumb Reasons
The snail shells above are simply gorgeous, as are the jewelry made from them. The only problem? The snails are being driven to extinction just so people can makes earrings and necklaces from them. That’s not the only idiotic reason humans have been driving certain creatures to extinction.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:You are likely to be entering a more detached phase today, where birthday parties are less than interesting, a roller-coaster ride just doesn't seem like much fun, and a tear-jerky movie inspires a yawn.
This isn't boredom, and this isn't depression -- you're just feeling less emotional about the world around you. Use this time to reexamine some touchy issues.
You'll be able to get a new clarity about what you used to see through a fuzzy, emotional lens.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Rome, Lazio, Italy
London, England, United Kingdom
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Nice, Provence-Alpes-Cote D'Azur, France
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
San Juan, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Manila, Manila, Philippines
Stoke On Trent, England, United Kingdom
The Hague, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain
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 Long Beach, Beaverton, Newcomerston, Charlotte and more.
and in cities across the United States such as Long Beach, Beaverton, Newcomerston, Charlotte and more.
Today is:
Today is Saturday, July 9, the 190th day of 2011.
There are 175 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Bald In - Bald Out Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
President Obama's Weekly Address
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
July 9, 2011
Washington, DC
Earlier this week, we did something that’s never been done here at the White House – we had a Twitter Town Hall. I even sent my first live tweet as President. The questions at the town hall were sent in from across the country and covered all kinds of topics – from jobs and the economy to education and energy.Weekly Address
July 9, 2011
Washington, DC
Lots of people also submitted different versions of another question. They’d start by saying that our politics has grown so contentious. Then they’d ask, When will both parties in Congress come together on behalf of the people who elected them?
That’s a really important question, and it goes to the heart of a debate we’re having right now in this country – and that’s the debate about how to tackle the problem of our deficits and our debt.
Now, there are obviously real differences in approach. I believe we need a balanced approach. That means taking on spending in our domestic programs and our defense programs. It means addressing the challenges in programs like Medicare so we can strengthen those programs and protect them for future generations. And it means taking on spending in the tax code – spending on tax breaks and deductions for the wealthiest Americans.
But I also know that Republicans and Democrats don’t see eye to eye on a number of issues. And so, we’re going to continue working over the weekend to bridge those gaps.
The good news is, we agree on some of the big things. We agree that after a decade of racking up deficits and debt, we finally need to get our fiscal house in order. We agree that to do that, both sides are going to have to step outside their comfort zones and make some political sacrifices. And we agree that we simply cannot afford to default on our national obligations for the first time in our history; that we need to uphold the full faith and credit of the United States of America
With a recovery that’s still fragile and isn’t producing all the jobs we need, the last thing we can afford is the usual partisan game-playing in Washington. By getting our fiscal house in order, Congress will be in a stronger position to focus on some of the job-creating measures I’ve already proposed – like putting people to work rebuilding America’s infrastructure, or reforming our patent system so that our innovators and entrepreneurs have a greater incentive to generate new products, or making college more affordable for families. And businesses that may be holding back because of the uncertainty surrounding the possibility of a default by the U.S. government will have greater confidence to invest and create jobs.
I know we can do this. We can meet our fiscal challenge. That’s what the American people sent us here to do. They didn’t send us here to kick our problems down the road. That’s exactly what they don’t like about Washington. They sent us here to work together. They sent us here to get things done.
Right now, we have an extraordinary – and extraordinarily rare – opportunity to move forward in a way that makes sure our government lives within its means, that puts our economy on a sounder footing for the future, and that still invests in the things we need to prosper in the years to come. And I’m hopeful that we will rise to the moment, and seize this opportunity, on behalf of all Americans, and the future we hold in common. Thanks everyone, and have a great weekend.
World's newest country
The African republic celebrates its independence in the wake of a bloody, two-decade civil war.
Also: Massive Mayan Gravesite Found In The State Of Tabasco
Mexican archaeologists have discovered a Prehispanic grave site they believe to be Mayan in the state of Tabasco. Estimated to be around 1200 years old and containing 116 bodies, this is the largest group of skeletons found in the region. The area was thought to have been used as a cemetery, with the elite buried in a separate area from their companions, and skeletons found with dental inlays, cranial deformation and other body modifications.
Read more about it at ArtDaily.
Clues to bible's bad guys
In other words - the Good Guys
Shards bearing the name of Gath's most notorious resident are found in southern Israel.
Also: Ol' Stump
380M-year-old tree stumps studied in NY
A dozen fossilized tree stumps from what many scientists say was the world's oldest forest are now part of the collection at the New York State Museum in Albany.
Aliens bleaching their hair?
Hydrogen peroxide found in space
An international team of astronomers made the discovery with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment telescope (APEX), situated on the 5000-meter-high Chajnantor plateau in the Chilean Andes. They observed a region in our galaxy close to the star Rho Ophiuchi, about 400 light-years away. The region contains very cold (around -250 degrees Celsius), dense clouds of cosmic [...]Final historic shuttle launch
NASA's final shuttle mission begins with a little drama and unanswered questions about the future.
Also: Secrets of 'check engine'
The warning could signal a minor issue, but it could also mean a $2,000 repair.
Also: 
Immigration law challenged
Civil rights groups say the new Alabama law makes criminals out of regular citizens.
Also: Abandoned Prisons
The Creepiest Ones On Earth
Around the world there are many abandoned prisons, once cages for people - some criminals, some political prisoners. Many disused prisons have been left to rot and decay, while a few have been demolished.
No longer places for the incarcerated, many of these derelict landscapes are now the realms of urban explorers who document the abandonment and degradation of the former correctional institutions in pictures.
Texas executes Mexican national
Defying pleas from two governments, the state of Texas executes Mexican national Humberto Leal.
Also: Man steals Picasso drawing this week, and other art thefts from history
On Wednesday, San Francisco police arrested a 31-year-old man who allegedly snatched a Picasso sketch, valued at $275,000, from a ritzy downtown art gallery. Pegged on that news, the excellent Bay Citizen presents a gallery of famous art crimes and the masterminds behind them. From the Bay Citizen:
In 1911 Vincenzo Peruggia worked at Paris’ famed Louvre museum, where he stole a little painting you might have heard of--the Mona Lisa. Peruggia hid overnight in the museum only to emerge in the morning when the museum was closed. Much like the suspected Picasso thief, Peruggia simply walked up to the painting, took it off the wall, stuffed it under his clothes, and exited the building.
Man dressed as banana attacks man dressed as gorilla
A giant banana jumped a gorilla in Strongville on June 29, according to a report.
The manager at Verizon, 14150 Pearl Rd., called police at about 3 p.m. to say someone in a banana costume had just tackled his gorilla mascot in front of the store.
The banana, accompanied by four other males, then ran south on Pearl. Officers checked the area, but "GOA (gone on arrival) on banana," the report said.
The employee in the gorilla suit was not injured, just a little embarrassed, police said.
The manager at Verizon, 14150 Pearl Rd., called police at about 3 p.m. to say someone in a banana costume had just tackled his gorilla mascot in front of the store.
The banana, accompanied by four other males, then ran south on Pearl. Officers checked the area, but "GOA (gone on arrival) on banana," the report said.
The employee in the gorilla suit was not injured, just a little embarrassed, police said.
Degrees you should've gotten
People who studied these fields are handling the economic slump better than most.
Also: Five best U.S. housing markets
These are the only areas that will see rising home values this year, according to a new report.
Also: Why extreme couponing fails
There are many ways that the trendy money-saving shopping method can go wrong.
Also: Walking away from your bills
Flags arise when a bill is only 30 days overdue, and it gets worse from there.
Also: How the bubble killed the middle class
The once-strong heart of the U.S. economy bore the brunt of a $7.38 trillion loss.
Also: U.S. hiring at a standstill
The U.S. economy added just 18,000 new jobs in June, raising fears of another recession.
Also: New hiring halts in June
Stagnant June job numbers douse hopes the economy might rebound this year.
Also: Firing worker who took hot dogs unjustified
The Indiana Court of Appeals says a department store wasn't justified in firing a worker who took two leftover hot dogs from a company picnic, so it must pay him unemployment benefits.
Cheap kitchen upgrades
These projects cost as little as $50, but could give a big boost to your home's value.
Also: Time to Clean the Refrigerator
You know when it's time to clean the fridge when:The magnets are abandoning ship.
Your milk carton features an ad for the 1982 World's Fair
You have replaced your refrigerator lightbulb with a bug zapper.
Your Vegetable bin appears to be breathing.
Geraldo Rivera asks to lead an expedition into your fridge.
Your son can't find his science project in the fridge.
Your son's science project is the fridge.
Your freezer contains actual ice from the Ice Age.
Your lunch meat has petrified.
Eggs may help prevent heart disease and cancer
One of nature’s most perfect foods may be even better for us than previously thought. While eggs are well known to be an excellent source of proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals, researchers at the University of Alberta recently discovered they also contain antioxidant properties, which helps in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Foods that keep you thin
Rethink the idea of dieting by adding one nutritionist's suggestions to your meals and snack time.
Also: The 10 most dangerous food additives
Some ingredients in your favorite foods can cause digestive distress, weight gain, and even cancer.
Also:
Foods That Could Survive The Apocalypse
Here's 15 of them.
December 12, 2012 is right around the corner. If the coaxial rotation of the Earth does happen to shift, it'll probably be tough to get to the supermarket. So you better start stocking up on these 15 'apocalypse proof' foods now, just in case.
The Longsheng Rice Terraces
Truly Amazing
Village elders have a saying in Longsheng: where there is soil there is a terrace. Two hours ride from the city of Guilin in Guanxi province the problem of growing rice on steep hills was long ago solved. From the Yuan Dynasty at the end of the thirteenth century the colossal task of terracing the Longsheng hills to provide a rice harvest began.
Michigan Woman Faces 93 Days in Jail for Planting a Vegetable Garden
Photo Credit: Julie Bass
It just doesn't get more ridiculous than this.Julie Bass of Oak Park, Michigan -- a mother of 6, law-abiding citizen, and gardener -- is facing 93 days in jail after being charged with a misdemeanor.
Her crime? Planting a vegetable garden in the front yard.
Article continues: Michigan Woman Faces 93 Days in Jail for Planting a Vegetable Garden
Giant Hogweed
Officials have noticed increased sightings of the plant called Giant Hogweed. It is found throughout North America, but if you see one, stay away. The sap from this plant will burn your skin and cause painful blisters that last for days, maybe months.
Russian trilobites
Fossil museum's "Russian Trilobites Image Gallery" is full of absolutely wonderful, bizarre specimens.
Thrill-seekers run with bulls
The annual ritual in the Spanish city of Pamplona brings revelers from around the world.
Also: Shark-infested U.S. beaches
Shark attacks, while still rare, are on the rise, especially at these oceanside shores.
Also: 
Man finds frog that barks like a dog
A man in Owasso, Oklahoma, has filmed a barking frog using a video camera built into a ballpoint pen.
Ocelot's Spots
In Southern Arizona: Huachuca Mtns. camera gets shot of rare ocelot.
A camera placed in the Huachuca Mountains near Sierra Vista has snapped a photo of a rare, endangered ocelot.
It's the second photo record of the elusive species in the range this year.
"This is good news out of the Huachucas after all the bad news of the Monument Fire there" last month, said Mark Hart, a spokesman for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Hart said the photo was taken the night of May 26 by a remote camera placed in the range by hunters to observe wildlife movements.
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