Even dedicated foodies can stumble over terms like "vichyssoise" and "au jus."
Also: 
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Quebec City's Hotel of Ice
Fairbanks hit with 41 below zero temps
Alaska's second-largest city is used to cold weather, but few residents expected record-breaking cold this early in the season.Plunge Waterfalls
Real-life cloud island
A photographer captures a chance moment on an island in the Atlantic Ocean.
Also: 
World's lightest solid unveiled
A solid 200 times lighter than Styrofoam takes its inspiration from a familiar landmark.
Also: Neutrinos may travel (very slightly) faster than light after all
There is still a small possibility of an error in the measurement of the distance between the start and the end point due to some GPS effect. But the news from CERN is that they have repeated OPERA the neutrino experiment and the faster than light effect is still there. The new experiment rules out one of the potential sources of systematic error.
The difference is so slight that it is quite possible that the ultimate culprit will turn out to be some weird systematic error in our measurement of light speed that turns out to be the issue. The speed
Contrary to widespread speculation, this does not contradict Einstein's theory of relativity any more than Einstein contradicted Newton. Newton was well aware that there would be significant implications if the speed of light was less than instantaneous. Einstein was aware that his theory of relativity could not be reconciled with the then emerging theory of quantum mechanics.
The theory of relativity does not predict that nothing can move faster than the speed of light. Instead, one consequence of the theory is that if something is moving slower than the speed of light it cannot be accelerated to move faster and that if something is moving faster than the speed of light it cannot be decelerated to move slower.
The difference is so slight that it is quite possible that the ultimate culprit will turn out to be some weird systematic error in our measurement of light speed that turns out to be the issue. The speed
Contrary to widespread speculation, this does not contradict Einstein's theory of relativity any more than Einstein contradicted Newton. Newton was well aware that there would be significant implications if the speed of light was less than instantaneous. Einstein was aware that his theory of relativity could not be reconciled with the then emerging theory of quantum mechanics.
The theory of relativity does not predict that nothing can move faster than the speed of light. Instead, one consequence of the theory is that if something is moving slower than the speed of light it cannot be accelerated to move faster and that if something is moving faster than the speed of light it cannot be decelerated to move slower.
Quantum Physicists Create Light Out of Nothing
Physicists have created light out of nothing by simulating moving a mirror at nearly the speed of light:
At the heart of the experiment is one of the weirdest, and most important, tenets of quantum mechanics: the principle that empty space is anything but. Quantum theory predicts that a vacuum is actually a writhing foam of particles flitting in and out of existence.The physicists have managed to build such a "mirror-like" device using quantum electronics, and confirmed the predictions: Full Story.
The existence of these particles is so fleeting that they are often described as virtual, yet they can have tangible effects. For example, if two mirrors are placed extremely close together, the kinds of virtual light particles, or photons, that can exist between them can be limited. The limit means that more virtual photons exist outside the mirrors than between them, creating a force that pushes the plates together. This 'Casimir force' is strong enough at short distances for scientists to physically measure it.
For decades, theorists have predicted that a similar effect can be produced in a single mirror that is moving very quickly. According to theory, a mirror can absorb energy from virtual photons onto its surface and then re-emit that energy as real photons. The effect only works when the mirror is moving through a vacuum at nearly the speed of light — which is almost impossible for everyday mechanical devices. [...]
Giant Junkbots Made From Car Parts
These sculptures seem like a logistical nightmare, I mean how does he move this massive piece, with a crane? A gallery would have to be built around this piece, cause it ain’t coming in through the front door!
Tire dump seen from space
Authorities say satellite images show the South Carolina mess covers 50-plus acres.
Also: Life-Bearing Lake Possible on Icy Jupiter Moon
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Large lakes discovered just below Europa's icy shell may provide a habitat for life. Read more
Topographic Map of the Moon
The near-global topographic map was constructed from 69,000 WAC stereo models and covers the latitude range 79°S to 79°N, 98.2% of the entire lunar surface. Due to persistent shadows near the poles it is not possible to create a complete stereo based map at the highest latitudes. However, another instrument onboard LRO called LOLA excels at mapping topography at the poles. Since LOLA ranges to the surface with its own lasers, and the LRO orbits converge at the poles, a very high resolution topographic model is possible, and can be used to fill in the WAC “hole at the pole.” The WAC topography was produced by LROC team members at the German Aerospace Center.Read more about the map at NASA.
Climate Change May Have Doomed Neanderthals
Like early humans, Neanderthals adapted to climate and that may have been a disaster for them.
First teeth grew on outside of body
* Scales on the exterior of the prehistoric shark-resembling fish appear to have evolved into teeth.
* Teeth were retained among most vertebrates and were passed down to multiple species, including humans.
Asteroid Fingered For Dino Era Boom - Not Just Bust
An asteroid impact crater in France is getting the honor of giving the “terrible lizards” their chance to take over the Triassic. Read more
North Pole Dinosaurs Lived Short, Hard Lives
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Arctic life was tough on dinosaurs, with many not making it to their 20th birthday. Read more
Horse and Dog Are Friends
(Video Link)
Gef the Talking Mongoose
A talking weasel on the Isle of Man was an international media sensation back in the 1930s. It was known as “the Dalby Spook” locally, but the weasel called itself Gef. The weasel -or possibly a mongoose- lived on the farm of James and Margaret Irving.The strange events began in autumn 1931, when the Irvings noticed an unusual animal in their farmyard, being, as Price’s correspondent described: “similar in appearance to a weasel, with small body, long bushy tail, flat nose, and yellow in colour”.[3] Oddly, this animal did not appear to alarm the chickens. Later, it was seen inside the house, as James Irving described: “This eerie weasel, as I thought he might be, then began to keep us awake at night by blowing, spitting and growling behind the matchboard partition of the lower rooms…”[4]Newspapers printed stories about Gef, although when reporters visited the farm, he tended to disappear. Some considered him a poltergeist or a shape-shifter. It was later thought that the Irving’s teenage daughter, Voirrey, provided the voice of Gef, but she never admitted to a hoax.
The entity quickly progressed to something more sophisticated. Having learned to mimic various animal noises, it then began to repeat nursery rhymes, and within a short while – having built up a sufficiently wide vocabulary – it could converse with the family. Its voice is said to have been loud, clear, and one or two octaves higher than a human’s. Other witnesses describe it as a “very high, screechy sort”.[5]
Initial news reports spoke of the ‘man-weasel’ farm,[6] and indeed, the entity itself, when asked who or what he was, would frequently reply: “I am the ghost of a weasel, and I will haunt you with weird noises and clanking chains.”[7] It was only later on that he described himself as “just a little extra, extra clever mongoose”.[8]
Animal News
Small steps for tuna and sharks
Fishing nations agree to step up protection for bluefin tuna, sharks, swordfish and albatrosses, but conservationists say there are still holes in the net. Cat's extreme game of fetch
Rambo's quest to catch a toy mouse involves more obstacles than most pets would tolerate.
Also: 
Friday, November 18, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:
A loved one is in need of a good listener -- and possibly a shoulder to cry on.
Send out a few feeler emails today (you might have to coax this shy person into spilling what's on their mind) and see what's up with the people in your life.
Be the supportive person everyone knows you to be, and enjoy the distraction.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Munich, Bayern, Germany
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Pozan, Wielkopolskie, Poland
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
London, England, United Kingdom
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Quezon City, Manila, Philippines
Woodlands, Singapore, Singapore
Woking, England, United Kingdom
Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
Morini, Morini, Comoros
Newbury, England, United Kingdom
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Berne, Bern, Switzerland
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania
Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Bangkok, Krung Thep, Thailand
Frienze, Toscana, Italy
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Lalitpur, Bagmati, Nepal
Prague, Hlavni Mesto Praha, Czech Republic
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Munich, Bayern, Germany
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Pozan, Wielkopolskie, Poland
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
London, England, United Kingdom
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Quezon City, Manila, Philippines
Woodlands, Singapore, Singapore
Woking, England, United Kingdom
Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
Morini, Morini, Comoros
Newbury, England, United Kingdom
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Berne, Bern, Switzerland
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania
Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Bangkok, Krung Thep, Thailand
Frienze, Toscana, Italy
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Lalitpur, Bagmati, Nepal
Prague, Hlavni Mesto Praha, Czech Republic
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Hanover, Niedersachsen, Germany
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 Campobello, Gillett, Sebewaing, Wimauma and more!
and in cities across the United States such as Campobello, Gillett, Sebewaing, Wimauma and more!
Today is:
Today is Friday, November 18, the 322nd day of 2011.
There are 43 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Push-button Phone Day.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Ultrarare 1880s autograph
Mike "King" Kelly, the Babe Ruth of the 19th century, left behind a very special signature.
Also: Clashes erupt on day of mass protests
Police start making arrests as hundreds gather to block traffic into New York's financial district.
Also: Secret Service checked if White House shooter Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez had ties to OWS, did they check tea party ties too?
It's interesting that news stories about Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, the man who allegedly fired shots at the White House, and apparently got one bullet lodged in a window of the President's personal residence, are noting that the Secret Service investigated whether the shooter had ties to the Occupy movement. I wonder if they also investigated possible ties to the tea party or other wingnut groups? After all, the man "hated" Obama. And he's from Idaho (hello?). That's repugican territory. On our side of the aisle, we're sometimes "disappointed" in the President, but "hate" is the domain of the other guys. Speaking of the other guys, the fact that the Secret Service has found no connection to the Occupy movement hasn't stopped Faux from calling him "the Occupy shooter." They really are such a diligent propaganda arm of the repugican party.
Wingnut "gotcha" agitator James O'Keefe bedeviled by infighting, lawsuits, lack of funds
How sad. Nice blockbuster of a story by Ken Vogel at Politico. It seem that James O'Keefe, the guy who did the Acorn sting and the NPR sting (and selectively edited the videos to portray things not quite as they were) is apparently watching his empire fall apart around him. Former colleagues are dissing him to Politico. Lawsuits are being threatened all over the place (amongst themselves). And funds aren't quite pouring in. It's a heartwarming tale, read it.
Canada's plastic high-tech money
The currency has windows and other new features to thwart counterfeiters.
Also: Foolish financial moves
You might as well fling $100 bills out the window as you cruise off the lot in your new car.
Also: Keep these off your tax return
Driving to and from your job is clearly a work-related expense, but the IRS still won't let you deduct it.
Also: Should employers be allowed to raise insurance rates for smokers or obese?
Unless the plans include a lot of help for people to quit smoking or lose weight, this doesn't sound fair. The thought of charging someone a high premium because of their cholesterol also sounds unfair. I know people who have high cholesterol but are very fit. Once again, companies and the insurance industry do this because they can.
New York Times:
New York Times:
But some benefits specialists and health experts say programs billed as incentives for wellness, by offering discounted health insurance, can become punitive for people who suffer from health problems that are not completely under their control. Nicotine addiction, for example, may impede smokers from quitting, and severe obesity may not be easily overcome.
Earlier this year, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association were among groups that warned federal officials about giving companies too much latitude. They argued in a letter sent in March that the leeway afforded employers could provide “a back door” to policies that discriminate against unhealthy workers.
Kristin M. Madison, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, said, “People are definitely worried that programs will be used to drive away employees or potential employees who are unhealthy.”
Tips to relaunch your career
Having a clear understanding of what you want from your professional life can help focus your search.
Also: Distressing retirement age
A quarter of middle-class Americans are so pessimistic that they're now delaying retirement to an extreme age.
Also: 
Turkey brining mistakes
Brining is the secret to a moist bird, but you never want to do this with some turkeys.
When fats are good for you
Experts say 25 to 30 percent of your diet should come from healthy fats like olive oil.
Also: Foods that age you
That tempting, sugary breakfast pastry is a problem for your skin as well as your waistline.
Also: 
Man with "I'm a Drunk" T-Shirt Arrested for Drunk Driving after Ramming Police Car
So do you get drunk in order to fulfill the message on your t-shirt, or do you put on the t-shirt because you plan to get drunk?A man wearing a t-shirt reading “I’m A Drunk” crashed into a police car early Thursday on Long Island and is being charged with driving while intoxicated, police said. [...]There are so many different crimes that people can commit. Surely there is a market for a t-shirt for each one!
The entire message on his t-shirt reads “I’m Not An Alcoholic, I’m A Drunk. Alcoholics Go to Meetings.”
Shamed robber retreats after children offer him life savings
An armed robber who held up a babysitter at gunpoint in Lower Saxony, Germany, was shamed into leaving empty-handed by the two young children of the house who offered him their pocket money. The man had rung the doorbell of the house in the northern town of Schwanewede near Bremen on Monday evening, and forced his way in.
Wearing a balaclava and a long black coat, the man had the terrified babysitter at gunpoint when the children she was looking after, came downstairs. When they offered him their savings, he was obviously overcome with shame and left the house without a word – or a cent.
“The children had heard what was going on from upstairs and came down with their money, all their savings,” a police spokesman said. He said he was not releasing the ages of the children in order to protect them from being identified, but that they were both younger than seven.
“The robber must have realized what he was doing was awful, and simply put his gun away and left,” said the spokesman. The authorities are now looking for the would-be robber, described as in his early twenties, 185 centimeters tall and thin.
Wearing a balaclava and a long black coat, the man had the terrified babysitter at gunpoint when the children she was looking after, came downstairs. When they offered him their savings, he was obviously overcome with shame and left the house without a word – or a cent.
“The children had heard what was going on from upstairs and came down with their money, all their savings,” a police spokesman said. He said he was not releasing the ages of the children in order to protect them from being identified, but that they were both younger than seven.
“The robber must have realized what he was doing was awful, and simply put his gun away and left,” said the spokesman. The authorities are now looking for the would-be robber, described as in his early twenties, 185 centimeters tall and thin.
Discovery could rewrite physics
An unexpected find gives scientists a "tantalizing hint" at one of the universe's biggest mysteries.
Also: Moon to outshine meteors
The annual light display will likely be upstaged by a celestial neighbor tonight.
'Ghost alps' puzzle solved
An astonishing mountain range deep below the ice has baffled scientists for more than 50 years.
Also: The Most Incredible Volcanic Eruptions Seen From Space
Study details world's worst die-off: hell on Earth
During the world's biggest mass extinction, Earth seemed pretty close to a description of hell - fiery, smoky and explosive - created by massive volcanic eruptions, according to research dug up in China.
'Extinct' frog hops back into northern Israel
Omri Gal of Israel's Nature and Parks Authority said Thursday the Hula Painted Frog was seen for the first time in 50 years this week.
Six Wacky Stories of Crazy Beast Masters
Meet Koun Samang. When he was only three months old, his father found a python curled up in his crib. The dad removed the snake from the house, but it showed up again. It was released back in the jungle and then it came back again. It happened a total of three times before the Koun’s dad finally gave up and just let the snake hang out with his baby. Seven years later, the kid and the snake (now over 20 feet long) are best friends.Of course, that’s not the only bizarre animal/human story friendship story. Cracked has five more and they are all equally fascinating.
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