On this U.S. island, there's a 25-year waiting list to get a permit to drive.
Also: 
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Scientists Discover Gene Behind Melting Zombie Caterpillars
Photos: Michael Grove
Watch out for zonked-out, virus-infected caterpillars melting from above: scientists have discovered a single gene in a caterpillar virus that which dramatically alters the molting behaviour of the gypsy moth caterpillar, literally turning them into zombies. Once infected, the caterpillars climb up trees to molt, but instead die and melt in a gruesome fashion, spreading millions of viruses to other caterpillars below. Article continues: Scientists Discover Gene Behind Melting Zombie Caterpillars
Receding Missouri River reveals badly damaged land
As the Missouri River slowly recedes, farmers seeing their fields for the first time since June are encountering sand dunes, strange debris and deep gouges the floodwaters carved into their once-fertile land.
The Day Niagara Froze
This shot was taken in 1911 when the Niagara River and Niagara Falls froze solid.
Hothouse Earth
The earth saw a mysterious episode of global warming 56 million years ago due to a surge of carbon into the atmosphere. Animals could walk from continent to continent and never see ice. That period is called PETM, or the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, and it changed everything about life on earth. Paleontologist Philip Gingerich has been studying the fossil record of the era for forty years, mainly in the Bighorn Basin, just east of Yellowstone National Park.During the PETM itself a strange thing happened to some mammals: They got dwarfish. Horses in the Bighorn shrank to the size of Siamese cats; as the carbon ebbed from the atmosphere, they grew larger again. It’s not clear whether it was the heat or the CO2 itself that shrank them. But the lesson, says Gingerich, is that animals can evolve fast in a changing environment. When he first drove into the Bighorn four decades ago, it was precisely to learn where horses and primates came from. He now thinks that they and artiodactyls came from the PETM—that those three orders of modern mammals acquired their distinctive characteristics right then, in a burst of evolution driven by the burst of carbon into the atmosphere.Learn more about the changes that happened during the PETM in the October issue of National Geographic magazine.
Murder convicts found innocent
Two N.C. men walk free after judges rule they did not kill a man during a home invasion.
Also: Descendants make amends for stolen canoe
Kin of explorers Lewis and Clark want to “right a wrong” committed against the Chinook Indians.
Also: The Sad Story of Ota Benga
Fifty years after slavery was abolished, the Bronx Zoo had an exhibit in which they displayed a man in a cage. His name was Ota Benga, a member of a pygmy Mbuti tribe from the Belgian Congo.Ota Benga’s life was tragic from early on. He was a member of the Mbuti people who lived in the area then known as the Belgian Congo. Forces under the control of King Leopold of Belgium killed Benga’s wife and two children during a massacre – part of the drive to control rubber trees in the region. Benga escaped death because he was on a hunting trip when the slaughter occurred.After the World’s Fair, Benga was displayed at the Museum of Natural History in New York and the Bronx Zoo. Read his story at Environmental Graffiti.
Benga was later captured by slavers, then sold to missionary Samuel Verner for a bolt of cloth and a pound of salt. Verner had been contracted by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (otherwise known as Saint Louis World’s Fair) to find some pygmies for the fair. Four other Batwa or pygmy people and five non-pygmies eventually agreed to come on the trip.
Hairdressers Tools From 1928
Pictures of hairdresser's tools from 1928.Pore openers, hair straighteners, hair curlers, heat setting heat setters, and the like.
Wacky places for rent
One small hotel has giraffes poking their heads into the windows for food and attention.
Also: Scopitone
The Visual Jukebox of the '60s
Five fun facts about Tetris
The classic game's toe-tapping theme song is a remake of a much older tune.
Also: Famous Firsts That Weren't Firsts At All
And that’s not the only incorrect first you were taught in school. Jackie Robinson wasn’t the first black man to play professional baseball and Copernicus wasn’t the first person to realize the earth revolved around the sun. Cracked has all the details.
Startling optical illusion
Shift your angle as you look at this picture, and you may be surprised at what you see.
Also: Paying off $92K in debt
Pastor Jerry Bailey didn't tell his wife that they'd run up staggering bills on 17 cards.
Also: Ten fields that pay the most
Jobs in these growth industries pay up to $93,000 after just a few years of experience.
Also: 
Top U.S. cities for foodies
These destinations offer a delicious mix of big-name eateries, ethnic cuisine, and bargain treats.
Also: 
Chocolate Covered Deep Fried Triple Double Oreos
Dog may never bark again after 'wild panther' attack
A family's pet dog may never bark again after it was viciously attacked — by what experts fear was a wild panther. Vets had to battle to save four-year-old Dusk after he was horrifically mauled outside his home in the Welsh countryside. The dog miraculously survived despite severe neck injuries, but it is feared he will not "speak" again.
Experts say the dog's injuries are typical of a strike by a panther. Police are investigating the attack, which happened close to the scene of other mysterious big cat sightings. Owner Chris O'Mahoney, 35, said: "I knew straight away that it was a big cat attack. It's a trait of theirs to attack the neck and face, and this one ripped Dusk's windpipe out."
Dusk, an Alaskan malamute, was attacked late at night on September 7 in Chris' back garden in Brecon, Powys, Wales. The businessman said: "There is a big cat in the area — I've seen it myself twice and local farmers have had their sheep attacked. The first time it pounced on to a wall like it was on springs which was amazing because it is quite a large animal.
"The second time it walked straight past my van, it was extremely brazen." Dusk underwent a life-saving operation on his bite wound at the Victoria Veterinary Practice in Merthyr Tydfil. A spokesman said after the operation: "Dusk was definitely attacked by something very big and powerful."
Experts say the dog's injuries are typical of a strike by a panther. Police are investigating the attack, which happened close to the scene of other mysterious big cat sightings. Owner Chris O'Mahoney, 35, said: "I knew straight away that it was a big cat attack. It's a trait of theirs to attack the neck and face, and this one ripped Dusk's windpipe out."
Dusk, an Alaskan malamute, was attacked late at night on September 7 in Chris' back garden in Brecon, Powys, Wales. The businessman said: "There is a big cat in the area — I've seen it myself twice and local farmers have had their sheep attacked. The first time it pounced on to a wall like it was on springs which was amazing because it is quite a large animal.
"The second time it walked straight past my van, it was extremely brazen." Dusk underwent a life-saving operation on his bite wound at the Victoria Veterinary Practice in Merthyr Tydfil. A spokesman said after the operation: "Dusk was definitely attacked by something very big and powerful."
Bald Baby Penguin
The parents of a newborn penguin at an aquarium in China rejected him, probably for being unusually devoid of feathers. But caretakers nursed him to good health and brought him back into the colony:The aquarium set up a penguin group to care for the youngster around the clock. After a month of hand feeding the little penguin was much stronger and, to the delight of keepers, even grew feathers. It was then successfully re-introduced to its family group.Follow the link to see what he looks like with feathers.
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:
Your ability to be objective is something that the people in your life value -- often, they count on you to act as the voice of clarity in confusing or volatile situations.
But today, when a feuding pair wants you to jump in and judge a situation, it's in your best interest to avoid being in the middle.
There are too many emotions floating around, and no matter how wonderful your diplomatic skills are, sometimes there's no getting past a trap.
But today, when a feuding pair wants you to jump in and judge a situation, it's in your best interest to avoid being in the middle.
There are too many emotions floating around, and no matter how wonderful your diplomatic skills are, sometimes there's no getting past a trap.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Seoul, Kyonggi-Do, Korea
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
London, England, United Kingdom
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Frydek-Mistek, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Czech Republic
Yangon, Yangon, Burma
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Morini, Morini, Comoros
Milan, Lombardia, Italy
Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
London, England, United Kingdom
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Frydek-Mistek, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Czech Republic
Yangon, Yangon, Burma
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Morini, Morini, Comoros
Milan, Lombardia, Italy
Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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 Scaly Mountain, Bat Cave, Deep Gap, Chimney Rock and more.
and in cities across the United States such as Scaly Mountain, Bat Cave, Deep Gap, Chimney Rock and more.
Today is:
Today is Friday, September 23, the 266th day of 2011.
There are 99 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Love Note Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Today is Mabon
Mabon is a time of reflection, and of equal balance between light and dark.It is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly empty, because the crops have been plucked and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings.
Looking for a way to celebrate Mabon, the second harvest Sabbat? Read on for some great ideas for you and your family to observe the autumn equinox.
Thanks to our readers
252,700
Over a quarter of a million readers (and counting) have stopped by Carolina Naturally and it's not even October yet!Wow!
Thank You!
Jaycee Dugard sues feds
She charges the government failed to monitor the convicted rapist who held her for 18 years.
Also: 
Did you know ...
That oddly enough, the idea of taxing millionaires polls really well among independents and moderates.
Why Fed's move won't help much
The Federal Reserve's plan to cut loan rates has three flaws, says Yahoo! Finance analyst Daniel Gross.
Also: Banks must "more than double profits" to meet capital requirements
We knew that the banks were under-capitalized — on purpose, it seems; why let good chips sit idle when the dice are coming out. The problem is, how much are they under-capitalized, relative to the coming capital requirements?
UK Telegraph has the answer:
After all, banks don't make anything, and they certainly don't have inventory, in the auto-parts sense. Bank inventory is stuff like computer lists of mortgage bundles they've bought, to be repackaged, tranched and sold. Certainly no freight and storage costs, unless Wall Street's electrons are as expensive as their lunches. So, salaries and bonuses — the invisible hand may taketh after all.
According to the article, "structural weaknesses exist across the industry." This is not good, since in the U.S. at least, the taxpayer is on the hook for bank losses (both legally in some cases, and de facto in others). In Europe it's roughly the same, though Iceland let its weak banks fail to avoid putting taxpayers on the hook. (How'd that work out? Very nicely, thank you very much.)
To bail them out, or not to bail them out? That is the question, should it come to that. It's definitely "double toil and trouble" time by the looks of it. It would be nice if some consumer demand showed up to boost economic activity. Perhaps Obama's jobs bill will pass — that would make a nice start (so long as he keeps his mitts off the safety net).
UK Telegraph has the answer:
Banks across Europe and North America must more than double their profits by 2015 if they are to meet the capital requirements likely to be imposed on them over the next few years, experts have warned.The straits seem dire, and the problem is both in Europe and the U.S. Did you catch the "decrease costs" part? What are costs in banking? My guess is salaries, bonuses, and fees (esp. legal fees).
Institutions need to increase profits by about $350bn (£221bn), according to management consultancy McKinsey, which said banks were facing "considerably deeper" challenges than the sovereign debt crisis currently engulfing the sector.
McKinsey said increased profitability would ensure banks produced returns that met their current cost of equity, while covering additional capital requirements under Basell III of up to $1.5 trillion. However, it warned additional surcharges for Systemically Important Financial Institutions, could make the gap even greater.
"This return gap is enormous", said Stefano Visalli, director at McKinsey. "It is bigger than the total profits of the global pharmaceutical and automotive industries put together. To achieve this will require a radical break with past trends for an industry that has never before decreased costs in absolute terms; in the next years it may need to reduce them by 15pc-25pc as well as increasing revenues."
After all, banks don't make anything, and they certainly don't have inventory, in the auto-parts sense. Bank inventory is stuff like computer lists of mortgage bundles they've bought, to be repackaged, tranched and sold. Certainly no freight and storage costs, unless Wall Street's electrons are as expensive as their lunches. So, salaries and bonuses — the invisible hand may taketh after all.
According to the article, "structural weaknesses exist across the industry." This is not good, since in the U.S. at least, the taxpayer is on the hook for bank losses (both legally in some cases, and de facto in others). In Europe it's roughly the same, though Iceland let its weak banks fail to avoid putting taxpayers on the hook. (How'd that work out? Very nicely, thank you very much.)
To bail them out, or not to bail them out? That is the question, should it come to that. It's definitely "double toil and trouble" time by the looks of it. It would be nice if some consumer demand showed up to boost economic activity. Perhaps Obama's jobs bill will pass — that would make a nice start (so long as he keeps his mitts off the safety net).
Just so you know ...
How Rick Perry put teachers' retirement money in his cronies' hands.
And while we're at it: crony wife capitalism.
Who recession hurt the most
Gen X, Gen Y, and Boomers make compelling cases that each suffered the most.
Also: U.S. youth joblessness
Employment among 16- to 29-year-old Americans plummets to levels not seen since World War II.
Also: Health care career options
You don't need to enroll in medical school for any of these seven positions.
Also: Pollution From Cars Can Trigger a Heart Attack
Photo: Simone Ramella / cc
While the sight of a hazy, smog filled cloud looming over the cityscape is certainly enough to break the heart of any would-be outdoorsman, it turns out that breathing in that pollution just might do so -- quite literally. According to a recently published study from the British Medical Journal, the inhalation of vehicle emissions can actually increase the likelihood of a heart attack, even up to six hours after exposure.Article continues: Pollution From Cars Can Trigger a Heart Attack
Particles faster than light
New findings from the world’s largest physics lab may call into question Einstein’s trusted theory.
Also: The True Story Of Captain Kidd
Kidd's fame springs largely from the sensational circumstances of his questioning before the English Parliament and the ensuing trial. His actual depredations on the high seas, whether piratical or not, were both less destructive and less lucrative than those of many other contemporary pirates and privateers.
How H.G. Wells' World Became Real
Explore how late-19th- and early-20th-century fiction, as envisioned by Wells, became 21st-century reality.
Words That Are Difficult To Translate Into English
Mamihlapinatapai is Yagan, an indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The word is difficult to translate into English. Its meaning is 'a wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people with each wishing that the other will initiate something that they both desire but which neither one wants to start.'
Another word is kyoikumama. It's Japanese and means 'a mother who relentlessly pushes her children toward academic achievement.' Here are some words that are almost impossible to translate into English.
Another word is kyoikumama. It's Japanese and means 'a mother who relentlessly pushes her children toward academic achievement.' Here are some words that are almost impossible to translate into English.
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