Authorities say a woman who dressed like a man and drew a beard on her face has robbed an Alabama bank.
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The place where the world comes together in honesty and mirth.
Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.
Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Mayor Won't Step Down After 3-Day Drinking Binge
Mayor Bob Ryan of Seboygan, Wisconsin, was found passed out at a local bar over the weekend.
Chemistry
A female student wished to make some potassium hydroxide solution (aqueous) and decided to throw a large lump of potassium into a bucket of water.
Her professor observed what she was about to do, out of the corner of his eye and hurried towards her, and after confirming this was what she was intending to do, asked her first to stir the water in the bucket for five minutes before adding the potassium.
She was puzzled and ran after him to ask the purpose of this action.
"It will give me time to get away' said the professor.
Her professor observed what she was about to do, out of the corner of his eye and hurried towards her, and after confirming this was what she was intending to do, asked her first to stir the water in the bucket for five minutes before adding the potassium.
She was puzzled and ran after him to ask the purpose of this action.
"It will give me time to get away' said the professor.
Thieves Steal 22 Restroom Doors
German motorists were forced to take their restroom breaks in public after thieves made off with 22 stainless steel cubicle doors from highway service stops, news website The Local reported Saturday.
The Biggest Locks On Earth

Today we have to deploy increasingly sophisticated measures to secure our possessions and deter would-be thieves. Past decades have introduced key cards, number pads and Total Recall style biometric scanning.
As these more advanced security measures become further integrated into our everyday lives, remember that sometimes the best form of protection is a great big lump of reinforced steel.
Amateur Archeologists Invited to Decipher Papyri
Hundreds of thousands of fragments of ancient papyri have been put online in a bid to crowd source translations.
People from Polar Regions Have Bigger Brains
Russia Rapidly Loosing Permafrost
Baby hippo's water dance
There are many words that describe a hippopotamus, but "graceful" has never been one of them.
Also: Golden Textile Made From Spiders Silk

There’s an amazing collaboration between man and insect on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, a cloth woven purely from the silk of over a million Golden Orb spiders. This magnificent textile, naturally golden in color and seemingly imbued with it’s own luminescence, took over four years to make after eighty gatherers spent five years gathering the silk. Such a feat has not been attempted since 1900, when a spider silk textile that disintegrated over time was created for the Paris Exposition Universelle, and it’s not surprising that such a feat is almost never attempted, for the spiders with the best silk can only be found in Madagascar. But is all the effort really worth it for a piece of cloth that isn’t long for this world?
Dolphin Blubber Holds Secrets to Healing
Studying dolphin blubber may yield insights into better treatments for skin injuries in the future.
Cancers Might Be Newly Evolved Species
Cancerous tumors are parasitic organisms, new species, that depend on their host for food, says a new study.
Facebook Page Lists Sitka, Alaska, Bear Sightings
Residents of Sitka, Alaska, are using social media to share reports about bear activity in the area.
The 20 Greatest Sharks in Pop Culture History
One of the most classic recurring sketches in Saturday Night Live history, Chevy Chase’s Land Shark character was basically a shark who would coerce its victims into opening their doors by pretending to be plumbers, repairmen or, in this clip, a member of Unicef.
Once the unsuspecting people opened their doors, the Land Shark would eat them whole, making a comment on the ridiculousness of the hysteria over sharks after the release of Jaws.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:You have two choices today: Either focus your energy on communicating more clearly, or suffer through a series of time-consuming misunderstandings.
Being the smart person you are, you will likely choose to work harder on conveying your ideas to others and -- more importantly -- listening more completely to what other people say.
Remember, communication is a two-way street and it's impossible for you to listen while you are talking.
Opt to say less and hear more today.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Pyrmont, New South Wales, Australia
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
Brtaislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
London, England, United Kingdom
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Barcelona, Catalonia, Australia
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Nizhniy Novgorod, Nizhegorod, Russia
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Pyrmont, New South Wales, Australia
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
Brtaislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
London, England, United Kingdom
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Barcelona, Catalonia, Australia
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Nizhniy Novgorod, Nizhegorod, Russia
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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 Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, Rock Hill and more.
and in cities across the United States such as Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, Rock Hill and more.
Today is:
Today is Saturday, July 30, the 211th day of 2011.
There are 154 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Cheesecake Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
President Obama's Weekly Address
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Washington, DC
Today, I’d like to speak with you about the ongoing and urgent efforts to avoid a first-ever default and get our fiscal house in order.Weekly Address
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Washington, DC
Republicans in the House of Representatives just spent precious days trying to pass a plan that a majority of Republicans and Democrats in the Senate had already said they wouldn’t vote for. It’s a plan that wouldn’t solve our fiscal problems, but would force us to re-live this crisis in just a few short months. It would hold our economy captive to Washington politics once again. If anything, the past few weeks have demonstrated that’s unacceptable.
Any solution to avoid default must be bipartisan. It must have the support of both parties that were sent here to represent the American people – not just one faction of one party. There are multiple ways to resolve this problem. Congress must find common ground on a plan that can get support from both parties in the House. And it’s got to be a plan that I can sign by Tuesday.
Look, the parties are not that far apart here. We’re in rough agreement on how much spending we need to cut to reduce our deficit. We agree on a process to tackle tax reform and entitlement reform. There are plenty of ways out of this mess. But there is very little time.
We need to reach a compromise by Tuesday so that our country will have the ability to pay its bills on time – bills like Social Security checks, veterans’ benefits, and contracts we’ve signed with thousands of American businesses. If we don’t, for the first time ever, we could lose our country’s Triple A credit rating. Not because we didn’t have the capacity to pay our bills – we do – but because we didn’t have a Triple A political system to match it. And make no mistake – for those who reflexively oppose tax increases on anyone, a lower credit rating would be a tax increase on everyone – we’d pay higher interest rates on mortgages, car loans, and credit cards.
That would be inexcusable, and entirely self-inflicted by Washington. The power to solve this is in our hands. All that’s needed is a simple vote that Democrats and Republicans have taken for decades, including all of the leaders in Congress today. It was done 18 times under President Reagan. 7 times under George W. Bush. And it must be done again now. It’s not a vote that allows Congress to spend more money. Raising the debt ceiling simply gives our country the ability to pay the bills Congress has already racked up. It gives the United States of America the ability to keep its word. And it will let businesses and our economy breathe a sigh of relief.
On Monday night, I asked you to make your voice heard in this debate. And the response was overwhelming. One of the emails we received was from a woman named Kelly Smith, who wanted to send this message to Washington:
“I keep my home clean, work hard at a full time job, give my parents any monies I can so they can afford their medications, I pay my bills and by all appearances I am a responsible person. All I’m asking is that you be responsible. I have my house in order and all I’m asking is that you get yours the same way.”
Here in Washington, we need to get our house in order. And I have to say, Democrats in Congress and some Senate Republicans have been listening and have shown themselves willing to make compromises to solve this crisis. Now all of us – including Republicans in the House of Representatives – need to demonstrate the same kind of responsibility that the American people show every day. The time for putting party first is over. The time for compromise on behalf of the American people is now. Thank you.
House passes repugican debt plan
repugicans finally close ranks and support the plan backed by John Boehner.
Also: Senate swiftly rejects repugican plan
The standoff continues as Democrats kill the measure adopted earlier by the House.
Also: Apple has more cash than U.S.
While the U.S. government struggles to find a way to pay its bills, Apple is thriving.
Also: Recession risks up amid slow growth, debt standoff
That Time in 1979 When the U.S. Government Defaulted
The August deadline for lifting the debt ceiling is looming. Will the US government default on its loans? Has that ever happened before? Yes it has -in 1979.In the spring of 1979, Congress was in the midst of a similarly heated debate about raising the debt ceiling, Legislators eventually reached a last-minute deal to raise the debt ceiling and (they thought) save the day, but something went wrong. The Treasury didn’t redeem $120 million worth of securities that matured in April and May.Here’s the short answer: When all else fails, blame the computers.
In other words, the U.S. Treasury defaulted on its securities even though Congress settled the debt-ceiling issue. What happened? It’s not totally clear.
And as a result we got ronny raygun and the entire world went to shit.
Judge orders release of grand jury testimony of President Richard Nixon
The secret grand jury testimony of President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal was ordered to be released on Friday by a federal judge because of its significance in American history.
Why teachers would cheat
Amid a national scandal, one instructor reveals why she helped her students' test scores.
Also: Food that helps keep you cool
Ice cream won't do the trick, but a leafy garnish placed on some desserts can work wonders.
Also: 'Best' restaurant is closing
A world-renowned eatery in Spain is undergoing a radical transformation led by the head chef.
Also: America's best campgrounds
You won't believe the sights you can see for less than $50 a night if you don't mind roughing it a bit.
Also: Denver bets on a county fair, aiming at hipsters
Denver has an ambitious plan to revive the county fair: blend throwback chic with urban grit to draw crowds celebrating everything weird and crafty.
Optical illusion you'll 'heart'
The background colors have an odd effect on these heart-shaped objects.
Also: Who's the most stressed in U.S.?
Four Back pain myths – debunked!
Tylenol's lower maximum dose
Concerns about overdoses from the active ingredient in Extra Strength Tylenol fuel the move.
Also: Southern distillery to legally sell Moonshine
Cop Pulling D.A.R.E. Trailer Charged with DUI
“He was sitting on the wall out of the vehicle, holding his head,” said Mrs. Robbins. But that wasn’t the only thing that stood out to the Robbins, it was the trailer Newcomb was pulling.Newcomb said he crashed because a dog in the vehicle distracted him. He was taken to the Washington County Jail.
“It said DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and Seymour Police Department- which made me think he was a police officer,” said Mr. Robbins.
Not only a police officer, but according to the Seymour Police Department website, he is the School Resource Officer, responsible for seven schools, acting as a mentor and providing students with a role model. It even states that he conducts lectures on narcotics and alcohol and their effects on driving.
“He’s not setting a good example for kids that see this,” said Mr. Robbins.
Two men indicted on murder charge in killing of man returning lost cell phone
Two Shaker Heights men were charged with killing a man who was trying to return a missing cell phone.
Why Are There Hundreds of Ancient Tunnels in Bavaria?
The vaults could not have served a practical purpose, as dwellings or to store food, for example, if only because the tunnels are so inconveniently narrow in places. Besides, some fill up with water in the winter. Also, the lack of evidence of feces indicates that they were not used to house livestock.There's one thing they do know: there are hundreds of these secret underground mazes all over Germany and Austria.
There is not a single written record of the construction of an Erdstall dating from the medieval period. "The tunnels were completely hushed up," says Ahlborn.
Archeologists have also been surprised to find that the tunnels are almost completely empty and appear to be swept clean, as if they were abodes for the spirits. One gallery contained an iron plowshare, while heavy millstones were found in three others. Virtually nothing else has turned up in the vaults.
Giant iceberg blocks harbor
A massive iceberg runs aground off Newfoundland’s Goose Cove before breaking apart.
Also:
Ancient Source of Earth's Biggest Eruptions Found
Monster Waves Behind Sun's Coronal Heating Mystery?
Powerful Alfvén waves have been detected deep inside the sun's atmosphere, possibly explaining why the solar atmosphere is so hot.
Further proof religion is insane
The relentless christian crusade to prevent our children from learning science.
Skull of Giant Sea Monster May be Largest In the World
If the presence of Tyrannosaurus Rex isn't enough to make anyone shudder, consider this Pilosaur that might have dined on one of those big fellows for Sunday brunch! The 8-foot long skull and jaws with teeth that belong in the world of nightmares are now on permanent display in an English museum.
Prehistoric Dog Domestication Derailed by Ice Age
Some dogs were domesticated by 33,000 or more years ago, but the Ice Age disrupted the process. Read more
Baby Oryxes Born
Oryxes are extinct in the wild, but this baby is one of three additions to the captive population born this summer.
A surprising haven for bees
Goldfish Have An Incredible Will To Survive
New Zealand: Goldfish survive 134 days without food.
This suggests the survivors could have been ruthless murderers and cannibals:Two goldfish, named Shaggy and Daphne after characters from the animated television show Scooby Doo, have become the smallest and hardiest survivors of the devastating February earthquake in Christchurch that killed 181 people.
The fish spent four and a half months — 134 days — trapped in their tank in the city's off-limits downtown without anyone to feed them or even any electricity to power their tank filter before they were discovered this month and rescued.
"It's certainly an incredible story. I wouldn't have guessed that fish could survive on their own for four months," said Paul Clarkson, curator at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. "Goldfish are very hardy critters."
There were six goldfish in the tank when the earthquake struck. By the time the survivors were found, no trace remained of three of the fish. A fourth was found floating in the tank.The image shows two random goldfish, probably not even New Zealand goldfish.
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